WEEK TWO Updates: Main Thread - Beethoven a master of Variation!
Hello and welcome to the WEEK TWO 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 27 - October 4th 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!
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(165) Beethoven Wo 77 1st var. - YouTube
1st Variation.
Difficult: playing the triplets with the double notes in bar 3 and 4. I think you have to play them softly.
The rest was not so difficult. It's a beautiful melody.
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Richard George Littlewood Very nice! I agree, it is a beautiful melody this one.
I enjoy reading where all of you live. Yes, I'm up in Oslo Norway, always ready for some double piano! If Dominic do a recital in Europe, we should all meet up there :D
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Richard George Littlewood I agree that it鈥檚 a beautiful melody , it seems timeless as if it could have been written yesterday. Lovely job .
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Richard George Littlewood Yes, I agree this one has the beautiful, gentle melody with almost a sweetness. You portrayed that very well and kept it flowing nicely!
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Richard George Littlewood I admire your sensitive touch towards the keyboard. Music played with the soul.
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Daniel Chong Thank you Daniel, and Marriane and Susan.
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Sindre Skarelven Would love to meet up when I am in Europe next! (hopefully sooner than later!)
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Richard George Littlewood Beautiful job! I like the liquid sound of your playing and you are shifting the octave registers with ease. Nice job!
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Week 2 - video-update
Here is my video for week 2. I did have a little fun with creating a story out of this piece.
The story goes: Theme: A kid is playing with some toys by himself. Variation I: He finds a new friend. Variation II: They go to the playground. Variation III: Some older kids are coming. Variation IV: They take them to the Cave. Variation V: They're relieved for being out again. Variation VI: They celebrate, and eat too much candy. Coda: The kid is back home with his parents.
One thing I found easy: Having some fun with this piece.
One thing I found challenging: Making a perfect recording. I was a little nervous on variation 5 and 6. I can do it better, but then I would have to start all the way back again...
I will probably say that's it for me on this challenge. There are still things I would've like to improve on, and I would've liked to play it without mistakes. But there are other things and pieces I need to give priority to for the next week. Also I'm gonna have a little vacation, and play in a concert next weekend:). I will either way keep watching everyones videos and progress threw this piece!
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Sindre Skarelven Great narrative for this set of variations , I wonder if this innocent quality in the music made it difficult for me to relate to ?
I can鈥檛 believe it only took you 13 days to present this near perfect performance ! Good luck with your concert and have a good vacation !
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Sindre Skarelven wow, I am amazed that you completed so much in two weeks! I really enjoyed your interpretations. Fantastic!
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Sindre Skarelven Bravo! You look and sound like you鈥檙e enjoying this piece thoroughly and can play with it with joy and imagination. That鈥檚 the point, isn鈥檛 it? Well done!
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mariannejhampton Thank you so much, Marianne! Yes, you might be on to it.
It will be nice to have a little vacation, and play a concert so looking forward to that. Thanks again!
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Susan Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it!
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Monika Yes, I agree, that is the point of this process! Learn a new piece, dive into the music, have some fun, learn from the composer, and put your own take on it. Thank you so much!
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Sindre Skarelven Very clever, now I'll think about your story as I play it! Congratulations on playing the entire piece from memory, it's been inspiring
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Sindre Skarelven Would it be okay if I copied your idea of writing out the narrative, as Marianne so aptly put it, with headings on the video for each variation? Like you, I have a title for each. That way, we could compare and contrast ideas and interpretations in a very concrete way.
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Sindre Skarelven Great performance, Sindre! And your associated story is very convincing, I like it since each title fit perfectly well with the music spirit. I have not had time this week (too much work at the School) to make a video of the whole piece. Fortunately, we have another week...:)
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Brett Gilbert Thank you, Brett! Glad you liked the story!
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Monika Tusnady Of course! That will be very interesting!
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Juan Carlos Olite Thank you, Juan Carlos! Yes, I think it's nice to have an image/storyline/title of the music. It gives the listeners something to hold on to. Looking very much forward to your performance when it's ready! :)
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Sindre Skarelven the titles you gave for each variations are so vivid and imaginative. =D Its really inspiring
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Daniel Chong Thank you so much! Glad you liked it!
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Sindre Skarelven This is a fabulous performance! I personally love the tempo you choose for the theme! Thanks for the overlays, really charming to read and follow along with the story.
Good luck on your concert! What are you playing?
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Dominic Cheli Thank you, Dominic! I was wondering what you thought of this. I had some new ideas after watching your lesson on the piece, but that will of course also translate to other pieces as well. I'm particularly learning to read the score better.
I'm gonna play on an event with a band for the occasion, and some songs with just piano and vocal. There will be a variety of covers, most notably Elton John and Coldplay. Thank you :)
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