Music played at the second December 2013 session

Host: Kathy

Luc -- Bach,  Sinfonia No. 6 in E Major, BWV 792
Mary Lou -- Bach, French Suite No. 5, BWV 816: Allemande, Courante and Sarabande
Kathy -- Leonard Bernstein, Lullaby for Susanna Kyle
Daniel -- André Gagnon, Musique Pour Plus Tard
Tim -- Mendelssohn, Song Without Words Op.38 No. 6 - "Duetto"
Nick B -- Grieg, Lyric Pieces No. 1 Arietta and No. 2 Waltz, Op. 12
Liz -- Fanny Hensel, Melodie, Op. 5 No. 4
Jennifer -- Chopin, Mazurka, Op. 7 No. 2
Christopher -- Paderewski, Nocturne in B Flat, Op. 16 No. 4
David -- Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K488, 2nd Movement, Adagio (solo piano and orchestra transcription), SoundCloud recording of David playing this piece is here

2nd round:
Luc -- Chopin, Nocturne in C# Minor, No. 20 Op. posthumus
Mary Lou -- Rachmaninoff, Prelude in D Major, Op. 23 No. 4
Daniel -- Own composition: "Air and Variations for Sunday Afternoon"
Nick B -- Grieg, Lyric Piece No. 3 Watchman's Song, Op. 12
Christopher -- Oscar Peterson, Jazz Exercise No. 2
David -- Schubert, Impromptu in G Flat Major, Op. 90 No. 3

Music played at the first December 2013 session

Janice S. hosted the first session of the month, with music running from Bach to Tony Bennett. The ten performers included three members playing for the first time with the group [Karin, Vanessa & Cristina] and Liz from the UK with another of her wonderful discoveries of music composed by women . . . Here's what was played:

Karin -- Chopin, Waltz in A minor [Op. posthumous]
Liz -- Fanny Hensel, Melodie, Op. 5, No. 4
Lynda -- Schumann, Carnival Scenes from Vienna, Op. 26, Nos 2 & 3: Romanze in G min; Scherzino, in Bb
Mary Ann -- Beethoven, Archduke Piano Trio, Op. 97, 3rd movement excerpt, theme & 3 variations
Mary Lou -- Bach, Allemande, Courante & Sarabande from French Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816
Delaney -- Philip Glass, Metamorphosis, Movement No. 1 in C major
Janice S. -- Mozart, Twelve Variations on “Ah vous dirai-je, Maman”, K265, Nos 1-8.
Vanessa -- My Love Went to London, John Wallowitch [music], Tony Bennett [lyrics], in Db
Elizabeth -- Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, 3rd movement, 1st half.
Cristina -- Bach, Sinfonia No. 3 in D major, BWV 789, excerpt

Music played at the November 2013 (3rd anniversary) session

Host: Elizabeth

AFTERNOON:

Lynda - Debussy, Clair de Lune
Jamie - Chopin, Waltz No. 10 in B minor, Op. 69 No. 2
Liz - Clara Schumann, Romance in B minor, Op. 5, Andante con sentimento [by Skype from England]
Mary Ann - Beethoven, Archduke Piano Trio, Op. 97, first part of the 3rd movement, Andante Cantabile
Kat - Pierre Gallant, Six Variations on Land of the Silver Birch
Jorge - Bach, Invention No. 4 in D minor
Sachie - Rachmaninoff, Étude, Op. 39 No. 6, “Little Red Riding Hood”
Marilyn - Blues progression
Elizabeth - C.P.E. Bach, Solfeggietto No. 2 in C minor, H.220, W.117

2nd round:

Liz - Ólafur Arnalds, Romance [recent album, “Found Songs”]
Lynda - Schumann, Carnival Scenes from Vienna, Op. 26, No. 4, Intermezzo
Jorge - Manuel M. Ponce, Intermezzo No. 1 in G, Moderato, malinconico
Mary Ann - Beethoven, Archduke Piano Trio, Op. 97, 2nd part of the 3rd movement, Andante Cantabile
Elizabeth - Schumann, Kinderszenen, Op. 15, No. 1, in G – Von fremden Ländern und Menschen
Sachie - Brahms, Intermezzo in A major, Op. 118, No. 2

EVENING:

