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.

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.

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 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)

"You're a smart kid. But your playing is terribly dull."

      @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 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.

            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.

                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!

                "You're a smart kid. But your playing is terribly dull."

                  BartK Agreed, she could have definitely been mentioned along with Stravinsky or Poulenc had she lived longer. I don't like her piano pieces but her orchestral writing is exceptional.

                    BartK Just from the two pieces I listened to, she reminds me of the impressionist composers.

                      Recently an early Mozart piece came up duing my piano lesson.

                      The last piece recorded was a version of "Happy Birthday" in F for somebody's special day in October. We all sing the song a dozen times a year. When playing it on piano, every rendition of the song is supposed to be different & original... even if you're following the sheet music you'd add in embellishments the last minute to sound improvised.

                        thepianoplayer416 The last piece recorded was a version of "Happy Birthday" in F for somebody's special day in October. We all sing the song a dozen times a year. When playing it on piano, every rendition of the song is supposed to be different & original... even if you're following the sheet music you'd add in embellishments the last minute to sound improvised.

                        I recently watched a YouTube video listing "Happy Birthday" as the 6th piece in "6 Famous & Essential Pieces Every Pianist Should Learn".

                          My latest batch -

                          New pieces:
                          Quick study - Jeremiah Clarke "King William's March" - I thought I'd knock this one out in 2 days max, but it's been giving me fits.
                          Piano Adventures lesson piece - Clementi Sonatina, Op. 36, No. 1, 3rd movement.
                          Heller - Study in E minor, Op. 47 No. 5

                          Relearning:
                          Vince Guaraldi's "Great Pumpkin Waltz"

                          Still working on:
                          Michael Giacchino's "Married Life"
                          Arthur Herzog Jr. & Billie Holliday "God Bless the Child" (relearning)

                          Pallas I get to study the first piece in Schumann's Album for the Young - Melody. This will be my first bucket list item, and I'm thrilled.

                          I think it's really great to have bucket list pieces at all levels. Mine used to be all grade 8's and it was very discouraging, like I'd never get there. Now I have probably a dozen for each grade. I'm trying to go through a grade a year with a variety of pieces similar to yours.

                            Pallas
                            That's a great achievement! The first "real" pieces are always a big milestone.

                            Schumann is a very good choice for pedagogical purposes. He is a romantic composer and uses the musical language of that era but his writing often has multiple layers and interconnected themes. It's great for developing both musicality and technical skills. Besides, these are pieces you can always go back to and discover new things or new ways to look at the music as you improve.

                            Satie isn't really that hard. I wondered myself why those pieces are so high in the syllabus and I think it might be because of the large chords that might be too challenging for small children in the lower grades. For an adult they are technically easy and musically also not too challenging. I played Gnossienne 1 in my first year and Gymnopedie 1 in my second year.

                              6 days later

                              Working on the last piece in Faber Classics Book 1. This beautiful aria by Giacomo Puccini 💘

                              I surprised myself yesterday by playing all but the last measure of the 1st phrase in Always on My Mind. I had to pick my way through the last measure, and I wasn't even close to tempo anywhere in my performance, but I'm slowly getting it learned.

                              Turning the page in the method book today and hoping for something playable.

                              There is an upcoming peace concert in 2 weeks as a fundraising event for a humanitarian organization. A chance for amateur pianists (piano students) to play 1 or more pieces. If I do attend I'd probably include a piece like "What a Wonderful World" that I worked on last year. Haven't decided yet.

                              8 days later

                              Picked one piece I really want to play from Faber Popular Book 1. Still working on dynamics and tempo, but at least I've got one recording that's passable.

                                Faber did a great job on that arrangement. I sounds very authentic. Your recording does it justice even at the slower tempo.

                                I tend to get too obsessed with tempo at the cost of a piece not sounding as good as it should.