Is this playable??

[robertus]

Attached is the score of a one-page composition of mine. A professional pianist tried to play it, and said it was impossible.....But it only uses one octave of a diatonic scale, and a commonplace polyrhythm.

For advanced (or even non-advanced) pianists, do you find this playable?

Here is my own recording:

[lostinidlewonder]

I find it peculiar that a professional pianist would call this impossible. If one has any sense of weakness with 3vs4 then a piece like this which is based solely on that coordination is going to feel impossible.

 Somehow your piece made me think of John Adams but his works are much more difficult by comparison. That so called professional pianist would probably quit piano if they attempt something like China Gates.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

I'm very surprised anyone could consider this unplayable. The only thing I can imagine as any kind of issue would be the keeping the hands from colliding on the C, but simply playing the RH with a slightly detached touch gets round that fine.

[robertus]

I'm very surprised anyone could consider this unplayable. The only thing I can imagine as any kind of issue would be the keeping the hands from colliding on the C, but simply playing the RH with a slightly detached touch gets round that fine.

That's re-assuring. Yes, it was the proximity of the hands (and the re-articulation of the same note) which caused the difficulty.

[lelle]

If you can play it yourself, why are you taking the word of someone else that it's unplayable? Clearly, they are wrong

[robertus]

I find it peculiar that a professional pianist would call this impossible. If one has any sense of weakness with 3vs4 then a piece like this which is based solely on that coordination is going to feel impossible.

 Somehow your piece made me think of John Adams but his works are much more difficult by comparison. That so called professional pianist would probably quit piano if they attempt something like China Gates.

To be fair, she is a good musician and pretty successful, with recordings for Warner, etc.

[happy notes]

Anything is playable. 😉
I'm 17 years old and I'm taking my Diploma in Piano Performance (DipABRSM) in 2 weeks' time so it's pretty much go, go, go every day up until the exam, but when I have some time, I'd like to give your piece a try to show you that I'm sure it's possible. (By the way, can you post videos here?)

[robertus]

Anything is playable. 😉
I'm 17 years old and I'm taking my Diploma in Piano Performance (DipABRSM) in 2 weeks' time so it's pretty much go, go, go every day up until the exam, but when I have some time, I'd like to give your piece a try to show you that I'm sure it's possible. (By the way, can you post videos here?)

Good luck with the exam! I'm sure you'll do great.

Sure, you can link youtube, and even put MP4's as attachments.

[happy notes]

Thanks, that's kind of you to say. Really freaking out at the moment. 😅

Well, if I ever get around to playing your piece I'll send you a video of it if you'd like me to. 😊

[anacrusis]

Looks playable to me. Surprised that a professional pianist had trouble with that to the point they called it "unplayable". It might be tricky, but not unplayable. Maybe they thought everything was supposed to be legato?

[robertus]

Looks playable to me. Surprised that a professional pianist had trouble with that to the point they called it "unplayable". It might be tricky, but not unplayable. Maybe they thought everything was supposed to be legato?

I didn't mark detailed articulation- as the layout of the notes itself seem to imply that a detached touch is necessary for the keys which are repeated. I very deliberately keep notation as simple as possible these days.