numero 75

What's that, diez y siete y cinco? I don't think that is spelled correctly, but it's my 75th straight day of practice, no interruptions.

I worked on high notes only when I got to my troublesome G in the duet I am working on and I tried something different, I just blew them like I was blowing into a bottle and trying to get a high note out of the bottle, and they came more easily. Then, after practicing the duet some more, I worked on my octaves seriously and also my pedals and the pedals came - snap fingers - instantly. I think they work well when my mouth is very warmed up. That was pleasing.

I worked more on the Shostakovich, made it halfway through the section starting at Measure 111, in the 4th movement. This movement is the most challenging but also the most interesting.

Sometimes I feel like I play so poorly ... but I have been playing only by myself now for the last 10 days. I have a lesson Thursday and play the Christmas music this Saturday. That will perk me up, surely. But still, today, I enjoyed my practice and I think it was good to start without the failing notes right off the bat.