the rach 3 - and how I am approaching it

Mike - How are you?

Here's what I'm doing to get ready for the Rach 3:

It's all about outlining it - in terms of Tonality.

I'm going through and making note of what Key each section is in.

Then I practice that Scale - before tackling each section.

That Is How I'm Gonna Do It - All The Way Through  - first.

What do you think - Mike?

I only spend about 10 mintes at a time - several times a day - if I can.

That works for me - for now.

Mike - the Rach 3 is Really hard - but the Melody - the main theme  - is soooo Beautiful -

and haunting



And you have to learn it all if you want to play this beautiful Melody - That's The Rule - Mike.

on practicing scales

Mike - I mentioned on my stidh Blog today that I was going to use
Hanon and scales in preparing to study the Rach 3.

Well - I started playing Scales today - Mike - and I see that the thing for
me to do - all this week - is to work on variations of Scale Study.

For one thing  - I once collected 7 quotes about Playing Scales - from
different pianists/composers:

~Van Cliburn - For the first 10 minutes I play scales, slowly.
Listen to the sounds you make.  The sound of each tone will
generate a response in you.  It will give you energy.

~Carl Czerny - Do you ask me how good a player you will become?
Then tell me how much you practice ce the scales.

~Josef Hofmann - I consider the practice of scales important not only for the fingers,
but also for the discipline of the ear with regard to the feeling of
tonality (key), understanding of intervals, and the comprehension of
the total compass of the piano.

~Jan Paderewski - Give special study to passing the thumb under the hand and
passing the hand over the thumb.  This makes the practice of scales and arpeggios
indispensable.

~Arthur Rubinstien - Scales should never be dry.  If you are not interested in them,
work with them until you do become interested in them.

~Sergei Rachmaninoff - I believe this matter of insisting upon a thorough technical
knowledge, particularly scale playing, is a very vital one.  The mere ability to play a
few pieces does not constitute musical proficiency.

~Robert Schumann - You must diligently practice all scales.


Mike - I not only know who all of these pianists/composers are - but I completely
understand their advice about scales - and some of them I can relate through from
my past study of piano.

That is why I have decided to use Scales this next week - as I officially begin
to study the Rach 3.

We'll see what happens.

Thanks - Mike

chopin knew

Mike - Chopin may have only written for Piano - But He Knew What Love Was.

And we have George Sand to thank for that.

Because they Loved Each other.

And if she hadn't Loved Him - we might never have had his Amazing Melodies
to Thrill to.

So Thank You George Sand.











and Liszt was at his funeral











I wish I could have known  Frederic Chopin - I may put him on my no hit list.

Chopin and his melodies

Mike -  It keeps coming back to my Mind - Chopin's Melodies.

Sure - he was a Brilliant Composer for Piano - in every sense of the word.

But when I listen to his Music - it is his So Stunningly Beautiful and Haunting
Melodies that grab me and - well - that is all I have to say about that.
~~~

I have started working - not a lot though - on Technique in preparing myself to
Play the Rach 3.  I am using Chopin's Etudes - and for sure I'm gonna do Scales -
and of course Hanon.

I'll keep you updated on that - Mike.
~~~

Do you have any imput on Chopin's Melodies - Mike?

mozart Really was a genius : ]

I just got done reading through Mozart's Sonata in Cm - KV 457.

And the reason I was thinking all the time that Mozart Really was
a Genius - is not that this was the Sonata that I like the Best - but

THAT IT IS SO HARD.

I wouldn't even waste my time trying to learn it.

And I most likely won't even Touch it again.


IT IS JUST TOO HARD.



But here is why the Sonata in Cm made me think of how Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
is a Genius:



Because - folks - if he can Write Something That Hard - then he f*ing has to be a Genius.







but he still took time out of his busy life of Being  A Genius to Party -
and get women.  : [










Mozart was no dummy

Hanon/Chopin Etudes

One of my commenters - Mike - asked me what I thought about Hanon.

Now for those of you who don't play the Piano - and have never heard of
Hanon - this is a book of Really Good exercises to use for developing
technique in Piano Playing.

So after Mike mentioned Hanon - I got my Hanon book out this morning and
thought about it.

And here's the conclusion I came to:


Sure Hanon is good - but why prepare for playing the Rach 3 with mere finger
exercises - that are devoid of Great Melodies and Passion - when you can make
use of Chopin's Etudes - and have more fun doing it.

Now recently I went through Chopin's Etudes and told which ones I felt were
not true 'studies' for the Piano.  These should be avoided in using Chopin's
Etudes for Study - because it is too tempting to try and Play them for their
Wonderful Greatnes and Overwhelming Beauty.

So what I intend to do - is to go through the Chopin Etudes again - and find
out which ones I should work on for technique - and which ones I should avoid.

The Rach 3 probably won't be here until next week - so I can use the time now
to have a game plan for technique.

Mike - what do you think?

going over the dream recital program

Mike - I'm going to start going over The Dream Recital - but not
necessarily in the Order that I give them here on my Classical Piano
Seminar Blog.

