Blog Entries reposted from the my blog

on playing Mozart Sonatas at age 68

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On Playing Mozart Sonatas

         As some of you might know, I have resumed playing the piano daily. I bought a Roland Electric piano a year ago. I will work my way through the following books culminating in about a year by conquering Mozart and Beethoven's Sonatas.
I recently played my first Mozart Sonata and well I did not do badly. I will return to it next year after finishing the following piano books.
https://wp.me/p7NAzO-2EO

Playing the Following Music Books

         

BOLD = finished


Bela Microcosmos
Erie Satie Gymnopedies.
Clementi piano sonatinas
Piano Classics Korean music book
Jazz piano album George Winston
Jazz Piano Album Korean
Piano classics Korean
60 progressive piano pieces
Schuman Album one
60 progressive piano pieces
Schuman Album one


Bach Little Notebook
Bach’s two and three-part inventions
Easy classics

Korean Piano Books 1
Korean Piano Book 2
Blues Standards
100 Greatest Artists
Another Korean classic book
Ellington standards
Bach WTC
sonata album
Hayden
Mozart some duplicates
Beethoven – some duplicates
Mozart Sonatas
Beethoven Sonatas

I have played the following pieces since I resumed playing.

1. Richard Lederman Wild Mountain Flower
2. Richard Lederman A Comme Amour
3. Paul Maurer Isadora
4. Saint Preux Concerto Pour Une Voix
5. Eubie Blake Memories Of You
6. Harry Woods BSide By Side
7. John Schachter Broken Promises
8. Jan Van Wetter La Playa Jan Van Wetter
9. Enrico Macias L’ Amor Cesta Por Ríen
10. Alamo Sans Tôi Mamie
11. Manuel M Pance Estrella
12. Franz Lehar Lippens Schengen
13. H Gaze Song Of The Pearl Fishermen
14. Henry Mancini Fly Me to the Moon
15. Charlie Chaplin This Is My Song,
16. Charles E. King Hawaiian Wedding Song
17. Francis Lai Theme From Love Story
18. John Lennon Love
19. Parles Moi Damor John Lenoir
20. Love Is Blue Andre Popp
21. To Love Again N Washington
22. Lebensraum Franz Liszt
23. Hymn Lamour M Mannat
24. Love Me All Your Heart, Carlos Miguel
25. El Bimbo Claude Morgan
26. Home Sweet Home John Payne
27. September Song Kurt Weil
28. Hey Jude John Lenon
29. I Really Do Not Want to Know Don Robertson
30. Yesterday, John Lennon
31. Johnny Guitar Victor Yeong
32. The Music Played by Udo Jurgens
33. Janear 15
34. La Novia Jay Prieto
35. El Condor Pasa da Robles
36. Eternally Charles Chaplin
37. Minuet Henry Purcell
38. Air Henry Purcell
39. Trumpet Tune Henry Purcell
40. A Farewell Henry Purcell
41. Bourree Philips Telemann
42. Minuet Teleman
43. Saraband Angelillo Corelli
44. Musette Johann Sebastian Bach
45. Minuet Anna Magdalena Bach
46. Minuet Anna Magdalena Bach
47. Polonaise Anna Magdalena Bach
48. Musette Anna Magdalena Bach
49. March Anna Magdalena Bach
50. Minuet Anna Magdalena Bach
51. Gavotte George Frederick Handel
52. Little Prelude in F Jes Bach
53. Minuet Leopold Mozart
54. Burlesque Leopold Mozart
55. Minuet Mozart
56. Little Prelude in C Jes Bach
57. Allegro Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
58. La Caroline Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
59. Little Scherzo Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach
60. Allegro Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
61. Andante Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
62. Presto Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
