Heller Etudes, Chopin Nocturnes and Sonata Pathetique

Was going to go to Madge’s bash but woke up too late from an evening nap. Ended up walking to DePaul and playing piano in a practice room. I haven’t taken piano instruction in about seven years and my articulation is for shit.

I did pull out some good Chopin Nocturne’s – my two favorites – the one that I can play and then one that I can’t. As well as Sonata Pathetique (if you know Adventures in Good Music with Carl Haas – it is that theme song). The pianos there are pretty beat up and had some sticky strings and half-assed sustain pedals.

I must crick my neck up a bit when I play because my neck started to ache. I think I’ve always done that. I don’t look directly at the music but kind of down on it.

We were watching Ray a couple nights ago (need to post my review) and it reminded me of the relationship between musician and instrument. Of how I’ll probably always be able to sit down at a piano and close my eyes and pick out exact octaves. Just like my sister can put a violin under her chin and the entire relative scale of notes materializes out of thin air. I look at it as the interface between human and (musical) machine.

Anyway – I still want to learn all of the Nocturns and all of Brahms’s Hungarian Dances.


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One response to “Heller Etudes, Chopin Nocturnes and Sonata Pathetique”

  1. Jonah Avatar

    Mmmm.. I know what you mean about the relationship between the musician and an instrument. I studied the piano for 8 years (although I couldn’t handle practicing so I kinda sucked at it) and then the clarinet for 7 years and so music, especially classical and jazz takes on a whole new meaning and appreciation for me. Add to that, that I was in marching band in high school and college… and I really miss those days. It’s like a big part of me is missing…

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