Go live date October 17, 2009

THE LIST so far:


1. 9/1 - Frycek
2. 9/2 - Yuri
3. 9/3 - sotto voce
4. 15/1 - Horowitzian
5. 15/2 - ted stanion
6. 15/3 - smjl
7. 27/1 - Piano Again
8. 27/2 - Chardonnay
9. 32/1 - Schubertian
10. 32/2 - Liszt Addict
11. 37/1 - Chopinet
12. 37/2 - gerg
13. 48/1 - Jazzyprof
14. 48/2 - Elene
15. 55/1 - Phlebas
16. 55/2 - sotto voce
17. 62/1 - carolyn227
18. 62/2 - Chopin952
19. 72/1 - Peyton

20. C# minor (op. posth., 1830; Lento con gran espression) - pianoluvr
21. C minor (op. posth., 1837) - Mati

I think people had "dibs" on some others as well. I would love to do 27/2, but I think Soto Vocce has that one.
I would like to claim 55-1.

Chardonnay 27/2
jazzyprof 48/1
Phlebas 55/1
sotto voce 55/2
chopin952 62/2

(Elene and gerg: I didn't list you because you seemed tentative. Go for it!)

Steven

Thanks, Phlebas & Steven

I "claimed" this one right off the bat, in fact I started the claiming process!
I'm not saying that I would do the best job on it, but the timing would be perfect, given that I am working on it now. Sotto Voce, thanks for accurately updating the list!
If someone wishes to back me up, that would be fine- a year is a long time, you never know what will happen.

I wonder if it might be a good idea for people to volunteer for backup, or to have an "interest pool" so that potential participants who don't have a clear-cut choice can express their interest and decide amongst themselves?

Steven

Sorry, my bad. I just misspoke. Godspeed on 27/2.

No worries, didn't mean to over-react.

Is 21 in C Minor (op. posth.) available? I would love to take it!

I have already done 20 in C# Minor (op. posthumous), but the whole point is to master something new, isn't it I can possibly do a backup of this one, even last minute, as I keep it polished all the time. I guess Peyton could to, he plays it better than I do


Mateusz

Oh no not a Nocturne one . . . something else please!

I would go for the op.37/1 but I don't actually know how a recital is going to work.

All you do is email your recording (most people use a zoom but one used a utube link) to MaryRose as an attachment and she takes care of the rest. We haven't decided when this is to take place - probably Oct 2009.

OK, 9/1 taken - I'll take 9/2 then

You folks go ahead.

I don't think I'll be taking any new projects until I can play 25/6 properly.

Greg, I wrote this today in the etudes discussion thread:
So don't be silly, okay? The etudes are lifelong projects!

You do so beautifully with the lyrical as well as the flashy; you really should choose a nocturne to showcase that sensitivity.

Just my two cents ... but I certainly do hope you'll decide to participate after all.

Steven

Yuri, I apologize. I've been informed that you requested 9/1 first so of course it's yours.

That's no problem; I like 9/2 almost as much :-)

Thank you Steven. I appreciate that.

Would be quite happy to perform 37/2 in a year.

Does anyone else want 37/2, or want to learn it?

Great! Thanks Frycek for starting the thread. I got the one I wanted. Yay! The deadline serves as a great motivator. The year will go by fast once again.

I played 27/2 at the Lisitsa Master Class in DC this past March. I got some great pointers from her. She is so wonderful at conveying her ideas with analogies and gestures. Chardonnay, If you need some secondhand insight, let me know!

gerg. Thanks for staying on board. 37/2 is famous and beautiful.

I will most certainly take you up on that!
For starters, I am struggling with that 48 note measure near the end.. how to make it fast AND even-

is there just one specific composer we must stick to or are we able to broaden the net?

Zac

Zac, the reason and the purpose of the event are to celebrate and commemorate Chopin. I'm not sure it would be appropriate to include compositions by anybody else, even though there are other interesting nocturnes out there to be sure. (Do you remember the thread earlier this year called "Favorite nocturnes not by Chopin"?)

Steven

thanks for clearing that up steven, i haven't been to the ABF for a while and have missed much

Zac

No worries! When I read your inquiry, I realized that someone who saw this thread title but didn't know that it comes right on the heels of a Chopin etudes event (which reached fruition today) wouldn't automatically know that it concerned Chopin at all.

