Minutova Sola (Stephan Rak) Set 2

We proceed with the recordings of Minutova Sola (Minute solo’s) by Stephan Rak. With increasing number, the pieces gradually become more difficult, yet they offer more opportunities to play with them as well. Like the first, this second set has ten pieces.

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Písnicka O Lásce (Love Song) starts off relatively simple. A tender theme changes into a passage that enables to play more passionately.

Písnicka O Spechu (Hurrying Song) has a peculiar syncopated melody that crawls forward in the measures more and more, giving an effect of hurry. I found the selection of the tempo a puzzle, if I played too fast, the effect was lost. So, I played it more slowly.

Spiritual was one of my last year’s competition pieces, with the obvious melody in the bass line. This time I play it slightly faster and I could include the repeats that I omitted last year for reasons of competition time excess. I like this piece as one of the stronger in this bundle.

Písnicka O Cestách (Song about Trips) is an easy flowing melody on an arpeggio pattern. I did not turn it into a travel with a Train Grande Vitesse. The trickiest in this piece was the exact performance of the emphasis marks in the score.

Song has a tricky structure, where do you put the accents? At a certain moment, I understood the phrasing, which made the piece easier to play.

Cikánská Písnicka (Gipsy Song) required a performance with the typical Balkan music effects of acceleration. Too much acceleration, however, makes you slip and trip. That was the challenge of this piece. I liked the characteristic rhythm pattern of the middle section.

Písnicka z Dávnych Casu (Song of the Past) has the characteristics of a Renaissance piece. I attempted to play it easily and serene.

Písnicka z Itálie (Song from Italy) has a title that I do not understand. Maybe I have another impression of an Italian song. In the middle I noticed a weird transition, I thought it was an error in the score, but it was actually there!

Písen Hradní Paní (Court Lady’s Song) has a particular monotonous rhythm pattern that makes the piece resemble an old court dance from the Renaissance. The melody in the bass line in the middle section required careful attention!

Voyensky Mars (Military March) appeared a tricky piece to study. The melody in the bass line must keep a strict tempo and the transitions between the repeats are confusing. OK, I have recorded it after a few attempts, I consider it not bad.