New Year, new music? Ambitions?
-
Any pieces at the top of your learning pile?
Here's a few of mine on the table next to my piano:
-
I'd like to learn the middle section of Rachs prelude 5 in g minor. And play it like Gilels... all the way through.
-
I've already started on a new tune, never heard it before; 'You are too beautiful' found in the Steinway Piano Stylings Standards Book 5.
Memorising it is going to be the hardest part, lots of jazz-accidentals. Lovely song. -
Also to get to grips and memorise Rutters arrangement of 'For the beauty of the earth'. The last verse is in B major, sounds wonderful but it's a key rarely encountered. Played it faltering for years, time to crack that nut.
-
La Campanella. Anyone like my copy of the notes
Ventosa viri restabit
-
-
@andyd Sounds like a great plan!
I start piano lessons for spring semester on Wednesday (yay!)
We'll start with things that I worked on over the break, and do some planning for what I'll work on throughout the semester.Last semester I spent a significant amount of time (by which I mean, several weeks, maybe almost two months?) working on a piece that ultimately was two hard for me and I put it away without even getting through the whole piece. Looking back, that was a bit demoralizing and not a good use of my time. I'm sure I learned from it, but I didn't learn the piece and have nothing to show for the work I spent. I did of course work through other pieces and I recorded some (two??) so it's not like that piece was all I did...
Anyway, this semester, I don't want to do that. I want to have more pieces that are more "in the pocket of playability" for me, and I'd like to make more recordings to share. So I'll try to pick pieces that are challenging, but still easy enough to polish.
I also plan to work through some each Bach (AM notebook, pieces in a book billed as pieces to play before Inventions). In the first half of 2025, I spent however many months working through a book of hymns arranged for piano players, and it was quite pedagogical, and sort of like a sightreading exercise. So this year, I want to use these Bach books for that purpose.
-
Whoops I forgot to say what I'm working on.
Miracles by Alexis Ffrench. This is kind of interesting because Ffrench hasn't released the score for it, but someone at Piano Tell transcribed it for me https://forum.pianotell.com/d/1185-hey-alexis-ffrench-fans/76 . I worked on it a bit in 2024 but it was a little too hard (trying to figure out whether to use LH or RH for those inner voices was what did me in). This time, my teacher and I looked at it during our last lesson of Dec., and some how, now it feels very doable. I'm about halfway through it and it seems to get easier as it goes along.
Link to video
Pieces I worked on over the winter break that are almost ready, that I would like to record over the next few weeks:
Song for Gavin by Ludovico Einaudi
Midwinter Memories by Michele McLaughlin
Jesu Joy Canon, and "mash-up arrangement of BWV 147 and Pachelbel's CanonThe two Bach books I'm using:
Then maybe I'll move on to the Little Preludes... Besides the sightreading practice, another reason I decided to do the Bach is because last semester, I worked on an Invention (for the first time in probably 20 years!) and it was just a little bit too hard. In other words, I could get it worked up if I devoted a ton of time to it during each practice session, but I have too many other things I'm working on to want to do that. So I thought I should go backwards a little bit and do some pedagogical prep for Bach.
We'll see how it goes
-
The adult piano performance class starts again at end of month, if there are enough sign ups. I hope there are. A minimum of 4 students is required. So far I see two, including myself.
I am continuing on the 3 opus posthumous Nocturnes by Chopin. If the class takes shape, I'll work on Op. 72, No. 1 and the Polonaise Op. 26, No. 1, which I played twice in class last fall.
I may have mentioned working on the 4th Scherzo, Op. 54 but I have also started working on the Polonaise Fantasie Op. 61. I will have decide which one to focus on because I'd love to have one of these ready for work in class this fall. I love them both, and they both present challenges.
-
Any pieces at the top of your learning pile?
Here's a few of mine on the table next to my piano:
-
I'd like to learn the middle section of Rachs prelude 5 in g minor. And play it like Gilels... all the way through.