I'll start with Bach's Prelude In CM no. 1:


Just this morning - in fact a few minutes ago - I sat down to play the Prelude
in CM and it all came together for me .

In performing this - or just playing it alone or for Someone Special - I would
first play it through with no Pedal - trying not to put in any Dynamics.

Why - because I believe that Bach's Music - as I have said before - is
Pure and Perfect. 

The Notes Are All You Need - Really.

The Music I have is marked Allegro - but I would try not to Play it too fast - the
first time - as to really listen to the Melody Line (the Consistant Half Notes in the Left Hand)
and - of course- the Harmonies. The only Variation in Tempo would be the Last
Two Measures when there is a Broadening Feeling.

For the Second Time - I would use Pedal  - and I like the Dynamic Markings in
the Music I have - so I would pretty much follow those -  but mostly I would just
Let Myself Express How I Feel About This Amazing Work of Johann Sebastian Bach.


Thanks Mike.


What do you think?

piano duets

Ever Play Duets On The Piano?

I Have.

It's An Exhilarating Experince Let Me Tell  Ya.

My sister and I had this duet book of Beethoven's Fifth transcribed
for piano - duets.   Talk about fun.  We would sit there for hours and
pound that big old dark brown upright until Beethoven would roll over
sit up and yell Enough already.

So one day last year I meet a guy who claims he once played duets with
my Sister.  I haven't seen him since - but just in case I bought a couple of
duet books - one of which is a transcription of Mozart's Eine kleine nacht
music.  : ]

Just in case.

You know what would really be fun?

Playing duets written for TWO PIANOS.

I've seen it happen.







who knows - maybe someday....








I wonder if there's a duet trasnscription of the Rach 3?    : ]









P.S.  I said a prayer for ya Z - I hope you are ok.

T

vittorio rieti

This morning I sat down to play something on the Piano.

And since Bach was sitting there I opened the Book up and
tried to Play a Prelude and Fugue - but it just wasn't working
for me.

So I turned to my Twentieth Century Book of Major Composers
by Denes Agay - and up came Invenzione from 'Six Short Pieces'
by Vittorio Rieti.

Now I've never even heard of Vittorio Rieti - let alone played any
of his Compositions - but since it didn't look that hard and it was only two
pages long  - I gave it a Shot.

Now this Invenzione is Amazing - folks. 

I mean by the time it was over I felt as if I had Entered into the Realm
of a New World where Time and Space didn't even Exist.

There was a Dissonent Beauty in this Invenzione that Transcended even
that of the most Beautiful Works of Beethoven Himself.


So I'm thinkin' Who Is This Guy?

I quickly googled Vittoiro Rieti - but  to my dismay he had died in 1994 -


on my birthday.


I have to admit to feeling more than a little sadness - until I thought:


BUT LOOK WHAT HE LEFT BEHIND.


Sure I'll never meet Vittiorio Rieti face to face - in this Lifetime - but
I can Invite Him Into My Living Room by playing this Wonderful
Piece of Music - any time I want.




thank you vittorio rieti












But then I thought - ok maybe it's too late for me to meet
vittorio rieti - and talk to him - but it's not too late to talk to
Others - that are still Very Much Alive.












and that thought gave me Hope - and maybe Hope is not for Losers
after all -  I'm not Really sure though

bach in outer space

The  Prelude and Fugue in Cm No.1 in Book II of Johann
Sebastian Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier are not by any
shot my Favorites.

They are just very Special to me.

Because they are Somewhere Out There in Outer Space.

What am I talking about?

I read a couple of years ago that Carl Sagan chose Bach's
Prelude & Fugue in Cm Book II to represent Our World Of
Music - to send up in the Voyager Spacecraft in 1977.

If if Aliens should stumble upon the Voyager - as it is hoped - perhaps upon
hearing Bach's Most Pure and Perfect Music - just maybe They will say:


Let's Give These Folks Antother Chance.


And just maybe they won't Obliterate us into Nothingness.













personally I think we desreve another chance - and get it right this time













that's what I hope

crossing the bridge and opening the door that leads to a new world

Charles Edward Ives.

Mike:   Wow.  I just happened to take a few minutes to play through a
couple of Easy Pieces in my Twentieth Century Piano Book - and I
chose first Lento from 'The Five Fingers' by Igor Stravinsky and then
Vivo - also from 'The Five Fingers by Stravinsky. 

Then I thought - maybe there are Others. 

And then I saw It.

THE  ATCOTTS  from Charles Ives Second (Concord) Piano Sonata.

Now - Mike - I've never given a thought to Charles Ives before today - but
I've heard his name.

Here is what got my attention:

NO   TIME   SIGNATURE

You know what that means - Mike.

When I really have a chance to explore this Piece from Ives Second Piano
Sonata - there will be no restriction on me - as far as the Time goes.

Sure I know that I'll have to follow Other rules that Charles Ives has set
down here:

~note values

~dynamic markings

~the simple suggestions he gives (in English) to help me get through this:

@ moderately

$ faster

% in a gradually excited way

& l.h. (crossover)

* accel.

