What pieces are you currently working on at the moment? How long does it take you to learn pieces ?

I’m currently working on Schubert Impromptu op.90 no.4 in A flat. Going really well very repetitive which is a good thing. Just need to get the middle section with the chords down. I have the complete impromptus and moment musical which are just beautiful.

I haven't been practicing much because I am still recovering from wrist surgery. I really wanted to revive Brahms' opus 119 for the Brahms/Schumann class at the VCM summer academy. Unfortunately, most of the pieces require large stretches which I still can't do without pain. I also wanted to perform the Schubert/Liszt "Gretchen am Spinnrade" but the pinkie work hurts. This morning, my hand surgeon told me to be patient.

I can play non-demanding music so for therapy, I've been learning the 3rd movement Bach's keyboard concerto in G minor BWV 1058. I've also been reviving the 2nd movement of Beethoven Opus 54. Both require good articulation but allow me to keep my hand spread small most of the time. I'm also still polishing the first movement of Mendelssohn's sonata Opus 6.

I usually come to camp with more pieces prepared. This summer I'll be doing less practicing and playing and more listening.

Predominantly, Montagues and Capulets from Romeo and Juliet.... Chopin nocturne 55 1, and trying to keep a couple of things in good shape (Rach Elegie and Albeniz Evocacion)I really can’t answer ‘how long’ as the pieces come and go and I love working on them forever after they are ‘decent’. The longer I play them, the more I discover.

The answer to that really depends upon
- how difficult the piece is
- how long the piece is
- whether the piece uses specific techniques that need more work
- on what is meant by "learn" - i.e. play reasonably well from the score, or memorized and ready for public performance.

These are all variables which make a single answer based on a time frame elusive.

Regards,

Right now I'm working on the 1913 version of the Rachmaninoff 2nd Sonata. Currently I'm memorizing and bringing the 1st movement up to tempo.

I started working on it at the end of December. I started with the 3rd movement which I worked on until the 1st/2nd week of February where I felt I could play though the whole thing from memory 2/3rds 3/4ish tempo. Then, I started the 1st movement right after I stopped working on the 3rd and I think might get to where I left off the 3rd movement by the end of this month. Then I'm hoping the 2nd movement will go quite a bit faster because it's shorter and less physically demanding. So, maybe the sonata will be done in...July?

That said, on a good week I probably clock in no more than 5 hours these days, so I'm not too upset with it taking so long. It's a leisure project.

Vladimir Horowitz - Czerny Variations "Ricordanza" on a theme by Rode (live 1945)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDDGEXU8O9A

I love that piece!

Just finished submitting a piece to the recital so not working on anything especially challenging. At the moment going back to the Sarabande (slow movement) from Bach's French Suite #3 in Bm that I've heard a recording performed by Keith Jarrett in 1985. Worked on the piece a few years ago on an old piano and didn't get a good recording. Including the 2 repeats would take around 4m and 2m without the repeats. Getting the notes together would take less than a week hopefully.

I've been recently relearning Ravel's Ondine from scratch, which I learned in college some years ago but was never able to play with 100% technical assurance. Currently trying to determine the most efficient hand movements for the descending right hand 3rds/4ths/5ths passage just before the climax.

Chopin Scherzo #3 C Sharp Minor, op.39
Have been working on it for months, progress is very slow.

I've had to take a break since March, but I'm due to resume in a couple of weeks, which is much later than I initially expected. When I last played, it was Ravel's Gaspard de la Nuit, Miroirs, Gubaidulina's Chaconne, and Schumann's 3rd Sonata.

When I return, my priority will be Gaspard and the Schumann sonata. I know the Gubaidulina well, but it needs a lot of work, so I might leave Miroirs for later. I don't play any of them well BTW.

My hands seem to like Ravel more than Schumann. The Gubaidulina wasn't too bad apart from a couple of passages that I find almost unplayable. Other people manage though...

I've been thinking about learning the Gubaidulina and think I know what passages you're talking about...great piece, though.

I think you would play the Gubaidulina very well.

The next thing I'm going to do is fill a large hole in my rep and learn some Chopin. I don't have any of his larger scale works, just stuff like etudes, polonaises, and maybe one or two preludes. Just never really connected with that much of Chopin when I was younger, but I think I'm going to learn the 4th ballade over the next few months.

Just now 'putting the clear coat' on Bach's Partita #4 in D. My last "biggie" was all of the Goldberg Variations, which took about 2 years. Next will be another Partita. Three down, three to go of those.

Nice work! I love the Goldberg Variations and saw Angela Hewitt perform them not long ago. She’s playing the Toccatas and the English Suites 1-3 next week.

It is certainly a dream of mine to play Bach. I’d be happy with some of the easier inventions, anything, actually.

Thanks. You're so lucky being at a place where you get to see someone like her playing them. To me, the Goldbergs are like perfect, exquisite little gems. Being written for a double manual harpsichord does make for a bit of a challenge though on a single keyboard. Enjoy next week's recital, you lucky duck!

I'm currently working on some etudes by Chopin and Rachmaninoff. It is sometimes difficult to judge whether it's better to let something rest for a bit or keep practicing it everyday to get that last 10%. Last week I got news that one of my favorite pianists will be in the country in August, and she used to arrange those music salons where people would come and play things according to a pre-determined or a free theme. I'm looking forward to perform some of those works so that gives me an incentive to work on getting them polished by then.

What I've been thinking about recently is my hesitancy to learn a large-scale work. I think, technically, I could manage something like a Chopin Scherzo with some practice, but I don't feel like I'd be up for the challenge of performing it to such a great level that I'd allow myself to do that. It is kind of weird working on a lot of etudes for a long time though, I'll give you that. I love the music so much, and I love overcoming the challenges, but I want to jump head first into a bigger project. I think part of the problem for me is the lack of performance opportunities; if I were to learn a large-scale work I'd want to play it for someone to be honest. It's actually sad how little music there is where I live, and how little anyone cares about classical music

Well then you should feel proud to bring the music to people that have been less exposed to it After all, you wouldn't know about Chopin unless someone exposed you to his music right? Don't let the pressure of a large work overwhelm you. Maybe someone will get just as much joy from hearing something small like a mazurka? Op 67 no 4?

I wish that was the case. No one even bothers to listen I show them something on youtube or even play a passage and half way through it they're on their phone, sometimes even making a phone call lol. And it's not that I want the attention, but when a certain passage is so passionate or dramatic or even playful, I want to show them that but no one cares enough to listen for more than a minute. And I take my time to explain the music and tell them that this may require some attention from them but it's just futile so I sort of gave up on that hahaha. That's why I'm excited about the music salon in August... I get to spend time with the few people in my country who actually love music.

Anyway, rant over

Two concert programs:

Clarinet/Viola/Piano:
-Mozart Kegelstatt Trio
-Bruch 8 Pieces, Nos. 3, 6, and 7
-Gordon Jacob Trio

Viola/Piano:
-Helene Fleury Fantaisie
-Aleksandr Winkler 2 Pieces, Op. 31
-Glazunov Elegie
-Winkler Sonata, Op. 10