# Eek, I am about to perform



## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

In one hour and fifteen minutes I will give my first public piano performance in about 4.5 years. It's not a big thing; it's a group recital and I will only be onstage for about 8 minutes. But I have been working on the Beethoven movement I'll be performing for a long time now and I really want to play it beautifully because I love it. So, just thought I'd broadcast that for no good reason. Wish me luck?


----------



## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Good luck!


----------



## Klavierspieler (Jul 16, 2011)

What Piece?


----------



## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

@ Meaghan, You'll be fantastic! Break a leg {Good luck in show biz lingo}. Please let us know how it went when you are able to.


----------



## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

First movement of Tempest+Bach prelude, I think. Good luck Meaghan!


----------



## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

Second movement of Tempest.  Thank you!


----------



## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

Well, you must have done it by now.
How was it?

I find the best approach is to remember it's not about you and any nerves you may have (adrenalin is good!) - it's about the audience.


----------



## Dodecaplex (Oct 14, 2011)

May Dr. Pangloss be with you.


----------



## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Meaghan said:


> In one hour and fifteen minutes I will give my first public piano performance in about 4.5 years. It's not a big thing; it's a group recital and I will only be onstage for about 8 minutes. But I have been working on the Beethoven movement I'll be performing for a long time now and I really want to play it beautifully because I love it. So, just thought I'd broadcast that for no good reason. Wish me luck?


You got it - but I don't expect you to need it.


----------



## Lunasong (Mar 15, 2011)

HI Meaghan; I know you have performed by now but I hope your love for the piece shined through in your playing and you are happy about it. I'm sure you'll start planning another performance soon.


----------



## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

Interesting selection! How did you manage those 32nd notes in the beginning of the second half? Quite tricky.


----------



## Rasa (Apr 23, 2009)

Go loose, no matter what.


----------



## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

Thanks, folks! It was mostly good. I played a wrong note in a long chord, but I pretended it was a suspension and resolved it!  Maybe some people didn't know. I actually enjoyed performing. Partly because I love playing the beautiful Steinway concert grand in our recital hall.



Ravellian said:


> Interesting selection! How did you manage those 32nd notes in the beginning of the second half? Quite tricky.


Ha, I managed them, mostly because I dedicated roughly half my practice time to that 8-measure section and played it very slowly, hands alone and hands together, with a metronome and with different rhythms and articulations many, many times. It was a challenge for me. I finally got it to the point where it was fluid and secure and didn't overwhelm the melody, which was satisfying.



Jeremy Marchant said:


> I find the best approach is to remember it's not about you and any nerves you may have (adrenalin is good!) - it's about the audience.


Yes, I think this is a nice way of looking at it. I have a pianist friend who always says, "Remember, you are giving them a gift."


----------



## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Meaghan said:


> I played a wrong note


Never touch the instrument again, you are not worthy.


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Well done Meaghan. Hope you get to play that beautiful Steinway again soon.


----------



## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Good stuff, my dear! Wish I could have been there to hear it...I'm sure you made it sweet.


----------



## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

Meaghan said:


> Yes, I think this is a nice way of looking at it. I have a pianist friend who always says, "Remember, you are giving them a gift."


Great quote right there. I'm sure you gave your audience a wonderful gift with your playing. Glad to hear you enjoyed it so much! This, I always feel, is most important. I don't think any in the audience could resist such a charming and genuine performance. 

On another note, I am performing Rach's 2nd Sonata, 1st movement, today! I don't know why I picked the denser, first version because I basically set myself up for disaster. Thankfully, I had very little to do during thanksgiving break so I was able to spend my time memorizing the entire piece. Haven't practiced much this week, though, so I'm a little nervous.

Probably should get back to the piano right now.


----------



## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

Air said:


> Great quote right there. I'm sure you gave your audience a wonderful gift with your playing. Glad to hear you enjoyed it so much! This, I always feel, is most important. I don't think any in the audience could resist such a charming and genuine performance.
> 
> On another note, I am performing Rach's 2nd Sonata, 1st movement, today! I don't know why I picked the denser, first version because I basically set myself up for disaster. Thankfully, I had very little to do during thanksgiving break so I was able to spend my time memorizing the entire piece. Haven't practiced much this week, though, so I'm a little nervous.
> 
> Probably should get back to the piano right now.


Good luck, and enjoy it! If it's already happened, I hope it went well.


----------



## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Air said:


> On another note, I am performing Rach's 2nd Sonata, 1st movement, today! I don't know why I picked the denser, first version because I basically set myself up for disaster. Thankfully, I had very little to do during thanksgiving break so I was able to spend my time memorizing the entire piece. Haven't practiced much this week, though, so I'm a little nervous.


First version is worth it to the dedicated listener though! You'll thank yourself in the long run.


----------



## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

Meaghan said:


> Good luck, and enjoy it! If it's already happened, I hope it went well.


Thanks Meaghan! It did go OK, I got through the piece, which is as much as I can ask for right now. Still have a lot of polishing to do before competition season. 

I got to play on a Steinway too! Something wrong with the lower register, though, which was irritating. I like your story about the long chord, because I can definitely sympathize with you there. At the end of my piece, I accidentally screwed up on the runs and was a bit lost so I just pressed the pedal until I got to the top note, which I played right, and then released the pedal. 



clavichorder said:


> First version is worth it to the dedicated listener though! You'll thank yourself in the long run.


I definitely know what you mean. After being so accustomed to the 1st version, I find it really hard to listen to the 2nd version now, since it is so stripped down and well... awkward. I don't know whether this is just a matter of perception, but in my opinion, the revised version misses many of the exotic colors of the 1st version (Rach can be very exotic, partly due to his Tartar ancestry) and all the ideas just jump around too fast. Rach 2 is supposed to be a "rambling rose", not an "attention deficit buttercup".


----------



## TrazomGangflow (Sep 9, 2011)

A belated good luck to you. I hope it went well.


----------

