Thank you so much for sharing your practice! I'll definitely come back to this video a whole bunch when I finally get around learning this Sonata. One of my favorites by Rachmaninoff. Good luck on your recital!
really nice video! the fact that you talk throughout the entire video make it so interesting to watch (this is your first video recommened to me). I'm looking forward to the other movements
I really like the video and the format you made for it, it's awesome to hear you practice, your thoughts and seeing the score. Also, loved the sonata, I hadn't heard it never before
Im too learning this Sonata and my god... prob the most I've struggled with a piece. Prior to this I knew Chopin's Bb min sonata, and Liszt's Sonata even the latter wasnt as difficult as Rach's 2nd.
Thank you so much for all the effort you put into making this video. Watching your proces has been so helpful to me as a pianist (and a procrastinator, lol) I had to sub!
I'm an aspiring pianist who hopes to play Rachmaninoff one day. This video was amazing to watch, you make it look so easy and effortless. How many years of practice did it take to get to this point? I've been playing the piano for three years now, and I'm not even remotely close to your level, but I'll keep at it! ALSO -- I am thoroughly impressed by your SIX HOUR practice regimen!! I feel like an hour and a half is the most I can do at a time.
That’s great to hear. I always admire people who take up learning the piano entirely on their own. It’s not an easy feat. I started playing the piano since I was 4 years old. I recently graduated my Bachelors degree in piano so I’ve dedicated wayy too much time into practicing 😭 close to 20 years… But keep at it! You will be able to play Rachmaninoff’s pieces sooner than you think. Every practice session counts!
Thanks for sharing ! Just subscribed :) May I ask how much time you’ve already spent on this piece ? I’m currently struggling with Op.39 n.6 and I feel like my learning is taking forever. My point is not really to compare, but rather getting an idea of how efficient one can be, and what is actually realistic
I was 2 months into learning this sonata when I shot this video which may sound like a lot of time, but I always aim to learn each movement of a sonata at the same pace to maintain a slow but steady progress. Although the video doesn't show it, my fluency in the 2nd and 3rd movements roughly matched what I showed in the video. When learning Rachmaninoff, it also helps a ton to memorise the harmonic progressions (chunks of notes) rather than trying to memorise his individual notes. Don't let the amount of notes in his music trick you into losing the general harmonic and melodic structure. Hope this helps 😄
Great video! I’ve learned and performed the original 2nd sonata numerous times and have never thought it to be much more difficult than the revised. What about the original do you think is so much more challenging?
The sonata itself is challenging, so comparing the original and revised versions is like comparing apples to apples. But for me, the developmental sections in the original make the biggest difference. Even though I think the revision was unnecessary, I prefer the version I can perform better for my exam.
To me the hardest thing will always be to start the 3rd mvt because the end of the 2nd is so emotionally poignant that I'm already all spent when finishing it, no more gas left for the huge finale 😞.
This was a huge problem for me too. I have nothing left especially going into the massive coda of the 3rd movement. My only solution for this was to perform the whole sonata from beginning to end repeatedly to increase my stamina. This was honestly more tiring than going to the gym. Also, controlling your energy and pace before the 3rd mvt was also pretty important.
I feel like most pianists struggle with this to a certain degree. A lot of people undermine sight reading until they realise you need it to learn new pieces. So I would recommend trying exercises to improve your sight reading. Or better yet, try learning a lot of new (easy) songs that you enjoy playing but the most important thing is that you increase your exposure to new notes. Hope this helps.
The original 1913 version is a lot harder. After hearing recordings of it by Freddy Kempf, Zoltan Kocsis and Yakov Kasman, I will never again listen to the thinned down revised version. Rachmaninoff only revised it because he was afraid many wouldn't be able to play it - which was the case with some of his other piano music.
I agree that the revised version feels like it's missing a lot of interesting ideas and motifs. Through the journey of learning this massive work, I too only listened to recordings of the 1913 version and kept going back and forth from the 1913 score and this one which helped me a lot. But looking at the practical side, it's almost as if Rachmaninoff thinned down the revised version so that students like me will be able to play it 😂
Thank you so much for sharing your practice! I'll definitely come back to this video a whole bunch when I finally get around learning this Sonata. One of my favorites by Rachmaninoff. Good luck on your recital!
Thank you so much
really nice video! the fact that you talk throughout the entire video make it so interesting to watch (this is your first video recommened to me). I'm looking forward to the other movements
Thank you for tuning into my channel and thanks for your insight. Maybe I'll start making more of these videos in the future.
its not at all boring to me!!! seeing the score and listening is enough for me
From Jack, Kazu, Blake, Jules, Kasino, Alex, Zane
(Also you owe Alex $50 for food)
I really like the video and the format you made for it, it's awesome to hear you practice, your thoughts and seeing the score. Also, loved the sonata, I hadn't heard it never before
Im too learning this Sonata and my god... prob the most I've struggled with a piece. Prior to this I knew Chopin's Bb min sonata, and Liszt's Sonata even the latter wasnt as difficult as Rach's 2nd.
