Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Grieg recital: Proposal.....

I have that edition. It lets you get the C by swinging your hand using the thumb as a pivot and striking the C with 2. The problem is that if you pedal on G#, you lose the octave. For that part I found that I can get at the C with my right hand. You're arpeggiating here. So I can play the two E's with my LH and hold them, grab C with my RH and play the A - G# with middle fingers. Later on I saw someone do exactly that.

The problem comes with the B. I cannot reach that B with either hand, and letting go of the octave weakens the effect. I heard one performance by Richter, and the E octave droning on and on into infinity has a huge effect.

So I've been playing with the things I've mentioned. Did Grieg have humungous hands?

I misunderstood what you meant about the top E - thought you weren't playing it.

I wonder if Richter used the sostenuto pedal which would work well here? Don't have one on my piano of course ...

I looked it up and found this:
Sustenuto

I have a digital piano. It does have a middle pedal but I suspect that it doesn't really function like the real thing. (Hm?)

Edit: It works. You play a note and press the sustain after playing it and that note holds, while anything you play after that behaves like normal un-held notes. Thanks, Andy.

It probably is. An upright's third pedal if it has one is 99% likely to be a "practice" pedal (a couple of upright models have sostenuto) but since a practice pedal on a digital is about as useful as a hole in the head, it just has to be a sostenuto pedal. Easy to try. Hold a key down, press the pedal, let go of the key. It should still sound. Now play a staccato note - it should immediately die.

By the way, playing with the pedal for this arpeggio would take a lot of practice to get right. But I'm sure Richter would have been able to manage somehow. Of course, he might have been using his nose for some notes ... that man had genius flowing out of him!

Cross-posted. I added an edit. It does indeed work like one. Thanks again. Btw, the nose technique sounds promising.

I happen to have a particularly pointy elbow...this post gives me ideas.

[cross-posted]

The miracle of a digital piano is that you can have three pedals including a real sostenuto pedal, yet the piano takes no more space than an upright. I agree with Andy that I would expect your middle pedal to work as a real sostenuto pedal: sustaining the notes that are already depressed at the time you depress the middle pedal.

My upright has a fake sostenuto pedal for its middle pedal: it lifts the dampers on just the notes lower than Eb3 (the Eb in the middle of the bass clef). This often suffices for what I need with a real sostenuto pedal: to sustain some bass notes while higher notes are moving. But not always. For example, if I play any further notes below Eb3, they will also be sustained, since the pedal is just lifting the dampers, not executing any complicated mechanism to catch just the original notes. And of course I can't get a sostenuto effect on notes above D3.

My upright's behaviour is, I believe, typical for uprights with a middle pedal that is not a practice pedal. There are a few high-end uprights that have a true sostenuto pedal. I long for one of these. Except then of course I would start to long for a true una corda pedal. Clearly the only solution is to get a bigger house that can fit a grand.

After listening to about half a dozen pieces that is the one that I felt I could learn given the time constraints, according to the Henle editions this piece is about a level 4, which is probably around my current level. Given the fact that currently working on Chopin's Waltz in A minor post, I thought this piece would be just be enough of a challenge. Hopefully, it won't be to much for me to play reasonably well, but I am not at all familar with this piece and was looking for some advice on whether this would be a good choice or not.

I `ve started on mine. The very first notes involve a LH 10 note stretch . . . Who`s idea was Greig? Ha ha I think we`ll have fun on this one . . .I`ve had a peek at others. Not easy are they?
Good luck you guys!

Andy - good idea to remind us we should say which piece we're playing!

(um....edited to add in : I'm playing Op12 N3, Watchman's Song)

I am really just at the "figuring out the notes" stage - several places where there are four note chords, which I'm not very used to (yet!).

I'm wondering if it is "cheating" to play the 32nd not arpeggios with my right hand, as it has nothing else to do in those bars

My right is more flexible than my left (though I'm left handed!).... I'll have to get my teacher to show me how to roll through them. I have an idea of what you mean Andy, but I haven't really had to do it yet, so it is another "new for me" skill to learn.

I'm already really delighted with how rich and full the music sounds - it is quite delicious!

Redistributing the notes to the other hand isn't cheating, if that's easier, do it! I do that all the time.

Well now, that's encouraging!

Rostosky I hate to do this to you, but I discussed the recital with my teacher (the mighty LuAnn), and she wants me to switch to 57/2 "Gade". So that will free up 12/8, which is one of the easier one-page pieces if anyone wants it. I'll keep 71/3 as my second piece if available.

Sam

Just in case my post was lost just before the last list was updated, I'd like to reserve Op. 38/1, Berceuse, if no-one else takes it as a main choice.

Thank you.

I believe they're meant to be played in the RH, Cheryl. They're just written in the bass clef.

Redistribution of notes between the hands is one of the first things I do when I finally take a piece to the piano. It's not cheating. Think how a play-by-ear pianist would do it!

Can I give up my first choice, for 12/8

Really sorry for messin' you about Rossy, 'rushed into a decision, and wanna stick with Op.38 No.2 (This one is funny, makes me smile lol, although harder than I thought pmsl )

Here is todays updated/swapped/messed around by wayne and finally corrected list that is the current state of affairs that nobody can get confused with or change their minds again at list:

(Regardless of how cute your teachers name appears to be)

The dog eating the score is also not an excuse, the "A" in ABF implies a slight amount of grown-up-ness/maturity?

In other words seperate from english humour "dudes. and dudettes sort your selves out and stop swapping.

