Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Is this possible?

Yes. It vaults us forward.

And the opposite vaults us backwards. Yikes!

Thanks for the replies - a lot of interesting thoughts! Sorry I left out the piece, it's Kabalevsky's Piano Sonata no.3 and I have been working on it exclusively for two months now.

My teacher seems to think it's possible but I am a little worried.
I have heard that it is best to secure a piece at least a month in advance -
and I have to admit it is very nice to already have a piece learned and memorized ahead
of time as it gives you a lot of time to work on it musically.

Here is some more information to go by:
Basically the way I have been working on the piece is I have started at the end and am working backwards. I am trying to tackle the most difficult parts of the piece ( which is probably a good 90% ) - I will take sections (sometimes I will practice by sections and sometimes I will practice it a measure at a time) and break them apart. For example, working hands separately, working on separate voices, blocking notes into chords, different rhythm patterns or simply going through a passage slowly.

It is just a little confusing as to why these sections are still difficult. I could be giving up a little soon but I would almost rather be on the cautious side then be without a piece...
Only time will tell - I'm just trying to be safe!
The deadline idea is good, I might try that.

Thank you all again for your help!

Rocket88, I LOVE what you're saying, and agree with you and Mark that it vaults forward, BUT we don't have enough information from Texas Girl. 4 1/2 weeks is a TON of time, unless you are playing Mozart, in which case you would need a lifetime. I would be happy to be proved wrong, but not at Texas Girl's expense. (How's THAT for equivocation, Mark?)

txpianogirl, where are you with details?

Also, if we are vaulted backwards, it is only for a time, DEPENDING YOU WHO YOU ARE.

txpianogirl, where are you?

Mark, notice I said "we."

Hey, TPG! You posted while I was writing!

You see? I am right! You have plenty of time. You are already at 90%, and more than a month out. Jeeze Louise! And it's Kabalevsky to boot! Jeeze LOUISE! Keep doing what you're doing and you'll be FINE! BTW, you still did not tell us what EVENT this is.

CB: I still disagree 100% and can't believe what you're saying.


Golly! I don't think any of us would have guessed it was such a long or complex piece. Not that it's the longest or most complex piece in the world but still.

I gotta believe that anyone who is working even half-seriously on such a piece must have lots of other possible pieces to play, things you've learned before and that you knew fairly securely. I say pick one of those.


Very often that's exactly how I work on pieces too.
Starting backwards, because otherwise, the end is the part that we work on least -- but we want the end to be very secure.
And the hardest parts, because it helps to have them "softened up" by the time we're playing through the whole piece. Plus, it feels good to know as soon as possible that we can really play them.

Plus, you have a teacher. JEEZE LOUISE!!!

What Mark said...

Drill the ending. A big finish counts for a lot. Leave them wanting more. That's the rule.

TPG: What's the event? Are you from Texas?

HI, Txpianogirl,

You don't sound very positive about the possibility of learning and memorizing the piece for the event. You said, "...when there is a good possibility it will not be done in time for the event." A "good possibility" doesn't sound like you feel it will be ready.

You also mentioned basically that it would be your "biggest piano nightmare" to not be ready or to not have anything to play.

How long does it usually take you to learn and memorize a piece that is of like difficulty? Can you keep up with your practice schedule for the next 4 1/2 weeks? Do you work well with deadlines when you're having difficulty?

Is this particular piece something you really want to play for this particular event? Or is there something else you would like to play that you are sure you could memorize and play for the event?

I'm not as advanced as many pianists here, but I would say that if I had written what you wrote, I would consider playing something else that I was more confident of learning, memorizing, and having ready for the event.

Whatever you decide, I wish you all the best! Good luck! Kathy

For real? Then we definitely see the world differently. We should get together some day and discuss the universe.

Do you not see that 4 1/2 weeks is a TON of time?

cf. all of AngelinaPogorelich's hyperbole. Txpianogirl plays better than she thinks she does, and the audience will think so, too.