Julie - Bach, Prelude & Fugue in E major, Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1, No. 9
Nick B - Haydn, Sonata No. 52 in Eb major, [Hob. XVI:49], 1st movement, Allegro
Kathy - Handel, Sarabande from Suite in D minor, HWV 437, 4th movement
Delaney - Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, 10th movement of cantata BWV 147
Nick M - Khatchaturian, Toccata in E flat minor
Daniel - Own composition, “Saturday Morning”
David - Gabriel Yared, The English Patient, Convento di Sant Anna
Elizabeth - Brahms, Waltz in A flat, Op. 39, No. 15

2nd round:

Delaney - Debussy, Rêverie, in F major, L.68
David & Elizabeth - Schumann, Bilder Aus Osten, Impromptu for 4 Hands, Op. 66, No. 4
Daniel - André Gagnon, Neiges [“Driven Snow”]
Julie - Schubert, Impromptu in Bb, Op. 142, No. 3 – theme and 1st two variations
David - Chopin, Fantaisie Impromptu in C# minor, Op. posth. 66, 2nd theme
Nick M - Bach, Prelude No. 1 in C Major [BWV 846], Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1, No. 1
Nick B & Nick M - C. M. von Weber, Sonatina in C for 4 hands [Sight reading!]

Ottawa Piano Group featured on CBC radio

On Tuesday, October 22, the group was featured on a segment of the Ottawa Morning radio show on CBC FM 91.5.

You can listen to it here (audio only):

Music played at the October 2013 session

October's gathering took place at Southminster United Church in Old Ottawa South, where the group played on the church's recently acquired 1904 nine-foot Heintzman grand piano.

Diana -- Schumann, Fantasiestucke, Op. 12, No. 2, Aufschwung (Soaring)
Mary Lou -- Bach, Gavotte & Bourrée from French Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816
Luc -- Bach, C.P.E., Solfeggietto No. 2 in C minor, H.220, W.117
Nick B -- Chopin, Nocturne in Eb, Op. 9 No. 2
Mary Ann -- Chopin, Prelude in B minor, Op. 28, No. 6
Jennifer -- Rachmaninoff, Prelude in D major, Op. 23 No. 4
Janice G -- Schubert, Impromptu in Eb, Op. 90, No. 2
Jamie -- Debussy, La Fille aux cheveux de lin [Book 1, Prelude No. 8]
Janice S -- Mozart, Twelve Variations on “Ah vous dirai-je, Maman”, K265 [Twinkle twinkle little star]
Kat -- Mendelssohn, Venetian Gondola Boat Song, Op. 30 No. 6
Christopher -- Charles Griffes, Three Tone Pictures, Op. 5 No. 1
Nick M -- Debussy, Prelude: La cathédrale engloutie [The Sunken Cathedral] – Book 1, No. 10
Julie -- Bach, Prelude from Prelude & Fugue in E major, Book 1, No. 9, BWV 854
David & Elizabeth -- Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K488, 2nd Movement, Adagio

CBC Radio (91.5 FM) attended the event and is scheduled to broadcast a story about the group on Tuesday, October 22 sometime around 7:45am on the Ottawa Morning show.  Keep an eye on their website at http://www.cbc.ca/ottawamorning/ for a possible online posting of the report.

September 2013: Master class

The September session of the Ottawa Piano Group was a master class, featuring piano teacher and coach Jenny.

David and Lin provided the following notes from this special session.

Performers:  Christopher, Nick, Julie.  All three performances were really well done!

Observers: Jennifer, Sachie, Linda, Tim, Diana, Ron, David, Luc, Jamie, Lin, Lynda, Sayaka, Janice G, Katherine, Susan, Mary Ann, Liz

Opening Lecture

There are four elements to making music.  These are spiritual, intellectual, emotional, and the communicative spark one needs when communicating with the audience.  A fifth element is also important, and that is training.  Today’s lecture will focus on this fifth element.

Pianists are in fact elite athletes.

Our core body is most important when making music, where everything starts.  Not only does the core provide the centre of gravity, it’s the heart of our musicality and where sound and emotion originate as well.

It’s important to sit well forward, with sitz bones towards the front edge of the piano bench.

The playing apparatus consists of torso, arms, hands and fingers.

When playing more difficult pieces, a natural response is for the body to tense up but this is counter productive.  Instead, imagine that your arms are like water pipes with liquid sloshing back and forth through the torso.

