RESCALING
Well, I've finally gotten around to something I'd been putting off: exploring my new book of scales and arpeggios.
I've started practicing some of the easier scales in 3rds, 6ths, and 10ths instead of just octaves. And I've started playing the easier arpeggios in different inversions. I'll work up to the harder ones over time.These are supposed to be good for the foundations of my technique. At the least, they're fun to play and a great warm-up.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
THE PAUSE THAT REFRESHES
After a day off, I found that my left hand could play a tricky trill in Invention #7 a little better than before. I had been practicing that trill on a daily basis before the break. I think there's some kind of consolidation that goes on in the nervous system during a break. Of course, if the break is too long, what got consolidated at the start of the break has faded by the end of it. Better not to be away from the keyboard for more than a day or so.
After a day off, I found that my left hand could play a tricky trill in Invention #7 a little better than before. I had been practicing that trill on a daily basis before the break. I think there's some kind of consolidation that goes on in the nervous system during a break. Of course, if the break is too long, what got consolidated at the start of the break has faded by the end of it. Better not to be away from the keyboard for more than a day or so.
Friday, March 2, 2012
I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT
Well, my canned teachers (see previous post) arrived yesterday. I've unwrapped the CDs, but I haven't listened to them yet. Truth is, I'm afraid to. I know it'll be devastating to my morale. I'm going to hear three stellar pianists take pieces that I've been struggling with for weeks and months and make them sound both beautiful and easy. I'm going to think, "I can't do this. Why bother? I wonder what's on TV."
This is a phenomenon we all have to face. One of my close friends, a writer, has observed how tough writing is for him given the existence of Shakespeare. Even the great composer Johannes Brahms remarked how difficult it was for him to write a symphony "with him looking over my shoulder", and by "him" he meant Beethoven. Unless you're Bach or Shakespeare or Michelangelo -- or delusional -- there's always someone who can do whatever you're doing far better than you can. In my case, it's not just someone, it's countless thousands of someones. Sigh.
I have to step back and remind myself that, in contradiction to occasional flights of fancy, I'm not doing this to become an excellent pianist. Are you surprised to hear that, dear reader? I'm doing this for self development, and for the sheer joy of the music itself. I can fully reap those rewards only if I get out there and give it my all.
I think I'll take a day off from the keyboard today.
Well, my canned teachers (see previous post) arrived yesterday. I've unwrapped the CDs, but I haven't listened to them yet. Truth is, I'm afraid to. I know it'll be devastating to my morale. I'm going to hear three stellar pianists take pieces that I've been struggling with for weeks and months and make them sound both beautiful and easy. I'm going to think, "I can't do this. Why bother? I wonder what's on TV."
This is a phenomenon we all have to face. One of my close friends, a writer, has observed how tough writing is for him given the existence of Shakespeare. Even the great composer Johannes Brahms remarked how difficult it was for him to write a symphony "with him looking over my shoulder", and by "him" he meant Beethoven. Unless you're Bach or Shakespeare or Michelangelo -- or delusional -- there's always someone who can do whatever you're doing far better than you can. In my case, it's not just someone, it's countless thousands of someones. Sigh.
I have to step back and remind myself that, in contradiction to occasional flights of fancy, I'm not doing this to become an excellent pianist. Are you surprised to hear that, dear reader? I'm doing this for self development, and for the sheer joy of the music itself. I can fully reap those rewards only if I get out there and give it my all.
I think I'll take a day off from the keyboard today.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
TEACHERS IN A CAN
I suppose it's inevitable that, when I'm learning a series of 15 pieces like the Bach Two Part Inventions, there will be a few that I don't like as well as the others. Of the first 10, numbers 2 and 5 are the black sheep for me. The fact is that I can play their notes, but I just don't quite know what to do with them musically.
Let's assume for the moment that the lack of musical imagination in this instance is mine and not that of one of the towering musical geniuses in western civilization. What to do? Well, since I don't have a fresh teacher to guide me*, why not open a can of teacher?
I've ordered three recordings of the Inventions from Amazon.com: one by Glenn Gould, one by Angela Hewitt, and one by András Schiff. I expect my canned teachers will arrive soon, maybe today or tomorrow.
My hope is that these three very different views of the inventions will stimulate my musical imagination, and will inspire me not only to find the music in the Inventions I don't yet grok but also to find new perspectives on my favorites.
[A big shout out to my good friend Barney for his guidance on which recordings to get.]
*Having a teacher is a whole topic in itself which I intend to address one of these days.
I suppose it's inevitable that, when I'm learning a series of 15 pieces like the Bach Two Part Inventions, there will be a few that I don't like as well as the others. Of the first 10, numbers 2 and 5 are the black sheep for me. The fact is that I can play their notes, but I just don't quite know what to do with them musically.
Let's assume for the moment that the lack of musical imagination in this instance is mine and not that of one of the towering musical geniuses in western civilization. What to do? Well, since I don't have a fresh teacher to guide me*, why not open a can of teacher?
I've ordered three recordings of the Inventions from Amazon.com: one by Glenn Gould, one by Angela Hewitt, and one by András Schiff. I expect my canned teachers will arrive soon, maybe today or tomorrow.
My hope is that these three very different views of the inventions will stimulate my musical imagination, and will inspire me not only to find the music in the Inventions I don't yet grok but also to find new perspectives on my favorites.
[A big shout out to my good friend Barney for his guidance on which recordings to get.]
*Having a teacher is a whole topic in itself which I intend to address one of these days.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
MY DREAM
I love the Bach Inventions that I'm learning, and they're great for helping me to re-establish my skills after too many years of not practicing regularly, but they're small, fingery pieces. My hands generally stay close to the keys and move deliberately from one position to the next.
