Recorder Lesson and Group 2/6/10

I just wanted to mention a wonderful thing we did in recorder group yesterday. We're playing a lovely Chacony by Purcell, that is arranged in four pasts - alto, tenor and unusually, two bass parts. The melody swaps between the parts, and there are many lovely dissonances. We did some work to help us with hearing each other's parts as we play, and playing our notes so the different parts are in tune. One thing we did was go through the piece and play the first notes of every measure, for the full 3-beat measure, to work on tuning. And then we would have one part play the actual music while the other parts only played the first note of each measure without holding it. We also worked on building chords from the bottom up, so that each successive part would tune to the lower notes. All of this resulted in a much better sound. We're fortunate to have such a skilled teacher, who focuses on the details in a very effective, and fun, way.

Recorder Practice 2/4/10

Today's practice was much more productive. I started with soprano, and worked on the Handel Gavotte. The first 8 measures of part B are pretty solidly memorized, and I started working on the last 4 measures of that part - they're pretty close as well. Once that's done, I can work on the AABABA roadmap.

Then I moved on to the Van Eyck 32 Comagain modo 3, working on the digada tongueing for the section that requires this. I worked on repeating the notes in the sequences 8, then 4, then 2, then one times, and also did the full 3-note sequences. I think it's speeding up, although I haven't worked on this section with the metronome yet - that's next.

Than on to alto, starting with the Chedeville Musettes. All I did was work on the note sequences surrounding the trills (doing appoggiaturas except on the one dotted quarter note and one half note, where I could do real trills) and port de voixs. There are 9 in the first Musette (without repeats) and 16 in the second, so this took a while. The two Musettes are in different keys, too, so there's that to keep track of as well.

I finished with the Linde 19, working on cementing the difficult fingering sequences and then playing it through - it's much better than it was.

My new book of music for the American Recorder Society chapter meetings came - The Recorder Consort 3, by Steve Rosenberg - I'll have to spend some time looking through it - it's always fun to get new music!

Recorder Practice 2/3/10

Today's practice was a little shaky, but I kept at it until I had at least tried to do what I set out to do and made some, if only a little, progress at it.

I started with the Handel Gavotte (soprano), first playing it through, and then doing various 3-note songs using the high A/B flat/C combination. Then I worked on more memorization of part B, particularly measures 4 through 8 of that part. That went pretty well.

Then I moved on to the Van Eyck 32 Comagain, modo 3. I worked for a bit on the digadi tongueing on the combinations of two sixteenth plus one eighth notes. Then I played through the different sections, working on the rhythms.

Next, I switched to alto and worked on the Chedeville Musettes, concentrating on the port de voix and appoggiatura ornaments. This part of my practice wasn't very focussed - I need to hone the note combinations and timing before I start playing the whole of the pieces, which aren't difficult aside from the ornaments.

Finally, I worked on the Linde 19, isolating the right and left hand motions on the difficult note combinations. Then I played it through - it's doing much better.

Recorder Lesson and Group 1/30/10; Musicianship Class 1/31/10

I started my lesson with a question - I had been having trouble doing the trills in the Chedeville pieces I'm working on for my recital - the trills were too slow and were therefore making me fall behind. My teacher said that it was perfectly OK to start with an appoggiatura - where the ornament consists of the note above slurred into the trilled note, equally weighting the two in time. I can then also practice the trills alone, working on speeding them up, but whatever I do in the performance will be OK.

In the 2nd Musette, there are trills on the D, starting with E flat. An alternate fingering for this is to start with the normal E flat fingering (T plus 1 3 4), then add 5 and 1/2 of 6 - this is only slightly different from the C sharp fingering in the left hand and identical in the right hand.

One tip - whenever a sequence of notes (as in the most difficult parts of the Linde) is particularly difficult, break down what the left and right hands are doing separately, and practice those finger motions separately.

On soprano, we worked on the Van Eyck, focussing on the sixteenth notes that were slowing me down. To practice the diga tongueing, do just the sequences of the two sixteenth notes followed by the eighth notes - digadi, or gadiga - either one speeds it up. Another technique is to use double tongueings as I do scales, repeating each note 8 times (digadigadigadiga), then 4 times (digadiga), then two times (diga) then sequential notes using the tongueing.

In the Handel Gavotte, the difficult bit with a three-note sequence high A/B flat/C can be helped by taking those three notes and playing Mary Had a Little Lamb, Hot Cross Buns and Three Blind Mice, to make the note sequences automatic.