63. Minuet Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
64. Gavotte In Rondo Form Jean Francis Dandrew
65. Rondino Jean Philippe Rameau
66. Andantino Joesph Haydn
67. Scherzo Joseph Haydn
68. Rondo Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
69. Bagatelle Beethoven
70. Ecossaise In G Beethoven
71. Seven German Dances Haydn
72. Coda Haydn
73. Ecossaise Carl Maria von Weber
74. Sonatina Jacob Schmitt
75. Bagatelle Johan Nepomuk Hummel
76. Gavotte Daniel Gottlob Turk
77. A Regal Dance Daniel Gottlob Turk
78. Serenade Daniel Gottlob Turk
79. Miniature Rondo Daniel Gottlob Turk
80. Evening Song Daniel Gottlob Turk
81. The Hunters Daniel Gottlob Turk
82. Carefree Daniel Gottlob Turk
83. Adagio Mozart
84. Lullaby Johan Philip Kirnberger
85. Sonatina Anton Andre
86. Sonatina Jakob Schweig
87. Three Country Dances Beethoven
88. Waltz Franz Schubert
89. Russian Folk Song Ludwig Beethoven
90. German Dances Ludwig Beethoven
91. Four Landlers Franz Schubert
92. Allegro Minuet One Franz Schubert
93. Andantino Waltz in C Op 19 Franz Schubert
94. Two Australian Fold Themes Carl Czerny
95. Peasant Song Felix Mendelssohn
96. On Tiptoes Henri Bertini
97. Dance Intermezzo Henri Bertini
98. The Clock Theodore Kulak
99. Cradle Song Theodore Kulak
100. Melody Robert Schuman
101. The Wild Horseman Robert Schuman
102. Bagatelle Robert Schuman
103. Soldier’s March Robert Schuman
104. Hunting Song Robert Schuman
105. The Reaper’s Song Robert Schuman
106. Arabesque Frederick Burmuller
107. Pastorale Frederick Burgsmüller G Major
108. An Old Romance A Minor
109. Little Suite Cornelius Gunter Minor
110. March Cornelius Gunter C Major
111. Scherzo F Cornelius Gunter F Major
112. Song Of the Hussars Louis Kohler C Major
113. Village Waltz Louis Kohler G Major
114. Chromatic Polka Louis Kohler G Major
115. Short Cannon Konrad M Kunz F Major
116. Short Cannon Konrad M Kunz E Major
117. Short Cannon Konrad M Kunz G Major
118. Short Cannon Konrad M Kunz B Flat Major
119. Morning Prayer PeterTchakowsky
120. Old French Song Peter Schakowsky
121. German Song Peter Schakowsky
122. Italian Song Peter Schakowsky
123. Reverie Peter Schakowsky
124. The Sick Doll Peter Schakowsky
125. Song From the Ceruse Cezar Frank D Minor
126. Pauper’s Complaint Cezar Frank 6
127. Once Upon a Time Robert Volkmann G
128. The Enchanted Garden Robert Volkmann A Minor
129. Dance With Me Robert Volkmann F
130. Over Hill and Dale Robert Volkmann C
131. Playing Soldiers Vladimir Rebikoff C
132. Evening In the Meadow Vladimir Rebikoff D Minor
133. Oriental Dance Vladimir Rebikoff D Minor
134. Tender Moments Alexander Rachmaninoff F
135. Promenade Alexander Rachmaninoff A Minor
136. Fugue In a Classic Style Nicolas Makowski G
137. Three Easy Pieces on Five Notes Igor Stravinsky
138. Tarantella Serge Prokofieff F
139. Humming Dmitri Kabalevsky D Minor
140. First Dance Dmitri Kabalevsky F
141. Little Marco Dimitri Kabalevsky C
142. Chit Chat Dmitri Kabalevsky C
143. Waltz Dmitri Kabalevsky D Minor
144. Tomatina Dmitri Kabalevsky a Menor
145. Prelude Dmitri Kabalevsky G Minor
146. Ride Dmitri Kabalevsky
147. Fairy Tale Dmitri Kabalevsky E Flat
148. Scherzo Dmitri Kabalevsky G Menor
149. Constante Héctor Villa Lobos C
150. Circle Dance Héctor Villa Lobos D Minor
151. Melody Aram Khachaturian C Minor
152. Bella Bartok Pieces
153. Six Miniatures Bela Bartok Bela Bartok C
