What are you playing now?

[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.

[Horace]

I picked up piano again last week. The Schulze Pollmann actually sounds pretty good.

Goldberg Aria
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Brahms 21.1
Brahms 116.4
Maple Leaf Rag
WTC1 c# Major prelude

[Copper]

around 1:53 in this Van Cliburn recording, a little less con brio, much better

Link to video

[kluurs]

@Horace said in What are you playing now?:

I picked up piano again last week. The Schulze Pollmann actually sounds pretty good.

Goldberg Aria
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Brahms 21.1
Brahms 116.4
Maple Leaf Rag
WTC1 c# Major prelude

That's great to hear given all you've been through.

[Horace]

@kluurs said in What are you playing now?:

@Horace said in What are you playing now?:

I picked up piano again last week. The Schulze Pollmann actually sounds pretty good.

Goldberg Aria
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Brahms 21.1
Brahms 116.4
Maple Leaf Rag
WTC1 c# Major prelude

That's great to hear given all you've been through.

Thanks Kluurs. The thumb is a minor hindrance, but I think it won’t make a big difference after I get used to it.

[jon-nyc]

@Klaus said in What are you playing now?:

@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.

True, of course they’ll be superb. I should dispense with the false humility already, everyone here knows I’m a genius at the piano.

[kluurs]

@Horace said in What are you playing now?:

@kluurs said in What are you playing now?:

@Horace said in What are you playing now?:

I picked up piano again last week. The Schulze Pollmann actually sounds pretty good.

Goldberg Aria
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Brahms 21.1
Brahms 116.4
Maple Leaf Rag
WTC1 c# Major prelude

That's great to hear given all you've been through.

Thanks Kluurs. The thumb is a minor hindrance, but I think it won’t make a big difference after I get used to it.

It's truly wonderful news. I was saddened at the thought that someone with your talent wouldn't be able to play.

[Horace]

@kluurs said in What are you playing now?:

@Horace said in What are you playing now?:

@kluurs said in What are you playing now?:

@Horace said in What are you playing now?:

I picked up piano again last week. The Schulze Pollmann actually sounds pretty good.

Goldberg Aria
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Brahms 21.1
Brahms 116.4
Maple Leaf Rag
WTC1 c# Major prelude

That's great to hear given all you've been through.

Thanks Kluurs. The thumb is a minor hindrance, but I think it won’t make a big difference after I get used to it.

It's truly wonderful news. I was saddened at the thought that someone with your talent wouldn't be able to play.

Thanks Kluurs! Not sure about the talent part, but I'm surprised at how fun it's been getting back into it. Piano sounds better than I remember. And something gelled in my head with sight reading, so that now, while I'm still a horrible sight reader, at least practicing it isn't painful to my brain.

[George K]

Bach is hard.

[jon-nyc]

I hear you. I’ve barely attempted him.

Rachmaninoff is hard too. And I’ve spent years with his music.

[George K]

@jon-nyc as a kid, I learned the C#minor prelude (I forget the Op and #). I had under my fingers pretty well.

I looked a the G minor a few days ago. The arpeggios in the B section are doable, and, as a matter of fact, so are the A and C sections, if I don't hurry (or, as my teacher says, "snowball.").

I'm working on Bach's Italian Concerto, and as much as I love the music, I find it so frustrating that "muscle memory," doesn't work. You have to really KNOW what Bach was doing.

For example here...

Look at what he does...

In the bass clef, he ascends in the key of F major.

In the treble clef, he ascends starting on the D.

So many patterns...

[Horace]

Been working on the 9th two part invention today. Would like to get it into my fingers and then live with it for a few years.

[George K]

@Horace said in What are you playing now?:

Been working on the 9th two part invention today.

The inventions are fun...and frustrating. I have the Bd under my fingers. The A-minor works - sometimes.

I always found the F major fun, and tricky.

[LuFins Dad]

Spider Solitaire… I have beat ever single Daily Challenge this month!

Oh… You meant Music…

[Horace]

@George-K said in What are you playing now?:

@Horace said in What are you playing now?:

Been working on the 9th two part invention today.

The inventions are fun...and frustrating. I have the Bd under my fingers. The A-minor works - sometimes.

I always found the F major fun, and tricky.

A Minor was always one of my favorites. But something about 9 is drawing me in. I never found a three part invention that I really liked, oddly.