What are you practicing?

[hfmadopter]

Hopefully your practises are going well as well!

My own practice is going respectably well. I have moved off of Chopin's 72-1 and have learned a lot from it and it certainly could use a lot more work. I believe I will continue to work some more just on the third page as a study. The problem is that it isn't striking home with me, I can't get warm and fuzzy feeling wth it and when that happens with a piece I start to disconnect and next I really don't look forward to working on it. I had hoped that as I worked on it I would get more connection not less.

The good news is I've Started his Nocturne Op9 no2, right away I feel a connection with this one. It doesn't have the runs that I wanted to have as a work in itself but that's ok.

I have gone back to polish David Nevue's, Vision in White and to pick up where I left off on his Sweet Dreams and Starlight ( there is a lot of work in this one that doesn't first meet the eye). I had dropped those two pieces not long after I got the digital piano and the ladies in the family love them as do I, so no reason to not play them. I actually am working them up on the digital piano now that I have moved it into a more perminent spot. Another piece I can't get a good connection with is David's, Deep Heaven. Not enough going in that one. It's nice listening music but not much fun or inspiring to play. I play it for my wife's enjoyment only really, she loves it.

For me the way it works is when I start a piece, something strikes me. It may be harmony in the piece, just a running chordal progression that weaves through it that just stikes me. It might give me a chill even, as I get it going. It might happen right up front or might as I get along with it for a while. If that never happens, the piece really isn't for me. I will never play that piece to my full potential or fullest potential at a given time.

[ranniks]

That Chopin piece is one of my favorites! Nice pick. The op 9 no 2 I mean.

[outin]

I have moved off of Chopin's 72-1 and have learned a lot from it and it certainly could use a lot more work. I believe I will continue to work some more just on the third page as a study. The problem is that it isn't striking home with me, I can't get warm and fuzzy feeling wth it and when that happens with a piece I start to disconnect and next I really don't look forward to working on it. I had hoped that as I worked on it I would get more connection not less.

The good news is I've Started his Nocturne Op9 no2, right away I feel a connection with this one. It doesn't have the runs that I wanted to have as a work in itself but that's ok.

It's interesting how different people are...I find op9 2 rather boring, but 72-1 is like it was made for me...even when I had a really difficult time practicing during the last two weeks this piece has kept me into the piano...I've just reached the 3rd page and I hope tomorrow my teacher will convince me that I can manage those runs...

[hfmadopter]

It's interesting how different people are...I find op9 2 rather boring, but 72-1 is like it was made for me...even when I had a really difficult time practicing during the last two weeks this piece has kept me into the piano...I've just reached the 3rd page and I hope tomorrow my teacher will convince me that I can manage those runs...

The runs are interesting and I need run work, that's part of what drew me to the piece and they have done me a lot of good, as have the trills. I find I'm putting up with the rest of the piece, as I said not connecting.

I have both a Mozart and Schumann piece in mind that will need long runs accomplished. These are piece I know are of interest to me and a long time coming ! I'm trying to prepare as best I can for these as they will be long running works when I get there.

 I'm glad 72-1 is holding you together though Out, good to hear !  Let us know how it goes. FWIW, as runs go they aren't too bad, if I get my ten dumb thumbs going I can actually somewhat pull them off.

[worov]

Here are the pieces I'm currently practicing :

Scarlatti sonata K.515 :

A Bach partita, BWV 828 :

Mozart Fantasy in D minor, K397 :

A Prokofiev piece from his Juvenilia (there are some real gems here) : Vivo in G minor :

Schumann (my favorite romantic composer) : Ländler from Albumblätter, opus 124 no 7 :

Villa-Lobos : "O sim" from the Guia Pràtico.

[unholeee]

aaah this one
https://bbs.popiano.org/play.php?aid=20799

[ranniks]

Just played from 8pm to 10pm, with about 30-35 minutes break in between. Had a great session. I wanted a longer session the day before my lesson. Did my ear training and a lot of hand exercises, the sight reading J_menz suggested. And giving Fur Elise my all.

Anyone else noticed this? After the second theme the whole piece becomes a lot easier.

Will finish Fur Elise sooner than I thought.

[amelialw]

Basically aside from my competition&exam pieces which will stick for awhile cause of auditions I'm also working on learning as much repertoire as possible.

