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?