# slower

^ faster but lightly

+ slower and quietly

= hold back a little

` a little faster

! ten.

o a tempo

( gradually more animated

)Maestoso

\ piu rall.

| dim.e rit.

" slower

] go for it (that one is Mine)


You see Mike - Charles Ives is the Key to a Better World - one into which
I intend to Enter - but really it's all about the Timing.


Am I excited?




You Bet I Am.


Why I feel just like Ed Bloom (the younger) when he realizes That
Although The Big Fish Had Been There In Front of Him All Along -
He Just Knew That All He Had To Do Is Reel It In - but carefully so
that it doesn't slip off of the hook...

the last movement of Ravel's Sonatine

3.  Animated

~9 pages

~The Third Movement of Ravel's Sonatine begins in 3 sharps -
in the second to last page it lapses shortly into no sharps and
flats - and the Grand Finale is in 6 sharps.

~The dynamics range from pp to fff.

~Some of the features in the The Third Movement are:

o predominant use of sixteenth notes

o accent marks to indicate the melody line

o a brief reminder by the composer of the first movement

o a fascinating touch at the very end  - tie marks leading to nowhere


Recap:

The first movement is most easily playable for me.

The second movement - beautiful.

But it is in the third movement where Ravel steps up and says:

I composed this really great Sonatine.





and what are ya gonna do about it anyway?







I will be back with the Scriabin when I figure out what it is.








Thanks Mike.

the works by Ravel and Scriabin that I have studied

Mike:

I will start with Ravel because I was able to find the Piece that I
learned  in College - although it is a shame that I don't have the
one that I had originally had with all the markings - but that's
water under the Bridge - isn't it.

About Scriabin - I'm having trouble even identifying which one
it is becasue I can't remember it - although after googling him -
I'm quite certain that it is one of his Poemes.  I'll work on tracking
it down and get back to you to that one.
~~~

One of the Pieces that I played for my Senior Recital - and what a
joke that was folks - is Ravel's Sonatine.

Ravel's Sonatine is in Three Movements.

1,  Moderate - gentle and expressive

 ~this movement begins in 3 sharps and ends in 6 sharps

~because most of the measures contain 32nd notes it gives
the appearance of being fast

~the dynamic markings range from ppp (at the end) to ff at one
point - but in general it is meant to be soft - mild sounding

~there are slight tempo changes that keep it from being boring

As I recall this first movement was the one I played the best out
of the Three.

2.  The second movement is in the style of a Minuet.

~it is in 5 flats

~again Ravel goes anywhere from ppp to forte at the end

~Ravel really gives us a workout in this movement - going from
the 5 flats on the first page - to 3 sharps for three lines - then back
to 5 flats for three lines -  four sharps for two lines - and then makes
up his mind and the last four measures are definitely in 5 flats.  : ]

~the tempo marking indicates that Ravel wants the last four measures
played 'very slow'  and even slower in the last two measures - at which
time he doens't segue into the third movement - but rather 'holds.'


takin' a break here before the last movement - whew.

Ravel and Scriabin

It is of the Essence that I discuss these two Composers - more for me
than for Mike or anyone else that may read this.

Because these two Composers wrote Music that is unarguably -
Difficult and Complex.

Yet I  - who was not good enough to be in Piano Performance -
was able to Play a couple of their very Difficult and Complex Pieces  -
When I Could Not Even Play Simpler More Doable Works - such
as a f*in' Haydn Sonata (no offense Papa Haydn.)

To me this can only mean one thing:

That although I didn't know it back in College  -  I can see now that I
do have a Very Important Link to Piano - not necessarily as a Concert
Pianist - but there is Something there.

I just have to figure out what it is.

Now it just might have something to do with my Ablilty to Teach.

After all - I was a Piano Teacher - and a Sunday School Teacher -
both for a number of Years. : [

I've always wanted to be a College Professor.

Bingo.

Could it be that Something lies ahead for me now that I live about a half
a mile from the Jacobs School of Music here at Indiana University?

Maybe.

But right now I want to meet Bill Maher.

And I will NOT be able to go on with my Life until I do just that.
~~~



More later on which works of Ravel and Scriabin I have studied.

Evgeny Kissin

Known to me as:

~The Russian

~The only Pianist - of my six cd's that I threw in the trash - who could
Nail the Rach 3

~This guy is Cool Folks

~He was born in 1971 which means he still has his whole life ahead of him

~He has big hands - cause I saw him on u-tube

~He can play the Rach 3 by Memory

~He played it on my CD which I threw in the trash - pure and perfect
whereas Horowitz - my favorite Pianist - killed it with Passion



Evgeny Kissin - Hats off to you Big Guy.



Why might you ask?



Because now I know that I will never play the Rach 3.



