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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Since I listened to Gretchen am spinnrade when I was a teenager, Schubert has been with me all may life (I love his lieder, his string quartets and, of course, his piano music). Schubert embodies the most intimate music, music at home, alone or with the loved ones. The music closest to the heart.
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Jarkko Janhunen Thank you, Jarkko! It is a piece of the happy side of Schubert.
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Charlie Gesualdo Of course, Charlie! Thank you very much!
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Gail Starr Thank you so much, Gail! I have had many doubts with the pedal, I am not sure, perhaps it sounds a bit rough.
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Juan Carlos Olite I notice your recordings have a very nice clarity. I am new to recording myself. Can I ask where you place your mic? I purchased a Shure MV88, and it sounds better than the iPhone mic but not nearly as clear as yours. My piano is in a rather large and open room. Maybe this is the problem. I get good results if I open the lid and put the mic close to the strings, but then I have to do a separate video and sync the sound. I’d rather have that time for practice.
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Charlie Gesualdo Hello Charlie! I'm not an expert in sound recording at all, but I am going to try to explain how I deal with it. In the last videos on Schubert I have used the Blue Yeti mic with the laptop. I have a Shure MV88 and it is very good, but since it doesn't work with the Zoom App we use in Tonebase Concerts (I have participated in the first concert...), I bought the Blue Yeti. I put it two or three meters far from the piano with the gain button very low (the piano is in a small room). I think that the Blue Yeti and the Shure MV88 are very similar in quality, the advantage of Blue Yeti is that you can use it with the laptot.
I have listened to you last two videos and I think they sound very well. Perhaps, if you are using the Shure mic with iPhone or iPad, you could reduce the "Mic Gain" (in the Motiv App) in order to prevent distortions when you play forte. But I am not sure at all. It is a matter of trying and trying. In any case, I assure you your videos sound quite good.
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Juan Carlos Olite thanks for sharing your information!
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Juan Carlos Olite I love your pedaling in this piece!
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Juan Carlos Olite sorry not to hear Gretchen tonight!
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Juan Carlos Olite Delightful, Carlos! Thank you!
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Roy James-Pike I have watched it later and it was very, very interesting in videos and commentaries.
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Pauline Thank you so much, Pauline.
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My desire to keep Schubert in my life started many years ago after hearing Valentina Lisitsa play Standchen and Impromptu 142/3 on YouTube. I was so inspired that I learned them both in succession. Prior to that it was only Chopin that I ensured was in my repertoire. I particularly love the Schubert/Liszt lieder transcriptions and always have them in my “to learn” list. After hearing the beautiful sonatas played by others in this challenge, they will be added to my list too. No difficulty to build Schubert into my life.
At the beginning of the challenge I thought I would just work on polishing an old Schubert piece. I’m glad a chose something I had actually never heard of before- the valses sentimentales. It’s like finding a new book by a favorite author. I am definitely inspired to work more on the ones I started and learn the rest of these short but lovely pieces as well.
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Vidhya Bashyam I love every single waltz of this collection! You have introduced me to more of them that I had not previously considered and appreciate your elegant rendition
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Vidhya Bashyam Lovely playing!
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Vidhya Bashyam Beautiful, Vidhya!!
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Vidhya Bashyam sweet and lovely… I really enjoy listening to you and Monica and hearing how your different personalities emerge in these dances.
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Vidhya Bashyam You truly bring out the charming quality that Schubert meant to convey! Simply lovely!
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Vidhya Bashyam Lovely playing, it sounds great!
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Juan Carlos Olite Thank you!
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Gail Starr Thanks Gail!
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Brother Will Green Thank you!
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Charlie Gesualdo Thank you Charlie!
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Ching Lee Goh Thank you!
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Monika Tusnady Thanks Monica!
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Vidhya Bashyam Beautiful!! Great playing!! Very sensitive :) Yes, I too love Lisitsa, she used to live not far from me, I had the opportunity of meeting her after a concert. What a charming woman she is, and incredible at her piano!! She was on her Bosendorfer... ah, but these waltzes, brava!! Thank you!! xx
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