Project 27

[m1469]

Okay, I have recovered a bit.  This project is good stuff, I tell ya', good stuff.  I feel like I'm learning a lot from it, and I think it's actually the first project on PS where we're having as much involvement from as many members, and which seems to actually still be alive and kicking even a month after its inception!

Cheers to all!  And, truly VERY soon, now, I will catch up on listening.  I just had to come to terms with some things, but I think I am doing that and it's ultimately encouraging for me to listen to others as they make their way through here .

YIP.

[m1469]

This is not a performance (but it is from memory).  And, I trimmed the very beginning and you will hear it start from where hands come together (I somewhat accidentally trimmed it, but then decided to keep it that way).

I am finding my way through the land of expectation vs. reality, and have realized very clearly that I am still at a learning stage with all of these, and I have been expecting performance quality.  Yes, performing these are my goal, but right now, the reality is that I am working in spots, I am spending time in deep concentration in areas and some of these places will take longer than others.  I still have problem spots within all of the etudes.  A true representation of where I am at with this one right now is more along the lines of lending a listener the ability to eves drop on a kind of practicing, where I go through the whole piece at (what turns out to be) slightly varying tempos to see what I can do and what I can't.  That is what this is, and that is exactly what I gave myself permission for this to be, and was able to relax a bit more. I gave myself permission to go back and correct, I gave myself permission to "prepare" and think, I gave myself permission to slow down and speed up.

So, in that spirit, I am posting this as a kind of documentation and that's it -- a good ear will hear the right things, I think.  

[pianowolfi]

The reality is that these pieces are very very hard to play and that nobody can imagine how hard they really are, nobody but the one who tries to get them up to a performance standard. So I am really grateful for every little bit of a progress. Today I tried to record op10,2 at
92-100 bpm, a task that I can accomplish for myself, after warm up and preparation, already with only a few minor flaws, but as soon as a recording device is running, my fingers fail completely, to an extent that actually surprises me. So I can imagine what it took you to get from the level of your first recording to the level of this one, and I can say: bravo, hats off I didn't even manage to do a halway decent recording today

But even if, after all I can't reach my goal, I am learning so much about technique with this Etude, it's for sure worth the effort

[m1469]

Wolfi, this is so fun!  It's difficult to articulate the things that I feel I am learning along this way.  Of course, piano study has always been a very important aspect of my overall growth and development as a person, and probably always will be (I'm speaking about eternity here ).  But there is something special about this particular project, too.  Like you mention, even if my goals are not fully reached by specific points, still I am learning such a great deal along the way and that is ultimately the main benefit of any kind of discipline, yet so easy to neglect to remember.  I do appreciate still the structure of my goals, though, and even though I can see I must let some immediate ones go over the next few days, I am coming to terms with that.

I do find that I am learning so much about life and myself, too, it is a rich experience and so fun to be able to be part of it with people like you and the others who are participating (oh, and I'm all caught up on listening, too!  Thanks for posting, people ).  Of course, we all take away from it our own things, and bring to it our own things, but I like that, too .

[pianowolfi]

Yes that's so true!
Hmm as soon as you start to mention eternity it might awake all my monsties and I might not sleep tonight but breed about monsty-eternity compositions..  

[m1469]

Okay, with this etude my process started off differently than the others, as well as the fact that it is currently different in some ways than the others, too.  I have theoretically memorized the whole piece now, and I plan to post each clip from memorized playing, but I will update this post over the next few days in sections.  Each section will have their own tempos as though they are separate pieces, for now.  So, what I am posting right now is the opening F Major section.  I have a slower, more note-perfect rendition, that I am choosing this clip over, as I feel this clip more accurately reflects the overall feel that it should have, despite a few hesitations, etc.

So, I should be able to post the d minor section at least, by the end of the day.  I'll see how big I make the next section.