~because I could never memorize it

~and no one plays the Rach 3 before an audience with the music

~my fingers are too short

~I'm 66 and there isn't time

~I'm trapped in a marriage that is wrong (or to put it another way
I've fallen and I can't get up)  : ]




Have a great Life - Evgeny Kissin and I'm not in Love with you -
I'm in Love with  :o)







but please tell me one thing - Evgeny Kissin - How The H*ll Do You
Pronounce Your Last Name?

some background on bela bartok and me

My big thick The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of
Music - edited by Don Michael Randel is too hard for
me to get much out of - at least about Bela Bartok - so
I will turn to google to help me out and let me tell
ya folks google has never let me down.


Bela Bartok:

~was a Composer and a Pianist

~was Hungarian

~He died the same year that I was Born

~according to google Bartok is considered to be one of the most
important Composers of the 20th Century

~Bela Bartok and Franz Liszt are the two Greatest Composers for Hungary

~but Bartok and Liszt's Music are so totally different - at least the works that
I am familiar with - when I think of Liszt I think of HARD~as Hard As It Gets -
and wonderfully passionate and beautiful - but when I think of Bartok...well
I'll get to that

~Folk Music is a key word when writing about Bartok

~here's someting interesting:  ethnomusicology.
I actually do not know what that means but google does -
and if you click on ethnomusicology you will get this
simple definition:

the study of social and cultural aspects of music
and dance in local and global contexts

but that is not what we are after here.


I Believe that the Reason I like Bela Bartok's music - besides
that really cool profile picture of him on Wikipedia - is:

The Combination Of Folk Music And The Open Sound
Of  Allegro Barbaro and also Bear Dance from Ten Easy
Pieces

They both have:

~a driving rhythm throughout bringing to mind our own
Native American beginnings

~a dissonance that appeals to me but doesn't turn me off


and both Allegro Barbaro and Bear Dance are playable for me
although AB is harder.


And both  - especially Allegro Barbaro allows me to Beat the Crap
out of my Piano without anyone (and we know who I'm talking about
here) being able to taunt me and saying Sue you are out of control
while all the while hoping that I will lose control and then he can
put me away and say see I'm caring for her
~~~

Tonality is a huge thing in Bartok's music leaving it hard to figure out
which Key his compositions are in and therefore bringing us to the
World of Atonality  - a World in which I have never resided and I'm
not sure I should go there lest I never come back.  :]



That's all for now folks.

Bela Bartok

I am temporarily dumping Bach~Mozart~Beethoven~and Chopin
for Bela Bartok.

I will discuss that further as soon as I clean up after the Creative Toronado
that hit my Study today.  : ]


Anyway - SNL is not on until 11:30 pm ET - so that leaves me about six
hours to Work.



See ya then.






geeiwishihadafrontrowseatatthearlingtontonightsighandpleasebl
besuretobrushthelintoffofyourshirtanddontlethemgiveyaanysh*t
aboutyourbandaid

stidh's dream recital

First I'm going to list all of the Pieces that I have chosen for
for my Dream Recital.  Then I will go over each one of them
and say why I chose them and if I can play them now or in the
future - and what they mean to me.

I've been to enough Piano Recitals that I realize that this would
not be the order in which they would be Played - but I'll talk
about that Last.
~~~

Fur Elise by Ludwig von Beethoven

Nocturne No. 3 in Aflat M by Franz Liszt (Liebestraume)

Prelude in CM No.1 by Johann Sebastian Bach

Partita in Cm (BWV 826)  by Johann Sebastian Bach

Sonata in CM (KV 330) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Sonata in CM Opus 53 by Ludwig von Beethoven

Etude in Aflat M Opus 25 by Frederic Chopin

Etude in C# m Opus 25 by Frederic Chopin

Etude in Cm Opus 10 by Frederic Chopin

Allegro Barbaro by Bela Bartok

another etude that I just know is not an etude

I don't know how I missed this one - but I really Believe that:


Chopin's  Etude in F m Opus 10 No. 9


belongs on the list of stidh's Great Discovery that
claims that Chopin perhaps included in his Book of Etudes a
few Etudes that really do not belong with Real
Etudes.


But then what do I know.


Still - if I found just one more...








then there could be Others.

Bach and Vivaldi Violin Concertos

Mike - I checked in my book Classical Music (The 50 Greatest Composers
and Their 1,000 Greatest Works) by Phil G. Goulding.

He suggests that for someone who is not an expert in Bach to use what
he calls his Bach Starter Kit  in which are included five world-acclaimed
works:

~two orchestral peices

~one organ piece

~two vocal compositions


Now here we are wanting to talk about Bach's Violin Concerto and
this is what Goulding says about that:


Bach's Violin Concerto in D Minor is regarded as one of the best examples
of counterpoint in music and one of Bach's most emotional pieces.  Both
movements are fugue-like, with each of the two violons doing its own thing
as an independent voice.

Here is what caught my attention about that- Mike:

More likely than not People regard Bach's music as non-emotional.
But Goulding writes that Bach's Violin Concerto in D Minor is regarded
as one of the MOST EMOTIONAL PIECES  he wrote.

