June 26, 2020--Practice Blog in the time of the virus

Got a late start this morning and slept in until 8:15. Made breakfast and checked emails before getting out the door to go to the church to practice. About an hour and a half practice. Came home and had lunch with my wife. She had to work this afternoon, so I practiced piano and brewed up a Hefeweisen Ale. Making hamburgers for dinner.

On the organ, I worked on day 9 of the prelude improvisation in the style of Bach workshop from Secrets of Organ Playing. It has taken me about two months to get here. Mostly procrastination, but in the end, I think I have the basics down and will return to another course similar to it in the coming days. I worked on the prelude for Sunday, Charles Callahan's Prelude on Faith of Our Fathers (recording above) and another piece based on Where cross the Crowded Days of life. They flow nicely from one to the other with a bit of a bridge. I also practiced Bach's BWV 635 (postlude for Sunday) and BWV 636 (for SOOP Contest next week). Finished practice with the last movement of the B-flat major Sonata by Mendelssohn.

On the piano, I secured Liszt's Valse Oubilee into my fingers. Now to speed it up. Brought back part of the Consolation No. 1 of Liszt and made sure the E-minor prelude of Chopin was in my head.