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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- Variation you worked on: The whole piece.
- One thing you found easy: Watching everyone's lovely videos.
- One thing you found difficult: Memorizing. I just didn't have enough practice time to memorize so perhaps in a future challenge. I did want to at least post an updated video after watching Dominic's wonderful livestream. Even with music, making a recording of this length without mistakes is always difficult. I did skip the repeats in this recording as I seemed to be more prone to mistakes when adding the repeats
- As a side challenge I've been working on improving my recording quality and I think this is an improvement over my original video. I put the mics directly over the open piano lid.
Congratulations everyone on this fun challenge! -
Thanks Sindre Skarelven , nice comments and great advice. When trying to play from memory I found myself playing even faster and was focused only on getting the right notes. Perhaps it just requires more practice time and experience. I was so impressed with your masterclass submission (Mozart) playing the entire piece from memory as well! See you in the next challenge.
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Brett Gilbert Yes, and I think we are getting great experience threw these challenges. Thank you for the compliments on the Mozart!
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Brett Gilbert Sounds great, Brett! Bravo!
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Brett Gilbert Simply wonderful! I enjoyed every moment of your playing, not matter what the tempo.
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Brett Gilbert Thank you, Brett! I enjoyed listening and watching to your music!
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In the last moment, in those ways...
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Juan Carlos Olite Bravo! Fantastic performance there, Juan Carlos! I had to smile at the ending, because I know the feeling very well (it's only charming). Anyway, you had so many nice touches, and the way you create interest threw all the variations and repetitions is very well done. Congratulations!
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Juan Carlos Olite I am so glad you completed the challenge , I wasn鈥檛 exactly taken with this Beethoven piece but now I鈥檓 a fan. Great work as usual !
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Juan Carlos Olite this is just great! You bring a thoughtful approach to everything you touch. Your playing was full of contrasts and still you conveyed a real unity of style throughout; I think it鈥檚 because your deep thinking processes permeated the entire piece. I really enjoy this kind of playing, thank you for sharing your recording!
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Juan Carlos Olite I really enjoyed your video. You add so much personality and your own individual touches that make it exciting and unique. Great job on the memorization too!
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Sindre Skarelven Thank you very much, Sindre! Well, with weeks with no much time to play, I am satisfied with the result. Anyway, I like very much your Mozart video, it is high quality playing, indeed.
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mariannejhampton Thank you, Marianne. Which composers would you like to play in next challenges? I would like to play Bach, for instance.
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Monika Tusnady Thank you so much, Monika! I listened your variations about the variations, what a wonderful idea and with what personal ability. It was great!
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Susan Thank you so much, Susan!
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Matt Bravo for a great job and I really enjoyed your personal touch ! Congrats
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Juan Carlos Olite I would also like Bach . I love the Goldberg variations but I wonder how that could be done within the parameters of our community challenge ? Maybe a French suite where there is a couple of easier movements ?
There is also Mozart and his easier variations which are easy for kids and hard for adults !
It鈥檒l be interesting to find out what is chosen next ! -
Juan Carlos Olite You did very well with this challenge, even with little time! You're obviously a fast learner.
Glad you liked the Mozart. I do enjoy that sonata, and would like to make something special out of it after the masterclass.
Looking forward to the next challenge, hope to see you there!
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mariannejhampton Very good ideas...
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mariannejhampton Oooh! I鈥檇 love to do several Goldberg variations. Maybe we could just pick 4 of our favorite plus the Aria?
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Juan Carlos Olite Juan Carlos, your polish and personality shine through every piece you post. I learn so much from your playing!
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Gail Starr Afterwards I wondered if the theme of the Goldberg variations might be a little worrisome for some due to it鈥檚 rhythmic challenges ? Of course that would be the challenge for me too but I would love to try !
Still , I trust Dominic to find something we all like , my piano teachers let me pick my own piano music through the years except when I played in piano ensemble so this is a new experience for me . To be honest I didn鈥檛 care for the variations he picked at first but I really like them now!
See you in the next challenge !
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Gail Starr Thank you so much, Gail! I'd love to do several Goldberg variations too. Why not? I love Bach above all others composers...
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Juan Carlos Olite Thank you, Juan Carlos! As Dominic said, you have a very thoughtful approach to the music, and I enjoyed it thoroughly!
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Pauline Thank you so much, Pauline!
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Juan Carlos Olite You're welcome! :D
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