Dos Gardenias by Isolina Carillo

[_david_]

Apologies if I've posted this on the wrong board.

I have a Buena Vista Social Club songbook by Hal Leonard publishers. I would like to learn Dos Gardenias by Isolina Carillo but have already encountered a problem at bar number 2!

I should say that this is actually above my skill level. I'm about to sit ABRSM grade 2. However, with all the classical pieces I'm learning it's nice to play something I really love.

I'll try to describe this the best I can.

The bass notes are simple in bar 2 no problem there. In the treble clef the right hand starts with a three note chord. E just above middle C, with G, and E an octave higher. The E and G are written as semibreves, whole notes, and as such in this 4/4 piece are to be held the length of the bar. The higher E is a quaver. There are then seven more quavers in the right hand. B just below the high E, next up to D, then down the scale,  C, B, A, G and the final note F#. The key is E minor.  I know Ruben Gonzalez had big hands but how can a mere mortal like me play this? How to play these notes while holding the E and G, and if they are whole notes how can you play the G and F# at the end of the bar? The rhythm is straight forward.  Eight quavers divided into 2 groups of 4 notes.

There is a video on YouTube of a man playing this song on an old upright in what looks like a club and I like this version. Does anyone recognize it?

If anyone here has this same version I have and knows what on earth I'm talking about, I'd much appreciate your help!

[dogperson]

Without seeing a copy of the score, the only thing that makes sense is to rely on the pedal to retain the whole notes.  Could you possibly post a copy of just the problem measure?

[_david_]

Without seeing a copy of the score, the only thing that makes sense is to rely on the pedal to retain the whole notes.  Could you possibly post a copy of just the problem measure?

Thank you. Yes, I'll try to post a photo of this bar. There's no pedal sign but it's definitely an option, I just can't see how I'd do it otherwise.

[_david_]

Phone pic but you get the idea...

[visitor]

big bvsc fan i have the score and cd album. this style of music is highly improvisatory in nature, the HL book is a skeleton guide and should be taken as the be all end all of the pieces. 

that said you'll need to some quick finger work if you insist on holding those inner notes,
i
d probably do a rh

5  3 5 4  5 4 53  if that doesn't work i'd just play around to find what's comfortable. fingering is highly personal so your approach may be diferent. it's a slowish tempo so shifting rh 5 should be fine

[_david_]

big bvsc fan i have the score and cd album. this style of music is highly improvisatory in nature, the HL book is a skeleton guide and should be taken as the be all end all of the pieces. 

that said you'll need to some quick finger work if you insist on holding those inner notes,
i
d probably do a rh

5  3 5 4  5 4 53  if that doesn't work i'd just play around to find what's comfortable. fingering is highly personal so your approach may be diferent. it's a slowish tempo so shifting rh 5 should be fine

Thanks. I see, you use that fingering to be in position for the third bar.  And would you use pedal?  I cannot play that second bar unless I do. To hold the whole notes.

I just wondered if there was another copy of this available that was a standard. 

I'm used to learning very short 2 page pieces. I learn the hand separately and then put them together when I think I have them down comfortably. It doesn't take long. This is the first piano piece of this length, 5 pages, that I've attempted. Should I continue with hands separately and learn the whole piece each hand  or should I just do a page or two at a time, then hands together?