🎵 Notes from February 4 2024 meetup

We had an excellent session at Kunhwa's, longer than usual, with extended works and different pieces, some modern and some old, including one of the “other” Bachs.  Her piano is tuned to the European standard of 442 Hz.  Kunhwa is preparing for her recital and at the end we were treated to a virtuosic performance of Chopin’s Ballade No. 1.  

Here’s what was played:

• Gregory: Solace, by Scott Joplin
• Martin: Passacaglia, by G. F. Handel
• Karin: Prelude #4, by C. Debussy
• Natalie: Sonata in E flat major 1st mov, by F. Schubert
• Jeff: Aux Cypres de la villa d’este, by F. Liszt
• Wesley: Piano Sonata #8 2nd and 3rd mov, by L. V. Beethoven
• David: Fantasie Impromptu middle section, by F. Chopin
• Kathy: Sonatas K32 and K9, by D. Scarlatti
• Kunhwa: Barcarolle Op. 65 #5, by C. V. Alkan
• Gregory: Great Crush Collision March, by Scott Joplin
• Martin: James Bond theme by Monty Norman; theme song to Goldfinger by John Barry; and theme song to Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney
• Wesley: Adagio in F minor, by Joseph Bologne (Chevalier de St. Georges)
• Natalie: Prelude & Fugue  BWV 875, by J. S Bach
• Jeff: Preludes Op. 11 #2, Op. 17 #3 and Op. 18 #10, by A. Scriabin
• Karin: Prelude in G flat major, by A. Scriabin
• David: Solfeggio in D major, by J. F. C. Bach
• Kunhwa: Ballade No. 1 Op. 23, by F. Chopin

On another musical note, Lorraine sent in an interesting and very relevant tidbit that gives us another reason to keep playing the piano (and makes us glad that we started):

“Fyi, I received this through one of the listservs I am on related to cognition. It is a larger scale study supporting the positive impact of playing a musical instrument on different aspects of cognition (working memory for example). Findings comment on the value of this in "older adults" as well - in summary, we should keep playing!
 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/gps.6061”