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excellent clarification frycek - thanks! now...wheres that edit button.

Wow...I just listened to Angela's short clip of prelude 17, which I started in earnest yesterday. I do have to say that she plays it the way I "hear" it. Slower and less dramatic than Ashkenazy. She brings out the sweet charm of the melody while at the same time the emotional phrasing and emphasis that is there but shouldn't be overdone. That lower bass note at the begining of almost every measure is what makes this prelude so enchanting. I think of it as a very distant bell which is immediately followed by the pick-up in the RH, which should be stronger and light.

It is a wonderfully lovely prelude, and I believe she plays it the way it should be played. I really know nothing; she is the expert. But I am going to keep her recording in mind when practicing.

I probably should order all of her recording as I do have some issues with Ashenazy's interpretations. But first I have to get as much of Rubinstein as I can.

Maybe I'll win the lottery this week. Yeah, right!!


Thanks for the link, Frycek.

Kathleen

Maryrose,
Congratulations on your first lesson with Angela Lear! what a wonderful opportunity. please keep passing along her suggestions as it will be very interesting to hear them!

good luck with this! it's very inspirational.

Sophia

Thanks Sophia. I'm having trouble unlearning old habits, so far.

Kathleen - it sounds as though your technique is already a natural one. Sometimes it isn't so bad not to have had decent lessons as a child...

Love to all from Mary-Rose (on a steep learning curve)

Good luck, MaryRose...all our good and supportive thoughts are with and for you!!

Kathleen

Kathleen - thanks for the publicity re: the headshot. I look forward to the bill. Ragnhild - that's a very generous compliment, it's all part of an illusion, really... you just need a good photographer and some really great lighting... and Maryrose - have fun with your lessons -- a year, or maybe two ago, I was in email communication with Angela Lear - I like what she does very much. Good luck with your lessons, that is a wonderful step for you.

As for me, the party's over - back to serious work, serious dieting, serious writing, serious practicing... lots of Chopin, lots of Beethoven, lots of grapefruit and non-fat foods. What a life!

And of course, a regular visit with you all!

Hersh

Hi Hersh:

What party? Are you leaving Paris?

Kathleen

Oh No ...I have to throw in the towel, send up the white flag or just plain admit defeat.

I should probably be writing this on the nocturne thread, but I think it's really buried. This is all about the 55.1 that many of us worked on and completed. But not me, sorry to say. No real problems (except those triplets, but did finally conquer them) until measure 80 and forward. I just don't like these measures (Chopin or not). I probably could learn and play them, but I'm not willing to commit any more time to them. I would rather use that time to work on the 17th prelude.

So, I am going to end the nocturne at measure 79, as Chopin wrote it, but then repeat the main theme and end it with measure 14 with the rolled chord. I know Chopin would not be happy. But I just can't "put my soul" into those last 24 measures.

Now for another topic. Someone on the forum referred to the "Tolling Bells" prelude. What?? What is so curious is that the 17th prelude does have that bass note in almost every measure, and I have often thought of it as a very distant bell (I think I mentioned this before). Could this be the prelude she means? She said it was relatively easy, so that's where I am confused because this prelude is given an 8.

Any ideas or comments?

Thank you.

Kathleen

Hi Kathleen -

I have a feeling that the tolling bells prelude for the individual who mentioned it, may be the chordal one in C-.

As for leaving Paris - gosh, no. But days are now filled filled filled with practice, and no more Chez Paul (tarte normand etc.) or Mulot (pain aux raisin, and everything else) Laduree (absolutely everything in site...!!!!) so and and so forth. For me here, party = great food, but great food does NOT = stage and costume!

Of course there are museums, and life and art - but seriously, performances effectively begin April 12, so, party's over folks!

Huge sympathy to Hersh. How terrible to be surrounded by tarte normand and not able to partake. Perhaps a corset instead, a la Prince Regent?

Kathleen Here's a link that refers to the Prelude op28 no.6 which is also known as the Prelude in B minor ,as the Tolling Bells Prelude. I don't recall calling this one easy. There are a few difficult measures in it, however I do think it is easier than the Raindrop Prelude !

And see the link:

http://www.ourchopin.com/music.html

Scroll Down to where it says preludes.

Maryrose -

(now here's real insider info...)

