Cristofori, Joplin and Beethoven's Pajamas

In what has to be one of music history's more bizarre footnotes, a 200 year-old nightshirt recently found in a closet in Vienna has been confirmed--by DNA analysis-- to have indeed belonged to Beethoven. The historical significance is not in the cloth, but in the musical sketch inked on the sleeve. Apparently old Ludvig awoke in the night, seized by inspiration, and finding no paper at hand, sketched out the theme for a sonata on the sleeve of his nightshirt.

A faded note pinned to the nightshirt from the cleaner reads, "Sir, please, I cannot remove the ink stain." Fortunately, because this discovery apparently provided the musical key to performing an unpublished Sonata. The Sonata--christened the Nachtgewand Sonata (Nightshirt Sonata) recently debuted its first performance by pianist Stephen Hough. I couldn't make this up; this is fact. The world waited 200 years to hear a heretofore incomplete Masterpiece until the missing piece was discovered on the sleeve of the composer's pajamas.

On a more narcissistic note, I've completed Cristofori's Dream--and some might say about doggone time. Yes, I've memorized the entire nine-page epic and play it completely from beginning to end from memory. It's clunky in spots and needs polishing but it's in my brain.

And I've learned the 'B' section of The Entertainer and have commenced the arduous refining process on that sucker. It isn't quite as difficult as the 'A' section so it should come along. I'm playing the 'A' section quite well at this point--most of the time--so I should have the 'B' section rolling along in a couple of months.

Having completed the Major scales, I've begun work on the minor scales, and am learning C Minor and G Minor.

C Minor looks like this:

And this is G Minor:

Which are handy if you want to play Bach Preludes and Fugues. And I do. I'm currently dabbling with the Prelude and Fugue #2 in C Minor from The Well-Tempered Clavier and a tough little nut it is indeed.

I've been in a funk for the past couple of months. I've only been doing the things that need doing. Shows, work, essential tasks. Been reading a lot. My mind has been in a bit of a fog and I lack oomph. But I've kept up with my piano practice, though not with my usual gusto. For example, while I've practiced my scales, I haven't been doing them daily; more like three times a week. I feel the oomph returning, but slowly. I think it was because I was ill for such an extended period last year and it's taking a while for me to get back in the groove. Or maybe it's a mid-life thing. Whatever it is I seem to have flatlined for a while. I'm not sad or depressed, I just have a lack of interest. I believe the word is ennui. I'm not overly concerned. I think it's passing. One sign is I'm doodling in this here blog again.

I have a show in WV this weekend and the months of April and May are insane for a performer of my genre, so I get to see how well I've recovered from the Great Health Collapse of 2010. I feel pretty good physically and am breathing better than I was this time last year (the allergy shots seem to be working) so let's see if 2011 is the year my body catches up with my spirit.