A "grand piano" towed by bicycle visits Ottawa

Check out this story from the Ottawa Citizen:

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/globe-trotting-pianist-rolls-through-ottawa-on-his-bicycle-driven-piano

Music played at the August 17, 2014 session

A small gathering for the last summer session, which was hosted by Janice G. Here are the pieces that were played:

1st round:
Marilyn - Bach: Prelude no. 1 from the Well-Tempered Klavier
Vanessa - Gounod: Ave Maria
John - Adolphe Adam: O holy night
Janice - Rachmaninoff: Elégie (opus 3, no. 1)

2nd round:
Marilyn - Louis Alter: Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?
Vanessa - Tony Scivetta: My love went to London
John - improvisation on the black keys
Janice - Ali Osmon: Elmokhm-mus Elmasry (played in an Egyptian scale)

3rd round:
Vanessa - own compositions
John - two Russian folk songs

Music played at the July 20, 2014 session

Thanks to Winnie for hosting another afternoon of enjoyable music!

Here's what was played:

Karin -- Edward MacDowell, Improvisation, Op. 46 No. 4 in F Major
Jorge -- own baroque composition
Julie -- Rachmaninoff, Étude Tableau, Op. 33 No. 8 in G Minor
John - own arrangement of hymns:
           Rex Lelacheur, Canadian Centennial Hymn
           Halle, European hymn tune appearing in Schicht's Choralbuch in 1819
           Morning Hymn Medley: "A glorious day is dawning", "Still, still with Thee when purple morning breaketh" and "Joy cometh in the morning"
Christopher -- Chopin, Nocturne Op. 72 No. 1 in E Minor
Winnie -- Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata, 1st Movement
Grace (guest visiting from Edmonton) -- Chopin, Polonaise in G Minor
David -- Bach, Siciliano from Flute Sonata No. 2, piano transcription by Wilhelm Kempff

2nd round:

Jorge -- Bach, Invention No. 3 in D Major, BWV 774
Christopher (clarinet) & David (piano) -- Percy Grainger, Irish Tune from County Derry, duet transcription by Terry Oxley
Julie -- Bach, Prelude and Fugue in E Major, BWV 854
John -- own arrangement, Russian folk song Daleko, daleko (Far away, far away)
Grace -- Russian Waltz, Story for the Mother, Three Guitars
Karin -- Edward MacDowell, Marionettes - Part 8 Epilogue, Op. 38 No. 8
Winnie -- Massenet, Meditation from opera Thais

3rd round:

David -- Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata, 1st Movement
Jorge -- Manuel Ponce, Intermezzo
John -- own composition, Chorus of Morning Glories

A piano practising blog worth looking into

Graham Fitch, a pianist and teacher in London UK, has a blog called "Practising the Piano" at http://www.practisingthepiano.com/blog/.

With over 100 free postings about various techniques, stumbling blocks, advice, and resources, it's definitely worth bookmarking.

Fitch also contributes to Pianist magazine (https://www.pianistmagazine.com/), which is a resource that some of our piano group members recommend.

Strawberries and sheet music

We’ve all heard of the 100 mile diet and the apparent benefits of buying food locally. The local strawberries, for example, are always so much more flavourful and juicy than those that are imported from afar.

Does the same idea apply to sheet music?

I’m on the email distribution list for The Leading Note, which is a wonderful sheet music shop on Elgin Street, and I’ve purchased music there several times. But yesterday I received a notice from them that was a bit worrisome. In part, it reads:

"With the impact of public domain websites and warehouse-based online stores, The Leading Note print music store finds itself at a critical point in its history.... Without reliable support from our community, it will become a challenge to continue operating a brick and mortar store.  As musicians ourselves, it saddens us to think of the possibility that a world-class city like Ottawa could lose such an important cultural hub.  However, as an integral part of the music community, we are confident that we can proudly move forward with the support of our music community behind us."

Coincidentally, at the last piano session, talk turned to the benefits of finding sheet music online, either for purchase, or for downloading free of charge from sites such as IMSLP.org. We all agreed that these can be great resources for the pianist. But clearly there can be local repercussions when the online resources start to take precedence.

Food for thought.

/Christopher

Music played at the June 22, 2014 session

Host: Lynda

Diana -- Grieg, Wedding-day at Troldhaugen, op. 65, no. 6
Delaney -- Giulio Caccini, Amarilli
Lynda -- Gershwin, Prelude No. 2
Christopher -- Schumann, Waldszenen op. 82 no. 1, Eintritt
Nick B. -- Ravel, Pavane pour une infante défunte

2nd round:

Delaney -- Joe Jackson, Not here not now
Lynda -- Massenet, Meditation from Thaïs (arrangement)
Christopher -- Granados, Valses poéticos no. 1
Nick B. -- Gounod, Funeral march of a marionette

Music played at the May 25, 2014 session

Host: David
Piano: Yamaha Disklavier DC3M4Pro, a 6'1" studio grand

We enjoyed another eclectic range of piano music. There is always an opportunity to discover new pieces! Welcome to new member Irina.

