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Joined: May 2011
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Hi everybody and thanks once again to all for those wonderful B-day wishes! I have been so busy lately I have had trouble keeping up here! I really love reading about all the new pieces everybody is working on. I am not at all familiar with most of them though so I usually have to go and research a bit to try and find recordings or music. Ahh but it is so much fun to start new music! Which brings me to my latest AOTW.
I had my lesson yesterday and my teacher said "so I've been thinking about your playing..." (oh oh I think...not so sure about this!). Well, she goes on to say "I think you need to start playing something more difficult something like from grade 4 or 5" (What! Me! Are you sure I say"...Really!) Yes she says here let me play this for you (so she plays a piece from the Grade 5 book). It was lovely I think. (oh oh I'm not so sure about this I say...) Yes, she says I think you can do it. I can hear you have been practicing lots and I think we need to jump a couple of levels. I think we should prepare you for the Grade 4 or 5 exam if that is what you still want to do. (What I think! just before the summer break we were going to start at Grade 2! And trust me when I say I was okay with that). Well I went on to clarify that my goal is not so much the exam (though I would love to ace one one day) but to use the RCM materials as a road map to fill gaps in my oh so limited knowledge and improve my playing. Well she says we must make a change. We must test your ability to hear intervals, etc. (hmm need lots of practice with this!). Ok we shall then move to the Grade 4 materials and work on getting your ability to hear intervals up to par! And I think we should get you ready for June!
Well I was shocked and happy and shocked some more. I guess my practicing has been paying off! I was so happy I couldn't believe it. I went to the music store yesterday and got all the books for the Grade 4 exam. I looked at the music and thought 'yikes!'. I tried site playing through some of it today and thought (yikes what have we done!!) And on top of that she said to ask the folks in the music store for some grade 4/5 materials for either Christmas or other things I want to play to keep things interesting as we prep for the exam. (that's a big problem for me..I just never know what to play...a problem I must somehow solve...suggestions are more than welcome for this!)
When I told my husband my news he said "I told you I thought you were at a higher level than grade 2!". But tonight he asked me what I was playing. (I think he could hear me struggling) And I said I just got the Grade 4 books and I was going through the pieces. Oh, he says I can hear you taking things slow. Yes, I am I said...I think the real work is about to begin. And I am so excited!!
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 613
500 Post Club Member
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Hi everybody and thanks once again to all for those wonderful B-day wishes! I have been so busy lately I have had trouble keeping up here! I really love reading about all the new pieces everybody is working on. I am not at all familiar with most of them though so I usually have to go and research a bit to try and find recordings or music. Ahh but it is so much fun to start new music! Which brings me to my latest AOTW.
I had my lesson yesterday and my teacher said "so I've been thinking about your playing..." (oh oh I think...not so sure about this!). Well, she goes on to say "I think you need to start playing something more difficult something like from grade 4 or 5" (What! Me! Are you sure I say"...Really!) Yes she says here let me play this for you (so she plays a piece from the Grade 5 book). It was lovely I think. (oh oh I'm not so sure about this I say...) Yes, she says I think you can do it. I can hear you have been practicing lots and I think we need to jump a couple of levels. I think we should prepare you for the Grade 4 or 5 exam if that is what you still want to do. (What I think! just before the summer break we were going to start at Grade 2! And trust me when I say I was okay with that). Well I went on to clarify that my goal is not so much the exam (though I would love to ace one one day) but to use the RCM materials as a road map to fill gaps in my oh so limited knowledge and improve my playing. Well she says we must make a change. We must test your ability to hear intervals, etc. (hmm need lots of practice with this!). Ok we shall then move to the Grade 4 materials and work on getting your ability to hear intervals up to par! And I think we should get you ready for June!
Well I was shocked and happy and shocked some more. I guess my practicing has been paying off! I was so happy I couldn't believe it. I went to the music store yesterday and got all the books for the Grade 4 exam. I looked at the music and thought 'yikes!'. I tried site playing through some of it today and thought (yikes what have we done!!) And on top of that she said to ask the folks in the music store for some grade 4/5 materials for either Christmas or other things I want to play to keep things interesting as we prep for the exam. (that's a big problem for me..I just never know what to play...a problem I must somehow solve...suggestions are more than welcome for this!)
