Liszt Consolation No. 3 Project

[ajspiano]

it will have a circle in the same way we've talked about for bar 13.. pretty small one though I think..

fingering is 3251 right? hmm..

3251 3251 3251 3251 3251..

my desk finger tapping tells me that the physical grouping should be like this..

325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1325 1...  etc. etc.

drop onto it as a chord, then as one drop, 4 separate notes - following that grouping.. so thumb lands first, followed by 325..

if its right you should be able to do that incredibly quickly without strain.. tell me how that feels? easier or still hard?

Edit:
Have you watched birba's practice video for the appassionata?

Do the chord bouncing, then the fast groups..  exactly like he does in that video..  he demonstrates further how to do chord attack and paralell sets, which is what I was talking about in the FI video for bar 13

remember I did this on a desk not a piano.. could be pretty wrong about the grouping.

[zoecalgary]

Okay, so I've done my first video of this the LH part of the first 18 bars.  Here are my thoughts and questions:

- I didn't worry about the low bass notes for now
- I didn't play with pedal
- I was trying to keep all the notes the same volume (didn't quite make it), though not necessarily as soft as piano would be
- I noticed my thumb looked funny but it felt relaxed when I was playing
- Bars 1-3, most comfortable hand position, lots of wrist movement (this will be question later I'll get to later)
- Bars 4-9, ok here, nothing felt like it was giving me problems
- Bars 10 -12, I had to really stretch here to reach the right notes. I tried to keep relaxed and move my hand and not reach but still felt like I really had to reach (another question coming up)

Questions:

- Generally I was trying hard to keep my hand always moving slightly up/down and side/side. This was easier to do when I felt the notes were more within reach. Am I doing too much movement? I was trying to do and up/down movement over the chord treating it as a phrase
- In Bars 10-12 I noticed I didn't have as much movement in my wrist. It seemed harded to do with the notes in front of me (like where do I put my arm, I didn't want to turn it in front of me)

Anyway, any all all help would be appreciated.  Given I want to move to putting hands together for bars 1-18 I'd like to correct anything I'm doing wrong now before moving on. Thanks!

[candlelightpiano]

Thanks, AJ. Your fingering is correct. I am watching Birba's practice video again but I don't see what you're talking about (where in the video is he doing what you're talking about?).

I'll try your drop chord approach tomorrow as it's midnight now. Will let you know how it feels. How did you manage to get through these measures when you were playing it?

Why would the physical grouping be:

325 1325 1325 1325 etc

Why do you bold a group?

[candlelightpiano]

Good job, Zoe! You look really good there!!  You move your wrist up and down more than I do but it looks very good. My wrist looks low! I took a look at my video again for comparison:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbYC7bVAB0E&feature=youtu.be

I find measures 10 - 13 a good stretch too!

[ajspiano]

I think it will be best if I answer the question re birba video with a proper video explanation. Should have time to do it tomorrow.

I bolded certain sections just to make the groups more discernable on the screen, there was no extra importance to the bold sections over the others.

I will stress the idea of "if it is right" because I didn't test it at a piano.. physical and mental grouping just makes certain patterns of notes easier to play. Its all about how your brain and body process information.. Look at the notes below..

CEDFEGFAGBACBDC..  Pattern on c major scale acending for one octave.

1. You could see it as single notes moving up then down then up then down.
2. See it as 2 note groups of thirds moving up a scale step at a time. CE DF EG FA etc.
3. Groups of 2 Moving down, again one step higher each time - C ED FE GF AG etc.

It's all the same set of notes, and you can play it with the same timing for each but in you body and mind you can feel in it different ways. There's often a way that works better than others for either a mental or physical reason.

[dire_tonic]

DT: Now I'm not even sure that Yi Jong was playing the 4 against 3 polyrhythm as it is printed. It's hard to tell as it's quick at the end. What do you think? It almost sounds like he plays the F of RH just before the D flat of the LH and then the last two notes with the D flat.

