Beethoven and piano practicing

[Bob the Composer]

Originally posted by Julie:
I have started taking piano lessons about 4 months ago and my teacher strongly recommends Hanon, which I have grown to enjoy. I am a huge fan of Beethoven, although classical music is rather new to me... I have always been a 70's and early 80's soft rock lover until now!

I just found this site not so long ago and love it. I hope you don't mind if I join the group!

Julie

Welcome!

[Peter]

Originally posted by Chris:
No, the hardest part would have to be the part in the third movement with the octaves - you know the part, I'm sure (we discussed it before, I think).

Possibly we have mentioned it before. Those glissandi octaves haven't got any easier though! Tovey recommends playing the crotchet G with the left hand 5th finger and suggests that if the difficulty in still not overcome there is no choice but to use two hands and sacrifice a few notes.

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'Man know thyself'

[Joy]

Originally posted by Julie:
My hubby has an aunt that is a piano teacher and she gave me the music to Moonlight Sonata and Fur Elise (simplified versions), along with a CD of classical music on piano (a 3 CD set actually various composers, which she was kind enough to lend me), and it is so beautiful. I just fell in love with it, and started researching about Beethoven, my piano teacher lent me the book I mentioned in a previous post about everything to do with him, his tragic life, illnesses/going deaf, how horrible a fate for such a great man. I also watched a movie on him, don't know if you ever heard of it but it is called "Beethoven Lives Upstairs", my piano teacher recommended it to me. I just loved it, and watched it 4 times!

Basically that is it, I also love other composers (but don't know many of their works, as this is all new to me) but I am learning to appreciate classical music very much. The funny thing is, when I first was looking for a piano teacher, I wanted to learn popular music and to make a long story short, I chose a teacher close to where I live that teaches by the Michael Aaron method, and there are lots of excerpts of different composers in his teaching method, like Rubinstein "Romance" and Lizst "Liebestraume", both of which I really love. So that is it in a nutshell. Hope this answers your questions.

I have seen the movie "Beethoven Lives Upstairs" My nephew and I enjoy watching it together. It's a good movie to get you introduced to Beethoven's life and his music.
Joy

[Joy]

Originally posted by Peter:
I realised that was the passage you meant Chris when I woke up in the middle if the night! I still think that no.60 is a very advanced exercise - I know the Waldstein is a very difficult Sonata, but I don't think the tremolo passage you are referring to is all that difficult compared to the rest of the work - it certainly isn't as difficult as Hanon no.60! I would simply practice the passage as it is, at a slow tempo, with an exagerated rotary action and gradually increase the speed avoiding stiffness at all times.

Peter, are you going to start charging for these lessons? (Ha)!!

Joy

[Peter]

Originally posted by Joy:
Peter, are you going to start charging for these lessons? (Ha)!!

Joy

I think there's a lot I should start charging for - not least the site itself!!
However I'm not that a materialistic soul!
Anyone learning other Beethoven pieces at the moment?

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'Man know thyself'

[This message has been edited by Peter (edited 07-22-2001).]

[Joy]

Originally posted by Peter:
I think there's a lot I should start charging for - not least the site itself!!
However I'm not that a materialistic soul!
Anyone learning other Beethoven pieces at the moment?

I would not have taken you for a materialistic soul for a moment!! Well, just for fun, I'm playing Ecossaise in G (WoO23), Three German Dances (WoO42-No. 1 right now). Also, I have Leonore #2 which I'm playing about with. I'm only on the first page. Very difficult later on.

Joy

[Serge]

A little while back began to try out "Gertrude's Dream Waltz", but I seem to recall there was doubt about whether Beethoven actually wrote it. It's a nice little piece, but I'd like to know who really wrote it.

[Chris]

Originally posted by Joy:
Well, just for fun, I'm playing Ecossaise in G (WoO23)...
Joy

I love this little piece. I play it often for fun.

[Rod]

Originally posted by Serge:
A little while back began to try out "Gertrude's Dream Waltz", but I seem to recall there was doubt about whether Beethoven actually wrote it. It's a nice little piece, but I'd like to know who really wrote it.

This is the first I've heard of this piece. Got any more info? I doubt B would title a composition in this manner!

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Joy]

I haven't heard of this piece either, but Beethoven did have a Godmother named Gertrude, I believe, perhaps it was named after her??

Joy

[Michael]

This "Gertrude's Dream" came up a few months ago on this forum. A MIDI version of it can be got at the "Unheard Beethoven Site" - along with some information - most importantly that it is emphatically NOT by Beethoven! Why they include it, then, is a mystery.
Talking about misattributed works, I read somewhere recently that for a few years "Silent Night" was thought to have been a Beethoven composition!

Michael

[Joy]

Originally posted by Chris:
I love this little piece. I play it often for fun.

Chris, I like the melody of this. It's kind of funny to think that he wrote this in 1810
when actually it is so simply and easy. I have a music book that includes German Dances, Ecosssaises, Rustic Dances, and Sonatinas. Sometimes if fun to just play these easier pieces.

Joy

[Joy]

Well, let's see now, 'Silent Night' was written in 1818 in Arnsdorf, Austria. I can see the connection. (Well, maybe not).

Joy

[Chris]

Originally posted by Joy:
Sometimes if fun to just play these easier pieces.

That it is. It's sometimes nice to be able to play something without practicing it for weeks

[Joy]

Originally posted by Chris:
That it is. It's sometimes nice to be able to play something without practicing it for weeks

That's for sure, Chris!!