Although I initially had planned on re-learning Beethoven's "Pathetique" Sonata, 2nd Movement, this ended
up being much more difficult than I remember it being in the past. Many years ago I had taught myself this piece up to 80% completion, so it made no sense at all as to why I was struggling so much with getting this piece back into memory. After mentioning my confusion with difficulty learning this piece to my teacher, she made sense of my confusion and frustration and helped me understand why this was happening. Due to the fact that I was self-taught for many years, I ended up relying on my strengths to overcome my weaknesses...my strength is my ability to learn by hearing, however my weakness has always been reading sheet music.
Over the past year that I've since begun taking lessons, my reading has improved considerably, but I was still not at the level to read "Pathetique" with ease. Although I've made progress and still was able to play some of this piece from memory, learning by reading the sheets only, proved to be beyond my current level of comfort. My teacher and I decided to put learning this piece off until I was able to read the sheets much better. I did not mind, because I was still learning a Beethoven Sonata...together, my teacher and I decided to begin working on Beethoven's Piano Sonata Op. 2 No. 1. In the first day, I had almost learned more than half of the first page, so I was extremely excited to continue working on this piece! ...and what better way for someone who wants to learn all of Beethoven's Sonata's in their lifetime, that to start with the very first one?!
I'm almost finished learning the full first page of sheets for this piece and I would just like to say, 'WOW'! This peace plays much differently than I had expected from just listening to it! It's very fun and exciting, so I can't wait to learn this Sonata and continue on to the next one!
I will continue posting updates as I progress through this piece.
~ Robert D. Vandall - Prelude No. 7 in D minor (completed)
~ Domenico Scarlatti - Keyboard Sonata in B minor, K.27/L.449/P.83 (learning)
~ Ludwig van Beethoven - Piano Sonata Op. 2 No. 1, 1st Movement (learning)
~ Ludwig van Beethoven - Piano Sonata Op. 13 No. 8 "Pathetique", 2nd Movement (re-learning)
~ Ludwig van Beethoven - Fur Elise (re-learning to play for someone in Vietnam )
~ Franz Schubert - Six Moments Musicaux: Allegro vivace en fa mineur, D.780 (learning)
~ Robert Schumann - Kinderszenen (Scenes of Childhood), Op. 15 No. 7 Traumerei (Dreaming) (will continue learning once other pieces are completed)
Life has been nothing short of amazing these days... The summer has really been an eventful one since my last recital in June, playing Horowitz's Steinway. When I said how that experience had changed my life, I never would have guessed to this extent!
Although I'm still working to get my arms better and able to play more, the summer is coming to an end quite nicely... better than I could have ever hoped for! For all of the challenges I was faced with in the recent past few months, what I had learned about myself and life from learning Chopin's Nocturne, is what kept me going strong through the summer... I knew it could only get better, because I had already hit a very low point. Yet again, Classical Music has saved my life!
Playing Horowitz's Steinway helped me realize more about what was most important in my life. Since then, I've decided to continue pursuing music and piano the rest of my life. The best part about all of this all, is that I feel now I have someone special I can also share these dreams and aspirations of mine with in life. I will not go into depth, because this blog is about my music journey, but it was my musical journey that brought us together. She is a very special person that I hold very dearly to my heart, whom I will enjoy writing music for in my life! :)
Next post will be an update on the pieces I'm currently working on...
So it has been quite a while since my last update, but I'm back with plenty of things to update my blog with. Computers tend to cause me extreme pain in usage, so I made it a point to spend much less time on the computer, in order to prevent any further injury. In the last month, I even had quite a scare thinking I had injured my arms and would be unable to continue playing (worst feeling ever)! Luckily though, the problem ended up being caused and irritated by my computer usage, hence why it's been so long since I've made an update. Anyhow, I'm glad to say that there are no injuries in my arms and I can continue playing! :)
First off, I need to update on the pieces I've mentioned previously...I stopped practicing/playing Mozart's Rondo Alla Turca and also Chopin's Prelude No. 7. My main reason for doing so, was that I didn't really feel a true connection to the pieces, in the future, I will definitely revisit both of these pieces, but now I'm focusing on pieces I feel a deep passion for and also pieces that I'm able to communicate my feelings to others with. Now time for the fun part! ...
In place of these pieces, I decided to learn Chopin's Preludes No. 4 & 20. I love all of Chopin's Preludes, but there was really something about these two pieces (both which were within my playing level) that really spoke to me and made me want to speak my own words with them. It was such a joy learning these pieces, not to mention rather easy to pick up and learn. I will certainly not say that they are also easy to play, because they are very deceptive initially. Once you learn the notes, then the practice has really just begun, because the musicality of these pieces is what really will make it stand out and sound the way it should. I learned these both a while back, so I won't go into my practicing of them too much as I don't remember it very well now. I'm still playing these both, but have also moved on to more advanced pieces.