Piano playing is more skeletal than muscle oriented.  The elbow is a hinge, the shoulder is hinge, with everything hanging loose.

Finger tips are where the “rubber meets the road.”  All the body motion must ultimately be transferred through the finger tips.

No amount of Hanon exercises will make the fingers equal because intrinsically they are not.  However, when fingers are properly aligned with the arm they can do anything.  Gradually rotate the aligned arm and hand through the “strong point” for each relatively straight finger.  When playing, get used to shifting the arm and hand ever so slightly to get the best finger alignment. (An analogy is to think of the aligned arm, hand and finger as a billiard cue.)  This technique can have an amazing influence on the sound created.

You need to maintain a balance between moving too little and moving too much.

It is important to have strong fingers that can always support your sound. Think “intentionality” in the finger tips while the rest of your body is loose.

It’s also crucial to really listen to the sounds you are creating in order to make the appropriate adjustments.

Performance by Christopher – Piazzolla, Milonga del Angel

The piece sets a mood of bitter sweet angst … if only.

When playing the opening melody, think of the sound as if being produced by a clarinet while moving through the first three notes.  The fingers should be very intentional, holding the keys down and trying for finger legato with the melody.  To do this, keep the hand moving after you’ve played the note.  This should result in a more seamless quality.

Feel more of the upward motion when releasing keys rather than the downward. Adjust until you produce the sound you want; the fingers will “know what to do.”

When getting louder, feel like your body is opening up more (using the water pipe analogy).

When looking at different options for fingering, go with the fingering that “feels best.”

With a group of chords that are marked as legato, try to maintain legato for the top melody line only.  The rest of the chords can just fall away.  It’s often good to practice the legato top line with only the bass accompaniment to maintain the harmonic melody.

Performance by Nick – Schubert, Impromptu Op 142 No 2

If a player is aware of nuances within the music, the audience will also be aware during the performance.

When you lift, the sound rises and moves.  When you hold down, the sound is constrained.

Your gently moving arms should feel slightly buoyant.

With the opening section, focus more on the horizontal melody line rather than detached chords.

Try not to think too much; listen more to the sound you are creating.

With the flowing section, the thumb should always be in position well before commencing the next group of notes.

Performance by Julie – Beethoven, Sonata Op 10 No 1 Second Movement

This performance, from memory, had a lovely sense of style and peace.

During the quiet parts, make each voice sing and try for a bit more dynamic contrast. In your louder parts, you really connect - good focus in your sound; the dynamics were so communicative.

Even pp must project to the back of the concert hall.  Don’t think quiet; think focused, intense.

Listen to each voice and make each one distinct; think not pianistically, but rather treat every line as a different, important instrument.

Allow your upper arms to hang from the shoulders - elbows should not extend out sideways so much.

The 32^nd notes need to be played with more intensity, so that your audience will be carried by anticipation, listening for what is coming next.  Your ear must also be active, preparing for what’s next.

Make something of every note and every rest.  Something has to happen inside of you during each rest - either anticipation or exhalation.

The ear is an amazing guide.

Liz also published an entry about the master class on her blog, available here: http://prettyinscarlett.blogspot.ca/2013/09/addendum-ottawa-piano-group-masterclass.html

Music played at the August 2013 session

Host: Julie

Diana -- Schumann, Fantasiestucke op. 12 no. 1, Des Abends

Janice G. -- Dave Brubeck, Take five

Jennifer -- Liszt, Consolation no. 3

Christopher -- Gabriel Grovlez, Petites litanies de Jésus

Julie -- Beethoven, Sonata op. 10 no. 1, 2nd movement

 

...2nd round...

 

Jennifer -- Rachmaninoff, Prelude op. 33 no. 8

Janice G. -- Oscar Peterson, Laurentide waltz

Diana -- Ernst Haberbier, Serenade op. 53 no. 5

Christopher -- Piazzolla, Milonga del angel

 

...4-hands sight-reading...

 

Nick and Julie -- Colizzi, Arietta

Music played at the July 2013 session

Janice hosted a delightful afternoon of music and refreshments. We had the opportunity to play on her gorgeous 1917 Steinway with oak cabinet that has a really nice sound and touch. There was also a technological first in that we had two remote Skype participants, Macy in Toronto and Liz in the UK. 

