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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I'm really sorry - I'm way, way behind on this challenge. Part of the problem was that I have been working hard on a different piece this month. Also, I totally forgot how long it takes me to write out the fingering for a piece in four-part harmony to get the legato perfect. Anyway, here's my first draft of the Scarlatti sonata in B minor L. 33 / K. 87. It's simply an attempt to play all the notes, as legato as possible and without touching the right pedal. It's not pleasant to listen to, but I do hope to be able to add some music to it next week.
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Alexander Weymann What a beautiful piece this is! Feels almost Bach like. Your legato is amazing by the way!
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Vidhya Bashyam thank you, Vidhya. Yes, I do love that piece very much. I hope to be able to play it really well someday.
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Alexander Weymann I know you have high standards for yourself, but this is a lovely piece and your "not pleasant to listen to" is actually quite pleasan.! I await with eagerness a version which comes closer to your vision - because that will probably be quite incredible!
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Michelle R thank you so much, Michelle. You’re right; I’m probably being too unkind to myself. It’s just hard to be patient and forgiving when this is the ideal one has in mind and towards which one is striving:
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Alexander Weymann It's a challenge piece, and coming along in a good way! It's always not easy to handle 4-voice pieces.
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Alexander Weymann Such a still and calming piece
Good fingering is always a challenge esp for pieces like this - definitely worth a congratulation 
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Alexander Weymann You have accomplished an enormous amount in a very short time. This is the kind of piece that your fingers have to live with for a while before you can do the legato without thinking. But you are already at a lovely performance standard with your phrasing a thoughtful dynamics.
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Gail Starr thank you for your words of encouragement! Now that yesterday’s masterclass is over, I can finally give this little gem the attention it deserves m.
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Alexander Weymann I’m amazed that you even had the energy to make the new recording! I would have just grabbed a coffee and read a book for the rest of the day!
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Gail Starr believe me, that’s what I was very much tempted to do! But I was even disciplined enough to drive 30 minutes each way to my voice lesson at 5 pm and THEN make this recording! Take THAT, internal procrastinator!
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Alexander Weymann Yes, that is quite the ideal! But your playing is already well on its way to acheiving it.
And ... voice lessons! My son just started voice lessons last week because his piano teacher had been having him learn solfege and he discovered that "singing is fun." He's checking out Tonebase Voice as I type.
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Alexander Weymann This is beautiful in my ears, Alexander! Your work on the legato and fingering, is really well done. Looking forward to hear how you will transform this piece for the final submission.
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Alexander Weymann This sounds lovely! Listening to you, I finally understand why my teacher and piano friends have been recommending this piece to me for years. Thank you for sharing!
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Alexander Weymann OMG! You totally WIN! (And I bet today after work, you'll just sit on the sofa and watch TV, right? I would.)
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Michelle R What DOESN'T your amazing kid do? (Maybe kickboxing or fencing?)
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Alexander Weymann That is sounding great for a no-pedal run!
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