Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Lois hurt her eye so we did not get together today. Practiced easy Bach anyway as hopefully we'll get together soon. Started on the Vivaldi, 2nd cello part. Played real slow and played in first position throughout most of the piece. I think this will be very doable; will work up to allegro tempo and proper fingering.
Also continued working on Schroeder #44. Played both separate bowing and 4 slurs. Better on the separate bowing. Playing first half of page one.
Also did scales.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Working on separate bowing, at least initially until I get the fingering down, for Schroeder #44. Will play first half of first page and try to get that ready for Friday's lesson. Hopefully will be able to slur 4 and not just play separate, though B said I could do separate bowing initially.
Also, keep working on easy Bach as Lois and I are getting together tomorrow afternoon to practice.
Will start working on Vivaldi, 2nd cello part.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Worked on easy Bach, Wachet Auf, and the Bach duet. Schroeder #40 was better than yesterday; don't know how it will play out at tomorrow's lesson. Lesson will just be 30 minutes as I'm sure I won't be able to manage an hour of playing. Practice has gone well, overall, all week with steady improvement, especially in the easy Bach. I can concentrate on bow issues, dynamics and intonation with the easy Bach. Will take to my lesson tomorrow though don't know if B will go along with my theory of reverting to easier music in order to concentrate on core issues.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Worked again on easy Bach; still sounding pretty good. Also revisited Wachet Auf from the Cellists's Wedding Album #2 and it didn't sound too pathetic. Played mostly in first position and played at the recommended 60 tempo. I think Lois and I usually take this too fast.
Played through Suite for Two Cellos (first cello part); hopefully some lesson B and I can play this. Is not that easy and actually the second cello part appears to be the hardest part.
Later today will work on scales and more work on #40 or at least selected passages from #40.
Pretty tired today; I may have overdone what with trip to Home Depot, planting herbs and walking Basil. I seem more tired today than I have been in the last couple of days.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Sort of rusty today on Schroeder #40;; will slow it down until I get back up to speed. Can really tell I missed a couple of days of practice. Arm seems to be OK though which is good. Easy Bach sounded good; up to speed, dynamics were good, bowing was good; pretty good overall. First 8 scales were also good; just Schroeder stunk. Wore the back brace which seems to help; don't need it when not playing cello but does seem to help keep the body in a good line. Next lesson is Monday morning; will decided in next day or so whether I can do an hour; probably not. Will attempt to drive myself as Phil has a dentist appt. about an hour before my lesson.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
One last practice before heading to the hospital for a day or so. Played the easy BACH super, super slow to try for the best sound. Worked well. Will now work up to tempo.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Pulled out the old Easy Bach Cello and Piano duets. They make a good exercise for this time; I've played through them three or four times, or at least the ones Lois and I like, and have gotten better though no where near my previous level with the pieces. Lois indicated she was having some piano issues so it sounds perfect!!!
Intermediate Cello Bach: not ready for that. We were only playing three pieces and rather than spend time here, I'd just as soon work on the suites.
So I think Lois and I may try to get together following my surgery Wednesday. If I come home that day or the next, maybe by the weekend I'll be ready for a half hour practice.
I've been wearing a back brace for the last day or so and that seems to help the cello playing.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Daily Exercises book came yesterday; have played with the first couple of exercises. That was quick!
Still working on Schroeder #40 (love the final 4 chords; even I can play a chord given two quarter note rests in-between.) Weakness in right hand affects all playing so I am playing it really really really slow which seems to help.
Bouree #2: trying to play all separate bowing and no looking at music or fingerings; will eventually get the slurs and all else integrated.
Gigue #1: just keep working on it and trying to especially play the cross string slurs as well as the boot stamp.
Will keep playing with the Zen Balls as they seem to make my hand feel more whole.
Suggested to Lois that maybe we can think about playing again; possibly reverting to the easy Bach pieces we know well, though I'm sure I have completely forgotten. Lois would have to come to my house and use my piano, but that should be OK; just easier that way and I don't have to drag my cello, stand, music etc. to her place in spite of the beautiful grand piano. Guess I'd better pull out the Bach pieces before I start talking about being able to play them. Will do so right now!!!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Just ordered Daily Exercises for Violoncello by Feuillard. Music was recommended by Emily Wright in her new book, A Modern Cellist's Manual. Will add some of this to my scale workouts. Didn't have any pain, or not yet, from nulesta injection, but to be on the safe side, I haven't played the cello today or yesterday afternoon. Like one of the other cello blogs said, I will just go in and touch the cello as well as look over music, etc. etc.
About an hour ago, I did play through 8 scales, the easy ones, as well as the open string metronome set at 60 exercise and had no problems. When I tried to play Schroeder #40 I was suddenly very weak in the right arm and hand and so put the cello back in it's cradle. Will try again tomorrow.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Home from the hospital today after chemo #2. First practice went well; played Schroeder #40 well and decent on gigue from Suite 3. Later in the day the practice didn't go as well; I had some swelling issues around the site where the IV went into my right arm (unfortunately, the powerPort can't do everything) and so I used the heating pad. Didn't seem to help much, but will keep working on it. Back is also bothering me. Maybe I'm expecting too much after just getting out of the hospital????? Probably. Will try to ease into things tomorrow. Planning on at least a 30 minute lesson 5 days down the road, so will need to get things ready.