154. Six Miniatures Bela Bartok A Minor
155. Six Miniatures Bela Bartok C
156. Six Miniatures Bela Bartok Bela Bartok F
157. Six Miniatures Bela Bartok C
158. Six Miniatures Bela Bartok Bela Bartok C
159. Microcosmos Bela Bartok Pieces Vol One
160. Six Unison Melodies
161. Dotted Notes
162. Repetition
163. Syncopation
164. With Alternate Hands
165. Parallel Motion
166. Reflection
167. Change Of Position
168. Question and Answers
169. Village Song
170. Parallel Motion and Change of Position.
171. Contrary Motion Capture
172. Four Unison Melodies
173. Imitation And Counterpoint
174. Imitation And Inversion
175. Pastorale
176. Imitation And Inversion
177. Repetition
178. Syncopation
179. Canon At the Octave
180. Imitation Reflected.
181. Canon At The Lowest Fifth
182. Little Dance in Canon Form
183. In Dorian Mode
184. Slow Dance
185. In Phrygian Mode
186. Chorale
187. Free Canon
188. Appendix
189. Disco For Elise Beethoven
190. In May Franz Behr C
191. The Clock Ada Richer G
192. Woodland Walz Franz Gwyn C
193. Copycat Audell Thompson C
194. The Snake Charmer William Gunn A Minor
195. Minuet JS Bach
196. Soldier’s March Robert Schumann
197. Minuet 1 Mozart
198. Parade Of the Midget Elizabeth L. Hopson
199. Beethoven Sonatina No 1 C
200. Indian Drum Kathrin K Davis E Minor
201. The Merry Farmer Robert Schumann F
202. Waltz M Louis Wright Louis Wright B Flat
203. Dreamland Katherine Allan Lively D Minor
204. The Wild Horseman Robert Schumann C
205. The Swimming Pool Myrla Adler F
206. L’ Avalanche Stephen Heller A Minor
207. Around The Hills Mabel Lewis Caine Lewis Cave F
208. Prelude 1 C Wes Bach C
209. Spooks Maxwell Eksteen A Minor
210. Spinning Song Albert Glimmerier F
211. A Melody After Mendelssohn Louis Wright
212. Beethoven's Sonatina One F
213. Veil Lance Louis Wright F Minor
214. Under The Rose Arbor Theodora Dutton F
215. Blue Danube Waltz Johann Strauss C
216. Elfin Dance Edvard Grieg Edvard Grieg E Minor
217. Menuetto Iosco Joseph Haydn C
218. In The Gypsy Camp Franz Behr, A Minor
219. Pipes Of Pan B Flat
220. Toccata Pietro Domenico Paradies A Meno
221. Fur Elise C Edited the Version.
222. Serenade Franz Schubert D Minor
223. Rustic Dance C.R. Howard G Minor
224. From A Birch Canoe Richard Bender E Flat
225. Tarantella Paul Beaumont A Minor
226. Two Butterflies Myra Adler C
227. Loose Blatter Flying Leaves Car Killing D
228. Chopin Prelude No. 6
229. Chopin Prelude No. 7
230. Venetian Boat Song Nu 2 Mendelssohn
231. None But the Lonely Heart Tchaikovsky A Minor
232. Christmas Tchaikovsky A Flat
233. Le Tambourine Jean Philippe Rameau D Minor
234. Berceuse Lullaby a Links B Flat Minor.
235. Cradle Song Weigelia Brahms a Flat
236. Waltz Brahms A Flat
237. Simple Aveu /Simple Confession Francis Theme D Major
238. Gps Rondo Haydn G
239. Pizzicatos Leo Delius a Flat
240. Bridal Chorus Lohengrin Wagner B Flat
241. Barcarolle Offenbach F
242. Au Matin Benjamin Godard E Flat
243. Dark Eyes Russian Folk Song Richard Benda D Minor
244. Fur Elise a Minor Beethoven
245. Wagner Bratcher A Minor
246. The Maiden’s Prayer T Barczewski
247. Humoresque A Dvorak
248. Petit Chien Chopan
249. Turkish March Beethoven
250. Cuckoo Waltz Je Johansson
251. Blumen Lied G Lange
252. The Battle of Waterloo G Anderson
253. Chausson de l-Adieu E Major -Very Challenging Piece
254. Csikos Post H Necked E Minor
255. Marche Military F Schubert
