Week 3: Discovering Schubert Month
Dear Pianists,
As we're coming up to the last week of Discovering Schubert Month, I'm keen to hear of your insights and takeaways from your month's work.
Here's the Week 3 thread, where you may post your text and video updates! I've only got one question for you this week:
What does it take to build Schubert into your life?
I've previously asked you about the piece you are working on, a passage you are satisfied with, and one you're less satisfied with. I've also learned a lot about your musical imagination and pianism by asking you how you might describe the character of your piece, the pianistic tools you use to convey the aforementioned character, and particular elements of the piece you notice by playing it. I'm always so moved by the process of learning a piece of music, playing it, performing it, and continuing to live with it. Playing piano has always been a bastion in my life and I hope that through your regular ritual and practice it can be a source of comfort and empowerment for you too.
I hope you'll consider proposing your Schubert piece for Piano Community's upcoming Community Concert, and to share your work with other supportive members of our community! I really believe I am awarded deep insights when I take the time to deeply consider the elements of my colleagues' successes.
If you're new to the Schubert gathering this week, welcome-it's never too late to join! You may find the guidelines for participation in the Rules and FAQ thread.
See you below, 
Hilda
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Hi. I鈥檝e been occupied working in ICU for Covid team and practice has suffered. I think I鈥榲e memorized 142 # 2 but my playing leaves a lot to be improved on. Will try playing this without music and in dark. I don鈥檛 know if I missed the final community event but hope not. Gerry W. Just listened pretty bad Playing and bad recording with my I phone resting against books. Oh well. Will work on it some more
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geraldw Nice! I love this piece! Great playing Geraldw!
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Aline Valade Thanks for listening Aline! PS saw your comments on Hilda's tutorial - so we have something in common- small hands!! I've learned to cheat when I can't reach all the notes. I look forward to hearing your playing.
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Gail Starr Thanks Gail. I loved your zoomed duet of the Marche Militaire. Now you have to do Schubert Fantasie in f minor long distance! PS Does it ever snow in Winter Park, Florida??
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Here are the remaining one which learnt and recorded recently, hope you guys enjoy listening to it:
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CK Great job! I love your musicality!
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CK Bravo! Your fabulous performances answer Hilda鈥檚 question of the week! I love your varied choice of repertoire and your sensitive approach to all of these pieces.
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CK Amazing variety of Schubert pieces! Sounds great!
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CK
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Gail Starr hello, thanks for spending your precious time on listening it.
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Monika Tusnady Thanks on those feedback. Am not sure if I did answered Hilda's questions?! As I find those questions are difficult for me to answer. I just played what I know and how I felt it while learning the pieces.
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Vidhya Bashyam thanks for listening.
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Charlie Gesualdo thankyou.
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CK These are AWESOME videos!! It's so inspiring to see you playing all of these various pieces. Do you learn them rather quickly? What are your strategies for learning music? How long does it take you to work through a piece like the 1st movement of D 845?
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Hilda Huang Good day. Thanks for giving me such remarks. As mentioned in the practicing diary, I flipped-through part of the collected books I had for years.... Then only I started to learn it. Well, I wish that my sight-reading was that superb, but the truth always the opposite.
(in brief)
1. Valse Sentimentale Op.50 (D.799) No.13
-> heard the piece before; Came across the score at a glance, but only learnt it this time.
2. Moment Musicals Op.94 No.3 F minor
-> one of my favourite piece of music since childhood till now.
-> attempted to learn by sight-read, in the past (i think the last time i played was few years
ago), never ever successful. Only this time, which it has surprised me able to learn, play and
recorded in a rather smooth manner.
3. Impromptu D.899 G-flat major
-> the first time I've learnt and to be able to play it in a 'decent' way back in 1997. Ever since, I
always make sure I won't forget about this lovely repertoire, hence, always practising back
on this piece. But as the time goes back, I felt that I totally forgotten what was it like or
supposed to be.
-> Lucky enough that, I was able to re-visit and re-learnt the piece (which given me more in-
depth understanding of the piece).
-> Hence, for this recording, am actually hoping that I could played the best version of it, but it
wasn't. Realizing that I still got lots of things to handle under-controlled.
4. Serenade - schubert's version
-> came across the tune during childhood. Had sight-read it on and off (but guess more than a
decade). Only this time, I tried to learn it and also explore a bit on its voicing.
5. Serenade - Liszt's version
-> learnt it this time. Didn't know that there's Liszt version
-> In the recording, has added some spontaneous self interpretation.
6. Sonata in A minor D.845, 1st movement
-> Heard this in my teenager time (probably in one of those piano concert which I had
attended that time).
-> Bought the book-2 volume quite recent years, purely thought that I will be able to self-
learning it by myself. Again, it's a failure. I think I couldn't reached the 2nd page or perhaps I
was too lazy!!
-> So, I supposed this can considered my very first time recorded schubert's piano
sonata/movement. I still remembered roughly played (sight-read) almost in it during the 2nd
week of the challenge.
7. Scherzo in B-flat major D.593 No.1
-> again just found this piece, decided to learn it after first sight-read attempt. Noticed that I
doubt I have played such "drama" melody in my life. So, it's a good challenge for me as well.
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CK Such soulful playing! Thank you, CK!
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I am still practicing 5 Valses Sentimentales. The #5, 13, 18,19 and 20...I did not made a video...And I will try to do it until March second! Maybe not all the valses I am practicing, I will see until then. But, I want to share this video with you all to inspire you in this Schubert Challenge. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om8DByrf6y4&ab_channel=PhilippeSly-Minstrel
Dominic Cheli I think you will love it!
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Aline Valade Aline thanks for sharing that You Tube with Philippe Sly. So hauntingly beautiful. Look forward to your Valses Sentimentales! Gerry W
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geraldw Welcome Geraldw! I am glad that you enjoy it.
!
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I realise that I need to sort out the Youtube account in order to be able to record in a better way, but for now this is the first part of Op.33 D. 783 No 7 - second half to follow!
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Roy James-Pike Hi Roy, was watching some of your videos over again - I took particular notice of how efficiently your left hand moves and wanted to point it out to you!
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Part 2 of the Waltz No 7. No 15 to follow after tonight's live session.
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Here is my first recording for tonebase. The Scherzo from the sonata in Bb.
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whoops-apologies, had trouble uploading but hopefully it is here now!
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Angela Fogg beautiful playing, Angela! Thanks for sharing!
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Angela Fogg thank you Andrea!
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