He's definitely not playing 4 against 3, in fact he's almost doubling it; as I mentioned in the earlier post he's playing it more-or-less as a simple pair of semiquavers (RH) for every quaver (LH) and to that end he plays his first note of the entire phrase (the F) just before the final Ab in the LH. To put it another way, the initial tied Db of the RH phrase (the first of the 8 notes) would be played approximately in sync with Db in the LH (4th note from the end of the bar!).

In any case, I think one can take these microscopic analyses a bit too far!  If you start to try and atomise it then emulate it exactly, there's no way you're going to get the airiness that it needs.  But, at Jong's tempo, I think if you go with the 2-to-1 I've outlined above but make it more relaxed, almost heedless of the LH but based loosely round the 2-to-1, you'll have it cracked.

If you're going to play at Horowitz' tempo you'll have to go more with the 4-to-3 polyrhythm.



Zoe, that sounds really good.  I'm not an expert on the wrist movement thing but that looks fine too.

I think you should add the bass notes as soon as possible and use the sustain pedal too. You'll start to hear the piece coming to life!

[candlelightpiano]

I think it will be best if I answer the question re birba video with a proper video explanation. Should have time to do it tomorrow.  

Thanks, AJ! I definitely look forward to your video, if you can find the time to do it. I'm not sure if you should post it on this thread or on the FI thread. You decide. If you post it on the FI thread, please drop a note here so we know about it and will go there. 

For this FI section measures 127 - 134, we definitely appreciate your coaching. I watched Birba's video several times and I have the music for Appasionata but couldn't figure out where he was at and my music doesn't have the measures numbered.

[candlelightpiano]

He's definitely not playing 4 against 3, in fact he's almost doubling it; as I mentioned in the earlier post he's playing it more-or-less as a simple pair of semiquavers (RH) for every quaver (LH) and to that end he plays his first note of the entire phrase (the F) just before the final Ab in the LH. To put it another way, the initial tied Db of the RH phrase (the first of the 8 notes) would be played approximately in sync with Db in the LH (4th note from the end of the bar!).

DT:  Do you think he's also doing the same thing in measures 6 and 10?  He is playing the F (RH) just before the final D flat of LH and then the D flat and B flat (last two notes of RH) with the D flat of LH? It sounds the same, quick and free. Because if it were played as a polyrhythm, it would sound slower. How about you? How are you playing measures 22, 6 and 10? The Horowitz way or the Yi Jong way? I like Yi Jong's because my tempo is slower.

ZOE:  I agree with DT. You're doing great with LH. Time to add the RH and pedal.

[zoecalgary]

Thanks for the comments folks. Now that I know I don't have any major disasters to fix I can move on. It shall be interesting for me as I've not done poly rhythms before. I'll try Bartons suggestions by lining up the on beat notes in the 2 hands and see how it goes. To start I'll be strict in timing and then see if I can free it up afterwards. Baby steps for now.

[candlelightpiano]

I need to be strict in timing! When I use the metronome, I realize my tempo is all over the place. I just can't count!!  Anyway, I watched all 4 pro videos and what a difference they all are! Barenboim uses the most rubato. Yi Jong plays the freest, fastest bird song but not with as much rubato. Itin is so all over the place I don't even know how to describe his performance but he also plays a similar free and fast bird song like Yi Jong does. After all that, my favorite is still Yi Jong so thanks, StarStruck5 for posting his video. He's not only cute, he's my favorite Consoler!  

[zoecalgary]

Hi Choo, are you planning on posting a video with how far you've gotten with this? I'd be very interested in seeing it.

I just started working hands together yesterday. It doesn't sound very musical but I'm working on getting that odd rhythm going. Still just on the first 18 bars (which don't really look so hard but are giving me a run for my money!)