When I told my husband my news he said "I told you I thought you were at a higher level than grade 2!". But tonight he asked me what I was playing. (I think he could hear me struggling) And I said I just got the Grade 4 books and I was going through the pieces. Oh, he says I can hear you taking things slow. Yes, I am I said...I think the real work is about to begin. And I am so excited!! Hi ZoeCalgary, congratulations! It seems like your practicing really paid off. Good luck on the new pieces!
"You are the music while the music lasts" - T.S. Eliot
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Congrats Zoe! Nice Job!
Chris
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My achievement of the week is getting to play an acoustic on the weirdest places I could imagine. Since I am in a process of returning an upright, and the seller repeatedly rescheduled the return, we had to move the upright multiple times. Playing Tiersen pieces on a piano that stands in the middle of a street, with sunset before me was really beautiful. Poor driving-by people had to turn around, because it took a while before we got a paller mover to move the piano. I was also really flattered, because some people just stopped and listened  When we got the mover, my friends suggested that I get onto it in front of the piano, and play. The neighbours now probably think I'm a bit crazy. Can't blame them, I would be really surprised to see a pallet mover with a piano going through a street, with someone playing ''The entertainer'' on it  sadly I, always played some dissonant bunch of notes when we hit a bump
The Beginning: chilly morning of 10th April 2010
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Eglantine, isn't it splending with something that was so tough just clicks into place? Obviously you're working well with your practice techniques. MaryBee - that's a good way to put it - stop fighting with the piano and start cooperating with it!! JimF - You're right , I can't imagine that in 5 years I will be wanting to play a lot of what I'm working on right now - mind you it might be fun to (ha ha....) go back and work on something easy (won't that be a great moment!). I have studied Franck's Doll's Complaint (Plaintes d'un Poupée is my version ) There is an odd story to that one... My teacher actually gave it to me LAST SUMMER (2009) as a summer project to work on phrasing and technique. I played it in one of the recitals, but shudder to think I dared....I got a bit sick of it, and put it away for months, but have just recently taken it out again. I think you'll find it "easy" after the Beethoven, there are a lot of similarities especially with the first movement of the sonatina. There are a few parts where there are some funny discords, which really rubbed me the wrong way when I first heard them - but now I rather like their oddity. I will be very curious to see what you think about it and how much you enjoy it (or not).... Mom3gram.... Christmas music ! mamma mia, yes, it is about time to start thinking of that. I will be curious to see how much easier my pieces are this year (I am an eternal optimist!!) Jotur - yes, I think there is something happening with my musicality - a certain level of fluidity and ....courage even! I feel I am much less hesitant to hit the keys, I'm playing with more confidence and more volume too....(wonder if the neighbours are going to get upset? ). Zoe-----WOW!!!!!! That is so exciting! CONGRATULATIONS!! Hrochan - that is just too funny. Absolutely splendid. I bet you gave the neighbourhood something to chat about for years! Good for you!
![[Linked Image]](https://forum.pianoworld.com//gallery/42/medium/12291.png) 18 ABF Recitals, Order of the Red Dot European Piano Parties - Brussels, Lisbon, Lucern, Milan, Malaga, St. Goar Themed recitals: Grieg and Great American Songbook
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There are a few parts where there are some funny discords, which really rubbed me the wrong way when I first heard them - but now I rather like their oddity.
I will be very curious to see what you think about it and how much you enjoy it (or not)....
Mom3gram.... Christmas music ! mamma mia, yes, it is about time to start thinking of that. I will be curious to see how much easier my pieces are this year (I am an eternal optimist!!)
Speaking of discord... that's one thing I'm still getting used to in the sonatina I'm working on. When my teacher plays it (far faster than I) the part with discord is just momentary and resolves so quickly that it all sounds great; when I play it (slow) it hangs and jars the ear. Really makes me want to play it faster... And speaking of christmas music, do you have any recommendations for relatively easy books of such? I haven't looked, but imagine there are a million out there to pick from...
Started playing: February 2011. Still having fun.
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casinitaly - I know what you mean regarding enjoying scales! It's really weird, but being able to breeze through them with relaxed arms makes them so much more fun...
ZoeCalgary - Congrats! Any idea which Grade 4 piece you'll be working on? I'm not familiar with RCM Grade 4... there are some really fun things in 5 though!
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I will be very curious to see what you think about it and how much you enjoy it (or not).... I will let you know. Already decided what I will be calling it if I find it disagreeable.... "Poupee Piece" sounds too good to pass up 
Last edited by JimF; 09/28/11 04:47 PM.