Yes, they're beautiful, and yes, they're good for me, but I dream of playing the big pieces again, pieces free from the constraints of 18th century harpsichord-rooted keyboard style, virtuosic pieces where my hands dance and fly over the keys. I dream of feeling like a real pianist.
Decades ago, when I was too young to know they were completely over my head, I learned a couple of Rachmaninoff preludes. Big chunks of them are still in my muscle memory. One of these days when I work up to it and I'm feeling really fit at the keyboard, I'm going to return to those Rachmaninoff preludes of my youth and see what I can do with them in my maturity.
I don't know how far I'll get, but I know that however far that turns out to be, I won't regret giving it my best shot. Better that than not trying.
I love the Bach Inventions that I'm learning, and they're great for helping me to re-establish my skills after too many years of not practicing regularly, but they're small, fingery pieces. My hands generally stay close to the keys and move deliberately from one position to the next.
Yes, they're beautiful, and yes, they're good for me, but I dream of playing the big pieces again, pieces free from the constraints of 18th century harpsichord-rooted keyboard style, virtuosic pieces where my hands dance and fly over the keys. I dream of feeling like a real pianist.
Decades ago, when I was too young to know they were completely over my head, I learned a couple of Rachmaninoff preludes. Big chunks of them are still in my muscle memory. One of these days when I work up to it and I'm feeling really fit at the keyboard, I'm going to return to those Rachmaninoff preludes of my youth and see what I can do with them in my maturity.
I don't know how far I'll get, but I know that however far that turns out to be, I won't regret giving it my best shot. Better that than not trying.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
WHERE AM I?
I've set out to learn all 15 of Bach's Two Part Inventions. So far I've learned the notes for 9 of them, but different ones are in different conditions. It's time to take stock of where I am.
Numbers 2 and 5 have fallen into neglect like abandoned buildings. They're not my favorites, and I haven't been maintaining them. I really should repair them before they collapse.
Numbers 1, 4, 6, and 8 are in pretty good shape. I'm making music with them and refining the way I play them. Number 3 isn't far behind that group.
Numbers 7 and 9 are nearly where I want them as far as learning the notes goes, and I'm about ready to begin seriously honing and refining their musical aspects.
The bottom line: 7 coming along well, 2 in serious need of repair.
I think I'll begin learning number 10 soon. I feel the siren song of new territory. Maybe tomorrow. It's going to be a challenging one. Maybe I'll begin working on some of the tough spots in the background while I review numbers 2 and 5.
I've set out to learn all 15 of Bach's Two Part Inventions. So far I've learned the notes for 9 of them, but different ones are in different conditions. It's time to take stock of where I am.
Numbers 2 and 5 have fallen into neglect like abandoned buildings. They're not my favorites, and I haven't been maintaining them. I really should repair them before they collapse.
Numbers 1, 4, 6, and 8 are in pretty good shape. I'm making music with them and refining the way I play them. Number 3 isn't far behind that group.
Numbers 7 and 9 are nearly where I want them as far as learning the notes goes, and I'm about ready to begin seriously honing and refining their musical aspects.
The bottom line: 7 coming along well, 2 in serious need of repair.
I think I'll begin learning number 10 soon. I feel the siren song of new territory. Maybe tomorrow. It's going to be a challenging one. Maybe I'll begin working on some of the tough spots in the background while I review numbers 2 and 5.
Monday, February 27, 2012
NEW DIMENSION
Today I downloaded Finale Notebook, free software for creating music scores and printing them out.
I used it to write down a little composition I made for my music students. I called the composition "Invention 1.0". It's written more-or-less in the style of the Bach Two Part Inventions that I've been practicing so diligently for the last two months, but it's highly simplified so as to be accessible to a beginner at the keyboard.
So much of the music for early beginners isn't very interesting. I tried to write something that had some musical structure and interest even though it uses only the five notes of the basic hand position, plus a leading tone at the end to wrap it up with a good satisfying cadence.
I tried it out on a student today and it went very well. He seemed to like it, and it was at the right level for him -- a little bit challenging, but well within reach given some practice. I used it as an opportunity to help him get well grounded in the steps for learning a new piece, which I think I discussed in an earlier post.
I'm really excited to be composing again, even if it's only 16 bars of very simple counterpoint. I look forward to writing more things for my students.
Hmm... Now that I think about it, I got so excited that I never got around to trying out that new book of scales and arpeggios I just got. Tomorrow.
Today I downloaded Finale Notebook, free software for creating music scores and printing them out.
I used it to write down a little composition I made for my music students. I called the composition "Invention 1.0". It's written more-or-less in the style of the Bach Two Part Inventions that I've been practicing so diligently for the last two months, but it's highly simplified so as to be accessible to a beginner at the keyboard.
So much of the music for early beginners isn't very interesting. I tried to write something that had some musical structure and interest even though it uses only the five notes of the basic hand position, plus a leading tone at the end to wrap it up with a good satisfying cadence.
I tried it out on a student today and it went very well. He seemed to like it, and it was at the right level for him -- a little bit challenging, but well within reach given some practice. I used it as an opportunity to help him get well grounded in the steps for learning a new piece, which I think I discussed in an earlier post.
I'm really excited to be composing again, even if it's only 16 bars of very simple counterpoint. I look forward to writing more things for my students.
Hmm... Now that I think about it, I got so excited that I never got around to trying out that new book of scales and arpeggios I just got. Tomorrow.
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