Week 4: Share It

We made it.

Four weeks ago, this challenge began with A New Hope. You chose a piece, took the first steps, kept the momentum going, and stayed with it through the ups and downs.

 

Now it’s time for the final step:

Share it.

 

This week is all about recording and posting your piece. It does not need to be perfect. In fact, that was never the goal.

 

Maybe your piece isn’t exactly where you imagined it would be. Maybe there are still rough edges. Maybe there are passages you still wish you had another week with.

That’s okay.

 

The point of Unfinished Business was never perfection. It was showing up, sticking with it, and bringing something across the finish line.

So this week, post your recording! Whether it’s:

  • your full piece
  • an excerpt
  • one section you’re proud of
  • or your best take so far

Share it.

And then… get ready.

 

On June 6th, we’ll celebrate together during our Unfinished Business Watch Party, where we’ll enjoy and celebrate recordings from the community and look back on the journey we took together.

You’ve already done the hard part.

Now let us hear it.

 

You have until June 5th to share a recording with us, to be included on the concert!

262 replies

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    • Noel_Nguyen
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    My dear friends,

    I am in sheer panic mode right now. My recording is done and the audio is good, but the video quality is unacceptable! Very shaky picture because of the mighty vibrations from the concert grand. I've been working on fixing it with a dozen softwares. I am not giving up, still aiming for a last minute submission!

      • hot4euterpe
      • 12 days ago
      • Reported - view

       In order to give you a conscientious opinion on such a long-term path, I (and anyone!) would have to know much more about certain things like your learning history, your current abilities and your knowledge and comfort with fundamental concepts of technique.

      Objectively speaking, 2.5 years is an unusually long time to work on any one piece. There is value in working on challenge pieces and you have already mentioned that you have found the time you have spent on it to be very enjoyable, so the fact that it is unusual does not mean it was not meaningful. However, most teachers will suggest that it is more useful for growing your abilities to play pieces that you can learn to a point of high accuracy and steadiness within 1-3 months so that you can work on artistry, articulation, economy of motion, phrasing etc. One can certainly improve by exploring demanding repertoire that exceeds current abilities but improvement is more reliable and consistent when we terrace our learning toward demanding pieces. We build a body of repertoire that becomes a foundation on which to add new challenges.

      For example, before a concerto movement is introduced to a student, it is common to ensure that they have first studied and performed at least one sonata movement and, prior to that, several sonatina movements. One acts as the training ground for the next so it is worthwhile to explore some of Clementi's Op. 36 sonatina (roughly progressive in difficulty), or some of Kuhlau's sonatinas (Op. 55 comes to mind), or Diabelli, Dussek etc. These mini-sonatas allow learners to work on classical period figurations, articulation and forms more succinctly so you can focus on a high degree of execution and carry that forward to the next challenge. If you have never done this before, it may be worth considering! A year spent on this path is much more likely to enhance your ability to manage the concerto than a year on the concerto alone. It would also help you prepare for the Beethoven sonata I believe you have mentioned an interest in. 

      As it happens, one of the figurations that would be worked on tremendously in a Kuhlau sonatina is scale work! You can of course just work on scales as technical items as well. Practicing in rhythms, as you mentioned, is a useful strategy but is more for stress-testing synchronization of the hands, improving subdivisions, improving accent placement, and avoiding automatic, distracted practice. Your tempo may improve modestly as a result but it would mostly be a secondary effect of improving your overall awareness of the scale form. 

      Clarity and speed in scales comes from smooth, efficient lateral movement of the wrist in sync with quick key release. In other words, it is not about pressing keys faster, it is about letting go faster and the wrist continuously supporting the next strike. This can run counter to instincts and often takes a fair bit of slow practice to coordinate. Scales played with a light finger staccato can be useful for this since it allows one to focus on rapid release, which in turn frees up the wrist to move to the side for the next strike. Ideally, the wrist floats seamlessly (as though on a rail!) allowing the fingers to continuously play without unnecessary extension / stretching.