Diana -- Schumann, Fantasiestücke (Fantasy) Op. 12 No. 4 - "Grillen" 

Mary Lou -- Mozart, Rondo in A Minor, K. 511 

Liz -- John Field, Nocturne No. 10 in E Minor 

Macy -- Chopin, Nocturne Op. 27 No. 2 in D Flat Major 

Janice G -- Beethoven, "Pathétique Piano Sonata" No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 - 2nd movement 

Julie -- Beethoven, Piano Sonata Op. 10 No. 1 - 1st movement 

Christopher (clarinet) & David (piano) -- Percy Grainger, Irish Tune from County Derry, duet transcription by Terry Oxley 

David -- Chopin, Fantasie Impromptu in C# Minor, Op. 66 - middle section 

Christopher -- Bach, Two Part Invention No. 8 in F Major 

Mary Lou -- Bach, French Suite No. 5, Sarabande 

Liz -- Ivana Loudova, Stuecke -Dornröschen/Sleeping Beauty and Wiegenlied/Lullaby 

Janice G -- Albeniz, Tango 

David -- Gabriel Yared, Conventino Di Sant’Anna, from “The English Patient”

Christopher and David perform "Irish Tune from County Derry"

Group members (some via computer) pose after the afternoon of music

Music played at the June 2013 session

The group's 30th session took place at the Orleans United Church on its 8-foot Yamaha grand.

Diana -- Debussy, Rêverie
Nick -- Schubert, Impromptu, Op. 142, No. 2
Luc -- Mozart, Fantasy in D minor, K397
Jennifer -- Rachmaninoff, Étude-Tableau, Op. 33, No. 8
Janice -- Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata, 1st movement
Katherine -- Charles Dieupart, Passepied in D major
David -- Gabriel Yared, Conventino Di Sant’Anna, from “The English Patient”
Elizabeth & Diana -- Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major – Piano & Clarinet duet
Sachie -- Chopin, Étude, Op. 10 No. 5 in Gb
Sayaka -- Schubert Sonata in A major, Op. 120, D.664 – 1st movement
………….2nd Round…………….
Luc -- Chopin, Nocturne in C# minor, No. 20, Op. posthumous
Diana -- Schumann, Warum?, Fantasiestücke, Op. 12, No. 3
David -- Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata – 1st & 2nd movements
Elizabeth -- Beethoven, “Pathétique” Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 – 2nd movement
Luc -- Debussy, La fille aux cheveux de lin, [Préludes Book 1, No. 8], in Gb major
David -- Rachmaninoff, Prelude in C# minor, Op. 3, No. 2
Luc -- Bach, Sinfonia No. 6 in E major, BWV 792

Music played at the May 2013 session

Diana -- Chopin, Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 1
Janice S. -- Clementi, Sonatina, Op. 36, No. 1
Christopher -- Rogers & Hart, “Isn’t It Romantic” [from 1932 film, “Love Me Tonight”], arr. Phillip Keveren
Julie -- Beethoven, Sonata No. 5 in C minor, Op. 10, No. 1 – 1st movement
Elizabeth -- Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major – 1st movement, Allegro [1st half...]
Kathleen -- Miguel Manzano, Decadent Sentimental Song, in G minor
Tim -- Bach, Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring, Cantata BWV 147, C major
...2nd Round...
Diana -- Bach, The French Suites, Suite No. 5, BWV 817: #5, Gigue in G major
Janice S. -- Bach Invention No. 1 in C major, BWV 772
Christopher -- Charles Tomlinson Griffes, Three Tone-Pictures, Op. 5: #1, “The Lake at Evening”
Julie -- Chopin, Waltz No. 14 in E minor
Elizabeth -- Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major – 1st movement, Allegro [2nd half...]

Music played at the April 2013 session

Host: David

Diana -- Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor, Op. 10, No. 1 – 2nd Movement
Julie -- Beethoven, Für Elise – Bagatelle in A minor – Op. 59
Liz [via Skype] -- Chopin, Nocturne in G minor “À Ferdinand Hiller”, Op. 15, No. 3
Carol -- Fauré, Romances sans paroles in Ab major, Op. 17, No. 1 **
Janice G. -- Debussy, Two Arabesques, L. 66: No. 1 in E major & No. 2 in G major
Christopher -- Zdenek Fibich, Poem in Db major – from Moods, Impressions & Souvenirs, Opus 41
Kathy -- Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel, Bourrée in G minor
Mary Ann -- Beethoven, Archduke Trio, for piano, violin and cello, Op. 97 – excerpt from 3rd movement
Elizabeth -- Chopin, Nocturne #11 in G minor, Op. 37, No. 1
Sachie -- Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata in C# minor, Op. 27, No. 2 – all 3 movements
David -- Rachmaninoff, Prelude in C# minor, Op. 3, No. 2

