WEEK 3 Practice Updates, and a harmony micro-challenge: Cadences
Dear Pianists,
We've made it to week three of Bach in March!! Some of us started sooner and others of us started later with our pieces and it's all good - progress is persistent and always available. I look forward to seeing your practice videos below if you're interested in sharing those.
A brief reminder to sign up for the interactive masterclass with me on March 31st, and a note that the community concert has been rescheduled for April 1. The Bach in March watch party will take place in early april - be on the lookout for a message from me. I'll write you if I'd like to play your video!
The Repertoire for the interactive masterclass will involve on piece from each of the following categories: A Little prelude / invention / sinfonia, a prelude and fugue, a dance suite movement, and a Goldberg variation.
Many have asked about the Goldbergs this month, and I encourage you to check out our ongoing Goldberg variations challenge. It's never too late to start, and I always suggest committing to a variation that feels within your technical capability. How do you assess whether something is right for your level? See how far you can sight read into it, at an even rhythm and slow tempo. Do you feel like your fingers can find the right notes, where your ears seek them out? Do your hands feel strong enough to play the piece? Can you already hear the piece in your head before you begin playing?
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Nico's livestream on Friday March 18 inspired me to share an idea I had with you! In pretty much all of Bach's music, cadences play an essential structural role in organizing his music.
- Where's the first cadence or a shadow of a cadence you come across in your piece?
- What about the end of the first section, or the first phrase?
If you haven't been able to make as much progress on your challenge piece, no worries: here's something much smaller, a micro-challenge!
Pick up that first cadence in your chosen piece, and play it as a chord progression! If you can, make a recording of that chord progression and compare it with you playing the piece up until that first cadence. How do they sound? Alike or Unlike? What do you take away?
I'll be back soon with an example, to help you better understand how to do this.
Hilda
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Hi Hilda and everyone in this wonderful "Bach in March"! Here I share with you my second video (applying some teachings of how to make it by Martin): French Suite in C minor BWV 813, a beautiful music which I love. I hope to make one more video with some of the Goldberg's Variations...
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Monika Tusnady Thank you so much, Monika! As friendly as ever.
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Hilda Huang Thank you so much, Hilda! I have played the French Suite 4 BWV 814 a bit. I love the Allemande.
You're right, I have to work very hard on the phrasing, looking for a dialogue between different voices in the same melodic writing. I am trying to do it but, you know, one thing is the music in your mind and another thing in your fingers... I have to improve the self-listening to make it more accurate...
I really appreciate all of your suggestions and the opportunity of being in contact with you through this challenges. Thank you, Hilda!
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Juan Carlos Olite Wow. Such energy in the notes. So beautiful!
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Juan Carlos Olite I loved your playing! You amaze and inspire me
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Rudelle Gaje Thank you very much, Rudelle!
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Susan Rogers Thank you so much, Susan!
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Juan Carlos Olite Beautiful, sensitive playing! Thank you for posting it- I'm really enjoying listening to it. A lot of hard work went into this, and it really shows!
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GerryM Thank you very much, Gerry! And more work to do it yet...
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Me playing the Sarabande in Bach's first Partita. I'm cheating a bit as I have practiced this for a long time (yet still cannot perfect it for the challenge lol), but this is the best I can get for now.
Feel free to give me some feedback on the voicing. As a self-practitioner, it's very tricky to recognize what I am not doing good.
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khoi , sounds good to me. Nice job.
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Anthony Miyake Sounds good. Tip for posting videos: if you add a video link using the button below the text a thumbnail will appear in the post (if that's what you want).
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Brett Gilbert , khoi actually posted the video, but I got your point. It's the middle icon below the reply box and it shows "Add video" when you hover over the icon with the mouse.
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Anthony Miyake oh thanks. I didn't know that. Will do it next time :)
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khoi Sounds great, Khoi! Expressive playing!
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My week 3 update: Played through the Bach-Kempff Siciliano. A lot of work to do still, but making progress. Enjoying learning this beautiful piece.
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Vidhya Bashyam nice to hear you again… as in your Schubert dances there is a directness and sincerity in your playing that is pleasant to listen to
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Charlie Gesualdo Thank you!
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Vidhya Bashyam great choice of music. I can only imagine how learning it and playing it so beautifully has enriched your life!
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Monika Tusnady Thank you Monika!
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Vidhya Bashyam Beautiful playing, Vidhya! I like the phrasing of the melody, with great delicazy.
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Juan Carlos Olite Thank you!
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Vidhya Bashyam, such beautiful playing! It brought a quiet and serene and yet comforting place to be. Thank you so much for sharing.
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Rudelle Gaje Thank you Rudelle!
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Vidhya Bashyam oh I love this piece so much! You are building a great foundation with the voicing, I can’t wait to hear more of it from you. It is already beautiful.
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Susan Rogers Thanks Susan!
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