Steven

I actually floated an idea of "concert etudes" recital several times. This would not be limited to Chopin; I suggested including Liszt, Scriabin, Rachmaninov, etc. - anybody who wrote concert etudes (e.g. not Czerny). The purpose would be to have a goal toward which we would work and in the process gain valuable skills.

Here I am floating the idea again. Concert etudes anybody? I would play something by Scriabin - I think he is undeservedly under-appreciated here...

that sounds like a great idea, i'm working on some bortkiewicz etudes that would work perfectly

I'd love to hear a concert etudes recital but why don't you do it on Pianist Corner and invite us lot over there?

ask and you shall recieve
all come over and join in on the thread, we're all new to this over there
http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/2/19241.html

Zac

Zac: there are quarterly ABF recitals (next in November this year) with no restrictions in its contents whatsoever. Feel invited to participate there too! The title of this particular thread could be mislading at first, I agree. Now it's certainly not Thanks for bringing it up.

YD: Under-appreciated, but incredibly beautiful and quite manageable at our skill level - I agree. I love Scriabin. I don't feel I am able to do any of Concert Etudes yet, so I'll pass. I would love to listen to them however!


M.

Hey Chardonnay!

That measure is what gives this Nocturne its touch of flurry and grace. The best way I've found to practice it is definitely slowly, on the beat, and without the left hand. Don't try to combine the LH until you have it committed to memory and can play it almost blind folded.

The goal, I believe, is to play it at tempo without disturbances aside from taking a tiny breath at the top of the run, such that the LH continues its stroll uninterrupted.

Love that Nocturne. It is definitely one of the most beautiful.
Cheers.

I'd like to play 27/1.

I talked to my teacher this evening about this recital, and we decided I should give it a shot. (I regretted not participating in the Prelude recital.) Are there any thoughts on when this recital will be. If it's in the fairly distant future, I'd like to sign up for 15/2.

Ted

It will go live on Oct. 17, 2009, Chopin's Death Day. I'll put you down for 15/2.

Can we still sign up for this? if so, I would really be interested.

To be honest, I haven't played in public much. My one recital did not go too well (I posted about that a while ago). So I really would love getting some practice preparing something that could be played for others.

Also, if I CAN sign up, does anyone have any suggestions for me? I play around a mid-intermediate, with late-intermediate stretches (so if I work REALLY hard...) But yes, any suggestions?

pianoluvr,

You are welcome to join. If Frycek's list (the first post of this thread) is still up to date, 13 nocturnes have already been chosen out of a total of 21.

There's a lot of variety in the remaining eight in terms of difficulty and otherwise. I recommend you choose one you love and that you think will be manageable for you to learn.

FYI, the unassigned ones at this point are 9/3, 15/1, 15/3, 32/1, 32/2, 48/2, 62/1 and Op. Posth. in c-sharp minor.

It's hard to order them precisely by general difficulty, but 9/3 is the longest, 15/3 considered the "easiest" (relatively!), and the posthumous one in c-sharp minor is newly familiar because of the film The Pianist.

If you don't have scores or recordings at your disposal, they are freely available at IMSLP and YouTube, respectively.

Steven

I'm not participating as of now (thinking about it), but here is the link to IMSLP's list of Chopin's works.

http://imslp.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Frederic_Chopin

Ooh...I love imslp now. Thanks for the link!

I'll give the C sharp minor a try, although I think someone might have to "back me up" on it, because I'm not sure if I'll be able to get it ready until then. Would that be possible?

I'll put you down for it. No real need to back you up since we're not necessarily trying for the whole set. We just don't want any duplications.

I'll try 48/2. I had half-learned it a few years ago, but got stuck. It deserves more of an effort from me.

I'd really, really better learn to use the recording software well and cut and paste takes by that time....

Elene

Elene, I put you down for 48/2.

Consider it done - but as Frycek said, it is not necessarily needed to have backups.


M.

Mati, you and pianoluvr are working on two different pieces aren't you? I haven't given your piece away have I?

Please put me down for op 15-1.

I'm still thinking, but I think that 15-1 is the one I would like to do. I can change/back out if it doesn't work for me, right? I have a busy schedule, so I need to know about that.

