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Thoughts and Updates on Repertoire | ||||||||
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Tuesday, April 29, 2025: A lot of pianists take beginner's or easy pieces for granted, when some of them are more beautiful and inspiring than the most technicially-challenging pieces out there. Technically-challenging pieces are fine if you just want to prove that you can accurately play a million, gajillion notes or chords in just a few measures. There are youtubers who just focus on that - if there is an audience for that kind of stuff, to each their own. But there is absolutely nothing inspiring about that to me so I completely avoid them. "Fur Elise" is an example of a an inspiring, beautiful piece that is considered on the easy side (still challenging than most however). The piece's anniversary was a few days ago, and I'm ashamed that I was one of them who just took the piece for granted; so never took the time to learn or absorb the melody. I highly recommend Lang Lang's The Piano Book, which showcases some of the most beautiful or known beginning pieces out there. To show the world that they actually are relevant to the classical repertoire. As for the tempo for "Fur Elise". There is no "correct" way, perhaps only "proper" way. It's all a matter of preference. If you want to play it a bit more brisk, so be it - depending if you want to interpret it as a more happy, light melody. If you want to delve in the emotional aspect of it, it behooves a pianist to play it slow or take your time. Of course - playing a piece "too slow" or "too fast" is always a No-No. I learned the hard way. I don't shrug off pieces because they are easy, but mostly because they are either over-played, over-heard or not inspiring enough. "Fur Elise" is an exception however - it is always inspiring.
Saturday, April 26, 2025: | How can I forget about "The Flight of the Bumblebee" - I'm still practicing it, intending on uploading this sometime this year. I haven't had much solid practice time recently (I try to find time whenever possible), so even the Grand Waltz and Wanderer Fantasy is going to take more time than usual. I'm intending to record this without sheet music due to the tempo, pacing and the nature of the piece. Mimicking a Bumblebee's frenetic flight path and the bee's dancing or buzzing around in air is an imagery that is important to picture in playing this piece. It helps with subtle dynamics, accentuations, phrasing and pacing.
Wednesday, April 16, 2025: | Roll call (my current practice regimen): Chopin, Grand Valse Op. 42 Schubert, Wanderer Fantasy (select) W.A. Mozart, K. 576 Piano Sonata The learning process involves trial and error sometimes. Re-listening, re-doing and re-recording are all part of it. Countless takes. How do you know when you are absolutely ready - when you stop hesitating, doubting or over-thinking. Let the melody come to you. Suffice it to say, the K. 300 and K. 500 series of pieces are some of my favorites. It's been a process of elimination to just keep the ones I'm truly happy or content with. Of course - nothing is going to ever be ideal or perfect. But you have to know or absolutely be self-assured about it.
Wednesday, March 19, 2025: | Chopin's Grand Valse Op. 42 in A-flat is a very dynamic, melodic piece as valses go. Valses in general have a brisk tempo. But there are moments in this where I can I imagine playing certain phrases or sections very "Vivace" (the argpeggios) and other some sections more "tender" "gentle", punctuated with "grandiose" moments (Chopin's usual big, fat chords). Page-turning on a Waltz piece is not easy, since they are brisk. Unless the sheet music has favorable momentary breaks or slow downs. But if I can figure it out without compromising the tempo or stopping, then this Grand Valse is definitely a project to record and upload. I also need to re-do some Waltzes. A lot of videos are blurry - recorded on the old camcorder standard (non-HD). Fortunately, I switched over to the new camera phone and saving them HD. I'll probably keep Mendelssohn pieces as they are. Happy with them. Unless there is time.
Monday, March 17, 2025: | So I'm looking at another Chopin Grand Valse Brillante (one that I didn't finish as well), the first section / movement of the Wanderer Fantasy (guilty pleasure - I enjoy this so much, and my hands are more conditioned), and of course, "The Flight of the Bumblebee". Eventually. I've decided to finish the K. 331 with the Turkish March since it's the last movement. It's a famous piece, and I tend to avoid pieces that are often over-heard or played too often. I've heard this played briskly or moderately. Either way - it's more fun to play it briskly or Allegretto. Or the plan is to play the second melody more tenderly without compromising the tempo. And then the final section - end it grandiose style. This should keep my busy for awhile. Also - if I can find any short pieces in-between working on these. Who knows.
Saturday, March 08, 2025: | If I were to tackle the "Wanderer" Fantasy again, it would probably just to focus on one or two movements to record (most likely, the first two. Although the first and last movements are my favorites and most intense - they establish the atmosphere of a beginning and end to "life's journey" well. The final movement or section is such a doozy, it would certainly take awhile. But I enjoy the piece so much, it is still possible. These days, individual movements can be played as standalone pieces. Although the piece would not be complete without the rest of the movements, it is just a highlight of the piece. Sort of how "Youtube Shorts" are just snippets or sections of a full video. Nothing wrong with that. Even most recording artists are just recording individual movements.
Monday, March 03, 2025: | Most concert pianists perform at Carnegie Hall once in awhile in their schedules. It is sort of the benchmark of all performance venues. But there is none equal to the two best in the world - Lang Lang and Nobuyuki Tsujii. Check out their official sites for touring information and program list (if available). Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy is an epic piece, probably the most difficult C major piece out there.
Thursday, February 27, 2025: | "Sock it to meh!" Don't worry. K. 331 Variations and "The Flight of the Bumblebee" are the next recordings. I'm not sure after that. Oh, it's on. It's damn on. And you know it. Hahahah.
Saturday, February 08, 2025: | "Would It Be Too Much To Ask To Learn The Notes First?!!" Well - I've taken this quote to heart ever since re-listening to my rough recordings years ago haha. Practically all of them have been re-recorded or re-done, or just removed. While learning "The Flight of the Bumblebee", what are my priorities: 1. Make sure my fingers are conditioned enough to handle the pacing and the frenetic tempo, especially the right-hand main melody (probably the ultimate in an etude-like chromaticism. otherwise - don't bother with it) 2. Focus on the left-hand supporting chords to make sure they are played at tempo and accordingly 3. Add dynamicism and make the piece come alive, as if the listener can picture or imagine a bumblebee buzzing around Page 2 |