Jim, the Beethoven IS exactly what I'm playing ! If you go up a few posts, you'll see Andy has a super recording of his performance from a recital back in December (I think it was December...anyway, he plays is beautifully!!!)

Do you love it? I do. I'm thinking it might be my November recital piece - here in the ABF, or maybe even LIVE ooooooooh !!! lol.. We shall see. I do find it very exciting to be playing this piece - and very satisfying, even though I've still got a long way to go on it. It is really stretching my skills and that feels good!!

The Bach is really - I love Bach! ( I confess to going "gulp" while I scrolled down.... I found the pages preceding the Gavotte ou La Musette rather scary!!! )

Cheryl,

Oh, it is the same. I really thought you were playing something different - didn't you call your B section Rondo?

Anyhooo, yes I really like it. I'll even show you one specific reason why...which you may find trivial or uninteresting, but its one of the things that always amazes me when I realize it....

So, I was doing harmonic analysis on the first section, you know, writing in the chord names and numbers. I do this sometimes just in hopes I will learn something from it sooner or later. Anyway, I get to measures 13,14 and 15 and I'm playing those five little chords; D-A,rest,rest,D-F#,D-G, rest,rest, D-E,D-F#. I'm looking at the corresponding treble and wondering, gee, I wonder why he chose those? Nothing seems apparent, so I try playing the top note of each of the five chords above; A,r,r,F#,G,r,r,E,F#. Oh, that sounds familiar, where did I hear that. So I look up a few measures back and see the little slurred phase in the right hand in measure four (D,E,D,B,C,A,G), I play that and realize the later chords are just an echo of that phrase (If you don't hear it at first add in B to make it ABAF#GEF#). And then I look ahead and see we are also previewing the little slurred phase in the treble in measure 16.

I would guess that folks who had lessons as kids or studied music though another instrument would probalbly find this kind of stuff old hat, but it continually amazes me. I really don't know what it all means, but I'm pretty sure Mr. Beethoven did and it is not an accident.

So, sorry for such a long-winded way of saying, yes, I really like it.

Oh, and you're not the only one that got heart palpitations when they first scrolled through the score of Bach's English Suite looking for the ou Musette part.

Jim, sorry for the confusion. I did say Rondo! Oops! I have other pieces where I've seen part two called Rondo and I just carried it over. Sorry.

I agree with you that it is fascinating to discover the patterns in this piece. Well, in any piece, but it is even more rewarding when we're talking about Beethoven, isn't it?

My homework for this week is to play slowly and without tension. My teacher won't let me bring it up to tempo until I master this aspect. She's right. I find with my familiar works I can be relaxed but with the new ones tension creeps back in.

We're really focusing on many technical aspects now and I am very pleased. I feel like I'm working at a different level.

Cheryl, I'm glad that's sorted out because you saying Rondo instead of Romanze really confused me too. And thanks for the compliments.

My AotW is somehow managing to have convinced my wife that one hour practice is "expected". I have been setting a timer ...

... but, of course, I now thing I need two hours a day!

The compliments are well deserved Andy!
I don't have to convince my husband how much practice time I need because I generally do the bulk of "practice" when he isn't home, and he gets to hear the "performance". I play a little "concert" for him when he comes home from work, and on the weekends. There was a time when I was really working on scales a lot and it was the ONLY time he ever said anything....what he came out with was "Um, could you please play some ....music?"
So now I play scales etc when he isn't home, or with the silent feature in place.

this weeks achievement for me is playing the new song ive been working on better.. and i no longer have to look down to find the chords in it as i play it.. it may not sound like much but its my first song with chords so i count it as an achievement..

Good work Squiggyflop. Keep at it. What is the song you are working on?

thanks i think its called "outdoors in new england"..

I'm not sure if this is right, but I like to compare it to process of reading aloud to someone, because I have a lot of experience doing that and can understand what it involves. So have you ever heard the result of a text-reader program on a computer? It doesn't ever sound quite right. It sounds mechanical, the words aren't always given the correct emphasis, and the rise and fall of the voice doesn't match what is trying to be expressed. So compare that to hearing a good production of an audio book, where the actor uses pauses, tone changes, volume and tempo changes to draw you into the story. I try to use this comparison as a way to think about how to play something "musically".