2nd clip:  This is a small clip.  These next few will be small.  I've played it better/faster, etc., but I'm in a time crunch and this is what I'm putting up for now.  You see, I'm pregnant with Etudes and it feels very uncomfortable if I am not posting as much as I can!  Anyway, yes, I did make up a little part, well, combine two things, and didn't actually learn it wrong, if you happen to notice.  And, I think you hear my dog on the wood for a second.  But, there ya' have it .

[pianowolfi]

This etude is a wonderful contrast to the "heavier" Etudes op 10 no 1, 12, and op 25,12 and similar ones, as it requires such a light touch. I recently tried it out and I wished I could transfer the touch and the light feeling to my op 10,1 and 2

Today I tried again to prepare for recording but it didn't work, I got just more "blocked". Then I tried to record my "Sunset Suite" and also this wouldn't work...so there must have been something in the bush...I know that STEPS wants to come and I can no longer postpone it, it wants to get out...so I "improvised" Steps 9, and it's 18 Minutes long and it came out of me like a waterfall and now I just wanna hide in a corner and become invisible and think what the neighbours may think of me since it was in parts *very* loud and *very* intense. And in the beginning there was a thunder outside... And I don't dare yet to listen...gonna first get a glass of wine I think
"Steps" is the task of my life and I am in the middle of the process with it and I think the most critical parts have been born. Now there are 3 or four more to go....it's like a huge light, a very bright light!

[m1469]

Yes, I enjoy 10/8 quite a bit, actually, more than I had thought I would.

I am interested in your Steps .  Right now, I am considering the nature of resonances within life and between beings.  I wonder the nature of a bright light, too; its purpose and what it illumines, exactly. 

[pianowolfi]

Yes, I enjoy 10/8 quite a bit, actually, more than I had thought I would.

I am interested in your Steps .  Right now, I am considering the nature of resonances within life and between beings.  I wonder the nature of a bright light, too; its purpose and what it illumines, exactly.  

I think you have found wonderful words that go very well together with my idea of the "Steps" project! "resonances within life and between beings"  I was a bit "out of this world" yesterday, so the "bright light" was meant sort of metaphorically. Like "finally I am able to work on this and it's like a bright light to me" And it's really a project and not ready for performance, I am working towards a performance in October 2013.

But "bright light" has also a relation to "Steps" itself. "To find the rays of the forgotten light..."

I have posted a part of it here:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=36854.0

I think I need a two days break from my Chopin Etudes practicing, my right thumb hurts I noticed that I use to raise it very high, unnecessarily, in op 10,1, like, well, more than an inch above the keys...I don't think that's a good habit 

[m1469]

I think you have found wonderful words that go very well together with my idea of the "Steps" project! "resonances within life and between beings"  I was a bit "out of this world" yesterday, so the "bright light" was meant sort of metaphorically. Like "finally I am able to work on this and it's like a bright light to me" And it's really a project and not ready for performance, I am working towards a performance in October 2013.

But "bright light" has also a relation to "Steps" itself. "To find the rays of the forgotten light..."

Yes, I'm sorry, I wasn't actually trying to make an issue of the light thing, because there is a lot of that in life.  Various "eras" and sorts of illuminations, etc..  I was thinking about something that I simply don't even come close to having the words for yet, so I definitely won't try.  But, I see what you mean.

I think I need a two days break from my Chopin Etudes practicing, my right thumb hurts I noticed that I use to raise it very high, unnecessarily, in op 10,1, like, well, more than an inch above the keys...I don't think that's a good habit  :-

Yes, I think I need a minor break, as well.  My ability (or lack thereof) to reach my recording goals for today was only accomplished as much as I have already posted over this last weekend.  I need to step back for a couple of days, myself, and focus on some other music.  Not only is it externally necessary that I do this, I think also internally it is, too.  I even have to let myself rest from feeling the pressure to have certain ones prepared by June 14th (gets nervous  ).  No, but really.  I must rest from it mentally.  So, I will read around a bit here, maybe post a bit more, and read my music psychology book and get super smart .

[mnmleung]

I ain't going nowhere fast with my op 10 no 6 either.  Have organised a lesson in a couple of weeks and see if that will give it a boost ( 2 weeks before June 14 ).