[candlelightpiano]

Zoe:  I was trying to memorize the first 19 measures and I don't know why there's a block in my head or something and I'm having a hard time. So I'm going to practice is a bit more and hopefully get a video out in the next day or two, with the score. I'm playing it Yi Jong's style.  He doesn't follow the music strictly but I love the way he plays this beautiful piece. And I'm trying to remain as relaxed as possible.

My tempo is all over the place. I notice when I have the metronome going!!  But I'll shoot for a video tonight and post it if it looks okay.

Last night, I actually recorded for my own eyes only. I'm doing that now to see how my hands look as it's hard for me to see when I'm playing. Anyway, the tension was creeping back into my LH so I decided to focus on that again, playing it hands separately.

I've practiced to measure 27 but beginning at the octaves, it's not as steady. And the birdsong needs work to make it sound like a birdsong!!  I don't think my dynamics are great, either since I've been focusing on memorizing and a strict tempo (hah!!).

On top of everything else, I've decided to have a go at learning the Appasionata so working on that for a half hour a day. And also working on FI. So have my hands full!!!     

[zoecalgary]

Choo you're learning 3 major pieces at once! Wow! Good for you.  You and your hands are certainly busy! I've read alot of the Appassionata thread and it is so very interesting. It is especially interesting to see how people take apart a complex piece like that.

I am still working through the #3 as I've come to call it. But the good news is that after working on that for a half hour or so my other music suddenly seems so easy! haha! That's a good thing. 

Yesterday night I was playing #3 ever so slowly and it is so peaceful even with all the errors, hesitation, etc. I haven't really ventured too far past bars 18 yet.

I'm looking forward to your video whenever you get to it.

[candlelightpiano]

I was trying to memorize these first 19 measures but alas, couldn't - yet. So this is the best I can do for now. My LH fingers look weird. Hopefully, I'll get it memorized by next week and post another video of that and the next passage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1cwFPc3m8I&feature=youtu.be

[dire_tonic]

That's really taking shape! And I thought your hands looked good too - very relaxed.

I know what you mean about trying to memorize it, the arpeggios seem to be the main hurdle although they all share exactly the same up-down movement so once you've locked one in you should be able to get the remainder without referring to the music.  Maybe learn the piece using P. Barton's chord idea?  Then learn to break the chords down using the up-down pattern.

The 8 bars starting at 19 are essentially the same as the 8 bars beginning at 3 but in octaves in the RH and of course the 7 note semiquaver figure, so there's not much work to do to sort those out.

I find there are often difficulties knowing how to make our playing more musical, less mechanical.  In particular bars 14 and 16 need careful attention if one is to avoid them sounding metronomic and lifeless.  Best to listen very closely to what the pros are doing in these 2 bars (and probably the bar leading up) and see what you can discover!

Also, I think playing ALL the Db bass notes is far too heavy.  Leaving 4 and 5 free (I think they all do this) gives the melody and moving harmony a wonderful ethereal lightness.  And the half note Db at bar 9 - this must be tied in order to lift the sense of anticipation for the C which follows.

I'd suggest only playing the Db when you sense it needs to be re-anchored which it does here and there (experiment!).

Just a few thoughts.

[candlelightpiano]

Then learn to break the chords down using the up-down pattern.

DT:  What do you mean by this? Thanks for your feedback. You always pay great attention to the details, which I often miss, so it's really helpful for me. Excellent suggestion on the repeated/ tied D flat notes. As usual, you noticed them and I didn't. I played every one of them! I'll work on them again and listen for the difference. I notice in measure 16, Itin speeds up for the first two beats, then slows down. Slight rubato for Yi Yong. Will have to listen to all four of them again.  Where are you at?

ZOE: I guess that's the advantage of learning a piece above your skill level. I can't honestly tell you because I don't know what level I'm at now. I've decided to forego the Appasionata even though I got through the first page without difficulty yesterday. I have a feeling the rest of the piece will be far too difficult for me or when I speed up, I'll have way too many problems.  So I should just concentrate on Consolation and FI, pieces I can complete.

