What Piece(s) Are You Working on Right Now?

Pallas · 2024-05-31T12:42:16+00:00

I've been posting my progress inside an Alfred thread for some time now, but I'm interested to know what other people are working on, not just us method book...

plop_symphony

iternabe That's not me lol, it's a demonstration video.

BartK

plop_symphony
That's nice but it's not an atonal piece. The piece uses some atypical chromatics because it's in the Phrygian mode. A lot of Gypsy and Spanish music uses the Phrygian scale and it sounds a bit exotic.

Nice work! 👍

plop_symphony

BartK Interesting! What parts of the piece make it clear that it's in Phrygian mode?

WieWaldi

Player1 Good to know you are back. You've been a long time away from this forum. Tremor issues again?

Player1

WieWaldi

I've just been a slacker with my lessons. I do read the forum every day, I just don't post much because I haven't had much to contribute lately. I can only say my method book lessons suck so many times.

I managed to play the entire piece yesterday, including pedal. I have flow issues I need to smooth out before I can record it. When I do I'll probably upload it and maybe post it in the performance section.

Right now I'm playing off tempo, and very slowly, so that I can try and get the notes continuous. For example, the piece starts with 2 quarter notes in the LH to 4 eighth notes in the RH with a tie for all of it. The flow problem is that I'm adding a tiny bit of time between the LH and the RH while I switch my mental focus. It's not a hesitation or pause, it's a longer time period between notes while my head switches gears. When I try to shorten that space I start to rush the 8th notes and that only makes it worse because now there's 2 problems to deal with.

I'll get it fixed and be on tempo eventually. Maybe a week, maybe a month, maybe 6 months. It all depends on how discouraged I get over how much my method book lessons suck.

Player1

Adding to the above

Listening to the piece on youtube and I can hear that Sideris (the performer) doesn't like the space either, he starts rushing the switch over from LH to RH. The LH D and the RH B aren't on the same beat but that's how he plays it.

The video performance isn't exactly as written either. The sheet doesn't emphasize notes yet the performance clearly does. You can hear him emphasize the RH B at 32 seconds. The sheet isn't underscored for that B at all. That measure for the RH is a dotted half note and a rest.

What I end up with will probably be somewhere between the video version and the trash can

iternabe

I was just watching a video by DariaPiano on YouTube. When short of time or discouraged to practice, she recommends just do some technical exercise to keep fingers moving. But better to have even just a little practice every day than long gap followed by trying to make it up.

Player1

iternabe

I'm of a different mindset on this.

When discouraged and not wanting to play, forcing myself to sit down and play isn't the solution to the problem. It may work for some but it's a guaranteed non starter for me.

I also think this might be more viable for those who have teachers than for those of us who self study. After all, you're paying for the lessons and not being prepared is a waste of money and everyone's time so you should at least try to do something between lessons even if just 2 minutes of scales.

The solution for this, and it happens in every hobby, is to somehow get re-engaged with your peer group. For music lessons with more than 1 student; a small impromptu get together/party/field trip/something might work to get minds active and excited again. But, for solo/self study students this is harder to do because often there's little time and usually no one to enjoy the break with other than spousal units who, let's face it, are really just the cheering section.

plop_symphony

I try and play on a reasonably consistent schedule, but that doesn't necessarily mean every day. Sometimes there's just no time. I don't really sit down and play when I'm not in the mood because I won't really accomplish anything. But sometimes the reason I'm not in the mood is just because I don't feel like practicing what I'm supposed to practice, in which case I might still go and play piano but just do something else entirely.

iternabe

plop_symphony I don't really sit down and play when I'm not in the mood

I think that was the point that DariaPiano is trying make. There is no need to be in the mood to sit down and play some scale, or arpeggio, or Hanon, for even only a few minutes. And that's better than not playing at all.

Player1

Ok, Balestrand is under my fingers with pedal and sounds halfway decent. I still have some polishing to do in the last 2 lines (those longer spaces between LH/RH notes need ironed out some more) but it's not heading for the dust bin at this point.

