You shall indeed! Picked my third piece; Chopin Ballade 3, so if there's time (and if it's ready) will be playing that too, mainly because a lot of people tend to feel aurally raped after listening to composers such as Ligeti =P

Great, look forward to it!


John Field's Nocturne in D Minor is now on my official studying list... Not as scary as it looks!

Whereas Ligeti most definitely is!

I've started my new Piano pieces for Grade 6. A3, B1, and C1. I really love the new syllabus, the pieces are great this year. But on top of that I've been learning Chopin's Posth Nocturne in E Minor, really lovely piece.

Satie's "Gymnopedie No 1". Actually a bit more difficult than I expected but lovely to play. And my first experience of pedalling!

You might like to try Gnossiennes #1 and #3 afterwards

Finished Burgmuller La Chevalresque in record time, and have had to shelve the Tchaik for a few months as I have a mental block on it...

So currently learning:

John Field - Nocturne in D Minor (gorgeous!)
Schubert - Adagio in G D178
Schubert - Piano Sonata in D959, Andantino - as much of it as I can manage technically.. 3min 18sec in so far! Plan is to stitch together the easy bits if the middle proves to be impossible (extremely likely).

I am learning a few Chopin Mazurkas for a Chopin event in September.


I have a new problem. I am used to learning quite challenging pieces. By the time I can play them at all I have repeated them so many times that they are indelibly burned into my memory.

But I am having a real problem memorizing pieces that I can play tolerably well at first sight.

Who else has had this problem? How have you overcome it?

Yes, I've had this problem. I find spending time away from the piano, studying the score quite helpful in this regard.

Play a bar, then look at your hands, not the music, and try to repeat what you just played 3 times? Works for me, although I'm not quite at the same level (to say the least) so this may be useless!

I used to, but now I hardly play anything new that I can't play tolerably well at first sight more because I get obsessed with stuff that's difficult.

When I did have it, I used to analyse analyse analyse so I could intellectually remember what came next. I'd also try to remember the look of the notes on the page, how it sounded, and what it felt like.

Also, oddly enough, closing my eyes to practice short bits also helps me. But I think my brain works in strange ways

Songbird by Fleetwood Mac-abit different to the usual classic fare, but beautiful nonetheless!

I need help on this third piece I keep changing my mind on.

So far, this is what I am working on for my final recital next summer (for end of degree course):

Beethoven- Sonata op.53
Ligeti- Automne a Varsovie

I was given the very brief guide from my teacher to pick "something beautiful", which is really not helpful but I don't see her again until September and I think both of the pieces I already have are beautiful, particularly the outer movements of the Beethoven so I'm considering going against her guideline and choosing something violent. In any case I want something in a minor key to follow the Beethoven.

Anyway, so far I've thought of the following:

Rachmaninoff- Prelude op 32/10 B minor
Rachmaninoff- Etude op 39/2 A minor
Chopin- Ballade nr 4
Chopin- Scherzo nr 3

I have asked advise from a fellow pianist who advised Ballade 4 and I have to admit it is my favourite of those choices; well actually it's one of my favourite pieces full stop. But I'm thinking performing it in an examination format would be a death wish, or maybe I'm overexaggerating its' difficulties...

What do people think? Any other suggestions? (should also tell you that I am banned from anything French as 90% of repertoire I have covered at uni has been French, which is a shame because I think Ravel's Ondine would fit teacher's requirement perfectly and I've already worked on it with her so would be easy enough to get to a higher performance standard... oh well)

I'm looking to start learning the "Waldstein" sometime soon, although I think I'll be warming up with either Op.2/3 or Op.31/1 first.

I bought both recordings and scores for the Ligeti a couple of years ago - that should make a dramatic ending to your recital.



I don't think you can overexaggerate its difficulties quite frankly!

I would have gone for the Scherzo, given its arresting opening, but I don't know how well the key change from C to C# minor would come across - it would however have the dramatics that you would like, together with the beauty that your teacher's after, especially in those descending cascades and chorale.

Failing that, the Ballade is undoubtedly beautiful - it's a recital that would take me quite a while to work towards myself, but one that would be such an enjoyable journey. Give me a few years ....

If you can pull it off, you should go for the Ballade.

Best of luck.

Fugue 2 (C minor) from the WTC book 1
Also going to have a look at some Chopin Nocturnes, Schubert Impromptus (they look hard, though!) or Grovlez pieces from L'almanach aux images - assuming the others aren't much harder than the Sarabande I played for my exam.

