Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum F. Chopin's 200th: 2010 Spring E-Cital Check-in

Hello all,

I noticed that there are no waltzes listed in the other works. Are they not being accepted having been done before? If acceptable I'd like to do Opus 70, No. 12 in F minor. It's been a long time since I played Chopin, but this recital is a great idea.

Andy

We hope to present the waltzes in October. Actually, I wanted to "reserve" this particular piece - Op. 70 No. 2 - for my boss's daughter in an attempt to get her involved in these e-citals. However, we'd welcome your participation, and if she is not interested in participated, I will let you know!

Greg

That's fine, Greg. I'll check back when you've posted the October call for submissions.

Andy

I just wanted to say that I really appreciate all the work that the organizers and the soon-to-be participants are putting into this, so I didn't mean to seem overly critical. This is all a lot to keep track of and it's a wonderful series of events.

That was my error, rustyfingers. I had no involvement in the original Mazurkathon event and should have left that decision to Mary Rose.

Well it's a good thing I never make mistakes. Yeah, right.

Still fighting with my persistently phlegmed-in voice, but I have a couple of takes I at least don't hate so much now. I'll have "Nie ma czego trzeba" and "Dumka," the two versions of the same poem. I would like to add one or two others if that's OK-- they're all short. "Melodia" seems beyond my physical capabilities right now, but I hope, expect, and intend to be able to sing it for you later this year and post it on Box or something.

At least I am getting much more comfortable accompanying myself on the piano (never really did that before, only sang with lute and guitar). And my Polish pronunciation is benefiting from the practice. These e-citals really are wonderful learning tools.

Elene

Still fighting with my persistently phlegmed-in voice, but I have a couple of takes I at least don't hate so much now.

So, you too? Condolences.

These are really, truly songs... with actual singing, your singing, not just the tune to the song played? I don't know what to say, Elene. You are taking us to a whole new level. Anyone who can do this deserves true admiration, and you certainly have mine!

I cannot wait to hear your work, and please do add other songs if you will!

I am confirming my submission, and I jsut emailed it too

Gerg, yes, real songs, with actual words, in Polish of course. And me singing, for good or ill. I can do some while accompanying myself (some are a bit too complex for me to do both parts but most have mercifully easy piano parts), but I've tried to catch at least one or two with my teacher's awesome accompaniment. Every time we've had the opportunity to record together lately, my voice has broken down badly-- very suspiciously developing a cough or a lot of goo again. We have one last try scheduled this Tuesday.

I used to sing professionally, but at this point it looks like those days are over. You never know, though.

Elene

Got it, doowlehc! See the reply - we need the audio.

I don't think there is any consensus on whether to include YouTube videos in this recital. Anyone have an opinion on this?

I'm fine with it....

Elene, I just can't wait to hear you singing!

Progress report: my Mazurka is technically under the fingers, but I need a lot of interpretation work to do. My teacher turned this piece upside down today at my lesson and gave a lot of valuable insight how to work with it. I will certainly have it on time - I only hope it will be in shape good enough not to be the black sheep of the recital...

M.

I don't think that's possible even if you try

Well... I hope you'll still feel that way at the time. And I hope you will find my pronunciation adequate-- I think you will.

I may be sort of a grey or brownish sheep.

I can't quite picture how YouTube videos would fit in, but I think it's a great idea. It's really a treat to see what the PW-ers actually look like, and seeing a video is the next best thing to a live performance.

Gerg, it's going to be a heck of a lot of work organizing and posting the recordings for two e-citals, isn't it?

Elene

No, that honor is reseved for me. I may try to submit my op 11 larghetto, not promising. I had it in pretty good shape a month ago and then I asked my new teacher for help with it and he made me feel that playing the larghetto as a stand alone, sans orchestra, was in poor taste and wouldn't work on it with me, so I pretty much dropped it. I no longer have that teacher - his wife is seriously ill and he's cutting back on hours - and I'm having second thoughts about not submitting the larghetto. I mean this is the only 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth recital I'll ever be able to take part in, right?

Right. And I really want to hear your music too. You've got to do it.

I know someone who played that 2nd movement (sans orchestra) and got into final of a competition.

It's possible to extract just the audio from Youtube video. But we should tell doowlehc to do that if he doesn't already have MP3 file of it.

Please submit it, Frycek.... I think your teacher was wrong, especially given the scope and purpose of this event. (That is one of the reasons I hesitate to rush to find a new teacher-they can be so discouraging at times). And we can be "black sheep" together, if you'd like: I am planning to submit the second (slow) movement from the second concerto, which is even more strange without the orchestra (in the middle section in particular). Yet I can't leave it out, because I think that section is a necessary contrast between the first and third (similar) sections.

I need a buddy! Pleeeeeaase???????