Demanding

Do you know, I am playing a piece with someone that is so difficult...I have to practise it!

It is the Rachmaninoff Cello Sonata (piano part).

It has been a shock for everyone, I know. But maybe it is just a consequence of my new playing approach.

Sometimes the soloist has been more demanding (=interesting, or interested) and I have needed to practise - e.g. Liszt Totentanz, Brahms D minor Violin Sonata, can't think of more at the moment. Normally if somebody doesn't demand justice for the composer (they have different priorities, perhaps) it would just be strange to try to go further into the music, so we don't, and they are quite happy.

But this piece is too difficult to do that.

And anyway, I'm interested in Rachmaninoff.

I'd better get on with it!

Spineless

Ow, my spine!

Here is a temporary computer table which, when combined with a temporary piano stool, produces a temporary feeling of needing spinal surgery of some kind. But, it is not serious! My desk (which is serious) will cure this problem, you wait!

*****

Today's juice intake: 3 satsumas + 2 carrots + 1 orange, 1.5 satsumas + 0.5 carrots, 1.5 pink grapefruit + 0.5 limes. I think. I didn't make a note of the exact details.

There's a nice bag of pears waiting to go the same way!

*****
Moritz Moszkowski (1854-1925)

Moszkowski is a lovely composer, genial, friendly and charming. The music is supposedly very light and of negligible quality, but, to me, it seems to be the perfect vehicle for conveying Moszkowski's ideas, perfectly conceived and perfectly executed.

That word, charming, is a bit of a dangerous one. Perhaps it is used so as to mean "nice, but with no substance or importance". But charming, enchanting, to me indicates something that can captivate you completely. I think that if you can open yourself to listening to Moszkowski (for example, Guitarre, Op. 45 No. 2, or Etincelles, Op. 36 No. 6 - and these are just two quite well-known works among many others) then you will find a world that you live in completely until the music is over, and maybe part of it lives in you afterward.

It is possible to hear performances which do not enchant in this way, so please pass over those and look for others. I suppose I could recommend pianists like Josef Hofmann and his contemporaries, but you would be hearing recordings of them, which is not the same as hearing them in real life, sadly. Pretty good though!

Why not play it yourself? People used to play the piano a lot, you know, once.

*****

A lot of fruit is being delivered tomorrow. And there is practising to be done. And you to think about!

Goodnight! UK Time!