Week Two: Rachmaninoff's "Strawberry on the Keyboard"

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 March 20 - March 27 I hope to be reading your daily updates in this very thread right here!     

 

Here is this week's assignment!

 

One of Rachmaninoff's famous statements about piano playing is that 

"One must imagine a ripe strawberry sitting on the key - and you have to push through it!" 

in order to create that rich sound so necessary for his music!

 

What does this mean?

In order to push through the strawberry, you must have a firm yet relaxed finger, but also feeling the depth of the key (not playing too "shallow"). The most important aspect however is that the speed of attack will be consistent, yet perhaps a LITTLE slower than you might normally use. This is one of the secrets to creating a round, warm sound. 

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    • Gail Starr
    • Retired MBA
    • Gail_Starr
    • 1 yr ago
    • Reported - view

    Just starting to learn this charming little Valse (thanks to Vidhya's recommendation).  

    Like 8
      • Gail Starr
      • Retired MBA
      • Gail_Starr
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Tammy Thank you so much!

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      • Alice Lin
      • Alice_Lin
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Gail Starr the Valse is sounding lively and sweet Gail!  Thank you for sharing it.

      Like 1
    • Gail Starr Love it! 

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

      Ching Lee Goh Thank you so much, Ching Lee!

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    • Hazel
    • Hazel
    • 1 yr ago
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    Tonight I was lucky enough to attend an all Rachmaninoff recital by Nikolai Lugansky. It was fabulous!! I’ve never seen such incredible piano playing.  Here he is playing the Etude know as “ The Seagull” .  It’s one of my favourite pieces. It evokes a picture of a lonely beach in winter with the sea gulls circling overhead.

    https://youtu.be/kh6tmCJ7tzE

    Like 3
    • Hazel That would have been an amazing experience! I absolutely love his Rachmaninoff. Thanks for sharing this deep and lovely piece. Beautiful imagery.

      Like 2
    • Hazel thanks for sharing this piece and the video. Both the piece and the playing are extremely beautiful! I'm sure the  live performance must have been spellbinding!

      Like 1
      • Alice Lin
      • Alice_Lin
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Hazel wow thank you for sharing this Hazel.  I’m learning about so many Rachmaninoff pieces that didn’t know about before this challenge.  

      Like 1
  • I just asked chatGPT for an ode to Rachmaninoff and here is the beautiful poem I got back:

     

    O Sergei Rachmaninoff,

    Your melodies doth soar

    Like the eagle in the sky

    You enchant us to the core

     

    Your hands upon the keys

    Evoke emotions pure

    Tears of joy and sorrow

    From every heart they lure

     

    The thunderous notes you strike

    Bring forth a mighty force

    A symphony of passion

    That ignites the very source

     

    Your music tells a story

    Of love, of pain, of life

    With every note and harmony

    A masterpiece in strife

     

    Oh, Sergei Rachmaninoff

    Your legacy lives on

    In every symphony played

    And every heart that's won

     

    We thank you for the music

    That still echoes through the years

    And will continue to do so

    Beyond our earthly tears.

    Like 6
    • Vidhya Bashyam that's pretty amazing! :D

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

      Vidhya Bashyam This is exceptional.  I usually only ask ChatGPT for help in menu planning (which it does quite well).  I need to expand my explorations, LOL!

      Like 2
      • Alice Lin
      • Alice_Lin
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Vidhya Bashyam oh wow, this is impressive.  Actually a little scary that chatGPT can do this.  

      Like 1
    • Michelle R
    • Michelle_Russell
    • 1 yr ago
    • Reported - view

    Here's a recording I found, which I have titled: A Bunny Rabbit Dreams of Conquest. (While listening to this, I imagined a little bunny dreaming of being a knight...in search of ripe strawberries?!?)

    Like 5
      • Gail Starr
      • Retired MBA
      • Gail_Starr
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Michelle R Thank you so much for introducing me to this playful and evocative piece.  This Rachmaninoff Challenge is teaching me so much!

      Like 1
    • Michelle R Love your imagery! 

      Like 1
      • Michelle R
      • Michelle_Russell
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Gail Starr I'm glad you enjoyed it, Gail - I have been pleasantly surprised at how many of Rachmaninoff's compositions I enjoy. Before this challenge, I didn't really like listening to him, but in going through his works I'm finding many that I really like.

      Vidhya Bashyam Thanks, Vidhya. I think it comes from many years spent teaching creative movement to young children. This would have been such a great bit of music to organize a class around!

      Like 1
    • Michelle R your description of this piece certainly caught my attention and guided my listening of it! Thanks for sharing this video! Another to add to my list of dream pieces!

      Like 1
    • Alice Lin
    • Alice_Lin
    • 1 yr ago
    • Reported - view

    This is the first couple pages of the Prelude op. 32 no.5 that have been working on.

    Like 3
    • Alice Lin Sounds beautiful! Looking forward to the rest!

      Like 2
    • Alice Lin you play with such a beautiful tone, it sounds lovely! 

      Like 2
      • Hazel
      • Hazel
      • 1 yr ago
      • Reported - view

      Alice Lin That’s lovely playing. You capture the mood of this piece so well. 🤗

      Like 1
      • Alice Lin
      • Alice_Lin
      • 1 yr ago
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      Vidhya Bashyam Thank you Vidhya!

      Like 1
      • Alice Lin
      • Alice_Lin
      • 1 yr ago
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      Natalie Peh Thank you Natalie!

      Like 1
      • Alice Lin
      • Alice_Lin
      • 1 yr ago
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      Hazel Thank you Hazel!

      Like 1
    • Alice Lin very beautifully played!

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