HELEN 3/25: I finished this on March 24, on schedule. What a final piece. I had no idea, for at least three pages in the middle, what on earth I was playing. At one point I was not even able to find my place on the page for about two minutes of endless silence and muttering. But it came round toward the end, sounding like what it might be like, and so I had to find a nice performance online. Here is a guy I’ve been seeing recently, Adrian Brendle (nice last name, if spelled wrong, tee hee.).
Where are y’all on this incredible project? Was this the hardest yet? Kudos to Grace for hanging in there with a newborn, if not yet finished. You win. (Actually, everybody wins.) Love, Helen
GRACE 3/26: I kept thinking about Shostakovich! I think they were similar difficulty, but of course I’m still not any farther than the last time I emailed. I’ll finish them eventually 😜
That final prelude sure took some interesting turns, and sounds like it’s many pages. Something to look forward to.
CRAIG 3/26: I’m a bit behind — I “played” XXI, the b minor, yesterday. Looking forward to the final three.
I’m checking out the wikipedia entry on polyrythym:
Those pieces that use it in the long passages, it feels like so many of them, but notably the g major is where it caught me. It’s beautiful — makes everything feel like a whirl — and disorienting, like you’re caught up in some cyclonic force, knock on wood. Thanks, Craig
CRAIG 3/30: Hi everyone,
XXIV is the hardest. I said it. Talk soon.
HELEN 3/31: I agree.
As folks get closer to completing this project (anyone besides Grace, Craig, and me?), we can schedule a zoom complaint session, which would be quite deserved. Is anyone else slogging through the Rachmaninoff ToughMudder?
CELIA 4/6: I’m sorry to say I haven’t been keeping up. I hope I can join back in with whatever we start next! Miss you all!
HELEN 4/10: I think we should consider a mid-May zoom, and that would give y’all a chance to suffer over a few more Preludes. Keep the faith. If you play one (yes, just one), post here to gloat.
STEVEN 4/10: Sorry for the radio silence. I fell off late February, and I’ve been trying to get back on ever since. I’ll see how far I can get with the preludes before we meet up. There will be lots of gloating. 🙂
GRACE 4/10: May sounds good! I think I played one last week? We have been very preoccupied with the baby.