Not practicing very much in the pandemic; Bach as comfort food (and an example of how muscle memory is totally unreliable); a perk of playing music by live composers; three of the Four Pieces for Piano by Katerina Ruzickova Pinosova; Valse Boheme by Celeste Heckscher (and some thoughts on ledger lines); Cortege by Lili Boulanger.
I’m experimenting with a different way of recording this time–if the audio drives you crazy, please let me know.
A project I hope will help me find meaning in these strange times. Also bits of, and questions about, Katerina Ruzickova’s Four Pieces for Piano, and a not-quite-memorized performance of Bach’s C# major fugue from WTC book I.
These times are good for practicing, as I texted a student today.
In this episode: an insight about Chopin thanks to Pauline Viardot, with bits of mazurkas by both of them. Also a look at some small hand workarounds in Lili Boulanger with some moments of improvised practicing in Boulanger and Rachmaninov. And a report on a concertgoing activity that brought me great joy.
Stay safe and healthy, everyone!
I’ve been reading through lots of music, “shopping” for pieces for a solo recital. Bits and pieces of those, and thoughts about putting together a program, and a possible title (tell me what you think of it–I need to know if it’s terrible). Plus a play-through of Chopin’s Fantasie-Impromptu Op. 66, with way too many improvised ornaments.
Almost done reading through Beethoven sonatas, Volume 2; some thoughts on hearing auditions; ornamenting Chopin’s Fantasie Impromptu (and a glass-half-full report on a lackluster performance of it); the most obvious epiphany in the world, involving a moment with Led Zeppelin, with a shout-out to @yogawithadriene
Thank you for being my practice buddy!
Hey, Practice Buddies! It’s a new decade and the podcast is back. Today, some Beethoven sonatas, a little Chopin and, as always, some thoughts on imperfection…
Play It Again Swig 