Hey the topic seems to have changed here!

You know I looked at the book a little while back only because I am a big believer in the method of memorizing away from the piano by looking at the score first.

I have found it actually helped with my sight reading since it forces you to understand the music, analyze the music, recognize patterns easily etc. All this seems to happen naturally when you study the score away from the piano.

I do remember looking at the book thinking he described the method incompletely. I have always found the most important part of memorizing is being efficient about it, knowing how you memorize, how long it takes to memorize a certain passage and doing it consistently.

Ultimately there is nothing wrong with reading a score. I personally find for recordings, given the small amount of time to memorize vs practice, its hard to justify not doing it. Of course as someone's repertoire grows very large (and as we get older,) its simply not practical to maintain a large amount of music by memory.

Have you guys seen this? I always thought it was cool...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-xl7_hdWZo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NROegsMqNc

For memorizing numbers, nothing beats the method described here Doesn't work for music though

Hi Monica, I've read parts of it and found it very interesting. I'm sure it will contribute somehow to your memorization skills.

Best,
Alexandre

well... these are the passages that you MUST memorize, otherwise you don't play. hehe
but... what's the medication you would take for becoming relaxed? is it a kind of benzodiazepine? (I mean... does its name end with -pam?)
if so, be careful, because they can cause some memory blanks.


here you have a point! Chopin's music is REALLY DIFFICULT to memorize, because he makes subtle changes when he repeats... it's a different bass, with a slightly different chord... it's a nightmare!
besides all: the listener can't even notice you're playing a different chord!

Hey Stan - those are pretty neat videos!

Felipe - they're beta-blockers, but they can't be the source of my memory trouble because I've tried them two times and it is only for when performing in front of an actual live audience. No, my problem is that I just have to much junk in my brain. But I am determined to cram in some more music one way or another. Though it makes me feel a little better hearing what you said about Chopin.

Alexander - thank you for your help regarding those two books. I'll start reading the Gieseking book tonight.

(sorry to have gotten so off-topic)

Hey Folks!

Here's another rare Nazareth: his Nocturne Op.1 . Why he subtitled it "Op.1" even though he had almost 200 compositions by then is a mystery. However, this touches the dialectic regarding his "popular" x "concert" pieces. He definetly wanted to be recognized as a concert composer, however he wouldn't imagine that some decades after his death his so called "popular" pieces would be played in important stages such as the Carnegie Hall.

Best,
Alexandre

Nazareth - Noturno, Op. 1

Pretty piece! Reminded me of Chopin - also a little Granados. You played it nicely, Alexandre. It's up on the site.

Hello Monica,
I'm glad you like it!

Best wishes,
Alexandre

Hi Folks,

Here's the 62nd rare Nazareth: the Brazilian tango "Ideal" (which doesn't need translation). It has never been recorded on its original piano solo version.

Hope you like it.

Best,
Alexandre


Nazareth - Ideal

Very nice indeed! Sounds like Brazilian Ragtime?! Great sense of style and rhythmic vitality to music.

BTW, Alexandre, I haven't forgot about the music. Honestly, the music has been sitting on my desk as I've been deciding on a new scanner. Well, I finally bought one. So hopefully, it will have been worth the wait.

George

Hi George, thanks for the comments. Glad you like it. Yes, it's kinda like Brazilian ragtime. Nazareth is often compared to Joplin. They're sort of analogs, keeping in mind all the rythmic differences, of course (Nazareth has a lot of syncopation on the left hand).

Great! I'll be waiting for the score, it will certainly be worthwhile.

Best,
Alexandre

Hi again Alexandre,
That was nice coffee-sipping wake-up music and a nice way to start my day. Well-played, as usual. It's on the site.


btw - do you know how many more Nazareth recordings you will make? I'm thinking of changing the table a bit.

Hi Monica, I'm glad you like it, thanks.

I can't precise how many more I will make. But, just among his rare works, there are at least 40 more to go.

Best,
Alexandre

Hi Folks,

Today I've recorded one of Nazareth's simple songs. It's the Brazilian tango "Beija-Flor" (Hummingbird), which bears lyrics by the author himself. It has never been recorded commercially.

Best,
Alexandre Dias

Nazareth - Beija Flor (Brazilian Tango) (2:51)

Very nice ! I like how you do let the simple music speak for itself. The digital instrument sounds better than most here.
This on the site.

Very Nice, Alex!

As always, very lovable and professional rendition.



Kudos!

Marcelo