[ted]

Okay, a bit of advice here please. I've never played any classical music  properly before. Everything in 25/11 seems to be much the same as any particular section so I am trying to get one section right and then I might be able to knock it off. I found one of these passages sounds much better if I just belt the outside notes in the right hand and not worry too much about the inner ones volume wise. Is this a good thought ? Is this what people do with this piece ? I haven't the faintest idea really. I've been playing it through for some time so if you experts think this way is better I'll apply it to the other parts.

[mnmleung]

A true representation of where I am at with this one right now is more along the lines of lending a listener the ability to eves drop on a kind of practicing, where I go through the whole piece at (what turns out to be) slightly varying tempos to see what I can do and what I can't.

Sounds good, m1469.  Sorry that was a week ago now.  What do you record with?

[m1469]

Sounds good, m1469.  Sorry that was a week ago now.  What do you record with?

Thank you.  I think that my acceptation of a compliment, because I am indeed deciding to accept with an open heart, is that I myself can hear that some of the runs are at least showing glimmers of truly functioning.  I would obviously like to step into a whole other realm with it overall, but having *some* things being truly functioning, or at least hinting at it, is some necessary step in my world.  And, it's important for my own growth and development that I can hear that and accept it.

I use a digital recording device called an edirol by Roland.

[m1469]

There's been some big, huge elephant knocking down my door for the past several days, and I absolutely haven't been capable of ignoring it.  I've been trying to get a grip about it, understand what I'm supposed to be understanding, and even though I haven't fully grasped that yet, I *think* I'm able to start moving more outwardly forward with this project again.  I didn't intend to put it down for as many days, but it's like I haven't had a choice, unless I have wanted to seriously disturb my inward musician .

At this point, I'm not positive what adjustments I'm going to need to make on my presentation goals ... but, I've got a hunch I will indeed need to make some.  I may need a few more days of applying myself to get a better grasp on that.  In the meantime, viva la Chopin Etudes!!  WOOTS!!

[pianowolfi]

I am still practicing, note by note, I think I am slowly progressing

@ Ted: I think first you might play all notes evenly and at the exact same volume. The upper ones will anyway stick out. It's very important to keep absolute evenness within a slow tempo, so there won't be pairs of two notes or any differences in dynamics between upper and lower notes in this phase. Once you get full control over this you can emphasize whatever you think needs to be emphasized, according to your overall interpretive concept of the etude.

[ted]

Thanks Wolfi. Okay, I'll go back to doing that and just concentrate on getting it more even then.

[m1469]

Well, this project has become NOT my first priority!  I don't know now what in the world to say.  For one, I AM still working on a pile of them, but not as the only things during my days.  I am also working on other repertoire, too (like ABEGGs and Appassionata ... and others ... phwew).  I am making progress still, but I just can't think the same way about it at the moment.  

Aside from that, I am in the middle of some kind of deep growth and development that I don't want to fully disturb.  It's like I have to let it come to the surface.  So, I'm sorry, I'm not exactly putting a timeline on myself at the moment ... not as of today and I don't foresee that for this week.  *Maybe* come next Tuesday.  

Overall, I feel it's most important that my overall growth comes first, at this point, which is helped through study of individual compositions, of course, but then there's this kind of balancing act, too, where (I am realizing) that if I spend time doing a certain kind of practice, I need to then spend time doing almost the opposite or at least a different kind of practice to balance things out.  So, I was in ultra time-frame mode (and other things) before, and now I am in at least a different kind of timeframe mode.  

I did a few recordings of 25/6 earlier, and thought I would post if something great came out of it, but I decided in the end not to post.  I feel I did make it through a hump/pit with it after a productive lesson with my in-state teacher a week ago .

Well, all of that, but also I go to play for Marik this coming weekend and I'm scared  .

[pianowolfi]

Well, all of that, but also I go to play for Marik this coming weekend and I'm scared  .

Luck you

Well I stick to it, and I'm practicing every day. Because it was anyway on my way to finally come to grips with these Chopets. Even if I can't get the desired result until the deadline, I'll have tried my best.