Well, I wasn't going to mention what I might start to learn after my exam, but my teacher broached the subject first! "There's something missing," he said. "Chopin!"

Suggesting perhaps the Op.10/3 Etude in E major and sensing my not-immediate response, he added, "Or one of the nocturnes?" Whereupon I plumped for the nocturne in C minor Op.48/1 - a long-time favourite of mine.

So, it'll be the Bach P&F in B major (Book 2) , the Chopin nocturne and Beethoven's Sonata in G, Op.31/1.


He didn't mention Liszt - nor did I, for that matter, and nor did I mention Ginastera! I'll sneak that in under the wire, when I have it underway and semi-prepared!

That's one of my favourites, I'm currently (re)learning it.

One of my favourites too! I first heard it, played as the backing track to a TV thriller back in the mid-70s. I remember that it was very effective. Both prelude and fugue were used.

I think I shall be going for the Scherzo; you've convinced me. It will satisfy both my teacher's guidelines and what I feel is missing from the recital.

I was seriously considering just going for it with the Ballade and seeing how it turns out, but thought well if it doesn't go as well as I'd like and I end up having to change to something else, then I'll be regretting not using the time on the Scherzo. Also by the time I could say for sure if the Ballade was do-able, it would be too late to learn the Scherzo to a good enough standard for final recital so I would have to go for something simpler and perhaps less effective due to time.

Thank you!

i'm playing tchaikovsky, the barrelorgan man

If you can play the Waldstein properly, and Ligeti's compositions then you are not going to find any technical showstoppers in anything this side of Listz's "Don Juan Fantasy"

On which side would you place Ballade 4?

I'm taking this to mean that if I can pull off the Beethoven and Ligeti then I can pull off the Ballade?

Working my way through the Rockschool Popular Piano exam books. On Grade 4 and most I can sight read but others, oh my... very different to what I'm used to but I'm rather ashamed of myself! Lots of fun though

This side

Exactly

I'm learning the one in E minor, I can almost play it now, and I love it!!! I started learning the Eb major one, but I never really got past the first bar without any wrong notes, but it is a beautiful piece, so I might sit down and learn it over the summer holidays.

After finally finishing my grade 7 piano exam, I've decided to teach myself some of the other pieces in the book...

Andante moderato - Gabriel Faure
Allegro assai- J.C.F Bach

Ok, I'm just going to go for it. I've just been practising it seriously (rather than just playing through it badly) and you're right; the nasty bits are no more difficult than nasty bits in the Waldstein, and the Ligeti is probably more difficult than the pair of them.

Hmm... my teacher made me play through the Prelude, but like the one in D major (I played the matching fugue as my first one) I found the constant semiquavers boring, and I know that even if I learnt the notes, it would sound like music. I do like the C minor fugue though.

Is that Op. 37 no. 2 or Op. 72 no. 1?

EDIT: have just realised the first one of these ends in G major - there are so many chromatic parts and accidentals!

I could see how they would work as the backing track to a thriller. I've recently realised how well the two go together (the prelude and fugue) - somehow more so than other P&F pairs but it could be that I do not know the others as well.

Unfortunately, today it ain't going so good.. I sound awful, and probably because I have left off practicing for a week while Real Life has intervened. Those lovely semiquavers (in the prelude) are now very uneven and I have to do a lot more slow practice.

On the bright side, I am making some progress memorising the last few pages of the Debussy Toccata. The thing that's getting in the way is that I am trying too hard to THINK while playing it - the notes actually lie very nicely under the fingers and my thinking of what notes they are is getting in the way. I live in hope though, I always felt it was better to memorise in more than one dimension - by the feel of it, the sound of it, and what the actual notes are. that way if one goes wrong I have a backup.

Currently got 3 pieces on the go:

- Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata Op.13 - second movement learned, currently busy with the first
- Ravel's Sonatine - second movement learned, busy with the first
- Chopin's Revolutionary Etude - it's under the fingers, now working on getting it up to speed

I'm learning "Top Cat" from the Grade 3 book.
How's it going?
Well verry slowly at the moment but great fun

You'll have tonnes of fun with that. Sadly, I've forgotten how to play it from memory now, but you'll find that it's one of those pieces that suddenly "clicks". It looks horrible on the sheet and much harder than it actually is

Several of Prokofievs 'Visions Fugitifs' (there is a separate thread on these.)
The Kapustin Sonatina in the new Grade 8 Syllabus
Still trying to improve Beethoven Sonata Op31 No2 (Tempest)
Yesterday I revisited Chopin Nocturnes, and played No 1 in B flat minor, and of course my favourite F#minor one.

