Arabesque 1 Continued! 2 pages.

[adodd81802]

I was trying to change the title of my old thread so I didn't make multiple of these. Somebody please feel free to advise how! Nevertheless still a work in progress, I've booked the next week off to give it some real study.

I'm now comfortable with the first 2 (of 5) pages and just about to start the 2nd section which I think is probably going to be easier to learn.

The aim is to get it really comfortable and then iron out any musical snags, but as much feedback as possible is welcome.

A question to anybody that can play this or is familiar. I spent a lot of time today tidying up the arpeggio run at the end of page 2. If I were to play the whole section as full quavers, I can play it easily, however I notice on the score, the top melody notes is marked as crotchets on top of the quaver arpeggios. I find it difficult to hold my little finger down that touch longer to emphasize the melody without my fingers starting to trip up. What are peoples thoughts?

[kawai_cs]

Wow, very nice! And you have a sweet dog  

[briansaddleback]

And that piano.... Man.... High tech.
You could launch an astronaut into space with that panel I'm sure.

[adodd81802]

And that piano.... Man.... High tech.
You could launch an astronaut into space with that panel I'm sure.

Haha that piano is 20+ years old and responds and sounds like s*%t! Its really not anything likek a real piano but i needed something with headphones and it was going cheap!

[adodd81802]

Wow, very nice! And you have a sweet dog  

Haha thanks. Hes not bad, we have another, same breed, still a pup and a little nightmare!

[chechig]

Congrats!! You are doing very well!! I'm learning that fantastic piece also. I agree with you, the end of the second page is a nightmare for me at least. Holding the top note playing that fast it's complicated. But in your case it sounds great.

[adodd81802]

Congrats!! You are doing very well!! I'm learning that fantastic piece also. I agree with you, the end of the second page is a nightmare for me at least. Holding the top note playing that fast it's complicated. But in your case it sounds great.

Thanks for your feedback. Knowing i'm not the only one struggling, and that i'm TRYING to play it correctly will keep me motivated to work on it.

I imagine on the difference in sound would have been more if we were to attempt the piece on Debussy's piano!

[pencilart3]

A question to anybody that can play this or is familiar. I spent a lot of time today tidying up the arpeggio run at the end of page 2. If I were to play the whole section as full quavers, I can play it easily, however I notice on the score, the top melody notes is marked as crotchets on top of the quaver arpeggios. I find it difficult to hold my little finger down that touch longer to emphasize the melody without my fingers starting to trip up. What are peoples thoughts?

Are you referring to this section?



The 4-5 substitution on the high e is essential! I saw that you played it 5-5, and yet 5-4 will make it much more smooth and provide a stronger finger to emphasize the melody more. Then switch it back to 5. Yes, it is much better to hold down the note to emphasize the melody. If you can do it, do it. If you can't do it, practice. It is possible. Perhaps I will see if I remember this and upload of a quick clip of this measure and the following one.

[pencilart3]

Wait... no... I just re-read it. That wasn't the section you were referring to. Oh well! There's some advice anyway XD

[adodd81802]

Wait... no... I just re-read it. That wasn't the section you were referring to. Oh well! There's some advice anyway XD

Lol. No worries I understand what you meant anyway and will look at my fingering for that as I play the chord as 1/3/5 and so struggle to get the 4 onto the E. The 2nd finger is taking up beforehand on the A.

On the plus side, if you didn't notice my struggle with the 3rds (probably would have been better way to describe the section I was referring too) then I was probably playing it better than I thought!

[pencilart3]

Yes, you played it quite convincingly, though after playing with it this morning I found that it is absolutely essential that you hold down the thirds for their full value. I attached a quick file of just the right hand, sight reading...

[adodd81802]

Yes, you played it quite convincingly, though after playing with it this morning I found that it is absolutely essential that you hold down the thirds for their full value. I attached a quick file of just the right hand, sight reading...

Thank you. Just to clarify, you're holding down the top note only? That's what it looks like on the score.

[deandeblock]

Great work adodd! You are really getting pro now, keep it up!

[chomaninoff1]

hey adodd, sounds great! I'm learning this piece as well, albeit very slowly... I'm not too far into it, and I don't know this work intimately yet, therefore I can't really give you much constructive criticism.  It sounds beautiful, though 

[adodd81802]

hey adodd, sounds great! I'm learning this piece as well, albeit very slowly... I'm not too far into it, and I don't know this work intimately yet, therefore I can't really give you much constructive criticism.  It sounds beautiful, though 

Thanks! Polyrhythm is supposed to be the technical difficulty in this piece, but I do agree the performance difficulty is making it sound effortless, as it's far from it!

[chomaninoff1]

Thanks! Polyrhythm is supposed to be the technical difficulty in this piece, but I do agree the performance difficulty is making it sound effortless, as it's far from it!

totally! I'm struggling with polyrhythms (yes even 3v2, i know ), so I've been learning Arabesque, brahms op 10 no1, and chopin's op 9 no1. I'm really trying to learn the simpler polyrhythms now, so I can play 4v3 and 3v4 confidently. Consolation 3 is next, and maybe fantasie impromptu in the future? 

[emill]

Simply beautiful .... although I must confess that the slightly slower
tempo you posted earlier touched my soul more. THANKS!

[adodd81802]

Simply beautiful .... although I must confess that the slightly slower
tempo you posted earlier touched my soul more. THANKS!

Thank you, I actually preferred the slower tempo, and I think I will go back to that. my original performance speed actually fits the tempo indications in the score I've got, but everywhere I've heard it, it's noticeably faster, and so I as I plan to perform this in a concert in a few weeks, I thought if I can meet the speed I hear, than I can be comfortable at the speed I want to play it at.

I have my first lesson with my piano teacher this Friday after a couple weeks break, I haven't had any feedback from him on the piece as of yet, so I will hear what he says and go from there.