Competition& Exam Pieces (might use for auditions)
Bach Toccata in c minor BWV 911
Mozart Sonata in c minor K.457
Liszt Transcendental Etude no.3 'Paysage'

Learning: (for auditions as well as to build rep)
Bach Prelude and Fugue in c# minor BWV 848
Chopin Mazurkas op.56
Ravel Jeux d'eau
Prokofiev Sonata no.3
Beethoven Piano Concerto no.3 op.37

[j_menz]

I'm also working on learning .....Liszt Transcendental Etude no.4 'Paysage'

You might start with it's name, or number.

Paysage is 3
4 is Mazeppa

 

[amelialw]

You might start with it's name, or number.

Paysage is 3
4 is Mazeppa

 

opps...yes, it's no.3. thanks!

[slobone]

The b below middle c key on my piano broke, so until I can get the tuner back in here, I've dropped the Goldbergs and the Rachmaninoff. Instead I'm learning the Bach 2-part invention in Eb and the Chopin waltz #2 in Ab.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

John Cages dream and landscape.

[chopin2015]

Chopin 10. 4 memorized, tempo is a dream in progress...
Beethoven Tempest sonata! (Sonata No 17)

And everything else ive been working on.

[j_menz]

And everything else ive been working on.

Which apparently doesn't include the use of apostrophes.

WB BTW 

[hfmadopter]

I am working on the song, Nocturne, done by the band and singer of, Secret Garden originally I believe. . I'm also working on a second piece of theirs, where I have done some octave changes etc. in it. The name of that one is, In Our Tears. The first I have added strings to the piano on my digital. The second is all piano.

I also am reading the book, The Inner Mind of Music.

[chopin2015]

Which apparently doesn't include the use of apostrophes.

WB BTW 

Oops! How lazy of me!

And thank you! I missed you guys.

[outin]

I've ditched the Bach, it was just making me annoyed at the piano. So I'm happily doing hours of work on the Chopin Nocturne (the technical problems seem to be quite manageable with some work) and a little bit on the pieces my teacher gave me (they are like vegetables, not really tasty but obviously good for me)..My hands have been able to relax more lately (even the pinky), now I would just need to get my head to do the same...I was completely out there somewhere on today's lesson 

[hfmadopter]

I've ditched the Bach, it was just making me annoyed at the piano. So I'm happily doing hours of work on the Chopin Nocturne (the technical problems seem to be quite manageable with some work) and a little bit on the pieces my teacher gave me (they are like vegetables, not really tasty but obviously good for me)..My hands have been able to relax more lately (even the pinky), now I would just need to get my head to do the same...I was completely out there somewhere on today's lesson 

Maybe you should try this book I'm reading. I haven't gotten far enough yet to give a solid recommendation but it does deal with the mind obviously, since mind is in the title ! It works on separating all the "bad for us" thoughts that creep in during practice or performance. Even at the pro level this is a problem, so don't feel alone up there in your north lands outin.. It's not piano specific but easy enough to relate to non the less, even for office work I suppose..

[bencollisonmusic]

I'm working on work required for my Conservatory's end of the year Jury:

Rachmaninoff Prelude No. 10 (second series)
Back WTC No. 6 in F Major, Book Two
Beethoven Sonata No. 5
Eric Satie Works
Moskovski Prelude No. 10 (I think, haven't worked on it in a bit)

For Upcoming Piano Competitions in May:

Beethoven Sonata No. 23 Mvmnt. 3
Rachmaninoff Prelude No. 10
Schubert Impromtu No. 2, Op. 90

And after juries and competitions in May:

Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1 (Will be my summer project, so excited!)

I've got other pieces on my list but those are just the most current ones.

[j_menz]

I've ditched the Bach,

Grrrr! 

[piano_nurse]

Bach Invention No. 13
Variations on the Kanon - Winston
Prelude Op. 28 No. 15 - Chopin
Nocturne Op. 72 No. 1 - Chopin
Sonata Op. 27 No. 2, Movement 1 - Beethoven

[outin]

Maybe you should try this book I'm reading. I haven't gotten far enough yet to give a solid recommendation but it does deal with the mind obviously, since mind is in the title ! It works on separating all the "bad for us" thoughts that creep in during practice or performance. Even at the pro level this is a problem, so don't feel alone up there in your north lands outin.. It's not piano specific but easy enough to relate to non the less, even for office work I suppose..