Here's what was played:

Lynda -- Gershwin, Prelude No. 1
Sue -- Bach, Prelude No. 1 in C Major, BWV 846
Karin -- B.J. Rosco, The Performance, from Dec 86 issue of Clavier Magazine
Diana -- Chopin, Polonaise in C# minor, Op. 26 No. 1
Marilyn -- Jim Croce, Bad Bad Leroy Brown
John -- own arrangement/improvisation, Medley of 10 French Songs
Gloria -- Andrew Lloyd Webber, Think of Me
Liz -- Mendelssohn, Venetian Gondola Song Op.19 No 6
Céline -- Schumann, Romance in F# major, Op. 28 No. 2
Sachie -- Rachmaninoff, Étude, Opus 39 no. 6 in A minor “Little Red Riding Hood”
Mandi -- Rachmaninoff, Prelude in D Major, Op. 23 No. 2
David -- Schubert, Impromptu in G Flat Major, Op. 90 No. 3
Liz - Mark Tanner, Lament for Typhoon Haiyan

Irina provided background music of Chopin during our refreshments.

Music played at the April 13, 2014 session

Thanks to John W. who welcomed us warmly to his home and his 1920s Heintzman "upright grand" on Sunday April 13.

For our edification and amusement Diana explained that 19th century music professor Ebenezer Prout wrote humorous words for the main theme of each of the 48 fugues in Bach's Well-tempered clavier.  The list can be seen at http://everything2.com/title/Prout%2527s+words+for+the+Fugue+Subjects+of+Bach%2527s+Well-Tempered+Clavier.

Here is what we played:

Diana -- Schumann, Fantaisiestücke, Op. 12 No. 8, “The End”
Liz (via Skype) -- Mendelssohn, Song without words, op. 19, no. 4
Vanessa -- Chopin, Nocturne in E minor, op. 72, no. 1
Delaney -- Mozart, Ave verum corpus from the Requiem
Janice S. -- Bach, Invention no. 13 in A minor
Kathy -- Two pieces by Mona Rejino: Reverie and Nocturne
Nick B. -- Bach, Little prelude, BWV 933
Winnie -- Initial portions of three pieces: Mozart, Sonata in C major K545 1st movement; Beethoven, Moonlight sonata 1st movement; and Massenet, Meditation from Thaïs
John -- Own arrangements of three hymns: Danny boy, Yield not to temptation, and Purity

2nd round:

Liz -- Granados, Valses poeticos, no. 5
Diana -- Bach, Fugue in D minor, Well-tempered clavier book 1, BWV 851 (Prout's words for this are "He trod upon my corns with heavy boots—I yelled!")
Nick B. -- Bach, Little prelude, BWV 934
Janice S. -- Joni Mitchell, Both sides now
Delaney -- Satie, Gymnopedie no. 1
Vanessa -- Accompanied herself singing the aria "Verdi Prati" from Handel's opera "Alcina"
Winnie -- Bach, Prelude in C major, Well-tempered clavier book 1
John -- Own arrangements of two hymns: Alma and Heavenward

Music played at the April 6, 2014 session

Thanks to Karin for hosting and sharing her two (!) splendid pianos ... a German Grotrian Steinweg upright and a recently acquired 1912 Pleyel 5’6” grand.  And welcome to new member Mandi.

Here's what was played:

Sachie -- Bach, Sinfonia from Partita No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826
Mary Lou -- Bach, French Suite No. 5, BWV 816: Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gavotte, Bourrée, Loure, Gigue
Tim --  Schubert, Impromptu in G flat major, Op. 90 No. 3
Christopher -- Schubert, Piano Sonata No. 13 in A major, 2nd movement, Andante, D.664
Gared -- Mozart, Piano Sonata No. 12 in F major, 2nd and 3rd movements, Adagio and Allegro assai, K.332
Karin -- Mendelssohn, Song Without Words Op. 19 No. 2
David -- Chopin, Fantasie Impromptu in C# minor, Op. 66

2nd round:

Sachie -- Rachmaninoff, Étude, Opus 39 no. 6 in A minor “Little Red Riding Hood”
Gared -- own composition "Drunken Rabbit"
Christopher -- Cole Porter, Night and Day, arrangement by John Kember
David -- Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K488, 2nd movement, Adagio (solo piano and orchestra transcription)

Music played at the March 16, 2014 session

Host: Sachie

Karin -- Scriabin, Prelude in Gb major, op. 16, no. 3
Diana -- Beethoven, Sonata "Pathetique", op. 13, 1st movement
Liz (via Skype) -- Beethoven, Sonata, op. 10, no. 1, 2nd movement Adagio molto
Lin -- Denes Agay, Blue waltz
Céline -- Alain Morisod, Elodie
Mary Ann -- Beethoven, Archduke trio op. 97, 2nd movement Scherzo
Janice S. -- Joni Mitchell, Both sides now
Winnie -- Mozart, Sonata in C major K545, 2nd movement Andante
Gloria -- Deep river (spiritual)
Julie -- Schubert, Impromptu in Bb major D935 op. 142 no. 3
Sachie -- Rachmaninoff, Prelude in G major op. 32 no. 5
John -- 3 Russian folk songs:  Moonlight serenade, Thank you heart, and Stenka razin