So I'm thinking that I might want to listen to that when I get a chance.  I've
never heard any violin music by Bach - but I can tell you Mike that I'm going
to check this out when I can.
~~~

Now let's see what Goulding has to say about Vivaldi's Violin
Concertos.  And by the way Mike - when I checked the index
to find the page for Bach Violin works there were much fewer
references for that that I just noticed that there are for Vivaldi -
so that tells you something.

Again Mike - we have the f*ing Starter Kit - well it worked for
Bach so let's see what the Vivaldi Starter Kit has to say:

and what do you know?

Vivaldi wrote Four Violin Concertos which he called
The Four Seasons.  Just like the Four Seasons that we
experience here in the Midwest - Mike.  And I 'm going
to step out on a limb here and say that I see that probably
Vivaldi's Four Seasons Violin Concertos were eventually
transcribed for Piano - and that does not interest me because
I do not go in for substitutions - but rather I am only interested
in the Real thing.  And therefore if I find out that something
was originally written for the Violin - then I refuse to play it
on the Piano.  Know what I mean - Mike?

Goulding lists the four Violin Concertos like this:

Concerto in E (Spring)

Concerto in G Minor (Summer)

Concerto in F (Autumn)

Concerto in F (Winter)

And really - Mike - that's all that Goulding says about Vivaldi's Violin
Concertos - and I'm thinkin' that he only says that because Vivaldi's
Four Season Violin Concertos speak for themselves.
~~~

What other kind of Music do ya like  - Mike?

Chopin Etude in c#m Opus 25 no 7

I want to make something perfectly clear right now:

Although I will be referring to this Etude as the one
that Chopin wrote for me - I have never met Chopin.

The reason I say that Chopin wrote this Etude for me
is that I can play it so well - and so easily.

Except for one small thing.

Well two things really and they aren't really small.

It's about the appoggiaturas - which are the tiny notes
that are meant to be played extremely fast and not only
that but you have to get it right folks.

Now when Chopin was writing this Etude - and I just
know he was thinking about me when he did - he said
Sue can nail this with no problem - but to make things
really interesting for her I'm gonna throw in a couple
appoggiaturas - for the left hand.

I want to say this about appoggiaturas for the left hand.

They are hard folks.  I don't know about anyone else -
but my left hand - when it comes to technique - is
weaker that my right hand.

Here's how I will deal with the really hard part of this
Etude that Chopin threw in there to trip me up:

I will copy the appoggiaturas onto a piece of music
paper  - making the notes bigger - and then see how
it goes from there.

I count 58 little notes in the first appoggiatura and 33
in the second one. 

But that's not all that you have to deal with here.  Because
the right hand has to be taken into account too - and along
with the 58 note appoggiatura you have to fit in six eighth
note chords - in the right places - and four eighth note
chords in the second one.

Just in thinking about it I can hear my left hand
saying already - Sue come on I'm too weak to do this.
But I've not having it - and I shoot back - Shutup -
just shutup.  We can do this so don't give me any of
that 'I'm too weak crap.'

Can I play this Etude?

Absolutely.

But can I play it with the appoggiaturas?

I have no choice - because Chopin wrote this Etude
and if he wanted the appoggiaturas in there - whether
they are there to trip me up or not - then you have to
learn to play them. And if you are not willing to take
the time and effort to do that - or if ultimately you
just cannot do it - then you can't say that you can
play this Etude.


Because folks - you don't wanna fool around with the
Master Composers.













but really isn't appoggiatura a really cool word...







kinda like plutocrat

five Chopin etudes that aren't

Ok Chopin.

It's just you and me now - cause no one reads my Classical Piano
Seminar.

So be honest with me - Chopin.

Didja throw in five etudes that are really not etudes?

And are three of them among the most beautiful pieces of music
ever written?

Which three are they - Chopin?

Let me take a wild f*ing guess.



~The Opus 10 no 3 in EM


~The  Opus 25 no 1 in Aflat M


~The Opus 25 no 7 in C# m



And Chopin - did you throw in two of the most exciting
pieces ever written to try to trip us up - huh didya Chopin?

Did  you think in your brilliant mind - Those people are
so stupid that they'll never see that these two are not
really etudes?

And are these it - Chopin?



~The Opus 10 no 12 in Cm


~The Opus 25 no 11 in Am



What's that you say- Chopin?


I thought so.


But I don't mean to offend.


We are eternally grateful to you for the wonderful piano
music you Composed.


Thank you - Chopin.










by the way I read that Glenn Gould said that he only plays
your music when he's really bored









One Joke - I couldn't resist.

Chopin's Etudes

In this post I am going to Introduce Chopin's Etudes.

But first I would like to say a word about the Henle Edition
of Music.

All of my good music - Bach~Beethoven~Mozart~Chopin -
is found in the Medium-Blue Bound books which are the
Henle Edition.   Maybe there are better editions but for
me Henle is the best.

