🎵 Notes from the April 4, 2021 online meetup

A pleasant Zoom meeting took place on April 4. Rachmaninoff appeared three times, and one piece was by a living musician and composer, Paulette Verlée.  

Here's what was played:

• Lynda: Song without words, Op. 62 #1, by F. Mendelssohn
• Gregory:  Elegie, by Jules Massenet
• Gordon: Gavotte in G major, by J. S. Bach
• Christopher: Prelude in D, Op. 23 #4, by S. Rachmaninoff
• Jeff: Etude Tableau, Op. 33 #5, by S. Rachmaninoff
• Lynda: Song without words, Op. 62 #6, by F. Mendelssohn
• Gordon: Invention #13 in A minor, by J. S. Bach           
• Christopher: For December, by Paulette Verlée
• Jeff: Etude Tableau, Op. 37 #1, part 1, by S. Rachmaninoff

A piece by Rachmaninoff is played as other participants look on

🎹 Are you keyed up for World Piano Day?

March 29, 2021 is World Piano Day, the 88th day of the year!  Sure, it's just a made-up event, but you might as well celebrate by spending some extra time on the bench or listening to your favourite piano music.

To learn more about this recent invention, visit https://www.pianoday.org. 

🎵 Notes from the March 21, 2021 online and IRL meetup

We had our first ever combined in-person/Zoom session at Ottawa Pianos, performing on a fine Yamaha CFX concert grand for those at the store.  We welcomed new member Michiko.  

The most popular composers were Scriabin (6 pieces) and Chopin (5 pieces) without any prior collaboration, and we heard 2 works by a composer not previously heard: Marjan Mozetich.  

Thanks to Mitchell and Ottawa Pianos for allowing us to use their space while adhering to safety precautions.

Here's what was played today:

• Wesley: Polonaise Op. 26 No. 1, by F. Chopin
• Karin: Fantasia in D Minor, by W. A. Mozart
• Mary Lou: Prelude, by Marjan Mozetich
• David: Prelude Op. 28 No. 15 (Raindrop), by F. Chopin
• Gordon: Waltz, Op. 70 No. 3, by F. Chopin
• Jeff: Preludes Op. 11 No. 12 and Op. 17 No. 3, by A. Scriabin
• Michiko: 1st Movement of Piano Sonata No. 14 (Moonlight), by L. V. Beethoven
• Wesley: Prelude: Op. 11 No. 15, by A. Scriabin
• Karin: Song Without Words Op. 19 No. 2, by F. Mendelssohn
• Mary Lou: Adagietto, by Marjan Mozetich
• David: Waltz Op. 69 No. 2, by F. Chopin
• Gordon: Prelude Op. 13 No. 5, by A Scriabin
• Jeff: Preludes Op. 31 No. 2  and  Op. 51 No. 2, by A. Scriabin
• Michiko: Etude in E Major Op. 10 No. 3 (Tristesse), by F. Chopin

🎵 Notes from the March 7, 2021 online meetup

It was another Zoom session today, and a small one at that.  However, the sound quality was better than usual; the gods of Zoom must have been feeling quite perky!

Here's what was played:

• Gregory: The Easy Winners, by Scott Joplin
• Karin: Fantasia in D minor, by W. A. Mozart
• Gordon: a) (pre-recorded video), Two-part invention in F major; and b) (live) Gavotte #2 in B from the French Suite, both by J. S. Bach
• Jeff: Etude tableau Op. 39 #7 (complete), by S. Rachmaninoff
• Gordon: Prelude Op. 87 #1, by D. Shostakovitch
• Karin: Intermezzo in A minor, Op. 76 #7, by J. Brahms
• Jeff: Intermezzo Op. 116 #4, by J. Brahms
• Gregory: Of foreign lands and people, by R. Schumann

🎵 Notes from the February 21, 2021 online meetup

A small group gathered today for another enjoyable Zoom session. Here's what was played:

• Barb: Prelude for Left Hand Op. 9 No. 1 by Scriabin
• Erin: Scenes from Childhood, Op. 15, No. 12 Child Falling Asleep, by R. Schumann
• Randy: A Tear, by Modest Mussorgsky
• David: middle section of Fantasie Impromptu Op. 66, by F. Chopin
• Erin: Scenes from Childhood, Op. 15, No. 1 From Foreign Lands and People, by R. Schumann
• Randy: Für Anna Maria, by Arvo Pärt
• David: Hallelujah, by Leonard Cohen, arr. Dietmar Steinhauer; here is a video of David playing this piece

🎵 Notes from the February 7, 2021 online meetup

The snow outside did not hinder us today--one of the few advantages of Zoom!

