🎵 Notes from the May 28, 2022 meetup

We had an enjoyable although smallish session today, well below the capacity of the room at Ottawa Pianos.  Of note was our first piano duet in two years (Zoom doesn’t work for this!).

Here's what was played:

• Gregory: Bumble Boogie, by Jack Fina (arrangement of R. Korsakov “Flight of the Bumblebee”)
• Michiko: Prelude Op. 3 #2, by S. Rachmaninoff 
• Karin and David (duet): Pavane pour une Infante Défunte, M. Ravel, duet arrangement by Ray and Marie-Thérèse Alston 
• Sachie: Etude Op. 25 #1, by F. Chopin
• Lynda: Coronach, by Edgar Barradt
• Wesley: Gladiolus Rag, by Scott Joplin
• Michiko: Moonlight Sonata, op. 27, 3rd  movement by L. V. Beethoven
• Karin: Prelude Op. 28 #13, by F. Chopin
• Sachie: Wedding Day at Troldhaugen Op. 65 #6, by E. Grieg
• David: Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant, M. Ravel, solo piano transcription by Jacques Charlot, SoundCloud recording of David playing this piece is here
• Wesley: Bethena, a concert Waltz, by Scott Joplin 

🎵 Notes from the May 7, 2022 meetup

We had the opportunity to perform on a gorgeous Steinway "Red Pops" grand piano today. We also welcomed new member John.  

A member performs on the Red Pops piano

Chopin was the most popular composer by far, with a Scherzo and five waltzes!  Thanks to Jennifer and Steinway Piano Gallery of Ottawa for hosting us.

Here's what was played:

• John: French Suite in B Minor - Allemande, Sarabande, Anglaise, by J.S. Bach
• Wesley: Nocturne in B Flat Major, by John Field
• Jenny: Piano Sonata in E Minor (1st Movement), by J. Hadyn
• Gordon: Minute Waltz Op. 64 #2, by F. Chopin
• Jeff: Preludes Op. 16 #3, #4, #2, by A. Scriabin
• David: Thaxted, by G. Holst, middle part of Jupiter, Planets piano transcription by Everard Sigal, SoundCloud recording of David playing this piece is here
• Lynda: Waltz in A Flat Major Op. 69 #1, by F. Chopin
• Emily: Scherzo Op. 54 #4, by F. Chopin
• Gordon: Waltz in D Flat Major Op. 70 #3, by F. Chopin
• Wesley: Waltz in B Minor Op. 69 #2, by F. Chopin
• Lynda: Waltz in F Minor Op. 70 #2, by F. Chopin
• John: Etude Tableau Op. 39 #2, by S. Rachmaninoff
• David: Pathétique Piano Sonata (2nd movement), by L.V. Beethoven
• Jenny: Invention No. 14 in B Flat Major, by J.S. Bach
• Emily: Etude No. 9 pour les notes répétées, by C. Debussy

🎵 Notes from the April 24, 2022 meetup

Five members were at today's Zoom session. Despite the small group, the pieces spanned all the major musical eras of the keyboard: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th Century, and Modern.

Here's what was played:

• Jeff: Jeff Prelude Op. 17 #3 and Prelude Op. 11 #10, by A. Scriabin
• Karin: La fille aux cheveux de lin (Girl with the Flaxen Hair), by C. Debussy
• Christopher: Nocturne Op. 27 #2, by F. Chopin
• Allona: Prelude 1 from Six Little Preludes, by J.S. Bach
• David: Thaxted, by G. Holst, middle part of Jupiter, Planets piano transcription by Everard Sigal
• Jeff: Etude Tableaux No. 33 #5, by S. Rachmaninoff
• Karin: Album Page, by C. Debussy
• Christopher: Prelude Op. 17 #3, by A. Scriabin
• Allona: Sweet Elegy, by Catherine Rollin
• David: Pathétique Piano Sonata (2nd movement), by L.V. Beethoven
• David: La pavane de la Belle au bois dormant (Pavane of Sleeping Beauty), by M. Ravel

Some of today's performers

🎵 Notes from the April 9, 2022 meetup

We had a really good turnout at the Steinway Gallery today, perhaps the most in several years. With so many people, there was an even greater variety than usual.  A work by Pachelbel (not the Canon) was a nice treat, as was Jorge’s own composition.  A piece by Shostakovich may have been the first hearing for many of us. Nick played a work that Chopin composed when he was 7 years old.  This is more than a little humbling for most of us!

