What Are You Learning?, ...and how's it going? Options

[corenfa]

Still working on P&F I and II from Book 1 of WTC. Still sounding... blah. I think I may have to leave off them for a bit, I'm getting stuck ina rut.

On the other hand, Debussy Toccata - made it through all the way the first time. At half speed. Hey, gotta start somewhere..

[Solari]

I was made to sight-read page 3 of the D959 Andantino... It was slow and painful, but I did it under pressure. Maybe it's not impossible after all (merely very difficult indeed)! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[clavicembalo]

Bach's Prelude & Fugue in B major, No.23 (Bk2):

The Prelude is fine and apart from smoothing out the section that gets interrupted when I turn the page, I have it entirely in hand.

The Fugue is still taking time. There is so much sharing between hands that the main problem has been pre-empting which hand is in charge of which note. However, I have now managed to familiarize myself with pretty much the first two pages - just one to go.

As my progress with the Fugue develops (note- and fingering-wise), so now I am managing to look at varying the dynamics to bring out the appropriate voices.

To add variety, I have played it using various combinations of sounds on my Clavinova - in turn, electric piano, vibes, harpsichord and celeste!


The Chopin Etude in E is developing in its own sweet way, with the obvious passages still needing work, although gradual familiarity is again helping me to feel that the piece is achievable.

[Benjy]

Chopin Etude (Op 10 no 12) now coming along nicely - many thanks to Tom Piano for sound advice in getting started on this. Still have to drop the tempo significantly for the series of modulations starting bar 29, but it's getting there.

Next up, I have just started on Samuel Barber Excursions (No. 1). Slightly out of my comfort zone of European baroque, classical and romantic music, but great fun to explore the bluesy harmonies! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Jon

[clavicembalo]

Chopin Etude (Op 10 no 12) now coming along nicely - many thanks to Tom Piano for sound advice in getting started on this. Still have to drop the tempo significantly for the series of modulations starting bar 29, but it's getting there.

Next up, I have just started on Samuel Barber Excursions (No. 1). Slightly out of my comfort zone of European baroque, classical and romantic music, but great fun to explore the bluesy harmonies! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Jon

I have a recording of Barber's piano works, performed by Leon McCawley. Excursions and Souvenirs are both interesting sets of pieces and well worth investigating. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[clavicembalo]

Bach's Prelude & Fugue in B major, No.23 (Bk2):

The Prelude is fine and apart from smoothing out the section that gets interrupted when I turn the page, I have it entirely in hand.

The Fugue is still taking time. There is so much sharing between hands that the main problem has been pre-empting which hand is in charge of which note. However, I have now managed to familiarize myself with pretty much the first two pages - just one to go.

As my progress with the Fugue develops (note- and fingering-wise), so now I am managing to look at varying the dynamics to bring out the appropriate voices.

To add variety, I have played it using various combinations of sounds on my Clavinova - in turn, electric piano, vibes, harpsichord and celeste!

I got back to the fugue this morning - one hour on about half of the second page. It's still infuriating that even after slow practice I still forget little things here and there - fingering, tied notes, notes to be held on etc.

With so much to think about, although hands separately is fine, when the two come together I feel as though I have regressed several grades, stumbling slowly forward like a hesitant sightreader!

[piano*singing*lover]

I'm trying to just work on loads of sight reading to try and improve.
I have grade 8 pieces picked out but I kind of want to just work on the thing I have an issue with which is sightreading just now.
I don't know which B piece to pick out the 2010 grade 8 piece, it's either the Bach in F or the Beethoven Finale. My hands are quite small so looking for a piece to compensate this, although the other pieces have been choosen for the exact same reason.
Hows everyone else getting on?
PSL (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[PianissiMole]

Son has decided to learn "Flight of the Bumblebee" on piano and play it as fast as he can! Truly entertaining!

Winnie Atwel did a great arrangement of this (almost unchanged) over a very fast boogie bass, called Humble Boogie (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I'm working on Allegretto from Benjamin Goddard's Suite de Trois Morceaux for flute and piano. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Also Moonlight Sonata (of course) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[clavicembalo]

Son has decided to learn "Flight of the Bumblebee" on piano and play it as fast as he can! Truly entertaining!

Winnie Atwel did a great arrangement of this (almost unchanged) over a very fast boogie bass, called Humble Boogie (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I have Khachaturian's Sabre Dance dealt with in the same way. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

(Also Boogie Woogie Llanoogie by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins!)

[Composing Head]

two part inventions for me this time round and some scarlatti (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

http://www.mediafire.com/?p8f53s4fbsbxn43

[The Old Lady]

I'm working on Allegretto from Benjamin Goddard's Suite de Trois Morceaux for flute and piano. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Work harder (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[clavicembalo]

Bach's Prelude & Fugue in B major, No.23 (Bk2):

The Fugue is still taking time. There is so much sharing between hands that the main problem has been pre-empting which hand is in charge of which note. However, I have now managed to familiarize myself with pretty much the first two pages - just one to go.

I got back to the fugue this morning - one hour on about half of the second page. It's still infuriating that even after slow practice I still forget little things here and there - fingering, tied notes, notes to be held on etc.

With so much to think about, although hands separately is fine, when the two come together I feel as though I have regressed several grades, stumbling slowly forward like a hesitant sightreader!

Yippee! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/woot.gif) I have just managed to play through the whole fugue, all fingering correct, so far as I can tell. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I must now consolidate this last page, in the same way that I have the first two, so that when I marry the two sections together, it runs smoothly with no loss of pace or confidence.

Then, it will be a matter of dynamics, bringing out the fugue subjects - there are a couple of entries which are really tricky when the piece is performed on the piano. On harpsichord there is much less that you can do about it.

Still, notes pretty much in hand. So far, so good. Phew! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Solari]

Still having fun with Op49 No.2... Not as easy as it sounds/looks (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[clavicembalo]

Phew! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

What I thought was a stumbling-block in Liszt's Au lac de Wallenstadt really wasn't one! There will be a couple of things that need a little co-ordination practice, but other than that, it should need surprisingly little work - what a nice surprise! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

(My teacher may well express a different opinion! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) )

Brahms' Romance unsurprisngly needed more judicious fingering than I would have used were I sightreading the piece, but like the Liszt, it shouldn't need too much work - certainly nothing like as much as I would have feared suspected. It will be interesting to see how his Intermezzo in A, Op.118 will go, when I resurrect it - I last tackled it two years ago, just before taking up the challenge of Grade 8.

There's some ambiguity regarding fingering and which hand plays what, towards the end of the Bach Fugue in B major but that problem ought to be resolved swiftly in Wednesday's lesson. At least I can now play through the whole thing!

Looks like I may have to postpone the Beethoven Sonata in G, Op.31/1 though, in order to concentrate on honing these other pieces. I have the Chopin Etude in E, Op.10/3 with which to get to grips and that will need attention, in the obvious sections!


Now, do I go in to school tomorrow for an extended, several hours' piano practice on the grand or do I attend Ashley Grote's Organ Recital at 11.00am in Gloucester Cathedral (Three Choirs Festival)? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[Panthera]

Just started on Chopin Nocturne in F Op.15 No.1 during the weekend. The LH part is like a finger independence exercise and that middle section is evil... (and I thought No.2 from the same opus which I just learned was already tricky)

Also, started learning Mendelssohn Song without Words Op.19 No.2, having now "mastered" No.1

And also resurrecting Brahms Intermezzi in A minor and E major Op.116 so I can play them at Chets

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/piano.gif)