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Post by keff on Aug 18, 2023 15:12:50 GMT
BTW Mr Z said that Stepping Stones is still figures in the piano tutor books! That is very nice to know.
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Post by corenfa on Aug 20, 2023 12:34:03 GMT
re Grands v Uprights - You and corenfa have mentioned this faster action before - I found it interesting as I don't play piano and I'd never thought about how fast the mechanical response would be and needs to be. re sight-reading - I always thought Mr Z's good memory for music was part of the reason his sight reading lagged rather more than he wished. However, he has been working hard at it this year and it's improved a great deal thus proving that the more you sight read - the better you get. i think finding it fun helps. BTW Mr Z said that Stepping Stones is still figures in the piano tutor books! When I tried the Kawai NV10s in a shop, I found that I could play the butterfly etude by Chopin faster than I thought I could. I thought this meant the piano was too easy to play, but the shop person said that because the action was a grand piano action, it was easier to play because of the fast response. As for nostalgia- the Chopin polonaise that I am hell bent on learning for my diploma is one of the first piano pieces I remember hearing. My dad liked music and so he had Chopin's Greatest Hits and played it all the time, so I grew up with the sound of that piece. Another favourite was the piece that introduced me to concert band- something called Centuria by an American composer. In reality it would have sounded dreadful when played by my school band because my school band wasn't very good, but I had never heard anything like it and I knew when I heard them play it that I had to be a part of that. So I joined the band and ended up playing horn (see username for reference). When I was in university I found the email address of the composer of this piece and emailed him telling me how his piece had started me on a musical journey. He was nice enough to write back and say thank you
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Post by Zi on Aug 20, 2023 20:53:23 GMT
It's interesting to look back and see the incidents along the way that caused the route to be taken. I find it interesting looking back and seeing how things have shaped up because of sometimes very small events. I wonder what the younger you would have thought about the Chopin polonaise - for example? Sometimes life takes a very different direction because of something that in itself was quite trivial.
The diploma sounds as if it is a real undertaking.
Do you still play the horn BTW or has it been totally ousted by the piano?
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Post by keff on Aug 20, 2023 21:41:03 GMT
During my sixth form days at school I studied A level science and maths but wasn't too pleased to be made to take general studies comprising art and music. Music teacher announced that the curriculum said we had to study two symphonies one by Beethoven (No.6, the Pastoral) and the other Dvorak (From the New World). Oh no I thought to myself, they go on for ages. It turned out that I really began to like orchestral works and fearing I would forget them rushed out to buy LP recordings. The experience fundamentally changed my enjoyment of music which has lasted a lifetime.
Many years later when I realised what a debt I owed to my school teachers I got in touch with a number of them to express my gratitude. The music teacher replied to my letter with a lovely story of his piano teacher taking him to Leeds town hall in 1927 to hear a live performance of the Dvorak. It must have been one of the very first performance of this work in the north of England and what an impression it must have made.
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Post by Zi on Aug 21, 2023 10:43:28 GMT
Arggghhhh! I replied to this but I obviously didn't post correctly. So, here's my second attempt.
I felt some sympathy with the teacher who was in charge of delivering the arts and music general studies. It must have been very rewarding to have someone who was grateful for what they'd done. It's lovely too, that it had such a lasting effect on you and that has travelled with you through your life. it was time well spent for both of you. A nice story!
edit - just remembered I'd also noticed the breve! It's quite something that there breve!
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Post by corenfa on Aug 28, 2023 11:53:27 GMT
It's interesting to look back and see the incidents along the way that caused the route to be taken. I find it interesting looking back and seeing how things have shaped up because of sometimes very small events. I wonder what the younger you would have thought about the Chopin polonaise - for example? Sometimes life takes a very different direction because of something that in itself was quite trivial. The diploma sounds as if it is a real undertaking. Do you still play the horn BTW or has it been totally ousted by the piano? The younger me (age about 6) had a lot better ear than I gave them credit for, and I remember very clearly certain elements of the Van Cliburn recording that still to me sound "right". There are many pieces I can remember from being that young- and some things I "made up" in my head that I used in composition class when I was an undergraduate, quite a few years later. I haven't played the horn for nearly 20 years- I've still got it, but it's just not practical to play it in a flat in London. I can always start again at some point if I ever live anywhere that's more conducive to it.
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Post by Zi on Aug 29, 2023 10:16:03 GMT
I need to put that on my wall! It's a life affirming statement that one! Did you enjoy the horn, corenfa? Mr Z learned the trombone very briefly - as a child - because his father (who was deaf) could actually hear the sound of the trombone and loved it. However, Mr Z was very little then and he says his arms weren't long enough. Given that he is quite tall now, he must have been quite young. He didn't pursue life with the trombone. I must ask him if he's ever thought of going back to that place but he is pretty much piano now. He scarcely ever touches the guitars - despite the fact he was really rather good at them. The flute kind of whizzes in and out of life occasionally...
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Post by corenfa on Aug 29, 2023 22:15:25 GMT
I need to put that on my wall! It's a life affirming statement that one! Did you enjoy the horn, corenfa? Mr Z learned the trombone very briefly - as a child - because his father (who was deaf) could actually hear the sound of the trombone and loved it. However, Mr Z was very little then and he says his arms weren't long enough. Given that he is quite tall now, he must have been quite young. He didn't pursue life with the trombone. I must ask him if he's ever thought of going back to that place but he is pretty much piano now. He scarcely ever touches the guitars - despite the fact he was really rather good at them. The flute kind of whizzes in and out of life occasionally... I did enjoy the horn. I tend to get obsessed with things and I was right obsessed with horn for about ten years. I did have the knack of getting quite far with the obsessions and I did with this one- did a few recitals and my fondest memory is Mahler 5 with the University orchestra
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Post by Zi on Aug 30, 2023 8:26:51 GMT
As you say, the door hasn't closed. Sometimes obsessions are a good way to get things done - in any case. I think it's good to come away with fond memories and some achievements you were pleased with.
Mr Z says he was five which is why his arms weren't long enough and he says he has no desire to go trombone-wise now. But, as I've said, he is pretty much piano fixated.
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