Keep up the good work and content!💪
Thank you so much for all the effort you put into making this video. Watching your proces has been so helpful to me as a pianist (and a procrastinator, lol) I had to sub!
also it's really nice watching u deal with the same voicing issues i'm currently struggling with in rachmaninoff 39/5
*rachmainoff issues 😔
you got this bro!!!💪
Thanks
Thanks
Thanks
I'm an aspiring pianist who hopes to play Rachmaninoff one day. This video was amazing to watch, you make it look so easy and effortless. How many years of practice did it take to get to this point? I've been playing the piano for three years now, and I'm not even remotely close to your level, but I'll keep at it! ALSO -- I am thoroughly impressed by your SIX HOUR practice regimen!! I feel like an hour and a half is the most I can do at a time.
That’s great to hear. I always admire people who take up learning the piano entirely on their own. It’s not an easy feat. I started playing the piano since I was 4 years old. I recently graduated my Bachelors degree in piano so I’ve dedicated wayy too much time into practicing 😭 close to 20 years…
But keep at it! You will be able to play Rachmaninoff’s pieces sooner than you think. Every practice session counts!
I am worried for you.... 2 more months to go..... U need to push.....I am rooting for you
Thank you for your concern 😭 I'll be uploading my performance version on it soon, so please stay tuned to judge whether I made it through well or not.
11:08 You sound exactly like me when I don't want to practise a specific part, but I know I need to xD
Thanks for sharing ! Just subscribed :)
May I ask how much time you’ve already spent on this piece ? I’m currently struggling with Op.39 n.6 and I feel like my learning is taking forever. My point is not really to compare, but rather getting an idea of how efficient one can be, and what is actually realistic
I was 2 months into learning this sonata when I shot this video which may sound like a lot of time, but I always aim to learn each movement of a sonata at the same pace to maintain a slow but steady progress. Although the video doesn't show it, my fluency in the 2nd and 3rd movements roughly matched what I showed in the video.
When learning Rachmaninoff, it also helps a ton to memorise the harmonic progressions (chunks of notes) rather than trying to memorise his individual notes. Don't let the amount of notes in his music trick you into losing the general harmonic and melodic structure. Hope this helps 😄
How long have you been working on it? already sound so good
Great video! I’ve learned and performed the original 2nd sonata numerous times and have never thought it to be much more difficult than the revised. What about the original do you think is so much more challenging?
The sonata itself is challenging, so comparing the original and revised versions is like comparing apples to apples. But for me, the developmental sections in the original make the biggest difference. Even though I think the revision was unnecessary, I prefer the version I can perform better for my exam.
To me the hardest thing will always be to start the 3rd mvt because the end of the 2nd is so emotionally poignant that I'm already all spent when finishing it, no more gas left for the huge finale 😞.
This was a huge problem for me too. I have nothing left especially going into the massive coda of the 3rd movement. My only solution for this was to perform the whole sonata from beginning to end repeatedly to increase my stamina. This was honestly more tiring than going to the gym. Also, controlling your energy and pace before the 3rd mvt was also pretty important.
Do you ever have trouble sight reading or learning these hard pieces? This is one of the main struggles that I am facing right now. Great Video👍
I feel like most pianists struggle with this to a certain degree. A lot of people undermine sight reading until they realise you need it to learn new pieces. So I would recommend trying exercises to improve your sight reading. Or better yet, try learning a lot of new (easy) songs that you enjoy playing but the most important thing is that you increase your exposure to new notes. Hope this helps.
Bonne courage
this is also a study on discipline and focus.... inspite of the unscheduled trip to the convenient store!!!!!!
The original 1913 version is a lot harder. After hearing recordings of it by Freddy Kempf, Zoltan Kocsis and Yakov Kasman, I will never again listen to the thinned down revised version. Rachmaninoff only revised it because he was afraid many wouldn't be able to play it - which was the case with some of his other piano music.
I agree that the revised version feels like it's missing a lot of interesting ideas and motifs. Through the journey of learning this massive work, I too only listened to recordings of the 1913 version and kept going back and forth from the 1913 score and this one which helped me a lot.
But looking at the practical side, it's almost as if Rachmaninoff thinned down the revised version so that students like me will be able to play it 😂
keep it up
give us some practice techniques ;)
In the beginning I thought my computer screen was malfunctioning 🙃
Hahaha sorry 😭 its something to do with the led lights at my uni and my camera. I’m not sure how to fix it