-
I've already started on a new tune, never heard it before; 'You are too beautiful' found in the Steinway Piano Stylings Standards Book 5.
Memorising it is going to be the hardest part, lots of jazz-accidentals. Lovely song. -
Also to get to grips and memorise Rutters arrangement of 'For the beauty of the earth'. The last verse is in B major, sounds wonderful but it's a key rarely encountered. Played it faltering for years, time to crack that nut.
-
La Campanella. Anyone like my copy of the notes
-
-
@andyd Sounds like a great plan!
I start piano lessons for spring semester on Wednesday (yay!)
We'll start with things that I worked on over the break, and do some planning for what I'll work on throughout the semester.Last semester I spent a significant amount of time (by which I mean, several weeks, maybe almost two months?) working on a piece that ultimately was two hard for me and I put it away without even getting through the whole piece. Looking back, that was a bit demoralizing and not a good use of my time. I'm sure I learned from it, but I didn't learn the piece and have nothing to show for the work I spent. I did of course work through other pieces and I recorded some (two??) so it's not like that piece was all I did...
Anyway, this semester, I don't want to do that. I want to have more pieces that are more "in the pocket of playability" for me, and I'd like to make more recordings to share. So I'll try to pick pieces that are challenging, but still easy enough to polish.
I also plan to work through some each Bach (AM notebook, pieces in a book billed as pieces to play before Inventions). In the first half of 2025, I spent however many months working through a book of hymns arranged for piano players, and it was quite pedagogical, and sort of like a sightreading exercise. So this year, I want to use these Bach books for that purpose.
@ShiroKuro I usually have something to work on that is a bit (or a bit more) beyond my current abilities. For me, it's constructive and I've found it a good way to extend my technical abilities. So I don't feel demoralized if I end up setting it aside, to be taken up again at a later date. However, if it soon becomes apparent that I'm not going to learn anything from tackling a piece, I will set it aside pronto. The 3rd movement from Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata is a good example. I've looked at it many times, thinking maybe this time I'll get deeper into it, but the hurdles become obviously too much for the time being. I'll keep going back to it though, when the mood strikes me.
-
Whoops I forgot to say what I'm working on.
Miracles by Alexis Ffrench. This is kind of interesting because Ffrench hasn't released the score for it, but someone at Piano Tell transcribed it for me https://forum.pianotell.com/d/1185-hey-alexis-ffrench-fans/76 . I worked on it a bit in 2024 but it was a little too hard (trying to figure out whether to use LH or RH for those inner voices was what did me in). This time, my teacher and I looked at it during our last lesson of Dec., and some how, now it feels very doable. I'm about halfway through it and it seems to get easier as it goes along.
Link to video
Pieces I worked on over the winter break that are almost ready, that I would like to record over the next few weeks:
Song for Gavin by Ludovico Einaudi
Midwinter Memories by Michele McLaughlin
Jesu Joy Canon, and "mash-up arrangement of BWV 147 and Pachelbel's CanonThe two Bach books I'm using:
Then maybe I'll move on to the Little Preludes... Besides the sightreading practice, another reason I decided to do the Bach is because last semester, I worked on an Invention (for the first time in probably 20 years!) and it was just a little bit too hard. In other words, I could get it worked up if I devoted a ton of time to it during each practice session, but I have too many other things I'm working on to want to do that. So I thought I should go backwards a little bit and do some pedagogical prep for Bach.
We'll see how it goes
-
That's a good point about working on something that stretches you, a bit beyond your current abilities.
Can anyone here play the middle part of Rachs prelude 5 in g minor?BTW I am full of admiration for you folk who perform or continue with lessons.
I now feel the need to add a Bach to my pile, deceptively difficult to play beautifully as his music is.
And a Chopin, something new, an etude. Op25/7 or Op10/11 -
That's a good point about working on something that stretches you, a bit beyond your current abilities.
Can anyone here play the middle part of Rachs prelude 5 in g minor?BTW I am full of admiration for you folk who perform or continue with lessons.
I now feel the need to add a Bach to my pile, deceptively difficult to play beautifully as his music is.
