One of my greatest concerns when beginning to work seriously at the piano again was whether or not my hands would regain their former fitness. After all, the muscles used in playing the concertina and various other free reed instruments are very different from those used for diving through a Chopin Étude. With something as close to a sensible practice régime as I can manage with a full-time job getting in the way, I’m finding that my hands are indeed steadily regaining their facility, and I’m becoming gradually less frustrated as time passes.

I have been very aware of the need to learn pieces that are completely new to me, as well as revising some old ones. I allowed myself to cut corners when learning works in the past, and this is something I am determined not to repeat. Hence I have been plundering boosey.com and other online music shops for ideas, and have ended up with the following as beginnings of a new repertoire (needless to say, it’s almost all twentieth century material):

  • Arvo Pärt – Für Alina, Variationen zur Genesung von Arinuschka
  • Henryk Górecki – Piano Sonata no. 1
  • Galina Ustvolskaya – Piano Sonata no. 6
  • John Cage – In A Landscape
  • Anton von Webern – Variations, op. 27
  • Béla Bartók – Sonatina, Allegro Barbaro
  • Philip Glass – Mad Rush
  • Aaron Copland – Night Thoughts
  • Chopin – Études op. 10 no. 2 & 3

At the moment that feels like plenty to be getting on with.

The Glass and Copland are still remarkably well in my fingers considering how long it is since I last looked at them in any detail; the Webern I have played on and off since I was 17, and it’s high time I undid some of the crafty (i.e. lazy) redistribution of notes between the hands and observed Webern’s own wishes. The Chopin op. 10 no. 3 is a bit shaky – I last performed it 18 years ago, so I suppose that’s to be expected – but not beyond redemption. The other pieces are all new to me, and the Górecki and Ustvolskaya pieces are demanding most of my attention. The Ustvolskaya piece in particular is a real revelation, using huge note-clusters to devastating effect – here is David Arden’s performance of it, which is disappointingly unfaithful to the composer’s intentions, but still gives a fair idea of the piece:

I also have my eye on the Ligeti Musica Ricercata, two pieces by Tavener, and some Sorabji. Goodness only knows whether I have the technique needed for the latter, but nothing ventured nothing gained…