Sat-November 9, 2002

I've been practicing an hour each day and I'm making progress. I can get through the Schubert Impromptu Op. 90, No. 3 without any major slow-downs/pauses since I'm more familiar with the notes. Still need to work on the left-hand trills and try not to play 'em too loud. I personally prefer the tempo slower (than Schubert's recommendation or 84). I think right now I'm playing at around 76. I'll probably end up playing it differently each time...playing it at 84 and maybe even slower than 76, maybe 74. I prefer less pedaling with this piece....and hope to play the notes lightly and make the transition from p to pp (forgot which measures these are)...to be very uh...what's the word? Well, you know what I mean. Like when you're jumping from top flight of stairs...and you want the landing to be as smooth and quiet as possible...dampen the noise...delaying the impact? Horowitz pulls this off extremely well in this one recording I have. A friend asked me last night if there might be another artist that I prefer listening to (for the pieces that Horowitz plays)....probably not. Maybe one or two Scriabin etudes by a lesser known pianist on this budget CD I have....i'd prefer over Scriabin's playing of those particular pieces. I may have 5-6 recordings by Horowitz, which really isn't much if you think about it. Like I don't know what his Liszt paganini etudes sound like..don't know how he plays Chopin's piano concerti. For those, I prefer Claudio Arrau...For Beethoven, I like Arrau as well...also Brendel. I like Rubinstein's Chopin also...(esp Polonaises). Horowitz just has a knack for creating a very pleasant, sonorous, and unorthodox sound at the piano bench.

The Rachmaninoiff prelude made my fourth finger (on my right hand) sore...not so much the finger, but the tendon and muscles at the carpals. Probably should rest it for a day.