Alexander Weymann 

Looks like it's going to be a good time for busy docs to unwind by playing pieces with the busiest scores 😅. I look forward to hearing yours. It's certainly harder to memorize than mine!

Noel Nguyen probably, yes. But easier to play! 

Alexander Weymann I'll just say I'm glad that my suffering will be short lived😅. Ok I catastrophize. I'll be having some fun too.

Noel Nguyen I am sure it will be fantastic! We’re all looking forward to it. I don’t remember ever hearing one of the Études d’execution transcendante played in a Tonebase Community Concert.  - Actually, that’s not true: I think Yihan played “Feux Follets” recently. But it’s a rare occurrence. 

Alexander Weymann Yup I remember (vaguely) Feux Follets being played once. And Thurmond played no.3 (Paysage) at the last challenge. As such, I hereby unofficially propose a megalomaniac project of the Complete Transcendental Etudes among Tonebase members: I play nos. 1 & 2. Thurmond nos 3 & 4, Yihan no.5, and the rest to be determined. 

Noel Nguyen love, love, love that idea! As it happens, my teacher recently assigned me “Wilde Jagd”. Haven’t had a chance yet to make much progress on it, but this project would be a great incentive to get my lazy brain and fingers going again. 

Noel Nguyen Alexander Weymann I love this idea too! go for it!

I'll have to count on you guys, Thurmond & Yihan as well as others here to fulfill this project, as I'm afraid that these Etudes "transcend" my present capabilities. 

I heard Russell Sherman play this whole set live in Jordan Hall (Boston) in the 1970's.  I  came out of that recital rather Dazed and Confused, but have since recovered, and am ready for another go 'round!

Alexander I’m looking forward to hearing your recording!

rebecca LAM Fantastic! Looking forward to hearing this.

Peter Golemme Look forward to hearing you play, whichever one you choose :) and it's mind blowing to me that you have this many going at the same time as well as having them memorised, esp the fugues!

Priya Viseskul Thanks Priya.  I'm challenging myself to get through as much of the WTC as l can.  I've been willing to give myself a pass on memorizing, but it simply doesn't seem like I can play the fugues coherently without the memorization. For one thing, I understand them so much better when giving them such close attention. And with Bach I continually marvel with awe and wonder at his craftsmanship, e.g. when I discover  that something that I had thought was filler or just a scale segment  is actually motivic and has been worked by him throughout the piece.

I'm also learning a lot from other people's posts on the memorization thread about their processes and struggles.

And I'm definitely hoping you'll feel ready to play your Schubert.  I love that piece and have played through it (without ever having learned it) many times in years past.   Every time I hear you play something it makes me want to pull my copy off the shelf and learn it!  But I've got my hands full for the time being with my WTC and Rach preludes agendas.

Peter Golemme maybe I will give learning to systematically memorise another go when I quit having a day job ... at the moment I feel memorising is like needing a big plunger to push information into my already limited brain capacity 😂 

I'm making Schubert's op142 my project for this year: I just made a start on no 1, and hoping to wrap up and share no 4 here ... we will see 🙂

Priya Viseskul I am learning Op. 142 nos. 3 and 4 (not for the community concert) right now, in addition to Op. 90 no 1. 

Peter Golemme  All this repertoire sounds like a decent CD.

Astrida Very astute Astrida. That actually is sort of the Plan. I'm recording each of these as  I learn them, with good quality audio on my Mason & Hamlin BB. I hope to get through all the Rachmaninoff Preludes and as many WTC Preludes and Fugues as I can, assembling them into my own little CD of classical pieces I have loved and performed.  Long term project, should I be so blessed to live so long..

Peter Golemme Wonderful! Congratulations for dreaming big! I keep my fingers crossed for you!

Peter Golemme Thanks for playing Bach today, Happy Birthday J.S.Bach!

springgrass Dearspringgrass Thank you for the note.  I will be working on at least one Bach piece for the entire rest of my life, and intend to perform as many of these pieces as i can in upcoming community concerts, or in any other forum that will have me!.

I was disappointed in my performance on Saturday, because of the very conspicuous errors in my Fugue, though I'm gratified that I was able to find my way back to finish it. These were basically memory slips or lapses in concentration.  There's nothing like the crucible of live performance to tell you whether a piece is finished or still a work in progress.  I had thought this one was finished, but obviously it was not, as the memorization was still very fragile.

As I mentioned in the chat, that by itself is a good reason to continue participating in these concerts. They give us all the opportunity to offer a live performance to a real audience, to face up to the risk of messing up, and to practice the skill of bouncing back under pressure!

I want to add that Yihan was spectacular again.  It is a real privilege to witness the lightning speed of his development into the upper echelon of performance capabilities.  He (and you) are very generous in sharing his talent with us. so thank you, and i can't wait to hear his next offering!,,,,, and I'll be there too, to plod through whatever I think I have ready to perform, as well!.   Thanks again.