There's no need to be terrified, I also think it's often played too quickly. As already stated, It's all about getting the twos against threes smoothly, which is a challenge. Stick to the same fingerings because this part is a little deceptive, in particular the left hand... I got quite confused until i wrote them down and stuck to the same ones.

I started to learn this last summer after my Grade 6. Good luck! It has started to sound slightly more musical...emphasis on slightly... Do you have a book containing other Debussy pieces? I have also learnt Clair de lune, Le petit negre, The Little Shepherd and La fille aux cheveux de lin, which I thought was beautiful (when played properly!! )

I'll remember that, thanks



Thanks no, it's in a book that came with the piano, unfortunately I'm only really getting to the stage where I can make decent attempts at the pieces now I've had it about two and a half years now!

From what I gather from your posts you should be able to make a very good stab at learning some of the others that I mentioned

Anyway, I should be posting about what I'm supposed to be learning, which is the Primo part of Le jardin de Dolly, by Faure. I can sort of play it... at about =40

I've just started Bach Prelude and Fugue in F minor (WTC book 2).

It's sooo hard. (well the fugue is, I've not started the prelude yet but this looks OK).

I got through the first page hands separately just about OK, and now I'm trying to put the 2 together...all I can say is progress is very very slow. But I am enjoying it and I like a challenge!

Anyone played this before? Any tips?

Cheers

Zoe

Getting there with the John Field Nocturne in Bb... also had a tentative stab at the D minor one, I think I'll learn that next.

Also working on getting the first page and a half of Tchaikovsky's June (Barkarole) secure, absolutely love it but some of those chords are a bit of a stretch

I'd mention a couple of things on this one:

1. Work out sensible fingering for the piece, particularly with regard to the tied notes. If you're fingering's not spot on, it can lead to problems when you get it up to speed.
2. Try writing out the three parts of the fugue in open score, and then play each voice individually. That gives you an idea about which part to bring out at each particular part of the piece
3. Avoid the temptation to play fast at first
4. Keep working at it - it will come eventually

Tom

Ah, I did that for my Grade 8. It's a lovely piece but I really struggled with the control to make it even. Worth the work, though.



I haven't learnt any new pieces since I took Grade 8, I'm ashamed to say (too busy teaching youngest son and doing other things). However, have undertaken to perform a duet with elder son and we've settled upon Elgar's "Nimrod". It's not hard to play, but it's jolly hard to make four hands sound lovely. What I really do need is a duet stool, however....

[.... creeps into scary thread full of advanced pianists...]



I'm working my way through a number of the G1 pieces. Of the three lists, I like the C pieces best - Bluemerang and Trudging are fun to play, and I learnt T.Rex a while ago but I need to revisit that one and improve it.

I like Dragonflies from the B list and I'm currently getting that one up to scratch, then I'll concentrate on Cavatina. I'm going to also learn Kummer from the B list and I've learnt Song of Erin already.

The A list is a problem - I learnt Gavot which is OK but I don't particularly fancy any of the others. I've got the English Keyboard Anthology so that I can learn the Purcell Minuet, and I might learn the Vivaldi and/or the Kirnberger. Maybe I'll enjoy playing them more than listening to them...

I don't know what I'll go on to when I've finished the G1 pieces... wait and see what my teacher comes up with I guess! He's given me Bourree (Bach) (from the Chester Piano Book 4) to work on alongside the G1 pieces.

Still working on Chopin's Ballade No. 1. Can't play it like Martha Argerich yet, but I am beginning to wonder why I ever thought that it was a "difficult" piece.

This is more confirmation of that famous statement - an expansion of a pithy epigram of Salvador Dali's:

"Pieces are either easy or impossible. Practice is the means by which they migrate from one category to the other." (or words to that effect by some famous pianist - I cannot remember who)

Trouble is that I have spent so much time on this Ballade that I am neglecting to revise old repertoire, so quite a few pieces that I could play play from memory not so very long ago have now developed "holes".

2 new pieces as homework for next lesson: Chopin Nocturnes in F# op.15 and in E minor op.post

well, im going over my grade 3 pieces and syllabus for May-June Exams, ~ Apart from that

Im trying out melodies from ABRSM grade 5 Keyboard Anthology ~ dont be fooled its better to play pieces on the piano as they as they are X exam piano pieces packed into a few books for each grade.