Of course we do different pieces, don't worry! I just can serve as a backup for C# Minor, which pianoluvr is working on. Mine is in C Minor.

M.

Oh yeah, they're different! I checked the front page too, just to make sure I wasn't asking for anyone else's piece.

I've put you down for 15/1. If you find you aren't going to be able to do it, please relinquish it asap so someone else may claim it.

Thanks. I'm going to look at it ASAP, so if I find it won't work, I will post immediately!

Bump

I will take a stab at 9/3 if it is still available.

The list is in the first post in this thread.

Mods/admin., it might be nice to sticky this thread so it doesn't need constant bumping.

Re: sticky threads.

We try not to make too many threads sticky; these threads are usually hovering at the top anyway. I made a link to this thread in the Important topics thread at the top, so, presumably new people will easily find it. The standard practice have been to sticky the actual recital/discussion threads and let them live for 4 weeks, while the pre-recital discussion is left to its own devices.

OK, thanks for he info!

oops...double post.

Is 32/1 still open - I'll go with that

You got it.

Got you down, rusty

Thanks!

Only three left - whoa! This will be one special recital. I just can't wait!

While I won't be participating, I agree with Mati that this will be one very special recital.

That Chopin is as popular now as he was almost 200 years ago (even more so) is a magnificient tribute to him.

I wish you all well in the months to come. His music will always find a way, so have heart. I know your performances will be as wonderful as each and every one of you are.

My best,
Kathleen

Well, since there seems to be no hurry to claim the remaining three, may I have 15/3?

--Sarah

Since no one else has taken it as of yet, may I have the 9/1 please? It appears to be easier than the remaining 62/1.
Thanks
Woody

OK, Sara and Woody, it's done.

I've been hemming and hawing over this. Since there is only one left, I guess I'd better take it before it's gone! Sign me up for 62/1 please!

bump, time to check in - -

I'm in with the 27/2.

62/2 is coming along.

C minor posth. is fine.

I am here but haven't touched that 32/2 yet. Still working on the Mazurka for next month, Liszt Etude in Pianist Corner for July, Chopin for September. Then I can work on 32/2. Am I a slacker or what?

Doing fine here... Nocturne on back burner, mostly working on Scriabin's 8/12...

Haven't touched 15-1 yet due to the Rachmaninoff in my sig line. I'm going to pick 15-1 up this spring.

I have come to realize that 15/2 is not necessarily the most appropriate choice for one's first Chopin Nocturne. I have been making progress, and my teacher thinks it will be ready in time.

Ted

So sorry, Horwitzian, not YOU. ME! I haven't looked at mine in a long while.

I'm present and accounted for. I haven't really begun work yet on 55/2, but I sort-of learned the first two pages in 2000 and think there's still plenty of time to re-learn and finish it.

Steven

That's OK, I sort of thought that, but you had me confused!

Better get busy...I know I should, but other responsibilities beckon for the present.

I am working on reducing the number of wrong notes in 48/1 so that they are outnumbered by the right notes. I think I'll be there by October.

I'm quite excited to hear everyone's performances already! Best of luck to you Op. 27 people especially...

In the category of "what was I thinking?" I hereby relinquish 9/3.

I hope there is time for somebody else who wants it to work it up for the recital.

No problem, Rusty. It's just been claimed by sotto voce.

So far so good...just a couple measures in the middle of 15/3 to learn, then bring it all up to tempo and polish.

I'm still struggling to record the mazurka 41/2 up to my standards. I have now recorded it approximately 3.5 million times! So the idea of getting to the point of recording 48/2, even though I've learned it to some extent in the past, seems like a very tall mountain to climb. However, I am not planning to give up.

Elene

Excellent.

Can I get the Op. 25, 7 spot?

Hi Jim!

Sign up with this piece in the Concert Etude Recital thread in the Pianist Corner.

It's going to be sometime this summer, though, not October like this Nocturnes event. I don't believe the date has been determined yet.

Steven

N.B. 9/1 is now belongs to Peyton.

And 9/3 to timmyab per our exchange via PM.