I have a Henle Edition of Chopin Etudes which is complete:

Opus 10 - which includes 12 Etudes

Opus 25 - also 12 Etudes

and then there are three additional Etudes at the end.
~~~

Today I am going to give a very short summary of each of the
Etudes in Opus 10 and Opus 12 - in my own word (s).
Then starting tomorrow I will discuss all or maybe just some
of them separately.

So here it is - stidh's smart*ss summaries of Chopin's Etudes:
: ]


Opus 10

1.   CM              Easiest

2.    Am             Chromatic

3.    EM             Most Beautiful

4.    C#m           Hard

5.    Gflat M      Brilliant

6.    Eflatm        Doable


7.    CM             Fast and Hard

8.    FM              Nice - and Long

9.     AflatM       Like It


10.   AflatM       No Way


11.   EflatM       Rolled Chords : ]


12.   Cm            Ed Kaiser


Opus 25


1.     AflatM       My Fave


2.     Fm             Maybe


3.      FM            Nice


4.      Am            Hmmm


5.      Em            That's More Like It


6.      BM            Hardest


7.      C#m           you were thinking about me when
                            you wrote this weren't you chopin
                            thanks


8.       DflatM       Fun Stuff  :]


9.       GflatM       Short
 

10.      DM           It's About Octaves


 11.     Am            Most Descriptive (Winter Wind)


12.      Cm            All Over The Place



The Last Three - Not Now

that's it

It's over.

Don't call me a quitter.

Because I'm not a quitter.

But when you are 66 years old and you see that it's not gonna
happen then it's time to move on.

And that's just what I'm gonna do folks.

I know I said that I was going to read through all of the Beethoven Sonatas
in Book II - but I simply don't have the time.

The clock is ticking and I'm going nowhere fast.

I thought this Sonata would be good - but it is not.

I was wrong.

This Sonata only has a couple of possibilities that are simply not
being developed.

It's time to move on - maybe to Chopin.

And a couple of days ago I got the Bartok that I ordered at Barnes &
Noble in the mail - so before I move on to Chopin I'm going to
fool around with Bartok for a while.

But I can assure you folks that I'm getting a little fed up with fooling
around with the wrong person.

It's gonna happen.

Now I want to make it clear that I'm not dumping Beethoven.

I'm simply moving on - to where I believe the Air is Clearer - and
to a Place Where I Really Belong.

Do I know where I'm going?

Yes I do.

I just have to wait for the Timing to be Right.



Often it's just about the Timing.





or sometimes it's about standing in a drizzling rain and
putting your face up to the sky and waiting for the bus







Johnny Depp knows what I'm talking about.

Beethoven's Sonatas 19 & 20

These next two Sonatas from Book II cannot be rated along with the Others.

That is because they are called Leichte Sonatas which means that they were
written by Beethoven specifically for his friends or family.

They are short and they are nice and only have two movements.

I liked the first one - it was pleasant to play - and I had never heard
it before.

The second one I had heard before  - and probably had played at least
parts of it - but I don't like it.

And here's why:

To me it is boring.

When I played it I felt as if my piano teacher was standing over me forcing
me to play it - like a mother forces her child to eat his vegetables.

To me every f*ing note is boring from the first note to the last.


But do I think the second Sonata - and the first one - are Perfect?

Yes - I do.  From the first note to the very last.

Well - Beethoven wrote them - didn't he?
~~~

But before I closed the book I saw which Sonata is next - and I can't wait
until tomorrow to read over it.  I had a piano student when I was still teaching
piano who could have been a Concert Pianist - and when I started 'teaching'
him he had already begun to work on this.  And let me tell you folks - this
Sonata is Good.

And I said more than once that I should have paid him to come and take piano
lessons so great was the enjoyment I got out of just sitting there and listening to him
play.

He's studying for his Doctorate at present - gonna be a Composer.

Sonata in E flalt M Opus 31 No.3

I simply cannot rate this Sonata as a whole.

Now for those who would go to a Classical Piano
Concert performed by a more than competent
Classical Pianist would most likely know ahead of
time what they were in for - in the Sonata in E flat M.

It's just that I didn't know folks.

Ok.  I will rate this Sonata as a whole - and in doing that
I have to say that it is a 9 - way off the top of my chart.

As I finished sturggling - and I mean that in every sense
of the word - through the last movement - the Presto con fuoco -
I wanted to cry for the Joy that Beethoven made me experience
in this masterful piece of work.

I wanted to be at an Opera at the MAC (and not watching La Boheme
for Pete's Sake where you are forced feel depressed) but rather I wanted
to jump to my feet appluading the hardest I had ever applauded in my
Life and shout BRAVO.

or to put it another way - WAY  TO  GO  BEETHOVEN

But when I played the first movement - the Allegro - I have to be Honest
and say that I gave it low marks. Because the only thing that spoke to me
in the first movement was the little theme in the first measure with the dotted
eighth note attacted to a sixteenth note - and of course whenever it reoccurred.
And I also gave this movement points for tripping me up on the little trills -
for instance in measures 194-5, etc.

The second movement - though - gave me Hope and  hint of what might lie
ahead because I thrilled to Beethoven's melody here - which he doles out
teasingly - making us work through the 'fun' stuff - in order to once again
even get a hint of what this Master Composer can really do.

The third movement - the Menuetto (Moderato e grazioso) - just two pages
long and with sections repeated - simply did not turn me on  - but not because
I dare to say that it is not well written - but simply becasue it did not turn me
on.


