Week 3: Progress Check!
WELCOME TO THE LATEST COMMUNITY CHALLENGE!
For this challenge "A Fresh Start" the goal is to pick a BRAND-NEW piece to work on this month.
This is the time to finally open that score that you have been thinking about and get to work!
WHAT ARE WE DOING IN WEEK 3?
1. Let's share how our practice is going by posting a video, or writing some comments about our past week!
2. Practice your piece!
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Hi, I'm submitting my progress on Chopin's two Nocturnes, Op. 55.
I'm currently going back to basics to not apply too much rubato for now, and working on consolidating the notes. For the following couple of weeks, I got to continue doing the same thing but start being more flexible on rubato and work on stories I'd wish to convey.
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Miyoung Choi Bravo! Such an amazing performance of these beautiful nocturnes! So tranquil, serene and lovely. I can’t imagine it being better than this- so I’m really looking forward to your next iterations!
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Miyoung Choi so lovely! Warm singing tone, graceful phrasing, unhurried and expressive triplets in the slow section of No. 1 and a convincing dramatic build-up in the faster middle section of the same piece. In No. 2, you find shimmering and glowing colors that evoke rocking or floating on a beautiful lake at sunset.
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Vidhya Bashyam Thank you Vidhya! In this recording I analyze that certainly my rubato still needs more work
. And I released some notes too soon that I'm wanting to hold for longer phrases, as those are indicated in his score. I'll continue to work on them..! -
Alexander Weymann Thank you Alex! I'm grateful for such detailed comments about sections. Yes, somehow, even though these are nocturnes, I have to imagine a day time, wandering somewhere in Edinburgh. :)
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Miyoung Choi Absolutely gorgeous! Similar sentiments as Vidhya Bashyam - how does it get better from here?! I don't know the second nocturne at all, thank you for such a lovely introduction to it.
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Miyoung Choi Simply beautiful! Thank you for sharing this with us!
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Judy Kuan I’m happy to hear that I was able to share another magical piece by Chopin with you! His music must continuously be discovered by every human on this planet!
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Michelle R thank you Michelle :) appreciate you spending time on listening. Sharing happens when it’s heard.
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Miyoung Choi Bravo, Miyoung! So beautiful. There’s so much nuances in dynamics and expression in your playing. Looking forward to hear where you’ll take it from here!
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Miyoung Choi Absolutely beautiful! Your interpretation is simply gorgeous. So thoughtful and elegant!
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Miyoung Choi Beautiful nocturnes!
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Miyoung Choi coming along most beautifully. Such a wonderful Nocturne.
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Miyoung Choi wow you play so effortlessly and beautifully and you incorporated so much texture and color with your dynamics and gorgeous phrasing
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Miyoung Choi I love how you keep the lines flowing and build your dynamics while still keeping a calm, graceful feel.
Your tempo - and trills - breathe beautifully. Great progress in such a short time. You've inspired me to try to learn this one someday.
Is the E flat nocturne the one where you are thinking about massaging the tempo/rubato a bit? I have heard other pianists take a more robust approach in the middle part.
I love your dreamy phrasing in any case!
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Miyoung Choi What a beautiful playing Miyoung! So musical, expressive and delicate, Bravo!
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Gail Starr Thank you!
I meant the No.1 in F minor, the piu mosso section in the middle and and the stretto section at the end. For the E-flat major nocturne, I'm not thinking to do more rubato because I'm cautious about overdoing it.
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Miyoung Choi Miyoung Choi
ah ha!
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Hey guys!
Continued my work on the Prelude, wrapped up memorizing/learning all the notes.
Still need to work on the inner voices of that middle section - really amazing counterpoint!
Also, I have been experimenting with the ending. It is very interesting because Rachmaninoff DOES write "pp, leggiero" but I recently heard a very compelling performance by Lugansky where he plays the ending more "Brusquely" I would say.
Just wanted to try out this idea. But this coming week I am going to experiment with playing it more so as Rachmaninoff wrote.
To be blunt, after the massive energy created in this Prelude, it is difficult to relinquish that incredible drive over a very short amount of time, (8 bars) from the end. But these questions are why this piece remains a work in progress for me!
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Dominic Cheli Wonderful! full of energy.
I don't know how you guys do it, I can never memorize a piece like this in 1-2 weeks.
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Dominic Cheli Already liking your play so much! I think it already sounds pretty complete to me. I don't feel that there's any need for playing at a faster tempo than this.. I like the clarity and the heroic feeling that it gives with this tempo. Your playing already giving the full flavor of this Rach piece. Bravo :))))
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Dominic Cheli Bravo! That was so inspiring!
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Dominic Cheli I enjoyed that!
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Dominic Cheli Loved it and am definitely bumping this piece up on my bucket list! I see what you mean about managing the energy at the end. Looking forward to hearing your different approaches to it!
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Dominic Cheli Such confidence and grace, so quickly. That is inspirational to see. Thank you.
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