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A Love Story Woven on a Chopin Canvas

A few years ago, I received a telling message through my Authors Den website. John Bidwell, a spirited short story writer and poet, shared more than a literary connection with me. He waxed poetic about his late mother and father, Eleanor and David, who were pianists and 1950's classmates at Oberlin. (my alma mater) A… Continue reading A Love Story Woven on a Chopin Canvas

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Old World piano playing (1949) with a pronounced wrist break

The supple wrist amounts to a "wrist break" that is discouraged among partisans of the Taubman approach. In the main, they adhere to a forearm-driven piano technique along with rotation, and relaxation . The videos embedded, however, contradict such rigid thinking about the wrist, as demonstrated by the performance of a Polish pianist (1949) A Chopin Mazurka is energized by redundant wrist breaks without incurred injury. As one colleague related in reference to Taubman/Golandsky, "how could decades of Russian teaching so easily be tossed aside."

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Aiden Cat choreographs the Chopin C# minor Waltz.. seeing is believing

Watch this amazing cat at the beginning and close of this "foot"-age. If any ballet companies are looking for new talent, this floating feline is up for an audition. In any case, he earned himself a well-deserved catnap after a virtuoso "paw"-formance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v38sPHrPSP0 Notice his graceful balletic form as he sleeps. purrrrr......

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Only the singing nightingale could be true to Chopin’s music

Haddorff came through with her beautiful voice today. Her older brother, Steinway M on the far side of the room, had some communication problems while upright Steinway, the middle child of the trio, couldn't begin to rival Haddy's tone and temperament. So as it happened, One special piano sang her heart out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFT8VzE0UGc Haddy's bio:… Continue reading Only the singing nightingale could be true to Chopin’s music

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Practicing knotty piano passages, and tips on how to avoid fatigue while boosting technique (Videos)

At my You Tube Channel site, I routinely pick up comments daily, and the majority center on piano technique. While I lay no claim to being an expert in this complex universe, my trial and error practicing over decades has come with insights that I enjoy sharing. Earlier today, I'd noticed the following note posted… Continue reading Practicing knotty piano passages, and tips on how to avoid fatigue while boosting technique (Videos)

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Accept where you are in your piano studies, know your limitations, but still strive to improve (VIDEO)

This is my credo or philosophy that allows for imperfection without self-punishment. Yet students of all levels tend to invalidate their own performances despite growth spurts springing from dedicated practicing. Many have done all the layered learning steps, but have come to a plateau in a particular piece which is perhaps where that composition will… Continue reading Accept where you are in your piano studies, know your limitations, but still strive to improve (VIDEO)

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The Piano Repertoire: Does making fingering/hand adjustments constitute a “swindle?”

Seymour Bernstein, author of With Your Own Two Hands, remarked that "Chopin wrote out an outline for an intended method of teaching piano. And when he died he left it to Charles Alkan who never finished it. Wouldn't you think that Chopin would stress at the beginning that everything depends upon a deep emotional involvement… Continue reading The Piano Repertoire: Does making fingering/hand adjustments constitute a “swindle?”

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Chopin Waltz in Ab Major, Op. 69 No. 1–considerations of mics, recording conditions, and tempo, with performance comparisons

First, I have to admit that my prized Yeti mic suffered yet another break-down. "Break" is to be emphasized. I tripped over the wire on the way to Haddy Haddorff, and the sensitive connector from iMac's USB port to the mic itself was altered. Yeti wouldn't register on "Preferences" as an external no matter how… Continue reading Chopin Waltz in Ab Major, Op. 69 No. 1–considerations of mics, recording conditions, and tempo, with performance comparisons

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Piano Technique: Even the Big Boys practice with rhythms–Cziffra demonstrates

I'm a great admirer of the late Gyorgy Cziffra and his towering virtuosity. If anyone was under appreciated during his lifetime it was this wondrous pianist whose every phrase had meaning, intent, and emotion. Cyprien Katsaris, a dazzling performer in his own right, went out of his way to celebrate Cziffra's artistry during an interview… Continue reading Piano Technique: Even the Big Boys practice with rhythms–Cziffra demonstrates

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Aiden Cat crashes the piano bench and messes up a video in progress (Chopin’s C# minor Waltz, Op. 64)

It's one thing to invite Aiden onto the piano bench for a front row seat, but it's quite another when he appears out of nowhere, lands beside me, and ruins a recording in progress. Last night Aiden did just that. After he broke into the Chopin C# minor Waltz, he knew he was the lion… Continue reading Aiden Cat crashes the piano bench and messes up a video in progress (Chopin’s C# minor Waltz, Op. 64)