Liebestraum 3, Liszt Standchen-Schubert/Liszt arr Sonata Pathetique-Adagio LVB Estonia L190 #7284 ![[Linked Image]](https://www.pianoworld.com/ABF_Medals/medal_c_5.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://www.pianoworld.com/ABF_Medals/5medals.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://www.pianoworld.com/forum/gallery/42/full/5781.gif)
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Joined: May 2011
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Okay, to try to catch up to everybody's news:
Gomer: Welcome to the piano playing club! Caution you may find this highly enjoyable and addicting! Enjoy your journey!
Jaak: You are teaching? What level do you teach? I'll bet you are having a blast! Good for you for also learning what you can from your students. Learning never stops for any of us does it.
CaptainKawai: Steady progress...that is a good thing. It's when we feel we can't make any progress that the motivation takes a dive...
Bessel: Clementi's Sonatina. I bet it sounds awesome. I noticed there is one in my new book. It is Sonatina in G Major (Op. 36, no. 2, movement III). Is this the one you have worked on? I really like how it sounds I think I'll try this as one of my pieces for the exam.
MichaelTaylor: Playing in a recital! Good for you! I bet you are going to have a blast. Don't worry about those kids. Just go out there and have fun. I haven't done recitals in 20+ years! I'm kind of worried my teacher may suggest I join in this year. It's not that I don't like playing for people. It's that I just get so nervous! (never used to as a kid!). Enjoy it though. It will be fun.
I also noticed that you are working on Canon in D. I am wanting to do that song too. I love it! I want to get a really good arrangement for it. Which one are you using and what do you think of it?
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Joined: May 2011
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CasinItaly: First off, sight reading a new book! Wow! That is awesome and it sounds like you are enjoying the blues/jazz.
I noticed that you are waiting for 2 books. What are you getting? Just curious because now I seem to have a growing music collection!
Great for feeling relaxed when you play. I read somewhere here to try to release all tension after each note. I thought but I do don't I (not!). I started to really pay attention to this on parts where I stumble. Sure enough my hand is usually in some weird position and tense. Now when I'm stumbling I have to think...hit the not and RELAX. It really helps.
Scales - I believe in these too and I don't mind doing them either. I find they are a great warm up before playing. The first ones can be hard but after that you can make great strides with the scales. My teacher says to play them musically (slowly get louder as you go up the scale and softer as you come down again..and the one I always forget...end on a soft note). Also, if I am struggling to play smooth I just change the rhythms I use and thats fun and then I find I can play smoother afterwards.
Are you also playing Canon In D? Which arrangement are you using? I love that song and I want to get a really good arrangement. One that is not too complicated and not too hard.
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Sean C: Hi Sean, you mentioned the Grade 5 books. Are you working on Grade 5 now? I'd be interested to hear what you're working on too. As I mentioned in my prior post my teacher played a song from one of the older grade 5 rep. books (I forgot what it was called) and it sounded amazing.
I'd also be intersted in hearing your thoughts about other fun pieces you have worked on if this indeed your level. Thanks!
In listening to the choices in level 4 these are the ones I really like. Right now I'm leaning towards those I've underlined and will see what my teacher says:
List A: Fantasia in E Minor, March in D Major (I found I like almost all of list A choices but these are my favorites)
List B: Sonatina in G Major Op. 36, No.2, III movement (Clementi), Sonatina in F Major op. 168, no. 1, I movement (Diabelli) (I also like many of the list B choices)
List C: DreamCatcher (Crosby), The Wild Horseman op. 68, no.8 (Schumann) (I found I didn't really like many of these choices but these sounded really nice and completely different.
Studies: Study in C Major, DragonFly
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Finally, one more note (are you all sick of me yet!). This is much faster doing this on the computer (vs. my phone which is usually how I respond to notes)
Thanks to all the well wishers: LAIN, PaperClip, CasinItaly, SeanC!
Now back to playing!
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Joined: May 2011
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My achievement of the week is getting to play an acoustic on the weirdest places I could imagine. That sounds like so much fun! Good for you for having the nerve to do this!
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 613
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Playing Tiersen pieces on a piano that stands in the middle of a street, with sunset before me was really beautiful. That's an interesting performance setting. Congratulations on your outdoor debut!
"You are the music while the music lasts" - T.S. Eliot
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The Canon arrangement is from a level 4 Faber book. I think I recorded one good enough to put on my web link, I'll try to post it this weekend. The recording never sounds quite right. I think my camera has audio leveling or something because the quiet/loud section have the same volume.
