Overview
This week I continued working on Chopin’s Waltz in A minor Op 34 No 2. Most of my time at the piano was spent recording the pieces I have finished.
Sessions
At My Desk
| S | M | Tu | W | Th | F | S |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – |
At the Piano
| S | M | Tu | W | Th | F | S |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – |
At My Desk
On Monday, I watched an interesting video — HOW TO PRACTICE – Interview with Graham Fitch and Josh Wright, two of my favorite teachers on YouTube. Their discussion ranged over many topics connected with how to practice.
On Tuesday, I watched a live masterclass conducted by Dominic Cheli on Tonebase. The live streams are one of the fantastic features of Tonebase. I’m not ready to play for others just yet, but I will definitely take advantage of these opportunities in the future. The masterclasses give people like me (amateurs) an opportunity to work with top-notch teachers. The level of the players varies a lot and the atmosphere is very supportive.
Repertoire
Chopin – Waltz in A minor Op 34 No 2
I continued to work on Section C (bars 37-52). I’m a little frustrated. I have a clear picture in my mind of how I think it should sound. Currently, I’m pretty far away, and I’m not certain how to practice to make it better.
Ornaments
I’m still considering my approach to ornaments for this section. Initially, I thought I would play them as triplets since, to me, it makes this section “dance” and flow more. Now, after listening to a number of recordings, I’m uncertain if that’s what I’ll do. Currently, I’m practicing using several options. I’ll make my final decision after I’m playing at speed. I may mix it up a little.
Tempo
I believe the target tempo for this section should vary between ♩ = 120 and ♩ = 132, making it more lively than the preceding sections. Currently, I’m practicing at about ♩ = 90, trying to push up to ♩ = 120. It doesn’t seem that I used to have so much trouble playing pieces at speed. Hopefully, that will improve in the coming months as my technique improves.
Maintaining Repertoire and Starting to Record
Finally! I’m ready to start recording. It’s hard to get a clean recording. As soon as the record button is pressed, all sorts of stupid mistakes appear. Sections that were rock-solid just seem to dissolve. It’s particularly frustrating to get almost to the end of a piece and hit a wrong note. Anyway, I managed to get reasonably clean recordings of all 19 pieces. I’m not entirely happy with my performances, but I think this is as good as it gets at this point.
Disclaimer. I am an amateur, fumbling her way back to the piano. This is my hobby and I do it for fun. I am happy to share my process, but, please keep in mind… I am not a teacher. If something I am doing doesn’t work for you, or doesn’t feel right, or outright hurts, stop! Everybody is different. Playing the piano is not a one-size-fits-all activity. Have fun with it.
Last Updated on August 14, 2022
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