And a Chopin, something new, an etude. Op25/7 or Op10/11 -
Lets hear your version then
Gilels is my fav, followed by Yuja who plays the right speed but has too much rubato for a march if I may comment on such an amazing pianist.I just found my new jazz piece played on YouTube, ( You are too beautiful,number 2 on my list which after 4 days I can almost play the notes as well as this chap). Needs musicality, an intro and change to ending imo which I'll improvise, but here is a bloke with very similar taste it would seem:
Link to video
-
@ShiroKuro I should try to get some Bach in my regimen, I do love his music.
@Bernard said in New Year, new music? Ambitions?:
I should try to get some Bach in my regimen, I do love his music.
I do too.
The other thing about Bach, and the reason why I want to try to have him be a regular part of what I'm working on, is that I find it's like exercising, if I do it regularly. not only do I enjoy it, but it makes the other parts of my life easier because my body works better.
-
I'm taking lessons again! I found an excellent teacher less than a mile from my house. He even came to my house last Saturday and will again this Saturday due to me having a full knee replacement 2 weeks ago. I am just now maybe getting approval from my Dr to drive again. He loves my piano. His piano is a vintage 6' Baldwin and it's also very nice. We have the same piano technician. That is how I got his name. I just mentioned to my tech that I was thinking I wanted to take lessons again and he said, "I know the best teacher in the stateline area and he lives very close by."
We started with Chopin's Waltz Op64 No2. It was very challenging and continues to be although I had it memorized in about 6-8 weeks. Still polishing it of course. I hope to get a good recording of it soon.
I am now working on the Op9 No1 Nocturne. OMG is this a beast! Both of these pieces are very challenging to me. The satisfaction one gets when you can finally play a section that was driving you crazy for so long, is immeasurable.
@shirokuro I agree about Bach! I continue to play a couple of the Goldberg Variations daily. I have intentions of re-learning the 2nd Variation and beyond as well. I also use the Prelude in C from the WTC as a "simple" sight reading exercise. I intentionally do not memorize it just for that purpose. lol
-
I'm taking lessons again! I found an excellent teacher less than a mile from my house. He even came to my house last Saturday and will again this Saturday due to me having a full knee replacement 2 weeks ago. I am just now maybe getting approval from my Dr to drive again. He loves my piano. His piano is a vintage 6' Baldwin and it's also very nice. We have the same piano technician. That is how I got his name. I just mentioned to my tech that I was thinking I wanted to take lessons again and he said, "I know the best teacher in the stateline area and he lives very close by."
We started with Chopin's Waltz Op64 No2. It was very challenging and continues to be although I had it memorized in about 6-8 weeks. Still polishing it of course. I hope to get a good recording of it soon.
I am now working on the Op9 No1 Nocturne. OMG is this a beast! Both of these pieces are very challenging to me. The satisfaction one gets when you can finally play a section that was driving you crazy for so long, is immeasurable.
@shirokuro I agree about Bach! I continue to play a couple of the Goldberg Variations daily. I have intentions of re-learning the 2nd Variation and beyond as well. I also use the Prelude in C from the WTC as a "simple" sight reading exercise. I intentionally do not memorize it just for that purpose. lol
@Mark said in New Year, new music? Ambitions?:
I'm taking lessons again!
yay, that’s wonderful! I had my first lesson of the year this Wednesday. It was great
having a full knee replacement 2 weeks ago.
Oh wow, I trust the procedure went well? Best wishes for a quick and smooth recovery!
We have the same piano technician. That is how I got his name.
That’s a great way to find a teacher!
@shirokuro I agree about Bach! I continue to play a couple of the Goldberg Variations daily.
That’s great! Those are some of the most compelling pieces.
As for me…. It looks like I won’t be working on Bach after all
During my lesson, we talked about my goals, in terms of general or long-term goals and also semester in terms of repertoire, and then goals with regard to working on the Bach pieces.
