[Embarrassed silence while Monica goes back to kindergarten to learn how to count on fingers.] Er... yes... you're right about that. I was looking at the wrong measures. Einaudi doesn't put rests on those measures in the album recording, so I think it was just artistic license in the YouTube videos.

Thanks, Monica.

1) You are absolutely right. Except for the fabled measure 17 section, 69-99 is the trickiest for me, perhaps because I need to adjust fingering (a weakness of mine...poor technical foundation). I have a lot of work to do here to be able to play the notes smoothly, adjust dynamics, etc.

2) Again right. I can mostly read sheet music, but ties and slurs can often trip me up. Sometimes when the notation looks to me like a noted is carried, I'll swear I hear performers striking it again. In this case my brain just decided that the A needed to be hit again. I'll fix that. Should be easier to close with the right touch, actually.

3) This is strangely very difficult for me, but I noticed the same thing when I listened, which is the purpose of early recordings of a new song. I have a hard time ending suddenly...smoothly. Einaudi somehow melts into an abrupt stop. I've done slightly better than on this recording, but it's often too harsh and jarring of a stop, and then I just can't wait to get started making pretty noise again. Again, more work.

Thanks again for taking the time to listen and comment. You've helped with a few things that should lead to a better performance, and the music deserves it.

I haven't listened to or played "Exit" but want to make a general comment and see how others react. I'll limit this to Einaudi but I take the same approach in many cases.

I listen to his recordings because I figure he is in the best position to interpret the composer's vision. I use that as a guide once I know the basic notes. On "I giorni," for example, his recording helped me hear how the melody flowed out of particular notes (emphasis) that wouldn't be apparent just from the sheet music.

Similarly, his rubato gives me an idea of the flow and soul of the song.

I don't strive to completely imitate, though. I might play a song slower or faster. I might use slightly different dynamics. Some people might consider my choices wrong, and that's fine. I'm playing primarily for me and try to render a performance that matches the way the music makes me feel. This is also why the same song sounds different on different days, because my moods and therefore interpretations change.

In my brief time with Einaudi I've noticed that his own recordings vary in length between say the "I giorni" album and the same songs at Scala. He was in a slower mood at Scala, and closer to the way I feel them.

Sorry, didn't mean to embarrass you.
I find it interesting that 2 different players interpret it the some way.

SwayingTree, I'm not able to provide constructive, but very nice playing!!

Resurrecting the thread here briefly...

Small complaint about Stella del Mattino... the tempo marking indicates "Andante", which, according to Wikipedia, means "a walking pace", or about 120 BPM (Give or take). My piano teacher says Andante means "slow". By my math, the CD version of Stella is played at about 155 BPM, and the comparatively slower version on La Scala is still close to 140 BPM.

What works for y'all?

I tend to prefer the slightly slower La Scala version but I tend to play it fairly quickly due to how often I play the piece. I also tend to play Stella when I want to play something in a short amount of time like right before heading out the door. It's a nice quick piece that I find is some nice hand stretching for the right hand. The amazing part is I never thought I'd get past the La Scala version in terms of tempo while learning the piece.

I've never gotten around to playing Stella. But if past experience is any guide, I'd probably start off playing it slower because that's the best I could do, and then when I finally got it polished, I'd discover that I'm playing it too fast. Even now I have to concentrate on slowing my natural inclination for Nefeli.

For what it's worth (and if I remember correctly) Andante typically means at a slower pace, however, in modern composition, it is many often meant to indicate a slightly faster tempo. I forget what piece I was working on (not from Einaudi) but I ran across a similar scenario a couple years ago.

Here's how things sound on day 10 of working with "Giorni dispari." As with my previous files, this is still very much a work-in-progress. The actual notes only made their magic way into muscle memory two days ago, so I'm barely starting on the musicality (this is how I work, no matter how wrong).

I did strike one errant note where I trusted my baby memory and went up to an A-flat like occurs later in the song. I also committed the heresy of adding some notes in the left hand because the section sounded too thin when I played it with the whole notes. We'll see if I keep this for the long run.

As always, I appreciate any comments and pointers that might lead me towards a better performance. I'm still working on choosing the tempo; this is kind of a middle ground. I think I might slow down just a taste.

http://www.box.net/shared/7q85mldqi0

For only 10 days' practice, Swaying Tree, that sounds terrific! You're going to give Kawaigirl a run for the money for "quickest Einaudi study" around.

