Week 2: Let us play Transcriptions and Arrangements 
Welcome to the Main Thread for the first week of the transcription challenge! This is the place for the Week 2 Submissions!
- Make sure you've read the guidelines before replying (<- click)
- Watch the kickoff livestream for help with the first section!
If you want to describe your process (optional), feel free to use the following template.
- Things you found easy:
- Things you found difficult:
- (Optional): a video of you performing it!
- (Optional:) questions
↓ Reply below with your Progress Update and Questions! ↓
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Schumann's Traumerei (update Jan 14)
I have continued to work on this beautiful music. In the A and A' sections, I made some small changes in the fingerings that I think improve it a bit. The big change is in second phrase the B section (measures 13-16). I had been playing the melody an octave lower, but now I have it back up where Schumann (and Tarrega) put it, which I think is more musically effective. I'm still a little wary in this section, but I got through it here.
Also, I am now playing it without a score. This happened the natural way - just from practicing it so much that I have it memorized. I'm sure that a live performance of it, however, would completely knock the whole thing out of my memory!
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Eric Phillips Wow! beautiful. I agree that the higher registers are more effective in the B section - and a lot more difficult - especially as you move across the neck. Well done.
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joosje Thanks, Joosje! I didn't hear the sound until I listened with headphones. I'm not sure where that's coming from. Maybe Martin would know what I did wrong.
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Hélène Beaulieu Thank you, Helene! You definitely should try it.
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Jack Stewart Thank you, Jack! The four-string bar at the 11th fret was nearly impossible for me to do at first, but it became playable with practice. Still challenging, mind you, but playable.
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Eric Phillips fantastic Eric. This is well worth all of the effort you must have put in to get such a performance. I really enjoyed listening to it
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Derek Thank you, Derek! Definitely worth the effort.
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Eric Phillips Awesome Eric! Like you I used to memorize pieces as I play them and I think it's an effective way, and once memorized it's so easier to bring life to all those notes!
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Blaise Laflamme Thank you, Blaise!
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Here's one I started on last week. A couple of hesitations and it needs more practice. For those that don't recognise it, a piece called Take 5 from the 1950s written by jazz saxophonist Paul Desmond who played and recorded it with the Dave Brubeck quartet.
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Derek Very cool, Derek! I know it well. It’s gotta be the best tune ever written in 5/4. I used to have the whole album (Time Out).
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Derek Very cool indeed Derek, wow... that's great you're sharing this with us!
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Derek I love this musik Derek!!!!!!! great to hear it in guitar .....from youuuu!
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Derek Great Derek. That is a classic piece.
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Derek I am agin listening to you. Which transcription are you playing? is quite good1 in´T it? I want to buy it
gracias -
Nora Torres-Nagel thank you Nora. It is from the ABRSM grade 5 examination booklet. There are some other nice pieces in the book. If you saw the Snow Globe video that I played with Gokce and posted in the Christmas challenge that is in there plus a nice little Waltz by Tatiana Stachak etc here is a link to the book but you could probably buy it elsewhere: https://www.musicroom.com/guitar-exam-pieces-from-2019-grade-5-book-9781848499911
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Jack Stewart thanks Jack
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Blaise Laflamme thanks Blaise
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Eric Phillips thanks Eric. I don't really know the rest of the album - must listen to it
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Derek Blue Rondo Alla Turk is particularly interesting for Mozart fans.
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Eric Phillips Hi Eric - I think I've heard it - I've got a great recording of John Williams playing a guitar transcription of the Turkish Rondo - there's a challenge for you!
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Derek I could probably play it blindfolded, with one arm tied behind my back.
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Derek thanks Derek ! I will
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Mozart's Il Mio Tesoro (arr. Pratten)
Here is an arrangement of an aria from Don Giovanni found in Catherina Pratten's "Guitar School" (score attached, but the whole book is easily found on IMSLP). Any chance we have to play some of Mozart's music on the guitar is a real privilege.
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Eric Phillips I was listening to Andras Schiff on YouTube and noticed the next video in line was some guitarist playing a Mozart Aria. I looked closer and thought 'wait, I know that guy'. Very nice indeed.
I assume you are familiar with Sor's settings of 6 songs from the Magic Flute?
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Jack Stewart Thanks, Jack. I am familiar with the Sor. I’ve managed to play all of the variations but the last one and the coda. I’m not too good at high velocity.
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
