Week 4 – Play Through & Share
Welcome to Week 4 of the Romantic Music Challenge.
This week is about letting go of the microscope and trusting the arc you’ve built. You’ve worked through notes, texture, and character. Now it’s time to experience the piece as a whole.
This week, your goal is to play through your piece—or your chosen section—as a complete musical thought.
Practice Prompts
Choose one or two and explore:
- Play through without stopping, even if something goes wrong
- Decide where the emotional high point of the piece lives
- Notice where your attention drifts, and gently bring it back to the narrative
- Imagine you’re performing for one specific listener
Sharing for This Week
When you’re ready, share a recording of your full piece or selected section. Audio or video is welcome.
We’ll begin compiling submissions for our Romantic Watch Party on February 13, where we’ll listen together and celebrate everyone’s work.
Press record, play it through, and let it be what it is!
385 replies
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Well here it is, my friends.
Pardon the painful facial expressions. Please understand that I'm out of my comfort zone when playing soft romantic pieces, even though I love them. And I just happen to find this one to be the most romantic in the entire repertoire! And also as mysterious as it is romantic. Rach never gave us a clue on its secret extra-musical meaning, if there is one. Or did he? As I said earlier, I do remember reading somewhere that it is NOT about unrequited love. Rather, it is supposed to be about closure, perhaps one last memory of what was too good to last, or something like that. But maybe I'm making this up, haha!
And please pardon my shameless truncation of the piece, jumping from the third page to the last!😆
If you're curious about what is on the monitor screen in front of me, that's the Studio One software. I always record the sound with that software and my Presonus unit with two omni microphones, for the best sound quality that I can obtain. The drawback is that I have to record the picture with another device (my phone). More work, but worth it, hopefully.
Sadly I may not be able to make it for the watch party on Friday! because I will be working, albeit from home. I wish I had more time. My time here is pretty much the only time I can relax. Well, this and playing on my Baldwin SD-10, although I don't look too relaxed here! -
Hi all, wonderful to hear your recordings! Here's my contribution in the form of another rendition of Brahms Intermezzo in B-Flat Minor Op. 117 No. 2: https://youtu.be/IBYA1MDs5zc (definitely a work in progress but the practice prompts proved very useful!)
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https://youtu.be/kHQci4nJd-Q?si=FUiEQObMWAaWZR1Q
Here’s my run-through of Serenade Op. 29 by Cecile Chaminade. -
Wow, 270 responses so far...amazing thread, haha. Here's my entry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sqsK3wEO6o
Scriabin Op 11 No. 11, 2nd half! I included some notes in the video, too.
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About a week ago I was listening to Liszt's Transcendental Etudes, when the thought occured to me: "Paysage doesn't seem that difficult; I bet I could play it!" And it would seem that I could. The Transcentals are one of my lifetime musical goals, so to get started on that is quite wonderful. Aside from all that, it is truly a beauftiful piece, lyrical and atmospheric - people never give Liszt enough credit for his skill to make truly beautiful music outside of all the virtuosity. Seeing as I've only been working on this a short time, there are a few rough spots. Still, I hope you all enjoy!
Thurmond
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Sharing my video of Chopin's Nocturne No.20 in C# minor Op posth (Last section)
This is one of my favourite pieces by Chopin. I've been focusing a lot on the trills, dynamics (esp soft parts) & fast runs in the coda
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Here is my last minute submission of P.I. Tchaikovsky "January" from his cycle Seasons Op.37a.