Good Afternoon!
-Well, mine hasn't been too good...
I went up to school to get some more piano practice in. However, it's very hard to practice your Bach and Haydn when the music you left in the studio on the piano yesterday is no longer there when you step into the studio. And I've been leaving my music on the piano for the past few weeks - actually, I used to leave my music in the studio all the time - that's what it's there for! I'm just hoping that another person in the studio - I still use my piano teacher's studio - has just borrowed my music for the night and/or weekend.
Normally, I wouldn't be too upset about missing music, but I happen to be missing four volumes from my very nice, pristine library of Henle Editions - in hardcover! Each volume runs about $50.00 each, and since I'm missing four of them - three Bach, one Haydn... You do the math. They truly are beautiful editions. And they better be there when I go back tomorrow and/or Monday!
However, I did so some scale work today. Reviewed my C Major, and went on to F Major and G Major. -My fingers are really starting to get back to proper playing condition.
I also played through the transcription of "The Carousel Waltz" - wow! there are a lot of notes. It's a beautiful transcription, and even though there are the requisite virtuosic flourishes, the heart of the music remains intact. I may make it one of those "learn a few measures" at a time execise/piece. And I think I'm going to put "Hello Young Lovers" on my "must learn" list this summer. It's just short enough - three pages - and most of the technical passages are withing my current technical grasp.
*As I mentioned yesterday, these transcriptions are by Stephen Hough, an amazing English pianist. He has two albums of miniatures and encore pieces simply entitled "The Piano Album, No. 1" and "The Piano Album, No. 2". Quite a wonderful and varied selection, and the playing is a true example of effortless virtuosity. There are two R&H transcriptions on each album alongside some other transcriptions and standard - and not so standard - classical repertoire. The "March of the Siamese" children is the other R&H song that he has transcribed.
After all of that, I tried going through my teacher's library, pulling copies of the Bach and Haydn I've been studying. However, she didn't have the same edition. I tried reading through the Haydn, but it just didn't feel the same, because it didn't look the same. Every time I would look up at the page, I was just reminded of my missing music. After a read through of the first movement of the Haydn, I packed my stuff up and headed out. *And on the piano, I left a note that simply said, "Please return the hardcover Henle editions. Thank you, Jose".
I really did want to get some more practicing in today too. Ah, well...
On the way back to the apartment, I treated myself to another bubble tea. Today's flavor: Tapioca Cappucino. And I also stopped at the Chinese take out place (again) and picked up a Mala Chicken Combo for dinner. (It was very good.) -All this talk of Chinese food this past week.
So, now I'm back at my apartment. I had my Chinese food dinner, and I started a load of laundry. And I'm feeling very mopey right now. I was planning on heading back up to Fairfax tonight so that I could spend Father's Day tomorrow with my family, but now I'm not so sure. -I also called home this afternoon, and, apparently, there are no Father's Day plans/festivities planned for tomorrow, so... And I also have to go up next weekend anyway, so... We'll see how I feel after I get the laundry done since I wasn't planning on heading up until it got dark - and cooler.
I WANT MY MUSIC BACK!!!!
