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

[mel2]

I've decided that I'll pick an "easy" piece every two weeks and aim to get it to a decent standard by the time the next one is due. So... I started on the Grieg Norwegian Air on Sunday as a bit of fun/light relief. Got all of the notes now, just need to tidy it up a bit. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I wonder if that's the one I downloaded from Pianostreet the other day; it begins with a 3-note acciacc
acchi well, you know....
Very very nice - hope you enjoy it.
My next exam has been put on hold until December so to prevent boredom my teacher has suggested we work on other things to support my technique e.g some the Songs Without Words or Bartok Dances in Bulgarian rhythm.
Why does my heart sink at the thought of Bartok? Tuneless, percussive....
Must at least give it a chance - didn't like Brahms op118/6 at first but now I love it.

[Solari]

I wonder if that's the one I downloaded from Pianostreet the other day; it begins with a 3-note acciacc
acchi well, you know....

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Nope, it's the one from Op.12 (No.6) that starts with rhythm:

(IMG:http://www.tinyurl.com/opusfont/crotchet.gif)(IMG:http://www.tinyurl.com/opusfont/2quaver.gif)(IMG:http://www.tinyurl.com/opusfont/quavertriplet.gif)(IMG:http://www.tinyurl.com/opusfont/barline.gif)(IMG:http://www.tinyurl.com/opusfont/crotchet.gif)(IMG:http://www.tinyurl.com/opusfont/crotchet.gif)(IMG:http://www.tinyurl.com/opusfont/crotchet.gif)

Good fun to play (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Hated it when I first saw it in a Grade exam book, but liked it after flicking through my Lyric Pieces book.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[jod]

The Bach may be difficult and require a great deal of strength from both ends of a small hand, but it is possible to play with a small hand. It also requires a level of musical maturity and suitable knowledge of structure and counterpoint to bring out the appropriate musical lines, but hang on here, the Piano is not the only instrument I play, I have an LRSM in singing, a BA in music and a grade 8 already on the Oboe, one would have though by now that I might know something about how counterpoint works.

Piano/violinplayer the people I know who particularly enjoy playing Bach tend to be Mathematicians and Scientists. Whatever your hand-size if your have that intrinsic understanding of logical structures than Bach is your man.

I chose to play the Debussy rather than the Field as I enjoy playing Impressionist music, and enjoy the dynamic range and musical language used by Debussy.

Beethoven and c minor is a rather special combination a bit like Mozart and g minor, and this Rondo is a particularly powerful statement for the piano.

[Benjy]

The Bach may be difficult and require a great deal of strength from both ends of a small hand, but it is possible to play with a small hand.

I have also been learning the Capriccio for a few weeks now (coming to the end of several very enjoyable months learning the whole Partita no 2). I have a slightly different problem - largish hands with spatula-like finger tips. This helps with a couple of the stretches, but in some of the faster passages my fingers can get in the way of each other or stuck between black keys.

I agree that a major challenge is in making the voicing work properly, especially where there is lots going on (e.g busy semiquaver passage work) in the secondary voices. I have also not quite settled on an overall shape for the piece - it all sounds somewhat relentless and dramatic at the moment.

Jon

[c3dric]

Presently learning the Capriccio and adding final touches to the Mozart piece for Allegro.
For the Bach piece, I initially find it difficult to have the rhythm but once obtained , the piece needs this voicing part which is a bit demanding. Yet this piece is so pleasant particularly after having watched Martha Argerich's playing.

[scotliz]

I'm having great fun learning Joplin's Gladiolus Rag. Really enjoying Month's Mind by Ireland too.

[lilly763]

I count at least 5 people currently working on the BSV 826 Capriccio! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) We should throw a party! I have the notes of 1/4 of it reasonably sorted... unfortunately, practice is limited since my final exams are this week (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) But after May 17th, will have to go in to overdrive as my teacher wants me to perform it in early June! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[Invidia]

Uni recital is over, so time to really get into DipABRSM preparation:

Schubert- Sonata in A minor op.164
Chopin- Berceuse in D flat op.57
Debussy- Jardins sous la pluie
Sculthorpe- Night Pieces

played the Chopin and Debussy for uni recital, so think to put them to one side for a couple of weeks to work on the Schubert and Sculthorpe is a good plan right now.

