John Frank reminded me in another thread that it's time for our usual hand-wringing and nervous jitters about the upcoming AB forum recital in May.

Newbies to the forum who want to find out more about the recitals, and listen to some of the old ones, check out the "Important Topics in AB forum" thread that's stickied at the top of the forum page.

I'll start off with plenty of hand-wringing and nervous jitters: I had every intention of nailing Einaudi's "Divenire" for this recital, but while I *thought* I'd be ready to record in February, it's almost freakin' May and I still don't have anything decent. Worse yet, I don't have a backup. [wrings hands, jitters nervously]

Being the aforementioned John Frank - and not being nervous or jittery at all since it's already "wreck-orded" (thanks to Canonie for this develishly appropriate term) - let me state that my contemporary instrumental (or New Age) piece is a Spanish themed or flavored work by a Russian born composer played by a German-American on a Japanese digital from sheets published in England - a truley international collaboration.

JF

I've chose mine lol, if i can pull it off, i dont know, better get practicing, :-)

Ok practice break is over, time to hit the ivory. It will probably be a blues song with a little bit of improv.

Serge

I intend to play all, or at least most of, the notes in Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag. I make no promises as to tempo, rhythm, style, artistry or anything else. The piece is well above my skill level and I've only been working on it a few months. Nevertheless, I've had a couple of almost passable renditions so far, and with nearly a month to go, I think I can sneak in something decent right before Monica slams the door on 5/14.

Okay, I'm ready to participate in my first recital 45 years (gulp!). I just need to check out some legal stuff on Monday with the publisher about performing it on YouTube.. Thanks to all of you who gave me some tips on handling this on another thread. I plan to play Rhapsody by Margaret Wigham.

Khachaturian Toccata, Khachaturian Toccata, Khachaturian Toccata.

Say that fast three times - it's easier than actually playing it!

Sam

I love the ABF pre-recital hype season and it comes around four times per year; yippie. I usually take the lead in this category of self promotion/pre recital hype but I have to admit Strings & Wood (Carl) is doing a much better job than I am this time around with his elusive mystery......something (to be unveiled May 15th). That said, I need to step it up a bit.

I currently have 2 pieces that are almost ready for submission which are both radically different. One of them is an incredibly beautiful piano melody which none of you has probably ever heard before. This is because the piece is actually a religious/worship melody written and performed by Fernando Ortega and is easily one of the most beautiful melodies I have ever heard. (On par with the Secret Garden piece I posted a couple months back). Remember how nice that piece was? This one equalls that. Really.

The other piece I have nearly ready is radically different. It is an original cover of Metallicas "Nothing Else Matters". That's right,...Metallica!

So your either going to get a beautiful piano ballad by a religious artist or a beautiful piano ballad by a anti religious artist;...sort of!

Of course there is no way I'm going to let the unchosen performance go to waste as I'll find a way to post it somewhere.

Anyone have any preference?

I've never submitted anything to the recitals,and probably won't this time, but just reading that they are coming up makes me jittery. I have severe red-dot-itis to go along with my performance anxiety. It's sad, really.

Can't wait for that one !

i would participate but all i know how to do is bang out chords on my left hand since all i do is work through the alfred book :dead:

you could pick a song, find chords,play chords with left hand and melody with right, u got 4 weeks to come up with summat, u got owt on YT?

I really want to brag that I have a piece ready to go, which I do! But I know this is only true because I wasn't ready with it by the deadline for the last recital or the recital before that. Oh well, I'm looking forward to submitting something this time and listening to everyone else!!

AK

I've chosen Chopin, Op 69 #2, a melancholy-sounding waltz---the reason I chose that one, I had a year or so ago banged through several Chopin waltzes at random and for some reason, this one's tune really stuck in my mind. So, I searched my Chopin book, reading the first measures, to figure out which one had that haunting tune, and this is it.

I'm at my usual position of being able to play stretches of it just fine, then making a mistake that disrupts the count and forces a stop. Still, I recorded myself a few times (just sections, not the whole piece) just to check myself--it is amazing how I can get through a section flawlessly (by which I mean, flaws so small they don't disrupt everything), then hit the record button, and suddenly I can't get past the second measure.

These recitals are a really cool and fun idea--such a great motivator! Just a little intimidating for a struggling neophyte but maybe by next November or February I'll give it a go.



Nothing against religion, but please, please, pretty please play "Nothing Else Matters" for us!

Yikes! Hopefully, I have a tune almost ready. I still need to tweak a few things. Hey, I've got a month, right? The only problem is that as soon as I even start thinking about recording, I get the jitters....

