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BRENTHOVEN RECORDINGS Pianist Brent Johnston was born and raised in Ogden, Utah. Early in his career he won national competitions and appeared in recital in cities throughout the United States and Europe. He has been on seven worldwide USO tours, including three Christmas tours to Vietnam. In addition to his performance as a solo recitalist and chamber musician, his pianistic skills include studio recordings with other artists as an arranger and accompanist. Mr. Johnston is an avid lover of nature and the outdoors. In 1985, he moved to Alpine, Wyoming, a small mountain village south of Yellowstone and Teton National Parks. From his rustic mountain setting studio, he performs concerts, has produced five LP recordings of his distinctive style of playing, composes, writes and teaches.  Brent is also an accomplished chef and owner of "Brenthoven's"-- a charming restaurant located at the Nordic Inn near the mouth of the Snake River Canyon near Alpine. Brent's Recordings are listed below. music for A Summer's Night Nights at the Nordic Piano Classical Wallpaper The Other Side Of Time Brenthoven, Not So Classical Piano The Recital Brent's Friends & Travels Brent's Favorite Book List, etc. BRENTHOVEN RECORDINGS P.O. Box 3068 Alpine, WY 83128 music for A Summer's Nigh 1.  early autumn/autumn in new york burns & herman, vernon duke georgia/what a wonderful world carmichael, weiss & thiele  summer samba/desafinado marcus & valle, jobim i left my heart in san fransico/old cape cod cory & rotherrock, yakus, jeffery  round midnight williams & monk  there's a kind of hush reed & stephens star dust/lazy river carmichael & arodin  i'll be seeing you fanin  mame/caberet herman, ebb & kander sunny hebb Available in Compact Disc $15.00 * Click Here  to order. "Nights at the Nordic Inn"  Summer Time/Gershwin Satin Doll/Ellington, Mercer, Strayorn Medley September Song/Weill The Shadow Of Your Smile/Mandel The Autumn Leaves/Kosma Medley  It Had To Be You/Kahn, Jones Sentimental Journey/Green, Brown, Homer Whispering/Schonberger, Coburn, Rose  Medley  Meditation/Jobim Gimbel Quiet Nights/ Jobim Lees Girl From Ipenima/Jobim Misty/Garner Medley When You Walk Away/Oberson For The Good Times/Kristofferson Crazy/Nelson Medley Baby Face4/Davis, Akst Dark Town Strutter's Ball/Brooks Five Foot Two/Lewis, Young, Henderson Medley When It's Springtime In The Rockies/Sauer Let Me Call You Sweetheart/Friedman Tennessee Waltz/King, Stewart My Funny Valentine/Rodgers Melancholy Baby/Burnett One/Hamlish Available in Compact Disc $15.00 * Click Here  to order. Piano Classical Wallpaper 1.  Debussy, The Terrace For Moonlight Audiences Grieg, Shepherd Boy Johnston, Theme for Diviana Grieg, Norwegian Melody 5.  Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue Bach, Prelude and Fugue in G Minor Debussy, The Submerged Cathedral Bach, Prelude and Fugue in C Minor Folk Song, Gypsy Melody Bach, Prelude and Fugue in C Major Debussy, The Girl With Flaxen Hair  Available in Compact Disc $15.00 or Cassette $ 10.00 * Click Here  to order. No one really knows what music is. Its essential reality is as little understood as that of its first cousin, electricity! The notes of the musical scales are much like the letters of the alphabet, they have no meaning until they are arranged into words. A word is nothing until it becomes a concept. The notes of the scale when formed into a chord become a word combined with melody and rhythm giving us a musical concept. Composers, like artists, use silence as canvas. Across this space they paint with musical sound. Khalil Gibran said, "Your hearts know in silence the secrets of the days and nights. But your ears thirst for the sounds of your heart's knowledge. You would know in sound that which your heart has always known in thought." Music is the language by which we hear what our hearts have always known! I have kept the recording as it was originally recorded except for technical editing. I desired it to contain something of my being a human being. Studio recordings can almost become sterile in perfection today. I dedicate this performance to all of you that find joy, loving comfort and understanding from the haunting silver sounds of a piano. With love, Available in CD $15.00 or Cassette $ 10.00 * Click Here  to order. "The Other Side Of Time" Danny Boy (Traditional) If I Love You (Rodgers) When It's Springtime in the Rockies (Sauer) Sound of Music (Rodgers) Theme I Must Have Done Something Good Edelweiss Climb Every Mountain Some Where In Time 18th Variation From On Theme of Paganini OP.43 Rachmaninoff) Theme from Some Where  in Time The Other Side of Time (Brent Johnston) Part