[m1469]

Luck you

Well I stick to it, and I'm practicing every day. Because it was anyway on my way to finally come to grips with these Chopets. Even if I can't get the desired result until the deadline, I'll have tried my best.

Yes, well, I feel just torn and when I feel torn, I get *nothing* done!  I'm a full throttle kinda gal, and if I've got the other rep. going, there's no way I can go full throttle on all the Chopets, which is what I think they need if I'm even going to come close to making the deadline.  I haven't dropped them ... they're just not full throttle!

*freaks out slightly*

[pianowolfi]

Yes, well, I feel just torn and when I feel torn, I get *nothing* done!

Yeah I can relate

[m1469]

*rallies to change the deadline*

"change the deadline.  change the deadline.  change the deadline."


I have to figure out a way, so don't hate me for trying!  

I propose September 14th ...    We can start submitting official ones come June 14th ... THROUGH September 14th ...  

*PLEASE*  


c'mon ... 2 MONTHS was not realistic. 

I WANT to do more than one pile of them, I want to do a few piles.  PLEASE.  please.  please.

[m1469]

*please*

[m1469]

*begs mercilessly*
   

  *bitte, bitte, bitte, biiiittteeee*
      /
_@/

[m1469]

*please* to the power of 100.  And then, that, times infinity!

*begs a million quadrillion*

_@/

(desperate attempts)

[pianowolfi]

Of course if you bring Gigi into play, I'd give you every deadline you want! Who could resist Gigi? But I think it's up to cygnusdei who started the endeavour  

[m1469]

"Behold, Gigi pleads with her very heart with all of her might!"
      /
     _@/∞




_@/ ♥))))))))) ) ) ) ) ) ) )



"Do you see how it flows from her?  She is fighting for her very survival about it!"
       /
     _@/∞

[pianowolfi]

Gigi is really sweet  

Well my plan is like: June 14th op.10,1 @120-132 bpm and op 10,2 @ 100-108 bpm, so I might be quite okay with Sept 14th as well. I am almost every other day trying to do a recording but there are always too many wrong notes I guess my demands on myself have increased significantly.

[cygnusdei]

What's this .... you want an extension???  

LOLs   Sorry I haven't tuned in for awhile, work and stuff you know. As for deadlines and such, let's say that they are there just for motivation. Need more time? Sure! Take as much time as you need until you're happy with the result. I think we got a lifetime to learn, play and enjoy these works several times over.

As for me, I haven't been practicing lately, but would like to get back as soon as possible. I really need to push myself to devote at least 1 hr a day, but it's tough. What's encouraging is that last time I practiced Op. 25 no. 6 I still "got it" - as far as what I got in the first place I mean.

So ..... practice, practice, practice .... record, record, record ..... post, post, post.....

My guess is that as soon as the first contributor posts his/her final recording it's going to open a floodgate.

[m1469]

WOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!


*celebration is heard and felt throughout all the land*    Thank you, thank you, Lord cygnusdei!


OK!  I can think and breathe again and start a big, GIANT fire under my buns, yet again.  This is great.  I've been getting stressed and that's been getting into my way.  I *may* still have something by June 14th, and I suspect I'll aim at some recordings for around then, I'm just not positive until after this coming weekend *exactly* what that's going to be.  But, since I do enjoy structure, I am making September 14th a realistic goal for the ones I put myself on the list for (well, I still don't know if it's actually realistic to have them up to performance level ... but, I am almost *positive* I can have them all fundamentally learned and memorized by then!).

YAY!!!!!  YAY!!!!!  This is great .

[fleetfingers]

Two months is a short time to learn a Chopin Etude, at least for me. In fact, it took me longer than that to learn mine, and I've been using this Project 27 time to work it up to a standard I'm not too embarrassed to post. I will be posting it by June 14th, probably earlier. Then, let the floodgate open!!!!! 

As for September 14th, if there is still a group working on Etudes, I will continue to work on my other one. It will not be ready in 3 weeks, but maybe 3 months.