1st - Allemande (Suite in A) by Telemann
2nd - To a wild rose by Macdowell
3rd - Chanson Triste - Tchaikovsky ~~ what an incredible piece !!

Currently been having lessons for 14 months !! I feel I am coming on well with the grade 5 pieces.

I lied, the book also has Reverie and Clair De Lune in it too

Hey thanks Tom. I'm starting at a very slow speed, no temptations to speed it up yet...it's just not possible.

I'm doing hands separately and getting the fingering worked out....I really like the idea about writing it out on an open score. That will definitely help to see all parts clearly.

I cannot wait for it all to fall into place. I was watching clips of people playing it on youtube and felt a bit in awe and 'i'll never be able to play it that fast!'....but I know it's going to take a lot of hard work to get there. I've not even been on it a week yet! But thanks again for the advice.

Zoe

I'm learning the treble viol

Learning the what now?

Chopin- Etudes Op.10, Op.25

Liszt- Harmonies du soir


I read a very interesting post on another forum about learning all 24 Chopin Etudes in 24 days. Not talking to concert standard, talking about being able to get to the end whilst getting as much as you can out of them in the process. The end result is that you could play any of them well enough for a non-musical person to appreciate and you have a really strong foundation for working on any one of them.

In practise, it's going well, I have done 4 so far and am comfortable with them. But I'm thinking it will get more difficult when I get to things like op 10/4 or 25/11.

Harmonies du soir is for a competition; it was going really well, I've played it for years. I'm just taking a week break because I was starting to zone out in practise and end up achieving very little other than mindless memorisation which was forgotten the following day.

This thread scares me.

A year ago, I set myself a target: "I will learn the Chopin Nocturne in E Minor at some point, and then I will be able to say that I can play the piano".

I'm finishing one John Field Nocturne (Bb), then doing another (Dm) - a gentle introduction to the style, if you will, and then I'm finally embarking on the voyage of learning my coveted Chopin Nocturne in E minor as a serious study...

Thing is, I thought that was a challenging piece (after dipping my toes in and running away a few times), but some of the things people are posting on here just seem infinitely more difficult than that... Maybe I set my targets too low but then maybe ignorance is bliss...

Now, Bliss - his piano music is not so easy!

Solari, you should resign yourself to the fact that there will always be folk tackling repertoire to which you can only aspire, yet equally, plenty of folk aspiring to reach your current standard.

I remember sitting in a lecture on the mathematics of Electromagnetics. You could tell that, to the Professor delivering the lecture, the subject matter was comparable to teaching the alphabet, yet I hadn't the foggiest idea what he was on about. I could have given in, there and then, thinking what a miniscule speck of dust I was in the world of mathematics but instead I looked towards the door of his office and considered how many thousands, nay millions, of folk weren't even qualified to join the three of us there (that's how many were taking this unit, in the whole university).

I'm sure that on not a few occasions my own mathematics pupils saw me in a similar light, yet amongst the many thousands for whom the subject is still a mystery (despite all my efforts) there are those who have gone on to study it for themselves. For some it was a day of celebration when they achieved their GCSE 'C' grade, others would not have been happy with less than an A* (and then only if it were accompanied by a dozen more).

Just started a new Schumann piece Erinnerung(No. 28 from Album for the Young, Op.68) it is really lovely. Still working on the Mozart K545 and it does get better each day but I think still a long way to go, target is to have it ready for October 2010. Working on Hannon exercises. Plus still working on the Grade 5 exam pieces, not that I think that I will take the exam but I would like them fully polished.

Next week my teacher wants me to start Debussy's Le Petit Negre, and also wants me to learn Clare de Lune and The Golliwog's Cakewalk, she reckons that they are manageable for me. So quite exciting as I thought it would be a while longer before I could manage any of these.

I have also got lots of other bits and pieces on the go.

ET

I seem to have accidentally started on the Schumann "Kind im Enschlummern" piece from the Kinderszenen tonight I've got fingerings sorted for about 2/3 of it so no point in leaving it alone now!