And so - what did I learn from having read through the Sonata in E flat M
composed by the one and only Ludwig von Beethoven?

It's about Hope.  And not giving up after the first movement just because it
doesn't seem that good.

It's about Bill Clinton - and when I read once that he said:

If you judge a person on their Whole Works - and if you want to believe in
that person - you should stay with them until the End. 

Then you can decide for yourself if you still believe in that Person.


I've always believed in Bill.  One reason is that I believe that in his Heart
he is a good guy.

But mostly I like Bill because he is extremely intelligent.




Anyone want to challenge me on that point?











I didn't think so.

Sonata in Dm Opus 31 No 2

Right off I thought this one is a 5. 

But I am only going to say 4 or 5 because Opus 31 No 2 is only
the second Sonata out of 17 of Beethoven's Book II that I have read
through.  And there could be better ones than this - but I think it may
end up as a 5.

And right off I am going to say that I didn't even touch the third and
last movement - which is the Allegretto - because I could hear it
in all of its perfection just by looking at it.

Beautifully consistent and perfectly Beethoven at his Sonata best - the entire 10 pages are 8th and 16th notes. No abrubt changes in dynamics or tempo - or even key changes - are present.

What we've got here in the Allegretto is Beethoven in a good mood.  Beethoven
saying - Folks look at this.  Here is good composing - maybe not Passionate -
just good.  D*mn Good.



Now let's look at the wonderful and beautiful first movement - the Largo.

The tempo is Cut Time and it begins with a rolled chord - pianissimo.
But it immediately plunges us into Allegro by the thrid measure and
after four measures we are back to another rolled chord, etc.

This is how the first 8 measures look

Largo
Allegro
Adagio
Largo
Allegro

But the first movement is so Beethoven - and doable.


I found the second movement - the Adagio to be equally wonderful but
could not get the full enjoyment of its wonder - because for me the timing
was too difficult.  But still I'm thinking 5.

And to my delight - there were crossover in the second movement. : ]


Now while I excitedly sturggled through the second movement I started
thinking about the Rach 3.  Which really had nothing to do with this
Sonata - as such - but rather I thought about the Sonatas composed by
Beethoven that are so often perfomed and so familiar to us.  And that
folks is the connection to the Rach 3.

You see although I personally deeply love the Rach 3 it is Rachmaninoff's Second
Concerto that was so beloved by the Public - and audiences in general
demanded that performers give this to them.  And rightfully so - since the
main theme is amazingly moving in its content.

And I believe that this is part of the reason that I love the Rach 3 - because
I saw it in such wonderful things that Others didn't.  And I vowed that I
would remain true to the Rach 3 - no matter what anyone said about it.

And so I have.

The problem is - should I go after it?

Does it want me to go after it?  Or if I do commit myself to the Rach 3 -
will I find lasting fullfillment in it?

In my Heart the answer is :

Absolutely.



Because this in 2012  - and I see Others pursuing their dreams - being all that
they want to be.  And so I say to myself - Sue - go for it.

And that's just what I'm gonna do.



as soon as I figure out how


Now everybody knows that the Rach 3 isn't gonna come after me.
It's got other people who can play it - maybe even better than me.
But you know what folks - I am true to the Rach 3 - it is the Core
of my Very Existence - and it always will be.  The Rach 3 will
be the music that I think about with my very last dying thought.  : ]

So my mind is made up.  It's the Rach 3 or nothing.

I've waited this long to play it - I can wait until the time is right.

And I will take it one step at a time - untl I knock down all
the barriers standing in my way.  I'm gonna do it Right - untill there is
nothing Left to stop me.





and if Barack Obama can be President - then well anybody can do anything.

Beethoven's Sonatas - Book II

For the next sixteen days - including today - my Classical Piano Seminar
is going to be about Beethoven's Sonatas - Book II.

I  - stidh - am going to read through all of Beethoven's Sonatas that are
in Book II.  There are a total of seventeen Sonatas in Book II.
I read through the first Sonata yesterday.

And at the end of each day I as going to rate that particular Sonata -
on a scale of 1-5:  with 5 being the best.

But before I do that I want to make something very clear:


THIS IS JUST FOR FUN - I MEAN THE RATING OF BEETHOVEN
SONATAS. 

IN NO WAY DO I ACTUALLY THINK I AM QUALIFIED TO RATE
BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS.

IN FACT I AM NOT EVEN GOOD ENOUGH TO SAY BEETHOVEN'S
NAME.

I CHOOSE TO DO THIS.

FOR FUN.


AND WHAT'S HE GONNA DO ABOUT IT ANYWAY?


AND WHAT'S ANYBODY GONNA DO ABOUT IT?


THIS IS MY BLOG.



But I would absolutely love to have comments and discussion
on Beethoven's Sonatas Book II - and even Book I.




Please.





And just for the record - I rated the first Sonata in Book II a 1.

the goldberg variations

The Goldberg Variations BWV 988 were written by Johann Sebastian Bach
and first published in 1741.

