WEEK ONE Updates: Main Thread - What a delightful theme Beethoven wrote!
Hello and welcome to the WEEK ONE Main Thread for this challenge! 
Alright everyone - this is the thread where we'll all be posting our daily updates.
Make sure you've read the rules before replying (<- click)
Twice a week between September 20th - 27th I hope to be reading your daily updates in this very thread right here!
Download the music:
Beethoven: 6 Variations on an Original Theme
Please use the following format when commenting (feel free to copy & paste!):
- Variation you worked on:
- One thing you found easy:
- One thing you found difficult:
- (Optional): a video of you performing it!
Sample daily update:
- Variation you worked on: No. 1
- One thing you found easy: Learning the notes, and rhythms were rather straight-forward, and not challenging!
- One thing you found difficult: Shifting the Hands was a bit tricky to get smooth!
Feel free to make these updates as short or long as you wish!
-
Week 1, video update.
Variations I worked on: The whole piece.
For the first week I just wanted to memorize the piece, not looking to deeply into the music.
As you can see in the video (If you want to watch me battle it out with memory...), I have not practiced putting the variations together so I had to think quite a bit.
For this version I choose to not do the repeats because I have not worked on that yet, but I will work on it for the next one.
What I found easy: Since it's theme and variations, the harmonies are repeated. So it's an easy way to remember "what's next".
What I found challenging: Today it was a challenge to put the pieces together on a time-limit. Also there are technical aspects that are challenging. I will look more on that for next week.
For the coming week I will dig into the music of the piece.
-
Dominic Cheli Thank you, Dominic! It's always so valuable to get your insights :)
-
Jo茫o Dias da Silva Thank you, Jo芒o! Yes, you probably have some of it ingrained in your fingers I will guess. I'm looking very much forward to be hearing you play it!!
-
Sindre Skarelven Good work! I agree with you on variation 3 and the repeat--it's not balanced without the repeat. (I choose not take repeats just for time's sake.)
-
Sindre Skarelven Impressive as always, and started memorizing the first week!
-
Matt Thank you, Matt! Yes!
-
Brett Gilbert Thank you, Brett! Yeah, it's a nice to have memorizing down, so the second week can be all about the music.
-
-
- Variation you worked on: Theme
- One thing you found easy: The simplicity of the notes and analyzing the harmony.
- One thing you found difficult: The simplicity of the notes ( no where to hide when a mistake was made ) and memorizing and then recording it without making a mistake .
I鈥檝e never memorized until now and as you can see I鈥檓 not young ! I really didn鈥檛 know what to do with my eyes as I seldom look at the keyboard when playing with sheet music.
Anyway here鈥檚 the video and I鈥檒l try another variation next week https://youtu.be/VVQSUPWkAEI
-
mariannejhampton way to be, Marianne! You have everyone here: phrasing, dynamics, in addition to having memorized the music. Kudos!
-
mariannejhampton Well done! Really enjoyed that you got out of your "comfort-zone" and memorized it! Looking forward to hearing the next variation.
-
mariannejhampton Great job, and especially on memorizing it! Yes figuring out where to focus the eyes is always a question for performers! Closing the eyes and imagining the music is an option, or of course just focusing on the hands like you are doing :)
-
mariannejhampton Great job, Marianne! You see, it's all about of getting used to. I think you'll enjoy much more music played by heart. Sure.
-
Monika Tusnady Thank you for your kind words .
-
mariannejhampton Great job memorizing! Not something I am able to do.
-
Juan Carlos I thought I couldn鈥檛 do it as I鈥檝e been unsuccessful before but I surprised myself ! Still trying to find out what is the best way to memorize but enjoying the challenge ! Thanks for the encouragement !
Can鈥檛 wait for your completed version . -
Dominic Cheli Thank you Dominic , I鈥檓 using those tips on memorizing that you gave us in the livestream and having fun with this challenge.
-
Brett Gilbert Thanks Brett . It鈥檚 been interesting trying to figure out how my mind works and I think that maybe in the past I was trying too hard to memorize. Going to try variation this week !
-
mariannejhampton Wonderful! So happy that I was able to help with the memorization!
-
mariannejhampton figuring out how our minds work鈥sn鈥檛 that what it鈥檚 all about? We learn soooo much about ourselves in the process of learning anything new, especially is we take a few minutes to reflect. These exchanges really encourage that kind of reflection, I find.
-
Monika Tusnady I agree , taking time to reflect does help in all sorts of ways !
-
Variation you worked on:
I worked on learning and memorizing the whole thing.
One thing you found easy:
The structure of the piece makes it easier to memorize.
One thing you found difficult:
Variation 5 gave me of the most challenges. It took a little working to find a fingering that felt comfortable.
Here is my video. I started working on the last two variations first (I usually start any piece by learning what I believe will be the most difficult part), and you can tell that I have a lot more confidence in the later variations than the earlier ones.
-
Matt What a great job! I especially like your minor variation...you give it a lot of charm.
-
Matt Well done, Matt! Sounds great! I use that strategy to start with the most difficult parts too, particularly when there is something that I know I will have to spend quite some time on. Will be interesting to see were you take it from here!
-
Gail Starr Don't think you ment to put your video in reply to Matt, but I'm gonna comment on it anyway. This is very good! Brava! So many beautiful musical choices. Looking forward to the rest of the piece!
-
Matt Great job, Matt! I am not as brave as you..., I left the most difficult parts... for the second week. Sounds excellent!
-
Gail Starr Well done, Gail! I like the way you articulate every note, every phrase. Sounds great!
-
