50 min
Time for post-recital regrouping. Warmed up with once through the Breval Sonata in C 1st mvmt. Then Tarantella at a fast tempo, followed by Popper #9 twice with as gritty, near-the-bridge physically free bowing as I could stand. ~15 min
Pulled out Haydn C and reviewed the first half of the exposition. It sounds better than the last time I looked at it - thanks Popper and Squire. I'm going to suggest that we do just a phrase or two at a time in lessons, making sure that my technical approach is good and discussing practice, and most importantly going on to the next phrase rather than continuing to start at the beginning. We'll see if that flies.
Alternated Haydn with Breval. I am also going to suggest I memorize and perform the Breval again with my new skill set.
Showing posts with label popper 76 I. Show all posts
Showing posts with label popper 76 I. Show all posts
Monday, December 14
Sunday, December 13
25 min
Started with Popper #9, slowly, bow near bridge, exaggerating motions. Found myself noticing the string crossings, and more specifically, where there were NO string crossings. I have a tendency to move the level of the bow at bigger intervals even if they don't result in string change. Played through, omitting second staccato note throughout to hear the skeleton of the etude differently. Spent a few minutes memorizing the first phrase. This is tricky for me, as it involves skips within scale patterns instead of just scales. Started to feel the implied chords by playing double stops wherever it made sense. Relaxing warm up, ~20 min.
Tarantella. Run through from memory with some finger watching. My 2nd finger still collapses on fast passages on 4th position. ~5 min
Started with Popper #9, slowly, bow near bridge, exaggerating motions. Found myself noticing the string crossings, and more specifically, where there were NO string crossings. I have a tendency to move the level of the bow at bigger intervals even if they don't result in string change. Played through, omitting second staccato note throughout to hear the skeleton of the etude differently. Spent a few minutes memorizing the first phrase. This is tricky for me, as it involves skips within scale patterns instead of just scales. Started to feel the implied chords by playing double stops wherever it made sense. Relaxing warm up, ~20 min.
Tarantella. Run through from memory with some finger watching. My 2nd finger still collapses on fast passages on 4th position. ~5 min
Sunday, December 6
20 min
Played in church this morning, but only one service and it didn't seem like we played much. So came home and did a 20 min warmup/refresher in preparation for the recital in a couple of hours.
~5 min Popper #9 twice through, first at moderate dancing tempo and then fast. There are still 2 somewhat chromatic passages that fall apart when I play it fast. Another round of slow work for tomorrow.
~15 min Tarantella. First at slightly faster than I should play it in performance (based on a couple of memory slips and really ragged ascending scale passages). Worked on gesture for the asc. scale, again, in yet another way. This time I did the finger patterns in first position until they became balanced - 1 half 2, 1 whole 2, 1whole 2 3. Then tried the scale focusing on keeping the finger feeling while moving my arm upward as a separate component. Worth spending some more time on after the recital, as I think it's too late to help for today, but useful.
Interesting how every time I play it through something else seems to jump out to become a problem. Nature of the beast, I guess.
Concentrate.
Played in church this morning, but only one service and it didn't seem like we played much. So came home and did a 20 min warmup/refresher in preparation for the recital in a couple of hours.
~5 min Popper #9 twice through, first at moderate dancing tempo and then fast. There are still 2 somewhat chromatic passages that fall apart when I play it fast. Another round of slow work for tomorrow.
~15 min Tarantella. First at slightly faster than I should play it in performance (based on a couple of memory slips and really ragged ascending scale passages). Worked on gesture for the asc. scale, again, in yet another way. This time I did the finger patterns in first position until they became balanced - 1 half 2, 1 whole 2, 1whole 2 3. Then tried the scale focusing on keeping the finger feeling while moving my arm upward as a separate component. Worth spending some more time on after the recital, as I think it's too late to help for today, but useful.
Interesting how every time I play it through something else seems to jump out to become a problem. Nature of the beast, I guess.
Concentrate.
Saturday, December 5
45 min
Last practice before recital.