      In any case, it is easy for me to go on and on as this is what I talk about all day! Perhaps I should have started by just asking if you have considered finding a teacher to work with? It really is invaluable to have one for helping you construct long-term plans that are fitted to you personally. I am happy to offer advice for specific things (like scales) but can only offer general comments toward the bigger picture of your learning.

      • Peter_William
      • 12 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you ! Thank you! and Thank you! again. Your answer above is superbly insightful into my own situation.

      In para 1 -  I get it that - this is an unusually long time 2.5 yrs to focus on one piece.  I really enjoy playing so no harm done and learn't quite a few things along the way. It made me read a couple of books on piano playing, understand scale playing and need for it, since it occurs in the 1st movement itself, slow practice and more importantly to understand that progress at the piano is actually quite slow. The key takeaways are i) Add smaller pieces first and play to great deal of accuracy within a 1-3 month time frame - This is key for me and now have a good reference point. Will definitely look at the Clementi Op 36 sonatina. ( may have played one with Ben Laude's class - I think.. quite nice )

      My biggest challenge is when I did scale practice on C maj.. 2 octaves then 4 Octaves I hit speed walls at aroung 108 bpm and also experienced hand pain so quickly stopped it altogether to avoid injury. Your statment in bold - with a quick release - is something I am probably not doing at all. I also noticed that I don't have arm movements like all the experienced players on this channel. 

      I have never had a lesson in my whole entire life at the piano. It is high time for me to get a teacher. Although at 60+ (3 have already told me "go do something else" lol! ) - I suspect most of the great teachers would prefer to spend their time on precocious 7yr old's who are musical innately and may go on to grad school, conservatory and the grand stage at a later time . :-).

      That's why when I came across TB and looked at the list of piano luminaries teaching -  I jumped at the opportunity to sign on for lifetime access and now have found amazingly talented pianists here from the concert threads also. So far I have only completed about 10 classes here and have quite a few to cover systematically. In the next year or two I will be almost certainly retired at which point  time windows will open up substantially.    

      • Peter_William
      • 7 days ago
      • Reported - view

        A very small update! Yesterday I retook the TB test for level and strangely! enough it moved me up  from level 2 ( 3 years ago).  I did answer the questions as accurately as possible both times, some I had not the foggiest notion of what they were. So maybe all the exposure and playing has not been lost after all and there is some progress.

    • Piano Teacher, Learner and Student
    • br0wn
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    this is very last second submission. Apologise for that. 

      • Andrew_Smith
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Very nice CK! Thanks for sharing that. Clementi wrote so many good sonatas, and this makes me want to play it. I think I read in a bio of Beethoven that he greatly admired Clementi. Also, it looks like either you have quite large hands or a piano with narrower keys. Can you span an 11th? Cheers

    • Unfrozen Barroom Piano Player
    • Peter_G
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Hello,  here's my "Week 2"  [sic] video of Rachmaninoff Bb Minor Prelude.  Almost  memorized, but don't dare yet to leave the score behing.

    Events really conspired against me over the last month to keep me away from my piano. 

    This is still unfinished, (obviously) but a lot closer than when we started this challenge.  I honestly don't know whether my technique can handle playing up to tempo at the Clim---  er, LET'S JUST CALL IT PAGE 3,-- but I'll keep at it, nudging the tempo in tiny increments, hoping it will eventually fall in to place.  Plenty of other sections to polish in the meantime.

    https://youtu.be/dt4N50sAHGE

      • Andrew_Smith
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Way to go Peter! Only week 2?! I really like this prelude, took a look at it years ago and decided that RH faster stuff after the intro section was too hard for me. And the video tech is impressive too!

      • Noel_Nguyen
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       I really love the clarity of your Rachmaninoff, not to mention the gorgeous tone of your touch... and your M&H BB! I bet there was some middle pedal magic in that performance. Or maybe just the magic of your fingers.