[zoecalgary]

Choo, that was very nice! Thanks for posting this! I wasn't sure anybody was still working on it so I'm happy that you still are.

Your hands don't look weird they look good. How do you keep your LH so still? I really need to move
To get to the upper notes.  I thought it sounded really nice and sweet.

The Db notes seemed like it worked for You. I have noticed when i play this that I sometimes forget to hit the Db but don't necessarily miss it. So I guess I'm adding space without even knowing it! Haha. Also as dt said the music I have shows the Db being tied from bars 8-9. It really does Make the C stand out this way.

You've got a great start on this! Nice!

[dire_tonic]

DT:  What do you mean by this?

"...up-down..." I can see now that wasn't too clear.

There's a constant motif running through 80% of the LH, even when the chord changes - have you spotted it?  It'll make it easier to memorize.

It’s good that you did some analysis on Itin and Jong for 14 and 16, it really helps, in fact I’d say it’s essential, to try to deconstruct what the pros do and - at least in the early stages - to borrow (i.e. steal, Lol!) some of their devices to inject some ‘feeling’ into our performances and to use these tricks later as a springboard for our own invention.

[candlelightpiano]

ZOE: Glad you enjoyed my recording and I'm glad I did it because DT has brought up some interesting points, stuff I never even considered. I keep my LH still by using the weight of my forearm, I think. I've been doing a good bit of Megadodd's exercise for relaxation and at the end of it, when he takes you back to Consolation, he has you moving your wrist from side to side with the weight of your forearm. So I think that's why my wrist looks still.  I need to listen to the pros in the measures DT mentioned and also work on the D flats. I'm playing way too many of them.

DT:  Yes, now that I took a look at my music, I can see the up and down movement of the notes. I'll have to listen to the pros many time to get an idea how to play those measures without making it sound so metronomic. I steal from them!!  It's easier than coming up with my own interpretation. After all, I only play piano at home for my cat, husband and the four walls!  How far in this piece are you? Have you completed it? I notice you never answer this question.

[dire_tonic]

How far in this piece are you? Have you completed it? I notice you never answer this question.

...man of mystery!   

[candlelightpiano]

...man of mystery!   

Indeed!!!  Come on with it!! Where in this piece are you at?  You're driving me crazy!

[dire_tonic]

ohhhh, alright then....

I've played through the piece a few times, so-so sight reading, plenty of mistakes, and sort-of learnt the first page (plenty more mistakes).  I've done a fair bit of listening to the pros but haven't yet decided how to approach it (faster? Slower?). 

[ajspiano]

Looking at the first bar...

If you put an Ab into the left had on the first beat you'll see that it's a pattern that runs twice in the bar, and it follows the Db arp.   ||: Ab(F)Db(Ab)F(Db) :||. So if you feel the notes of the Db arp beginning on Ab it follows each note moving up and plays the note of the arp below it aswell.  Beyond that you'll notice that when you feel it in 3's the Ab always lands on the beat.

Trying to learn the whole bar is difficult as there is no immediately discernible pattern. I remembered it pretty quickly once I spotted the 2 beat patten though.

[candlelightpiano]

Thanks, DT. I suspected you'd completed the piece and was just waiting for us to complete it before you produced your masterpiece!!     By learning the first page, I suppose you mean you're trying to memorize it, like me? Sometimes I think I have it, then when I play sans music, I realize I don't. But once we memorize the first 19 bars, the next 8 will be easy, just having to fit the birdsong in it and the octaves.  Then there's a whole lot of different notes and thirds.

How are you doing with the last 10 measures of FI where you have the repeated 16th RH notes? Still having problems with it?

AJ:  Yes, I see the pattern you're talking about showing up twice in the measure.  I still don't know why I find it hard to memorize. It's not so much the individual notes in the measure. It's the changes in the LH notes from measure to measure after the 4th measure, I think. So Paul Barton's chord technique may be helpful.

