Emantable

Perhaps it’s a part of growing older, but lately my focus has been on the nostalgic. Finding refuge in my adolescent companions: books and music. Particularly music. My time at the piano has for sometime been sporadic and only playing things I learned long ago. My repertoire is very Chopin heavy.

I’ve been tumbling down this rabbit hole of videos on mastering piano techniques and how to interpret a myriad of compositions. In my occasional playing these past years, my goal has been to play several pieces and hope to hit as many right notes as possible. Now I practice and practice and find joy in repeating passages over and over again. Each time a little different as I try to eliminate my mistakes and try different techniques and interpretations.

• What if I play this note moving my whole arm to play as delicately as possible?
• Should I come up on the sustain pedal only halfway during this passage?
• Is my fingering optimal? Can I make it more efficient?
• Why do I hold my breath in this bar? Why does that chord tear me up?

I remember hearing somewhere that in Japan some consider your hands to be an extension of your brain. I think it’s true.