As a rule, I don’t play all my old songs anymore.  Nowadays all I’ve kept in the rotation from Book One are the Bach minuets for warming up G Major (one of the three is a Leopold minuet but The Suzuki School has never noticed).  From Book Two, I’ve held on to the final two pieces, both also minuets, a Beethoven and a Boccherini.  And then I’ve been playing all of my Book Three songs.

But last night I went back to my comforting play-through-with-accompaniment style of practice that I’ve abandoned (at Teacher’s suggestion) and worked through all the Book One and Two songs.  It’s been a while since I’ve played many of them, and I discovered that I’ve made quite a bit of progress even though I haven’t been playing them.

It was Hunter’s Chorus that provided the most fun – in the past I’ve literally never been able to hit all the notes at the speed the accompaniment track provides.  Last night I did – plus, it was great fun to be thinking as I was playing.  To have thought processes that are not 100% devoted to the note I’m on in a given moment is exciting.  I would think to myself, “Oh, here comes that part you can’t ever do – maybe you’ll get it today…” and then get it.  It was lovely and fun to be able to play in that way.

Honorable mention for degree of improvement while they gather dust on the shelf goes to Paganini’s Witch’s Dance and the Book Two Brahms’ Waltz.

I think all this means I’m moving from beginner to intermediate levels of playing.  Of course the longer I play the fewer excuses I have for being shoddy; I better redouble my efforts.

Thanks for reading.

Ryan