I wonder if there's something there that is actually useful? I already know much about where my problems come from, I just cannot find a way to change the way my brain works. I know quite a lot about brain research and the implications of imbalance between brain areas. I guess chemically altering the brain might work but I am not willing to do that just to learn to play piano. The neurological things alone of course do not explain everything, they have caused psychological issues as well. Nothing I have tried so far has worked out.

To help with my concentration I tried simple meditation, but it did not work at all because trying to force myself to concentrate by will causes my head to blow...or at least makes it hurt. Suggestion does not work either, the vigilant part of my brain is too smart to be able to fool it into believing something it doesn't. I have tried forcing myself into thinking that something is likeable when it really isn't, but I never can. Every time I have to work on something that doesn't really interest me I lose real inner motivation and learning the simplest things takes ages or just doesn't happen... I am struggling right now with the pieces my teacher gave me and basically it's just that if I don't really want the hear the piece played well I just cannot learn to do it. Same with scales, arpeggios and other exercises. I never really learn them because deep down I don't care for the end result, although I do practice and I know that they would be useful in learning something later.

Then there's the problem of not being able to ignore mistakes and imperfections. We discussed this again yesterday, I can tell myself that it doesn't matter but some part of my brain still starts processing the issue, no matter how hard I try to ignore it and of course after a while I cannot keep up with what I am doing. And add to that all the physical things I need to struggle with while playing, they also add to the work load of the brain. With so much going on at the same time it's impossible for me to just mentally relax and play. The best I can do is not thinking at all about what I am doing, but that of course only works for a short moment, some conscious thinking is needed in playing as well.

So basically I am a mess, but not giving up yet 

[amelialw]

and more has been pilled on for me yet again:
Mendelssohn Song without Words op.19
Khachaturian Toccata

[hfmadopter]

I wonder if there's something there that is actually useful? I already know much about where my problems come from, I just cannot find a way to change the way my brain works. I know quite a lot about brain research and the implications of imbalance between brain areas. I guess chemically altering the brain might work but I am not willing to do that just to learn to play piano. The neurological things alone of course do not explain everything, they have caused psychological issues as well. Nothing I have tried so far has worked out.

The book deals with much of what you speak about. Again, I'm just now getting to the practical application so I can't fully recommend the book, nor do I know if it will help you specifically of course. Just a thought. This series has worked for lot's of people though, students and professionals as well. The series has been written for tennis and golf as well. What I did is downloaded the free App of Kindle For PC from Amazon and the free sample of the book, read the sample pages and decided to buy into it. Where you know a lot about brain science, perhaps it's a bit simplistic but you never know it might have just that one tip that clicks something off for you. Anyway, it's called, The Inner Mind of Music if you decide to look into it.

I personally don't have a whole lot of trouble playing in front of people compared with individuals who go into almost panic mode, I do tense up in comparison to being alone of course and I could have better concentration when practicing. I looked for books on this, as well as spirituality. This book doesn't cover spirituality but I am big on music and spirituality, my original time learning piano was very highly spiritual in nature, FWIW. So this book covers a different angle for me that I hope I can put to practical use once I read it and maybe lose some more tension  and learn better concentration as well.. Only time will tell.

[dynamobt]

Chopin E flat Major Nocturne  Op 9 no 2
Chopin Waltz in A minor  Op 34 no 2

Just finished the Chopin A flat Major Nocturne Op 32 no 2

[unholeee]

op 3 no 2. the hand crossing is so easy now, why wasn't it like this the first time. and reading it is a cakewalk. no more writing all the notes in basic letters. hmm the agitato section..see how I go.

[chopin2015]

Memorizing ballade no 4
Almost memorized ondine. The hand crossing is really hard here. Will try to record some more stuff soon.

[outin]

Today I got this insane craving to play some Hanon...Don't know what came over me... so just did half an hour of mindless drilling...

[hfmadopter]

Memorizing ballade no 4
Almost memorized ondine. The hand crossing is really hard here. Will try to record some more stuff soon.

Congrats and good for you not a small task !

I'm not really working on anything at the moment.

