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I just realized, we're at 2000 posts!

playadom: I listened to 1) your recital piece, 2) fragments of your playing HR2 and CR. If you want my .02, playing simple pieces won't help to clean up your technique. The reason I think so is that the reason for most people to play simple stuff is to enhance finger dexterity, which you certainly do have. What you need is to "polish" your technique, which, most would agree with me here, I guess, is achieved by 1) painstaikingly repeating at various speeds (including super-slow) the pieces you know, 2) analysing the patterns, and understanding the theory behind the pieces, 3) developing subtle dynamics, and tempo shades, which will lead to 4) finally, developing your personal consistent style. Soorry if this is not what you wanted to hear.

Re: 10/12. Technical benefits aside, this is very emotional piece; the technique involved is very simple, mostly just playing harmoic C minor scale. If you are really after technical challenges, you might want to look into Liszt etudes (I would suggest 1st version of TDs, called Etude in 12 exercises).

But, in light of what I said earlier, if you really want to polish your style (e.g. start using piano as an device for expressing your emotions), 10/12 is a great piece, and I would be more than happy to have you on board.

Well, we're on our way to 3,000, people, and I am way behind on working on the index on the front page. Still can't figure out why, all of a sudden, it start's to double the line. I'd like it to look neat, and that double line is not neat looking. Guess I'll just go ahead and deal with it the way it is.

Anyhow, how are you doing on your preludes, if you care to answer?

It's taken me 3 months to "learn" it, now I am doing what all the experts say to do: VERY SLOW PRACTICE. Everyday, three or four times in a row. Are you doing slow practice and/or do you believe in it? It's the only method I haven't tried. The others don't seem to work very well, so I am hoping this is the answer.

Any comments...?

Kathleen

Kathleen, I rather belatedly listened to your rendition of the Chopin waltz for the May recital, and your playing was stunning. I loved it so much that I certainly wouldn't presume to give you any practice advice!

Wow...stunning!? That's some compliment, Mary Rose. Thank you. Actually what was so stunning was the fact that I didn't pass out right in the middle of it; I was holding my breath through so many of the tricky passages. I know one is suppose to relax, but that advice is something I have never been able to take to heart, especially with the "red dot."

I am rather proud of it, though. It took me some time to get as right as I thought I could. And it isn't anywhere as difficult as the prelude I'm playing.

Guess I'm looking for a way to make the next 4 months go smoothly and to get my "final" product something worthy of this wonderful tribute to our hero.

Thanks again for your kind words.

Kathleen

Has this been posted here before? I just found it on another forum and it's fantastic.

Forgive me if it's a repeat here.

A very old but very wonderful Rubinstein gives a Chopin masterclass


In fact, watching these videos made me cry.

WOW Maryrose, what a TREAT!

I liked what he said at the very end of the third video - nobility, tenderness, etc.

He said it's not about bravado - he used the word "pompous" several times. Brought out - if I understood aright, that even Liszt, though renowned for showing off his technique, wrote noble music.

FWIW I have never seen a video of Rubinstein giving a lesson or even speaking. But just about everything he said I already know about him just from listening to his music! That is truly amazing - how this man was able to communicate so effectively with just his hands working a keyboard.

I'm glad you liked them, gerg. I found it quite moving that he was blind and had to fumble to find the keys, but when he found them you could still hear that magic. He really understood Chopin, I feel, as no other pianist did. He also had a great sense of humour - did you notice he said something like "you must never thump with Chopin - " - looking impishly over his shoulder with his blind old eyes - "not like Liszt!"

What an AMAZING video! BTW, it's also my first time I see Rubinstein giving a masterclass. Thanks for posting Maryrose.

To all Chopin fans: today is Mme.Sand's 203 birthday...I was thinking of something special ....Just kiddin'

Actually her birthday is 1st July, not June. When that day comes perhaps we can plant this on her grave, as a gift from Those Totally Devoted to Chopin

Oooops! sorry..I have a REALLY bad memory

Ya'll have poison ivy in England?

Sylphide - don't apologise. I had to look it up.

Frycek - I don't think we do have poison ivy. You'll have to take some to France from America.

WOW, Mary Rose, I love you!! Where did you find these precious gems??

As probably everyone knows, Rubinstein is it, for me...when I was a kid, now and forever. I know he wasn't perfect in his playing and was noted for dropping a lot of notes. But the notes he played were from the soul of a true poet and one who had such a respect and love (and understanding) of Chopin's music that no one, in my opinion, has yet to even come close.

I am in the middle of a garage sale (can't believe I'm doing it again...one last chance at clearing out all the junk in the basement before I die, if this doesn't kill me)...so I won't be able to watch them as I would like (over and over) until tonight. But I wanted to thank you...so THANK YOU!!

