I'm working on a Rachmaninov work for a long time (Terez sent me its score at Christmas time 2008.... it is the transcription of Bach's E major Partita for a solo violin) and want to record it finally. Before that I have a question. This work consists of three pieces and in the first and second you can find several "ossia" sections. I definitely prefer the ossia version to non-ossia in the second piece. Then must I record "ossia" version for the first piece, too (for a decent contribution to the PS)? I raise this question because the non ossia version is more beautiful in the first piece...

I look forward to listen to it soon, Hye-Jin. Re the ossia, you're not bound to all the ossias if you decide to play one or more of them. Play the version you like more, on a per-case basis.

Thanks Alfonso, now I feel much relieved!
I've heard three pianists so far, who recorded all of the three pieces. And curiously they followed consequently either ossia, or original version. But when you say so, Alfonso, I will choose what I find better, without anxiety

Thanks for the kind words, even though I'm afraid I would disappoint you with it... I was asked to open a new year's meeting of pastors in Reutlingen with piano playing, as I have been asked every year since I started piano practicing at a church building. At this time I said yes so that I just keep practicing on those pieces. When I can post recordings of them on AR, that doesn't mean that I can play them well, but just that I want to hear comments of PS folk, or that I want to make a finish with those pieces after that performance. They are much harder than I supposed. I cannot play them perfectly at all Even though the pastors are very kind , I regret a bit I didn't prepare another alternative pieces.

I should probably look closer at that score. I was under the impression that Rachmaninov had simply transcribed the violin part, which shouldn't be too hard to play, but I guess not? I had to play several parts of the g minor violin sonata for a seminar this past semester, usually sight-reading, and it didn't seem hard, so I'm guessing Rachmaninov spiced some...but wouldn't it be called an arrangement then, rather than a transcript?

It's a transcription in a loose sense, but of course there's a good deal of elaboration of the latent poliphony of the (mostly) homophonic original and the result is quite a difficult piece, especially the opening movement. And yet a lot easier than the parallel Godowsky's Bach arrangements from the violin and cello sonatas.

The main difficuties on the first movement consist in the prompt hands crossing, very close moving of both hands in a tiny space and the countless appearing two fast repetitive notes of which the first one is played by one hand and the second one by the other hand. These three are found on every page. Concerning the third one you must have a very responsible keyboard, which is not the case in my Kawai CA71. (I tried to find how to change the responsibility, but coudn't. Alfonso, did I overlook something? Because your piano is similar to mine...)

Just for curiosity's sake, yesterday I started to learn the Gigue and even there in some spots I found the pattern you describe (2 repeated to be played by the two hands). I guess you are wondering if there is some software option to get a faster action response on your piano, but no, of course there is not such an option, since the action responsiveness depends by physical parts of the piano and I'm afraid we have to take it as it stands. By the way, what are your impressions on your CA71 finally?

Alfonso, did the learning appeal to you? I like all those three. Frankly speaking, I practiced the Gigue least of all. I know playing all the three pieces in that meeting would be too long. Rach didn't choose anyway all the pieces from BWV 1006.

Thanks for the kind reply. The repetitive notes appear much more often on the Preludio.

Except that action responsiveness I'm satisfied with that piano. It's very suitable for practicing, has an excellent keyboard. I'm very grateful for your advices, Alfonso. The only complaint of mine is that already after a couple of week several keys was loosened Do you know that problem, too? I think I had to ask the KAWAI or the piano store of reparing them. They make clitter-clatter sound when I press them quickly.

Yes, I like that movement very much. I like all the three movements but it'd take too much to learn them all. The Gigue is rather simple to read, much more difficult to bring it up to speed, keeping all crystal-clear as I like to do. I wanted to study some Bach these days, and I know that this Bach-Rach will do wonderfully.



What do you mean by "loosened"?

I've been studying on my MP8 for almost 3 years now and the keyboard is still pretty even, an overall responsive keyboard as far as the gradation of dynamics is concerned. But I find it rather heavy and with a mildly slow action. Yes, some keys are noisy when pressed, however if I'm playing at a normal volume, I can barely hear it.

I usually think about the whole learning time, too, when I'm interested in a piece and want to learn it. But so far as this set is concerned I forgot to think about that The pieces are not that long, so I maybe thought it wouldn't take so much time as it did actually. I spent over a full month to learn all the notes of the Preludio. To bring it to this tempo now took me ca. four months...! That was the most slowing learning speed in my experiences. Therefore I couldn't have enough time for other two. The second piece has several tricky spots, too. I must practice very hard to play the first two pieces on the 18th.



I wrote the word "loosen" (There is such an english word, right?) because it seems that at the problematic keys something which holds the keys to the piano body got loose. Yes, they become noisy, and also very loudly. The noise is sometimes very disturbing so that I cannot concentrate myself in practicing. I don't practice all the time... Nowadays I have been practicing ca. two hours a day, when I don't skip daily practicing. I wonder why this piano construction is so fragile.

If the noise is distracting, I'd suggest practicing with headphones. The keys on my digital are also very noisy, but I don't hear the noise with the headphones on.

Thank Terez. I'm searching for an not so expensive but acceptable headphone for practicing, but I seemingly have to save money first (The experts on our forum say I would not find a good one under 100 Euro....)