I set up this idea of having a target of 40 odd pieces this year and I even made a list. But although I intended to put together the pages on my iPad to have them ready to read I never got around to it, and then I was highly occupied by the Grade 6 pieces. So it’s only recently that I started looking at The Problem this was supposed to solve, ie, not being confident enough with the sight reading.
The internet is full of quick fixes to sight reading Problems. Basically, I’d like to read fluently enough to play fluently a lot of pieces. I’ve mixed feelings – sometimes I think the reduced speed sight reading helps with the memorisation. But either way, needs must.
There were a few issues of Pianist and Pianist lying around near the piano and while I would not normally bother with beginner pieces I decided to start with those and see how far I got. What I’ve learned is that even for the easy/accessible to beginners pieces, the grading is not always consistent with the way I play. I find Beginner/Intermediate easier than Beginner sometimes.
This post is really for me to trap a list of what I’ve been doing for the last week or two. Nothing very deep.
So in no particular order other than the pile of magazines beside me here:
Pianiste (FR) No 146
- Czerny Les Heures du Matin op 821, no 1 (GD)
- Felix Le Couppey, Op 17/3, The Alphabet (GD)
Pianist 139
- Antonio Fragoso Aria (I)
- Melanie Spanwick Eastern Promise (B)
- Christian Gottlob Neefe Minuet in F (B)
- Theodor Oesten The Echo No 14 from May Flowers OP61 (BI)
Pianist 136
- Felix Le Couppey No 17 from ABC du Piano [wonder if this is the same set as The Alphabet above]
- Melanie Spanwick Mountain Stream (B)
- Theodore Latour First movement from Sonatina No 1 in C (BI)
Pianist 137
- Mel Bonis Raindrops OP 103 NO 9 (B)
- Melanie Spanwick Glorious Day (B)
- Charles Villiers Stanford (BI)
I think this exercise started about 10 days ago. Maybe a week. Not sure. Anyway, the abbreviations are GD Grand Debutant, B Beginner, BI Beginner/Intermediate. I see there are 12 pieces there already. At this rate, I could probably touch my 40 pieces target provided I do 10-12 a week.
It’s the start of September. I’m missing from the piano for about 5 weeks between here and Christmas.