Cheryl - oh, I love that Beethoven piece. I do hope you play it in one of our ABF recitals!

JimF - isn't it cool to make these kind of discoveries in the music we're learning? One of the things I really like about my teacher, is that he is always bringing these kind of details to my attention. (I think he's very attuned to that because his primary work is as a composer.) It makes me appreciate the music so much more.

squiggyflop - yeah--chords! Adding chords gives such a richness to the music, don't you think? I have a dim memory from when I was 3 or 4 years old, hearing a chord played on the piano for the first time, and feeling like I had never heard anything so beautiful before. It still sometimes gives me goosebumps to hear a perfect chord.

Mary Bee,


Yes, it sure does. Also, it makes me dream of having the skills to bring out these subtle melodic lines buried within a series of chords. In the example given above, the focus is on the right hand scale runs that are occuring in those measures, but I can imagine a highly skilled pianist playing the five left hand chords such that you can simultaneously just discern the echo of a melodic phrase heard previously.

That is a level of control I would love to have some day, although I'm sure it is many years away, if ever. My teacher says being able to hear it and imagine it is the first step, so I guess its a good thing to dream about.

Jim

Can I dream too?

Lain, you don't have to dream! I've listened to you playing Ravel's Sonatine and it was absolutely gorgeous. Not to mention it is one of my favorite pieces. My teacher loves it too, so I know she will assign it to me when she thinks I can handle it. How long have you been playing?

Thanks for the kind words, Jim. Hmm, good question, I just emailed my parents, because I don't know how long I've received lessons as a kid. I quit sometime in high school then picked it up again as an adult early this year. I'm working on Rachmaninoff's Prelude, Op. 23, No. 5. now, and the Un poco meno mosso section is oh so, so beautiful. If only I could bring the melody out of these big chords...!

You have given me a great idea. I tried to play the Fantasia at tempo (Presto), but I made a lot of mistakes, and I was not very sure about my playing. As I advanced through the piece, I started to feel lost in the music score.

This night, I have been playing the Fantasia more slowly, focusing each note, thinking about my playing. Playing only half hour, I have got more confidence!


Regards.

Lain, are you working on Rachmaninoff's Prelude No. 5????.

It's really impressive. So, you have a very high skill.

I feel like you lot had a party while I was sleeping !! So many posts during my night time!

MaryBee I hope to play the Beethoven piece for the November recital - There's no way it will be ready for the August one.

For August, I'm still wavering over what to play. I don't feel anything is good enough right now.
One idea I have is to play a duet with my niece (she's 10). I think that would be amusing for both of us, and short enough that it wouldn't be irritating for listeners. I'll have to see if she's up for it and if we can get it in shape quickly enough.
I'm not going to be with her til 4 August!...We shall see.

MaryBee - I like that analogy. It's very apt.

Like the difference between those mechanical voices, a different one recording each number, giving you a phone number you've dialed wrong, and a good audio book. The first is random

Cathy

My achievement of the week is how to fill my empty printer cartridges with ink. Now I can print my sheets in perfectly black and white at low costs. Ok, it isn't really an achievement, but I'm very excited about it, for now I can print more from the ISMLP database.

On the piano I learned how to do a triller (finally) and how to bind three 3th intervals together. Both I needed to learn for learning dance no 2 of Granados which is above my level, but I really want it to learn. The triller with afternotes in the piece, I can do it in time, which is my biggest achievement this week. It's not perfect and it still sounds awful, but at least there's a start.

I never understood how the cartridges are so expensive. Some times they are more expensive than the printers. You have done the best.

The Dance no 2 of Granados is so beautiful. For sure, you will master it. Loving a piece is the best way to learn it.

My AOTW is finally breaking down and getting a recording device (a Zoom 1) and posting my best shot at Chopin's B-minor Prelude. It still needs work and there are a few glitches, but its pretty much where I'm at on the piece, especially in the face of the red-dot. I was going to wait until the August recital, but decided that was really just procrastinating a month, so I posted it in the July Piano Bar. Here's a link to the box net file:

http://www.box.net/shared/023uxbrkvrgh6ru1jpgb

Cheryl, all your subtle hints (ahem,ahem) finally had the intended effect.

