spring started today

we planted strawberries and flowers in containers in the back yard.  We set up a badminton net and played.  We did other yard work and enjoyed the 60 degree sunny day.  Finally, spring is here.  First day to get a chair and sit outside.  The cat stayed out all day, and is still out at 6:30 pm.  We cleaned up the chicken wire fencing and put them away behind the plastic shed at the back of the garage.  A great Sunday.

didn't get one

looked at the music shop, but they had nothing interesting.  I know of one on Amazon that I can order sometime.  Not playing much lately anyway.  Some sort of a break, or just a little tired.  End of the semester and all that.  Last 5 weeks is busy.

beginner's jazz piano book

gonna look for a beginner's jazz piano book at the local music store.  I'll let you know what I get.  Thinking that jazz will be the subject for my fall piano class.

last five weeks of the semester

thinking of my piano lessons in the fall at the college.  Mozart or jazz?  Now I'm thinking more of jazz.  Then I can improvise and do more than just play a piece correctly.  Mozart is magical and all, but quite of a lot of his piano works are just too darn difficult!  I don't have the speed anymore.  Jazz piano is much more flexible music form, and allows for some personal creative improv.  I want to get a book on some standard jazz tunes soon, and work on them before the fall class.

Mozart!

Yes, I'm back to focusing on Mozart -- the piano sonata and a solo piano version (by Hummel) of the 25th piano concerto.  Also looking at some of the minuets he composed as a child.  Main dish will be Mozart, with side dishes of Beethoven, Bryd, Chopin, Satie, and others.

William Byrd

Last night i read about William Byrd, the English renaissance composer.  I found his sheet music online, and downloaded his "My Ladye Nevells Booke" and I'm working on the first piece, My Ladye Nevells Grownde.  It has some notation I don't know, in renaissance style I suppose.  Much easier than the Mozart -- but I"m still playing the andante of the sonata.  Bryd sounds great with harpsichord or clavichord on the Yamaha.  And, I'm thinking of taking piano lessons in the fall -- to study Bryd's works, I think.

Mozart Piano Sonata

I can play the first and second movements.  They need work, of course, but I can play all the way through them.  Will start working on the rondo soon.  This is exciting!