Based on all that, that instead of working in one of the Bach collections I had (posted above), my teacher suggested that I go back to a book I was using at the beginning of last year for sightreading practice, and work through that. She pointed out that the difficulty level in the Bach pieces is a bit more varied, and since I’m not wanting to spend a lot of time each session on Bach, she thinks I’ll get better results with the other book.
Partly that’s because I really don’t want to spend more than 5-10 minutes on that part of my practice, and that’s not enough for Bach. But playing Bach as repertoire isn’t one of my goals (not yet).
So after all that, no a Bach for while.
-
Oh, one other goal has materialized for this semester. Before we moved here, I used to have more opportunities for piano parties. I had colleague who hosted them regularly, and after I got my grand, I hosted some at my house as well. Since we moved here (going on three years now), I haven’t been successfully at finding a music community.
But I found out that a new prof who joined our dept last semester plays the cello, so he and I agreed to get together in February or March and play for each other (we won’t play together yet, but maybe in the future). I’m hoping that can be the start of more regular music parties.
-
Lets hear your version then
Gilels is my fav, followed by Yuja who plays the right speed but has too much rubato for a march if I may comment on such an amazing pianist.I just found my new jazz piece played on YouTube, ( You are too beautiful,number 2 on my list which after 4 days I can almost play the notes as well as this chap). Needs musicality, an intro and change to ending imo which I'll improvise, but here is a bloke with very similar taste it would seem:
Link to video
@AndyD said in New Year, new music? Ambitions?:
Lets hear your version then
It's been several decades since I played it, so give me a week to see if I can get something together. . . but only the middle section. I don't want to spend too much time relearning the first and last sections. Also, this is the worse time of year for recording my piano, but I'll see how it goes.
-
I'm taking lessons again! I found an excellent teacher less than a mile from my house. He even came to my house last Saturday and will again this Saturday due to me having a full knee replacement 2 weeks ago. I am just now maybe getting approval from my Dr to drive again. He loves my piano. His piano is a vintage 6' Baldwin and it's also very nice. We have the same piano technician. That is how I got his name. I just mentioned to my tech that I was thinking I wanted to take lessons again and he said, "I know the best teacher in the stateline area and he lives very close by."
We started with Chopin's Waltz Op64 No2. It was very challenging and continues to be although I had it memorized in about 6-8 weeks. Still polishing it of course. I hope to get a good recording of it soon.
I am now working on the Op9 No1 Nocturne. OMG is this a beast! Both of these pieces are very challenging to me. The satisfaction one gets when you can finally play a section that was driving you crazy for so long, is immeasurable.
@shirokuro I agree about Bach! I continue to play a couple of the Goldberg Variations daily. I have intentions of re-learning the 2nd Variation and beyond as well. I also use the Prelude in C from the WTC as a "simple" sight reading exercise. I intentionally do not memorize it just for that purpose. lol
-
Oh, one other goal has materialized for this semester. Before we moved here, I used to have more opportunities for piano parties. I had colleague who hosted them regularly, and after I got my grand, I hosted some at my house as well. Since we moved here (going on three years now), I haven’t been successfully at finding a music community.
But I found out that a new prof who joined our dept last semester plays the cello, so he and I agreed to get together in February or March and play for each other (we won’t play together yet, but maybe in the future). I’m hoping that can be the start of more regular music parties.
@ShiroKuro That's great! Having someone else in your community to play with is fab.
I want to start feeling out the situation in Plymouth nearby, because it's much closer than the community at the music school. UNH has a campus in Plymouth and they have a music program, plus several NH ensembles perform regularly there. Then there's the NH music festival which takes place throughout the month of July. So there's musicians around, and I would like something a little more local than the music school.
-
@ShiroKuro That's great! Having someone else in your community to play with is fab.
I want to start feeling out the situation in Plymouth nearby, because it's much closer than the community at the music school. UNH has a campus in Plymouth and they have a music program, plus several NH ensembles perform regularly there. Then there's the NH music festival which takes place throughout the month of July. So there's musicians around, and I would like something a little more local than the music school.
