How to keep repertoire fresh for four months ~ ?

[celticqt]

My music is driving me nuts.     (But I love it anyways.   )

I have a concert coming up at the end of January.  I'm playing three pieces in the second half - a Brahms rhapsody, a Chopin polonaise and Schumann's sonata in f.  I've had the first two pieces memorized for over a month already and I am so sick of playing them.  I find that when I play them now, I make stupid, stupid mistakes that I never used to make (where do I come up with them??).  However, I need these to be fresh and ready for the concert in three months. 

Why does my mind invent different mistakes every day?  What can I do to not forget these pieces, but also not go wacko through endless repetition??  Any suggestions? 

[chopiabin]

I know exactly what you are talking about, and I would love to hear suggestions.

[sarahlein]

Check this thread:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,4168.msg38780.html#msg38780

[celticqt]

Thanks sarahlein, that thread was interesting.  I can't just forget these pieces though, because my teacher usually wants me to play them for him every other week or so.  The last couple of times I've been making those annoying mistakes, and he thinks I'm not practicing like I should. 

[sarahlein]

The last couple of times I've been making those annoying mistakes

When do the mistakes occur?  When you play from the score?  When you play from memory?
Is it always the same mistake?

[celticqt]

When do the mistakes occur? When you play from the score? When you play from memory?
Is it always the same mistake?

I make mistakes when playing from memory.  They are always different ones, though.  I'm sure some, if not all, of this has to do with concentration (or lack of it).  If it was the same mistake, at least I would be able to recognize my "enemy" and get rid of it! 

[sarahlein]

I make mistakes when playing from memory.  They are always different ones, though. I'm sure some, if not all, of this has to do with concentration (or lack of it)

What do you mean by "lack of concentration"?
What do you think about when those passages come up.
Does you mind wonder off entirely( thinking about other things not related to what you play)? or do you mean that for that moment you just don't think about the notes.(which by the way is not wrong to do at times)
I feel answering this question to yourself is important to solve the problem. So try to be more specific.

When you do, have a look at these threads. (see bellow)

Bernhard talks about different memorizing technics. Try to identify the method/s (usually it's be more than one) you've used to memorize your pieces.
Then try to practise using one of the other methods next time you play your piece.
Who knows maybe those problem spots will be smoothed out once you vary the way you think.
We do tend to 'switch off' when we see and hear things that are familiar to us so I think you just need to give your brain a challenge so it will have to stay active(to a certain extend) while you play.

Here are the treads:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2083.msg17227.html#msg17227
(the basic theory of memory)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3858.msg34936.html#msg34936
(the basics – includes the history of the Art of memory)

https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,7399.msg74758.html#msg74758
(the details of the process using “dozen a day” as an example)

[celticqt]

Hmm.  By lack of concentration, I mean that I know (or think I know) the notes so well that my mind wanders.  I.e., what's for dinner?  Did I turn the coffeepot off?  Things like that.  But there are many times when I don't really think about the notes either, because I've been playing them for so long.   

It seems like my learning curve is going backwards: for a while I was climbing the hill, and the pieces were getting better and better; I had one great lesson where my teacher was very happy with how they sounded; and now everything is downhill again, degrading instead of improving.

Thank you for the threads - I had actually read two of them before and am using Bernhard's practice/memorization method now for all my new pieces.  These two that I'm having issues with, though, were ones that I had memorized before reading Bernhard's enlightening posts.  So maybe I am just paying for my ignorance.   

[rafant]

In my own experience mistakes arise when I play from memory, specifically when muscular or finger memory becomes predominating. Such mistakes becomes worst gradually, in spite of playing the piece every day. The only solution I know is to come back to the score. As I read from a guitar teacher's article, "Review is required".

[Kassaa]

Stop playing them for a month, maybe two. Play some other Chopin/Brahms/Schumann, the last month you can start practicing again, you will probably have a different view on the pieces and you will discover new things in the piece.

(I think.)