Saturday, January 10, 2009

More SINfonia

A pianist must never sin against Bach, please forgive me. Two different takes of Bach's Sinfonia in E Major after my lesson on January 8. On these recordings I was able to better prepare the big leap which was a problem before (I'm going to learn how to show musical examples in my blog, so what I'm talking about will be clearer!), however, the trills are slower and there are note mistakes. It seems to be that to fix one problem...other problems will arise. My piano teacher, Eliane Lust, always says that "for every solution, there is another problem". My quest to fix the problems in my Bach playing (to refrain from sinning) goes on and on and on...

Friday's take one..
http://renditionsmusic.com/Sinfonia-in-E_08-Jan-2009.mp3

Today's take two...
http://renditionsmusic.com/Sinfonia-in-E_09-Jan-2009.mp3

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Best Wishes in E Major

What a better start to the new year then with a tune of Bach's in E Major...the key of joy and good tidings.

http://renditionsmusic.com/sinfonia_in_E.mp3

(The mnemonic to memorize the tune for Bach's Sinfonia in E Major is: "Bach is the greatest composer of all".)

I'm still working with Tamara Loring. I'm trying to understand Baroque keyboard style in order to play Bach with more authority. In this rendition of Bach's E Major Sinfonia I've tried to highlight an articulation on the third beat and to diminuendo the resolutions on suspensions and appoggiaturas . I've been somewhat successful - it appears to me that I am whacking the notes (to much arm weight) rather than just holding the note longer and playing the second note of the resolution softer for the suspension and appoggiaturas and the articulation isn't consistent. There is a large interval in the piece for the right hand where Tamara asked me to show both sides of the interval. I don't think I was successful with her instructions --- there is a large "hole" (no sound) around the interval now, which isn't quite right. I also muffed a few notes...I'll record again soon after my lesson.

NOTE: the last chord is not being played with the damper pedal, but instead I'm using the harpsichord technique of over legato to create the multiple tones.