Group 2
Fresh off the release of her tonebase course âInside Mozartâs Piano Sonatas,â Orli Shaham is here to help take you to the next step with your Mozart playing.
This Intensive is meant for pianists who are currently working on a movement from one of Mozartâs 18 Sonatas. Whether youâre just getting started with the âEasy Sonataâ K. 545, or are trying to polish one of his more virtuosic Sonatas, you WILL improve your improve your technique and interpretation of Mozart and Classical Sonata Form.
- Sign-Up : Thursday, November 3rd at 8 am PST
- Course Period: November 7 - 21st
- Class Size: max. 4 Groups ĂĄ 10 Participants
- Optional check-In via Zoom: Tuesday, November 15th, at 11:30am PT
Assignment 1
ASSIGNMENT: Pick a movement from one of Mozart's 18 Sonatas to focus on over the next 2 weeks. Begin applying the stylistic, musical, and technical tips Orli gives in her course lessons and assignment video (see below). Post your progress in this thread along with questions for Orli.
Video clips are encouraged but not required!
For less experienced players, you should start with the C major, K545 1st movement. Thereâs no obligation to finish a movement in 2 weeks â you might only get through a single passage, and that's okay! And overachievers are welcome to work on more than one movement.
What matters is how much you can develop your skills within whatever scope youâre comfortable with. If youâre working on a Fantasy, Rondo, Adagio, or other Mozart piece thatâs not a Sonata, thatâs fine. But we encourage you to study a movement from a Sonata as well.âInside Mozartâs Piano Sonatasâ:
https://app.tonebase.co/piano/home?tbModal=courseModal&tbModalSlug=orli-shaham-inside-mozarts-piano-sonatas
- REQUIRED: (1) Watch the âQuick tipsâ video first, and try the warm up and exercises Orli recommends before your practice sessions; (2) Watch the Intro video on the History & Style of the Sonatas; (3) Watch the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd movement video corresponding with you sonata.
- OPTIONAL: You may benefit from studying the video on âOrnamenting Mozartâ and âMozart in Minor,â to the extent that it applies to your piece.
Zoom link:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85416214066?pwd=UkxPdGtya2FVRjA2RWxhYnRmcERFUT09
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Hi everyone,
Here is my slow movement for K311. I always find the slow movements difficult, so intense yet I worry Iâm just making it slow and dull. But I found the talk on slow movements very helpful- thank you so much Orla!
Iâve included the end of the first movement to give the contrast. I know the right hand octaves are not great at the very end - still recovering from an injury. I should have perhaps chosen a movement without consecutive octaves!
Looking forward to tomorrowâs lecture and hearing all the videos!
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Angela Fogg Beautiful! I loved Orliâs lectures on this movement too. I am in Group 1, but couldnât help but come and watch your lovely playing!
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Angela Fogg Nothing dull about that. You found a warmer tone as it went on. and I liked your smile at the end!
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Angela Fogg Nice playing, and love it that you end with a smile!
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Vidhya Bashyam Thank you Vidhya - great to see you this evening. Looking forward to seeing your next video!
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Richard George Littlewood Thank you for listening so closely Richard!
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Natalie Peh Good to see you at the Zoom Natalie! Thank you for commenting!
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Angela Fogg Likewise, nice meeting you on Zoom!
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Angela Fogg Nice to see you too Angela!
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Angela Fogg Beautiful playing, Angela! Nice work with this lovely movement!
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Mozart Group 2 For those waiting on the Zoom call, Orli and I are also waiting to get in. It will be just one moment!
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This could be my last recording before the weekend. I'll post another one if I can make another recording on Saturday. Sorry for the bad camera angle, I didn't notice that till I finished.
I tried to push the tempo so there were some mistakes. It still needs a lot of polish.
1) Fingering problems
2) My hands were not relax enough to make through the "busy" parts because I couldn't pay attention to the details of both hands.
3) Tempo is not stable
4) Need to polish the phrasings.
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Heng-Pin Chen Very good. I enjoyed listening to that. Nice melody throughout and I liked the dramatic pauses. It flows very nicely. If I was going to criticise, and I feel a bit stupid doing so, because your technique is far better than mine, but the faster, busy sections I would play more quietly.
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Richard George Littlewood Yes, I agree. I need to be able to relax my hands/arms more in order to play softer, evener and more delicate. This piece still needs a lot of work. It's far from performance level yet.
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Heng-Pin Chen nice sense of drama Heng-Pin!
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Richard George Littlewood Hi Richard, thanks for sharing your recording. You are getting it.
One of my ways of practicing classical pieces was to use metronome to check whether my tempo was even and stable throughout. That helped me a lot to figure out where I speeded up or slowed down.
Besides, I have a question for you. In the attached 1st measure screenshot, I have note F for the circled 16th note. Is yours the same?
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Heng-Pin Chen Yes I have an F there. I don't always get the notes right so I might not have played it. I don't like to play at an even pace. I think music should allow for tempo changes.
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Richard George Littlewood It's a nice start of this not-so-easy sonata, Richard. I hope you have a good time practicing it!
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Sindre Skarelven Thank you Sindre. Yes it`s pushing me right to my limits, the beginning of this Sonata. But I'm learning a lot.
How about you? are you going to post something or have you been too busy?
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Richard George Littlewood I have been very busy these two weeks, but I will make a post right now!
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I got time to make another recording, in a more comfortable tempo. However, I couldn't make much progress in two days. The fingering problems need more time to get everything under my hands. Relaxation is still the most critical issue. Pedaling is another focus.
It's great to have the opportunity to focus my practice on this piece, and listen to my own recordings to find out more problems. Thanks a lot to this community.
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Heng-Pin Chen this sonata is so lovely. You've got some very nice phrasing there!
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Natalie Peh Thank you! I like this Sonata, whole Sonata.
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Heng-Pin Chen Great playing, Heng-Pin! You got a very nice touch and feel for this music!
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Heng-Pin Chen Very enjoyable playing! Itâs a great sonata. I love how there are shades of the beautiful second movement here.
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