Edit:

Nothing big classical that is, one Mozart piece half halfheartedly in the works. I am working on several popular arrangements at once though. It sounded as though I had nothing going on !

[patrickd]

Iv'e just started practicing Ligeti's Musica Ricercata 1, and Kapustin's op 26

[mahlermaniac]

-Robert Vandall, prelude #3
-"My Heart Will Go On" for easy piano
-F chord exercises in my Alfred beginner adult workbook.

[momopi]

Für Elise
Tchaikovsky Op 39 #1 & #2
Gurlitt Op 140 #1 & #2
Senners Traum
Plus some simplified popular music

Today I got this insane craving to play some Hanon...Don't know what came over me... so just did half an hour of mindless drilling...

I played some Hanon today too.

[jollisg]

My concert program for the summer concerts:
Khachaturian toccata e flat minor
Chopin nocturne op 9 no 1
Haydn sonata no 23 mvt 1, allegro molto
Liszt Etude de Paganini no 5 "la chasse"
Scriabin sonata no 1 mvt 4, funebre
Chopin Etude op 25 no 7
Prokofiev suggestion diabolique op 4 no 4
D. M. Johansen mot fædrens fjeld
Chopin ballade no 1

And some other pieces:
Beethoven waldstein sonata mvt 1 and 3 (i will learn the 2nd movement when i have learnt the 1st and 3rd a bit more)
Mozart fantasie c minor
D. M. Johansen stengud
(Scriabin sonata 1 mvt 1) <---- is a little bit on ice right now

That is what i do besides studying natural science (and computer science) and playing organ (and a little bit oboe). Do i have to say that i'm pretty busy?

[evitaevita]

Right now: Chopin's Fantaisie-Impromptu
After that: Bach's Keyboard Concerto in F Minor & Chopin's Etude Op.10 No.5

[magic_sonata]

I am currently working on:

Waltz in B Minor Op. 69 No. 2 by Chopin
Arabesque No. 1 by Claude Debussy
Sonata in 6 Major Op. 49 No.2 by Beethoven

[biswaldman]

Currently I'm cleaning up Beethoven's Sonata Pathetique, and I'm working on Chopin's Scherzo No.2 and Rachmaninoff's Prelude Op 23 No.4. I'm preparing for a piano institute at the end of the month

[amelialw]

Currently for my LRCM Piano Performance exam this coming thurs:
J.S Bach Toccata in c minor BWV 911
Mozart Sonata in c minor K.457
Liszt Transcendental Etude no.3 'Paysage'
Mozart Piano Concerto in C major K.503

Along with a whole lot of pieces for auditions& to add to my rep:
J.S Bach Prelude& Fugue in C# major BWV 848
J.S Bach Prelude& Fugue in E major BWV 854 (reworking)
Beethoven Piano Concerto no.3 in c minor
Chopin Scherzo no.4 in E major
Chopin Etude op.25 no.7 in c# minor
Chopin Mazurkas op. 56 nos.1&3
Debussy Reverie
Debussy Arabesque no.2
Debussy Suite Bergamasque
Khachaturian Toccata
Prokofiev Sonata no.3

[ranniks]

Teacher gave me a first lesson on 4 noted chords like Cmaj7 and such. And he said we're gonna learn new pieces in the scale it's written in. Today he asked me to play the E major scale in mirror mode, which went good actually. Also we're gonna work on rhytm and on my request he's teaching me mozart k331-I (no variations). The rhytm training is Adele's Skyfall and the Mozart one too.

This one:

It's good to play the piano.

[ranniks]

Little prelude in D minor bwv 926 is my new piece to learn by Bach.

Awww yeaah, BACH!!!

It's time to play something by my most favorite composer.

Of course Gould takes it to another level:

[jollisg]

I have my concert repertoire that i just keep in a good standard. I have written that earlier in the thread. The new piees I am learning are:
J.S. Bach - P&F WTC1 no 2 in c minor
F. Chopin - etude op 10 no 1
C. Debussy - Estampes
L.v. Beethoven - waldstein sonata

[azusasatsuma]

I'm currently working on:
Several Chopin Etudes
The four Chopin Scherzi
Bach Partita No.4
Bach Prelude and Fugue Bk 1 in B flat Minor
Haydn Sonata No. 49 in E flat major
Schumann Toccata Op. 7
Liszt, Chasse Neige as well as one of his Poetic and Religious Harmonies (although I haven't decided which one yet...)