I hope to have a new piece ready. I'm still on restricted playing so my piece will be simple. If I don't feel ready I will submit a new and imroved version of an earlier submission.

Hey this will make one full year of participating in recitals for me How exciting....and yet, jittery-making!

Mr. Super-Hunky, I vote for the Ortega piece!

This would definitely be the "yang" to the Ortega music. While I am always up for a gospel, the lure of the "Nothing Else Matters" is captivating.

It looked much easier than it is when I jumped in. Too late to back out now.

BTW, for all you first timers, performing in the ABF quarterly recitals will definitely be one of the most frustrating-eventually turned rewarding experiences you will have during your piano journey.

The best tip is to be in the right state of mind at the piano at the right time. For me, this means I must be VERY relaxed and play when there are no distractions (late at night).

In addition, be sure you have cleared your recorders memory to allow for numerous takes before it runs out of time. Many of us simply turn the recorder on and play through the recital piece several times hoping that one of the takes will suffice.

ha ha tell me about it, i had one of those days today, wanted to upload something to my youtube channel, as I havent uploaded anything for a while, christina aguilara - hurt, what a mess!

I have two pieces in mind. One probably won't be ready in time - hint, it's already been mentioned in this thread and it's in my signature.

The second is the second movement of a Sonatina by a classical composer. But not the same classical composer I played in the last recital.

Hmm ...

I'm only giving myself best out of 3. I remember spending HOURS on one of the recital trying to get a great recording and then I just said "hey, at a real recital everyone would have left 2 hours ago!"

I find that too many takes just makes me more tense - I don't want to go through that again.

*sigh*

I feel I'm becoming regular and old enough around here to now understand the "pull-one's-hair-out" frantic postings in the pre-recital threads.

Seriously, wasn't it just last week that I submitted last recital's piece? And now 3 months later, I feel like I've accomplished very little on my piano journey.

I was under the assumption that piano was supposed to get easier as one progressed along. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The more I learn, the more I realize the things I have yet to learn.

I've got one or two I think I'll attempt for this recital, but past attempts have been futile.

*sigh*

Ah yes - the voice of hard-won and undeniable wisdom...

The problem (if it is one) of course is that the difficulty level of the pieces one attempts progresses right along with one's progrssion in technique...which is as it should be...if it got "easier" where would be the challenge? Where would be the pride and personal satisfaction? Where would be the joy in achievement?

JF

I would love to hear the Metallica cover. Last summer I was playing a cover of The Unforgiven. It sounds really powerful when played on a grand. Metallica is hands down my favorite band of all time, I've been listening to them since I was 9. Was able to see them at the Pepsi center in Denver in 08 (they stopped serving beer after the opening band lol) . Wish I could have been alive and old enough to see them in the 80s. There's a Dutch girl on youtube who covers a lot of Metallica, and a bunch of other metal actually, she makes it sound really good. On YT, search vkgoeswild to find her

I wanted to send the "Einaudi - Tu Sei" for the recital but despite being studying it since Christmas, I think I'm still not able to make a decent recording - btw: my children don't share that... - So either I do not participate in this recital, or I'll see what I have in backup.

How about a medley?

I'm strangely calm about this recital. Maybe because I've had this piece pretty much finished for a few weeks and am just doing fun things with it now, like playing with the interpretation and doing some visualization. It also helps that it's technically a bit easier than some of the other pieces that I'm working on, so I don't feel intimidated by it. Looking forward to recording in the next few weeks!

I haven't made up my mind yet which piece to do. It seems that most want to hear the Metallica piece and I really enjoy playing it. The only thing is that it is the other piece by Fernando Ortega that gives me goosebumps every single time I play it. The Metallica piece does not do this to me even though I love playing it because it it just a really cool piece.

BTW, the Fernando Ortega piece I am referring to is called "I Remember Well" If you want to hear his incredible performance of it you can hear it on www.grooveshark. It is on page 2 of his listings.

So I guess the real question is do I play a cool piece that others like as well or do I play a piece that really, REALLY moves me?

They are both almost ready to go. I am working very hard on adding as much emotion as I possibly can to both as well as making yet another futile attempt at getting the acoustics and recording levels correct.

I'm serious when I say learning a piece is the easiest part. It is getting the acoustics/recording levels accurate that is so difficult.

I say do the piece that really moves you (besides , you still "owe me" for the tear jerker, remember?...I'll settle for goosebumps )

You can then do the other piece in the May piano bar!!!

ta da! Solution!

Why not merge them together into a medley - all you really need then is to create a short, smooth transition from one to the other...or would this be too much time/capacity for the system to handle and/or too much push against the red-dot envelope?

