rsl12 Also: I'm announcing Recital #4 on r/piano, to give them a month to prepare.

Oh gosh, I guess I should participate this time and play the Bach Italian Concerto! I will have to get out my "proper recorder" and it's a whole production to "properly record", honestly I dread the recording process more than anything else!

    I had sort of forgotten that the next recital is in May, which is now just around the corner! Well, I think I should aim for Hana Bi… we’ll see.

    @Sophia which version of the Toccato in Dm is that? Is it this one?

      ShiroKuro which version of the Toccato in Dm is that? Is it this one?

      That's the one, Shiro 🙂 Four pages of it, so give me one good reason why I shouldn't skip it 😃

          Sophia Four pages of it, so give me one good reason why I shouldn't skip it 😃

          😆 😆 😆

          Joking aside, I think it's an awesome arrangement, and it looks very challenging, so I have no doubt it's a great thing to work on for pedagogical purposes.... But if you hate it.... 😅

            Yeah, sigh. It definitely reminds me of the "spinach and brussels sprouts are good for you" days...
            Apparently this is not an arrangement, the Alfred books says

            Or do you mean it's adapted for piano, because originally it was written for organ? Either way, I'm not loving it. So now I face the difficult decision whether I want to be a Serious Pianist who Plays Bach:

            Or have fun with more frivolous stuff...

            Hmmm mmm m that's a tough one 😂

              Sophia it sounds like it's an organ transcription for piano.

              You can be both serious and fun! But if you're hating it, then maybe it's not for you (for the moment, at least) 🙂

                Sophia If you listen to the video I posted and don't like how it sounds, then I would say it's ok to move on from this piece. If you listen to the video and think it sounds cool, then there's probably some benefit to sticking it out a bit more.

                But I am firmly of the belief that life is too short to play (or study) music I dislike.

                Or, if you like the piece well enough, but working on it feels like a slog, put it aside and plan to come back to it (but I think you actively dislike it, right?)

                  Good advice 😃 Yeah, I think I will put it aside for now. Then when I am a concert pianist, 50 years from now when I'm a centenarian, I will probably just play it straight from the sheet music 😃 Which means..... which MEANS........ I can post in the Alfred thread that I actually finished the book!!! Ooooh I can't believe it!

                    Sophia Four pages of it, so give me one good reason why I shouldn't skip it

                    The first 30 seconds is the most iconic keyboard intro of all time. And still holds today. But you should really play it with organ sound, makes it more dramatic!

                        WieWaldi most iconic keyboard intro of all time

                        Yeah, right. That's what June Cleaver told Beaver... he didn't buy it either.

                          Sophia, how is Wie Waldi supposed to understand a Beaver reference?????? He was born at the wrong place AND at the wrong time.

                            So was I 😉

                            rsl12 Thanks for this! The more we spread the word, the better. We're a small community but there's a lot of room for growth even if it's just organically by word of mouth. 🙂

                            Sophia Congrats! I'm so envious. I don't think the piece I want to play for the recital will be ready, so it'll have to be something from Mr Alfred.

                            Sophia There is still a huge Bach piece (this one).

                            I love this piece! The arrangement SK posted sounds fantastic.

                            --
                            Beach L168, Wish, baCh, WOW Petrof, Fake Steinway, VS
                            TIME

                                  Congratulations Sophia. Welll done!!

                                  Now remember, never again "spinach and brussels sprouts". There is lots of healthy food out there, choose whatever pieces you enjoy!!

                                  About the Bach piece, it is Piano Syllabus level 9. Completely outrageous of Alred's editor to put that in their book.
                                  Have you heard of Piano Syllabus? You can check the level of pieces there, in case you wonder if a piece is too easy or too difficult for you. Of course, the level of a piece is always a subjective judgement, and not all pieces are in there, but I find it helpful.

                                  *
                                  ... feeling like the pianist on the Titanic ...

                                      rsl12 Haha, true. Still, there is the internet to look up. Expanding my mental horizon whenever possible. Nobody can say, I don't learn something from Sophias comments. 🤓

                                        Animisha Have you heard of Piano Syllabus?

                                        I will repeat WieWaldi’s comment - I hadn’t but as soon as I wake up properly, I will expand my knowledge horizon and look it up 😁

                                            Thanks Animisha! That'll definitely come in handy now that I'm preparing to stand on my own two feet, pieces wise 😃