This is so impressive that I hesitate to offer any suggestions, but you asked specifically for feedback, so here goes: (1) in measures 17-24, you play the rhythm very straight, but Einaudi lays the rubato thick as molasses when he plays it. (2) For the section in measures 56-72, he's got most of it indicated as legato. I actually like your articulation of that section a lot, but thought I'd point it out.

Where'd you put the extra notes in, btw? I couldn't tell.

Thanks again, Monica, for taking the time to comment, and for the nice ones at that.

I put the extra notes in the left hand for measures 41-54, and of course the two repeats of this section later. Instead of striking just the dotted half note and holding it, I hit the same chord three times, in time with the triads in the right hand. I'm not sure of the dynamics effects Einaudi is pulling off in La Scala (the only recording I've heard besides Kawaigirl's), but this was the only way I could have anything like what I wanted to hear. We'll see what happens in time.

I often think I'm happy with initial recordings, only to discover errors, poor dynamics, etc. and later become embarrassed by what I thought was good.

On 56-72...again, we'll see how things develop in time. I tend to evolve into an interpretation. I'm glad you liked what I did but I can't say it was necessarily conscious. Although that may well be the way the song feels to me and the way I always play it. Time will tell. As I said before, I start with Einaudi as a base but don't attempt to do a robotic copy--which I'd fail at in any case, being as I'm not a gifted freak of nature.

RE: 17-24, it's true that I mostly played it straight, but I did try to hold the initial A-flat that begins measures 17 and 21 (I was actually kind of happy with the effect). That's what felt right to me, not to mention that subtle rubato, as you noted yourself, is harder than it sounds, especially while the left hand is walking through arpeggios. If I tackled more it'd probably be a mess.

Please don't read anything there as defensiveness. I very much appreciate your pointers; you helped me greatly with two blind spots on "Nefeli," and I know that I've never ever played a single song that didn't have something that could be improved. It keeps me trying...

Monica and anybody else...what are your thoughts on this possible plan?

The next (and, for now, last) Einaudi song I plan to try is "Le Onde." Just listening to it made me decide to leave it for last, as I think it'll be the trickiest of what I've tackled ("I giorni," "Nefeli," "Limbo," "Stella del mattino," "I due fiumi" and of course "Giorni dispari").

It would mean great personal shame but I'm thinking it could also be interesting and perhaps helpful and motivating to other ABF members.

The idea? To make daily recordings of 5-10 minutes documenting my learning progress on the song. I'd finish all of them, however long it takes to get to a decent, serviceable rendition, then publish the series on YouTube. I have to warn that the early days would be exceedingly painful. On day 6 for "Giorni dispari" I still couldn't play certain passages and my brain seized when I tried to make my hands do certain things. Day 1? Let's not talk about it.

The two possible flys in ointment are the fact that I'll be at a training session without piano access from the 14th through the 18th (aaah!!), and that I'm not sure my camera will behave. It's a JVC with built-in hard drive, and the last time I tried to make piano recordings it would cut off after 1-2 minutes with a disk failure. I've reformatted it numerous times to no avail, but today made a successful 7 minute test.

Anyhow, I'll think about it, especially if others would find value in watching my struggles (and keeping the laughs to themselves!).

Time for two confessions. The first of which kind of relates to one of the mistakes Monica caught with my first test recording of "Nefeli" where I was re-striking an A that was supposed to be tied (measure 68 and the last one).

Not the same mistake, but the same idea of getting one thing into my mind, thinking I had it right, and not looking closely enough at the sheet music to notice what I was doing wrong.

In this case I'm talking about "I giorni," which is the first Einaudi song I learned (or even heard), back in April. The video I have on YouTube was made after about 12 days of practice, and about 2-3 days after I thought I had it committed to memory. The memory failed in one case in measure 68 (something cursed about that?) where I played F#-G-F#-G in the right hand instead of F#-G-F#-E. And of course the same thing on the repeat.

I noticed that a couple of days later and have long corrected it. That's still not the first confession, because I quickly fixed it.

The confession is that all this time I've been playing a completely wrong left hand for a few measures, having originally read the notes wrong and never really looking again. The lesson is to pay close, close attention even after you think you've figured the notes out, especially when your reading skills are as weak as mine. I broke out the sheet music for the first time in months because I've been reading about the need to not trust your memory. Good advice.

