Learning Diary thread - Prokofiev Concerto nr.2 (movement 3)

[diomedes]

I have not done anything with the recording merging process yet, but intend to. I don't expect it will be straight forward, so to use time properly, why not learn lots of notes so here goes.

Famous last words, this movement doesn't intimidate me very much. Reasonable volume of notes to learn, and it doesn't appear like there's a great deal of problem solving. So, the objective is to learn it as quickly as possible to improve my method. Everything can always be improved.

Not many themes repeat, only two from what i see (pianistically), which is a favorable. The opening piano entry does look to draw my attention. The glissandi passage is made of many repeated patterns, for example the black key glissandi are only on a single chord each time. The big sequential passage immediately after that is where i will begin along with the opening and go from there today. I have not recently been learning many notes so my mind is likely open to the process.

This is balanced with other repertoire: Liszt/Schubert Gretchen (which i will be performing on saturday), Chopin 3rd scherzo (probably be recording it along with the Liszt early next week), Chopin 1st Scherzo (all 3 page of it, barely a task to learn it at all. Weekend project at best. Playing it properly is a different story). I should learn the 4th Scherzo, but it doesn't speak to me on a personal level. Some Rachmaninov should be done too, all finished before May, I intend to start the 3rd Scriabin Sonata then. And at the same time the Ballades starting with the 1st.

However long this movement takes we will see, the 2nd movement will be next.

[diomedes]

Generally as expected Bar 99 is a lot of work to learn, many patterns and regardless of time spend needs days to settle and sleep on it. The opening arabesque is all repetitive figures, so really not a lot of effort needs to be put there, but becoming familiar with the hand crossings and octave locations is very much the bigger issue. Other parts of the movement are not very dense and are written to sound well against the orchestra rather than be of great difficulty for the pianist. So far my impression is that it's a intermezzo in a technical sense. Requires effort to learn but not overwhelming.

[diomedes]

Nothing fascinating to report. I've determined how to deal with the tutti passages and tie them into the rest of the piano part, they are not demanding really. This movement tends to get played fast sometimes, so that increases the risk of serious technical issues, but i still have not found any yet. The reprise of the main theme in d mnior after the arpeggio flourshes (which is a passage that heavily repeats patterns, so i guess you can say i'm deflating the virtuosic nature of it) is a pain in the ass. Had it memorized for a week but needs so much mechanical practice at the piano because it's length. There's about one or 2 bars that are unusually mind bending.

[diomedes]

I'm fairly happy with the fact i learned the whole thing in 2 weeks, now i just need to push it into my fingers. My tendency to learn is to completely internalize something first since that's the more difficult part, so i begin there immediately. Especially in addition to the fact that this movement doesn't have any apparent technical challenges at all. Learning and internalizing the tutti passages doesn't slow me down noticeably which is also good.

The glissandi, i've noticed some pianists play the actual notes on the black key ones, i find sliding down with the right hand index finger is not an issue. The surface close to the thumb doesn't actually sustain any damage or show wear.

I added the flourishes in the orchestra to my part (fairly large scales, see attachments in following post) and rearranged them to a reasonable effect. The piano part in the close of this movement has cruel harshness to it, the addition of those parts adds to that. I'm quite surprised by how it all sounds and feels. I'm reading Sophicles now, the marchlike nature of this movement resembles the approach of fate, and the nasty thrashing seems to call to mind the end that came of Oedipus.

Scherzo 1 is totally learned as of today, 3rd is ready to record (finally polished those descending arpeggios), along with the Schubert-Liszt. Today I start the learning process for the Scriabin Poeme tragique (i learned it 2 times in the past, once for a recital), un Sospiro, Chopin 1st Ballade and the Medtner sonata tragica. I planned on the 3rd Scriabin sonata but it's too big to manage with other projects now.

I'm still unable to get the software required to do the concerto recording projects. Takes time, i'll get it when it happens.

[diomedes]

Direction of stems indicates the hand.

[diomedes]

So far ok, i don't work on this very much. My goals are to work on as much as possible in general. Given that if this was my sole purpose it'd be done by now, there aren't technical issues. The d minor return of the theme after the new theme in arpeggio accompaniment is still a giant nuissance. And at a faster tempo the opening hand crossings are actually a serious whirlewind of movement, fortunately the notes are easily understood and simple. Generally feels like a lot of notes and a heavy work load. The mind is very tired.

On the side, itching to record Scherzo 3 and Gretchen, it's been sitting around embarrassingly long, i spend 10 minutes a day between both which is fine. Poeme tragique came to very easily, all memorized and confident. Scherzo 1 done, some transitions need looking at and lots of technical security needed. Not working on it much. Sospiro, fair bit of effort goes into solving ensemble playing with the cadenzas. They're not easy, but appears they are solved. Significant work on the Ballade 1 coda, another day or 2 and it should be moving along. Then it's time for the rest.