I look forward to listening to you play these Eldatom, as I love Debussy, Clare de Lune especially

thought the score was some other piece that you intended to play?

fingers beyond conscious control when confronted with keyboard and new piece?

sleepwalking?

demonic possession?

Liszt - Hymn to the awakening child, from Harmonies poetiques et religieuses.

Still work to do but getting there. May give it a public airing in May.

Anyone else playing it?

You could be waiting a while then mini mo! especially with my nerves - but you never know I may be able to stumble through it in July?



Sounds lovely Oldnotes, what sort of difficulty level is it? I don't think I have played any Liszt yet.

I intended to play it but not yet. I thought I'd have a quick go of it, but as it wasn't quite as easy under the fingers as I expected. Before I knew it, I'd worked out fingerings for a large chunk of the piece. No point in leaving it alone now, as I said

No point at all Sol, onwards and upwards as they say lol.

Easily grade 8+ like 99% of Liszt. I would love to learn the 'Blessing of God in solitude' from that collection, it is beautiful- but amazingly difficult >.< Definitely should give it a listen if you don't know it (Y)

Looking forward to starting some new pieces next week.

Faure - Romance Sans Paroles - opus 17. No 3

Poulenc - Nocturne V111.

I'd really like to start the first movement of Mozart's sonata K284 but not sure my teacher will agree with me. I may have to resort to Kulhau Sonata no 2 of Trois Sonata non difficiles, opus 60.

Also starting to learn the Primo part of the first movement of Mozart sonata K. V. 381 and have various other duet pieces on the go.

oooh - I love the Poulenc. one of my ATFs.

I love it too Maggie - I only hope I can do it justice. I love his Nocturne No 1 too but that it beyond me at the moment.

I'm I'm afraid, but what's an ATF?

All-Time Favourites?

I'm guessing here, but it looks to fit the context!

Still practicing my diploma pieces for December. They are all more or less under the fingers now and I could make a decent fist of playing the recital from memory next week but there are too many rough edges for comfort. The Haydn needs better phrasing, the Debussy needs better pedalling and more accurate jumps. The Liszt and the Bach are having a dormant phase at the moment.

Everything needs about as much work again to get it just the way I want it, and by then I will want to do even more. The problem is that no matter how well you can play a piece there's always more you know you could do.

I'm also doing a study from Czerny School of Velocity and a Chopin Polonaise. Also preparing for grade 8 flute.

My teacher has started me on Chopin's Op.10 No.1 Etude. This should be...interesting...

Really spooky as Mad Tom was telling me today that I should take a look at it...

Besides that,

I'm well into page 2 of Tchaikovsky's "June" (Barcarolle)
Got a few bars left to sort out of John Field's Nocturne in Bb
Got about 8 bars left to sort out of Schumann's "Kind im Enschlummern"
Got about 3/4 of a page to finish of Beethoven's Bagatelle #1 Op.119
Chopin Op.28 No.15 is looking like it might be ready for a performance soon!

Finished a few easy pieces I had on the back burner (an Eindaudi and a Schumann piece)

It's felt like I've been bashing my head against a wall lately because everything seems so difficult , but I suppose when I write it down, it doesn't look too bad...

Chopin Ballade finally in good shape and, in the face of pig-headed stubborness, the memory-resistant Scriabine preludes finaly gave up the struggle and stayed in the brain cells. Polishing touches to Kees van Baaren concerto pretty well done.

I have a couple of Mozart sonatas on the go (K284 and K333) and one of Beethoven's easier ones (Op 14/1) but need a new technical challenge to push the limits a bit. Liszt Bminor Sonata perhaps? Or would that be pushing them too far?

Have you played the Liszt Liebstraum #3 ? Or is that too easy for you?

I have not played it, as in studied it properly. It is not "too easy" - but it would not offer any big technical challenge.

This opens up a big question for me. I still have many technical deficiencies, and as I am no longer young I feel that I have to spend my time working mostly on pieces that are seriously difficult, and that force me to constantly improve in terms of managing big chords, fast passages, huge leaps, complex figuration, wide dynamic range and so on.

One advantage of working on that sort of piece is that by the time you can play it, you have repeated it so many times that it is solidly and permanently memorized.