[m1469]

Yes!  I will still be doing these!  For years I have (deeply) wanted to play all of them, and even though I started a few of them awhile ago, for some reason it is just since this thread and a few things falling into place, that I started feeling like I can actually accomplish these in the not-TOO-distant future .  So, yippy, I will be very happy if other people are still going, too .

[m1469]

Well, if I will ever come close to slow and truly steady (from memory), this is it.  It can obviously be even a little steadier, there are still a few spots I'm working out, where they'll go well sometimes and not other times.  Haven't gotten to where everything goes as well as it can all at once, just yet .  But, after my last posting of this, I think this one was in order and is a good reflection of where I'm with this Etude for now, and actually, where I'm at overall in my study-mode.

Something that I'm "concentrating on" with this one (and in my study/practice in general) right now is a sense of deep inner calm while I go along, and that being the very first priority.  It's not quite as spicy as I would like it to be eventually (tempo aspects aside), but this is a needed step here, nonetheless.

I listened to a tiny snippet in high speed and it got me ever so slightly excited ... hee hee.


PS-- haha ... you can hear a neighboring chicken at the end 

[pianowolfi]

I think that's one heck of a progress since the last recording! And I hear you on making a deep inner calm a priority . I know I am too soon on 180. Not tempo-wise but emotion-wise, if something doesn't work like I want...



And P.S. your tone is beautiful. And I heard the chicken

[m1469]

I think that's one heck of a progress since the last recording!

Thanks, Wolfi!

And I hear you on making a deep inner calm a priority . I know I am too soon on 180. Not tempo-wise but emotion-wise, if something doesn't work like I want...

Oh, yes!  That has been me, for sure!!  

And P.S. your tone is beautiful. And I heard the chicken

Oh, thank you .  And, yes, those chickens ... hee hee.  They're great .

[nanabush]

I honestly just noticed this thread...

If there are any people who haven't been posting anything, is there an etude I could pick up?  I'm working at the Op 10#1 (but have been for several months now, so it would be cheating); if it's not too late, are there any etudes that haven't gotten any spotlight on the thread yet?  I've got about a month of time to kill before going to Europe, and want something for the sake of the challenge lol

[m1469]

I honestly just noticed this thread...

If there are any people who haven't been posting anything, is there an etude I could pick up?  I'm working at the Op 10#1 (but have been for several months now, so it would be cheating); if it's not too late, are there any etudes that haven't gotten any spotlight on the thread yet?  I've got about a month of time to kill before going to Europe, and want something for the sake of the challenge lol

Join in!  You can just play whatever ones you like, even if somebody else/other people are playing it, too!

[nanabush]

Perfect!

So I'm going to go ahead and kill my left hand

Op 25 #4... aaand Op 25 #10

[cygnusdei]

Hi nanabush, welcome to the pianostreet Chopet hall of fame

[pianowolfi]

Op. 10,1: let me share a little story: I had an uncle who had studied with Cortot in Paris. I asked him about tips for this etude (since back then in the early nineties I had already given it a try for some weeks). He remembered one concert where Cortot played it. As my uncle said, he played it very fast, but very softly!! And indeed, when I listen to Cortot's recordings, I notice a very light touch and a special elegance

[pianisten1989]

It's time for me to join!
My teacher and I have decided that, since I've played quite many of op 10, I should play all of them. If you don't mind, I add some of them here

This is op 10 no 9.
I played it through very quickly last September. Now I've been playing it since, well, yesterday
There is some trouble with the sound (or I don't play as dynamic as I'd hope) and quite a few mistakes. But here goes!

[cygnusdei]

Cool - I added pianisten1989 to Op. 10 no. 9, and I guess I should add quantum to Op. 25 no. 12 as well? Keep it coming guys!

PS: I'm flirting with Op. 10 no. 10, which I have wanted to learn forever.

[furtwaengler]

I could not remember which ones I committed to. So says the list: Op. 10 no. 2, 7, 8, 10; Op. 25 no. 3, 4. Is that all?! It looks like m1469's got...10...Wowzers! Before I knew not what "MachineMe" really meant.