Two things:

1) I'm pretty sure I know where those tricky parts are, and I may have some fingering/distribution/technique suggestions. Feel free to post about it here and I'll do my best to help.

2) If you decide to play it, then you need to get it in front of people as soon as possible. Even if it's not 100% memorized/ready, start playing in front of an audience - any audience. This is one of those pieces that feels different in front of an audience than it does in practice (because it's so athletic.) Getting used to the feel of performing it will help a great deal.

Cinnamonbear, I am so sorry! I think you misunderstood me - I meant that about 90% of the piece is difficult! :-)

The problem with me pulling something out of my repertoire is that I have started with a new teacher this year and I do not think she wants me to play something I have already learned.
I think more what I had in mind was trying to work up a piece I had started learning with this teacher but then dropped - but I think it is still a little further along than Kabalevsky.

That's a big part of how we see this differently, because I think it's hardly any time -- and besides that, there's another big part that we see differently too.

Let's look at the "4 1/2 weeks."

You know some math, right?
Remember "graphs" and "curves" and stuff? (I could call it calculus, because that's sort of what it is, but that might be too intimidating, so I'll just call it graphs and curves.)

Take what she said about her progress with the piece so far.
Make a curve out of it. (I mean an imaginary one, in your mind; I don't mean to get a pencil and paper.)

Extend it for another 4 1/2 weeks. Does that give anything close to "piece learned"?
If you think it does, we disagree on what it means to have a piece learned. I think the only way we can make the curve reach "piece learned" in that amount of time is if she suddenly starts learning better and faster. That's a gamble, at best, and utterly reckless at worst.

But let's even say she does get to "piece learned" in 4 1/2 weeks. That would still leave us with a huge disagreement.

It seems you think it's fine to bring a piece to a performance as soon as you have it "learned."
Do you?
It sure seems like you do. And I think that is total folly. Once you have a piece learned, that's just one step toward having it ready for a performance, at least if you care about having a good chance for success. It then takes some time to work out the rough edges (and there will always be some rough edges, most of which you won't have any idea about yet) and time to get secure and confident with it, including preferably doing some run-throughs in front of at least a person or two.

How much extra time do we need for that? It varies. Sometimes just a few days, usually much more. In this case, almost certainly much more, because with a piece that has been giving someone the kind of trouble that was stated in the OP, I think it's very unlikely that this final phase would be quick.


I realized that from your 1st post -- I thought it was implied. It's a big part of where I've been coming from, and why I simply could not believe some of what I was reading here -- including in KREISLER's post, which, although measured, is far more encouraging than I think is wise.

Hi, Cinnamonbear! Hopefully she is just being too hard on herself, but it's hard to know without knowing her.

You must learn things pretty quickly. 4 1/2 weeks doesn't seem like a lot of time to me. I guess I need to work harder to get more done. Take care, Cinnamonbear! Kathy

Mark, have you ever "fasted" for 4 weeks? It is a TON of time!

I have said in other places that I like reckless playing (Kudos, to you, MarkC, for spelling "reckless" correctly. I spell "CaddyWhompus" with a "w" and an "h".)

You do realize that you changed the subject, don't you?

Reckless playing, I would have an easier time understanding.
I was talking about reckless thinking and reckless decisions.


Why not find out?
You're assuming.
If your teacher would make you play an unconfident, unlearned piece for such a reason, all I can say is that it would be a very poor reason.

It is called a curve for a reason. I do think you are not giving the brain enough credit for its enormous potential. Remember your driving lessons? You accelerate OUT of a curve! De-celerate in, accelerate out. Accelerate, txpianogirl!

Also, TX, take Kreisler up on his offer (1), and his advice (2). ALL pieces are like this (2).

CB: Be honest:
You're just being stubborn now.

Did you even notice what she said about the "90%"? It seems like you didn't, because assuming you're taking her situation seriously and don't want to mislead her, you would need to factor it into your thinking, and you haven't.