Memorizing longer pieces

[adam2]

My pieces are getting longer (not that long, like 10 minutes), and it got me thinking about even longer pieces pieces that i will want to play eventually...

Do people run into problems recalling even pieces that they know intimately? What common pitfalls are there and what can I do to prepare a seamless performance with this in mind?

[nanabush]

If you are very familiar with the structure of the piece, and are able to really dig into the mood and character of it, then you should be ok!  I am working on the Appassionata, and it's got the longest 'single movement' from a Sonata I've played up to date...the biggest issue for me in the first movement is memorizing the left hand passagework during the reentries of theme 2 (the beautiful one).  Repetitive accompanying figures that are changing constantly (these chords are mostly in inversion, so it's trickier to retain for me)...but now that I can predict the harmonies that come up, and 'create' an inner melody with the bass notes, it helps click it all together.

Just know the form of what you are working on; it's not a great idea to repeat a measure 15 times, play it from memory, then move on to the next one, play 15 times, and keep doing this.  You are forcing it down in this case, and you will end up hating the piece.  Let it be organic, take your time, if you know the piece very confidently with the music, then you will notice there are many spots where you can play flawlessly without the notes.

In terms of performance, if a memory lapse comes up, you better know how the piece is laid out!  You can either bs your way through a passage tastefully, or bring it around to the beginning of the section without stopping, and trying a second time lol.  Again, unless it is a really strange avant garde piece, try to map out harmonies, recurring passages, and structure.

[lloyd_cdb]

Do people run into problems recalling even pieces that they know intimately? What common pitfalls are there and what can I do to prepare a seamless performance with this in mind?

When performing a piece I know intimately, my common pitfall is that I zone out and think about what I'm making for dinner, followed by "sh*t, where am I?".  But hey, maybe that's just me, lol.

In more seriousness, this is actually a serious pitfall, but more in regards to visual vs. physical memory.  I do much better relying on physical memory, so pieces I've struggled with learning and have had to stare at my hands for 90% of the time and repeat passages 100 times are actually easier for me to remember, similar to what nana said.  I've found that easier pieces that I've been able to run through quickly sight reading tend to disappear from my memory much more quickly, even if I've played them a similar amount of times.  Once you know the notes, hide the sheet music.  Go back and check occasionally just to make sure you have dynamics and aren't screwing up certain notes.  But again, this is a personal problem and doesn't necessarily apply to everyone.