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BFRC

I am posting this as a benchmark, not because I think I'm playing very well yet.  The idea would be post a video every month for a ye...

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

New Year's

Two days in a row I woke up to the college radio station playing "Body and Soul." Yesterday was a Keith Jarrett version, I think.  Today's was an instrumental combo with horns which I didn't care for much, though I recognized the song right away just from the harmonies.

After yesterday morning, I began to work on my own harmonization of the tune for May's recital, so when I awoke this morning I immediately got that this was "Body and Soul." Coincidentally I have been working a lot in Db, which is the key of the tune, with a bridge that shifts to D and then C. My idea is to have a version that plays through the tune a single time, with no improvisation but with some embellishments.  It will have mostly rootless voicings.  

My other New Year's project is Chopin's Prelude in E Minor, which I have memorized, recently after beginning in the Fall.  I've been playing that every day from memory. Also, Mompou's Música callada #20 and another Chopin prelude I haven't learned well yet. I am also keeping in my repertory all the other section of Mc I have learned: 1, 3, 10, and 22.

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I've been a little sick with a cold I caught from my family the day after Xmas. Everyone got sick one after another: my daughter, my niece, my brother-in-law, then me, then after I left my sister. All my walking has fallen off, so that instead of averaging 10,000 steps, I am doing about 3 or 4.  

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My writing goal is to do the Vernacular chapter from January-April.  The Classical chapter in the next four months, and then finish the introductory material in the last four months of the year.  I have sabbatical after that in which I will mop up all the remaining work.  I also must write keynote on Lorca for February.  I have a thousand words written out of a projected 5k.  I have two classes to prepare as well.  

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