General Information and FAQ:
WELCOME TO OUR LATEST TONEBASE PIANO COMMUNITY PRACTICE CHALLENGE:
The Franz Liszt Birthday Challenge!
Let’s celebrate the music of Liszt leading up to his Birthday on October 22
For this challenge you have a few options:
- Submit yourself practicing his music, learning or playing it!
- If his music isn’t in your repertoire right now, submit your favorite recording of his music (played by someone else) and tell us why you love it! Hopefully we can hear some rare gems, special recordings, and generally have a great time learning/discussing this fantastic composer!
The watch party for this challenge will be on October 24th!
When does this take place?
Challenge start: October 3
Challenge days: Oct 3-24
Watch Party of selected submissions: Oct 24 at 11am PT
(Link coming soon!)
HOW TO START:
1. Are you playing a piece of Liszt? If so, then let's start practicing it and post an update on what you are working on!
2. Perhaps Liszt is not in your repertoire right now: Post your favorite video of his music!
3. Practice every day and try to post 2 videos a week!
SUGGESTED REPERTOIRE FOR "EASIER" Liszt PIECES!
12 Exercises op.1 (these are a precursor to the transcendental etudes!)
Why are we doing this?
Because we want to challenge ourselves to practice every day
Because learning together is more fun than learning alone
Because we get to share our progress with others (whether video or just text)
Because new music is wonderful and these pieces were written especially for us!
Because we want to meet our fellow tonebase community members
Because we get to hear new music which we might not play ourselves
ASK ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE BELOW!
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Wow, thank you so much for sharing the 12 Etudes Op. 1 - I had no idea those existed! They're like "Études d'execution transcendante, but for normal people". Totally fascinating to compare these very early versions with the final ones (and I think there was another, essentially unplayable version in-between).
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Alexander Weymann Why hadn't I heard these before? I love them, and they are more or less all playable for normal people.
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Alexander Weymann just listened to them. Very beautiful- not sure normal people can play all of them either. #9 (my favorite at first listen) sounds like something he would have written after becoming friends with Chopin but he wrote these at age 15! Hope to hear you play a few
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Alexander Weymann I'm looking forward to the day I can be considered "normal people!"
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Vidhya Bashyam oh, I agree - No. 10, for example, doesn't look nearly as hard as the corresponding Transcendental Etude, but it seems plenty difficult and I probably wouldn't attempt it. But I do think a few of the others look feasible.
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Michelle R
it's all relative; "normal" compared to people who are able to play the real thing, the Transcendental Etudes, is what I meant. And that's what most of us are around here - all equal in that respect. Passionate, but not professional.
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Wow! This is a busy month, but these pieces look accessible. I’ve stayed away from Liszt because it always sounds & looks so difficult. I’ll try and begin to learn one. Thanks!
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Jennifer Mehta same here! Liszt scares me. A lot.
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Gail Starr Oh yes, emphasis on the words "A lot".
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I would like to see if I can bring back my Gnomenreigen. If it's not too long?
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Natale Farrell What a fabulous piece! I’ll take a look at it. I’ve always been scared to try Liszt…
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Gail Starr I don't play it well, but it is fun ;)
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Natale Farrell I'm going to listen to it right now on YouTube and see if it is even do-able for me.
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Hi all, I'm in for this challenge and so glad Liszt has come up! Will confirm a piece in the next day or so! Derek
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I've been working on Liszt's Sonata again and just recorded the first part yesterday for a lesson.
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@Ben Katt Nice job! I like your camera set up, too! How do you do that?
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Natale Farrell Thanks! 2 cameras - 1 overhead (with a boom stand) and 1 on the side with a normal tripod. Merge them together on the computer which is pretty easy after having done it a lot of times.
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I will have a go at one or more of the Consolations. They are just within reach of my level.
