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Thanks Frycek. #22 is #18's co-conspirator; you'll have fun with that one

Thanks Gerg. I'm just not sure I'll have anything ready in time, and don't want to promise something that I can't deliver.

BTW I have no idea how you can play number 8 - it looks so difficult on the page! I am awestruck...

Well, I had a brief listen and also checked out some sheet music.

The piece which I liked best was #17, followed by #6 and then #4.

Am I right in saying 4 is still vacant? If so, it might be the best option for me - 17 is probably too much of a struggle (and taken), and I think 6 is also taken?

20 is pretty easy too, and is a famous melody. It depends on the mood that appeals to you. 20 is a stern, serious piece. ("Morning of a Nation" it has been called). 4 is a study in despair and hopelessness.

Kathleen is working on #17, although duplicates are allowed.

Mary-Rose,

I'm about 16 measures into #8, RH only - it's still early. Yes it does look tough on paper, but the notes are chosen so they fit nicely into the hand, so it's not as nasty as it looks. More of a challenge than the RH is getting the timing down for the LH triplets. It creates a "moire" effect just like what we hear in Fantasie-Impromptu, making it sound like even more notes are being played than really are.

y'all probably already found the links to the recording of Chopin's own piano from the article Euan bought to our attention, if not, here it is (video as well!)

http://del.interoute.com/?id=10222888-50d8-461c-95ca-6449ddefa42b&delivery=stream

WOW.

I still have to look at it...can't wait. Thanks Stepehenc, I tried but couldn't find it.

Euan, I think #4 is so beautiful...mournful and sad, yes..., but one of the most beloved of all preludes. And it is not too difficult to play. It has a couple of tricky measures, but the biggest problem is trying not to drown out the wonderful one-note melody in the RH with the progressively moving chords in the LH. It does takes some practice, but it seven months, it can certainly be accomplished. Let us know if you have any questions.

There actually a lesson on U-tube in which a professor of music (he's quite a character but I hear he's quite good) actually goes through this particular prelude. It's kind of hard to follow. Watch it first, and then watch it again...as you go along. That way it will make more sense.

John Bell on playing prelude #4

Funny that you liked 17, I'm learning it right now. It has been my favorite since I was a teenager. I never, in a million years, thought that I would actually be learning and, hopefully, playing it someday. It takes my breath away! I also love #13 and I hope I can get this one down also (it's only 2 pages).

Hi MaryRose: I've been thinking about you the last week or so and was just going to e-mail you, hoping you were OK. Glad to know you are. How are the lessons going? If you aren't going to play, you can be our Master of Ceremonies!! Get your tux ready!

I didn't notice Ragnhild writing "if she is still around." Where is she going? I hope she is alright? And her lessons are also going smoothly.

OK, I am going to watch that video now.

Kathleen

Truly wonderful video! Rather sent chills down my spine.

What I thought when reading the previous article were the prices of some other pianos he bought. All more costly, although perhaps he did not know he was getting Chopin's piano. Anyhow, these piano were

John Lenon's
Elvis Presley's

Something is wrong with this picture.

I am not saying that John Lenon wasn't talented. He was. I was a semi-large fan of the Beatles way back when they first arrived on the scene.

But Elvis Presley...come on. I don't think he could play the piano. Maybe I'm wrong. But still!

But to put these two men of somewhat "dubious" talent above that of the true master of the piano makes me ill.

Kathleen

Hi all, Euan was telling me about this chopin's recital coming in October. Is it to late to join? Is it just a Prelude recital?

Hello KG and welcome!

The general consensus is to keep it to just preludes, with a view toward maybe a "Nocturnes", "Mazurkas", etc. recital at some point in the future, but you can pick any one, or two, or even three!

So far we have:

2 - Frycek
4 - Kathleen
6 - Ragnhild
7 - Kathleen
8 - Gerg
9 - Stephenc
14 - Frycek
15 - Kathleen
16 - Jazzyprof
17 - Kathleen
18 - Gerg
20 - Kathleen
22 - Frycek
23 - Gerg
24 - LisztAddict

Unaccounted for:
1, 3, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19, 21

Would you like to play any of those?

Also, you can perform something someone else is doing - duplicates are okay.

Txs gerg for the list. I will take a look at the unaccounted for pieces and take a look to see which ones are manageable.

I definitely want to participate. I like all of the remaining ones. I'm thinking 1 and 21.

I notice no one is jumping for the really fast ones ...