So much to do...so little time...

[chopin2015]

2 days until my recital.
For this recital, I had to learn moonlight sonata within 2 or 3 weeks...scary sh**! and the gershwin preludes. Had to and still am polishing Chopin etude 10.3, 25.5 and 25.12 and Ballade no 2. It is really annoying working on things I need to play through, until I make no mistakes. That takes a little more time than 3 weeks! The other stuff is just a Debussy and a Chopin nocturne, they pass.

And, the ballade no 4. I have been stuck on the last 2 pages for a while now...I played through these last 2 pages once, and am almost to the last page in memorization. Will be the first thing I do after recital. Otherwise, I have been playing through it up to that point, then working on more of the end. 

In 2 weeks, another recital. Will add mephisto valse and scherzo no 1 to the program, for the sake of polishing the pieces I finished and getting them out there.

But I do still feel pretty "green" as in, not quite ripe. haha...

[outin]

2 days until my recital.
For this recital, I had to learn moonlight sonata within 2 or 3 weeks...scary sh**! and the gershwin preludes. Had to and still am polishing Chopin etude 10.3, 25.5 and 25.12 and Ballade no 2. It is really annoying working on things I need to play through, until I make no mistakes. That takes a little more time than 3 weeks! The other stuff is just a Debussy and a Chopin nocturne, they pass.

And, the ballade no 4. I have been stuck on the last 2 pages for a while now...I played through these last 2 pages once, and am almost to the last page in memorization. Will be the first thing I do after recital. Otherwise, I have been playing through it up to that point, then working on more of the end. 

In 2 weeks, another recital. Will add mephisto valse and scherzo no 1 to the program, for the sake of polishing the pieces I finished and getting them out there.

But I do still feel pretty "green" as in, not quite ripe. haha...

A lot of work you have! 
Good luck...but I guess luck has little to do with it 

[chopin2015]

A lot of work you have! 
Good luck...but I guess luck has little to do with it 

Agh, I know! My hands feel achy today.
But tomorrow should be good, and the recital will be fun.

practice has a lot to do with it, and confidence.

[patrickd]

Medtner op 34 no 4

Prokofiev sonata 3

Godowsky Chopin etude no 13 for the left hand.

[amelialw]

Finally...new pieces (aside from 1-2)

J.S Bach Prelude and Fugue in C# major BWV 848& Prelude and Fugue in Bb minor BWV 868
Chopin Scherzo in E major
Chopin Etudes op.25 nos.2&7
Schubert Musical Moments (forgot the op. no; it's not the set which is commonly played)
Khachaturian Toccata
Prokofiev Sonata no.3

Haven't decided between Beethoven Piano Concerto in c minor/Schumann Piano Concerto/Mendelssohn Piano Concerto...it's been 2 years and I've been too busy working on other pieces

[unholeee]

i heard someone playing beethovens 5th sonata so im having a bit of a gander. i also heard some one practicing the la campanella, but think ill pass on that one for a time.

[brogers70]

Bach C#m P&F from WTC Book I. Hours on getting the octave C# to C# leap in the first measure of the prelude (and in analogous places further on) to sound right, and deciding on fingering for the fugue, kind of a long process.

Beethoven Sonata #15, Pastorale. Lately working on getting the balance between inner and outer voices in the bit that starts in C# major in the exposition.

Debussy La Cathedrale Engloutie. Learning the notes and getting used to big clusters in the chords.

Chopin Revolutionary Etude. Working on getting the tempo up a bit and the arm movements comfortable.

Chopin Etude 10/2. Very slowly learning the notes.

[chopin2015]

let's see...Ballade no 4 finished, so I'm practicing getting through that. Getting Berceuse/Chopin performance ready.

I worked a couple more valse nobles from the Ravel and decided I will finish the whole set this year.

Polishing Beethoven sonata 10.3 and mephisto valse1, pretty much...

Rach etude 39.1

After this, I will finish that Beethoven 5th concerto and do the 3rd Chopin Ballade/or whatever I want. 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

My pickup line for Valentina Lisitsa.