My Newest Project

This weekend, I started working on "Solace" by Scott Joplin. It's subtitled "A Mexican Serenade," and it's a slow, meditative, beautiful piece of music. The section half (C and D sections) was featured in the movie "The Sting," so it's familiar to a lot of people.

I learned the popular C and D sections years ago, probably at about the same time I first learned "Maple Leaf Rag." As with "Maple Leaf," I only learned part of it, and now I have the dual goal of (1) memorizing the part I've already learned and (2) learning the new-to-me A and B sections.

This weekend, I managed to memorize the C section and most of the D section. I also started writing in the fingering for the A section ... though the B section looks a little harder, so I may begin with that one instead.

Anyway, here is my first effort at playing the C section by memory. I kept the music up, just in case I needed it. Enjoy!

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Picking Up the Pieces: A Piano Practice Journal

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