From Elvis to Ludwig !

[spaceray]

Originally posted by Joy:
My hats off to everyone here on the forum and elsewhere who play professionally. I truly respect them, because it isn't easy!

Joy,
One thing that I have noticed about the professional CM musicians of my aquaintence is that for them music is work,hard ,time consuming work,with precious little monetary reward.They are not having "fun"playing music,nor do they play for amusment.I have never known these folk to willfully join in on musical passtimes.

BTW do you remember suggesting to me a book of Easy Classical titled "My first book of Classical Music" arranged by Bergerac?It contains an excellent and ETP "Beautiful Dreamer".Mine is a Dover publication.
This is a terrific musicbook.

Muriel

[heidi]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Amalie:
[B] Welcome Criss,

It is never to late to be introduced to the classics, it is a life time of discovery!
A work colleague of mine tells me that her elderly neighbour is learning the piano.
Not that I mean you are elderly of course.

I recently was fortunate enough to inherit my grandmothers piano and decided to try some lessons at a local university( and I am 40). It has only been 6 weeks, and I do a an adult group piano lesson, something different and new but a lot of fun and I am learning quite a bit. I am trying to tackle the first page of the 'Moonlight Sonata'(although I think I play more by ear) I have gotten pretty far. My goal is to be able to play at least one sonata, even if it is just one of the movements, by Beethoven. So age is not an object.

[

[Beyond Within]

"I started playing the piano three years ago. I am eighteen now, and I am going to major in music when I go to college this fall. I'm not a very advanced pianist, so I have to practice a great deal. Since I have been playing for a relatively short period of time, I expect I will have to continue to work very hard in college. I don't mind, though. What pieces are you working on? "

I started playing electric guitar at 16 (which I did rather obsessively for 2 years). In the summer of my 18 year I picked up classical guitar. Then later started piano. I too am a music major. I picked up piano only because I worship so many piano pieces, and I said "What am I waiting for?".

Anyway, so I took piano lessons and was working in this series of books called "Alfreds basic Piano" (something like that). I took 2 lessons: The teacher was so bad that I quit. He wouldnt correct me when I made mistakes such as not properly playing the dynamics. He would go out in the middle of the lesson...it was terrible. I also couldnt afford to take classical guitar and piano lessons at the same time. At 80$ a month each, it was too much!

I also had read many books about music technique - how to quickly pick up on bad habits which harm the tendons/wrist joint. Also to stop and re-evaluate whenever you feel pain. I also watch videos of piano players to see if my hand position is proper....The pieces I was learning in these progressive books were bland and uninteresting to me. So I decided "you know what, I am doing this to play music I like, so I will start doing that!"

I now will take a piece and break it down very slowly at first, then work up to proper speed. In doing this I have learned the first page of Mozarts Sonata Facile in C (I am working on the quick arpeggio passages at this moment). I am also about half way through the Bb Funeral March by Chopin. I am using Mozarts Sonata in C minor to practice my octaves (I have the opening down, although my trill needs a lot of work!). I recently got a copy of Beethovens Pathetique sonata...I am not trying to learn the entire piece, so I skipped the slow intro (for now). The part after it, that kicks in the really awesome first melody...its about at a perfect level of difficulty. Its hard for me, and I have to push myself every day to get through a new measure. However its not too hard where I see no progress at all. The intro has that insane chromatic passage which I know I am not ready for...but for now my favorite part will suffice!


My progress has sped up greatly ever since I stopped with those trashy compositions. I dont think I am making mistakes either because I dont feel any pain in either hand, and I am able to do the passages I have worked on a lot at the proper tempo, and in time.

"I think you are practising too much! I welcome your enthusiasm but 20-30 mins every day is quite enough for a beginner - the important fact is to know the difference between playing and practising (which involves repetition and intense concentration, listening to the sounds you make). "

You may be right - god knows I am driving my family crazy between the hours of 5 -7 PM! However, I am so driven to learn these compositions, the time flies!


[This message has been edited by Beyond Within (edited February 29, 2004).]