Warmed up with Popper #9, just a run through. The work on trouble spots is starting to bear fruit. I may be ready to "pass" this at my next lesson. ~5 min.
Tarantella, ~40 min.
Started with a cold performance. A couple of memory trouble spots, bowing in the first phrase. Yikes. Repeated once throughs at the following tempos: dq=60, 80, 100, 120, 140 and finally with the Suzuki recording. Fun, DH had turned off the TV and was listening. His opinion was that it was better fast, but the recording was too fast. Really lost the impact of the melodic B section. Validation! It was very useful to review the bowings at a very slow tempo. The scales are still a little scrambly at performance speeds, but not enough to detract from the overall positive impression, so I plan to go for it tomorrow. I'm feeling confident.
Last practice before recital.
Warmed up with Popper #9, just a run through. The work on trouble spots is starting to bear fruit. I may be ready to "pass" this at my next lesson. ~5 min.
Tarantella, ~40 min.
Started with a cold performance. A couple of memory trouble spots, bowing in the first phrase. Yikes. Repeated once throughs at the following tempos: dq=60, 80, 100, 120, 140 and finally with the Suzuki recording. Fun, DH had turned off the TV and was listening. His opinion was that it was better fast, but the recording was too fast. Really lost the impact of the melodic B section. Validation! It was very useful to review the bowings at a very slow tempo. The scales are still a little scrambly at performance speeds, but not enough to detract from the overall positive impression, so I plan to go for it tomorrow. I'm feeling confident.
Friday, December 4
50 min
Warmed up wth Popper #9. Tried my Squire tactic of alternating playing too slow and too fast, with special attention to m13-16. Also checked intonation on many measures using double stops, open strings, and harmonic check notes. About 10 min.
The remainder (40 min) on Tarantella. Started playing a "performance" cold from memory. Went well. Some work on trouble spots, then with metronome dq=80. Special focus on gestures of scales in slow motion. Next from memory at dq=120. More trouble spots, especially presto at varying tempi. Finally, another run through with the Suzuki CD which is ~dq=220. See, I told you it was ridiculous. Had one memory lapse at that tempo in the B section and lost one of the phrases. At that tempo it's hard to recover more quickly.
Warmed up wth Popper #9. Tried my Squire tactic of alternating playing too slow and too fast, with special attention to m13-16. Also checked intonation on many measures using double stops, open strings, and harmonic check notes. About 10 min.
The remainder (40 min) on Tarantella. Started playing a "performance" cold from memory. Went well. Some work on trouble spots, then with metronome dq=80. Special focus on gestures of scales in slow motion. Next from memory at dq=120. More trouble spots, especially presto at varying tempi. Finally, another run through with the Suzuki CD which is ~dq=220. See, I told you it was ridiculous. Had one memory lapse at that tempo in the B section and lost one of the phrases. At that tempo it's hard to recover more quickly.
Thursday, December 3
Wednesday, December 2
60 min
Start with 11 min of Popper #9, warming up and playing with the patterns. Checking in with right elbow and pinky, left elbow and curved fingers.
Remainder on Tarantella.
Played from memory with metronome dq=100.
Worked the troublesome scales. I think I need to bring my thumb up with the first shift instead of the second.
Played from memory at performance tempo, or slightly faster.
More troublespots.
Played from memory with metronome at dq=80.
Finally, played from memory with the Suzuki accompaniment track. That blistering tempo is TOTALLY RIDICULOUS. I did keep up, though, or at least didn't fall apart. I'm starting to feel confident that I can actually perform this from memory.
Start with 11 min of Popper #9, warming up and playing with the patterns. Checking in with right elbow and pinky, left elbow and curved fingers.
Remainder on Tarantella.
Played from memory with metronome dq=100.
Worked the troublesome scales. I think I need to bring my thumb up with the first shift instead of the second.
Played from memory at performance tempo, or slightly faster.
More troublespots.
Played from memory with metronome at dq=80.