[corenfa]

...

I have also been learning the Capriccio for a few weeks now (coming to the end of several very enjoyable months learning the whole Partita no 2). I have a slightly different problem - largish hands with spatula-like finger tips. This helps with a couple of the stretches, but in some of the faster passages my fingers can get in the way of each other or stuck between black keys.

...

Jon

I was trying to remember who it was I was talking to at an event who had told me the problem about having large hands which was fingers being stuck between keys, i guess it must have been you!

I'm still learning the Chopin Op. 53 Polonaise and Bach P&F in C# major from WTC book 1. The former is not progressing at all (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) every day I sit down and play whatever I can of it for at least 15 minutes. It hasn't got any better in terms of how it sounds, but it feels easier. It will take as long as it takes.

The Prelude & Fugue is progressing well. Learning to play and read a piece in C# major was quite illuminating. I completely dispelled in my head the idea that you can't use thumb on a black key- I'm filing this one under rules your piano teacher told you that you can break when you get old enough. Also just the sheer reading of C# major was hard. The first month I was learning this I just could not get in my head that B# = C on the piano keyboard and E# = F. And don't get me started on double sharps and then un-double sharping something - that symbol which is a natural and a sharp stuck together. It was of course entirely in my head and just struggling on very slowly has paid off.

Now if I really want to put my money where my mouth is I will go and try and sightread something in C# major. but at the moment I'm on holiday at my parents' place and so missing my piano.

[Solari]

It will take as long as it takes.

This realisation is probably the most important thing I've come to terms with. I was getting extremely frustrated up until about 4 months ago but now I realise that some apparently "easy" pieces will take several months to learn while others may take only weeks. There's nothing I can do about it, it's just the way my brain works and I can't change it.

[corenfa]

It will take as long as it takes.

This realisation is probably the most important thing I've come to terms with. I was getting extremely frustrated up until about 4 months ago but now I realise that some apparently "easy" pieces will take several months to learn while others may take only weeks. There's nothing I can do about it, it's just the way my brain works and I can't change it.

Totally agree - especially about the "most important thing I've come to term's with". I remember talking to you at the first forum event I went to about this frustration. I recently posted on another thread that I no longer struggle with learning music - not because it got easier, but because I decided to make a conscious effort not to give myself a hard time about it.

[Invidia]

I have finished my solo piano arrangement of Ravel's Daphnis et Chlo? 2nd suite. However, due to DipABRSM practise, I can't learn to actually play the thing yet (can only play it as well as transcribing it required). This is going to be a pain- can see dip practise getting distracted >.<

[jod]

There are different difficulties in all of my pieces for grade 8 some technical, others musical.

The structure of the Bach is fine, and the voicing is coming. I don't actually stretch the tenths, I float my elbow across and deliberately play the quavers staccato. Contrasting the quavers and semiquavers can break up the relentless movement and sort out the voicing issues.

The Beethoven has to be kept in strict time and yet be very pianistic. Of course being Beethoven there are loads of Sf accents poking through the texture that need to be kept in context and yet have the right weight.

The Debussy has typical three/verses two clashes in it, the harmony is very important and getting a really good pp without the use the una corda pedal and there are some moments that need full weight.

All good fun. I've just got to get it consistentely right now!

[PianissiMole]

Had a good long practice session today. Finally, the last sections of the Forlane from Le Tombeau de Couperin seem to be coming together and it's beginning to sound vaguely musical in places. Another year and it might be ready to perform. Schubert 960 (2nd Movt) is also making slow but positive progress. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Chopinzee]

Wish i could arrange stuff for piano, it's very difficult to do well. I should know, have enough arrangements in various books, mostly of popular/jazzy stuff, and many of them are not excactly great. Arranging the Ravel must be some task...good luck with it, but i'd focus on the Dip if i were you, and get it out the way first. I am still comitted to my ''Brahms project'' of getting twenty pieces finished this year, from the Op76 and late pieces, they are beginning to take shape...naturally some more quickly than others. Aside from that the Scriabin Poeme Op41 and Impromtu Op 12 which i started ages ago, are about ready now, also the Catoire pieces which i first heard on Marc Andre hamelins CD of this composers music, are well on the way. It ain't easy though...but then, you know what they say. ....phew !