Piano Repertoire – 2010 & 2011

Last year I didn’t learn anything new. In fact I didn’t complete what I wanted to achieve for 2009. So this year, 2011, I didn’t set any target.

I almost completed Bach Italian Concerto 1st movement, though by now I almost forgot. This year, I might continue the second movement, only if I have a strong motivation to continue. Otherwise, I just play Chopin’s waltzes, the easy ones of course ..

Piano Repertoire – June Progress

Time really flies.  This moment, I haven’t decide which pieces that I would like to continue. I’m still thinking to continue with Bach and Beethoven. As for Schumann, I will catch up in the last week of this month. Hope I can make good progress after long break due to business trip.

Piano Repertoire – May Progress

This month I was having a three-weeks business trip which I don’t have a chance to practice piano at all. I wonder if my fingers can catch up with Bach’s pieces or even Beethoven sonata.  I also wonder if my memory can recall piano pieces that I have been practising since May or even since the beginning of the year.

Oh well, I must catch up next month …

Piano Repertoire – April Progress

Having missed a few practice session last month, this month I decided to continue playing Beethoven sonata 1st movement and Bach Invention No 7.  My initial thought is to back playing Schumann but Bach Invention No. 10 is quite interesting because as usual it looks easier but to play on each hand but needs some practice to play both hands.

This month progress was very slow. First, the stomach flu that I had last omnth was really bad. It took more than a week to recover. Then I went to see a specialist as part of follow up from last year medical check up. The doctor told me that I had to take a bone marrow test to diagnose the problem as the normal blood would not be able to find out the cause the problem. It happended the day before Good Friday.

At the same time, I also need to practice for Easter Vigil as I played the organ (Yamaha Electone) for almost 3 hours mass since there was a baptism. The challenge is that I practice I used piano but the actual event I had to use organ.

Piano Repertoire – March Progress

For March, instead of started practising Bach, I played Beethoven Piano Sonata Op 10 No 1. I just really can’t wait to play it since this is one of piano resolution last year.  However I picked a difficult one, Op 2 No.3 , wrong choice ?  Well, put it in a more constructive words, I need more time to reach that level …

After playing Bach for sometime with very little musical direction such as forte, decrescendo, allegro, staccato, and so on,  it’s very contrasting to play Beethoven. I can feel a stark difference within the first 10 bar of 1st movement.  Forte and piano changes suddenly. The mood changes from Baroque to Romantic period, from polyphony to sonata forms.

In the middle of this month, I wasn’t feeling well due to stomach flu. For a few days, there were really no apetite to eat and my body was tired. I ended sleeping for a few days. My practice time was really disrupted. Further these days, I have night teleconference call which is my prime time to practice. I only managed to practice the first four pages of 1st movement Beethoven sonatas.

At the end of the month, I started Invention #7 again, now with two hands but I still couldn’t memorized it. I guess I need to catch up next month.

Piano Repertoire – February Progress

I couldn’t finish practising Schuman Op 15 No. 4 & 5 as per my plan. Maybe, the month of February is too short, only 28 days. Well that’s just an excuse …  

Playing Bach Sinfonia #10 is more difficult than I intially thought.  Also this month I had a few activities that kept me away from piano. Well, I should be able to catch up within the next few months. Overall, I completed Schumann Op 15 No. 2 & 3 (short pieces but difficult enough to master it) and Bach Sinfonia #10 (still need time to play at proper tempo).

Well, keep Bach music playing !

Piano Repertoire – January Progress

I managed to learn 4 Bach Inventions and Schumann #1 in time. In fact, the Chinese New Year holidays helped me to speed up the progress. During this period I will touch up to the correct speed. At the same, I tried to learn Invention #7 which supposed to be scheduled for March. However, I couldn’t finish it in time. I will defer it until I complete February pieces.

 

Tips

I guess once you started to understand the structure it is easier to memorize. Once you memorized it easier to speed up the practice. Also practice each hand separately, then combine it. When practising both hands together, play at slow speeed, until you get the correct coordination. This will ensure that you don’t waste your time to repeat by playing fast during the first coordination.

Repertoire 2009

Last year, I’ve started playing piano seriously after taking a break for a few years. However, I was too ambitious to set a goal. I tried to learn difficult pieces at one time. Hence, at the end of the year, I didn’t really achieve much and since I didn’t memorize it, I can’t really play in public without a score. It is very frustating.

Now, I’ve restarted all over again. Recently, I found a nice article in the internet about Fundamentals of Piano Practice which is useful for someone who wants to learn piano on their own provided they have acquired some basic techniques.  

Today, I have finalized the piano pieces that I want to learn throughout the year 2009. I do hope that I can achieve what I plan. Hence, I listed scores that are manageable according to my level and put one or two pieces that are challenging to keep me progress to the next level.

Here is my repertoire for 2009

 1. Bach Inventions 12 selected pieces, Sinfonias  4 selected pieces
 2. Schumann Op 15 (13 pieces)
 3. Beethoven Sonata Op 10 No. 1
 4. Mozart Sonata in A minor, K310,
 5. Chopin Waltz No. 2, Op 34 No. 1
 6. Chopin Nocturne No. 11 in G minor, Op 37 No. 1
 7. Bhrams Op 116 No. 5

To avoid boredom of playing pieces from the same composer during a particular period, I have scheduled the order as below:

Jan:  Invention #8, #1, #13, #4,  Schumann #1
Feb:  Sinfonia #10,  Schumann #2, #3, #4, #5,  Beethoven #1
Mar:  Invention #7 & #10,  Beethoven #1
Apr:  Invention #15 ,  Beethoven #1 & 2,  Schumann #6
May:  Invention #14,  Beethoven #2
Jun:  Sinfonia #13,  Beethoven #2 & 3,  Schumann #7, #8
Jul:  Invention #11,  Beethoven #3,  Bhrams,
Aug:  Invention #12,  Mozart #1,  Bhrams,  Schumann #9
Sep:  Sinfonia #5,  Mozart #2,  Nocturne
Oct:  Invention #9,  Mozart #2,  Nocturne,  Schumann #10,  Waltz
Nov:  Invention #6,  Mozart #3,  Waltz
Dec:  Sinfonia #6,  Mozart #3,  Schumann #11, 12, #13,  Waltz

I am sure this would be a challenging year to learn but I do hope by the end of year, I can play all this confidently.

Keep the music playing ….