Maybe a few more days to a week to get it polished and uploaded.

I really want to play this on the baby grand I discovered in the entry lounge at the local hospital. It would sound awesome in that space. I need to check and see if they'll let me and test to see if I can play the piano. It seems I prefer a very light action to play my best.

rogerch

Player1 I really want to play this on the baby grand I discovered in the entry lounge at the local hospital. It would sound awesome in that space. I need to check and see if they'll let me and test to see if I can play the piano.

and also see if they'll let you take a video!

I'm looking forward to hearing you play!

Player1

rogerch

There are a couple of things I'll have to have ready to go before I can even ask. One is absolutely knowing the piece I want to play. Another is having a backup piece to play to an acceptable level. I'll also need a "camera man" for action shots while I'm playing rather than just a static recording.

Once I have those ducks lined up, I can ask about playing on their piano. Hopefully it's available for anyone to use at any time.

iternabe

Working on "Theme from Don Giovanni (Là ci darem la mano)" in the Faber Classics book. I love how learning these pieces make me look for the original performance - often a delightful find. Here, a lovely duet by Luciano Pavarotti and Sheryl Crow.

Player1

I have a video. No you can't see it. I don't even want to look at it except to analyze where the problems are. And there are lots and lots of problems. The biggest of which are uncontrolled harsh notes and those extra bits of time between notes that I mentioned earlier. Right now I'm running about 25-30 seconds slow so the tempo is off a little bit too.

But, I have a video so that means I'm making progress.

I have a doctor appointment this afternoon and then I have to go do some grocery shopping. The grocery store is near the hospital where that baby grand is sitting in its alcove so I might stop in for a quick conversation about playing it. Unless I chicken out because it really is too soon to be asking.

Player1

Well, I didn't chicken out so I stopped by and asked about playing the piano at the hospital.

No dice unless you're a hospital employee. They told me the piano used to play by itself (pianoteq I assume because it's a newer piano) but that failed during a power outage 6 or 7 years ago and no one has played it since. I suspect it's not been tuned in that time either.

The hunt for a public piano to play continues!

Oh, and I have a better recording of Balestrand that shaves 15 seconds off the time from the last one. Still some issues, but I'll get there.

pseudonym58

I'm working on a couple of piano pieces by Rossini (and they do share many of the characteristics of his operas, notably the humor) from his large collection from about 1860, "Sins of my Old Age".
If I can get them sounding presentable, I'll record them and link them here.

TheBoringPianist

TheBoringPianist The Scriabin Fantaisie is finally starting to come together 😔 still not up to speed and very prone to stops and starts but I feel like the technical challenges no longer seem insurmountable.

In the meantime, am working through some other small pieces:

Lili Boulanger - D'un vieux jardin
Lili Boulanger - D'un jardin clair
Messiaen - Prélude pour piano (1964)
Takashi Yoshimatsu - Piano Folio...to a Disappeared Pleiad (heard Tomoharu Ushida play it at the Leeds)

lilypad

TheBoringPianist I'm not sure if I've heard of Lili Boulanger before now. I just added D'un jardin clair to my way in the future section of my bucket list. Luckily I have lots of nice sounding grade 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 pieces to enjoy on the way there.

pseudonym58

@TheBoringPianist
The Messiaen Prélude - that's the fanfare-like short piece? I remember being surprised at how succinct its form is, certainly compared to the sprawling, to me disorienting nature of so many of his later works.

TheBoringPianist

pseudonym58 The Messiaen Prélude - that's the fanfare-like short piece? I remember being surprised at how succinct its form is, certainly compared to the sprawling, to me disorienting nature of so many of his later works.

yup! I have a really hard time learning this kind of music, but I figured I should challenge myself, and it's a fun sounding piece!

BartK

lilypad I'm not sure if I've heard of Lili Boulanger before now.

She was a true genius. Unfortunately, she died at only 24 but had already achieved a lot by then. Had she not died so young I'm sure she could have been one of the most influential composers of the 20th century.

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