Week 3: Melodic Meanderings!
Welcome to the Main Thread for the third week of "Etude Extravaganza" practice challenge!
- Choose an etude from a composer that captures your interest. It could be a soothing Sor etude, a technical Giuliani masterpiece, a Carcassi finger exercise, a harmonically rich Brouwer composition, or a rhythmically challenging Villa-Lobos piece. You're encouraged to experiment with pieces from composers you're not accustomed to or push your boundaries with a technically demanding work.
- Commit to regular practice and share your journey with the community. Aim to practice daily and upload at least two videos per week to showcase your progress. This will not only aid in keeping you dedicated and motivated but also enables you to share your musical journey with our tonebase family.
- Share your favorite etude or recording that epitomizes the concept of "Etude Extravaganza." Your submission will serve as inspiration for others and construct a vibrant repertoire of potential pieces for fellow members to explore.
↓ Happy Sharing! ↓
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Sor – Selections from Opus 60
Of all of Sor’s sets of studies, perhaps my favorite is opus 60. Not only are they the easiest to play (which does not mean that they are easy), but I really enjoy them musically as well. It was hard picking my favorites, but for this video, I settled on the following:
- Number 6 – With great fear and trembling, I have changed many of Sor’s fingerings. It makes it harder, but I like the musical effects. Let me know what you think.
- Number 12 – I love the chromaticism and contrary motion in this one.
- Number 14 – It’s in a minor key, so it’s a nice change. I also really like the phrasing in this one.
- Number 16 – I don’t know exactly why, but this may be favorite of all of Sor’s studies. There is something very satisfying about playing it.
- Number 22 – Many people add slurs and glissandi to the melody line, but I prefer not to do that. The use of A# in the melody gives this one a unique flavor.
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Eric Phillips Amazing Eric! Thank you for #19, I really like the way you've played both of them. Time's running out a bit on this challenge but I think we have 1 more week, right? I think I can manage to record one I'm interested in for some time.
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Eric Phillips Nice selection, and very nicely played Eric. As for Sor's fingerings, personally I never change them. (I'm no virtuoso, but at least I'm virtuous ...) Just kidding! Sometimes I find I just can't manage Sor's approach to the left hand. (As Eduardo Fernandez explains here on ToneBase,, Sor regarded the basic positions on the fingerboard as comprising five rather than four frets - so the left hand fingers tend to be rather extended. I find that too fatiguing. Of course, your changes here are made for different reasons. They seem to work perfectly well. (And, I must say, I find the logic of Sor's legato indications difficult to grasp, specially in number 22. There doesn't seem to be any consistency of purpose, either technical or musical. I do wonder whether the slurs were added, rather inexpertly, by the editor/publisher - or worse yet, the type-setter!)
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Eric Phillips
Nice selection, and very nicely played Eric. As for Sor's fingerings, personally I never change them. (I'm no virtuoso, but at least I'm virtuous ...) Just kidding! Sometimes I find I just can't manage Sor's approach to the left hand. (As Eduardo Fernandez explains here on ToneBase,, Sor regarded the basic positions on the fingerboard as comprising five rather than four frets - so the left hand fingers tend to be rather extended. I find that too fatiguing. Of course, your changes here are made for different reasons. They seem to work perfectly well. (And, I must say, I find the logic of Sor's legato indications difficult to grasp, specially in number 22. There doesn't seem to be any consistency of purpose, either technical or musical. I do wonder whether the slurs were added, rather inexpertly, by the editor/publisher - or worse yet, the type-setter!)
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David Krupka Thanks, David. You may be right about number 22. I simply like the sound better when I ignore the slur markings. One edition I have (ed. Grimes) does just that. In the case of number 6, some of my changes are actually adding slurs to most (all?) of the appoggiaturas, just to bring them out more. I could make the argument that Sor did not do this only because he was writing a study for (relative) beginners, who would find such fingerings very difficult. That's what I'm going with, at least.
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Eric Phillips You play those so beautifully and comfortably! A real pleasure to listen to. Thanks for sharing! I can tell you really enjoy them.
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Eric Phillips Wow very nice music. Thanks Eric for sharing your work.... I should say passion
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Eric Phillips Blaise Laflamme
Well done Eric. I agree with Blaise that the #19 is very beautiful. Thanks for all that work.
We are all looking forward to Blaise next Sor contribution
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Andre Bernier we'll see next week... and also there's a new Carcassi challenge starting then a study of him would match 2 challenges!
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Eric Phillips Wow, just amazing Eric! Such a pleasure to listen to as I’m riding along through the rolling green fields of Wisconsin (with my wife driving, of course)!
I actually have never heard any of these etudes before, so it was a real treat. I can’t comment on 6, as I’ve nothing to compare it to. 12 sounded a bit like a Bach piece. I loved the cadences in #14. I see why you like #16. Some nice flourishes, or “fills”, in that one! 22 was a nice topper-offer, if that’s a term. You’re tone and articulation remained consistent throughout. If there was any part that was more difficult than the others it sure didn’t show. You make it all look fun and effortless!
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Steve Pederson Thanks Steve for listening and for the kind comments!
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Back home after 4 weeks of vacation spent with friends and family all over France.
I dare to post my VL 5. It’s a piece I like a lot, but, though it looks simple and is not technically very complicated it’s still not so easy to perform fluently. I will try to post a follow up next week (after my daughter’s wedding)….
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joosje Such a beautiful Etude. Well done and I look forward to the next rendition, but it is already sounding very good and very musical. Also, congrats on your daughter's wedding!
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joosje Great work on a very challenging piece of music. You separate the voices very effectively. Welcome home and all the best to your family!
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joosje solid foundation you already have for this piece that is not as simple as it seems, I hope you'll post an update on it. I hope you vacation were good and congrats on the upcoming wedding!
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joosje Very nicely done Joosje. I really enjoyed your interpretation. Enjoy your daughter’s wedding. That is such a special time.
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joosje Very impressive Joosje, nicely done. Enjoy your daughter's wedding.
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joosje Congrats on your daughter's wedding!! VL 5 is also one of my favorites (studied long ago). Nicely played! Thanks for bringing it back to us to enjoy!
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joosje Congratulations! This is already sounding really great! thanks for sharing!
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Dale Needles Eric Phillips Blaise Laflamme Marilyn Blodget Andre Bernier Barney don thanks for listening and fo4 your kind words and encouragement. I’m still working on the piece. Hopefully 1 update to follow….
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joosje wow, that actually looks quite complicated and difficult to me! Congrats! This is great work! And welcome back from France! First time there?
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Now that I started recording, I might as well try some of my favorite Sor études. This one is some kind of an angstgegner. The continuous barres in F, B-flat and E-flat chords are bringing me to the limit of my left hand stamina. But the chord progressions and the melodic lines they create are so fascinating… worth working on the coming weeks.
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joosje just for fun, I add three of my Sor favorites. Sorry, if the quality of the recordings is so far below perfection- I really should do something about the editing. But prefer spending my time on practicing and playing…
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joosje Great job with these three classics!
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joosje Another beautiful Sor Estudio (op 25, No 15) and definitely a workout for the left hand. Carlevaro's left hand technique can definitely help relief some the stress with all the barres.
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joosje I am in heaven listening to you play so much Sor! I particularly enjoyed the second piece in the second video - it is seldom played, but such a great composition.
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