Steven

Go live date October 17, 2009

THE LIST so far: (as of 5/10/09)
please notify me of any errors


1. 9/1 - Peyton
2. 9/2 - Yuri
3. 9/3 - timmyab
4. 15/1 - Horowitzian
5. 15/2 - ted stanion
6. 15/3 - smjl
7. 27/1 - Piano Again
8. 27/2 - Chardonnay
9. 32/1 - Schubertian
10. 32/2 - Liszt Addict
11. 37/1 - Chopinet
12. 37/2 - gerg
13. 48/1 - Jazzyprof
14. 48/2 - Elene
15. 55/1 - Phlebas
16. 55/2 - sotto voce
17. 62/1 - carolyn227
18. 62/2 - Chopin952
19. 72/1 - Peyton

20. C# minor (op. posth., 1830; Lento con gran espression) - pianoluvr
21. C minor (op. posth., 1837) - Mati

Bumping this up ... I'm still here, started working on 27/1 this month.

Assuming this is still happening?

Of course it's still happening, Piano Again. I admire you for being able to get a recording-ready performance in just two months.

Thanks for the bump How's everyone else getting along?

Still here, still in.

I'm still in with 27/2.

I hate to do this, but I must withdraw from this one.

Never mind dear LA, we look forward to your contributions next year!

I'm still in, though it will take me years to do justice to this nocturne (op.48 #1)!

No worries here.

Steven

Still in. Far from being complete, yet, but my teacher is reassured we'll be ok with this one. I believe her, and I have faith in myself.

Not done yet, but will be there by the deadline.

done

I will never really be ready but will have them recorded anyway...

If LA isn't going to do Op 32 No 2 anymore, I wouldn't mind doing it if that's not a problem.

Not a problem at all. Thank you for doing this.

I am trying to play a bit beyond my ability, but there will be a reasonable facsimile of 15/2 ready by the end of next month.

Ted

I'm still in, though struggling, on 48/2. It feels like what Peyton said, "I will never really be ready...."

Oh well, this morning my teacher thought better of my very rough draft recording than I did!

Elene

I hope so ...

I just got back from a vacation, so I can start practicing again today.

Same here.
I have to rework my fingers after 3 weeks stop but I'm confident to be ready for next month.

I had a stop in Paris for 2 days and walking near Musée Grevin I suddenly came across this writing... the best booster I could have ...

Nice! (That's at 27 Boulevard Poissonnière, if anyone is interested.)

Steven

I am hugely relieved to report that I have a finished recording of 48/2. I may try to file away a couple of rough edges in the recording process yet, but at least it's there.

I remember being blown away by finding myself unexpectedly standing at 27 Boulevard Poissoniere. Where Our Guy had to walk up five flights to get to his apartment.

Elene

Congratulations, Elene! Mine still has a long road to go before recording session, I am still confident it will arive on time though. I have both left and right hand twice the tempo and most of the piece both hands, still have to iron some rhythmic edges in few measures I can't play both hands right now.


M.

A request: please all send in your recordings by the end of Thursday 15th October at the latest, or I won't have time to put them up for 17th.

Reading that you'd already finished recording 48/2 lit a fire under me. I'd been waiting to "master" 48/1 before trying to make a recording sometime in the second week of October. Well, motivated by your example I sat at the piano today and recorded my current best attempt at the piece. As it turned out, it wasn't half bad (by my low standards!)...certainly nothing that would make me hang my head in shame. I'll keep trying to improve the piece but at least now I know I have a recording I could submit in a pinch!

I'm not quite ready to do even a test recording yet!

One thing I'm having a problem with is the tempo. Chopin marked Tempo I as dotted half = 42, and the middle section as dotted half = 52. This is really fast! I've listened to a couple of recordings (Ohlsson and Horowitz), and neither of them played it that fast. Horowitz plays Tempo I maybe about half of the marked tempo.

So I don't know whether I should try to play it at the marked tempos or not. Slower is easier, of course . . .

I am in the "test recording" stages....
Would love to get this done well ahead of the deadline.

You and me both.... and I just went and broke a string...

Peyton, eek, sorry to hear about that string!

Piano Again, it seems to me that you should play at a tempo that's right for you, as long as it is within reason (whatever that is). It may be that the marked tempo comes from an editor and not from Chopin, anyway. I've only read through 27/1 a few times and am not an authority on it, but it seems like it shouldn't be frantically fast.

I confess (you can all beat on me if you want) that at this point in my life, the only way I could record 48/2 decently well was to do it in sections and take a lot of time to concentrate on each one. If I can also make a reasonable recording of it all the way through by the deadline, I'll share it with you, but I'd like the one I edited together to be the official recording.