Here's what was played:

• Gregory: Preludes Op. 11 #10 and Op. 33 #3, by A. Scriabin
• Gordon: Two-part inventions #12 and A major and #13 in A minor, by J. S. Bach
• Mary Lou: Sonata in B minor, 1st movement, XVI #32, by F. J. Haydn
• Nick: Sonatina #1 in C+, by S. Dussek
• Karin: Prelude #13, by F. Chopin
• Allona: Bagatelle 6, Op. 33 by L. V. Beethoven
• Kathy: Reverie, by C. Debussy
• Jeff: Prelude in B minor, by S. Rachmaninoff
• Janice S.: Sonata 8, Op. 31 #3, Minuet, by L. V. Beethoven
• Wesley: Adagissimo from Capriccio BWV 992 and Invention #14 in B flat major, by J. S. Bach
• Hedda: Dance of the Dolls, by D. Shostakovitch
• Jorge: Ciacona in F, by Johann Pachelbel
• Sachie: Sonata in C K545. 1st mov., by W. A Mozart
• Jorge: Primera Pavana (own composition)
• Allona: Sweet Elegy, by Catherine Rollin
• Jeff: Etude Tableau  Op. 33 #5, by S. Rachmaninoff
• Nick: Polonaise in G minor (without Opus #), by F. Chopin
• Gordon: Two-part invention #15 in E minor, by J. S Bach
• Wesley: Prelude Op. 11 #15, by A. Scriabin
• Sachie: Etude Op. 10 #4 in C# minor, by F. Chopin

🎵 Notes from the March 20, 2022 meetup

A small group gathered for our Zoom meeting today, and here's what they played: 

• Gregory: Prelude Op. 33 #3, by A. Scriabin 
• Karin: Voiles, by C, Debussy 
• Allona: Minuet in E by J. S. Bach 
• Gordon: Inventions #12 in A major and #13 in A minor, by J. S. Bach 
• Karin: Prelude Op. 28 #13 by F. Chopin 
• Gordon: Inventions #14 in B flat major and #15 in B minor 
• Allona: A Special place in my Heart, by Catherine Rollin 
• Karin: Adagio BWV 974, Keyboard arrangement by J. S. Bach of Oboe Concerto by Marcello

🎵 Notes from the March 5, 2022 meetup

Today's session at Steinway Piano Gallery in Ottawa welcomed new member Jenny. The session included a timely and topical poem, and an introduction to the Steinway Spirio system whereby one pianist can play both parts of a duet. This is not as easy as it seems!

Here's what was played:

• Gregory: Moment Musical Op. 94 #6, by F. Schubert
• Gordon: Two part inventions #3 in D major and #5 in E flat major, by J. S. Bach
• Allona: A Special Place in my Heart, by Catherine Rollin
• Karin: Prelude “Voiles”, by C. Debussy
• Mary Lou: Sonata 1st mov., Hob XVI #32, by F. J. Haydn.  Introduced by the poem “Allegro” by Tomas Trauströmer, translated by Robin Fulton
• Jenny: Nocturne No. 20 in C#, by F. Chopin
• Jeff: Preludes Op 16 #2 and Op. 16 #4, by A. Scriabin
• Janice S.: Kinderszenen #12, by R. Schumann
• Jennifer: Sonata Op. 79 #3, 1st mov., by L. V. Beethoven
• Gregory: Toccata in D minor, by J. S. Bach
• Gordon: Invention #12 in A major, by J. S. Bach
• Karin: La fille aux cheveux de lin, by C. Debussy
• Jeff: Preludes Op. 17 #3 and Op 11 #10, by A. Scriabin
• Janice S.: Kinderszenen #13, by R. Schumann
• Jenny: Romance in F Sharp, Op. 28 No.2 by R. Schumann
• Jennifer: Theme from Inspector Gadget. Duet, one part via the “Spirio” feature of the Steinway piano. 