We're talking about beginning with measure 33. Instead of B-D-A in the left hand, I hit B-F#-A. In measure 34 I hit A-E-A. In 37 I hit B-F#-A, and then in 38 it's A-E-A-E-A-E.

Repeated each time this sequence occurs.

Second confession: I've experimented with the actual official version and I like my mistake better. It certainly sounds awesome when Einaudi plays it, but for me it's a bit discordant, which is probably how I blundered into my notes in the first place. I played the notes I expected to be there, liked the sound and never looked again.

I'll continue to re-evaluate since I may just need to get used to it, but for now I think I'm going to keep playing my mistake. It's not uncommon for me to change a few things from sheet music on purpose.

Thoughts?

That was beautiful Swayingtree, thank you for posting that, I am now inspired to go and see if I have that Einaudi in my book and give it a go!

I learned Le Onde first and then Nefeli, I don't think Le Onde is hard because there's lots of pedal and you can keep it all flowing, I thought Nefeli was much trickier with the jumps etc. So go for it, if you can do the others you'll be fine with Le Onde!

I think your proposal is interesting, Swayingtree. I'm sure I'd enjoy being able to spy on your progress. This is crunch time for me at work, though, so I can't promise I'd be able to comment on every recording.

I think it's interesting how there is so much individual variability with respect to what's considered difficult. Collyermum finds Nefeli much trickier than Le Onde, whereas I think Le Onde is a GAZILLION times harder than Nefeli, for the simple reason that I have yet to play Le Onde even once in a manner that I'm happy with. Obviously I need to work a lot harder on learning how to accent melody notes as lightly and delicately as Einaudi can.

I'm still not 100% sure I should be doing this, yet here I am...

I don't know if this will be anything but annoying to watch, and I know it's embarrassing for me, but let's plunge on (at least until ya'll run me off the board for poisoning this thread).

I've just placed videos showing my 'progress' with learning "Le onde" for days 1 and 2. I decided to just host them myself since I don't think I want to deal with YouTube feedback on this.

Hopefully it will get closer to music with each passing day, though I must remind that I only have two more days (total of four) before I'm out of town until late next Friday. I shudder to think what walking away from a fresh, in-process song will do, but I also didn't want to wait to get started on the learning.

Day 1 (~12 min): http://swayingtree.sytes.net/Learning_Le_onde_Day1.htm

Day 2 (~9 min): http://swayingtree.sytes.net/Learning_Le_onde_Day2.htm

I'll listen to your learning process for Le Onde shortly Swaying Tree. Walking away may not be as bad as you think it is. It may be important to play carefully and slowly and only the parts you are playing well right before you stop though.

I did get a chance to watch your recently uploaded youtube videos and even commented on one of them for you. I can't help but feel I somehow encouraged you to play some of those pieces as those are some of the same ones I started with.

As an added bonus, I'll add some Einaudi related things to the thread in regards to the new Album coming out next month for most of us.

Here's the opening track for the new album, Nightbook. The track is called In Principio.


For those who want to get teased with the rest of the tracks, annoying short samples from each track can be found on the UK amazon.com page.

Amazon.co.uk's Nightbook album page (digital version)

Thanks, Anthony. I've just listened to a few of your YT videos. Very well done.

I need to catch up on sampling more of everyone's but now I need sleep...and the days at work have been so busy it seems like all I have time for is a bit of my own playing.

Many of you here are responsible for my latest songs, as well as the 30 second samples on iTunes. You certainly played a part (so go ahead and take some blame! ).

How on earth did I miss seeing that video you posted Anthony! Thank you!! I cannot wait for the whole album to be released. "In Principio" is beautiful in an eerie way... full of quiet foreboding. A lot like the "sotto..." soundtrack.

Hi Swaying Tree! Man, I wish MY pieces sounded so good on their second day as yours did. I don't know if it's on my end or yours, but I kept getting buffering lags while watching your video. So it was hard to get a solid impression, but one thing I found very impressive is that you played at a very steady tempo throughout, which I know is what one is supposed to do but that I rarely achieve.