JF

+1

YIKES!!!! Time is speeding up and it's all because of this forum!!!! Didn't we just do a recital?

It just seems no matter how much I think ahead for the next recital I never really feel ready. Or maybe I'm just becoming more and more self critical the more ricitals I participate in? Hmmm... What I will be playing is a another original that might just be nothing but a Hannonesque finger excercise but I am hoping will be judged as more musical than that.

May the Red Light Blues begin....

I just listened to "I remember well" on Rhapsody, super-hunky, and it is beautifully poignant. My vote goes to it.

Peyton, I think you're on to something with that idea of becoming more critical with increasing numbers of recitals. I used to dash off stuff with major bloopers and not worry about it. Now I worry and don't dash. It's probably not a healthy trend!

Peyton I can't get to your Red Dot Blues... I click and it asks me to log on to Boxnet, but when I do it just takes me to my own page? What am I doing wrong?

Mr. Super Hunky - looks like "I Remember Well" is in the lead

I went over to the School of Music for my lunchtime piano practice. Set up my recorder and played my piece a few times. On the best take I left out a measure! I've never done that before, honest! At least I never realized it if I did...

Sam

ooops!

I was gonna participate in the recital, but I might withdraw lol, suppose I should spend my time practicing my scales and then maybe play in the next one, I will still finish the song I was gonna play and post it on this forum, i just dont think i'm good enough yet, on the up side though, I have got to grips with the scales ok, its like, I was blind but now I see

Casinitaly, my bad... I must have gotten the link to my account instead of the song. Here is the correct link... http://www.box.net/shared/l4zgen6tpb

Wayne32yrs: Please remember that our recitals are not about how good you are but rather how much we see improvemnet in your playing over time.

If you don't provide us with a begining benchmark we will have nothing to compare against. Your in, no excuses!

Casinitaly: I didn't forget about the *tear jerker* IOU. I've been waiting to put a few romantic pieces together but got a little sidetracked after I heard the Fernando Ortega piece as it stole my attention away from everything else.

I've got the perfect piece in mind but it will be just a bit as we are moving in a week and then the piano needs a tuning.

You can charge me interest if you like as I'll gladly pay it with two songs.

Wayne32 - listen to mr super-hunky. We want to hear your piece - recitals are *way* too much fun, and you're certainly good enough. This is the beginners forum, you know.

Cathy

Dang it looks like my Metallica vote is losing steam haha oh well I'm sure I'll hear it eventually. Never done a recital myself, each member can only do one piece?

Yup, one piece per recital, beechcraft409. But the piano bar is unlimited!

Cathy

Actually you can submit two pieces if they are short and logically connected.

I clearly remember John Frank submitted two a little while back. - complete with excellent side bar information!

That was two relatively short waltzes in the last Recital - others have done this also - it's commonly called a medley, and ideally there should be some kind of musical transition from one piece to the next - no matter how brief or basic, such that your playing is pretty much continuous - and you'll probably have to compose or improvise this yourself.

Side bar info - excellent or otherwise - is optional

JF

Just genius, Peyton, so many truths ...

Got it now!

Love it - that's great fun! Thanks!

geez again! LOL where does the time go?
- Steve

Thanks!~ You too Cygan.

Mr. Super-Hunky I've always loved listening to Fernando Ortega. I Remember Well is a very pretty piece, and I would love to hear you play it:)

Thanks Augustina. It is a really beautiful piano piece. I'm going to record it in a carpeted smaller room and then again in a large open room with wood floors. I'm eager to hear the outcome between the two.

sidenote: I think I'm at least equall in the pre hype dept with strings & Wood by now and I know I'm not the only shameless poster.

Start pre-pimpin' your piece! lol. Sometimes the buildup and knowing what is happening and going into your piece makes it that much more enjoyable to finally hear.

Well, my piece was written by a communist in 1932 in one long night of work so that it could be performed the next day...

He would have been out of luck if I had been the first performer. It's taken me much longer than one day to learn it!

Sam

Ackkk! Is that dust I see ahead?

So soon?? I've been working on one but need to move the tempo or it will drag on too long. There are two measures that just are killing me...out of five I get them right twice. Better get to playin

Less than a week to go until the recital opens....

I give my final exams on May 4 & 6, so I won't be able to put in a lot of time with Red Dot until a few days after that. It's going to be close. Yikes.

I've worked mine to death... I'm having to accept the fact that I have writtin something I can't play...

I finally just took one of the recordings as the best I'm going to do and went with it.

Well, aside from the fact that I'm not quite ready, I am also waiting for my piano to be tuned

I recorded yesterday and am ready to upload! Since this is my first time, I decided to heed Monica's advice and record early enough to work out any possible difficulties.