Are you still planning to help us with the last 10 measures of FI with the repeated RH 16th notes? I hope you are but there's no hurry with it as I'm still working on the first 8 measures of that last page RH only.

[zoecalgary]

dT - man of mystery! That's funny though we really would love to hear you play. How about just the first 18 bars since for me I'll doubt I will get too far past this! Well I will try of course but its looking iffy. I am having fun with the first 2 pages or so though!

So please please record some for us. It would be great to hear/see! Please! (have I begged enough? Haha!)

AJ of course you can record too. The more the better for me to see.

[ajspiano]

Paul Barton's chord technique may be helpful.

Not that I have actually memorised them yet, but when I was taking a look last night (first proper go) I certainly process them as arpegiated chords. I don't memorise them note for note, its just the same pattern on a different chord each time. Maybe easier for me to do though because of my jazz background, lots of practicing of chords in different inversions/voicings and as arpeggios/scales/general improv. That kind of thing was not something I ever received from 'classical' teachers.

Are you still planning to help us with the last 10 measures of FI with the repeated RH 16th notes? I hope you are but there's no hurry with it as I'm still working on the first 8 measures of that last page RH only.

Yes, but I want to do a video for JL first..  did you see he put up the request?

I've got all of tonight free, so perhaps I'll be able to do a bunch of things.
[/quote]

AJ of course you can record too. The more the better for me to see.

Last night was my first go at the piece, I'll post something when I can play more than a few bars fluently (should be in a few days time). It was too stumbly last night, I need to solidify the poly-rhythms, and memorise the notes a little better.

[candlelightpiano]

ZOE: I'm sure you can complete this piece. Look how slowly I'm going. I've decided that when I memorize the first 19 measures, I'll do another recording. Just because. Should be in a few days or less. It's getting there. Earlier you mentioned that you wondered if we were still working on this piece - OF COURSE! It's one of my favorite pieces!  It's no heavyweight like the Appasionata or FI but I absolutely love the peacefulness of it and the melancholy.

AJ:  Who is JL and what is he requesting?  I didn't know you were planning on recording something on Consolation. I thought you were going to record for the last 10 measures of FI. Have I got you confused? After all, you're on the Consolation thread but I'm asking for something for FI. 

[ajspiano]

JL..  full user name pianoplayjl - theres a thread in the students corner, he asked for a video on one of brahms 51 exercises.

I wasnt really planning on doing anything for the consolation - but I tend to get sucked in. I was going to do both that and the last bit of FI when I find the time.

[zoecalgary]

AJ - you're going to record this piece too!  Yeah!! You're awesome!

Everybody here is so very generous with their knowledge and expertise! I find it hard to believe you need to clean up the polyrythms! After all I've seen you do parts of FI and I watched your video on the  appasionata thread. Well. Now I do t feel so bad :-)

I play them super slow (robotic) and once in awhile I get it and it sounds cool! Then I try to speed up a touch and chaos ensues! Hehe. Its so much fun to play and so peaceful.

Choo I'd be so thrilled if I could get through this sometime. I do play it everyday day and it has become addicting actually.  I have to force myself to put it aside and work on other things.  Ahh only if I had unlimited time!

[candlelightpiano]

dT - man of mystery! That's funny though we really would love to hear you play. How about just the first 18 bars since for me I'll doubt I will get too far past this! Well I will try of course but its looking iffy. I am having fun with the first 2 pages or so though!

So please please record some for us. It would be great to hear/see! Please! (have I begged enough? Haha!)

I agree with Zoe! DT, aka Man of Mystery, please record a video for us!!!! 

