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Happy New Year Everyone, and special welcome back to Farmgirl. Glad to hear you got your parents safely relocated.

Yesterday, as part of my resolution to read something new every day, I sat down and selected a song from THIS BOOK , which was recommended to me by PW's LegalBeagle. I chose The Very Thought of You. Although I wouldn't call it sight-reading I was able to play it hands together all the way through very slowly on the first try. Slow was just fine, however, because it was such a beautiful arrangement with big lush chords. Thanks LeagalBeagle, I know I will be having fun with that book all year.

Glad to hear from you, FarmGirl, and I hope your parents have a lovely new year.

Cathy

I'm pleased that after resting my left hand for a few days I can feel my pinky and ring finger again. I think the problem stems from the way I sit when I am reading, not from playing the piano.

I'm also pleased that I managed to read and play (badly) through the first 3.6667 pages of Beethoven's OP 27 No 1.

My goal this week is finding a way to keep both my arms straight most of the time. Maybe I need to tie them to broom sticks or find someone who will wrap them to my body.

My achievements are:

1st - I moved my piano 2 inches further from the wall......and WOW what a difference a few inches make! It sounds like a new piano. I can't wait to have it tuned again, I am sure it will sound even better.

2nd - I have started working on The Entertainer (again.) This time I am learning the original 1902 composition. I can play the A section with both hands at a slow tempo. I should be able to play that section at a decent tempo after another week or so.

CAS, Ricaredo, Bessel, PaperClip, Jim F and everyone else, thanks for welcoming me back. I love the ABF. May all or at least part of our piano dreams come true in 2012.

The first of the year,and back to work time. I had my first piano lesson after two weeks off, and it ended up being an hour and 20 instead of an hour! Of course that could mean that my teacher saw a lot of problems to fix! We worked on scales, arpeggios and my current pieces. We spent 40 minutes working on interpretation of the Chopin Waltz alone. It felt so good to be able to play it at tempo, and just worry about getting the phrasing and expression perfected. I asked my teacher if I should set the Bach piece aside for a while since I feel like I am really struggling with it. She adamantly said NO. She felt my progress was good and that I am learning a lot from it. So, with that positive feedback I will perservere. I feel like I am learning so much right now. I know that learning comes in fits and starts, but lately it seems like everything is coming together very nicely. It is a great way to start 2012!

JimF, what level of play is that jazz piano book? It seems interesting, 77 good chosen jazz songs. It could be a good introduction into jazz. I know it's for beginners, but I don't want the songs too easy (or too difficult).

SingSong, it doesn't look good if you don't feel your pinky or your ring finger. But I'm glad for you it's over. Nothing is more important than a good health.

Michael, I discovered that too when I had an accoustic piano. The piano was moved 5 inches away from the wall. I opened the lid and the sounds was even more beautiful. Since then my neighbours started to complain though.

SwissMS, I think that if progress is great, teachers tend to have difficulty to learn you enough in one hour to avoid possible errors in a steep learning curve and they are really enthousiastic about the progress at the same time. They feel they can teach you a lot and that is a nice feeling for teachers. I think it's a big compliment your lesson was 1 hour and 20 minutes long. Congrats!

Not so much achievement. But let me say that I am thrilled to be able to practice:) and indulge in the ABF. I have to play duet for our annual piano ensemble in our city in early February, so I am putting it together now in addition to my usual staple of classical music. This year, my group is doing Mid Night from Cats. I play it with a college student. I did not have time to practice at all. It's not difficult to sight read but a bit tricky because it has lots of syncopation. Many times, primo's come in off beat, so it's crucial for us secondo's to be on the beat. IF we get off beat, they don't know when to come int. I am also being very careful to lift my fingers and play as clean as possible - there are several of us, so if we play muddy, it will be horrible to listen to. It's really fun. I enjoy playing with others.

Beethoven Pathetique 3rd movement is coming along. This particular movement is not so bad to read and very beautiful. You may need hankies though. It's so sad and I get affected. I think my dog Emma likes it too, she looks like mesmerized. The only person not affected by is my husband. I asked him with misty eyes, "honey, what do you think? isn't it beautiful? Doesn't it move you?" He said, "yeah, it makes me sleepy".. With that note, I started banging Rachmaninoff. The piece has an incredibly loud section. I enjoy playing that from time to time to him whenever I'm in this mood

Chris,



I'm not really sure because so far I've only tried the one song out of it. My assumption was that it would be a bit harder than this other book from which I've tackled maybe half a dozen or so songs. From this latter book it usually takes me a week or two of 20 minute daily sessions to get these under my fingers solidly. But it has gotten easier as I've gone along, so its hard to say.

Maybe LeagalBegal will see this post and comment.

Hi everyone.
The thread has been quiet but I feel like I cannot complete my week without updating on my effort or non-effort. I am finally getting the Hanon #48 6th interval exercise. I am at about 80 for 4 notes. Finally getting up on speed. My teacher wants me to get it up to 100 I did not know how weak my left pinky is until I started my exercise. It is helping me to play Rach 23-5. I read all the pages of the Pathetique 3rd movement. i can now play it through slowly. My ensemble piece Midnight is in a good shape. I can play along with the tape. Next week is my first session with my partner. Let's see how it goes. Hope you all had wonderful weekend.

