WEEK THREE Updates: Main Thread - Beethoven smiles in the Coda!

mariannejhampton O Marianne, that familiar experience of practicing, knowing, and then fumbling in the recording. I’ve been working on the cadences and think to myself: “Three Blind Mice coming right up!” - and think of you!

mariannejhampton PLUS, I will spare you my nine videos attempts from this morning before leaving on a trip…

Monika Tusnady I have several attempts from a couple of sessions too . In fact the best one was always the first try and everything went steadily downhill from there .

I’m giving myself a rest from this variation today and maybe forever ! 
Have a good trip !

Monika Tusnady You are SO right, Monika!  We play just fine when there is no one watching (or recording).

Monika Tusnady Bon voyage!

mariannejhampton Dear Marianne, same over here  I have already memorized the full piece and tried to make a one-go video, but still a long way to the «perfectly polished and memorized performance» (loved it!) One thing is for sure: I will not include the repeats (as it is supposed to be), so as to cut on the length and therefore reduce the chances of failure... but, you know, I actually like this 'lean' version, as the music is rather repetitive already, let alone the fact that these are 'variations on a theme'! 

João Dias da Silva I do hope you’re able to record all of it before the end of the challenge . I would love to hear as personally I think memorizing is a big achievement. Before covid my piano friends and I got together each month to play , I think it was easier for me to do that rather than video as I didn’t have to listen to myself after !

CK  Bravo! 

CK like Dominic, I thought your tempo was perfect throughout. I liked that you played with care, attention, and intention throughout. Well done!

Aline Valade thanks a lot (though am not too sure if I was 'eligible' to receive such comment). But I am feeling happy on that. Thanks again. 

Dominic Cheli Truly surprisingly received such comment from you (who considered as a well-known concert pianist). Firstly, I need to thankyou again to Tonebase and also your team for having this community forum, which got lots of things can learnt from you guys (even though, most of the time, I was unable to join the event or class on the the spot, due to the different time zone). Secondly, thanks again for suggesting this piece for us to learn and play along. I never heard of the piece at all before the task. 

When I got to know that the task is to learn this piece, I actually only try to search it from the youtube. I manage to listen one of the video who performed it in a rather faster tempo, then another one, even more faster. I was thinking, oh my god, I definitely don't think that I am going to play it so fast. Hence, I started to sight-read the piece in my preferred tempo (which was the one I recorded). As learning the piece gradually, I realized that some of the melody could be done in a different way, and in fact, I even felt that, I sort of trying to voice different part of the melody. However, I guess, it's not truly well demonstrated in at this point of time.

Overall, I am glad to learn this piece. Will definitely try to learn in a proper and more systematic way. 

Thanks again. 

Monika Tusnady Thanks for able to listen to the whole piece. I am not too sure as if the tempo was perfect?! But, I felt that this tempo is fine. 

CK Bravo! I enjoyed your performance. I agree with the others who said that the tempo feels just right. I also noticed your voicing, for example in the 6th variation when the melody is in the left hand, it felt like a left hand "solo." Very nice!

CK I thought you did a lovely job and I also liked the tempo . Nice expression too !

CK wonderful play through of the entire piece. I especially enjoyed your minore and the coda!

CK Well done!  I like the overhead camera perspective you used as well.

Matt Thanks for enjoying listening to it. Yes, I did attempted to voice some parts of the melody on it throughout the variations. Some of which, I guess it did not turns out well. Hopefully will be better when time is sufficient for me to learn next time. 

Sindre Skarelven thank you so much. Have a great day. 

Susan Thanks Susan. Personally, I like the Coda the most. As the way of the melody which composed or built-up, it did not sounds like beethoven's style to me, yet, I truly enjoyed how it was written. 

mariannejhampton thankyou for listening and enjoying it.