Learning FAAAAST

[pianogeek_cz]

O-kay, I just got a job accompanying a theater (nah, it's, unfortunately, not paid. The reason I'm doing it is because a friend of mine, who's the director of the play, had her pianist drop out - now sit down - two weeks before the premiere, and ask me to do it; moreover, the pieces (or excerpts) will come in handy - it's all Debussy and Ravel, whom I've successfully ignored so far and whose works I really want to learn. So much for an introduction.)

Two weeks, however, is definitely not a surplus of time. What I need to learn:
- from Debussy preludes book II Canope (complete, nearly done), Ondine (bars 14 - 25), General Lavine (bars 1 - 45); these are practically non-issues, I've been working since yesterday and got these nearly sorted out.
- from Ravel Miroirs, Oiseaux Tristes bars 1 - 10 and La Valée des Cloches (bars 1 - 15) - this is starting to get interesting, I would greatly appreciate tips how to effectively practice the RH nuisance in bars 3 - 6. I've spent almost an hour on it and in NO WAY are the buggers rhythmically precise.
- from Ravel first concerto second movement, bars 1 - 15, while making a transition right to the trill that has the orchestra enter. Playing everything up to the point of the trill is too long and this is the only point where both the bass note and the melody allow a transition; however, I have some doubts as to how to make it smooth and undisturbing. For now, I've settled with starting the trill on the f# on the third eigth of bar 15, LH going as in the bars with the trill.
- from Ravel first concerto second movement, the first four bars of section 4 and section 5, and whole section 6. Luckily, the thing really isn't fast.

Now, this parcel alone in two weeks wouldn't be a problem, since memorization is not required, but it has to be incorporated into the regular barrel of practice. That leaves roughly half an hour a day for the theater thingies... Not very much. So, how would you go about speed-learning like that? Anything constructive appreciated.

Thanks!

[nightingale11]

take a look here:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5767.msg56133.html#msg56133
(huge collection of links)

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,9159.msg92755.html#msg92755
(m1469s index of the forum)

[pianogeek_cz]

Thanks I actually have m1469's index favorited; I'm looking more for piece- and composer-specific tips. What to watch out for, etc.

[Bob]

I would play through it and figure out in one sitting how to perform it up to speed.  If the piece doesn't work, simplify down until it does.  That strategy has worked for me a few times, but in those situations no one would know I was simplifying -- plus, the music I had wasn't really arranged for piano so I had to do something.

By doing that, I was thinking in performance mode right away.  I went for the general effect and most important notes.  And then tempered that down with what my mind would take in and then even easier since I anticipated pressure (possibly zoning out) during the performance.

I went with the thinking that during the performance I would be reading the piece off the page.  If I had to do that right now, this moment, what would I do?  Play something that sounds decent -- and then since there's so much time at that point, I could practice making that sound more and more decent.

[pianogeek_cz]

Hmmm... Great advice, Bob, thanks a lot... It's actually not as bad as I thought it would be, except for the Ravel concerto excerpts, I've got it more less worked out. Even the Valée des Cloches bastards. I went for the usual practice approach, just made it -very- intensive... okay, I admit that I've been sitting on it more or less for the whole weekend, but hey, it's been learned.

Thanks again, Bob. I'm definitely adding this approach in my compendium of learning tricks.