I Lineage Part II Love in 3/4 Time Part III Infallible Light Energy Theme From Ice Castles Through The Eyes Of  Love" (Hamlish) Plasir D' Amour (Martini) Memory (Webber) Send In The Clowns (Sondheim) Break It To Me Gently (Lampert & Seneca) Are You Lonesome Tonight  (Turk & Handman) Available in CD $15.00 or Cassette $ 10.00 * Click Here  to order. Available in Cassette $ 10.00 * Click Here  to order. Available in Cassette $ 10.00 * Click Here  to order. Ordering Brenthoven CD's & Cassettes We would love to send you some of Brent's work. Please use the following form to order CD's or cassettes. You can also: or  e-mail  pianoman@silverstar.com Thanks! To order by mail or fax click here. What would you like?Compact Disc - $15.00 Cassette - $10.00 Wyoming Residents add 5% Sales Tax: Shipping & Handling $2.00 per unit BRENT'S FAVORITE BOOKS, etc. Books are one of my passions! Yes, I carry a book with me wherever I go. My heart breaks when I hear of someone who cannot read. Not being able to hold a book, open it and have written words bring to life, feelings, fantasy and gift of learning truths. Reading is a window into the past, present and future. All books listed here can be purchased from Amazon DOT COM, your local library and book dealers. TO PROTECT AND DEFEND BY RICHARD NORTH PATTERSON. MUSCLE, the Confessions of an Unlikely Bodybuilder, BY SAMUEL WILSON FUSSELL.  (If you know anything about the    body building world, you'll get a kick out of this honest and humorous  read.) PLAYING THE PIANO FOR PLEASURE BY CHARLES COOKE..... Printed in 1941! Wonderful wisdom and advice for the amateur pianist. KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL BY ANTHONY BOURDAIN. I loved  this book about adventures in the culinary underbelly of restaurants and  kitchens. ATLAS SHRUGGED BY AYN RAND. CAPSIZED BY JAMES NALEPKA AND STEVEN CALLAHAN. OUT ON A LIMB BY SHIRLEY MACLANE. HEART LIGHT: RESCUE AT SEA BY DIVIANA. THE WHISPERING WINDS OF CHANGE BY STUART WILDE. NO ORDINARY MOMENTS & THE PEACEFUL WARRIOR  BOTH BOOKS BY DAN MILLMAN. THE DISOWNED SELF BY NATHANIAL BRANDEN. RADICAL SPIRITUALITY BY DICK SUTPHEN. LETTERS TO A YOUNG POET BY RAINER MARIA RILKE. SONG OF MYSELF BY WALT WHITMAN. THE PROPHET BY KHALIL GIBRAN. TAO OF PHYSICS BY FRITJOF CAPRA. THE NEO-TECH BIBLE BY FRANK R. WALLACE. THE BI-CAMERAL MIND BY JAYNIS. TOM ROBBINS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE AUTHORS… Books have a way of jumping off shelves into your hands when you most need one! Trust this mystic phenomenon. READING IS FREEDOM. YOU CAN STILL CHOOSE BOOKS AND THE WRITTEN WORD! FREEDOM OF PRESS! MEDITATION A fantastic CD that I have been using to meditate is PACIFIC MOON by Gary Stroutsos. All I can say is get it and it will take you places you need to go..... EXERCISE When I see the warning: "Check with a physician before beginning any exercise program," I simply cringe! God, help us all, as it seems attorneys, law suits and the judges have all the power in the world including your ability to move without dropping dead! GET THIS IN YOUR HEAD: If you are not doing anything physically you NEED TO MOVE! You will not die! YOU WILL DIE IF YOU ARE NOT CONDITIONING YOUR BODY. I say DO NOT, and I say this sincerely, unless you have a severe life threatening disease, do not give your hard earned money to an MD to see if you can go for a walk, or lift a three pound dumb-bell. Think it through: YOU NEED THREE THINGS--OXYGEN, FUEL TO BURN AND THEN MOTION, THAT IS GETTING UP AND MOVING….. There are some amazing sites on the net for anything and everything regarding exercise. You can become overwhelmed by all the information. Someone told me that in the years to come stress and disease will not kill us, TOO MUCH INFORMATION WILL KILL US! Not true! Our old system of controlling people would have us believe that, BUT knowledge and information is freedom. Go for it. If you need some advice regarding sites and other information about exercise I will be happy to direct you to places and references. Get moving. We MOVE forward or else REGRESS. There is only one difference between a rut and a grave: one is deeper than the other. Enjoy the walk, life is an adventure. Life is a beautiful journey. The rewards are in the PROCESS not in the end results! Use the three "D’s" -- it works every time. BRENT'S FRIENDS, TRAVELS,etc. BRENTHOVEN'S RESTAURANT Brent operates BRENTHOVEN'S RESTAURANT at the NORDIC INN located at the entrance of the Snake River Canyon in Alpine, Wyoming. He is also the CHEF. Menu includes everything from the house specialty, COD PARMESAN, to LAMB CHOPS. Prices are from $10.00 to $19.00. Alcoholic beverages are available from the  Stag