Week 1: Dancing with Liszt and Schubert!

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 August 16th and August 21st I hope to be reading your daily updates in this very thread right here!  


Download the music:

Liszt's: Soirees De Vienne No.6


Please use the following format when commenting (feel free to copy & paste!):  

  • Section you worked on:
  • One thing you found easy:
  • One thing you found difficult:
  • (Optional): a video of you performing it!

Sample daily update:  

  • Section you worked on:  1
  • One thing you found easy: Learning the notes, and rhythms were rather straight-forward, and not challenging!
  • One thing you found difficult: Playing the trills/ornaments in an elegant way was what challenged me the most.

Feel free to make these updates as short or long as you wish!

78 replies

null
    • Music educator. Piano teacher.
    • Vander_Soares_Ramos
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi, everyone. 

    My first post here. Thanks in advance. 

    • The section you worked on: section 1.
    • One thing you found easy: harmonic analysis. 
    • One thing you found difficult: Pedaling. 
      • mariannejhampton
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Vander Soares Ramos Beautiful , expressive and  accurate . I’m also trying no 1 but not reading to video yet .

      • Music educator. Piano teacher.
      • Vander_Soares_Ramos
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      mariannejhampton mariannejhampton  so kind of you. Soon I' LL post this section after working on Speed, pedaling and expression. Thanks for watching. 

      • Dominic_Cheli
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Vander Soares Ramos Great Job! I think you are doing a good job with pedal! It is nicely done, with sustain, as well as moments of clarity/clear staccato in the LH!

      • Music educator. Piano teacher.
      • Vander_Soares_Ramos
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Dominic Cheli you´re right. I´ll work on this. thanks a lot for your appreciation and tips. 👍🎶

    • Bruno_de_Lorenzo
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi, everyone! My first post here. 

     

    I just start reading the score.  


    https://youtu.be/eO12D5d1iG8

    • The section you worked on: section 1.
    • One thing you found easy: the section does not have technical difficulties. 
    • One thing you found difficult: bring the dance feeling in this very dramatic opening. 
      • mariannejhampton
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Bruno de Lorenzo Bravo . You gave the piece a very grand feeling and I definitely felt you got the dance feeling . 

      • Bruno_de_Lorenzo
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      mariannejhampton thanks a lot! It’s a great pleasure to read a compliment like this 🙂 

      • Dominic_Cheli
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Bruno de Lorenzo Wonderful playing! I love the flair you bring to this opening, quite dramatic and gripping from the 1st note! Great character, and looking forward to the next section you choose to work on!

      • Bruno_de_Lorenzo
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Dominic Cheli thanks a lot for your comment!! I’m waiting my new piano for recording a new video. Thanks for seeing it!

      • Have a growth mindset, no matter what!
      • Gail_Starr
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Bruno de Lorenzo Great job!  I love the way you take a tiny breath after the 3 repeated octaves to sort of "telegraph" the bigger next chord.  Very majectic!

      • Bruno_de_Lorenzo
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Gail Starr thank you very much! I’m happy you like it!

    • Music educator. Piano teacher.
    • Vander_Soares_Ramos
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Nice playing Bruno. 

      • Bruno_de_Lorenzo
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Vander Soares Ramos thank you! 🥰

    • Ching_Lee_Goh
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    My contribution to section 1. Generally found the chords quite straightforward, though tend to trip up in the middle.

      • mariannejhampton
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Ching Lee Goh Enjoyed listening. Great job

      • Ching_Lee_Goh
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      mariannejhampton mariannejhampton Thanks, and looking forward to seeing yours. My aim is to send in individual sections every few days!

      • Piano and classical guitar
      • brett_gilbert
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Ching Lee Goh Sounds perfect to me, well played.  What kind of upright piano do you have (I play upright as well).

      • Ching_Lee_Goh
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Brett Gilbert Thanks! It helps that I’m learning a couple of his other transcriptions, so I’m getting into his style…! My piano is the Japanese brand TOYO. Though it’s more than 20 years old, and some keys are getting a little sticky. Might need reconditioning…

      • Piano and classical guitar
      • brett_gilbert
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Ching Lee Goh Very interesting, I wasn't aware of Toyo but it looks/sounds nice.  I've worked on his Schubert Lieder transcriptions before which are my favorites.  The Opera transcriptions are amazing, but a bit beyond my reach technically.  

      • Dominic_Cheli
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Ching Lee Goh Nice job Ching! This is a wonderful start to the piece, and I would love to see your next section the you are working on! Great tempo, and a classy approach to this 1st section!

    • Karen_Lander
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    I have enjoyed reading through the beginning. No video yet.

    • Section you worked on: 1
    • One thing you found easy: Analysis and waltz feel. 
    • One thing you found difficult: Securing a few of the shifts. I know how to do it, and where I'm going, but it doesn't always sit easily under my hand.
      • Dominic_Cheli
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Karen Lander Great that you are working on the piece! Keep it up! Feel free to share a video if you are comfortable, but very happy that you are analyzing the piece, so important!

      • Karen_Lander
      • 3 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Dominic Cheli First of all, yesterday's live stream was just incredible. Thank you! I am even more inspired to learn the whole piece. We have an unanticipated, but welcome, family visit this week.  I am getting in bits of time at the piano and will do a video next week for sure! 

    • Piano and classical guitar
    • brett_gilbert
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view
    • Section you worked on: 1-4
    • One thing you found easy: Less technique required so far than the Handel (last challenge) and so seems easier.
    • One thing you found difficult: Consistently hitting the octaves at speed.  Plus my hand gets tired, probably because I'm too tense/stiff on octaves.

    I've enjoyed everyone's videos so far!  I hope to make a video of sections 1-4 this week (or early next) if I can practice enough.  My plan is to work on 5-9 the last 2 weeks of the challenge because that will require more time.

Content aside

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