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Yielding to Temptation

Ever since I learned the notes of the Bach Prelude (BWV 866), I've been playing it at a snail's pace. In this recording (click), I've sped it up to the furious pace of ♪=50. The suggested tempo is ♩=72, which is about three times faster. Here's András Schiff playing it a more typical tempo:



So you can see that I have a long way to go.

A couple of days ago, one day into my "staycation," I began inching up the tempo. I have been determined not to rush the tempo increase. I want my fingers to be strong and my mind confident by the time I get to the goal tempo.

So I inched up to ♪=52. And then ♪=54. And then ♪=56. And on and on, playing it several times at each tempo. It sounded good! I wasn't just focusing on hitting the right notes; I was intent on making it sound smooth, not plodding or "punching," keeping my fingers light.

♪=58. ♪=60. ♪=63. ♪=66.

It was easy. I wasn't sure if I should speed up so many notches in one practice session, but ... oh goodness, I was having so much fun!

♪=69. ♪=72. ♪=76. ♪=80.

♪=80. Do you know what that means? Yes, that means ...

♩=40!


I stopped there. It was too good to be true. I'd reached the point where a quarter note was equal to the lowest number on the metronome. Progress! A kind of victory, even!

Everything was sounding good. I had a few places where my fingers stumbled a bit, but I would stop and work on them, drill them little, and then play them through again. It sounded fine. To me, at least.

The next day (yesterday), I started at ♪=56 and worked my way back up to ♪=80.

And then today ... I couldn't help myself. I yielded to temptation. I turned the metronome off and blistered through that prelude as fast as I could.

It wasn't perfect ... but it was a lot better than I thought it would be. I've played that darn thing so many times by now that my fingers just know what to do. I felt like I was listening to someone else play. I wasn't even thinking about my hands. I was just enjoying the moment.

The piece at ♩=72 (or whatever tempo I was using ... probably more like ♩=60) has an entirely different effect than at ♪=58. It's electric at that faster tempo. It feels and sounds like another piece entirely.

And it is so much fun.

So now I feel like a energetic dog on a leash when I play it at ♪=72. I want out of that leash. I want to run free! I want to fly through it the way Glenn Gould does ... even though I don't even like it that fast!!



I haven't played this for my piano teacher in a while, so I imagine she'll have some constructive criticism next week when I play it at, oh, maybe ♪=60. But I definitely feel like I'm turning a corner with this one.

And what has come into view as I turn that corner?

That's right. The fugue. I don't want to start it until my teacher gives me the go-ahead, but I have a feeling I'll be starting it soon.

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