They were named after Johann Gottlieb Goldberg who - according to google -
may have been the first person to perform them.


In any case - the only person who could really play them is Glenn Gould.


I can play the Goldberg Variations.

All of them.

In slow motion.

Even the crossovers.







And that's good enough for me.

me and glenn gould

Hard as I try I cannot remember the first time I heard of
Glenn Gould.

I just know that one day I stumbled upon a three minute u-tube
video that is an excerpt of a documentary called The art of Piano.


I haven't watched it for maybe three years - but I did watch it
again just now.

And let me tell you folks - I got just as excited about it as the
first time when:


~I saw his piano

~what he could see out his window

~there is a cup of tea (?) sitting on the piano why I
never set anything on my piano except my Bobblehead
Bach

 ~his dog was in the video - yawning

~you could see and hear a couple of seagulls

~in the video you can actually hear Glenn Gould 'talking'
as he plays - something that musical pundits have obsessed
about for years

~and after he plays a little he abruptly gets up and walks over to
the window - still 'talking' - then after a few seconds he goes back
and plays - literally knocking em' dead with his effortless technique
that made him the foremost respected performer of Bach - notably
The Goldberg Variations


It doesn't get any better than that folks - seeing a Genius where it
all comes from.





 his house





his dog






and furthermore Glenn Gould was unpretentious -  and sharp

Sonata in C M (K V 330 ) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

I'm gonna step out on a limb here and say that this Sonata by Mozart is his
best Sonata - and that it ranks up there with the best music ever written.

The reason I say 'step out on a limb' is because I have not read through
all of his Sonatas.  So I'm making a call early in the game - and that can
be tricky - and even wrong.

But this post is not really about the first two movements.


It is about the Third Movement.


The Allegretto.


Yes - the first movement - the Allegro Moderato - is so perfect.

The second movement - the Andante Cantabile (and every second
movement of a Sonata should be Andante Cantabile) is so beautiful -
yet in control and not spilling over with Passion (and you know who
you are Beethoven) - that it scarcely can be touched .

Rather it is in the third movement - the Allegretto - where I believe that
Mozart simply got bored. After all - he must have thought - I have given
them two movements of perfection and isn't there a party tonight at the
local pub where I can hoist a few?

But Mozart was no dummy.  He knew that if he didn't at least include a
third movement it might not make the Sonata Piano Books.

So I'm thinking he simply wrote the Allegretto to get it out of the way - and
who knows folks ?

Maybe some other genius piece of work was starting to crowd its way into
his brilliant composer mind - and he wanted to work on that before he lost it.



or maybe it was the party....




I guess we'll really never know.




I do know one thing though folks - I thank God for giving us Mozart.

it's about mozart

I like geniuses.


and if you want to play piano music written by a genius -
a true genius - ya gotta play Mozart.


Ever read through his Sonata in D M (KV 284)?

I just did but only got to the Theme and Variations mvt.


But let me tell ya folks.  This guy really was a genius.  He must have been
so smart - about music - that he was way over the top - I mean f*ing nuts.
That Sonata is so great - at least the part I have worked on so far - and
next I'm going to check out the Theme and Variations.

I can hardly wait.

I really think I have found a soulmate in Mozart because although I have never
heard or read that Mozart showed any symptoms of being bipolar this Sonata - I
assure you - does.  Talk about highs and lows - from measure to measure Mozart
goes from forte to piano and back again without warning.


And it's really hard.
~~

So here is my ranking of the Big 4.

Not in ability - mind you - or even in how beloved their music is  - because that
is up to the individual performer or listener.

But here I would like to give my assessment of how I - stidh - feel about these
four Master Composers and how they have impacted my life - and will continue
to do so:


Bach

~the father of music

~you can't touch him - either about his music or his personal life


Beethoven

~the master of Passion and Suffering

~his place in Music is forever sealed by his Struggles~his Passion~his High Moral Standards


Chopin

~sure he only composed for piano - but look at what he gave us

~he loved a woman with a man's name

~and what I like about him most is that George Sand said that 'he lived
on a different Planet'


Mozart

~the true Genius

~according to all reports he lived his short life in a frenzy

~his music is so wonderful - kind of like from undeterminable origins
~~~

This is it for music folks.
 

Sure - there are Others.


But these are the Big 4.






and that is all we need - to last us an Eternity

Chopin's Etudes

I have a Love/Hate relationship with Frederic Chopin's Etudes.


I love his etudes but I hate it that I can't play them.


I'm just not good enough.


Do you know how that feels - to want something so badly - but
you just can't have it?  To tell the Truth - I think Joe knows.
~~~

When I was studying piano about six or seven years ago with
a real Professor/Classical Concert Pianist/Best Jazz Pianist Ever - he
assigned me Opus 25 no.1 Allegro Sostenuto in A flat M - and
I had no trouble simulating this great work of art.

but I simply cannot play it well enough to perform it in Carnegie
Hall.

Hard as I try  - I just cannot.


but let me tell ya folks i can kill it with the best of 'em

: ]