Bar. Restaurant is seasonal. Open from the first of June through mid-October. For more information or reservations call 307-654-7556. Sunday August 11th will be the last chance to catch this show! Beginning in July, every Sunday evening, THE BRENTHOVEN QUARTET will be playing familiar melodies and show tunes on the lawns of the Nordic Inn. After the last plate goes out, about 8:30-9:00 pm, Brent will leave the kitchen and sit at the piano with PRIMO MUSICAL ARTISTS Alan Goodman on Sax, Bryan Perkes on Bass, & Mike Stone (STONEY) on drums....Weather dictates if the trio performs. Enjoy a glass of wine or your favorite drink. The views are spectacular of the moon rising through the saddle of Greys River Canyon. NO place on earth has stars like Wyoming, so plan to attend an hour and a half of music & starlight. room the Aug. 14, 2003, edition of the Star Valley Independent: From the mouths of.... Three Fat Guys on Brenthoven's at the Nordic Inn BIG JIM At the mouth of the Snake River Canyon, hidden among the trees, is one of Star Valley's most elegant dining experiences called Brenthoven's Restaurant. As we parked the car I noticed the unique mix of out of state and local cars that adorned the parking lot and knew we had found a spot set apart from other dining spots. The interior of Brenthoven's felt like eating in your own "country home" dining room, very cozy. We eyed over the menu and I settled on the Tenderloin Steak Dinner. It came with pumpkin soup. The soup was very good and the steak was done to perfection, tender and juicy with a wonderful light gravy sauce and for dessert I had the chocolate crepe. Brenthoven's serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the dinner prices range from $12.00 to $19.00 but seating is limited so call ahead. PORKCHOP In common man verbiage, the word "elegant" isn't used much, if at all. Nestled at the mouth of Snake River Canyon is the Nordic Inn and their elegant dining establishment known as Brenthoven's. Feeling that I had clogged up my arteries substantially with multiple Ribeyes, I opted for a turkey dinner complete with stuffing and mashed potatoes. Let me telly you, Thanksgiving in July is a wonderful change of pace. Grandma herself would have been proud to claim such fine vittles. I did stop short of ordering a salad though; feeling that being too healthy isn't good for your soul. An appetizer of cream of pumpkin soup was brought before me and I had my fill of it before turning over control to Big Daddy. My brother put it best: "I like my pumpkin soup to be chilled, sliced, and covered with whipped cream." After downing my flightless bird, I quickly glanced at my fruit before skipping it and diving into dessert with reckless abandon. Why is it that every dining establishment has some sort of amazing chocolate cake? It must be part of the health cod. Again there was a definite waddle in my step as I left, dreaming of parades, family and football. A beautiful scenic surrounding is your backdrop at this upscale eatery, complete with outdoor dining, should that be your fancy. BIG DADDY I have my favorite Inns. The Three Village Inn, where my wife and I were wed, and Sayville Inn. Both are located on Long Island in NY I also have my favorite dishes at these Inns. The Lobster Pot Pie at the Three Village and the Stuffed Cornish Hen at the Sayville. Both are simple dishes but the levels of flavor leave me longing for my second home. Until now, I didn't think that kind of dining could be found here in Star Valley. I have a new favorite Inn to add to my list, Brenthoven's at the Nordic Inn. The atmosphere transported me to another place and yet I was grounded in beautiful Alpine, Wyoming. I couldn't decide between the chicken in plum sauce or the stuffed cod. But the menu made it easy for me and I had the combination dinner. What a wonderful thing. A pumpkin soup had me longing for fall, football and hunting season. It was rich and creamy and coated by mouth with flavor. It was so good I had to have it twice, thanks to Porkchop. The chicken was good but the Baby Stuffed Cod left an impression. It is stuffed with crab meat and blanketed with a golden crust of melted parmesan. It is my favorite dish at this Inn. Brenthoven's is open until the middle of October and you can bet that i will be back before it closes for the season These fingers make beautiful music and food.Although dinner at Brenthoven’s nestled in the pines at the Nordic Inn near Alpine Junction, is wonderful any night of the week, Sunday evenings are very special nights. The late dinner seating takes place at the early hour of 7:30 p.m., because an hour later the owner and chef, Brent Johnston, takes off his cook’s