So funny about Sand and some poison ivy. That's a good idea totally, also do you think we have time to find one of those "man-eating" plants?? I've seen them, if you get too close, one of the petals (or something) opens like a mouth, and grabs at you. I believe it even has teeth!

BTW, not that I am in the least bit interested, but just in case I do find one of those plants, where is she buried? I'm a little concerned because Hershey said someone moved into her old apartment in Paris. Just want to be sure she is, indeed, in the ground!!

MaryRose...so grateful to you,

Later all,
Kathleen

Thanks to all for your kind thoughts as I still try to shake the remains of last week's virus.

YD, the "Revolutionary" is a piece I haven't taken up since I was a teenager. (It's one of those that I wouldn't have even attempted back then were it not for the encouragement I found in the pithy writing of Alfred Mirovitch, whose Chopin edition I've gushed about recently here .)

If there's sufficient interest in a study group, I'd like to revisit this piece. I've almost considered doing some Hanon regularly solely for the purpose of left-hand dexterity, and I'd much rather work on something musical instead. Each hand gets something different from this étude, of course, but I remember it being enormously beneficial to me.

To anyone else considering studying it: If you think it might be doable for you, then it probably is—assuming your self-assessment is accurate, and your expectations are reasonable.

Most of us aren't planning to become performing professionals, after all, so perfection at full speed doesn't need to be the goal. Let your reach exceed your grasp!

Steven

Hope you feel better soon!

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If there's sufficient interest in a study group, I'd like to revisit this piece. I've almost considered doing some Hanon regularly solely for the purpose of left-hand dexterity, and I'd much rather work on something musical instead. Each hand gets something different from this étude, of course, but I remember it being enormously beneficial to me.

Well, I am not sure how big the interest is there; so far 3 people are interested. Still, there may be others joining in later. If you are up for the task, I'll start the group (I already committed to studying 10/12 anyway).

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To anyone else considering studying it: If you think it might be doable for you, then it probably is—assuming your self-assessment is accurate, and your expectations are reasonable.

Most of us aren't planning to become performing professionals, after all, so perfection at full speed doesn't need to be the goal. Let your reach exceed your grasp!

It really is true. A few comments: 1) the etude sounds just fine starting at the tempo of about 120, which is manageable by about anyone. 2) it actually sounds nice at 120. There are plenty of amatures on youtube playing it, it is kind of easy to fine a slower one. Here is an example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0YYAVtTb74
(of course, the proper speed is much faster, see here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hOKcdZJJFU&mode=related&search=
)

Forgive me for jumping over to the Pianist Corner for the following. I thought it would make for interesting reading here.

Would You Fall in Love with Chopin?

Kathleen

That composition, the 10/12, was the very first Chopin I ever heard. I think I was about 10. Then my uncle told me it was written by a Pole, only 19 or so, as a way of expressing his anger and rage of what was happening in his homeland and to his friends and family after being invaded by the Russians.

I could not believe that such music could come from such a young person and even more importantly, how he could express his emotions so powerfully yet so poignantly. I was dumbfounded, and I admit, hearing it brought tears to my eyes.

This was during the time when dumb Polish jokes were all the rage. Most of you are far too young to remember, but (just like all ethnic groups have sufferred) the Poles were choice pickins' for those of small minds and even smaller hearts. The intitals DP were once meant to mean Displaced Person. But somehow, they became "Dumb Polacks." I won't go into the obvious on how such ridicule and ignorance affected me, but suffice to say my pride in being Polish hungered for something, someone who could prove everyone wrong. Of course, I knew of Marie Curie and Copernicus and Paderewski, but for some reason, they seemed too distant and rather dry for the hero I sought.

But then, there he was, in full glory...and with music that not only lifted my spirits and elevated my pride but spoke to me in a language I had never heard before.

So that particular composition has so much meaning to me that I doubt (even if I had the skills, which I don't) I could ever play it. I just wouldn't be able to get through it.

Sorry, I know that I, along with a few others, do seem to get emotionally caught up. But that's what this particular thread was created for. At least, I had hoped that people could use it as a way of expressing what and how they felt about Chopin...not just his music, but also for him, as a man. And...anything else they wanted to write.

So...the above is what I felt like writing right now.

Regards,
Kathleen

Etude 10/12 fans: I have several recordings of this and to me the outstanding one is by Angela Lear. Let's face it, this is a bit of a hackneyed piece, an old warhorse. Magnificent as it is we do hear it far too often. But when I first heard A.L.'s interpretation a couple of years ago it was as though I were hearing it for the first time again. It has the passion and drama we have grown to expect, but she also brings out nuances that I hadn't noticed before that I can best describe as a yearning quality. This piece was written by a very young man newly exiled from the home he loved, and that is what she makes it sound like. Her performance is a real ear-opener.