If you've been keeping up with my practice journals, you may note that I have been posting some of me trying desperately to master the movement simply titled 'Più Allegro' in Mozart's wonderful piano work - Fantasia in C Minor (Köchel No. 475).
In spite of the fact I haven't posted a blog about this particular movement in a while, it should be noted that I have been practicing. The reason I haven't posted in the interim with it is simply because it wouldn't have contained any new information or update for you. It was just a case of playing it again. And again. And again.
I had to also remember that surrounding this surprisingly short movement was an entire piano work that - according to my video below - is 13 minutes and 33 seconds in length, so I had to keep refreshing my memory of these movements. That said, these were less problematic because they weren't as demanding of speed and intense finger dexterity.
...anyway, here's 13 minutes and 33 seconds of the fabulous Mozart:
For the Più Allegro movement, skip to 9:03.
I must confess that upon hearing other professional pianists perform this piece, I have been nothing short of disillusioned at my own inability to play at such speed with these fingers. Mozart wasn't considered a genius for nothing, I suppose!
However, as I will always stress to anybody playing or learning piano, you must always consider performing to your strengths. My interpretation of this movement is not as manic as other interpretations, but in taking it a bit slower I have been able to incorporate the necessary dynamic, footwork and overall expression that I couldn't have done with too much speed. I can certainly keep working on it, but I am satisfied with how it sounds now.
I opted to record each part in sections rather than a continuous take, as doing so gave me the opportunity to focus on the best performance I could give for each recording.
The Più Allegro movement took a few attempts, but I found it satisfactory by the end. One technique that I started to incorporate once the metronome was employed less was to hold the note every so slightly (pause) at the beginning of each phrase. This allowed for my brain and my fingers to think about what they were doing each time before committing - a cunning trick that not only worked in helping me hit all the right notes, but also added some desirable expression to the performance in my opinion.
Overall I am thrilled with my performance of this piece, My only other gripe that I can continue to work on is my right hand tremolos that can be heard at the beginning of movement ii. Allegro (start at 4:59 to hear them almost immediately!) Alternating between a harmonic third using the thumb and finger 2 to the most awkward finger for everybody (finger 4 - the ring finger) - is awkward. Not specifically as a colourful technique so much as a rhythm . They are not scored as tremolos - they are semiquavers, meaning that they have to keep a strict rhythm. I do believe I lost it a little on the second tremolo but this can be worked on independently.
Mozart has been a real treat to learn, and I feel privileged to not only be able to now play a whole piece of piano work of his, but one that is certainly lesser known.
Much as the Fantasia is a beautiful form of composition, I'm turning my sympathies back to a more traditional sonata as I am now learning his Sonata in C (Köchel No. 279) and am perfecting my performance of the first movement (Allegro) before moving onto the middle movement. Perhaps my new practice journals will feature practice of this composition.
We'll see...
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