[Shane]

Originally posted by crisss:
Hello! I’m new and I‘d like writing you my little banal story:

A long time ago, I was an Elvis fan (and others pop-music), I was 16 years old. I listened to his songs every day, I was addict. Poor Crisss! And one day I said: that’s enough, I must find anything else! I run down to my record dealer and searched, but WHAT? So I took some records at random. Among, I saw a pleasant title: “Symphony Pastoral” LvBeethoven. Nice title and beautiful picture on the cover, that’s all, and B’s portrait inside: ohhh! what a strict face! I hesitated: a severe B, a VERY old music, so boring music, I thought!! WHY buy such music? But I did it and still not know why! After that, you guess what huge revelation that was for me!! Incredible! What an amazing music! I bought many many records: B, Mozart, Brahms ….The record salesman was very happy and I became ruined …
My only regret: I met B too late; otherwise I would become a pianist, maybe…

Chistine

Chriss,

Well, enjoy! this is a fantastic site with many many knowledgable ppl. its fantastic that you are enjoying classical music. beethoven is one of my favourite composers too, but can i also recommend chopin, which is my favourite?! he is more appealing if you enjoy piano music or if you are a pianist, which im glad to hear you want to learn!

The preludes is a fantastic place to start. very passionate music in very short pieces, some lasting only 30 seconds! then the polonaises, my favourite one is the heroic, op53. also the sonatas, no 2 is great especially the funeral march, one of the most passionate and daunting music i have heard. the 1st ballade in g minor, op 23, another fantastic piece, heard it once, then i bought the cd, and now im learning it on the piano.

These are just a few of chopin's ingenius works, hope you enjoy them. Artur rubinstin and claudio arrau are 2 fantastic interpreters of chopin. and good luck with the piano!

Shane

[crisss]

Originally posted by Shane:
Chriss,

Well, enjoy! this is a fantastic site with many many knowledgable ppl. its fantastic that you are enjoying classical music. beethoven is one of my favourite composers too, but can i also recommend chopin, which is my favourite?! he is more appealing if you enjoy piano music or if you are a pianist, which im glad to hear you want to learn!

The preludes is a fantastic place to start. very passionate music in very short pieces, some lasting only 30 seconds! then the polonaises, my favourite one is the heroic, op53. also the sonatas, no 2 is great especially the funeral march, one of the most passionate and daunting music i have heard. the 1st ballade in g minor, op 23, another fantastic piece, heard it once, then i bought the cd, and now im learning it on the piano.

These are just a few of chopin's ingenius works, hope you enjoy them. Artur rubinstin and claudio arrau are 2 fantastic interpreters of chopin. and good luck with the piano!

Shane

Yes Shane, this is a great site, even if I have difficulties with English…especially to explain my feelings, very difficult to find the correct words!
I’m a music lover cause of Beethoven! His music led me in my choices, when I was younger and knew nothing at all in CM. Now, I appreciate music from Bach to Bartok …and Chopin, too. But, I never learnt music. I’m lucid, it’s too late, and I’m older for that. Some said in this topic it’s never too late, but I don’t agree, that’s my opinion. That’s why my young daughter learns music in an academy of music, she’s playing classical guitar.
You are a great Chopin admirer!! I know and enjoy all the pieces you mentioned. I add another one: Barcarolle op 60, so nice and lively. I have the Vlado Perlemuter version. Another great pianist, I think, is Maurizio Pollini. He is tremendous in Chopin, Beethoven of course. I should like to indicate you one of his CD Deutsche Grammophon (2003) : sonatas op 54-57 Appassionata- 78-90 : an exceptional interpretation ! I never heard these sonatas played like that before!
Bye,
Criss

[Tegan]

Originally posted by Beyond Within:

I started playing electric guitar at 16 (which I did rather obsessively for 2 years). In the summer of my 18 year I picked up classical guitar. Then later started piano. I too am a music major. I picked up piano only because I worship so many piano pieces, and I said "What am I waiting for?".

Anyway, so I took piano lessons and was working in this series of books called "Alfreds basic Piano" (something like that). I took 2 lessons: The teacher was so bad that I quit. He wouldnt correct me when I made mistakes such as not properly playing the dynamics. He would go out in the middle of the lesson...it was terrible. I also couldnt afford to take classical guitar and piano lessons at the same time. At 80$ a month each, it was too much!