Ottawa Citizen article: Deep-sixing the 88s

From the March 31, 2013 edition of the Ottawa Citizen:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa/century+after+taking+front+rooms+parlours+storm+upright/8175890/story.html

Music played at the March 2013 session

Host: Jennifer

Diana -- Bach, The French Suites, Suite No. 5 in G, BWV 817: #1, Allemande and #2, Courante.
Luc -- Debussy, La fille aux cheveux de lin, [Préludes Book, No. 8], in Gb major
Liz -- Edward MacDowell, Movement 3 from Six Fancies (1898): Summer Song in Ab major [by Skype!]
Kathleen -- Chopin, Nocturne, Op. 37 No. 1
Janice -- Schumann, Op. 15, Kinderszenen: #1, Von fremden Ländern und Menschen; and #7, Träumerai
Nick -- Frank Bridge, Rosemary, in the key of G
Julie -- Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor, Op. 10 No. 1, 1st movement, Allegro molto e con brio in C minor
Mary Lou -- Rachmaninoff, Prelude in D Major, Op. 23 No. 4
Sachie -- Brahms, Intermezzo, Op. 118, Nos. 1 & 2
Elizabeth & Martin -- Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 23, 2nd movement, Adagio in F# minor [extemporaneous arr., piano & recorder]
Jennifer & Martin -- Reinhold Glière, Op. 35, No. 7, Valse Triste for Clarinet & Piano
Macy -- Beethoven, Op. 331, No. 2, Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor, “Tempest Sonata”, 1st movement
Jennifer -- Scarlatti, Sonata in B minor, K87
David & Christopher -- Mozart, Four Hands, Piano Sonata in D major, all 3 movements

Music played at the February 2013 session

Venue: Ottawa Pianos

Diana -- Beethoven, Piano Sonata Op. 10 No.1

Mary Ann -- Beethhoven, Piano Trio No. 7 in B Flat Major Op.  97 "Archduke", to first repeat

Luc -- Mozart, Fantasy No. 3 in D Minor, K. 397

Jennifer & David 4-Hands -- Dvorak, Slavonic Dance in E Minor, Op. 72 No. 2

Janice -- Chopin, Waltz in B Minor, Op. 69 No. 2

Sachie -- Beethoven, Piano Sonata in C# Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 - all three movements of  "Moonlight Sonata"

Kathleen -- Piazzolla, Milonga del Angel

Christopher -- Fauré, Romance Sans Paroles, Op. 17 No. 3

David -- Bach, Fugue No. 9 in E Major, from Well Tempered Clavier Book 2, BWV 878, SoundCloud recording of David playing this is here 

David & Christopher 4-Hands -- Mozart, Piano Sonata in D Major, 2nd movement, K. 381

Jennifer -- Brahms, Ballade in G Minor, Op. 118 No. 3

Music played at the January 2013 session

Host: Sachie

Sachie & Sayaka -- Debussy, En Bateau – Duet, 4-hands
Sachie -- Beethoven, Piano Sonata in C# Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 – 2nd movement, Allegretto
Diana -- Schumann, Arabesque in C, Op. 18
Linda -- Chopin, Fantasie impromptu in C# minor, Op. 66
Liz -- Enriqué Granados, Valses Poeticos, No. 2 in F and No. 3 in D minor
Elizabeth -- Bach, Two-Part Invention No. 8 in F
Christopher -- John Field, Nocturne No. 5 in Bb
Julie -- Bartók, Bagatelle, Op. 6 No. 2 and Six Dances in a Bulgarian Rhythm, No. 2
David -- Erik Satie, Gnossienne No. 3 [Lent] in E minor
…………… [2nd round] ……………..
Liz -- Beethoven, Sonata No. 25 in G, Op. 79 – Andante
David -- Bach, Well-Tempered Klavier, Prelude & Fugue No. 2 in C minor – Fugue only
Julie -- Bach, Menuet from French Suite No. 3 in B minor, BWV 814 [without Trio]