256. Hochzeitsmarsch Mendelssohn
257. Crisco Post H Nike
258. Alpeenabendroite T Oresten Challenging.
259. Woodland Echoes Ap Wyman Challenging
260. Traumerei Richard Schuman Easier
261. Die Schmid Im Walden Th Michelle
262. Silvery Waves Ap Wykes
263. Waves Of The Danube J Ivanovic
264. Brahms Hungarian Dance Number 5
265. Invitation To The Dance Cm Weber
266. Dance Of The Clocks A Porcellio Challenging
267. Piano Concerto Theme Gregg Is Not as Complicated as I Thought.
268. Bagatelle Beethoven - Nailed It.
269. Norwegian Dance E Grieg
270. Solberg’s Song E Grieg
271. Mazurka Chopin
272. Nocturne Chopin
273. La Cinquinaine G Marie A
274. Borowski G Celeste
275. Placer D’amour Marital Tedesco
276. Gavotte Bach G
277. Sigmund’s Love Song G Wagner
278. Polka Tchaikovsky
279. Clementi Six Sonatinas
280. Clementi Six Sonatinas
281. Clementi Six Sonatinas
282. Clementi Six Sonatinas
283. Clementi Six Sonatinas
284. Clementi Sonatinas
285. Clementi Six Sonatinas
286. Schumann Kinderszenen G Major
287. A Curious Story D Major
288. Catch Me, D Major.
289. Entreating Child D Major
290. Perfect Happiness D Major
291. An Important Event A Major
292. Dreaming F Major
293. By The Fireplace
294. Knight Of the Rocking Chair
295. Too Serious
296. Frightening
297. The Child Falling Asleep.
298. The Poet Speaks.
299. Melody
300. Humming Song
301. Ein Choral
302. A Little Piece
303. The Poor Orphan Child
304. Merry Peasant Returning to His Work.
305. Sicilian
306. Old Bogie
307. May Month of May
308. A Little Study G
309. Spring Song E
310. First Sorrow G
311. The Little Morning Wanderer A
312. The Reaper’s Song C
313. Little Romance C
314. Rustic Song A
315. Ronde A
316. The Horseman F
317. Harvest Song A Min
318. Reminiscences Of the Theater A Min
319. Canon A Min
320. Remembrance A Min
321. The Stranger D Minor.
322. War Song D Minor
323. Sherardize
324. Gathering Of the Grapes
325. Thema
326. Mignon
327. Italian Mariner’s Song Lied Italian Mariana
328. Sailor’s Song
329. Wintertime One
330. Wintertime Two
331. A Little Fugue
332. Fingered Choral
333. New Year’s Eve
334. Northern Song
335. Sonata For the Young G
336. Theme And Variation G
337. Doll’s Cradle C
338. Rondoletto D Minor
339. Friendly Landscape
340. The Wayside Inn
341. Prophetic Bird
342. Hunting Song
343. The Departure
344. Summer Song
345. Little Cracle Song
346. Papillons 1 To 3
347. Robert Schumann Humming Song
348. Jean Sibelius A Hymn from Finland
349. Michale Glinka The Lark
350. Jes Bach March
351. Francis Couperin Rigaudon
352. Francis Couperin The King’s Crest of Viols
353. Jes Bach Be Thou with Me
354. Bela Bartok Teasing
355. Gluck Gavotte
356. Schumann First Sorrow
357. Edward Poldini Waltz of The Mice
358. Bela Bartok Ritual Dance
359. Vladmirrebikoff The Wandering Musicians
360. Robert Schumann Cradle Song
361. Edwardo Poldini Waltz Serenade
362. Vladmirrebikoff Legende
363. Karganoff Petite Valse
364. Chopin Prelude E Menor
365. Gf Han Del Sarabanda
366. Beethoven's Three German Dances
367. Wa Mozart Menuetto
368. Jean Philip Rameau Little Rondo
369. Phillip Emmanuel Bach Piece Right or Left Hand Alone
370. Joseph Hayden Scherzo
371. Leopold Mozart Minuet
372. George Phillip Telemann Prelude
373. Jes Bach Prelude C Major
374. Robert Schumann Little Study
375. Robert Schuman Song of The Reaper
376. Frederick Burgmueller Pastorale
377. Joseph Hayden Allegretto
378. Jes Bach Prelude F Major A