In group, we worked mostly on the Tango, which is coming along nicely - it's not as hard as it looks once you get the rhythms established.

In muscianship class the next evening, we did some work on the circle of 5ths, and how the scales progress from natural to natural, sharp to sharp and flat to flat, except where both B and F are involved, where because of the tritones it is necessary to move up one half-step.

We also did some more sight singing - and were shown that most songs (not all) start on do, mi or sol of their key.

It was a very productive weekend for learning!

Recorder Practice 1/29/10

Today I did an abbreviated practice, just on alto. I started with scales and trills, doing just the slurred versions. I need to do a chart for myself of key correspondences between C recorder and F recorder - this will help me solidify my key signatures and fingerings.

Then I worked intensively on the Linde 19, going over only a few measures, and fingering transitions, that were giving me trouble. The high D sharp/E/D sharp/C sharp/B/C sharp/D sharp sequence is very hard - I worked on isolating which fingers had to move, and on memorizing the sequence. The D sharp to C sharp is particularly tricky. Then there was the low A/B/C sharp/D/E/F sharp and B/C sharp/D sharp/E/F sharp/G sharp sequences. Again, I worked on isolating the finger movements. Here, it's the C sharp to D or D sharp that are tricky.

It was a good session despite its brevity.

Recorder Practice 1/28/10

Started with soprano again, doing long notes, swoops and trills, and then scales. Spent about 5 minutes working on memorizing the Handel Gavotte, particularly measures 4 through 6 of the B section, and also played it through fully one time with repeats.

Then worked on the Van Eyck 32 Comagain modo 3, part 3. I was able to get the speed up to 69 for the quarter note, which is still pretty slow. I also tried working on the diga tongueing to speed it up. Played through section 4 as well - at this speed it's easy except for the run of 1/16 notes at the end. Then I started a bit of work on section 5 - this is a very tricky syncopated rhythm with an eighth note, dotted eighth and sixteenth, then another eighth note, then repeat. Two of the three beats are on the dots of two dotted sixteenths. I slowed it way down and also broke it down into sixteenths to work on the rhythm.

Then I switched to alto, and worked on the Linde 19. All but the last half of part 3 and first half of part 4 are in good shape - those bits need more work but they're progressing. I spent some time just reworking those measures.

To finish, I worked on the Chedeville Musette no. 1, starting with reviewing the trills. Then I started work on the trills and the surrounding notes using the metronome. As I expected, I was taking too long to complete the trills. I backed the time way off to 96 for the 1/8 note, and was able to get some good work done establishing the relative rhythms of the surrounding notes and the trilled note. Now I have to work on speeding it up, and I'll also go over this with my teacher in my lesson next Saturday.

Recorder Practice 1/27/10

A good, more focussed practice today, starting with soprano long notes, trills and scales. The scales are getting easier and more proficient, which is a good thing.

Then I moved to the heart of the work, starting with more memorization work on the Handel Gavotte. First I played the piece through - I try to do this every time I work on it to cement it. Memorizing certainly makes the piece easier to play even with the music, as my fingers know what's coming next. I worked more on Part B, particularly the 3rd through 5th measures. It wasn't coming easily yet, but I think I made some progress, however small.

Then I continued with the Van Eyck 32 Comagain, modo 3. I refreshed the 1st and 2nd sections, and then started work on the 3rd section. It quickly became clear that I had to back off the pace I had set earlier - I ended up at 66 for the quarter note, down from 80. The sequences of 1/16 notes were too difficult at the higher speed. The rhythm is also tricky - I had to break it down at first to get the hang of it. I also started working on using the diga tongueing to speed up the pairs of 1/16 notes, but that isn't quite working yet. This piece is pretty challenging and will require a lot more work.

Then on to alto, starting with the Linde 19. I reviewed it, starting with the last section and working towards the beginning by section. Most of it had stuck pretty well - over the next several days I'll continue my review and spend most of my time on the most difficult note sequences.

The two Musettes by Chedeville were next. I worked only on the first one, and most of my time was spent on the 8 trills - only 4 different notes, as some are repeated. I worked on the individual trills and also on the notes immediately prior and after. Tomorrow I think I'll review this and then try playing with the metronome to get the trill timing correct.

I finished by working on sections 3 and 4 (my divisions) of the Theater Tango, trying to cement the rhythms and also the notes - they aren't that hard, but section 3 is pretty fast and section 4 is in a different key (change from B flat to F) which drops the E flat.