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It is absolutely beautiful Allard. You probably won't sleep tonight, will you?

Wow!! Last year, when my 30 year old upright was to be delivered I couldn't sleep...

You can Allard! What make is your lovely new piano?

That's nice re the tip! I hope your knee gets better soon.

It doesn't specify that but probably easier if one lives in Britain..enter it anyway Sam! I'd love it if a PW person won it!

Will have to see if the library can get it!

I've had a bit of a hiatus from consistent practicing. I had a crazy month of school in January, and I let it get the best of me instead of finding time to play.

But, I'm back in the swing of practice and weekly lessons again. As of today, I can play each major scale in parallel motion, hands together up to four octaves in 16ths (one octave in quarters, two in 8ths, three in triplets, etc). I'm really excited about this, because it took longer than I had hoped so it is very nice to be "done".

I also passed off a piece I've been working on for ages that isn't difficult but I just never could quite get it. But I did!

Next step is moving on from Baroque into Classical pieces, and going through each major scale to add hands together contrary motion ("Grand Scale" form), hands together arpeggios in 2+ octaves, and I-IV-V(V7)-I cadences. Going to be crazy but I'm ready for it!

The thought just occurred to me. Sleep, nor get any work done until (nor after) it's delivered.

Wow, lots of posts tonight!

Ragdoll – I find that videos or recordings help me too. I can’t always evaluate what I’m doing while I’m playing. My teacher reassures me that this is normal and that I’ll get better at being able to do it. I want to believe him 

EdwardianPiano (I think I’d like to call you Eddie ) That was a great video – very inspirational. I’m very curious about the book. And hey! I’m not yet 56…there’s hope for me! (And as I get my books from Amazon UK I don’t have to wait for it!)

FarmGirl – loved what you wrote today – and I love your English. The errors you make in English, I compare to the errors I make in Italian. We do our best – but even though we’ve lived in our adopted countries for a long time, it is hard to get everything right! You are a great communicator though, and I always appreciate your posts.
SwissMS – celebrate and commiserate! Exactly – I think the majority of us here really do “get it”!!!

Eddie A whole hour! Woohoo! Were you tired? Did you play after you got your blinds? I find it interesting to go back to older pieces too. It makes me feel more accomplished !

GlassLove - It’s my pleasure! I had no idea when I started this thread that it would run for so long and develop such a great bunch of regular contributors. It is my favourite thread too, but I supposed I’m biased

WhizBang – sorry you are laid up with a bum leg on what I imagine is meant to be a lovely holiday –but how incredibly nifty to get a tip for your piano playing! I agree- frame it!

Saranoya – thanks so much for your insight as to why this thread is important to you – you brought up some wonderful points that I think are relevant to all of us. (And did you think our critic was talking about you? I thought he was talking about me! Lol…could have been one of several of us – but do we care? Nope!)

Allard, if you aren’t excited …what’s wrong with you? I’d be jumping out of my skin with giddy delight if that baby were coming home to me. I can’t wait to hear a recording of you playing it. I bet you won’t sleep tonight! What a fabulous deal!!!!

Sam Rose – if anyone here could get that Chopin piece together it would be you!

Torquenale – I had the first Czernyana too and as I said, I really liked it. I haven’t seen any of his other books though, and just the title “School of Velocity” terrifies me!

JaredM2012- that is a great accomplishment with the scales- and you’ll really find a stunning difference between the baroque and classical. Personally I’m not that thrilled with classical. Somehow playing classical pieces, I end up with too much tension. Other periods and genres just don’t create that stress in me. I will have to figure out why at some point I suppose!

I did some work on fine tuning my baroque piece tonight and I think I'm hearing a difference...but I'm too tired to judge properly.
We'll see how it goes tomorrow!

Have we all got piano fever LOL!! I've got Schumann fever currently- got an mp3 of the first movement of the A minor concerto and can't stop listening to it! It's wonderful.....



Jared- sounds like you are doing really well!





You will you will- you are dedicated casinitaly!





Glad you liked it- he inspired me today to get on with the Handel- I think I'm getting better at it. Are you getting the book then? I will when I have the money.






Yes, played a whole hour after I came back from the blinds shop. The blinds are not up though ( got one from same shop for my kitchen yesterday)- I'm not tall enough to put them up and hopeless at that sort of thing- will have to ask someone to help me.

Funny, no, I wasn't tired. I could have played on but had dinner to make. I plan to do another hour tomorrow whilst I wait for the veg man to come. My friend is coming later on tomorrow as we are going out to a Verdi concert early evening. It will be a musical day!

I realised I really need an hour a day on Piano to progress. I am going to aim for this from now on.





Hear hear!

Allard,

That's awesome. Congratulations. There really is no better feeling than sitting down to your newly purchased grand piano.
Enjoy!!!

Thanks! I'm really stoked about the scales, but the work doesn't end there!

I too think I won't be thrilled with Classical. I've liked Baroque so far, but I'm ready to expand a bit so I don't get tired of it. I'll revisit it in the nearish future as I get better to learn some more complext pieces (inventions, etc). But Classical-era music never was a favorite of mine, but maybe I'll like it! I just can't wait until I get to Romantic and Contemporary music!

Classic!

Sure! I used to touch my piano all the time when I got it.

Nope. I'm positive that he was talking about you; but as you say, he was way off the mark with that 'one particular contributor' remark, because it could just as easily have been me, or FarmGirl, or any number of other consistently supportive contributors to this thread. That was the point I was trying, but apparently failing, to make (also, that your input here is about as far from 'worthless' as it could possibly get).

I've been watching this thread for a couple of days and it seems there's a critic lurking? Any who, I just played Eine Kleine Nachtmusik without an error! This maybe the piece I play at Spring Recital!!

Jim- where do you manage to find this stuff? You always give us a good chuckle with your little treasures!

Warlock - If you already have your piece under your fingertips now, by Spring Recital you'll have it beautifully polished and ready to present. Did you mean the ABF recital or one at your school --- or both?

Sayonara: I think I was the one who was mixed up, and thanks for your kind words.

I woke up this morning, opened the shutters and what do I see...... snow. bah humbug.

Warlock - note perfect is not an easy thing to do. I think I will have Accuracy one of the next year's goal.

JareM2012 - How about Heller? He is a classical composer but influenced romantic composers. I heard 24 melodious studies. They are very beautifull. You won't feel like playing a classical.

Cheryl, didn't work on Heller's piece?
Thank you rveryone for your kind words for my English. Believe it or not the forum is helping me to improve my writing.

I have worked on my Bach pieces today. I can play through both prelude and fugue but cannot memorize. My teacher asked me to play in the community college students recital as a guest. It's going to be in one of the auditorium = big stage with audience. Its kinda scary but I'm very excited. I would like to polish my Brahms piece and Bach prelude and fugue. The date is March 6.

Allard, what a beauty you got! While attending my very first piano concerto last Sunday (Rachmaninoff's 2 played on a huuuuuge Steinway) I suddenly decided that when I will upgrade to an acoustic, it won't be an upright, it will have to be a baby grand. Then I had a look at prices and well... not sure anymore