Finally, played from memory with the Suzuki accompaniment track. That blistering tempo is TOTALLY RIDICULOUS. I did keep up, though, or at least didn't fall apart. I'm starting to feel confident that I can actually perform this from memory.
Monday, November 23
Friday, November 20
60 min
wu ~5 min Feuillard #33, Popper #9
~5 min D MAJ thru 1/8
~20 min Tarantella working on trouble spots. Also read once thumb position exercise in Suzuki 6 just before Squire. Not sure what the purpose of having it there is, but it's useful for other things. Practiced timing of upward shifts on old bow, rolling on and pulling off with LH fingers.
~30 min Handel Chamber Suite in D, read Adagio and fingered Allegro. Adagio will need work at a future session. Preparing Vc1 part to read at next quartet rehearsal in 2 weeks.
wu ~5 min Feuillard #33, Popper #9
~5 min D MAJ thru 1/8
~20 min Tarantella working on trouble spots. Also read once thumb position exercise in Suzuki 6 just before Squire. Not sure what the purpose of having it there is, but it's useful for other things. Practiced timing of upward shifts on old bow, rolling on and pulling off with LH fingers.
~30 min Handel Chamber Suite in D, read Adagio and fingered Allegro. Adagio will need work at a future session. Preparing Vc1 part to read at next quartet rehearsal in 2 weeks.
Thursday, November 19
30 min
Popper #9, 1st page
Bach Fugetta
Dvorak Bagatelles
Remembered I hadn't listened to the recording of the Offenbach Adagio, so did that while I followed the score. Very useful - doesn't seem nearly so impossible. Worked a few minutes on the melodic Vc1 lines.
That's all the time I had, as I needed to label all of the new quartet music I got in th email this week. It was a decent warmup for rehearsal, though.
Popper #9, 1st page
Bach Fugetta
Dvorak Bagatelles
Remembered I hadn't listened to the recording of the Offenbach Adagio, so did that while I followed the score. Very useful - doesn't seem nearly so impossible. Worked a few minutes on the melodic Vc1 lines.
That's all the time I had, as I needed to label all of the new quartet music I got in th email this week. It was a decent warmup for rehearsal, though.
Sunday, November 15
10 min
Only played one service this morning, and it felt pretty short. This afternoon we're off to celebrate my FIL's birthday, but I had 10 spareminutes, so...
Popper #9 Played through slowly once, paying attention to the short stroke into the slur. Then a second time, stopping to repeat each measure stumbled upon until I played it correctly 3x in a row. Kind of fun.
Only played one service this morning, and it felt pretty short. This afternoon we're off to celebrate my FIL's birthday, but I had 10 spareminutes, so...
Popper #9 Played through slowly once, paying attention to the short stroke into the slur. Then a second time, stopping to repeat each measure stumbled upon until I played it correctly 3x in a row. Kind of fun.
Saturday, November 14
30 min
Warmup 5 min playing through Popper #9 slowly. Concentrating on keeping th eweight the same on staccato strong crossings. Thinking of the second staccato note leading into the slur.
Bach prelude #3 10 min. Really just playing around. Trying varying amounts of rubato, slurs in the opening. Just the first half of the page.
Squire Tarantella 15 min. Started with the Presto, working on the hand balance in the fast notes under the slur, then the elbow opening in the fast down bow. Experimanted a bit with putting them both together, then moved on the the B section. Passage work in a loop, paying attention to finger patterns. Then playing from memory, again focusing on hand balance and good quality of sound.
Moved on to the A secion, working the 2 scale passages that give me the most difficulty in gestures. Finally trying the entire A section from memory.
Warmup 5 min playing through Popper #9 slowly. Concentrating on keeping th eweight the same on staccato strong crossings. Thinking of the second staccato note leading into the slur.
Bach prelude #3 10 min. Really just playing around. Trying varying amounts of rubato, slurs in the opening. Just the first half of the page.