But, I'm prompted to question one in particular, Op. 10 no. 11. I wondered if it would be orphaned as an oddity. Foxy has it under her wing. I ask Foxy,

Dear m1469 "MachineMe" Foxy,

How do you find the op. 10 no. 11 in your hands?

Best,

Furtwaengler

I know now I must again pick this project up. And, I must listen to all these recordings I've neglected.

[mnmleung]

I have just enjoyed two most recent recordings:

pianisten1989 op 10 no 9
mayla op 25 no 6

Well done and thank you!  I feel inspired to work on op 10 no 6.

[m1469]

I could not remember which ones I committed to. So says the list: Op. 10 no. 2, 7, 8, 10; Op. 25 no. 3, 4. Is that all?! It looks like m1469's got...10...Wowzers! Before I knew not what "MachineMe" really meant.

But, I'm prompted to question one in particular, Op. 10 no. 11. I wondered if it would be orphaned as an oddity. Foxy has it under her wing. I ask Foxy,

I know now I must again pick this project up. And, I must listen to all these recordings I've neglected.

Well ...   ... You are nice to ask and be interested!  Right now, it's not fitting into my hands at all  .  Right now, it's like I'm coming to terms with things in my life, but that includes this deep and incredibly huge sense of trying to comprehend how much better I need to get overall, and how much work that's going to take.  Right now I feel as though I'm getting worse ...  .  It's like my whole being has to 'get' it and then get pointed and start the transformation!  A little bit arhgy  .  So, part of my practice today is sorting through particulars through my household and teaching studio that need to be cleaned and organized and have been in the recesses of my mind for some time, and it's like I need those things cleared out.  Get the piano tuned sometime soon ... get my artist blog up and running ... more info than you bargained for?  As Sarah Palin would put it, You betch'ya   ... hee hee.

I have just enjoyed two most recent recordings:

pianisten1989 op 10 no 9
mayla op 25 no 6

Well done and thank you!  I feel inspired to work on op 10 no 6.

Great, thank you very much for listening and so happy if you enjoyed!

[mnmleung]

I played op 10 no 6 at our monthly piano club evening tonight.  Quite messy, and not much dynamic variation: some things got decomposed and recomposed: it needs a lot more work...  not comfortable under my fingers, and definitely still reading the music at this stage.

Any advice / suggestions gratefully received.

[m1469]

phwweeeewww ... well, today is the first day I have actually practiced (at least a *little* bit of) ALL of the etudes Monsty signed me up for   -- and it's the first day I've actually practiced any of the newest ones.  OK, granted, with two of the newest ones, I memorized one, yes, ONE, measure each, and just the top notes in the RH in ONE measure for 25/8 (this is going to be very tricky for me, I'm thinkin'), and the first two ( ) measures for NE 3 ... but, all four of those newest ones went into a single 20 minute session!  phwew.  Anyhoo ... I will soon catch up in this thread!  

Power on, dear travelers ... power on   .

[fleetfingers]

It has been fun listening to everyone's etudes! I feel a little out of my league (well, a lot). Thanks for letting me participate! I posted my 10/5 in the audition room if you want to check it out. I'm still working on 25/1 and 25/9 and will post those in a few months if this project continues.

*fleetfingers looks forward to hearing other final recordings*

[ted]

Well, you're doing a jolly sight better than I am, Fleetfingers ! I enjoyed your recording because it isn't ninety miles an hour like most people play it. I play mine right through every morning but they still sound too grotty to post. I've certainly missed the bus when it comes to learning and playing classical music, that's for sure.

[fleetfingers]

I enjoyed your recording because it isn't ninety miles an hour like most people play it.

Thanks, ted! Admittedly, I wish I could play it at ninety miles an hour, but my fingers are not as fleet as I sometimes want them to be. 

I've certainly missed the bus when it comes to learning and playing classical music, that's for sure.

I enjoy listening to you play classical (and ragtime and anything else...). Especially 25/11 - can't wait to hear the whole thing!