And I'm relieved to report that my very exacting teacher told me today that he was pleased with this recording. That means a lot to me. He also said that with the recording projects he's been involved with as an accompanist, they have typically done HUNDREDS of takes! Probably we're all doing no more than DOZENS! So that made me feel a bit better.

Elene

No....I will be in the hundreds by the time I'm through
Must have done at least 75 just last night alone, and still nothing to show for it!

I was scheduled for a tuning today, and my tech arrived here only to realize that he had left his toolkit in his workshop. Dang.

I wasn't really ready to record yet anyway (and I'm confident of a fresh tuning sometime between now and the deadline).

Steven

Elene, RE the tempo: I know, but I like to have an ideal in mind, and I'm not sure what that is for this piece. I believe the metronome markings are Chopin's.

I probably need to give it some more thought (and listen to some other recordings).

RE recordings: professional recordings are probably rarely done as if they were performances. A lot of tweaking and patching goes on. I think what we are trying to do here is record our best performance, not create a flawless recording.

I've been working on mine, but I admit it's been difficult since I became pregnant earlier this year! I'm to the point where I feel comfortable with the piece and it sounds pretty darned good. All that's left is recording it. I need to find a suitable piano that is in tune first!

Carolyn, congratulations! May the God bless you, your family and your child! And, of course, I can't wait to hear your Nocturne!

How are your recordings progressing, folks? I still have three or four measures that need serious ironing and bringing up to speed. The piece is much more tricky than I thought due to rhythms involved. I am sure that even after recording and submitting it will still need much work and I won't be able to say I mastered it for quite more time.

Mateusz

I know it's probably somewhere in this thread but... who do we send the mp3's to? e-mail?

I'm making good progress on 27/1. I did a test recording, but can't really record it until the piano gets tuned (next Friday!).

Mine's as ready as it'll ever be.I'm just waiting for detailed instructions on the posting procedure.

Hi everyone, please send your recordings to me. My email address is:
maryrosedouglasukATyahoo.co.uk

I'd really appreciate getting them a bit before the 17th so I can get them up and running on the day.

Well done to all you clever people - can't wait to hear your playing!

Mary-Rose, I just sent off my two to you. Please let me know if you don't get them (you know how e-mails can be...)

Many thanks,

Peyton

Yippee! I just sent in my recording of the nocturne Op.48 no.1!

I've got a cut that may be usable for this recital, 37/2.

How is everyone doing?

Two measures! I say, two measures! And it will be ready... DANG.

I got a take yesterday that is usable, so I have one in the bag. I'm hoping that this will take the pressure off, and I'll be able to come up with something better.

Ted

A pretty thought Ted, would that it were true.

Do you know my poem I posted a while back? Perhaps others will benefit from my posting it again:

The Red Dot

Once upon a midnight dreary - feeling vexed and feeling weary -
laboring over chords lugubrious and dire -
Suddenly a glow came stealing - to my eyes a feeble feeling -
like the dying embers of a dank and noisome fire
"What demonic spirit seeks me? What foul fiend of hell bespeaks me?
While I record upon my vain inglorious lyre -
Tis a house light - and nothing more."

Yet within my brain a vision - yet so still and so insistent -
as if a bowl of laudanum quaffed I not moments before -
Gives to me now all unseeking - and it seems is fairly shrieking -
the unholy knowledge I forswore:
"Music - O so soft and O so soothing! - O so winning and so moving -
cannot go along without a flaw -
You must fail - not once - but - forevermore!"

Red infernal light from Hades! Let me be and go, I pray thee -
Let me forget and play as once before!
Once anon I touched so softly - how like water bubbles frothy!
All is lost - alas! - my song is but a chore!
For the Red Dot ever grieves me! Never, never will it leave me
From this cursed spell its weaves and casts its glow upon the floor
Quote the Red Dot "Delete and try once more!"

Mine are in the bag and sent off. I listen to them now and think.."I should have played the left hand softer".. or "I should have kept trying until I got that run better" but... I did the best I could and they would just never have been "perfect". But man am I glad that's done!

Ugh -- I should have started working on this much sooner. But I didn't, so it will have to be what it is.