Today's piano pieces:

• Gregory: Scenes from Childhood, Op. 15 #1, by Robert Schumann
• Karin: Nocturne in C# minor, by F. Chopin
• Tania: Morning Bell, Study No. 2, Op. 109, No.9 by Johann Friedrich Burgmuller
• Gordon: Sonata #16 in C K545, 1st movement, by W. A. Mozart
• Wesley: Preludes Op. 28 played in a group: #4 E minor, #6 B minor, and #7 A major, by F. Chopin
• Jeff: Etude tableaux Op. 39 #7, by S. Rachmaninoff, first part
• Gordon: Sonata #16 in C K545, 2nd and 3rd movements, by W. A. Mozart
• Jeff: Prelude in D minor, part, by S. Rachmaninoff
• Wesley and Deborah (piano-flute duet), Siciliano from Sonata No. 2 in E-flat for Flute & Piano, by J.S. Bach (Video recording)

🎵 Notes from the January 24, 2021 online meetup

Our Zoom piano sessions continued, with a nearly “full house” today.  We welcomed a new member, Tania.

Here's the music that was played:

• Gregory: Pineapple Rag, by Scott Joplin
• Tania: Nostalgia, by Olivier Toussaint
• Lynda: Song without words, Op. 53#5 (Volkslied), by F. Mendelssohn
• Gordon: 2 Bagatelles, Op. 33 # 2 and #3, by L. V. Beethoven
• Wesley: Adagissimo from BWV992 “Capriccio on the departure of a beloved brother” and Invention #14 in B flat, by J. S. Bach
• Jeff: 3rd part of Etude Tableaux Op. 39 #7, by S. Rachmaninoff
• David: Prelude Op. 28 #15 (Raindrop), by F. Chopin
• Lynda: Song without words, op. 53 #4, by F. Mendelssohn
• Gordon: Album for the Young, op. 68 #23 (Horseman) and #37 (Sailor Song), by R. Schumann
• Wesley: movement #2 of Pathetique Sonata, by L. V. Beethoven
• Jeff: piano transcription of part of Cantata BWV127, by J. S. Bach
• David: Time After Time, by Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman, arr. Eva Cassidy, accompaniment played to a recording of Eva Cassidy singing (listen here) 

🎵 Notes from the January 10, 2021 online meetup

Our first session of the new year continued on Zoom.  It was a fairly small group, but enthusiasm for the music remains high.  We also had the opportunity to hear a distant relative of the piano, a spinet.

Here's what was played:

• Gregory: Solace: a Mexican serenade, by Scott Joplin
• Janice G: Sonata Op. 10 #1, second movement, by L. V. Beethoven
• Jeff: Etude Tableau op 39 #7 (middle section), by S. Rachmaninoff
• Christopher: Arabesque #1, by C. Debussy
• Sachie: Liebestraum, by F. Liszt S541/3
• Sachie: Allemand from new keyboard Suite in A minor, by J. P. Rameau. Sachie played on her spinet, a kind of small harpsichord. Sachie explained that the lack of dynamics in the instrument mean that works for the spinet rely heavily on ornamentation.
• Jeff: Prelude Op 87 #18, by D. Shostakovitch
• Christopher: Night Rain, by Ola Gjeilo

🎵 Notes from the December 6, 2020 online meetup

 Our final session of 2020, held online on Zoom, included a mix of modern and old, familiar and new.  

• Janice G: Sarabande from French Suite No. 3, by J. S. Bach 
• Gregory: Solace, A Mexican Serenade, by Scott Joplin 
• Mary-Lou: Prelude Book 2 No. 6 "General Lavine - eccentric", by C. Debussy 
• Erin: Sonata Op. 49 No. 2 (complete), by L. V. Beethoven 
• Lynda: Intermezzo Op. 118, by J. Brahms 
• Jeff: Etude Tableaux Op. 33 No. 5, by S. Rachmaninoff 
• David: Waltz op. 69 No. 2, by F. Chopin 
• Mary Lou: River Flows in You, by Yiruma 
• Lynda: Let It Snow by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne arranged by Tom Roed in Christmas Encyclopedia 
• David: What a Wonderful World, by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss, arr. Eva Cassidy, accompaniment played to a recording of Eva Cassidy singing  

If you're a pianist in the Ottawa area, consider joining us in the new year! You can find information about our group and the sign-up email from the link in the sidebar.

🎵 Notes from the November 15, 2020 online meetup

We held another Zoom meeting with some fine performances.  David’s Internet went down part way through 😬 so he missed most of the second round.  Fortunately, Zoom technology allowed the show to go on by automatically reassigning the host role. 😀

Round 1:

1. Gordon: Six Variations on “Nel cor piu non mi sento” by Giovanni Paisiello, WoO 70, by L.V. Beethoven
2. Mary Lou: Impromptu Op. 90 No. 4 in A Flat Major, by F. Schubert
3. Wes: Two selections from Six Short Preludes (II in C Minor, con moto, and IV in D Major, allegretto quieto), by J.S. Bach
4. Jeff: Intermezzo Op. 116 No. 4, by J. Brahms
5. David: Symphony No. 7, extract from Allegretto Movement, by L.V. Beethoven, piano transcription by F. Liszt, screen share of multi-camera recorded performance https://youtu.be/eM9YjqrQRAA

Round 2:

1. Gordon: 2nd movement Piano Sonata No. 31 Op. 110, by L.V. Beethoven
2. Mary Lou: Prelude No. 9 in E Major from Book 1 of WTC, by J.S. Bach
3. Wes: Over the Rainbow, by Harold Arlen arr. George Shearing
4. Jeff: Prelude Op. 11 No. 12, by A. Scriabin