I have to start thinking about what I'll play for you guys... I still haven't decided.

I have a date to the party! After much coaxing today, she finally said yes.

Curiouser and curiouser....

YOU'RE KILLING US!

You're just too creative for your own good - some problem to have But you're in good company - Schubert had the same problem once or twice.

JF

I want to be in the recital, looks like too much fun; but, I haven't completed any pieces. Guess I'll post what I have in the piano bar in May. Next recital (August, right?) I will have a complete piece to share, hopefully. And by then I can perform it on an actual piano, moving back to Texas in 2 weeks.

You're a player S&W, I knew it you macho man.

I found a nice little one-page piece by Darius Milhaud. I looked on the excellent new ABF recital index, and saw that Milhaud has yet to feature - I was aiming to find a new (and not too obscure) composer for the list. I wonder how many others will do the same ? I found the piece the weekend before last and recorded it last night so I am keeping it simple this time. It's short and sweet, but I think it's a nice piece and one that not many people will have come across.

You have piqued my curiosity! I look forward to hearing this. My piece is by a fairly well known composer, but I'm still keeping mum til it is uploaded!

Well now I feel better...

I remember reading that about Schubert. That must have been frustrating for him. Then again, his definition of "can't play" and mine might be a little different.....

I guess this is quite common for classical composers - especially as new music these days tends to be on the virtuosic end of the spectrum. Also, a lot of composers write a lot of their music for instruments they can't even play !

It's an interesting situation though. Maybe you should write yourself an 'ossia' for the tricky bit !

My piece has also never appeared in an ABF recital. It's a premier! It's also in Eb minor. Add up the flats in that key signature - 6. Maybe that's why it has never appeared in an ABF recital.

Sam

Perhaps you should count the white keys instead

Interesting thread...

It's easier to count the black keys - there are fewer of them. And they are easier to play on, since they are sticking up with space in between. Surely that's why composers write in such odd keys.

Sam

Well I finally got a fairly decent recording of my piece yesterday and let me tell you that when it comes to recording, digitals have an EXTREME advantage. No mic placement or acoustics to deal with.

Is that really such a big deal?.....YES!

As I've said in an earlier post, I can perform my piece pretty good. That's not the problem.

The challenge is how incredibly different just subtle mic placement changes make as well as room acoustics.

Just having the lid partly open, halfway open and fully open make a huge difference in sound. Then there is the mic placement. On the music shelf, on a chair 3 feet away, 5 feet away, 10 feet away, left side, right side. It all makes a BIG difference.

Then there is the compatibility of the instrument and the room it is in. Big piano in a small room just doesn't work out. Small piano in a big room is better.

I've taken many-O-jabs at digitals over the years but I must say when it comes to recording ease they just can't be beat.

I love my mighty Mason acoustic but getting the recording acoustics/mic placement worked out seems to be a never ending challenge. Oh, here's another thing. Once you think you finally have everything worked out and have everything positioned and placed right.......it will change when you play a different type of tune and then you can start all over again!!

It may be easier to just pull your hair out from the start whilst sounding off every possible swear word you can think of just to get it over with. I'm just sayin'.

I am happy to report that I finally have a good recording with NO CLIPPING (for once) and it only took me 6 hours to come up with it.

[p.s, my hair should grow back as I didn't rip the roots out!]

roflmao mr s-h... omg I know where you've been and I just gave up in my small room. But now that I'm working part time at a Piano store and have access to all the digitals... I just might have to jump back in.

now you know the advantage of really short hair.


btw,
mr s-h, I think I have a lead on your New Boat

Haha. Been there and done that Les. I used to own a Warlock catamaran boat in the 90's. It burned nearly 40 galls of fuel per hour x full day of boating = going broke!

Spending stupid money on gas was just a total waste from many different angles and I was happy to sell it.

Now of course I ride a motorized surfboard (Craigcat) which only burns one gallon of fuel per hour at full throttle and the *pucker factor* can't be beat. I even tow it with a little VW Jetta since the boat only weighs around 300 lbs.

Here is a pic taken last year on the nearby colorado river (Topock gorge) between Laughlin NV and Lake Havasu AZ.

ahhhh it's already that time. I thought it's in May. Well, it's almost in May, geesh.. I haven't memorized my piece yet and you folks had to put up with my harsh page turning sound in addition to full of mistakes sprinkled throughout the piece. well, may be it's still premature to play.. hope those ice cream trucks won't come when i'm recording.. don't you think something always happens when you thought you have made a decent recording?