coat, walks to the gazebo on the front lawn and sits at his baby grand piano. For the next hour and a half, Brent and three fellow musicians on sax, bass and drums play light jazz to entertain patrons finishing dinner on the terrace and others who arrive to dance or just listen while they have a cocktail. Imagine looking out over Greys River, dancing under the stars. "Last Sunday, Venus, large and brilliant, came out at 9 0’clock," Brent said, describing the first musical Sunday of the summer. "It was unbelievable, …like one of those Tuscan blue skies, with the pine trees … no place on Earth like it." Brent is one of the most colorful chefs I’ve ever met. He successfully pursues two careers simultaneously. For him, food and music have always gone together. "The two are really very much alike," he said. "They involve color, feelings … you are working with peoples comfort areas, their stomach and their emotions. Food is very comforting, just like music." For Brent, it is a spiritual and beautiful process to combine his two great loves. Fifteen years ago, Brent brought his talents together when he opened Brenthoven’s in partnership with Nordic Inn owners Michael and Ann Clinger. From Memorial Day through mid-October, Brent works every day, cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner. November and December find him either in New York studying with his teacher and performing at occasional concerts, or recording CD’s at Bill Hungate’s Llamingo Productions studio in Jackson Hole. Finally, in January, Brent can slow down and relax. He spends the winters in Queenstown, New Zealand, enjoying the outdoors, hiking, writing music and occasionally performing in clubs and concerts. Although Brent’s parents and grandmother began teaching him how to cook when he was a young boy, music was his first passion. "I always wanted to be a musician from the time I was 6 years old," he said. "It was because of my music that I learned how to cook." Goin "out on the road" in 1966 at the age of 21, he discovered that additional means of support were necessary. "Back in those days you just traveled and played and did whatever you could," he said. Playing the circuits and performing in club show at Marriott and Sheraton hotels, Brent would supplement his income by helping out in the kitchens. It was also a great way to eat well. Though out his early musical career, Brent had several opportunities to learn to cook professionally. Performing with the USO, traveling extensively during seven world tours, he was exposed to all types of international cuisine. "Being a kid, coming out of Utah, I never saw food like that," he said. He would meet other musicians who also cooked in restaurants; they would get together and exchange ideas. It was during one of his USO tours when Brent acquired his nickname. On tour with him was a comedienne Martha Raye. Having trouble remembering his name, she mentally connected him with Beethoven and dubbed him Brenthoven. One of his best cooking lessons happened many years ago while he was stranded in Elko, Nev., for five weeks due to car trouble. Brent wandered out of town and found an old truck stop with a help wanted sign. Needing money to get his car fixed, he took the job. "We’d fry steak, hamburgers and fries and shove them through a window into the dining room for the truckers," he said. After we were done, Mr. White would say, ‘Now we’re going to make ourselves a real meal.’" Mr. White, a well-trained chef from Washington, D.C., taught Brent classic cooking techniques and how to be organized in a kitchen. In light of Brent’s debut at Carnegie Hall in 1990 as a concert pianist, a person might ask, "How did he find his way to Alpine, Wyoming?" Like many of us, Brent loved to visit the Star Valley Area. In 1985, he was invited to play piano at the Nordic Inn for a Mother’s Day brunch. After a particularly enjoyable visit, he decided to stay. Brent first went to work for Western Wyoming College, teaching piano to students in Star Valley and parts of Idaho through the Rock Springs extension and outreach program. Then in 1987, he opened Brenthoven’s. Brenthoven’s is an intimate charming restaurant that offers delectable cuisine at very reasonable prices. Its wine list is reasonably priced as well. With entrees such as Icelandic cod filet stuffed with crab and baked in a parmesan sauce, grilled chicken breasts draped with fresh plum sauce, crepes filled with shrimp and scallops in hollandaise, or ribeye steaks grilled with red wine, to name a few, there is something for everyone. Brenthoven’s signature dessert is a rich, yummy bread pudding. Christine Goodman is a caterer and author of the cookbook, "A Taste of Jackson