Piano obsession started November 2010. Ragtime Butcher Kayserburg U123 ![[Linked Image]](https://www.pianoworld.com/ABF_Medals/medal_c_1.jpg)
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The Canon arrangement is from a level 4 Faber book. I think I recorded one good enough to put on my web link, I'll try to post it this weekend. The recording never sounds quite right. I think my camera has audio leveling or something because the quiet/loud section have the same volume. You have a beautiful piano, sir.
"You are the music while the music lasts" - T.S. Eliot
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Bessel: Clementi's Sonatina. I bet it sounds awesome. I noticed there is one in my new book. It is Sonatina in G Major (Op. 36, no. 2, movement III). Is this the one you have worked on? I really like how it sounds I think I'll try this as one of my pieces for the exam.
Yes, that's the one... it's a nice piece when played well. I'll let you know when I get there, but it's gonna be a while. BTW, since this is a "grade 4" piece, I think I just learned that I must be at about a "grade 3" level, in whatever grading scheme that is.
Started playing: February 2011. Still having fun.
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I will be very curious to see what you think about it and how much you enjoy it (or not).... I will let you know. Already decided what I will be calling it if I find it disagreeable.... "Poupee Piece" sounds too good to pass up lol Well, I'm guessing at how you are going to pronounce Poupee....I forgot the accent Poupée (Poup-AY) .......But really, once I got into it, I found it a really great piece for the dynamics and the moods it flows through. I think you'll find it intriguing. ZOECALGARY: I wanted to order Vol 17 - Easy Classics to Moderns and Vol27 More Easy Classics to Moderns. Sadly, I have to say what I actually ORDERED and received was just "Classics to Moderns/More Classics to Moderns" which are VERY different books. The covers are almost identical, which I think is a bit cheeky - and the price is surprisingly close, even though Vol 17 and 27 are MUCH bigger books. They arrived yesterday and as I was going through them I noticed alot of pieces I already have, and I couldn't find (for example) In Church, which JimF got me curiuos about, and was part of the reason I wanted the books. I realized that my confusion came from looking at the American Amazon site which shows the table of contents and the British site which has slightly different versions. Fortunately the co.uk site does have the versions I want, and yes, I can return the ones I accidentally ordered. I'm not playing Canon in D, though it is probably my all time favourite piece of music. I love it. it is on my to-play list for sure!
Last edited by casinitaly; 09/29/11 02:43 AM.
18 ABF Recitals, Order of the Red Dot European Piano Parties - Brussels, Lisbon, Lucern, Milan, Malaga, St. Goar Themed recitals: Grieg and Great American Songbook
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Hi,
The best discovery of this week is about memorizing pieces.
The memorizing techinque that was used by Walter Gieseking, who had
a huge repertoire, seems to be fantasic. Learning the prelude and fugue by heart seems a piece of cake.
Maybe I have added some things to the method and improved it a bit.
But it looks like - you play the piece in your head, on your imaginary instrument and imaginary keyboard. In this state your memory is connected directly to to the piece. You can do it even without the piano. Later, at the same time while practising or performing, you also play at the inner instrument. Playing in your head creates a strong musical connection with the piece. Also there is no problem of losing text etc.
Have you tried this, what do you think?
GL
Jaak
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My achievement of the week is getting to play an acoustic on the weirdest places I could imagine. Since I am in a process of returning an upright, and the seller repeatedly rescheduled the return, we had to move the upright multiple times.
Playing Tiersen pieces on a piano that stands in the middle of a street, with sunset before me was really beautiful. This reminds me of when I was in the market for a new piano. I went to visit a local piano refinisher whose workshop and storage area is a three-car garage behind his house. It is filled with pianos in various stages of restoration, as well as a few new ones. The one I wanted to try was not easily accessible, so he opened the garage door and wheeled it outside into his driveway. I spent almost an hour with it, playing in the beautiful summer evening, and in the back of my mind wondering what his neighbors thought of the whole thing. What a strange experience, but I loved it ... and loved the piano. That's the one I eventually bought. P.S. I hope you get your refund on the piano and are able to buy one that is what you want.
Mary Bee Current mantra: Play outside the box.![[Linked Image]](https://www.pianoworld.com/moyd14/MOYD_01234.gif) ![[Linked Image]](https://pianoworld.com/ABF_Medals/medal_c_2.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://pianoworld.com/ABF_Medals/20xmedals.jpg) XVI-XXXVI
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