Final Fantasy

FFIV
FFV
FFVI
- Dancing Mad
FFVII
- Descendant of Shinobi (25/4~

FFVIII
- Fishermen Horizon (16/4~7/5)

FFIX
FFX
FFX-2
FFXI
- Vana'diel March (~16/4/08)
- Moblin Menagerie - Movalpolos

Beethoven Sonata Op. 13 Movement 1 (Pathetique)

Beethoven's famous Pathetique sonata. This is the first movement.



This sonata starts with a very slow introductory section, and then progresses to a faster main theme after the chromatic progression (last bar of 1st page).



Started this sonata in March, and just finished the whole movement last week. More work is needed to improve the accuracy and speed. Must get it done after the school exam~.~!!!

Nice video of Pathetique Mvt 1 (performed by Freddy Kempf):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq2EeWH79zs&feature=related

Another story: Pathetique sonata movement 2. Another great and famous sonata of Beethoven. Sis and Serene are learning this movement. All the best :D (don't miss this great piece,, in the playlist!!)

Vana'diel March (FFXI)

Vanadiel March, the first menu theme of Final Fantasy XI, and this song is arranged for piano version and released in Star Onions album in 2005.

Although this song was released in 2005, it's not until recently only that I finally found the music sheet. I got this 2 weeks ago. This piano arrangement version of Vanadiel March is quite different from the original version. Don't forget to check it out in the playlist. :D

Another story: Final Fantasy XI online!!! I started to play this game in July 2004 (the year of stpm) and stop in November 2007. 3 years of fun. Now I miss those days in Vana'diel (the FFXI world) very much, the events, experience party, NM hunting, FF friends like Peter, Ceres, Kwan and many many more............! and also many good musics of FFXI.

Chopin Etude Op. 25 No. 9 (Butterfly)

I have introduced the Arpeggio etude in my previous post, and now I would like to mention about the first Chopin etude that I learn, the Butterfly etude, Op. 25 No. 9. This etude is the shortest etude of Chopin, and can be played within 1 minute,, ideally around 58 seconds.

Starting this etude was quite a nightmare, and the first few days I always had painful right hand after practicing this song. It requires combination of staccato and legato playing on the right hand melody, and good accuracy and pedaling technique.


For every motif, it's an alternation between 2 legato and 2 staccato. The motif changes within each section. (notice that the motif in bar 5-8 is actually the reversal motif of that in bar 1-4) To learn this etude, it's best to first master the opening section (bar 1-8) to perfect the right hand configuration. Bar 9-16 is based on the basic motif but with pedaling and dynamic expression. Learning this 2 sections ( bar 1-8, and bar 9-16) actually took me around 2 weeks, but after that, the remaining sections become easier. I finished the remaining 4 sections, also within 2 weeks.

Tough, but yet very fun to practice on. And it's a very nice etude too. It's in the playlist :D (Etude 25-9)
Here's a nice video from YouTube. Butterfly etude played by Valentina Lisitsa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eExDO4MdoI&feature=related

Another story: also check this video out for the Rachmaninov etude played by V. Lisitsa. Amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAb2nI2hVqk

Mozart Sonata in D K576

Just came back from PS for the movie Forbbiden Kingdom, and also went to PS Yamaha and bought the Mozart Sonata Volume II for my sis. Flipped through the book just now and saw the K576 Sonata in D (Mozart's last sonata). This sonata is one of the exam pieces for my Grade 8 piano. The other exam pieces were by Hadyn and Bartok, and I can't remember the title XD. (took the exam in 2000)

Recently started to play this K576 again, and the feeling is somewhat different from last time, probably because last time learned it just for the sake of exam, don't know XD. This sonata is great to play, and for practice too. Below are a part of the sonata Bar 137-140 (also one of my favourite parts of the song)




This song is also in the playlist. Check it out :D

Another story: Yamaha Clavinova
Just now in PS Yamaha, bro and I were trying some of the clavinova there. Quite expensive. The cheapest one cost more than SGD2500 already. So, second hand clavinova for the way!!! (still considering whether I should get it)

Chopin Etude Op. 10 No. 11 (Arpeggio)

This is the 2nd Chopin etude that I'm studying now after the Butterfly etude (Chopin etude Op. 25 No. 9). I started this etude last saturday, and now still struggling at the first 6 bars XD Progress is slow ~~ Below is the first 7 bars of the etude.



This etude is in the playlist. (listen, listen!) A very nice etude of among the Op. 10 ones. My other favourite etudes include the butterfly etude, Op10 No2, 4,5,8, and Op25 No5.

By the way, there are several other pieces that I'm currently learning, but think I will want to comment on them separately next time. They are:
1. Chopin Etude Op25 No9 (Butterfly)
2. Beethoven Sonata Op13 No1 (Pathetique)
3. Mozart Sonata K576 and K(forget XD)
4. Mozart Sonata K448 for 2 pianos (waiting for my sis to get ready~)
5. Fishermen's Horizon (FFVIII)
6. Vanadiel March (FFXI)

and some other 'not-to-mentioned' solo pieces XD

Grand Opening of Alan's Piano Portal

Finally finish setting up this blog, my first blog!!! ~took me so long just to setting it up~
Special thanks to Serene XD for helping me in this.

Through this piano portal, I would like to share my experiences in piano pieces that I'm practicing on, and might also include my personal analysis about those works. I will also upload the music recordings here. So do visit my blog again. Many good music awaits!!!~ :D