      • Unfrozen Barroom Piano Player
      • Peter_G
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Hi Andrew, thank you for the encouraging feedback.  But be not misled by my "Week 2" designation.  I've spent a lot more than 2 weeks on this piece!  Would you believe, a lifetime? I performed it in an adult-ed class recital 25+ years ago, and have revisited it many times over the years. My "Unfinished Business" for this challenge was (1) to bring it back up to speed (MY speed, that is), (2) "perfect" it (ha! good luck with that one!) and (3) make a decent recording of it, worthy of preservation, now that I have a good piano and amazing audio-visual recording technology all in one place at home.

      I call it "Week 2" because, despite the best laid plans, I had only about 7 days over the past month to devote to serious practice, and thus I still have a good way to go before I can say I've devoted a month to finishing this business.

      • Unfrozen Barroom Piano Player
      • Peter_G
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

        Noel Thank you again for listening and commenting. It's reassuring to think that maybe something of what I am trying to convey is coming through.

      Yes the BB is a BBeast! 7 feet and over 900 pounds of power! I love it though sometimes the tone seems a little too BBrassy for playing something lightly, softly and smoothly.  But methinks it more likely that the issue is in the technique of the player than in the properties of the piano.

      No middle pedal magic here, but a lot of (attempted) split second timing with the right pedal, as I attempt to hang on to the lower notes of the RH chords while playing the top notes staccato (around m. 40 ff).  Naturally, simply holding down those lower notes is not an option as Sergei insists that your hands fly off elsewhere to play other notes.  But I've relaxed about that pedaling a little after our "Tricky Passages" session with  , where he said that the staccato signs don't necessarily require literal staccato so much as a bit less weight and emphasis than the ones marked tenuto.

      Coming attractions:  I put the middle pedal to good use in the F Major and the D Minor, and am still trying to catch those half notes in the middle of the 'substrate' notes in the Ab Major, as well as the E Major, which we've talked about before.  I will be sure to alert you when these are ready, so you can assess whether it was successful [or worth the trouble!].

      Edited to add:  PLUS I'm looking forward to that Crown Royal if I get through all 24 Preludes!

      • Pianist, composer and piano teacher
      • Sindre_Skarelven
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Bravo, Peter! Absolutely loved it! How the main motif is popping out everywhere is just the coolest thing :D

      • PViseskul
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       coming here for a second dose of your Rach after the watch party - got me interested to look at the score and saw 10th on LH ... that's quite a bit out of my literally reach here, oh well never mind. You played it very well despite the limited time you had for this challenge - hopefully more time to properly finish off this beautiful unfinished business :)

      • Unfrozen Barroom Piano Player
      • Peter_G
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you Sindre. I'm so glad you liked it. It still has a long way to go before I get to that level of assurance and expressivity that you display with your masterful Chopin cycle, but I aspire to that.  since the watch party, I've had 2 more good days of practice, working almost exclusively on two separate 8-measure segments, and with a few more sessions like that, I should be ready for a "Week 3" posting.

      Yes the little opening motive is virtually everywhere. Rachmaninoff comes up with a seemingly infinite number of things he does with it.  Next in my queue is the A Major, where he does something similar with the motif of a simple falling 6th.

      • Unfrozen Barroom Piano Player
      • Peter_G
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Dear Priya I so appreciate that you came back for another look.  Yes there are many 10ths in the LH. Almost all of them have to be rolled, and they sound fine that way.  I actually lean into the rolls in a couple of places..

      There is one 10th that appears multiple times, which I can just barely reach - the F-A in the LH. (mm9-12, 27 [big arrival], 37, 45 & 47), and I do try to play that one without rolling where I can. I have to lower my wrist and pull back from the keyboard so that my hand doesn't bump into the notes in between. With that I can just barely reach the F and the A with the tips of my fingers. But I can't execute this maneuver quickly nor can I get out of it quickly.  So I roll several of these as well.

      The 10th at M 27 should be a big thunderous arrival IMO, which I do not want to roll.  But I can't reach the 10th quickly enough nor with any power, with my LH  alone. So I'm gambling by jumping down to the A with my RH, right in the middle of a bunch of 16th notes in the upper register.  After leaping down for an emphatic landing on the A, my RH needs to leap immediatly back up to the treble. I have no assurance that I'll still be able to execute this at a faster tempo which I eventually hope to attain, so that's why it's a bit of a gamble to practice it this way.

