WEEK THREE Updates: Main Thread - Beethoven smiles in the Coda!
Hello and welcome to the WEEK THREE 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 October 4 - 11th I hope to be reading your daily updates in this very thread right here!
Download the music:
Beethoven: 6 Variations on an Original Theme
Please use the following format when commenting (feel free to copy & paste!):
- Variation you worked on:
- One thing you found easy:
- One thing you found difficult:
- (Optional): a video of you performing it!
Sample daily update:
- Variation you worked on: No. 1
- One thing you found easy: Learning the notes, and rhythms were rather straight-forward, and not challenging!
- One thing you found difficult: Shifting the Hands was a bit tricky to get smooth!
Feel free to make these updates as short or long as you wish!
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Worked on all variations
One thing I found easy: I felt quite secure in my vision of the character of each variation
One thing I found difficult: keeping it together when making a video!
The more I practiced the piece, the more I discovered the musical possibilities hidden within it, and the more I came to like it. I haven't played Beethoven in some time and realized that I missed him!
Thanks to all participants and thank you Dominic in particular for all your kind insights; I've learned so much on this journey!
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Richard George Littlewood Hi Richard in Malaga, Yes, it is electronic, a Dexibell, and I positively LOVE IT both for its sound options and for its action. If I wanted an acoustic piano I would have visit Gail and that's quite a trek. Good point on the bass - I will increase it and see if you like it more...
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Monika Tusnady Chapeau!! Thank you so much for this magnificent performance. I love how different our performances are. That's what makes this all so interesting, and a great learning experience. We did have some fun along the way, didn't we. Looking forward to the next one :)
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Sindre Skarelven it was fun and instructive! Towards the end of my teaching career, requiring students to reflect on their learning became the norm. It was one of the best directional changes in educational history! Of course, I had never experienced the huge benefits of 芦 accountable reflection 禄 in my own learning until two weeks ago. I. Am. Grateful.
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Monika Tusnady Yes! That is so valuable for students to learn... and for us as well. Even thought I am teaching and has been doing so for a while, I will always consider myself a student of music. I am too, grateful.
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Monika Tusnady Bravo Monika, Great playing and style!
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Monika Tusnady Brava, Monika! :D
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Thanks, Pauline. I cannot tell you how very much I鈥檝e enjoyed this process. The new challenge is only hours away!
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Monika Tusnady Your enjoyment is very apparent in your playing and your expression! :D
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Pauline Thanks! This piece really grew on me and I know it grew on others, too. I still play through it every morning with
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Monika Tusnady You're welcome! That is sweet!
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I've worked on all the variations.
One thing I found easy: I liked trying to bring out some of the interesting intervals and chromatiscisms.
One thing I found difficult: I couldn't seem to figure out a good tempo for all the variations. As I continue to learn the piece, I might play some of the variations a bit faster. Since I am still learning the notes, some of the variations dragged a bit because I don't know what I'm doing yet!
I loved listening to everyone's submissions. Great work, Tonebase Team!
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Gail Starr Bravo! Sounds great. The tempo you took in the recording sounds close to what Dominic recommended from his livestream and worked well.
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Gail Starr I really enjoyed your performance! I liked the variety of different touches you used and the changing moods. I especially liked the way you changed it up at measure 16 in Variation 3 and your playful coda with the big finish! Very expressive and exciting.
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Gail Starr What a great PERFORMANCE - all caps because that鈥檚 exactly what it felt like, intentional from beginning to end. You manifest your fabulous sense of humour in the ways you explore possibilities of phrasing and dynamics within each variation. A joy to listen to!
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Gail Starr Wow! I was listening to that thinking, that's what I want to be able to do in a few years' time...
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CK Brett Gilbert Thank you so much. That was exactly what I was trying to do. Next, I just need to learn the notes!
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Monika Tusnady Thank you SO much, ma ch猫re. I WAS trying to make good decisions. I just need more time with the piece to get my fingers to remember what is coming next.
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Susan Thank you so much, dear Susan. I was imagining a fun 芦 conversation 芦 with different phrases going back and forth and trying to give a sense of improvisation because I have a hunch that composers back then would sort of sit at the piano just playing notes as they came into their imagination.
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Gail Starr It sure is a challenge to learn this piece within the timeline. At the same time, it's an opportunity to see what we can do under pressure, so not only do we learn the piece, we learn about ourselves, too, don't you find?
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Gail Starr Brava! Wonderful performance. You did a great job with bringing out the character of each variation.
Can I just recommend getting a foot switch for your iPad. You did well with switching the pages with your finger, but on certain pieces it is nice to be able to have both hands on the piano while turning the page :)
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Gail Starr Absolutely gorgeous .I liked it all but I particularly liked. your variation no 4 , the bass of your piano has such a beautiful tone . Congratulations on a job well done.
Sindre mentioned a foot pedal . I have the ForScore music app and then I subscribe to the Proscore addition to the app which allows me to turn the pages by grimacing (winking etc) when it鈥檚 time to turn the page . As long as I鈥檓 careful and don鈥檛 start singing or chewing on gum I can use -
Gail Starr Great sound and playing, Bravo!
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Gail Starr I know I said it elsewhere, I wanted to state it here: I enjoyed your performance! Thank you, Gail!
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- Variation you worked on: No. 1
- One thing you found easy: Learning the notes, and rhythms were rather straight-forward, and not challenging except when trying to record !
- One thing you found difficult: Trying to record without making lots of mistakes , I am aware as soon as I鈥檓 making them !
Anyway I鈥檓 sharing my attempt , it鈥檚 my third few bars I鈥檝e ever tried to memorize in my whole life . - I love watching all your videos and maybe some of expertise will rub off on me !
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mariannejhampton Great job Marianne! I know it is difficult to start on the "memorizing- journey", but it will pay of in the music and it's a great exercise for the brain. Thank you for sharing.