I also had read many books about music technique - how to quickly pick up on bad habits which harm the tendons/wrist joint. Also to stop and re-evaluate whenever you feel pain. I also watch videos of piano players to see if my hand position is proper....The pieces I was learning in these progressive books were bland and uninteresting to me. So I decided "you know what, I am doing this to play music I like, so I will start doing that!"

I now will take a piece and break it down very slowly at first, then work up to proper speed. In doing this I have learned the first page of Mozarts Sonata Facile in C (I am working on the quick arpeggio passages at this moment). I am also about half way through the Bb Funeral March by Chopin. I am using Mozarts Sonata in C minor to practice my octaves (I have the opening down, although my trill needs a lot of work!). I recently got a copy of Beethovens Pathetique sonata...I am not trying to learn the entire piece, so I skipped the slow intro (for now). The part after it, that kicks in the really awesome first melody...its about at a perfect level of difficulty. Its hard for me, and I have to push myself every day to get through a new measure. However its not too hard where I see no progress at all. The intro has that insane chromatic passage which I know I am not ready for...but for now my favorite part will suffice!


My progress has sped up greatly ever since I stopped with those trashy compositions. I dont think I am making mistakes either because I dont feel any pain in either hand, and I am able to do the passages I have worked on a lot at the proper tempo, and in time.
[This message has been edited by Beyond Within (edited February 29, 2004).

I had a few really bad piano teachers when I first started. I learned practically nothing from the first three teachers. I only started making progress when I had a wonderful piano teacher who let me play real classical music right from the first lesson.

I'm working on the first movement of Beethoven's fifth sonata in c minor for an audition. Also, Chopin's first nocturne and the Allemande from Bach's fifth French Suite. My piano teacher insists on memorization, although it is not required for the audition. Memorizing has never been a big problem for me, though. My biggest problem is ornamentation. I have an impossible time with trills, mordents, etc.

When you say Mozart's sonata facile in C, is that the third sonata, K.545? I played that piece. I played the Pathetique, too. It's a beautiful sonata. Of course, so are all of the other Beethoven sonatas. I hate chromatic scales. Last summer I had to learn the first movement of Beethoven's piano trio, opus 1, no. 1 for a music festival. I only had two weeks to learn it, and I never did get the chromatic scale right.

[Beyond Within]

Yes, that is the right Mozart Sonata. Do you have any suggestions for how to attack certain parts?

Because I have to break down these composition measure by measure due to technique difficulties, I end up memorizing it all. The problem I have with those "progressive" books is that they primarily build sight-reading skills, not technique. So I would play through an entire book, but have very little progress in terms of scales/trills/arpeggios.

I am a classical guitar performance major, so I dont need to worry about doing things a certain way (memorizing, building sight-reading skills)...its all just for fun!

[Shane]

Originally posted by crisss:
Yes Shane, this is a great site, even if I have difficulties with English…especially to explain my feelings, very difficult to find the correct words!
I’m a music lover cause of Beethoven! His music led me in my choices, when I was younger and knew nothing at all in CM. Now, I appreciate music from Bach to Bartok …and Chopin, too. But, I never learnt music. I’m lucid, it’s too late, and I’m older for that. Some said in this topic it’s never too late, but I don’t agree, that’s my opinion. That’s why my young daughter learns music in an academy of music, she’s playing classical guitar.
You are a great Chopin admirer!! I know and enjoy all the pieces you mentioned. I add another one: Barcarolle op 60, so nice and lively. I have the Vlado Perlemuter version. Another great pianist, I think, is Maurizio Pollini. He is tremendous in Chopin, Beethoven of course. I should like to indicate you one of his CD Deutsche Grammophon (2003) : sonatas op 54-57 Appassionata- 78-90 : an exceptional interpretation ! I never heard these sonatas played like that before!
Bye,
Criss

Interesting Criss! Vlado Perlemuter! i have never heard of him until two days ago and from what i have read so far he seems to be a fantastic pianist. i read that he recorded his full repetoire for nimbus?! i wonder if you or anyone else know anything about these recordings, im interested in buyoing them if they are not too expensive. And also, yes pollini is fantastic, i forgot to mention him, but there is so many good pianists i cant name them all! he won the international chopin competition in warsaw around 1940 or 45. but i have only heard his chopin works.

Shane