Hole II. The Nordic Inn Resort, situated on Hwy 89-26 at the mouth of the Snake River Canyon in western Wyoming, can boast of many things, not least of which is its beautiful surroundings. And at only 36 miles from Jackson Hole, 50 miles from Grand Teton National Park, and 97 miles from Yellowstone National Park, this lovely full-service country inn provides a base for several days of activities in both the Greater Yellowstone-Jackson Hole and Star Valley areas. Airport service is available in Jackson (1 hour 15 mins.), Idaho Falls (2 hours), and Salt Lake City (4 hours), with nothing but scenic highways to deliver you to the Inn. Welcome to THE NORDIC INN 1 mile east of the junction  of US Highways 89 & 26, near Alpine, WY Gateway to Jackson & Yellowstone Country  CALL  307-654-7556 Open Memorial weekend through Oct. 15 The Nordic Inn Resort, situated on Hwy 89-26 at the mouth of the Snake River Canyon in western Wyoming, can boast of many things, not least of which is its beautiful surroundings.  And at only 36 miles from Jackson Hole, 50 miles from Grand Teton National Park, and 97 miles from Yellowstone National Park, this lovely full-service country inn provides a base for several days of activities in both the Greater Yellowstone-Jackson Hole and Star Valley areas. (Click on images for clearer view.) Airport service is available in Jackson (1 hour 15 mins.), Idaho Falls (2 hours), and Salt Lake City (4 hours), with nothing but scenic highways to deliver you to the Inn. Enjoy the comfort, charm, and personalized service this highly recommended  lodge has to offer, with very affordable rates ranging from $76 to $115 a night for two. (No pets, please!) But before jumping into bed for the night, you'll want to explore all the amenities this popular country lodge has to offer: dinner at Brent's, a drink or two with Michael, shopping at Anne's Gift Shop, and all surrounded by the beauty of the great outdoors. When you finally fall into bed, you'll sleep like a baby and be well-rested for another day of fun and excitement. The Nordic Inn offers fine dining and a full service bar where you can enjoy the breathtaking views from the outdoor patio or the quaint interior of one of Wyoming's oldest bars and finest restaurants. Beginning in July, every Sunday evening, THE BRENTHOVEN QUARTET plays familiar melodies and show tunes on the lawns of the Nordic Inn. Pics of the new gazebo & dance floor soon! You'll never find a better Bloody Mary than at the 'Stag Bar.' But a Bloody Mary isn't the only specialty of bartender Michael Clinger. You can enjoy any drink to order in this legendary bar full of local memorabilia. The 'Stag Bar' is well known as one of Wyoming's oldest and finest drinking establishments and is sure not to disappoint its famous reputation. If you want to enjoy one of the most  delicious meals available this side of the Mississippi, make sure to make reservations in advance for dinner at Brenthoven's Restaurant.  Specialties include exquisitely flavored soups, a fantastic house salad dressing, and main dishes such as Cod Parmesan, Plum Chicken, salmon, lamb, and choice steaks. In the summer, Brent's is open for breakfast  and lunch, offering such selections as breakfast crepes and hamburgers.  Noted also for its elegance and ambience, enhanced by Brent's own musical recordings, Brenthoven's  is a dining experience you won't want to miss while in the area. Visit Brent's music page by clicking on his picture above.Some really good things come in small packages. Anne's wonderful gift shop on the west end of the Nordic Inn is no exception. It's amazing what can be found in this tidy little space--from souvenirs and novelties to quality artwork, fine jewelry and interesting crafts from all over the world, as well as Brent's piano recordings on CD and cassette. No need to spend a year's wages in Jackson when you can find something affordable for every taste and all ages right in Anne's lovely gift shop. You'll never find a more perfect place to spend a night or a whole vacation enjoying all the things the area has to offer. Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, Jackson, the Snake River Canyon, Greys River Road, Palisades Reservoir, Salt River, the mountains, and thousands of acres of national forest (Bridger-Teton, Caribou, and Targhee National Forests are all easily accessible) provide endless possibilities for outdoor recreation - fishing, hiking, white-water rafting, boating, sight-seeing, wildlife viewing, horseback riding, and relaxing. The rooms, grounds, gardens, and all facilities are meticulously maintained, making your stay at the Nordic Inn not only memorable but one you'll want to repeat.