What are you playing now?

[jon-nyc]

Rachmaninoff Etude Tableau Op 33/2 C major

Schumann Symphonic Etudes Op 13

[George K]

My current piano project is motivating myself to sit on the bench and play something.

[taiwan_girl]

Like George, trying to get more motivated so choosing something fairly easy - "The Dance" by Garth Brooks

[jon-nyc]

I seem to have abandoned the Schumann for more Rach, at least for now.

Working on Rachmaninoff 23/1 F minor, 32/2 C major, 39/2 A minor.

[George K]

My finger seems to have recovered, for the most part, from the surgery I had in January to release the trigger finger. I was plagued with achy pains for months afterward, and then, in July, it stopped hurting, for the most part. It's not fully functional, in the sense that it doesn't extend as fully as the others.

Fortunately, full extension is not an issue for playing piano, and as long as there's no pain, I'm good to go.

I got in contact with one of my first teachers. She's pleasant and enthusiastic. Not as critical as can be, but she offers encouragement and structure (which is what I need).

Had my first lesson with her yesterday and we decided to work on these two pieces.

I had the b-minor Chopin mazurka under my fingers a while ago, so we thought we'd revisit some Chopin.

Opus 6 #1:

Link to video

Mompou cancons i danses #5

Link to video

The thing about Mompou is that, for my fingers, the chords and harmonies are so "unnatural." THey're lovely, of course, but they don't just "fit" like composers from a century earlier.

There's a lot of tricky stuff in the left hand as well...

Gonna be fun.

[Mik]

Glad you are back at it! I'm just playing around with improv in Cm scale. Can't play much this week as the basement waterproofing guys are here and they make a LOT of noise.

[mark]

Been playing guitar way more than piano lately. So much so that I am pretty damn rusty on the ol' ivories.

Just playing around with some bluesy, jazzy improvs mostly. I have been watching and listening to players such as Doc Watson, Chet Atkins, etc. I have the opening sequence to Deep River Blues and it has morphed into something that now just "borrows from it" vs. being a cover.

[kluurs]

George, that Chopin mazurka is delightful - a bit like something Scriabin might have written. And the Mompou should be fun - something is both engaging - but also not known by everyone.

I continue to grind in a few things that I was working on earlier in the year - trying to commit to my increasingly feeble memory - 3 Brahms intermezzi and the Chopin Scherzo #2 in B flat minor. I've liked that Scherzo since early childhood and for some reason have always shied away from it - maybe because I remember Rubinstein's performance? I started it a couple of months ago and was amazed at how well it falls into my fingers. AND, there's oodles of repetition. This is one of two pieces that Franz Liszt would not allow to be played in his studio - the other being his Hungarian Rhapsody #2. Apparently, the two works were so overplayed that he couldn't stand to hear to hear them butchered. He'd certainly feel that way if he heard me. I think I should probably have some folks who know the work listen to me - and make sure I don't cause Liszt and Chopin begin to roll over in their respective tombs. I may take a couple of virtual lessons, now that has become more feasible.

[George K]

@kluurs said in What are you playing now?:

Mompou should be fun - something is both engaging

My next-to-last piano teacher (Stuart) recommended the Mompou. He said that Mompou is sort of "Poulenc-lite." I'm no sure I agree, but the odd harmonies, I suppose are the similarity.

[jon-nyc]

I’ve been dusting off some Rachmaninoff from a couple years ago. Trying to decide if now’s the time to commit to a Chopin Ballade.

[mark]

Started to sit at the piano on a daily basis for the past week.

Revisiting the Chopin Prelude in Bm. I always liked this one. It sounds easy to play but it is actually quite tricky to get it to sound good.

[Doctor Phibes]

Started playing the tenor sax again after a mostly enforced break of about 4 years. A single-family home is a wonderful thing.

God, I've missed it. It's safe to say that nobody else has.

I'm a bit rusty to say the least.

[George K]

Gonna call that Chopin mazurka complete and under my fingers (which means that I'll forget it in about a month, but easily resurrect-able).

Here's a guy talking about interpreting that mazurka.

Link to video

The Mompou and Poulenc are coming along nicely, but much of the Mompou is demanding because of tricky left hand parts (as I mentioned).

In the meantime, gonna pick this up:

Link to video

Not too difficult until you get up to speed, LOL.

[SD Tav]

Trying to re-learn the Toccata from Ravel’s ‘Le Tombeau de Couperin’. Lots of notes. Playing slowly and gradually increasing tempo. Need to solidify memorization.

[George K]

That Kabalevsky is a TON of fun to play. There are a few YouTube videos out there, and all of them play it devilishly fast. Faster than I want/am able to.

This is more representative of my tempo:

Link to video

I'm not sure if I'm all that fond of his interpretation - it's a bit "dry."

I also started working on (sigh) the Pathetique. I figured it's something I should learn while I'm still on the green side. I'd call the 1st movement about 50% done.

Another "big" project that I started a couple of weeks ago is the Italian Concerto. I'd forgotten how damn exacting Bach can be. It's good discipline.

[George K]

So...update.

So many spinning plates at the moment.

I'm calling the Chopin Mazurka done (have for a couple of weeks, as a matter of fact).

The Mompou I'm also calling done. So much tricky left-hand stuff, but once you get it, you get it. Delightful music, and I'm tempted to pick up his #5.

Poulenc Novelette? Probably about 80% of the way there. I can hit most of the keys most of the time. Working on making it sound musical.

Kabelevsky? I need to work on some technique tips to get some of the awkward "close-in" parts to work. But it's a ton of fun to play, esp the last movement.

The Pathetique is a long, slow grind. Coming along. I need to work on making theme #2 sound fluid and musical. It'll get there, just not in the next month, LOL.

Started working on Bach's Italian Concerto. Another of those "tons of fun to play" pieces. But, Bach being Bach, you have to learn this slowly, hands separate. The first movement will probably take me through the early late parts of spring.

[Klaus]

I have practised the Pathetique in the past.

I always found these parts to be rather difficult, if you want to play them truly "con brio".

[jon-nyc]

Working on/brushing off three Rachmaninoff Etudes-tableau and two preludes. Hopefully they’ll be in serviceable shape for late March for my midwestern visit.

[George K]

@Klaus said in What are you playing now?:

I always found these parts to be rather difficult, if you want to play them truly "con brio".

I re-listened to Robert Greenberg's lecture on the Pathetique the other day. He was given permission to use Claude Frank's performances for his lectures.

Go to about 1:40

It's a bit frantic for my taste - not "pathetic" enough.

Link to video

[Klaus]

@jon-nyc said in What are you playing now?:

Working on/brushing off three Rachmaninoff Etudes-tableau and two preludes. Hopefully they’ll be in serviceable shape for late March for my midwestern visit.

No, they won't, and if you are honest to yourself they were never in anything close to serviceable shape.