Week 4: Harvest Melodies
As the air gets crisper and the days grow shorter, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the beauty and transition that autumn brings. We're excited to introduce our newest community challenge: "Music of the Fall"! This is your chance to explore pieces that capture the essence of this season – whether they evoke the feeling of change, a fresh beginning, or the quiet nostalgia of falling leaves.
What’s the Challenge?
Select a guitar piece that you personally associate with the change of seasons or the idea of starting anew. This could be a work that resonates with autumnal moods, melodies that conjure up images of falling leaves, or pieces that mark a new chapter in your musical journey.
Suggested Themes:
- Transition: Pieces that reflect change or transformation.
- New Beginnings: Works that symbolize starting something new, like a new season in life or music.
- Autumnal Mood: Music that captures the essence of fall – perhaps something contemplative, warm, or even bittersweet.
Timeline:
- Start: October 1st
- End: November 13th
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My third and final submission of this piece. Learning has often been a 'one-step forwards, two-steps' back journey for me. I'm not entirely sure if this version is better. I tried to speed up the scale sections. Annoyingly, the mind goes blank every now and then and struggles to synchronize with the fingers. As a result, I fumbled through at various points. But hey, I'm enjoying the process. And this challenge has been a joy to participate in, with so many beautiful submissions from fellow members.
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Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary Very pretty piece and very nicely played.
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Debbie Thank you, Debbie.
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Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary Beautiful! I really enjoyed your playing!
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Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary That is sounding so good, Nijwm! That is one piece I think you should keep in your repertoire, for sure.
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Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary this is sounding better each time and more in control, even if not everything is at the same level. You're reaching a point where some stuff, like the scales, has to be worked and cleaned up separately to keep the overall shape, but as Eric said this is definitely a piece you should keep in your repertoire, bravo!
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Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary Beautifully played Nijwm. This just keeps getting better.
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I can't believe it's the last day of the challenge. I'm getting this in just under the wire. I've been workin on Milonga del Viento (Milonga of the wind) has a nice flowing feel - which I'm still working on. I'd like to increase the tempo, memorize it better so I can eliminate some of the hesitations and play more it more freely. I'm still working on sustaining some of the higher notes in a few of the chords which I find challenging.
I look forward to having a listen to everyone else's submissions.
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Debbie 30 days isn't enough to learn a new piece, is it? At least not for me
But you played it beautifully, lovely tone, balanced harmonically and the notes are connected well with legato. Enjoyed listening to it. -
Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary thanks Nijwm! I agree it’s not long enough. But I plan to keep working on this piece. I really love it.
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Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary Well, GOOD NEWS, because we need to postpone the watch party, so I am adding 2 more weeks to this challenge! No excuse anymore!
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martin
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Debbie what a lovely piece, and you play it very well! It might be fun to consider more contrast- in dynamics but also tone color. Now we have two more weeks!
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Marilyn Blodget thanks Marilyn!
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Debbie Beautiful, Debbie! I find milongas to be hypnotic.
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Eric Phillips Thanks Eric! I'm looking forward to workin on it more over the next two weeks.
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martin You bad bad man, Martin
.I was trying to make do with my last recording. Now, I'll have to work more. Perhaps, I can squeeze a little bit more to produce another recording. -
Debbie You already play this very well Debbie, it flows so nicely. Thank you for sharing music by Morel, I very like what he's doing!
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Blaise Laflamme Thank you Blaise! It needs a bit more expression now and a bit faster tempo so I look forward to working on that and will update my progress along the way.
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Debbie I'm sure you'll reach that by then end of the challenge, I'm looking forward to your next iteration.
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Debbie This is beautiful, Debbie, both the piece and your playing. I don't know this piece but it has a haunting beauty. Thanks for sharing.
BTW I hope those are just Halloween decorations on the wall behind you (and not the shrunken heads of people who didn't silence their phones during one of your concerts.
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Jack Stewart Thanks Jack!
Halloween decorations for my students. This is where I sit when I do my online teaching. I thought it would be festive! 
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Hello everybody, I need to postpone the Watch Party, so we will add two more weeks to this beautiful challenge!
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martin great news, Martin!
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Martin OMG... two more weeks!
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Schumann Winterzeit (Post Herbstzeit?) op 68.38 update
This is a bit better but still rough. with a few stumble. I've been listening to Alexis Weissenberg for phrasing, not that one could tell. But it does give me a good model to follow.
