I actually learned it in about 4 months and then started performing it, and people thought it was very good at that time, including my teachers. But it was only when I started preparing this video that I realized how much work it still needed! (And still did even after the "finished" product.)


Me too. And also, if I can't play something pretty well by then, it means either I never will or at least I need to take a break (probably a pretty long one) and then approach it somehow very differently. (I know that this wouldn't necessarily apply to most people.)

Whether or not it applies to most people, I think that it's most frequently a good idea to drop a piece that you've worked to a reasonable performance level, let it "simmer on the artistic back burner" for a while and then return to it. I have found that I return not only mentally refreshed but often with quite different views about what the piece says and how I should interpret it. I like to think that this re-visiting provides better interpretations than previous ones.

Regards,

I'm probably the most simple-minded, person on this forum, with the least formal musical training, education..

But that music is 'strange' to me. It makes me think of a twisted, roller-coaster relationship between a woman and her obsessive, possessive lover. The music is the 'I'm sorrys' followed by the 'I love you so much' followed by the 'Where have you been?' followed by 'If I can't have you...'

And 'NO' I am not and never have been in that type of relationship! LOL Just watch and read too many crime/dramas!

Your playing is extrordinary. And you play so, seemingly, effortlessy! And really, how do you memorize that much? Amazing! You have sparked a curiosity for 'Scriabin.' I will listen to more and try to develope an understanding, if not a taste, for his music! And Good Luck! I hope you win!

Hey HappyApple, wonderful stuff isn't it - the biography below is really interesting if your curiosity grows. You would be in good company. I was watching an Ashkenazy interview a while ago in which he describes his "Scriabin addiction" phase. Scriabin's earlier works are far more 'conventional' - which is the wonderful thing about him - you can join him on an extraordinary journey of compositional development...

http://www.amazon.com/New-Scriabin-Enigma-Answers/dp/0312569807

Personally I can't get enough Scriabin - love it all - not sure why - it just seems - right...

Thanks! I will check it out. I listened last night and today to some more Scriabin. Such a contrast in his styles. I listened to one of his early recordings (from a roll?) It was said to have been very close to the true sound of his actual playing. And it was amazing. It's like a rolling storm, but controlled. It stated that 'velocity' was very important to him. And then I saw a young, blind girl do a song. She did an excellent job also. His music has it's own distinct sound. And I may learn to enjoy it.

Now back to the original poster, MarkCannonYou are such a humble and talented man. Your humbleness/talent ratio is too high! I just want to make it clear that although the music is 'foreign' to me, your playing is clearly out-of-this-world awesome!

And just realized that competition is over. Congratuations on an amazing effort. Did the winner receive anything? A new piano?

Hey, Happy Apple!!!!
Just saw this.....didn't know you did this post!
I just got done looking/listening to your video, and doing a comment on your channel and a post on your thread. And now I find this!!! What can I say, you made my day.


It is strange!


No wonder I like it.


I have no idea how I ever memorized this. But really, look at how most people memorize songs so easily -- I mean the usual kind of songs, not "song" like how people say it on YouTube and stuff for any piece of music. How do we understand that? I don't really. It's just that the music and the words "click" for us in some kind of way, more than if we were just trying to memorize the lyrics; it's something about what the music does to us. And I think memorizing piano music isn't much of a leap from there, in terms of how it happens. We're just adding "motor memory" or muscle memory. But, I must admit that when it comes to music like this, I'm at a total loss to understand it. But I don't really understand how it really happens even just with songs either!

Thanks so much for listening and commenting. Much appreciated! And I'm glad this gets you interested in Scriabin. He's a hoot.
BTW.......I can't tell for sure from your post if you listened to Horowitz's recording or mine! If it was Horowitz, no wonder it was good!

Absolutely right -- Scriabin went on quite a journey in his few years. His early music is "almost normal" .....quite a bit like Chopin and/or Brahms. Then pretty quick he starts carving out his own thing, and by the end it's like he's on another planet.

The author of that bio also wrote a long 2-volume bio a few years earlier. I'm not sure how this other one fits in -- maybe it's sort of a condensed version, or maybe it's a follow-up, addressing some issues that came about from the earlier work? I have the 2-volume thing......I'm tempted to get this one too, which I didn't know about. I'm glad you mentioned and linked to it.

The winner got something that might sound like nothing but which she might consider better than a new piano: automatic acceptance to the next Van Cliburn amateur competition (which is next year). And, would you believe, she also got a piano out of the deal! So the story goes, she was assuming she would "lose," so before the result came out, her husband got her a new piano as a "consolation prize."

Please don't feel too sorry for us "losers."
We got a lot out of it too, including more attention and recognition on our work than we could have ever gotten otherwise. I'm very grateful for having been able to participate.

Hi Mark,

From the cover of the book I have - "All the material in book is new, incorporating recently released documents from the Soviet Union never before available in English..."

Sounds promising (the fact that it can't literally all be not notwithstanding :)).

Yes it does -- I've bookmarked the Amazon page and I'll be looking for a good copy of it.
Thank you!!!

BTW......you may be interested in this old review of the book:
Review
It's quite critical but doesn't take away from the importance of the book. And it seems clear that the reviewer has his own axes that he's grinding.....

I agree! And I like the new term: humbleness:talent ratio, haha!

MarkCannon, you inspire me to play and practice more.

My goodness, you're embarrassing me.
(Thank you!)

I'm very glad that this makes some people feel interested in Scriabin, and to play and practice more. I think those are really the best compliments one can get.