Really? Rats!! I didn't know that. Darn it!! I was going to stay in my pajamas all day tomorrow and just play new music the whole time. I have to go back to work on Tuesday...

Hello, Monica,

I do hope you have received your books from the post-office.

I am still learning Beethoven’s “La Marmotte” and I am very pleased about my progress.
Good thing is that the melody is so inspiring that I don’t mind trying again and again and again,
and an hour quickly passes and I have developed further.
I am very pleased, because my left hand coordinates very nicely with my right hand.

Best wishes for 2012 from Kristina

Hello Kristina,

I'm glad you are making good progress on "La Marmotte".

Yes, I had one of my sons go to the post office yesterday to retrieve my package of Mompou books. So now I have a lot of new music to explore and I'm very happy about that! The only problem is that I have to get a few pieces off my piano first, plus I am working very hard on a couple big pieces for an upcoming amateur piano group gathering, and so I don't have much time to spend on other music. But many of these new Mompou pieces are short and not very difficult so the music will make a good diversion for when I need a break and want to play something else.

I just thought of something....since you like "La Marmotte" so much, you may also like Faure's "Pavane", and Paderewski's "Sarabande" from his Humoresques de Concert - Op.14. Both of these pieces have that beautiful and melancholy feel to them.

Happy New Year to you too, Kristina!

Hello, Monica,

Thanks for pointing out Faure’s “Pavane” and Paderewski’s “Sarabande”. I am "almost there" with my "La Marmotte" and I have just had a look
at the scores of "Pavane" and "Sarabande" on the Internet and I look forward to study them.

Faure’s “Pavane” should be interesting to study because one has to be careful not to play it “too sweetly” and I imagine it a challenge to “get it right”.

I was quite surprised about Paderewski’s “Sarabande” because I did not know he composed such sensitive melodies. I have a few records of him playing Liszt/Chopin and I only associated him with Liszt/Chopin-interpretations.

I have listened to your interpretation of Paderewski’s “Sarabande” and I like it very much

I am glad you have received your package of Mompou books and I wish you good luck with learning the “couple of big pieces” for the upcoming amateur group gathering.

Best wishes from Kristina.

Hi Monica,

I had a listen to your various recordings by the three B's, I found something to enjoy in each piece--the playing!

nice "baroque" detached style of playing in the Bach in F Major and C major, while still maintaining legato voicing

Interesting the "marmotte" is a lieder. It sounds to me like it could be an arabesque by Bergmuller. I enjoyed the short staccato like feel you give the octaves, and the top octave note accent

I liked your control of dynamics in your Beethoven piece. Did you use a soft pedal the second time or did you just play softer?

Your interpretation of the Brahms waltz is sensitive and I can hear accents on the 2 and 3 beats which gives the piece the distinctive waltz feel!

I read you have acquired some mompou literature. I am jealous But am happy for you, I do enjoy his music. Look forward to more mompou from you! (alliteration and rhyming unintended )

Riley

Thanks, Riley! I did use the soft pedal on both repeats of the Beethoven Ecossaise. I always try to somehow alter repeats to avoid monotony.
And yes, I'm so happy with my new Mompou music. It's never-before-published material - three whole books!