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Finally got to practise today. Worked through the Liszt Sonata, realizing that the technical aspect is the easiest bit, the rest is the hardest piece I've ever attempted. I'm not going to try and perform this until next year.

Spent some time cleaning up the 4rth scherzo, and Chopin's C minor nocturne. Also running through the 1st Ballade, though I need to spend more time on focused practice, rather than just trying to keep my technique in shape.

Not much. I warmed up the Fantaisie-Impromptu for about 1/2 hour for my lesson today, and then got frustrated because I don't feel like I'm making any progress - I just keep making the same mistakes despite the countless hours I've put in practicing it. And my practicing is usually focused, with running over trouble spots in a variety of methods until I can play them multiple times without errors. My teacher said it sounded good at a slow tempo, which I hate to accept because I want to play it up to tempo. Plus I've only got three weeks until juries.

After the lesson I banged out some accompanying rep I need to play tomorrow and quit in frustration. When is my playing ever going to improve?

Switched gears and started learning the Meatloaf album, "Bat out of heck".

Chopin, op.27 #2.

You know, the fast 48-note run towards the end of the piece isn't really that bad.

The 7 against 6 at the very end is a different story.


-J

Schumann: Papillons op2
Mozart: Piano Concerto 25 (1st movement)
Mozart: Piano Sonata no. 8 in D K311
Chopin: Nocturne no. 20 in C# Minor (for old times sake)

Today's practice for me:

Grieg a minor Concerto - worked on polishing the beginning of the first movement and whittling away at the cadenza, also spending a little time assessing the other two movements for study in the near future.

Schubert G-flat Impromptu and Brahms g minor Rhapsody - both old rep favorites that need to be maintained for a solo recital later.

Rachmaninoff Moment Musicaux No. 4 - practiced very slowly in tiny sections, focusing mainly on the middle part. A brand-new addition to the practice schedule.

Rachmaninoff 10 Preludes, op. 23 - Worked on analyzing away from the piano.

Also practiced scales, sightreading, Czerny, church music, and some concerto/horn accompaniments to round out the day.

Sousa-Horowitz "The Stars and Stripes Forever"

Scales/arpeggios x 10!

Schumann: Papillons op2
Mozart: Piano Concerto no 25
Schumann: Fantasy in C op17

I started the day with Mozart's Piano Sonata No.13, but it is just 9am.

I practiced too much today and finally reached the point of diminishing returns. I really want to play more but my arms are tired and my hands are beginning to make mistakes from fatigue. 4 hours or was it 5?

Brahms 119 #3 coming together, finally.

Mozart K310 - changing my technique

and 2 weeks ago I decided to learn Chopin Nocturne Opus 72 No. as a birthday present for my Mom. It's almost done.

Mozart D Major 310 or 311, I forget which...
Brahms Ballade 1 from Op. 10

Brahms Concerto 1, first movement! I still don't see how it's obscenely hard. (Yes, 3rd movement is harder.)

And of course, Sousa-Horowitz. The first section is coming along quite nicely, actually! And I figure if I can play that, I can play the Brahms...

All Mendelssohn in my first session today...

Mostly sight-reading the last two days.

The Berg sonata and about half of the Goldberg Variations. Both on my "some day" list.

-J

Granados - Los Requiebros

Bach - WTC I Prelude & Fugue C# major

They're on mine too.

I'm happy with this one myself except for that jump down to the low F that we discussed before, but I'm getting closer.

Aside from that I practiced "Bat out of heck" by Meatloaf again. A theatrical pop tune that is only hard because I'm learning it by ear.

Sweating my way thru an Advent Vespers service. I plan tonight to cut and paste the liturgy and music in a moron-proof format. No flipping back and forth for ME, esp. since I am not familiar with the order of the service.
The regular organist can't play, so I'm pressed into service. Then, we have regular choir reh. later but I can play that piano stuff now in my sleep.

My @#$%^&* cushion still hasn't arrived. I am NOT happy.

I also worked part of the day on a simple arrangement of that Polish carol, "Lulajze Jezuniu", which Chopin worked into his Scherzo in B Minor. Never knew that. I want to use it as my prelude, by the hubster says it sounds too much like "Santa Lucia" and might not be well received. Tough - I'm playing it.

Transposed to D?

No?