Week 4: Harmonic Heights 
Welcome to the Main Thread for the fourth week of "The Transcriptions" practice challenge!
- Make sure you've read the guidelines before replying!
- Watch the kickoff livestream!
Pick a transcription that was originally composed for another instrument, like piano or violin. Don't be afraid to choose a challenging piece or explore works from composers you haven't played before.
Commit to practicing daily and share your progress with the community. Aim to practice every day and post at least two videos per week showcasing your progress. This will help you stay motivated and accountable, and also allow you to share your transcription journey with others. Whether you're tackling a complex piece, refining your skills with a piece you already play, or experimenting with new playing techniques, the community is here to support you and celebrate your achievements.
Share your favorite piece that you would like to see transcribed or your favorite recording of a transcription. This will not only inspire others in the community but also provide a rich resource of ideas for everyone to explore. Plus, it's a great way to celebrate the creativity and artistry involved in adapting music from one instrument to another.
↓ Happy Sharing! ↓
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I have a project to create an all Albeniz program where I play the same pieces on guitar and piano. I'm just returning from vacation, so I haven't had time to brush up and record Granada on piano, although I've played it through some. I agree with Albeniz that Granada seems to feel more at home on the guitar. Years ago, I played the Segovia edition. This is Barrueco's transcription and I think it allows for more legato playing.
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Marilyn Blodget That's gorgeous, Marilyn. And what an ambitious but interesting project for a dual-instrument recital. I've always been fascinated by how different the pieces on depending on the instrument. Like hearing Asturias by Alicia de Larrocha and Ana Vidovic... it has a completely different feel. Congrats and good luck with the project.
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Steve Price Thanks Steve! It is interesting that the physicality and tonal response of the two instruments give me a very different emotional response to the experience of performing.
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Marilyn Blodget this is marvelous Marilyn! You have achieved very legato melody and have mastered the piece on the guitar.
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Khiem Nguyen
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Marilyn Blodget Thank you Khiem!
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Marilyn Blodget This is wonderfully played, Marilyn. Your tone and phrasing are beautiful. Great job.
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Marilyn Blodget I love this piece, the first time I heard it was during the pandemic when I first discovered David Russell. Wonderful playing and thanks for sharing!
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Marilyn Blodget that’s great playing, Marilyn. Beautiful. Do you have a preference when you are playing the pieces on both instruments? It feels (to me) more like the piano version is the transcription, and the guitar version the original. You play it so well. Thank you for sharing…
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Marilyn Blodget Beautiful!
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Dale Needles Thanks Dale!
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joosje Thanks Joosje! I agree with you that Granada sounds like it was composed for the guitar. Albeniz wrote this in 1886 during a stay in Granada where he would have been strongly influenced by the guitar culture. The piano score begins in F, while the guitar transcription is in E. Because the guitar sounds an octave lower than it is written, it is much more mellow. The repeated chords are obviously a guitar accompaniment.
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Jack Stewart Thank you Jack!
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don Thanks Don!
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Marilyn Blodget Bravo Marilyn! Absolutely magnificent! I learned Barrueco's transcription as well about 30 years ago for my senior recital (have forgotten how to play it since), so I can appreciate the difficulty of this piece - especially mm. 29-30 where you have to hold the E augmented chord while playing the E with your forth finger. That's an impossible stretch for me. You handle it masterfully. It probably helps being able to play it on the piano. In fact, I'm curious if you have a preference - guitar or piano?
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Steve Pederson Thank you Steve. I love them both—they are two different experiences. Albeniz was definitely imitating the guitar with the broken chords, and bel canto in the B section. I can tell you that the piano is easier for me to play.
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Just realised it is 4 weeks now. Is too short..
Doctor Gradus,
I've been making small but steady improvement. I tried practicing in 3 sections using the metronome. I tried various speed per practice section and the moment I catch myself thinking of what to eat or what to do after I know I can increase tempo again.
My target is 75bpm but at the moment I'm only at 55-57.
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
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don This is coming along very well Don! A lovely piece. I’ve not heard it before. And I agree. 4 weeks is long enough for an introduction to a piece, but not long enough for mastery.
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don this is coming along very nicely Don! Good playing!
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don This is coming along really well, Don. This is a great challenge. I think this will sound beautiful on guitar when you put it all together.
I just listen to Paul Galbraith's version - WOW!
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Jack Stewart Thanks Jack! I've not heard of that version before but really wow.
Khiem Nguyen Marilyn Blodget Thank you!
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don well done, Don. Good piece and fine playing sofar. yes, challenging enough. I hope you will continue and keep us posted….
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don This is really great Don. You're in that spot where you've made tremendous progress, but are still working on getting it to settle in where you want it to be. That's difficult, but you've got great momentum and should be really proud of what you've accomplished so far! Way to go!
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Steve Pederson thank you!
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Lascia Ch'io Pianga (From "Rinaldo") - George Frideric Handel
I've been practicing this piece for a week now. Although it's not too technically difficult, I still kept making mistakes, hesitated, and experienced memory slips. Nonetheless, I wanted to share my progress with you all, and sorry for ruining this beautiful piece.