Okay, here's my contribution to the Einaudi archives. I finally got a recording of "Ancora" that I was okay with. It's such a long piece (18 pages of sheet music!) that I had no hopes of recording an error-free version, but this one lacks any major goofs. However, because it was so long, I couldn't memorize it, so I also edited out the page swaps. I made a little movie of it by setting it to the pictures from our vacation out West this summer, but YouTube wouldn't take it because it was more than ten minutes long. I uploaded it to my blog though, so if you are dying to see visuals, click on my blog and look up the Aug. 27th entry.

"Ancora" is in my top 5 favorite Einaudi pieces, and in light of that and the fact that it is such a long piece, learning it represented a personal milestone.

My version of "Ancora"

Here's the day 3 entry of "Learning Le onde." What's funny is that I actually made more mistakes during this recording than on my last practice run about 15 minutes earlier.

If you think the red dot is bad when you know a song, you should try recording yourself trying to learn something new!

Day 3 (7.5 min): http://swayingtree.sytes.net/Learning_Le_onde_Day3.htm

Monica, it's possible that the U-Verse upstream isn't behaving well today, but I don't usually have problems hosting these videos...though I might have been overly aggressive with the bitrate.

In any case, if you pause it, you'll see the buffer extend slowly to the right. Once there's a little space to the right of the cursor dot you can hopefully hear what's actually going on.

(I'm going to take a listen to your "Ancora" now. I don't know the song since I'm such a rank amateur at Einaudi.)

On my work computer (just done remotely) I had to wait about 3-5 minutes for enough of the video to buffer so that it could play through smoothly and finish before catching up to the buffer. I'll make future ones a little lower quality since wading through my struggles, especially day 1, is probably painful enough without an extra wait.

Wow, that was really well done, Monica. I don't think I'll be tackling that (beautiful) beast anytime soon. Watching your video brought back some memories, as I've been to many of those same places on family vacations long ago, including Mesa Verde twice. Good times.

I intended to stay in Colorado last summer when I rented a house for a get together with my brother and father, whom I don't see often enough. But dad's cardiologist wouldn't let him go to altitude so we settled on Taos, New Mexico, which I can highly recommend as another scenic, serene blend of history and natural beauty. We were about 20 minutes NW of town on a hill with no visible neighbors, and had absolutely spectacular views from the deck and living room with a wall of glass. I might go back to the same place. I could use a vacation...

Well here's my video for "Learning Le onde - Day 4." As I noted on the web page, I didn't have a lot of time today what with preparing to leave town, but I still think there's some improvement over Day 3, one horrifying bobble notwithstanding.

I don't know if anybody has even watched Day 3 yet. I tried to cut the video size down a bit, and even re-encoded the previous days to reduce file size. I'm sure it'll still take a minute or two to build a decent buffer, but they should stream more smoothly.

I did make a stupid error on Day 1 and had a timeshift on...and of course overwrote the original without testing. I've got it re-aligned but the last six seconds has no audio...just the last few notes go missing.

Day 4 (7 min): http://swayingtree.sytes.net/learning_le_onde_day4.htm

I'll be away from a computer until the evenings due to all day training, but appreciate any comments, especially as I'm now almost wanting to approach the song musically now that the notes are 65-75% in the muscle memory bank.

Still making amazing progress, SwayingTree. My main advice at this point would be to start working more on stressing/accenting the melody notes and de-emphasizing the alternating notes in the right hand. When you listen to Einaudi, those alternating notes are barely perceptible. Trying to mimic what he does proved to be my Waterloo on this piece.

Here we are on day 5.5 (see my comments on the web page) after a five day break for a business trip. Although this recording doesn't quite do justice to what I'm capable now at my best, it does show that somehow my brain continued to put the notes into memory while I was nowhere near a piano. When I got home and sat down I actually played it smoother than the day I left. Go figure. Still a LOT of work to do, but I can at least tell what song I'm trying to play now:

Day 5 (5:18): http://swayingtree.sytes.net/Learning_Le_onde_day5.htm

By the way, Monica, thanks for the nice comments and tips. I'm trying, but it's going to take some time (but you already know that, eh?).

There will be no recording tonight. (a) I'll only get to play through it 2-3 times, and (b) we're having major thunderstorms, so not a good time to hook up computers and video equipment, not to mention the noise.

If I don't get a recording tomorrow it will be several days, because the annual motorcycle rally called "Bikes, Blues and BBQ" starts Wed and the sound of revving engines will fill the air through the weekend. Also not good for recording quality.

I'm about done showing the learning progression anyhow. From here it's polishing and the day-to-day changes will be subtle and slow.