It will never be perfect. I've wrestled with the same demon internally. Perfection is something to which we as pianists, even avocational ones, are intrinsically inclined. This is especially true if we listen to recordings from professionals who devote their careers to its attainment. You can end up beating yourself, abusing yourself, in the attainment of that fleeting ideal which, like a butterfly, is ever present in your mind but never quite attainable. What I'm saying is, don't make the good the enemy of the perfect. This goes for all of us.

"Don't make the good the enemy of the perfect."

Gerg, I like that!

Oh, my recording is far from perfect. The left hand is mostly too loud. I miss a jump badly in the Doppio movimento section. If I had to go with it, however, I would still be proud of it. One thing that has helped me was buying a 2 gigabyte SD card. This allows me to record for more than three hours at better than CD quality. Now, I just turn the Zoom on, start practicing sections, and when I feel ready I give it a go. Eliminating the 'stop and delete' cycle had a tremendous effect on my psychological well-being when I was recording.

Ted

Schubertarian: Spoken like a pro!

Schubertian, your poem is dazzling. Poe would surely have understood our sufferings!

I just re-edited my 48/2-- doesn't change what I actually played, but I was able to make a nasty splice much better. That's as good as it's going to get. Whew.

Elene

Shubertian, that was beautifully and perfectly said!

After a long, torturous process, I now have 3 useable takes to choose from- each flawed in its own unique way. There's a missed note here, an incomplete trill or mordent there, a messed-up run, a note that just wouldn't sound, despite actually striking the key.... oh, how to choose? Which to choose?

But as Elene said: that's as good as it's going to get. (Exhales sigh of relief)

I have a very modest request that will make Frycek's, Mary-Rose's and my jobs easier.

As you know, we don't use an automatic submission mechanism for these Chopin events, nor will we for the foreseeable future. Such mechanisms work well for the ABF and other recitals, but I believe each recording in these events deserves special human attention at the time of submission, with one-on-one interaction with any of you should any changes to the files be necessary prior to publication. It's old-fashioned I will admit, but I think fitting given the nature of the material and the quality we all, though we fall short, inevitably strive for.

With that as background, I would like to make the following request, namely that following filenames be used for each piece to facilitate a smooth procedure:

0901_peyton.mp3
0902_yuri.mp3
0903_timmyab.mp3
1501_horowitzian.mp3
1502_tedstanion.mp3
1503_smjl.mp3
2701_pianoagain.mp3
2702_chardonnay.mp3
3201_schubertarian.mp3
3202_lisztaddict.mp3
3701_chopinet.mp3
3702_gerg.mp3
4801_jazzyprof.mp3
4802_elene.mp3
5501_phlebas.mp3
5502_sottovoce.mp3
6201_carolyn227.mp3
6202_chopin952.mp3
7201_peyton.mp3

Please let me know immediately if there are any inaccuracies or omissions!

In summary: Opus number (two digits), set index number (two digits), underscore, your screen name in all lowercase a-z,0-9, no symbols.

If you don't, or (for example) must submit a .wav file instead of MP3, there's no need to fret as we can do conversions and name changes on our end. We just want to minimize unnecessary work.

Many thanks to all of you for what we anticipate will be a fitting, hopefully a tasteful tribute to the 160th anniversary of the greatest piano composer's death.

Gerg - I will happily follow your request, but what about posthumous ones? How should I name my "nocturne in c minor", known as No. 21 Op. Posth?

Greg,
I'm not quite sure I understand: is this a change that we would make at our end? In other words, would I simply re-name my file before submitting it to Mary-Rose, or is that something that would be done on the other end (by MR, Frycek, etc.)? It's certainly no problem- I just want to make sure I understand correctly!

Hi Mati, I was wondering about the posthumous ones in the recital! Am very glad you pointed out my error.

posth_mati.mp3.

If you were playing two or more, posth1_mati.mp3, posth2_mati.mp3.

Do we have the C# minor posthumous as well?

Chardonnay, it's just the filename you would use to save the file. It's just that setting up the website is a complex process, and it's easier if the performer just does this because it's only one thing for them to do, vs. 21 extra little tasks (21 name changes) for us to do. If you've already recorded it, as I believe is the case with you, just rename the file before you send it. I'll be glad to help you privately with this.

Thanks everyone!