Until last night, I didn't think I would be able to play my piece. Now I have hope--I might be able to play it at 106 without catastrophe (120 is the goal). I don't think I'll have time to bring the interlude up to speed, but at least I should have the rowdy, punk-rock part (as much as the 1840's can be punk rock--maybe a romantic version of Bad Brains meets Bad Religion?). This piece has been WAY, WAY harder than I expected. (he thinks to himself, 'maybe those difficulty ratings mean something after all')

After this, I am definitely going to pick on pieces that are my own size!

Love the confidence (aka pre recital hype) some of you demonstrate! My piece is Berceuse...BUT which Berceuse you ask. Wait for more clues to this lovely lullaby. I'll tape it this weekend perhaps.

I am happy to report that I finally have a good recording with NO CLIPPING (for once) and it only took me 6 hours to come up with it.

[p.s, my hair should grow back as I didn't rip the roots out!]








This time I went with the lid fully open and mic about ten feet away and six feet up. Mic gain was set to high. It does give you a different sound.

I recorded my piece about a month ago, and am currently working on my next piece. This is what I do now, saves the last minute hassle.

To overcome the red dot syndrome, when I think my piece is ready, I turn on the recorder and play the piece 3-4 times. If it's not up to scratch then I come back a week later and try it again, and keep on doing this, usually for 3-4 weeks. By then I usually have one take that is good enough

unlike me then lol, I avnt recorded anything yet, not even sure what Im gonna play

I'm looking forward to hearing it Hawgdriver! I loved the Chopin piece you played last time.

Considering that I have last-minute failed to enter into the last two recitals, I'm not making any promises, but I'm going to try to record Bydlo from Pictures at an Exhibition. Otherwise I'll probably upload the Chopin Prelude (no. 15) I wanted to upload last time but failed to because I thought the deadline was a day later.

Well, I think I got a decent recording of my Chopin waltz for the recital a couple of days ago. I haven't yet had the chance to listen to it to hear how bad the flubs were. They seemed fairly minimal at the time, but my mind is usually in another place when recording and my memories are usually far from reality!

Ha! I've heard your "decent" recordings before in any number of threads and they've always been several cuts above decent - sort of like saying that Secretariat could move along the racetrack at a "timely clip" or an "acceptable pace"

Looking forward to hearing the Chopin waltz.

JF

when is the deadline then for the recital? and where do I send the link and info of my vid to?

^^^ moo!

You'll need an mp3 file to submit, which you upload to the ABF recital website (you can also put a link to a youtube video but you need an mp3). It opens on 1st May - a thread should appear then with all the details. Search on past recitals to get an idea of how it all works...

thnx, out of interest is singing permitted? not me lol, I cant sing to save my life!

Yes, yes indeed. BillM, for one, usually sings - and does a super job!!!

I'd love to be able to sing and play (I can do both, just not at the same time, I don't have enough total coordination yet... I dream of it though)

hehe, I really appreciate the comment - but instead of Secretariat, I think Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh bumbling through the forest is a little more on target!


I listened to my recording and (shocking!) it wasn't as good as I remembered playing it. (what a surprise) Missing notes, etc. (I played them, the keys just didn't make a noise like I told them to)

Sheesh, I swear my brain turns off while I record. (apparently it goes into panic mode! )

Lucky for me I was able to record a better version today. The same amount of mistakes, just in more inconspicuous locations.

I must have been in a groove because I recorded two others as well. A great recording day - I wish there were more of them like this.

Wish my brain would turn off sometimes. It sure can get me into a lot of trouble.

I got my recording done today. This at least gives me a backup if I decide to re-record. Although nerve-wracking, it's getting a little easier to play in front of the recorder.

Carl, I'm even more flummoxed now after reading your posts...looking forward to you & your "date"!

flummoxed???....good one!

I know there are more than a few of us named Carl. After going to my dictionary, I am flummoxed as to which Carl your were talking to.

Sorry, griffin! I was referring to Strings & Wood Carl. I'm used to calling him Carl from his previous screen name.

Thanks for the clarification. I also like being referred to as griffin. From now on I am going to change my signature to griffin at PWF. That's what family members called my dad. We were both named Carl. I find honor in assuming his nick name. He was a hero to me!

The recital opens tomorrow! I'll probably post the thread sometime mid-morning, so those of you waiting around in the hopes that I'd open it up at midnight or thereabouts can pack it in.

I *still* haven't gotten a recording of my piece.

Tomorrow!! I think I'm going to do a tune I've known for a long time but have never memorized.

How's that for a decision?

Cathy

I'm also changing my tune lol, Ive gone from daft punk, to duffy, to christina aguilara, to adele and finally landed on lady gaga x