ZOE:  I'm getting the first 19 measures memorized more quickly now that I've dumped a good number of low D flats so that was a great idea! Once I do, I'll record another video in a day or two. I think we need more videos to keep us entertained.     Yes, the Consolation is addicting. I spend more time on it than any other piece but it's about time to return to FI tonight. Why don't you record a video, too? Doesn't matter how you're playing it. A practice video, you know, so we can give you feedback.

AJ:  You have your hands full with videos! If you have time, I would really love to have one for the last page of FI, the repeated notes that are sending me into the madhouse!   

[danhuyle]

I really want to record myself playing this now. I'll make some videos showing how I do it too. Gotta stop worrying about the flaws and get on with recording myself play this consolation.

[zoecalgary]

Hi Danhuyle! Welcome. Another recording coming soon. That is awesome. What is your experience with this piece? Have you played it before?  I love watching all the videos because I'm learning so much. I can't wait to seen your rendition.

And speaking of recording, Choo you are right in that I should record a practice video (gulp!). First I need to spend some time with the polyrhythms sections. Super slow I can kind of play them barely! Still I want to get a good effort in before posting something because it will help clarify what exactly my questions are. Right now I'm just trying to smooth out the notes a bit. Again pretty robotic for now but it's unti I get the feel for this better so
I can loosen up a bit.

Choo, by the way you're too kind in saying I can do this whole piece. I have my doubts but who knows what will happen after the first 18 bars!! Thanks though for all the
Encouragement!

Glad to hear your memorization is Going better too!

[candlelightpiano]

DANHUYLE:  Welcome!!  Yes!!!! Please record yourself playing this lovely piece and post it here!  We're eagerly anticipating your video!  As you can see from this thread, the three of us are learning this piece and none of us have completed it yet. We began about a week and a half ago (less than a week for me because I was taking a piano vacation). It's really wonderful that you're joining us. Don't worry about the flaws, if there are any. Since this is a work-in-progress project, we're all learning and everyone has lots of flaws in their playing.  You're going to feel very at home here. You'll probably be the best of the lot of us since we only began such a short time ago. How long have you been working on this piece?

ZOE:  I have no doubt at all that you can complete this piece. If I can do it, and I'm quite confident I can, you can, too.  Once you get one of those polys, the rest will be easy.

[danhuyle]

Just recently. It's one of those that I play, then come back to numerous times since I'm practicing other pieces like Scriabin Etudes Op8, Liszt Ballades, transcendental etudes, Chopin Ballades.

Consolation no3 is a nice breather from virtuoso pieces and lets you enjoy the rewards from playing piano.

[dire_tonic]

ok, Choo, Zoe, I hear your clamour. If I must show my hand(s), I'll try and put up something today or tomorrow.

Looking forward to hear danhuyle and AJ though...

[candlelightpiano]

DANHUYLE:  Totally agree with you about Consolation being a breather and an enjoyable and relaxing piece to play. You have such a virtuosic repertoire. Are you a concert pianist?  Dire Tonic and I are also learning it as a breather from our study of Fantasie Impromptu and Zoe from her exam pieces. 

DT, Danhuyle and AJ:  Eagerly anticipating your videos!

[zoecalgary]

I'm eagerly awaiting those videos too! And in the spirit of sharing videos I'll try to post a practice one of myself sometime soon. (this will really help those Of you who may be too shy to share! This piece is a big stretch challenge for me and you will see I'll need all the help I can get! :-))

My main question right now revolves around the polyrhythms. In Barton's tutorial it says make sure to play the notes that fall on the beat together and the rest will fall into place. Something else I've seen says to try the sayings "not - dif - I - cult" for 3 over 2 and "not ve ry dif I cult" for 4 over 3.

So do the notes really fall into place eventually? When I just try to play by getting the beat notes it sounds more smooth in the RH but something gets lost with the LH. When i try it with this saying all the notes get in but I have to go so slow anything remotely musical is lost.

Any thoughts on how to get this Part.

[candlelightpiano]

Since most of FI is played at a pretty fast clip, the polyrhythms do fall into place except in the slower middle section.