🎵 Notes from the February 19, 2022 meetup—IRL!

We had an opportunity for an in-real-life (IRL) and masked 😷 meeting today at the Ottawa Pianos store. Pianists enjoyed a mix of music from Bach to the contemporary era, including a composer apparently not played before at any session in our group's history: Philip Glass.

Here's what was played: 

• Gregory: Introduction and Fugato, by Cuthbert Harris
• Hedda: Misty, by Erroll Garner
• Jeff: Prelude Op. 7 #3 and Op. 11 #10, by A. Scriabin
• Erin: Sinfonia #2, by J. S. Bach
• David: Milonga Del Angel, by Astor Piazzolla; here is a video of David playing this piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPAXKHACJHw
• Allona: Adieu to the Piano, attr. to L. V. Beethoven
• J.P: Bunte Blätter #1, by R. Schumann
• Gregory: Op. 53 #3, by F. Mendelssohn
• Hedda: Georgia on my mind, by Hoagy Carmichael
• Jeff: Etude tableau Op. 33 #5, by S. Rachmaninoff
• Erin: Invention #4, by J. S. Bach
• David: Oblivion, by Astor Piazzolla; here is a video of David playing this piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMxALM0NnSQ
• J.P: Etude #2, by Philip Glass

🎵 Notes from the February 6, 2022 meetup—A virtual full house!

Today’s Zoom session was nearly a “full house”, with a typical good variety from Baroque to early 20th century.

Here's what was played: 

• Gregory: The Great Crush Collision March, by Scott Joplin
• Gordon: Two-part inventions #3 in D major and #12 in A major, by J. S. Bach
• Allona: selected variations on “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, by W. A. Mozart
• Lynda: Prelude Op. 28 #4, by F. Chopin
• Mary Lou: Sonata Op. 7 (2nd movement), by E. Grieg
• Jeff: Preludes Op. 11 #10 and Op. 17 #3, by A. Scriabin
• Wesley: Bethena, by S. Joplin
• Gordon: Two-part invention #12 in A major, by J. S. Bach
• Mary Lou: Sonata Op. 7 (3rd movement), by E. Grieg
• Jeff: Intermezzo op. 76 #7, by J. Brahms
• Wesley:  Waltz op. 70 #2, by F. Chopin

P.S. Check out the latest member bios for Luc and Andrew in the sidebar.

🎵 Notes from the January 22, 2022 meetup—Perhaps the tiniest ever!

Due to a late change in venue (from in-person to Zoom), only two pianists were able to attend. But it was still an opportunity to share some fine piano music, and here's what they played:

• Gregory: Von Fremden Landern und Menschen, by R. Schumann
• Jeff: Etude Tableau Op. 39 #7, by S. Rachmaninoff
• Gregory: Op. 53 #3, by F. Mendelssohn
• Jeff: Etude Tableau Op. 33 #5, by S. Rachmaninoff

🎵 Notes from the January 8, 2022 meetup—First of the year!

Our first Zoom session of the year included two new members, Allona and Lillian.

The music ranged from from Baroque to contemporary. You're always welcome to play something a little out of the ordinary at the Ottawa Piano Group!

Here are the pieces that were played today:

• Gregory: Op. 53 #3 by Felix Mendelssohn
• Gordon: Two-part inventions #2 and #7, by J. S. Bach
• Mary Lou: Sonata op. 7 in E minor, 1st mvt., by E. Grieg
• Jeff: Etude Tableau, Op. 33 #5 by S. Rachmaninoff
• Andrew: Op. 30 #1, by F. Mendelssohn
• Allona: Sonata in A major, by W. A. Mozart
• Gregory: Magnetic Rag, by S. Joplin
• Gordon: Two-part invention #6, by J. S. Bach
• Jeff: Intermezzo Op. 76 #7, by J. Brahms
• Andrew: Prelude and Fugue Book 1 #3, by J. S. Bach
• Allona: Tenderly, by Catherine Wallin