I just came back from a disappointing and ironic loss, due to a crucial mistake by me.

It was actually a very small competition, with actually only 4 effective competitors in my group (the fifth didn't even bother to memorize the piece), and the required preliminary piece was Mozart's Sonata in A minor, K. 330.

The first two hammered the piece. The third one was pretty good, but I knew I could still beat him (he had some very disagreeable interpretation IMO). However, nearing the end of his performance, I realized that I didn't memorize that part! When I started, I realized that I didn't satisfactorily memorize the entire piece! I had been polishing my choice piece too much.

Netted with many, many errors, the judges still let me finish it (they stopped the first two in the middle because they had even worse interpretation). However, I still wasn't in the top two because of all my memorization problems.

The worse thing is that if I weren't a genius, I would be gifted (I never really took an IQ test, except for one, but I marked a few answers wrong on accident). I almost never forget answers to questions, and such, but to lose what I know I could win, due to one of my strongest points! I don't think I will ever make such a mistake again.

I played the K330, I believe K331 is the a minor one.

The more you join competition, the better you are in controlling your emotion.

(BTW,the A minor is actually K. 310.)

It sounds to me like you are suffering from a very bad case of overconfidence. Turn down the ego and take this as a badly needed lesson in humility. Being able to play a piece with perfection in your practice session is an entirely different thing than performing it. Has it occurred to you that maybe, just maybe, you aren't a genius afterall? Being able to remember and answer questions for a test has nothing to do with genius and intelligence. Intelligence is judgement and experience and most of all: knowing you don't know everything. You needed the lesson in humility. Learn from it.

Enter music competitions for two reasons: to get criticized and improve your playing, or to get the money. As long as you are thinking about beating the other guy, you are acting like a loser. Don't think about the other guy, think about what you have to do. The other guy will take care of himself.

Again, the only competition results that matter are money and learning. Winning is worthless, because nobody cares. (OK, If you're in the Tchaikovsky competition and you win first prize somebody cares, but you're not in the Tchaikovsky competition.)

thanks. But I meant a genius (or gifted) in study, not in music. I had lots of trouble memorizing, which was why I thought that was ironic. I have almost no trouble with my memory!

Thanks for the advice though.

When you have a really good memory, but in music it isn't working the way you hoped it would, you can probably fix that.

When you are memorizing the other things that you are really good at, what methods do you use?

The A minor is the hardest of all Mozart's sonatas. For me it's musicality is as challenging as Beethoven's Hammerklaviar. If you can play it "as it is meant to be played" I would love to hear it.

I don't understand the "genius" reference, nor what its significance is in the context of this post. Nevertheless, how much "genius" does it take to know which Sonata you had prepared for the competition? K330 is in C major;

Regards,

Really??

The A minor is indeed a gorgeous piece of music. Its interpretations can be highly variable. Mozart composed only one other sonata in a minor key (K457 in C minor, magnificent but easier to 'get through" IMHO). Check out Glenn Gould flying through the first movement in 3 minutes or so.. I find Richter's and Gulda's take on it to be the most appealing as they highlight the elegance of the first movement, actually labeled Allegro maestoso.

I find it odd your teacher didn't have you run through your program from memory to find those problems. Most students entering competitions will have their program memorized and ready to go a month or so before the performance.

I don't know that the crucial mistake was yours. Your teacher should have had you run through your program, if not in the lesson, then at least at home for family and friends.

oh well. here's to the next one.

competitions are so unsettling. ..

I did not say "technically". I said "musically". Just to be clear.....

Yes I believe the first movement should be played very fast (100-120 minim pulse maybe). I will check my speed but I finish the movement in under 5 minutes I am sure. At speed, to maintain finger dexterity bars 42-49, 70-78 and so on are particularly challenging. I still have problems with the trills MORE SO THAN WITH THE FINAL MOVEMENT OF THE HAMMERKLAVIAR!!!!!

Wow, my bad! My memory doesn't usually fail me like this!
Anyways, how do I edit? It was K.331 and it seems to be in A major.

Actually, not "seems to be;" K331 is in A major.

"Actually, not "seems to be;" K331 is in A major." - BruceD

"I played the K330, I believe K331 is the a minor one." - RonaldSteinway

That's why I put seems to be, which may not be exactly logically, correct, but I see no reason in pointing that out.

Stop being so critical please!

Perhaps if you weren't so arrogant...?

...

Philip, I've never heard you play, but I'm pretty sure you're not a genius, and you're not a prodigy. Now go practice.

Philip: The fact that you couldn't quite remember what key the piece was in, demonstrates something important.

It's like if you had to make a speech and couldn't quite remember what it was about.

brings back memories.

But the second one didn't make much sense, it's just in case I messed up again, I put "seems to be". The first one I know does.

The first what and the second what? Which two things are you referring to?

I timed a performance of the 1st movement. I played it in 3 minutes 58 seconds without repeats. 110 minim/220 crotchets is my pulse.

Congratulations - but who cares?

You opened your trap, no? But on the serious side there was a reference to a Glenn Gould performance earlier. Dear Glenn is long dead. I am not.

The A minor sonata is not even the piece we're talking about.

That's right. i mentioned Gould earlier.
PP, I for one would like to hear you playing it. I can definitely hum.