WMV Music Web Log

Facing an overabundance of material for solo piano - heaps of it on the piano, in the drawers, in the basement, in boxes, turning up at odd times, favorite scores missing when I need them. Found a piece I really like by John Work (African-American composer) - I know how it should go, just need to spend time nailing down the notes. But then I pick up the Chopin F minor Fantasy and get distracted. And I promised myself I would review the Stravinsky Sonata. But suddenly I am interested in Beethoven. How to impose some discipline here? With chamber music I choose a program, set a date, and line up the musicians. Somehow I am reluctant to do that, even though it is theoretically straightforward. With ensemble music there are good reasons to do one thing or another - available personnel, balanced programming, etc. With solo, it is just me. It was an exciting challenge to come up with a program of Czech solo piano music - it provided the discipline that is otherwise lacking. Yes, I know, the whole solo shtick gets in the way a little. I have successfully sidestepped it several times by performing on the little studio piano without drawing too much attention to myself. A "solo recital", say at the Ratner is both an exciting and a repelling idea. Well, I used to do it for a "living" and then got out of it, for a variety of very good reasons. But the music, the music.

Playing background music at receptions gives me a chance to try things out in a semi-public way which is very useful. How to conceive of a public solo piano concert that is not a "recital" (I do not memorize), and rejects the traditional norms, which are boring and bankrupt. Maybe mix some jazz, Dylan, contemporary, and electronic in with the other stuff. I don't know how, but I obviously have to do it. The Kawai also figures into my thinking, but without precise focus.

You can download Chopin (and other piano music) for free on the web! http://www.sheetmusicarchive.net/index.cfm. Incredible. I downloaded the C minor nocturne, saved it in photoshop, erased all the pedalings and fingerings (worse than useless), and printed it out perfectly sized. Ultimately, you can make your own performing edition. Things like this make 2005 not seem quite so bad (I know, I know).