Consolation is played slower and I find that the polys don't fit in as easily as they do with FI, but that may only be my case, and nobody else's. For example, in measure 4 and other measures like that, I play the first note of the poly (B flat) with the LH B flat and the C in the RH in between the G and the D flat of the LH. I make sure that I can count 3-and-4-and for the 4 eighth notes of the RH (B flat, C, D flat, F) when they're all played so since I have a digital piano, I record myself and listen.

I'm not doing the poly for measure 6 and other measures like that because I'm going with Yi Jong's style of playing and he doesn't do them. I can do the poly with no problem but I just like the way it sounds better when played the way he plays it.

AJ has also suggested saying "pass the gol-den butter." Birba taught me the da da da-da da etc method.

In measure 22, if you're playing the poly, the notes will eventually fit in if you make sure the notes that are supposed to be played together are, in fact, played together. But again, I'm not doing it that way except for measure 53. It sounds better there as it's going into the cadenza. That's the only measure that Yi Jong plays the poly for the 16th notes and I plan to do the same. I'm just going with what sounds better to me.

[dire_tonic]

...very crude, lots of goofs and completely wrecked the climax - panicked and totally overdid it.  Also not finished (as usual)

[candlelightpiano]

That was GREAT, DT!!! It sounded very tender and lovely and you're quite far along, almost to the cadenza. I enjoyed it very much. I see you're doing the octaves with 1-5 and playing the polys as in the score. Your polys sound very fluid and easy, though I know they aren't easy to play. I've been using 1-3, 1-4, 1-5 on the octaves but I think I'll try 1-5 for all of them instead. Less tension and it sounds as good, I think.  It'll be a while before I get to where you're at. Thanks for posting your progress, which is coming along wonderfully.

[starstruck5]

Agree with Choo here -your playing DT is beautiful -it is a shame you didn't get to the end -but it was sort of artistic not getting to the end!

I read the post from DannyHule -about playing the Db Consolation -I would love to hear him play a non-virtuoso piece!  

Found this -quite quick the tempo -but moving nevertheless -

[dire_tonic]

Thanks Choo & Starstruck5 for your kind comments but this is a very rough draft and still needs a heck of a lot of work. I don't have the notes in muscle memory yet so it's too early even to try and commit myself to a way of playing it, though I've cribbed a couple of Horowitz' ideas - as yet unpolished. I haven't sorted out the cadenza yet.

[ajspiano]

I've got all of tonight free, so perhaps I'll be able to do a bunch of things.

I didnt end up playing at all..  by as a side note..  I'm now engaged! 

[candlelightpiano]

I didnt end up playing at all..  by as a side note..  I'm now engaged!  

CONGRATULATIONS, AJ!!!!!  This is so exciting and I'm so so happy for you!  Your bride-to-be is one lucky lady!!!  

[candlelightpiano]

Thanks, StarStruck! That was beautiful, too. But my favorite is still Yi Jong!!  I'm stuck on him!!    I thank you most sincerely for introducing me to him!  

DT: I watched you playing again and enjoyed it even more the second time around! Thanks. Someday I'll get to where you're at. I'm still trying to memorize the first 2 plus pages. I must be growing old. It's taking too long. Where did you set up your camera for such an angle? What is your practice routine like? I ask because Birba posted a video today (App 4) where he talked about his method of practice. He breaks the piece into segments of between 6 - 15 measures and he has something in a bag where he randomly picks a number and practices that section for 20 mins or so.Wondering if you do the same thing? I'm trying to start that tonight. For me, it's a good idea because I have a tendency to stick to one area for a long time. Then, I don't make any headway through the rest of the piece. I notice you're getting to the cadenza so I wondered if you have a certain practice regiment.

ZOE:  Just get one polyrhythm and the rest will be quite easy.

[zoecalgary]

AJ - Congratulations!! What wonderful and special news! Wishing you all the best!!

