I only had two hours to practice today so went over my scales as normal (Ab major ... bleah) and then concentrated on the Bach Fuga. On a whim, I decided to do small sections of the Bach five times in a row, quite slowly, before moving on to the next section, concentrating on rhythm and intonation, and for some reason, everything seemed to fall into place so much better! It seemed easy and I felt no tension in my left hand. I followed that up with the Paganini Caprice which I played five times in a row at a moderate pace and before I knew it the notes were back in my hand! I had learned and performed the caprice years ago and wanted to refresh it for a recital later in the year. I had forgotten the nasty tenths and jumping strings but it seems if you learn something it really does stick with you! Now to work on tempo ...
It's difficult practicing some days because sometimes your heart just isn't in it and the minutes and hours seem to drag by, and then some days things just seem to flow and two hours fly by before you realize it! I'm just dreading when work starts again and I have less time to practice ...
Friday, July 24, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Practice Incentive: Getting Started
Since school ended in the beginning of July, I've been trying to motivate myself to practice my violin more now that I have more time on my hands. Things have been going okay for the first few weeks. I've managed to fit in a few hours every day and I can tell upping my practice time from an iffy one hour a day during the term to three or more is helping. It does get boring, though! I have many pieces that I am working on or polishing for recitals and concerts coming up. If you already know the piece it is difficult to get started!
Basically my practice schedule looks like this:
1. Pick one key from the Flesch Scale System book and work on all the exercises to warm up. This usually takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.
2. Work on Bach's Solo Sonata in G minor, 2nd movement. This is my baby right now - my biggest challenge in practice this summer! The other movements are in my fingers but I would really like to be able to perform the entire sonata soon! Currently I have the first two pages down. There are still some chords that are difficult but they will come eventually! One more page and it's finished!
3. Work on Bach's Solo Partita in D minor, 2nd and 3rd movements. Much easier than the sonata!
4. Paganini - Caprice #16. This one is just a matter of getting back into my fingers. I'm also working on the 2nd movement of the Sonata in E minor ... left hand pizzicato isn't going so well. I think my strings need to be higher as I can't seem to get my fingers under them!
All of the above pieces usually take at least an hour or two (usually more) of work. The rest of the pieces I work on I consider my "fun" work.
Shostakovich Violin Concerto in A minor (currently polishing 1st movement)
Bloch Vidui and Nigun (polishing)
Vitale Chaconne in G minor (polishing)
Orchestral excerpts (usually famous ones like Don Juan, Mozart Eb Symphony, etc.)
I have so many other pieces I would like to start but these are the ones that I've set my mind on polishing and perfecting this summer. I have a few other pieces to add to the list eventually, but I'm trying to wait until I've finished the Bach before I start anymore!
I'll try and update here on my progress in the next few weeks and anything that strikes me.
I'm currently listening to the gorgeous "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" by Vaughn Williams. He is one of my current obsessions and I would love to start "The Lark Ascending" sometime! Listening to music like this makes you wonder what God wanted with music. It can be so beautiful. Sometimes it can move you to tears. Other times you have composers like John Cage which just leave you perplexed or holding your ears! It's one of those great mysteries I think.
Basically my practice schedule looks like this:
1. Pick one key from the Flesch Scale System book and work on all the exercises to warm up. This usually takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.
2. Work on Bach's Solo Sonata in G minor, 2nd movement. This is my baby right now - my biggest challenge in practice this summer! The other movements are in my fingers but I would really like to be able to perform the entire sonata soon! Currently I have the first two pages down. There are still some chords that are difficult but they will come eventually! One more page and it's finished!
3. Work on Bach's Solo Partita in D minor, 2nd and 3rd movements. Much easier than the sonata!
4. Paganini - Caprice #16. This one is just a matter of getting back into my fingers. I'm also working on the 2nd movement of the Sonata in E minor ... left hand pizzicato isn't going so well. I think my strings need to be higher as I can't seem to get my fingers under them!
All of the above pieces usually take at least an hour or two (usually more) of work. The rest of the pieces I work on I consider my "fun" work.
Shostakovich Violin Concerto in A minor (currently polishing 1st movement)
Bloch Vidui and Nigun (polishing)
Vitale Chaconne in G minor (polishing)
Orchestral excerpts (usually famous ones like Don Juan, Mozart Eb Symphony, etc.)
I have so many other pieces I would like to start but these are the ones that I've set my mind on polishing and perfecting this summer. I have a few other pieces to add to the list eventually, but I'm trying to wait until I've finished the Bach before I start anymore!
I'll try and update here on my progress in the next few weeks and anything that strikes me.
I'm currently listening to the gorgeous "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" by Vaughn Williams. He is one of my current obsessions and I would love to start "The Lark Ascending" sometime! Listening to music like this makes you wonder what God wanted with music. It can be so beautiful. Sometimes it can move you to tears. Other times you have composers like John Cage which just leave you perplexed or holding your ears! It's one of those great mysteries I think.
Psalm 150
1 Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
1 Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
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