More Recital Prep -- Backsliding??

ShiroKuro

In addition to Wishing (which I discussed in the "stupid mistakes" thread https://forum.pianotell.com/d/1744-how-to-stop-making-stupid-mistakes/ ) I'm also playing New Day at the recital tomorrow. This past week, as I've focused on Wishing, I felt like I have been really backsliding on New Day. Two days ago, I started flubbing the runs, which I never flub... So I deconstructed it, slowed it waaaay down and worked on. It's not good, and I don't think I'm ready for the recital. But that's ok, this isn't my job. The only damage done if I totally screw up will be to my pride! So I'm going to play both pieces as scheduled and just try to work on controlling performance anxiety.

Anyway, here's this morning's recording, followed by a recording (of the same piece of course) from the end of March. I think it's maybe more "fluent" now, but in the March recording, it was more "accurate" ...

Today:

March 29:

not relevant to playing, but although I like the horizontal video, I actually prefer the one where the hands are shot overhead....

twocats

ShiroKuro I only listened to today's recording and I thought it was great! Fluent is always better than perfectly accurate in my opinion. There were a couple of slips but you're being much too hard on yourself!

I think every time I put a piece away for a bit, my brain moves it to long-term storage and then I have to get it back, but it does mostly come back. Hopefully today it'll be a little better as your brain realizes that it's not archived anymore!

I think for a casual recital that you sound very prepared 🙂

ShiroKuro

twocats Thank you!!

twocats Fluent is always better than perfectly accurate in my opinion.

Yes, I agree! My goal just needs to be to keep moving forward in the music, and I'll be fine.

There were a couple of slips but you're being much too hard on yourself!

I always am! 😅

Oh my other goal for today and tomorrow is to get some exercise and get out of breath. I've actually been doing that all week, making time for brisk walk and charging up four flights of stairs afterward! Hopefully that will help me take the edge of the shaky hands.

I'll report back!!

twocats

ShiroKuro Oh my other goal for today and tomorrow is to get some exercise and get out of breath.

Yay! I felt like 15 minutes didn't completely take the edge off and 20 minutes would have been much better.

You're going to be great!

Player1

ShiroKuro I always am! 😅

Work more on your Zen.

ShiroKuro

twocats I felt like 15 minutes didn't completely take the edge off and 20 minutes would have been much better.

today and tomorrow I'll aim for 30 minutes.

twocats You're going to be great!

thank you!!!!!!! 🙂

twocats

Hey, you've got this today! You just have to do your best and the stakes are very low! 🙂

ShiroKuro

twocats thank you!! I'm getting ready to go for that brisk walk soon! 🙂

I'll report back the recital is at 4;30pm local time....

ShiroKuro

Gyaaa! It’s go time! 😳😳😳

ETA that just means I have to go get in the car now. I am probably close to last on the program. 😑

LifelongBeginner

ShiroKuro Good luck!!! Remember you'll be playing several measures today--celebrate every one that you liked, and just let go of any you don't! 🙂

ShiroKuro

LifelongBeginner Remember you'll be playing several measures today--celebrate every one that you liked, and just let go of any you don't

I LOVE this!!! 😊

ShiroKuro

edit: I decided to put the recital report in its own thread. hope that's ok!

TLH21

Learning a piece can be two steps forward and one back (and even one step forward, two back). As the tempo increases, any weaknesses become more apparent and so feel magnified, but actually there has been progress. Learning to accept that this is sometimes the path the process takes can be difficult to accept. The two videos are an interesting example. The "today' version was much more fluid, and slightly faster - more musically satisfying overall. The 'March 29' version may have had more correct notes but did feel a bit less refined. I rarely record myself playing and this is a great reminder that I really should be doing that.

ShiroKuro

TLH21 more musically satisfying overall

Thank you! I thought so too but wondered if I was biased.

Maybe I should swallow my pride and upload yesterday’s recital recording. It’s more sloppy (thanks, performance nerves!) but a little faster and with more forward momentum… Which is not a bad thing in the end.

I’m helped, of course, by the fact that this isn’t a well-known piece. If it was, everyone would have noticed all the notes I skipped and the sections where I moved I to the wrong part and just played through it 😅 But because it’s not known (unless someone listens to contemporary solo piano on Spotify 😃 ) I doubt people noticed all the mistakes that I noticed when I listened to the recital recording…