[zoecalgary]

DT - thanks so much for posting your video of this piece! I really enjoyed it very much and I was sad it ended. It sounded lovely to me and it was awesome to have such a great view of your hands. I listened along while looking at my music. It was very educational for me and it means Alot to me that you posted it! After all I did harass you to do so in an earlier post didn't I!!  You are planning on finishing this right? You played it so well I would certainly hope so!

I am in no position to give technical advice or critiques just wanted to say thanks. In a few days I'll Try to post a clip of me and where I'm at. You'll probably have tons of suggestions for me!!  Thanks again!

[dire_tonic]

I didnt end up playing at all..  by as a side note..  I'm now engaged! 

SOME will do absolutely anything to avoid posting a video!! 

...only joking AJ  , that's great news,  congratulations!!

On that happy day, I think you can expect to be nagged to put up some wedding vids!

[dire_tonic]

Choo, no, I don't have a practice routine, other than to try and make it as intense as possible so, in the case of FI, I would focus on a bar or two (7/8!! you remember) and then shift elsewhere once tedium sets in.  With FI there are so many things to practise as you know, so I'm always hopping about.  There's often a temptation to just play a section for the pleasure of doing it and I try to avoid that, I think it's time wasted if there's still room for improvement.

In Consolation I needed to settle the fingering at 41 (which I turned into a dog's dinner) and 47.  The timing at 22 and similar needed practice...it still needs practice, it's not yet played well.  And there were bars I'd be inclined to error e.g. 9.  I'm sure there were others.  Apart from that I've played through it completely quite a few times. My sight reading isn't too bad so I find this is an enjoyable and still productive way to deal with a piece that is less technically demanding.  Also, I think it helps to improve one's reading.  Of course, the cadenza needs some focus and I'll need to sort out the fingering (one hand or two?, the pros are split).  Most demanding for me in a piece like Consolation is trying to grapple with musical expression.

I don't see anything wrong with your deep focus on one section if this is absorbing you and you're seeing improvement. You'll arrive at a stage where you'll either be satisfied or returns are diminishing at which point you'll move elsewhere in the piece.  I'd rather prioritise what I know to be the most difficult sections than pick an option out of the hat.  If I'm not sure where the major weaknesses lie, then I just play the piece from the top - something will stick out which needs work.  That's it.

...about the cam; it's sitting on a fairly tall tripod which has a spherical head so the cam's at a bizarre angle with the base not far from the end of the piano.


Zoe, I'm pleased the vid was useful for you.  I'll definitely be finishing the piece but have yet to get comfortable with the cadenza. The piano here (it's not mine) is in a poor mechanical state and needs tuning but also has several unpleasant characteristics in particular it's almost impossible at the high end to play the pianissimo the end of the cadenza needs.

Just a couple of thoughts about your polyrhythms.  I wouldn't worry about the 8-6 at the end of bar 22 and elsewhere; at the slower tempo you're likely to choose (I might end up choosing this too), just play the RH at double the LH rate and start it just prior to the last beat of the bar (the RH Db in approx sync with the LH Ab). Add a bit of fairy dust by playing it loosely and pp and you've got it.  

The 2 (RH) against 3 (LH) as in bar 4 and littered throughout is another matter.  If you're having trouble with that I could offer some suggestions...


Starstruck - that's beautiful playing.  Also, a grand piano and a large reverberant hall!..I'm consumed with envy.

[starstruck5]

Starstruck - that's beautiful playing.  Also, a grand piano and a large reverberant hall!..I'm consumed with envy.
[/quote]

What playing are you referring to DT? I don't have a Grand Piano -or reverberant hall to play -and my playing is ordinary to say the least -are you referring to the link I gave? -that definitely isn't me! Wrong age and gender as well -I'll try and post my version of the Consolation , when my muscle strain eases -it won't be as good I promise!¬