Jim, the prelude sounds very good.

I love your working pieces. Your music stand is full of amazing music.

My AOTW was starting a practice log. I realized today that I can't remember how long its been since I practiced a scale, and I'm in a rough patch with my Hanon, so I figured I should start revisiting my scales and older Hanon exercises. Then I started writing down my problem spots in all of the pieces I'm working on.

Hopefully, my AOTW next week will be that I actually kept up with it!

I just bought new cartridges ...but next round is going to be refill!!!!
argh so expensive. No, not as much as the printer but too much.

MaryBee loved your analogy! Well put.

JimF - subtle? subtle? You must have me confused with someone else. I don't think I have a subtle bone in my body
I really enjoyed your piece - I love Chopin and wonder when I will ever manage to play any of his work. This piece sounds "possibly" within my grasp in the not-so-terribly-distant-future.
I love the sound of your piano, especially the timbre of the bass.
Delicious!!!

Complimenti!

JimF,
That piece of chopin was very beautiful. It definitely has expression! I enjoyed it very much. *applause*

AimeeO,
That's a good idea. i tried before, but I practised so many things, I couldnt find a way to describe it shortly.

Btw: refilling cartridges is so easy, I feel so stupid I didn't do it earlier. Now for half the price of a cartridge, I can refill it 20 times. So I recommend it to everyone!

JimF: Very musical, lovely playing. Thanks for sharing!

Wahoo! My achievement of the week was the result of my very gracious wife taking the kids out of the house for 1 hour this afternoon so I could record.

I have only listened to the one I put up on You Tube so far, so I think they're decent takes (flubs and all). This is what I got today:

Tchaikovsky, The Witch (Baba Yaga) - This one drove me mad. I was sucked right into and couldn't let go of it, sort of like I was under a spell or something. (Coincidence, I think not!) I'm relieved to have broken the spell by recording it.

Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q69ytKVPtIc

Chopin Waltz in B Minor Op. 69 No. 2 - I've been toying with this one on and off for a year and a half (no joke). I completely forgot how to play it, and just revived it about 10 days ago. It came back so much easier this time. A possible recital entry for August!

Diabelli Sonatina 1 Op. 151 No. 1 - Recorded all three movements of this one too. Man I was I happy guy today.

The third one gave me a little trouble since I've had the least amount of time on it and it's the longest. So with some big misses in the last movement, I was just happy to be done with it. I have to go back and see how badly I screwed this one up - but most will probably get bored with the piece by the third movement and not even notice the flubs!

I've really enjoyed the various Sonatinas I've learned, and I think they all have really given me some valuable experience. If you haven't tried a Sonatina, give one a try!


And so, my hour was up. But wait! The wife and kids still weren't home, so then I had to try one more:

Einaudi, I Giorni - I have tried and tried to record this thing, but at some point, usually minutes into it, I ignite a major meltdown.

In my first hour, I had tried a couple of times between other takes to distract my brain, but now since I had extra time, I gave it a go and made it through on my second attempt (the first take fizzled out right at the end ) I think there's a couple of hesitations in there, but I'll take that over a major brain lapse any day!

This one too is recital worthy. (at least I think; I need to go back and listen )


So, I'm a happy guy today. By getting these 6 pieces out of the way (6 if you count Diabelli as 3) I've freed up a lot of practice time for other things.

Time to go practice!

Jim
The Chopin was musical and sensitive...quite lovely. The preludes are wonderful.

That is awesome. I've given up adding pieces to my "must play" spreadsheet because I'm running out of rows! One day, one day ...

Nice clicking fingers too!!!



Ah, now that is a piece I know well. And is a definite for my August recital entry since I'm submitting my live performance (warts and all).

Ah, live - you're a brave soul!

I get nervous facing the red dot. If facing an audience (with a red dot in it recording, no less) I think my fingers would shake right off my hands!

Can't wait to hear it!