A few months ago I mentioned that I was determined to learn the Edith Piaf classic, “Sous le Ciel de Paris.” I had been asked to accompany a singer, but then decided I wanted to learn the Tune itself. I saw the Anders Johannson video and was thoroughly inspired. In the end, I did not use his arrangement. I based mine on the arrangement my singer was using. There are some techniques of Johannson’s that I would dearly love to get under my fingers — those descants! But I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made. I follow the example of fellow blogger Owen Woods who, in April, posted some “experimental” work he was doing with descants, and then just recently posted a piece about the joys of being “out of my depth.” Very joyful, indeed. Sigh.

Some technical points. I’m playing it basically in A minor, but there’s a lot of straying from typical diato chords. I pulled the thirds out of the chords on the left hand. My goal wasn’t so much to find the right chord for the song, but to find a dyad that fit with the chord.