HP's Practice Diary

Hello everyone,  I have some pieces on hand at the moment, and am jumping from one to the others depending on the mood.  I do think this practice diary can help me keep track of what I am doing and what I've done.

 

This is really a good idea to have this forum. A big "thank you" to Tonebase. I am so glad to be part of this community.

 

Chopin Grande Polonaise (polishing... as always)

Chopin Ballade No 1 (memorized last month)

Balakirev Islamey (just started reading)

Bach Goldberg Variations (just started too, inspired by the community challenge)

Schubert/Liszt Serenade (reviewing)

 

I'll update the diary as it goes.

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    • Will Green
    • Mystic/Musician
    • Will_Green
    • 2 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Wow! Some profound pieces here. Congratulations! Best of luck. Can't wait to hear you play sometime! Bye for now. 

    Like 1
    • Will Green It's too early to congratulate 😆  I really don't know when I can finish, at least read through, Islamey and Goldberg Variations.

      Like 1
    • Monika Tusnady
    • The Retired French Teacher
    • Monikainfrance
    • 2 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    As Will said: huge pieces! Wow! I will learn a lot from seeing how you structure your practice. 

    Like 3
    • Monika Tusnady There is no structure at all, trust me :) I just go with my mood. After all, Islamey is my dream piece to play. I don't even know whether I can manage it or not at the end. Islamey and Goldberg Variations will be my long term projects, just like Grand Polonaise, which I've been playing on and off for years. 

      Like 1
    • Gail Starr
    • Retired MBA
    • Gail_Starr
    • 2 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    I am too scared to ever try the Balakirev, so I can’t wait to hear you play it.  I know you will do a wonderful job!

    Like 2
    • Gail Starr I've been thinking to play Islamey for years(sss),  but never started for the same reason, SCARED. However, just last month, I was thinking, why not take out the score and play session by session, and see how far I can go. Even I cannot finish it in the end, at least I tried.  Just for fun.

      Like
  • Felt like playing this piece today and just went through it. However, the playing shows the problems without practicing. I didn't finish it, but, at least, I could keep a record for myself to look back in the future.

    Like 5
  • Practiced Grande Polonaise a little. Left hand part has a very beautiful musical line too. I practiced left hand once, and when playing hands together, I tried hard to listen to left hand and stay as the way it was as played left hand alone. As a result, I lost some right hand details. 😂

    Like 1
  • Chopin Ballade No 1, the beautiful meno mosso part.

    Like 2
    • Monika Tusnady
    • The Retired French Teacher
    • Monikainfrance
    • 2 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    HP, you are a poet at the piano and carry the beautiful long phrases on and on. I am grateful that you shared these stunning videos. 

    Like 1
    • Monika Tusnady thank you! I really love this part a lot.

      Like
  • Went over once the beginning of Grande Polonaise... it tells me that I need to spend more time on this piece :)

    Like 2
      • Will Green
      • Mystic/Musician
      • Will_Green
      • 2 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Heng-Pin Chen Are you planning on putting in the opening introduction, too? I find that to be a challenging spot leading in to the solo! This sounds great already and you'll get in under your fingers in no time!! Maybe you'll play this in a Community Concert? :) Can't wait! 

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    • Brother Will Green Thank you! Yes, I will definitely include opening part. The plan was to  perform Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise at the end of last year, but I was side tracked and didn't have enough time to practice better. It'll be fun to play in the Community Concert. However, I am teaching on Saturdays. Anyway, we'll see how it goes 🙂

      Like
  • I was trying to memorize the piece but failed at some points. Really need to pick up this piece again for coming performance.

    Like 4
      • Will Green
      • Mystic/Musician
      • Will_Green
      • 2 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Heng-Pin Chen Ah, I love this!! Beautiful work. Such a challenging transcription... you play it with sensitivity and emotion that translates to us, us listeners of your art... bravo....!!

      Like 1
    • Brother Will Green Thank you for your good words 😄

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    • Heng-Pin Chen that sounds gorgeous.... love it 

      Like 1
    • Natalie Peh Thank you 🙂 glad you liked it.

      Like
  • Hello all, I finally got chances to start working on Bach's Chaconne from Violin Partita No2 in d minor (arranged for piano by Busoni). For measure 94, as circled below, I've tried 4 different fingerings listed below, and still don't feel the one I like to go with.  If you don't mind sharing your experience of playing this, would you please comment it. Thanks a lot!

     

    4 notes as a group:

    1) RH 1-5, LH 1-5 (LH over RH)

    2) RH 2-5, LH 1-5 (RH over LH)

    3) higher 3 notes played by RH, lowest note played by LH

    4) higher 2 notes played by RH, lower 2 notes played by LH

    Like 1
    • Heng-Pin Chen I personally play it the first way you posted. I find that I interlock the hands, really honor the "tranquillo" marking, don't play too fast, and try to play everything staccato with pedal! option 4 would be my 2nd choice!

      Like 2
    • Dominic Cheli Thanks a lot for your input! I tend to use option 1 as well.  According to Busoni's fingering in measure 93,  it seems option 2 fit better. Option 3 and 4 might not be Busoni's idea from the way notes were written.

      Like 1
      • Will Green
      • Mystic/Musician
      • Will_Green
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Heng-Pin Chen One of my favorite passages in any piano piece ever! Sometimes I play it as written but if I'm not feeling well that day (hahah) I'll play it option 4. It's tricky!!! Can't wait to hear you play it!!! :) 

      Like 1
    • Brother Will Green I know what to do now. Option 1 for Monday, option 2 for Tuesday ....  and random pick during the weekends. 😂

      Like
  • Hello, I haven't updated my log for a long time. Today, I started Bach Toccata BWV 911 and immediately had a question. The first note, lower mordent, should be played C-Bb-C by definition, but it was actually played as C-B-C from all the videos I've searched online. Any idea? Any input would be appreciated!

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