When playing the West End... one Sunday after a performance, some producer and performer friends dragged me out to a Greek restaurant. The matinee ended around five, this little affair started about 5:30, and the table was layered for the next five hours - (I don't drink, simpy because I don't enjoy it, so that wasn't a problem... BUT...!) There was so much to eat, and when you are having a good time, and laughing and there is so much right in front of you...time just passes, and you pick, and pick and eat some more...and barely remain conscious of everything you are loading into your body. WELL. The next morning, I literally could not move. I was feeling dreadful, I didn't eat anything. By Tuesday night's performance, I was SO bloated from all the salt and water retention, notto mention the additional water that I had drank for two days to get things moving, that I could barely fit into Gershwin's suit. So indeed, my costumier handed me a very large version of what we in American call an Ace bandage - something akin to a girdle with velcro - and we just suctioned me into the thing...and let me tell - there were no slouching problems at the keyboard that day!!!! (God forbid a lace on my shoe should come undone!)

At any rate - it was funny, and indeed, I can safely say, that I have played with a corset...now while I don't have a real weakness for Foie Gras - I do have a viennoiserie weakness, not to mention a weakness for creme brulee - funnily - I lived on Craven street in Covent Garden in Benjamin Franklin's old house... on my way home from the theatre there was a Pattisserie Paul - (just like around the corner from me here in Paris...) with the infamous Flan Normand. Talk about a dangerous road home...

Hi Hersh: Really funny story about your Ace Bandage performance.

Years ago, I borrowed my husband's (he had to wear it after surgery for a couple of weeks) to fit into a dress for a wedding. It certainly kept me from over-indulging that evening. Sorry your party is currently over, but it will begin again, someday in the future.

Mother Nature (shall we blame her?) has a devilish sense of humor. When people are young(er), most are concerned about their weight (or should be) for health, fashion or career purposes. But (and here's when that wicked humor comes in) as people age, many lose their taste for food. I think their taste buds have dissolved or they just get sick of eating the same old stuff. Hence, they lose weight without even trying. I've lost about 15 pounds this past year. When I wanted to lose 15 pounds when I was 21, it was pure torture. Now, when I don't give a dam how much I weigh, the pounds just melt away. So, take heart! When you are about 65, you won't have to worry about it. BUT other problems will arise to take this one's place.

Babs1: That is a WONDERFUL link. Thank you. It will come in handy when people ask me about some of Chopin's most popular pieces. I agree that the Raindrop is no mere "shower." When we were learning it on another thread, we often called the difficult parts either the thunder or the lightening and thunder sections. But, once learned, they were great fun to play. There are two "tricky" measures in #6, but, as a whole, like falling off a log compared to the 15th.

Regards to all...I'm off to practice.
Kathleen

A picture of Chopin off-duty:



You will note this is a rare example of our hero wearing casual clothes - no uncomfortable stock, right up to the neck! Here he was captured, in "civvies" at Nohant, by his friend the singer Pauline Viardot. Even when not teaching he kept busy - maybe writing a letter home, perhaps sketching out a new composition. Note his long hair - he was more relaxed about coiffure and shaving during the summer.

Love to all Chopaholics, corset-wearers and non corset-wearers, from Mary-Rose xx

MaryRose: I LOVE this picture!! It is just how I have always pictured him, sans all the outwards trappings. Look how engrossed he is, seems oblivious to all around him. So youthful and innocent. I think this is my favorite of all I've seen for it captures the "real" Chopin!

Thank you so much for posting it. You are a dear.

From a non-corset wearer (sigh of relief),
Lots of hugs,
Kathleen

Guys guys guys (and gals )

I leave you for a couple of days and then return to see you HAVING NO NEW CHATTERINGS ON THE SUBJECT OF CHOPIN!!!

hmm .. is this the chopin thread or am I in the wrong address.

Now I know you need me to open new topics

1) State the genre of Chopin's music, that is the further one "relatively" from your heart (I know I shouldn't ask this question to fanatics, but I say relatively)

2) How about starting a new project that we upload a certain small piece of Chopin by different performers on a site. And then we have a discussion (since you here are all experts) about which one is your favorite and why you like it and why don't you like it .. etc.?
(living the life of critics

I believe "Tolling Bells" is the name Von Bulow gave to the B minor Prelude no. 6. I doubt Chopin would have approved, and I wish I had never heard the name because it seems to affect how I play it.

Ted

Chopin never approved the names given to his pieces.

Bassio, we know the site. We've dealth with it before. If you notice the dedication on the site it's directed as a certain concert pianist, a Chopin specialist. It's the web equivalent of hate mail.

Woo .. thank God I don't have to tell you about it. It is a nasty article. What does the author gain from such flaming? I really don't know.

Did you send a letter to the site to complain about such flaming?? I think you should Frycek (since you are Polish and somewhat related to the man)