Andy, I received this month's Pianist magazine too. I am so happy it has nice articles and lots of music. I am enjoying sight-reading some of the pieces. Just wanted to thank you for the information.

I really like the Henkel piece and the Kember original composition "Now and Then". Both simple enough but beautiful. Although I'm not sure the Kember piece falls easily enough under the hands as claimed ... fingering had to be carefully worked out in some parts.

Andy, I played Kember piece too. Love the piece. It sounds great with lots of pedaling. Also Burgmuller and Schubert. Schubert's piece is very beautiful, but I kept thinking while sight-reading the piece that someone else would play this piece magnificently. I am pressing the right note at the right time albeit much slower pace but failed to convey the ethos contained in the piece. I enjoyed playing the Burgmuller piece. It's like meeting old friend. When I was a child, we had to use a really boring method book (Beyer), Hanon and Czerny. Burgmuller's pieces were very musical, like sunshine for prisoners. It kept me going until I start playing small pieces from the classical period. I would definitely try Liszt piece, Scarlatti and Cervantes when I have time...

Hi all,

Last week I went to the library to see if they had Jim's book in stock: The best jazz standards ever. They only had; 150 of the best jazz standards ever, which was a total different book. But they almost had it, haha.

So my AOTW is my cat, bcause of what he did.

Long story though, but context is everything.

An half year ago I adopted him from the shelter and he was about one year old. We had to get used to each other.

For instance, in the beginning he jumped on my leap every time I sat down to start playing piano. Somehow he knew that I didn't like it, because after a while he stopped doing it.

Then he mowed while I played, forcing me to use headphones. I guess he figured out it was useless to get my attention. So he came up with something else.

He jumped from the top of a book shelve 1 meter higher into the lower bass section of my keyboard, giving it a raw FFF of a very dissonant sound. It scared the heck out of me.

Well last week he did something new. He recognised the glissando of Black Eyes Boogie and hitting the lowest D at the end.

As soon as I hit the last note, he walked towards me and squeeked a little mow. As if he was saying: Do you have time for me, now? He did that every time I finished that piece. That was so sweet. Of course I hugged him. For me that was my AOTW.

So we get used to each other much better now. He really is a smart cat. I love him.

That's so sweet, Chris. My kittens don't like me practicing much, though they're usually better when I use the headphones. Yesterday, Mimei-chan decided to curl up in my lap when I was practicing. It's probably not ideal, but better than her or her sister jumping on the keys. I feel like I'm making no progress at all, so no real AOTW...

Haha great story Chris. I used to have a cat, but now we have rabbits and a hamster.

I guess my AOTW is having a successful first piano lesson on Monday and being able to practice with a clear view of what I need to do (structure wise, using a method book she gave me).

Looking forward to learning something new every day.

Neil.

Chris, you have an incredible cat. My dog Emma bangs on my piano and her toy piano but she cannot do anything so intricate and subtle as your cat does. Maybe you can compose a song that you can play together with her. I composed an incredibly silly song for my dog. She likes it and she knows it's her song.

MaryAnn - Are you sure your cat's not posting to the AOTW? I bet she feels like practiced.

Neil - Congratulations for your first lesson. I can feel your excitement.

My AoTW - I got the ensemble piece done. It happened to be the musical CATS arrangement. I can now play with the CD. I got the syncopation and be able to give the primo the first note that she needs to hear to play her part. I tried to play elegantly (hehehe). You know a little bit of showmanship on stage. I am playing through (should i say, stammering?). In my mind ear, I know how I want it to sound. It's very frustrating that I cannot achieve it. Many people play the first part of the piece loudly. I don't want to do that. I want to approach it feather light at the beginning and then build up without any odd bumping sound.

MaryAnn, luckily you are able to use headphones. My teachers accoustic piano has a lot of resonance and the cat runs away out of the house as soon somebody takes seat in front of the piano. Though the cat doesn't mind piano music from speakers. Would monitor speakers help you or did you already try this?

Neil, congrats on having your first lesson. Must be thrilling. Good idea to have lessons on monday. Then you have all the time in the weekend to finish your homework and to peak your skills in the lesson at monday.

Farmgirl, I think maximising dynamics is very cat like. A cat can be very quite like a ninja, but she can be also very aggressive with much energy. I have no doubt you will play what you hear in mind eventually. But I'm not sure I could make a song for my cat like you suggested though, because cats have perfect pitch and don't recognise the harmonies or rythms in music like humans do. Must be a one key song then, haha.

I'm excited by my progress with the Presto con Fuoco section of Chopin Ballade no 1!
Here's a recording of my progress (I apologize for the many mistakes! It's a Yamaha U1 by the way, recorded with a Zoom H4n):
http://www.box.com/s/lnutz62s5075n072aukv

I have to stop practicing pieces and do my homework to get ready for my third lesson when I go back to NY in a couple weeks. I don't want to make my teacher angry

This week I'm excited by looking at lots of music by Froberger, but I'm getting decision paralysis. I need to choose a piece to learn, now! I think the toccatas will be beyond me, and the gigues a little too brisk, so it may be a sarabande or an allemande, or perhaps even a fantaisie...