I'm not sure if that's fair to say - 16, 18, 22, and 24 aren't exactly Andante

And Welcome I was hoping that someone would ask for #21. It is so much like the opening to the third Ballade.

Updated list

1 - Piano again
2 - Frycek
4 - Kathleen
6 - Ragnhild
7 - Kathleen
8 - Gerg
9 - Stephenc
14 - Frycek
15 - Kathleen
16 - Jazzyprof
17 - Kathleen
18 - Gerg
20 - Kathleen
21 - Piano again
22 - Frycek
23 - Gerg
24 - LisztAddict

Unaccounted for:
3, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19

I think the price of £2,000 that Mr Cobbe paid was because the provenance of the piano was completely unknown, Kathleen. It'll be worth a lot more now. I saw a Pleyel piano a couple of years ago bearing Chopin's signature on the wood - it had never actually belonged to him, but he chose it in Pleyel's showroom for one of his pupils - and had signed it so that it was clear which piano he had chosen. That one sold for around £220,000 if I remember correctly.

Also, the £2,000 was paid 20 years ago and we've had inflation here since then. Even so, it was a huge bargain!

One of Chopin's hand picked pianos:

http://www.loonographics.com/piano/ChopinPiano.swf

This is SO great..... We are closing in on all the preludes. Frycek can you put Euan down for #4? Thanks.

Sorry, Frycek...the site you posted would not download on my computer, after about 30 minutes. So I gave up. Darn!

KG: Pick anything you want. Depending on your skill level, you might want to consider #20. It's REALLY heavy, but halfway through has the most lovely, heart-lifting section that brings to mind a feeling of hope. Barry Manilow used this piece as his inspiration for his big hit "Mandy." One of the few times something by Chopin was used in popular music and it wasn't insulting to the composer. Give it a listen. It isn't as difficult as it sounds, once you get the feel of those chords under your hands.


On another note: CHOPIN WAS A GENIUS!

Now that's a bit of news. While learning the 17th, I just can't get over how he moves those chords under each other and, at the same time, is able to bring out such a delicate melody. I am continually in awe on just how amazing this man was.

My husband had a head cold for the last few days and, kind and generous as he is, he gave it to me, big time. My hacking has worned me out. But I do hope to get some practice time in today, unless I fall off the bench in a coughing fit. Well,if Chopin would do it, so can I! (What am I saying)?).

Kathleen

Yikes, it's mostly the fast ones that are left

I looked at the scores and I will attempt to play No.3. This piece will definitely give my LH a good workout!

For all the Chopin experts, am I correct to say that this piece will be played with no pedalling?

Wow, KG: You are truly a brave soul for tackling the #3. It is rated as an 8. Here is what Eleanor Bailie has to say about it in her graded book on Chopin...

"This is an inspired antidote to the dolours of #2. THE LH, of course, relentlessly exposed, as if riding a monorail big dipper. But in pianistic terms this is not merely a study of the LH. It is as much a study in coordination.....The artistry comes in the dovetailing of the RH fragments which have to 'catch' the LH as it flies by."

As far as pedal use:

"Use only light touches of pedal, perhaps at the beginning or each bar (measure) from 3 onwwards, to define the harmony (particularly when the chords are spread, bb8, 10 and 18) and raise the pedal again approximately on the third semiquaver or second crotchet beat of each bar."

..."It can still sound delightful at quite a few notches below the usual performing tempo."

Ragnhild once explained what semiquaver and crochet meant, but I forgot.

Ragnhild, we need your assistance here.

Hope this helps you some. I will be happy to type out the complete "description" as Bailie wrote it, if you would like.

I am now going to try to contact both Sarah, Nancy, Pianolina, Peyton and Mel (Dannylux)...I already left a message for Mike White. Maybe we can get the rest of the covered.

A word on duplications...I have NO problem with people playing the same piece. The problem, as I see it, is this.

Many of us are extremely sensitive about the quality of our playing. Many of us do not hold a very high regard concerning our abilities. (Just take a minute or two and read some of the general comments on the AB forum.) Count me in in this group. It doesn't matter what other people tell us. How well we are playing, how much we have improved. We all still think we can do better and we always cringe a little when we hear what we have played, played back as a recording.

So, with this in mind, if we are going to have duplications, I suggest that they come at the end of the last number played. This will provide "room" between the two renditions and the second (or first) person will not be faced with that very probable feeling of competing for the best performance. Does this make sense??

Again, just suggestion.

Kathleen


I admire your courage. Please let us know how it is coming.

Txs Kathleen for the learning tip. That helps greatly.