There is a place for learning less challenging, but equally beautiful, pieces - there are thousands that are well within my capabilities (Like the Beethoven Op 14/1 for example) but I always have the feeling that working on those is in some way wasting time - and that I can't afford do that - as I have already left it very late to make the journey from reasonable amateur to competent professional .

I was wondering whether to learn Ravel Pavane or Debussy Reverie, and missypiano has convinced me to go for the latter , but then I looked it up on youtube and found that it sounds even more beautiful on the harp, so I'm now back to being undecided!

Panthera, You must play Reverie on piano as well! I insist (as long as I get to hear it of course!)

My teacher's lent me a book of seven Grieg pieces, and I've had a go at Arietta, Butterfly (hard!) and Waltz. I attempted Wedding Day at Troldhaugen but have found it impossible, and didn't have the time last week to properly learn a section.

Are these Lyric Pieces? I'm learning the Arietta too Not got far to go with it now but it's tricky to get the dynamics in the 5th RH finger without bringing up the inner parts too . The Waltz is a great piece too, it's on my "to do" list!

Yes, they are from the Lyric Pieces, and "Wedding Day at Troldhaugen" is amongst the most difficult of all the Lyric pieces.


There are may more wonderful pieces by Debussy that you could go for on piano. Here are a few that are similar style and/or standard (or not much more difficuilt) to his Reverie or Ravel's Pavane:

Tarantelle
Valse Romatique
Arabesques
Prelude or Clair de Lune from Suite Bergamasque
Nocturne
Danse Bohemienne
Anything from Children's Corner
Preludes 1: Interrupted serenade, GIil with Flaxen Hair, Minstrels

The Images, Estampes, and a few Preludes are rather more challenging, and the Etudes look like more work than they are worth.

Ooh, thanks, MT. Will have a look/listen at/to these. I've played the second arabesque and a couple of preludes (Girl with Flaxen Hair, Bruyeres), and am looking for something fairly slow as the last Debussy I played was the Prelude from Pour le Piano so I need a bit of change!

I remember your Minuet from 'Pour le Piano' nicely played at Chester !
The first Arabesque might suit you. Could try Golliwog's Cakewalk if you want something lively, and not too difficult. Or the two Tom mentioned from Preludes Book 1

Sadly I'm going to have to abandon the F#minor Sonata by Clementi, can't understand why , 'cos it should be easy for me , but isn't ! May try the easier D Major, then go back to the F#minor

Thanks, f#m. (And that was the Sarabande not Minuet!) Just out of curiousity, have you played most of the pieces out there which are in f# minor?

Having listened to the suggestions above, I now have to decide among a dozen pieces rather than just the two I started with Decisions, decisions...

Yes of course its the sarabande, with some nice juicy chords !
I dont really have too much repertoire in F#minor. Obviously the 2 Bach WTC ones, Ravels Sonatine which I still struggle with, the nice easy 'Song without Words (Gondola Song). A Capriccio in F#Minor by Mendelssohn (also a struggle). Theres more out there, a Chopin Polonaise and the Fantasia in F#Minor (or is it F Minor).
Various sets of Preludes and Preludes and Fugues all have an F#Minor, eg Chopin, Shostakovich (you heard me play the Shost and Bach Preludes), Scriabin etc. The Clementi Sonata, some Scarlatti ones also.
No doubt others will help me with ones I forgot, - maybe I should start an f#minor thread ! Then other people will start their favourite keys as well !!

Shame about my on-line spelling. Sorry!

It is because Clementi was a second rate Hack

I can't see the point in learning any Sonata by Clementi while there are still any by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt, Scriabin, or Prokofiev that you can't yet play.

I might have expected that from you !
Well I can and have played all the Haydn, Mozart and Beethovens (not very well !), but certainly not the Liszt , Scriabin or Prokofievs !

Sorry in advance for lazy typing but posting on an iPhone is rubbish! Panthera I agree with mad tom, Debussy has so much wonderful music and it would be perfect for you to play. The obvious one is clare de lune as it's such a beautiful piece, as is arabesque no.1 but I also like the snow is dancing and reflections dans l'eau, also poissons d'or.

His pieces are so full of emotion that I had better bring a big man size box of Kleenex to hear you play them!