      • PViseskul
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       thank you for the rolling tips! I will let it stay in my growing bucket list 😄

      • May_t
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       What an impressive performance! I could really feel the emotion in your playing. Thank you for sharing.

      • Larry_K
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       It is so delightful to read your analysis of what it takes to play Rach.

      I think the sostenuto pedal is beyond my skill level.

      I actually thought my Yamaha DYUS5 upright would come with a sostenuto pedal because the YUS5 can, but Yamaha changed it to allow silent practice so it moves a stop rail.
       

      I was disappointed in the lack of a sostenuto pedal. But, it was Covid times and Yamaha upgraded me from the DYUS1 to the DYUS5 for a pittance because they couldn’t make their shipment date for the new DYUS1 I had ordered.

      I broached the subject of buying a grand with my wife but I got vehement disapproval. I need her to go off and study in Paris again for a couple of years. That’s when I ordered the last new piano.

      What piano are you playing?

      This guy gives a brilliant little tutorial on the use of the sostenuto pedal in ragtime,

      https://youtu.be/s1cVBPqQpgg?si=JlQoa6IL7tz9xGsU

      • Andrew_Smith
      • 10 days ago
      • Reported - view

       Very cool to hear about your journey with this piece. Keep at it!

    • Noel_Nguyen
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Alright friends, I've been thinking, all this preparation, with practice videos and all, and probably my best recorded performance ever (not that this means much, but still), only to fail at the finish line, that just ain't me. And   is right, I shouldn't deprive you of the fruits of my efforts. SO I will show you a preview now, while still working on fixing the video issues. Sorry for the moments of blurriness and jerkiness of the picture and the artifacts and whatnot. Many visual frames were lost forever like tears in rain.  Sadly I do not possess the otherworldly videography skills of  ! Thankfully the audio was recorded on a separate device and the sound quality is quite good.

    I promise the submit the whole track at the next recital or challenge, whether I finish the visual repairs or not!
     

      • Unfrozen Barroom Piano Player
      • Peter_G
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       wow! I hate to break it to you, but with piano playing like that, nobody's paying the slightest attention to the videography.  There are two things that I can't believe after hearing this:  (1) That Rachmaninoff really thought any one else ,perhaps except for himself, could play it;  and (2) that some people, including you, actually can play it!

      thank you for sharing this despite your perfectionist's reservations.

      • Andrew_Smith
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Great playing, Noel! I can see why you rank it up there in your recorded performances!

      • Noel_Nguyen
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

         Thanks for your encouraging words! I guess it helps to be an amateur! I can say I have practiced the h_ out of that piece. In fact I played it (the sonata) almost exclusively for an entire year (from 2024 to 2025), which is not something a pro can do, because they have to maintain such a large repertoire. So it does get easier eventually after a while. A very long while. I never got bored of it because there is such variety musically. And I find it to be a great piece to maintain one's technical arsenal, especially this finale.

      • Unfrozen Barroom Piano Player
      • Peter_G
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       understood, I went through the same thing, when I finally settled on an education and career path that would not include conservatory training (after much fraught deliberation and perseveration). I became free to focus solely on the classical piecesI was obsessed with, rather than develop a well-rounded repertoire of many composers and styles, and to pay more attention to expanding my style & repertoire of pop songs/standards/jazz tunes so that I could continue to play solo gigs and work with bands..

      But as a result, I have played almost zero Chopin (having only tinkered with couple of ballades (Gm & Fm) & nocturnes back when I had a teacher), and zero Debussey and Ravel, not to mention others, oversights a good teacher would certainly have insisted that I remedy.

      • Larry_K
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       I find your approach rather fascinating, and I can see how maintaining a vast repertoire can limit you in working on a specific piece for a long period of time, but how did you reach this level without conservatory training?

      How many years did you work with a teacher?

      I lose direction and motivation when I don’t have a teacher.

      • Peter_William
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Fantastic pianist ! I can't believe that you are not a concert pianist. :-)

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