Third movement of the Pathetique sonata (coming along OK) and third movement of Moonlight (seems to have plateau'd a bit I need to go back, slow down and reinforce several parts)

Mole

Mozart K570. Taking the first movement at bit at a time and revising the other two.

Thats a nice Sonata. Just a couple of darned awkward bits in the first movement where you really have to sort the best fingering ! (You will know where I mean !) Otherwise very playable. K570 also exists as a Sonata for Piano and Violin, the piano part is just the piano sonata , and theres a violin part added.
Actually I like all the 3 B Flat Mozart ones.

Chopin Etude opus 10 no 12.

Yikes.

Any learning hints/experiences gratefully received!

Jon

- Spend lots of time on sensible fingering
- Make sure it's you're absolutely note perfect before trying to increase the speed

I'm learning Piazzolla's Street Tango.
I have become obsessed with him since "discovering" him in the grade 8 book. I will be playing Retrato in my grade 8 exam next year but I found that I had polished the piece to a high standard very quickly so bought two books of Piazzolla compositions which are completely addictive to get more of a feel for his music and develop the style of playing needed without overcooking Retrato.

In addition to that I am working on the Mendelssohn and Bach Sinfonia from grade 8 lists. Both are going very well and I particularly adore the Mendelssohn - there is something more to love every day!

So when will you be buying a Bandoneon?

I'm really fond of Piazzolla though it took a few years to develop. We played the Bandoneon concerto in college (with a phenomenal 15 year old Argentine soloist), I thought it sounded odd then because my musical tastes leant to the more conservative classical stuff. Five years after that - WOW! Never heard anything like it.

I mean to learn some of his piano music but... so much music so little time.

I would love one... have seen some fabulous recordings on youtube... but I will have to make do with the piano in the meantime

"You'll have tonnes of fun with that [Top Cat]" - I know you have often said that, Solari, but it's only now I have done my exam that I can enjoy playing it. On another thread Skylark wondered whether to keep pieces going at this sort of level and many people said not. Straight after I had done the exam, 10 days ago, I felt that I never wanted to see the pieces again, but then I concluded that having put the effort into learning the ******* it's nice to be able to play something and think about how it sounds rather than just what notes to play. But I never get to the stage of being able to play a piece completely from memory. I just learn bits that are either very quick or need me to look at my hands.

PatC

Yes, Im going to try to learn this so well that I can play it from memory.
If I can learn three pieces in time I might take the Grade 3 exam in the Autumn. I like all the pieces in the book (except perhaps L'elephant) so I enjoy playing throught them at my own pace ( geological) and I'll learn them properly one at a time.

I have just found a piano transcription of Rachmaninoff's Isle of the Dead and am very tempted to just drop everything and work on that >.<

I am going to try and be sensible though and allow myself to work on it only after doing my hour a day on every other piece I'm working on... we'll see how it goes...

OMG - I love that piece. I'm not sure how well it'd work on piano, though.

Well I'm happy to send it to you if you're interested?

Maybe I will play a bit of it in November and you can see. If I like it myself that is, I just saw the music and got all excited I'm yet to print it off and try and play it...

I'd take a gander... In the "moody" vein, I quite like Clint Mansell's "Last Man" on Piano - quite simple but very effective, especially on a piano with good bass

I have decided to move back on to some Clementi, I haven't decided which one that I am going to give my all to yet. I have a book of Clementi Sonatinas Op 36, and have just got through them sight reading. However, I will pull out one or two and really concentrate to get them really polished up to performance level.

Ooh Clementi, another to add to my bag tomorrow

First lesson after the exam so we're picking some new stuff to start. I'm telling him I'm learning Le Moulin by Tiersen and he can choose the other

(actually not sure if that is such a good idea, he's bound to choose something challenging!! )

That's what happened to me!

For Grade 8 my teacher had suggested some Liszt - Consolation in Db - but the shop didn't have it in stock. In the meantime I had fallen for a piece of Rachmaninov, so I went with that.

So, when it came to choosing what to play for my Diploma, I specifically asked him to come up with something that I myself would not necessarily have chosen - hence the Liszt Petrarch Sonnet 123!

He did get his beloved Liszt into my programme and I must say that I am so very glad that he did; I love it too.