379. Edmund Grubber the Caissons Go Rolling Along
380. Arkansas Traveler
381. Red River Valley
382. Coming Through the Rye
383. Henry Ghys Amaryllis
384. Beethoven, I Love the Ich Liebe Dich
385. Ethelbert Nevin The Rosary
386. Gf Handel Minuet
387. Joseph Haydn Minuet and Trio
388. Beethoven's Allegretto from the 7th Symphony
389. Joesph Haydn Andantino
390. Joseph Haydn Minuet
391. Erie Satie Gumnopedie No 2
392. Aram Khahaturian Oriental Dance
393. Sergei Prokofieff Rainbows in The Rain
394. Harry Warren September in The Rain
395. Gus Edwards In My Merry Oldsmobile
396. Billy Rose Barney Google
397. Louis Silver April Shadows
398. Harry Arlen, I Love a Parade
399. Max Steiner Raras Teme
400. Ag Villodo El Choclo
401. Joseph Haydn Hymn to Saint Anthony
402. Luigi Boccherini Minuet
403. Charles Gounod Ballet from Faust
404. Charles Gounod Funeral March of a Marriott
405. Anthony Dvorak Indian legend
406. Rimsky Korsakoff Scheherazade
407. Felix Mendelson Nocturne from Midsummer Night’s Dream
408. Peter Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet
409. JS Bach Gavotte
410. Mozart Piano Sonata in C Major
411. Bedrich Smetana Polka and Friant
412. Franz Schubert Waltz
413. Felix Mendelson Consolation
414. Rimsky Korsakoff the flight of the Bumblebee
415. Bredich Smetana Prelude album #6
416. Eduard Poldini Poupe Vasanta
417. Edward McDowell a Moon Idyl C
418. AntaoleLiadoff the Music Box A major
419. CH Gluck Air from Orfeo e Eurdice
420. Vladimir Rebikoff In the Mill
421. Frederick Chopin Mazurka B Flat Major
422. Peter Tschiowsky Song of the Lark
423. Caesar Cui Petite Valse
424. JS Bach Gavotte from 5th French Suite
425. JS Bach – Polonaise from the French Suite

technical note –

                   This time around I have started analyzing the music before I play it noting the music areas to pay attention to including key, key changes, registry changes, very high and very low notes which are hard for me to read, and repetition patterns. I found that this simple step has paid off in helping me play a lot better and I feel my skills are returning to where they were when I last played about seven years ago. I am sure I will achieve my lifelong goal of reaching semi-professional level playing within a few years.

         I highly recommend this tip, playing each hand separately first when doing complicated counterpoint like in Bach, and listening, when possible, to the music you are going to play on YouTube while reading the score, to anyone returning to playing music.

Alzheimer's Prevention

         I heard a long time ago that playing music, learning languages, and doing mental games like crossword puzzles every day is the best thing you can do to ward off the dreaded Dementia or Alzheimer’s. Since my mother died of Alzheimer’s I am at increased risk. I have been doing all three for almost a year now, playing the piano, studying Korean via Duolingo and watching K Dramas, doing daily writing prompts, writing three to five poems or short stories per day every day, and writing down my dreams and journal entries writing three to four hours every day, and weekly blog postings, instead of crossword puzzles.


You Can Do It

         I am posting this as an encouragement to others reaching retirement who have always wanted to resume playing an instrument to just go for it. You can do it and the rewards will be immeasurable.