Two Preludes later and searching for my next piece, I initially chose to learn Brahms Intermezzo in A minor Op. 76 No. 7. Initially it was fun learning this piece, but then it started to get very frustrating and I slowly even was becoming annoyed by the piece. I would like to say that I do like this piece and feel it is very pretty, but I sure wasn't able to find my voice within it. As I was learning this piece, I was listening to a bunch of Classical as I always do and the one day I ended up listening to Chopin's 19th Nocturne in E minor Op. 72 No. 1 and absolutely fell in love with it and started teaching myself right away that night. The following week at my lesson, I played for my teacher what I had learned and she asked me what I wanted to play and I chose the Nocturne.
At the same time of this happening, my teacher invited me to play Horowitz's Steinway for a local charity and I was so shocked and excited at the opportunity that I could hardly manage to mumble a 'yes'...although I obviously did say yes immediately in that stuttering way of speaking when you're caught by surprise. I had a little over a month to really learn this Nocturne and there was a moment that my teacher mentioned she was concerned about me being able to learn the piece in time. She suggested I play a piece from my previous recital, however I said to her that if it were up to me, that I'd want to play the Nocturne...I was up for the challenge and not afraid of failing in my efforts. My teacher saw my confidence and desire to play this piece, so she allowed me to proceed with learning the Nocturne and I really am so happy that she let me move on with it. She never mentioned again her concerns; we buckled down and worked extremely hard on getting the Nocturne learned in the short time I had.
I spent the next month and a few weeks practicing until I could no longer continue, either due to mental and/or physical exhaustion. During this month, my passion for piano was tested by an extreme pain in my arms which was shooting a tingling, numb, burning sensation down to my finger tips...I had noticed that my playing was becoming more rigid, but I didn't put it together until I had to take about a week off from all playing and use of my arms. In the end, it was a good thing that it happened when it did, because I ended up making a whole bunch of positive changes in my life in order to help aid in my speedy recovery. I had also gone to the chiropractor and a few doctors to be exhaustive, because my teacher and I did not want to risk permanent injury. Luckily, there was actually nothing wrong with my arms as I said earlier, it was my neck, shoulders, and back. After a week of rest, I was able to slowly start practicing again, though only 15 mins a day initially. Even I was becoming worried if I'd be able to learn this piece in time for the performance, but I did not give up. I just figured out many other ways I could practice without actually playing.
It was the week of my recital, which was on a Sunday, so I had to figure out how to use my time wisely. Luckily, I was able to continue practicing a bit longer each day, up to about an hour or so. I decided to spend the week meditating and working on mental play and musicality, really digging in deep to what I felt about this piece. Also I spent most of the week at a local piano store, practicing on one of their Steinway baby grands, which helped me a ton, as I was playing on a much more suitable instrument for having the right touch and playing in front of others, which helped my performance anxiety become much less. I focused the whole week on being musical and true to myself and the piece with my playing. What was it that Chopin was feeling when he wrote this piece? What was on his mind at the time? How do I stay true to the composers intentions of the piece while also being able to express what I feel about the piece as well? These were the types of questions I was seeking answers for during that week.
Sunday, my performance day, came much quicker than I had expected. I knew that had endured a lot over the last month and that it was finally the time for me to perform. I was extremely anxious, because I knew there were parts that still gave me some difficulties (especially the section with the runs and trills). I started my meditative breathing as others who were before me in the schedule were playing and the next thing I knew, I was being reminded that it was my turn. I went up on stage, had a seat, took a few breaths and continued to play what I had worked so hard for...errors I expected, but my performance went surprisingly well, considering the very hindering moments I've experience during the past month while practicing. Take a look for yourself and let me know what you think! Enjoy!
Overall, aside from the errors and the few hangups, I'm extremely proud of and happy with my performance. As I took that deep breath at the end, I knew that the tremendous amounts of effort and hard work had all been worth it in the end. I learned a lot about myself while taking on and learning this piece. How important it is to stay positive and believing in yourself, never giving up no matter what happened; learning this piece helped make me a better person in the process. To really learn on a whole new level of how things such as desire and passion can allow a person to really accomplish whatever their heart is set out to do, was something I feel grateful to have learned from this experience. The things I've learned in this past month are lessons that I can take with me for the rest of my life, along with the experience, all things which I will never ever forget. I can't describe how amazing it felt to have accomplished what felt like an insurmountable goal in such a short period of time...I've never felt such happiness and purpose with my life. :)
...more updates to come in the future
currently working on:
Schumann's Traumerei
Bach's 2nd Prelude from Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1
Over the past year that I've since begun taking lessons, my reading has improved considerably, but I was still not at the level to read "Pathetique" with ease. Although I've made progress and still was able to play some of this piece from memory, learning by reading the sheets only, proved to be beyond my current level of comfort. My teacher and I decided to put learning this piece off until I was able to read the sheets much better. I did not mind, because I was still learning a Beethoven Sonata...together, my teacher and I decided to begin working on Beethoven's Piano Sonata Op. 2 No. 1. In the first day, I had almost learned more than half of the first page, so I was extremely excited to continue working on this piece! ...and what better way for someone who wants to learn all of Beethoven's Sonata's in their lifetime, that to start with the very first one?!