Just love twirling those Zen Health Balls around in my right hand. Need to work on the counter clockwise motion, but have clockwise down pat!! Will return B's Zen Health balls to her at Friday's lesson.
Monday, Tuesday, March 22 and 23, 2010
Practice went really well Monday. Am also playing the second part of the Bouree, separate bowing, not looking at the music. I'm hoping that I'll memorize the fingerings, or just feel them, and eventually be able to convert back to the way it should be played. B told me I spend too much time obsessing over fingering; if I let the natural inclination of the fingering take over I would probably do better, so I am sort of trying this with the Bouree. Right now every note on the sheet music has a fingering noted; should try to get away from that. Maybe I should get out a clean copy of the Bouree, make sure the slurs are correct and play it with no fingering noted; might be interesting!
Am practicing in very small segments, about 15 to 20 minutes about 8 to 10 times each day. Will really miss my cello when I go to the hospital tomorrow.
Weekend, March 19--21, 2010
Adaptive "toys" B loaned me seem to work. I love the little Zen Balls and like the tinkling noise they make as I rotate them in my right hand. B said to rotate them in different directions; the direction that is the hardest is the direction I should really be working the most on. I ordered a set of Zen Balls from Amazon so I can give B back her balls. I am also rotating them in the left hand. I think these will be a good tool to use on a regular basis.
The cats claw also seems to work. Nerf ball is also helpful. Will be interesting to see if I have problems playing following the 2nd chemotherapy session; am expecting to have back pain following the Lunesta injection which has to follow the chemotherapy (to increase blood counts for the interim period.)
Schroeder #40 is going well and as long as I play the gigue really slow, it sounds OK also. The first 8 Klengel scales are sounding really good; guess I should mix them up a bit and use some slurs and different combinations instead of half notes.
Have also been doing the open string metronome set at 60 exercise in order to get some strength back into my right hand.
Friday, February 26, 2010
After lesson, worked on music for upcoming concert. Played better than a few days earlier, though I really do need to concentrate on the Haydn Finale today. Various tests, dr. visits, etc. are lining up so that I should be able to make rehearsal the next two Monday evenings and the concert on March 9th. Have an MRI earlier in the day, March 9th, but will dress in concert clothes and have the cello packed and ready to go.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Transferred bowing and fingering to enlarged sheet music. Played better today than yesterday but still have some catch-up. In any case, I'll work on Schroeder #39, Bach Bouree and Gigue for the next week's lesson. Was very rusty on orchestra music for our spring classical concert, but there are two weeks before I have to get that completely up to speed. Will spend most of practice time on Haydn Finale as the cello part is somewhat exposed toward the end.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Today is the day I attempt to get back into a practice routine. The pain is still bad but I'm hoping the music will help me get beyond it. Sunday I played the first 8 scales and actually sounded good. I enlarged my lesson music and my orchestra concert music yesterday; will need to transfer bowing and fingerings to the large sheets but I am hopeful that this will make it easier for me to see the music. I haven't noticed any improvement in my vision, but this is only the first week post hbot.
I am scheduled for a lesson Friday and have every intention of making it and playing well. I also plan on resuming one orchestra rehearsal on Monday, March 1st, as husband said he would drive me to practice until I am completely off the pain meds. Our spring, all classics concert is scheduled for March 9th and I need all the rehearsal time I can get before then.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Dr. informed me this week that I'll need to go back into hbot following the major surgery, so I guess I'm going to get to know the nurses and technicians even more. They are a remarkable team!
Also, my eyesight continues to deteriorate. Driving is iffy, must be very careful. As long as I can move the music close to my face and have a lot of light, I can usually play the cello.
Some of the Schroeder pieces are just too small to read and I'm having problems reading the required fingering. At least #39 is repetitious; once I get the first passage figured out I can usually play the next. Having problems with most of the runs; 8th note followed by 4-16th notes and then 6-16th notes. So, will go to my lesson Friday and get input on everything I'm doing wrong and have two weeks to make corrections. I've been taking Schroeder to hbot and studying it during the two dives; I'm sure the nurses and technicians must think I'm nuts.
Also, reading the Cambridge Companion to the Cello which is pretty interesting; one thing about being stuck in a hbo chamber for two hours every morning, you do tend to read things that you'd never read at home; too many distractions at home.
Surgery is next Wed., the 17th. Will miss the next lesson but am hopeful that I'll be OK for the following week. Dr. assures me this surgery will be similar to the Dec. surgery. (Mandible debridement as well as first cutting out all the hyperactive tissue swelling in my mouth; will be very glad to get rid of all that tissue.) Still don't know when the major jaw reconstruction surgery will be. Probably looking at sometime in April. I am hopeful that it will allow me time to get back to second orchestra in time for the July concert.
I am hoping to get back to at least one of the orchestras as husband has offered to drive me to Monday night rehearsals until my eyesight improves. We have a Spring Concert in March that I hope to participate in.
I've also been working on the second page of the Bach Third Cello Suite gigue and have decided I don't like it at all. I love the first page; second page is like a completely different piece. I'm not playing it well, which doesn't help, but even if I could play it decently, I still would not like it. I need to listen to Yo Yo Ma's CD and try to figure out why I dislike this so much. Not even sure I like the "boot stomp" section of this gigue.
No comments:
Post a Comment