Except say if someone gives up their piece to allow someone else to take part who couldnt otherwise cos everything left is too hard for them.

Thats called " a noble swap" all this other business, is what we call in the uk : Liszting towards the shambolic"


Anyways the updated liszt:

OPUS 12
No. 1, Arietta : AimeeO
No. 2, Vals (Waltz):Saranoya.
No. 3, Vektersang (Watchman's song, after Macbeth):casinitaly
No. 4, Alfedans (Elves' dance); Ladychen
No. 5, Folkevise (Popular melody): Andy Platt.
No. 6, Norsk (Norwegian melody)
No. 7, Albumblad (Albumleaf)
No. 8, Fedrelandssang (National song)


Book II, Op. 38 (composed 1883 except where noted; published 1883):

No. 1, Berceuse
No. 2, Folkevise (Folk-song)Wayne
No. 3, Melodi (Melody) SwissMS
No. 4, Halling (Dance)
No. 5, Springdans (Spring dance)[1]
No. 6, Elegi (Elegy):Recaredo.
No. 7, Vals (Waltz, originally composed 1866; revised 1883)
No. 8, Kanon (Canon, composed ca. 1877-8?; revised 1883)



Book III, Op. 43 (composed probably 1886; published 1886; ded. Isidor Seiss):

No. 1, Sommerfugl (Butterfly) :Beric.
No. 2, Ensom vandrer (Solitary traveller)
No. 3, I hjemmet (In my homeland)allard
No. 4, Liten fugl (Little bird)
No. 5, Erotikk (Erotikon): Peterws
No. 6, Til våren (To spring)


Book IV, Op. 47 (composed 1886-8 except where noted; published 1888):

No. 1, Valse-Impromptu
No. 2, Albumblad (Albumleaf)
No. 3, Melodi (Melody)
No. 4, Halling
No. 5, Melankoli (Melancholy)stumbler
No. 6, Springtanz (Spring dance,[1] composed 1872?; revised 1888)
No. 7, Elegi (Elegy)


Book V, Op. 54 (composed 1889-91; published 1891; Nos. 1-4 later orchestrated as Lyric Suite):

No. 1, Gjetergutt (Shepherd's boy)
No. 2, Gangar (Norwegian march)ZRTF90
No. 3, Trolltog (March of the Dwarfs) Rossy: oh deary me what have I done?
No. 4, Notturno : Dipsey.
No. 5, Scherzo
No. 6, Klokkeklang (Bell ringing): Sinophilia.


Book VI, Op. 57 (composed 1890?-3; published 1893):

No. 1, Svundne dager (Vanished days)
No. 2, Gade ;SAMS.
No. 3, Illusjon (Illusion)pianostudent88
No. 4, Geheimniss (Secret)
No. 5, Sie tanzt (She dances)
No. 6, Heimweh (Homesickness)ragnhildK


Book VII, Op. 62 (composed 1893?-5; published 1895):

No. 1, Sylfide (Sylph)
No. 2, Takk (Gratitude)
No. 3, Fransk serenade (French serenade)
No. 4, Bekken (Brooklet)
No. 5, Drømmesyn (Phantom)Pavel.K
No. 6, Hjemad (Homeward): Dire tonic.


Book VIII, Op. 65 (composed 1896; published 1897):

No. 1, Fra ungdomsdagene (From early years): Morodiene.
No. 2, Bondens sang (Peasant's song)
No. 3, Tungsinn (Melancholy)
No. 4, Salong (Salon)
No. 5, I balladetone (Ballad):Rupak.
No. 6, Bryllupsdag på Troldhaugen (Wedding Day at Troldhaugen): Ganddalf.


Book IX, Op. 68 (composed 1898-9; published 1899; Nos. 4 and 5 were orchestrated in 1899):

No. 1, Matrosenes oppsang (Sailor's song):ElleC
No. 2, Bestemors menuet (Grandmother's minuet)
No. 3, For dine føtter (At your feet)
No. 4, Aften på højfjellet (Evening in the mountains): Limefriday.
No. 5, Bådnlåt (At the cradle)
No. 6, Valse mélancolique (Melancholy waltz)


Book X, Op. 71 (composed and published 1901):

No. 1, Det var engang (Once upon a time)
No. 2, Sommeraften (Summer's eve):FARMGIRL
No. 3, Småtroll (Puck)
No. 4, Skogstillhet (Peace in the woods):VALENCIA.
No. 5, Halling
No. 6, Forbi (Gone)Keystring
No. 7, Etterklang (Remembrances):dynamobt.



And if they are not taken by others , then we have second choices of:
Valencia (57.1)
Saranoya (47.2)
Morodiene ( 71.5)
Ganddalf (68.5)
Limefriday (71.1)
Dipsey ( 47.3)
Ladychen (38.4)
Peterws (47.6)
SamS (71.3)
Beric (43.6)
SwissMS (38.7)
Dire tonic (68.3)
ragnhildK (43.2)
ZRTF90; (38.1)

I've only done a tiny bit of re-distribution - in a Schumann piece I started a few weeks ago. It was for a chord that was (for me) physically impossible to play!

Your logic of a play-by-ear pianist's approach makes sense. I don't do much playing-by-ear so it didn't seem obvious to me right off the bat.

Thanks Richard!

Sorry to be difficult again, but eh ... the 'Album Leaf' I have in my Carl Fischer book is actually not the one I thought it was (it's a typo in the book: it says it's opus 47/2, but it's actually opus 12/7).

So ... could I change my second choice? Please?