Practice has got to follow a certain set of rules. I remember writing that I should plan what I want to fix in practice before practising! Otherwise I'll end up doing something covering all areas but not doing much for any of them(like today. Thankfully, the improvements here and there are still detectable.)


OK. Time to lay down the rules for next few practices.


1)Scale in the key of current etude. 3 octaves.
2)Current etude(Identify problems and solve if there is time.)
3)A major scale. 4 octaves.
4)A major octave scale. 3 octaves. 1st half an octave may be skipped.

ROCOCO VARIATIONS PRACTICE

THEME
NOTABLE DETAILS IN THEME TO TAKE NOTE OF
->Vibrato the detached notes(along with everything else.)
->Watch and follow the hairpins! Exception: 2nd one 2nd time.
->1st and 2nd shifts to the high C# must sound different.
->The repeat of the 2nd half must sound different from the original 2nd half.

VAR I
Run through Var I. Slowly. Pay attention to intonation.
DETAILS IN VAR I TO TAKE NOTE OF
->Hairpins. Again!
->Keep the bow near frog for easy staccato.
Run through Var I, fast. If intonation is not good repeat slowly as many times as needed.

VAR II
Run Var II. Once slowly, then once fast. Repeat scales slowly if necessary. No details to take note of, it sounds nice enough as long as the notes are all there.

Retake bow and RELAX before proceeding straight on to Var III. A tense bow makes for scratchy/squeaky/indecisive sounds.

Theme, Vars I and II: Mostly playable. Fingering is there, note clarity is there, now the problem is the interpretation and how to make it sound nice. Was ok on the old cello but must be redone due to months with little practice and the change of cello.

VAR III
DETAILS IN VAR III TO TAKE NOTE OF
Bowing is the issue in this variation. Bow pressure and length has been laid out; follow it exactly as planned.
Follow the dynamics(they are being followed quite ok as of previous practice.)
Ask Mr Chan 1. about general interpretation and what I should change. 2. about the bowing for the end of the variation. Separate bows possible? It makes everything so much easier.


Very tired from practice and from going out today so I shall leave Var IV and Var VII for tomorrow - or sometime after.

Note: Var V has not been touched yet and I'd like to get a bit more of the piece settled before I go there. Var VII has been started because it is the hardest and will probably take me forever to learn. I started it first so I won't get bored when I'm finishing the piece due to only it being left. Var VI is (by notes) the easiest variation and will not take too long to learn so I'll leave it for now.