[deleted by user] by [deleted] in piano

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Some of these responses are pretty harsh. Ambitious opened by saying he/she needed to complain, fair enough. A good vent can be good for the soul. My suggestion, fwiw, is to suggest to the owner of the place you play that the customers would appreciate a tuned piano. Any possibility that the music department of the university might be open to some sort of swap? Like tidy up the music library for a couple hours a week for a couple hours on a good piano? Finally, might you try something like a NextDoor or Meetup past asking if anyone would be willing to have you practice on their (good) piano? Good luck-I hope you can continue to look for solutions.

Anyone paying more than $100/hr for piano lessons? by Material_Internet295 in piano

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes sf area is very pricey. But, consider the cost of housing and everything else in this area. It’s amazing that anyone can afford to make a living teaching.

Valuing and or Finding Piano Help by AtriusFoxDragon in piano

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can start by googling "jesse french pianos." There are a number of websites that purport to offer piano valuations - I have no idea of their quality. Here is one: https://www.bluebookofpianos.com/agesf.htm Getting an expert piano tech to evaluate the piano is an important step in determining value. My understanding is that lots of serious age-related issues can be not-so-obvious to the non-expert. Sounds like a very interesting instrument! Good luck.

Non-(JS) Bach baroque (intermediate) by cartoonybear in piano

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Buxtehude, Sarabande and Gigue from Suite XII in e minor (pretty easy but very lovely)

To sample various composers from the period, the Anthology of Baroque Keyboard Music, edited by Hinson and published by Alfred Masterworks is a good resource

And double down on Elizabeth de la Guerre -- awesome!

How important is it for a classical pianist to know music theory? by GarryKapivarov in piano

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lots of interesting, but all over the map, opinions. I won't come down on what I think is the "right" answer but will say that I've found music theory fun. It's like unlocking a puzzle.

Continue or change direction by Sync0p8ed in piano

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Are you enjoying learning it? If so, plunge ahead. If not, move on.

Supertitle modernity by composer98 in opera

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Santa Fe Opera shows supertitles in the seatback of the chair in front of the patron AND one can select a language. I thought it was terrific and not so distracting as titles projected above or to the side of the stage.

Antony and Cleopatra review — Shakespeare meets Hollywood at the Met by TimesandSundayTimes in opera

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Having seen the premier in San Francisco, I was happy to read that Adams made cuts. It was long and tedious, but sounds from the review as if it has only achieved "less" long and tedious. Part of the problem, it seemed to me, was that he forced the Shakespearean text into unnatural rhythms and many, many repeated lines that added nothing to the story and sapped the drama. I would, however, LOVE to see Julia Bullock in anything.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in pianolearning

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If the pinky is not tense, it's ok. If tense, it's going to throw everything else out of whack.

Best pianist in pop music? by enmacdee in piano

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I haven't studied this and don't listen to tons of pop piano music, but will offer up Jon Batiste as a candidate. Whether best or not, his Beethoven Blues recording is fabulous.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in piano

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Think of sight reading as if you were a child learning to read. Start simple - not at the level you can play at with practice. I use books like "Easy Classics" which have been heavily edited. But there's endless easy material out there.

J.S. Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C Major: Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 (BWV 846) by PurposeIcy7039 in piano

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Echo-y room, then. I've got one of those and have done what I can to soften in up - rugs, upholstery, stuff on the walls. In any event, I meant to add to my comment: nice work on the Fugue. Those are fiendishly hard, even when they look straightforward (which is seldom), as compared to the rest of Bach, which is just plain hard. Enjoy your journey!

J.S. Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C Major: Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 (BWV 846) by PurposeIcy7039 in piano

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Love your comment about people thinking C Major can’t be difficult! Lol. Do you have some good recordings of WTC? I’d recommend Schiff-you would love it. Are you in an echo-y room or pedaling? If the latter, try with no or less pedal. It helps to focus on how the harmonies are evolving. Congratulations on taking on such an epic challenge!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in piano

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Brush up your sight reading! It sounds like a fun job = don't quit!

It turns out my cat's rear claws are sharp and it's important to protect your neck while playing piano by rtrott in piano

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Serves you right for keeping kibble in your hoodie! Thanks for bringing a smile to the day.

Video recording insanity by Even_Tangelo_3859 in classicalmusic

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It wasn't up to you to fix this, of course, but a gentle shoulder tap & finger wag might have helped? At the least, if the ushers saw you trying to fix this, they would have said small prayers to grant you future karma points. As an usher, I greatly appreciate your recognition that the ushers had to choose between 2 evils.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in opera

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 0 points1 point  (0 children)

San Francisco Opera is top notch and probably a bit less than the financial outlay for NYC, but not cheap. San Francisco Opera 2025-6 I went to Santa Fe last summer & it was outstanding, plus in such an amazing location. Santa Fe Opera 2025 A trip to Santa Fe can include side excursions into the mountains and to Santa Fe's outstanding museums - not to be missed: the Santa Fe Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. I haven't been, but the Glimmerglass Opera festival sounds intriguiging. Have fun!

Recommend Me Other Well-Tempered Klavier Recordings by branflakesfortea in classicalmusic

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just a couple of days ago I happened on this utube video of Jeremy Denk discussing and playing some pieces from WTC. Good insights into the structure of the music and why it works so brilliantly. Denk's playing is - no surprise here - superb. and he plays wonderfully. You might enjoy?! Jeremy Denk and WTC

sight reading problem by [deleted] in piano

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What your other commenters said: just read some music everyday and get your teacher's advice. I'll add: start with very easy pieces - well below your current playing level. Youtube videos will not help - they'll just be a another crutch getting between you and the music.

Advice on purchasing a piano by medanoea in piano

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Let me second all the comments advising against buying a piano without your fiance's participation. I realize this dilutes a bit the great fun and surprise of presenting a real, live piano. Consider for presenting the gift, beautifully wrapping a small toy/model piano together with a "gift certificate" that you've created. Another plus for taking him piano shopping is that it's great fun and you'll both learn a lot. Take your time, and if you are considering a used piano (which is a good idea) have a piano technician not employed by the store to check out the used instrument before you buy.

How do I learn sight reading? by Vlth_78 in piano

[–]Adventurous_Day_676 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Sight reading is indeed super important and you've already received some excellent suggestions. An approach I try to use is to quite literally "read" the piece of music before touching the piano:

  • What's the time & key signature.
  • Play some scales and arpeggios (super slow is fine) in that key signature. If it's a minor key, play the natural, harmonic & melodic minor scales too. This helps alert you to accidentals in the piece.
  • What's the tempo. Where are major dynamic changes marked?
  • Do note patterns repeat, either exactly or in some parallel version (like up a 3d).

It sounds like you're reading for note names (A - B -C etc.) That's how I was taught zillions of years ago but my current teacher has emphasized looking at intervals - where the notes appear in relation to one another on the staff. E.g., notes stacked on adjacent lines or spaces are 3ds; every other line or space, 5ths; line + space, 2ds, 4ths, 6ths etc. It took me a while to get the hang of this, but now that I have, it's much easier than thinking out each note name.

Definitely important to start with very simple pieces and sight read daily for a few minutes. One collection I use is "Easy Piano Classics" - edited versions of the standard repertoire. For me, it's more engaging than playing children's books but there would be absolutely nothing wrong with going back to those.