Squire Tarantella 15 min. Started with the Presto, working on the hand balance in the fast notes under the slur, then the elbow opening in the fast down bow. Experimanted a bit with putting them both together, then moved on the the B section. Passage work in a loop, paying attention to finger patterns. Then playing from memory, again focusing on hand balance and good quality of sound.
Moved on to the A secion, working the 2 scale passages that give me the most difficulty in gestures. Finally trying the entire A section from memory.
Thursday, November 12
40 min
Warmup 5 min playing through Popper #9 slowly, focusing on the short note leading into the slur.
Then 35 min trying to figure out the Vc1 part to Offenbach Adagio for cello quartet. I think I'll be OK except for a very high treble clef part in the middle.
Took a short break at 25 min to check all the email coming in, but stopped the timer while I wasn't practicing.
Warmup 5 min playing through Popper #9 slowly, focusing on the short note leading into the slur.
Then 35 min trying to figure out the Vc1 part to Offenbach Adagio for cello quartet. I think I'll be OK except for a very high treble clef part in the middle.
Took a short break at 25 min to check all the email coming in, but stopped the timer while I wasn't practicing.
Monday, November 9
Monday, November 2
16 min
Jumped right in to Popper #7. I think I would like to cover this tonight in lesson. Worked with metronome, starting at 1/8=120, running whole piece. At dotted quarter = 52 started tripping over wicked string xing section at m 17, so spent last few minutes at dq=52 working those 6 measures. Finished with a run through at proposed performance tempo, which is about dq=60. Definitely improved, plus warmed up, to boot.
Jumped right in to Popper #7. I think I would like to cover this tonight in lesson. Worked with metronome, starting at 1/8=120, running whole piece. At dotted quarter = 52 started tripping over wicked string xing section at m 17, so spent last few minutes at dq=52 working those 6 measures. Finished with a run through at proposed performance tempo, which is about dq=60. Definitely improved, plus warmed up, to boot.
Thursday, October 29
Monday, October 12
15 min
Warmup with random notes, then Feuillard #33, followed by a few random chords, then #2 var 17, 1st measure. I am a total spaz, but the coordination is slowly coming. That took about 5 min.
Popper #7
I fear I have forgotton many of the lesson tips about bringing that middle section up to speed. Spent most time there, comparing and contrasting the gestures. Didn't feel very efficient, but think I made some progress.
Warmup with random notes, then Feuillard #33, followed by a few random chords, then #2 var 17, 1st measure. I am a total spaz, but the coordination is slowly coming. That took about 5 min.
Popper #7
I fear I have forgotton many of the lesson tips about bringing that middle section up to speed. Spent most time there, comparing and contrasting the gestures. Didn't feel very efficient, but think I made some progress.
Monday, September 21
20 min
Popper #7 focus on m17-40
Changed [F] m17-27 so shift to C nat/A is always 2/4. Marked in shift locations - usually I just mark F on shifts, but there were so many extra [F] marked in this Barenreiter ed. that I noted the shifts by arrows underneath the note so that I can see them more quickly when I am reading.
Tried the slow workup method, starting mm 1/8=96. Stopped at 112 to work on a couple of gestures.
m33 originally changed the [F] to 1-3, but then worked out timing on m32. Usually I keep 4 down on G to reduce poppage going to open A, but the timing seemed smoother at tempo to release 4 while simultaneously extending 1 backward for D# while playing the open A.
String crossings in m19-22 are still problematic.
Popper #7 focus on m17-40
Changed [F] m17-27 so shift to C nat/A is always 2/4. Marked in shift locations - usually I just mark F on shifts, but there were so many extra [F] marked in this Barenreiter ed. that I noted the shifts by arrows underneath the note so that I can see them more quickly when I am reading.
Tried the slow workup method, starting mm 1/8=96. Stopped at 112 to work on a couple of gestures.
m33 originally changed the [F] to 1-3, but then worked out timing on m32. Usually I keep 4 down on G to reduce poppage going to open A, but the timing seemed smoother at tempo to release 4 while simultaneously extending 1 backward for D# while playing the open A.
String crossings in m19-22 are still problematic.
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