Week 4 — Share Your Playing 🎶

Sindre Skarelven Ok! Is there a deadline for submitting the video? 

Sindre Skarelven I just realized that Dominic said "Record and submit your piece (or an excerpt)." I completely overlooked that!

Claudia Great job! This is my first Tonebase challenge, too! Out of curiosity, what kind of piano do you have?

Maria I have a Yamaha concert grand piano. 🥰

Claudia Yamaha CFX? I have a Seiler 132 with SMR. 

Sindre Skarelven Thank you very much, Sindre! 

Claudia Hi Claudia! I seemed to have missed this one along the way! Great work on this intimate, aria-like sonata movement. You have a calm. simplice quality already well developed. The short chromatic part writing bit (m.8 is first one) was well executed with gentle sensitivity to the mysterious colours. Some really lovely trill work too. You have a clear idea of the character and mood of this sonata! Impressive work for this 4-week challenge! Thank you for sharing; I hope it is the first of many for you =)

Dustin Anderson Thank you so much for your message, Dustin, it's very motivating. I've actually only practiced my other instrument - the cello - for the past few years, but now I feel incredibly inspired by the piano. The challenge has brought me back to the keys. Thank you for your encouraging words❣️

Claudia Very beautifully sung, and you have a captivating sound. It's a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for sharing, Claudia!

Juan Carlos Olite Thank you Juan Carlos. I gave my very best❣️

Maria my fingering for those sixteenth notes:

LH 51321231

RH 45432432

Maria Both your fingering and Noel's LH fingering are good options. For the speed of this piece, I'd likely use Noel's suggestion myself so that you can stay more connected to key but both work so it's really just a preference. I may change my mind if I were to play it more.

I would definitely play the RH passage 3432 1432 instead of starting on a 45. In general, it is good to avoid a rapid turn gesture starting with fingers 45 unless there is no other choice (such as a sustained tone in the lower fingers). Using a 3 also 'forces' a natural breath separation from the octave which is desirable to the sound. Ending the figuration on a 2 should make the octave easier to land since the thumb does not have to hop.

Edited to add: the facility of the LH largely depends on a quick release of finger 5 on the low notes which is not connected to the other notes that follow.

Amanda Clark Great work here! Nice to hear the second movement for this sonata. You have consistent control throughout and are attentive to the rests which keep the sound light and clear. I really like your taper at the cadence resolutions. A lot of progress to be proud of!

Dustin Anderson thank you so much for your encouragement! I appreciate it.

Amanda Clark Nice playing, your transition to the minor key is very expressive!

Noel Nguyen Well yes, to each their own is true. A person can use 12121212 and could make it work but it is not ideal efficiency for the type of figuration. 

I think you are over complicating the movement with 'ulnar deviation position' etc. The turn figures are rotational gestures and fingers 234 are strong for turn figures. Starting on a 45 invites tension into the hand since they are our weakest pairing (due to shared muscle groups). This often leads to unwanted accents or slow down. This passage is a classic pedagogical example of why we avoid a 45 in rapid turns. So while this is what I would do, it is also consistent with how the hand moves best in these types of passages.

Often what we are used to is what we think 'feels right' but that does not necessarily mean it is most efficient or most musical. If 54 works for you at tempo then by all means continue to do so! I am not saying you should change it. However, I would caution a student in my studio not to for the above reasons so that is why I mentioned it.

Dustin Anderson I don't want to get into a silly war of words so I will be careful with my words, but I think the concept of hand positions is not only uncomplicated but also essential. As for the 45 thing, I politely disagree and don't think it's a one size fits all with no exceptions. But I choose not to speak further here. Cheers.