Introducing Holden

Oh my goodness, I am so excited about my new nephew, Holden L. We drove down to Provo to meet him today, and I think we all fell head over heels in love. He's so tiny (only 5 lbs 5 oz), and has such a perfect little face. It was thrilling to watch Kurt and Ashleigh with him, and to see the miracle of how such a small little body can change things forever for two people. Congratulations, you guys!

Taxes

I just filed my extension.

How I justified filing an extension:

My recital took a lot of time away from working on them.

I would rather grumble about doing taxes than actually do them.

I was in a car accident yesterday.

Procrastination makes me feel alive.

I don't REALLY want that refund or to pay off the bills that have been waiting for it.

I like to make other people (those of you who finished your taxes long ago) feel virtuous and happy.

(Feeling virtuous and happy now? Good. I've done my duty.)

Easter Weekend Pictures

The neighborhood egg hunt, the Ingham egg hunt, Kate's birthday and Easter...so busy and so much fun.

Recital Program and Program Notes

(If you've already seen this on Facebook, I'm sorry! I discussed the recital in a little more detail here, if you need something ELSE to read about the recital. Oh, and I'm taking requests...if you have a favorite piece for my next recital, tell me what it is and I'll consider it. No Fur Elise, though.)

It was fantastic and fun and totally worth all the time and energy. Thanks for all your good thoughts and prayers. I appreciate them!


Kerri Green, piano
7 April 2009
6:00 p.m.
Steinway Hall at Daynes Music
“Dedication”

For my parents~

Etude in C minor, Op. 10, No. 12, Revolutionary
Frédèric Chopin
(1810-1849)

For my children~

For Ben~
Aria from the Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
Johann Sebastian Bach
(1685-1750)
For Sophie~
Prelude in G Major, Op. 32, No. 5
Sergei Rachmaninoff
(1873-1943)
For Kate~
Prelude in D-flat Major, Op. 11, No. 15
Alexander Scriabin
(1872-1915)
For Josh~
Berceuse, Op. 57 Frédèric Chopin

For my mother-in-law~

Prelude in D-flat Major, Op. 28, No. 15, Raindrop
Frédèric Chopin

Just for myself~

Canción y danza No. 5
Federico Mompou
(1893-1987)

For David~

Sheep May Safely Graze
Johann Sebastian Bach
transcribed by Egon Petri
(1881-1962)

Widmung, Op. 25, No. 1
Robert Schumann
(1810-1856)
transcribed by Franz Liszt
(1811-1886)


Program Notes

This recital began as a thought early this year that I would love to perform music for those I love, dedicated TO those I love. I have had a list of possible repertoire in my mind for a few years, but the time never seemed right. Finally, the spark came, and I began practicing in earnest. It has been a fun few months, and I hope you enjoy this recital, dedicated to all of you, my friends and family that I love so dearly. Thank you for everything you have done for me and for my family over the years. My life is so blessed with all of you in it.


Revolutionary Etude

I began to learn this piece in high school, and my parents (especially my dad) loved it. I never did perform it, although I relearned it for my dad’s 60th birthday, so this is my official Revolutionary Etude debut. I think it represents the big Romantic showpieces for which the piano is so well-known. My parents dedicated so much time, effort, and money for me to become a pianist, and I cannot express enough how thankful I am for their support.


The pieces for my children

When I was pregnant with Josh, I decided to learn a piece especially for him. I had a wonderful time going through repertoire, talking with friends, and listening to music to find just the right piece. When I did, I played it often before and after he was born. This became a tradition with each of my pregnancies, and the results are the four pieces in this group. I played through countless pieces to find the music that best fit my feelings about each pregnancy. I’ve never memorized or performed any of these in public, so it’s been a joy to really make them part of me. My kids have often started to request I practice “their” pieces at bedtime.

Josh’s piece, the Berceuse, is a cradle song, a lullaby. I loved this piece with its gentle rocking accompaniment. Sophie’s piece, the Rachmaninoff prelude, has both simple and complex elements. I was drawn to the simplicity and elegance of Kate’s piece, the Scriabin prelude. The Aria, Ben’s piece, is the theme of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, one of my all-time favorite pieces of music.


Raindrop Prelude

I learned this prelude (with all of Op. 28) for my senior recital. David’s parents bought me my dress for that recital and were as supportive of me and my music then as they have been always. My mother-in-law allowed me to teach in her home in Heber for many years, and even babysat Josh for some of that time. She has been a kind and loving person in my life and I am grateful for her. When I asked David what I should play for his mom, both of us thought of this prelude. She often commented that she loved this piece, and I think of her whenever I hear it.


Canción y danza No. 5

Federico Mompou was a Catalonian-Spanish composer who wrote mainly for the piano. His grandfather was a bell-maker. Mompou spent time in his factory and worked there briefly. You can often hear bell-like qualities in his music. He studied piano and harmony at the Paris Conservatory as a young man, and spent many years in Paris, both before and after WWI. He was especially influenced by Erik Satie, with his simple melodies and evocative harmonies.


Sheep May Safely Graze

David went with the Utah Symphony on their European tour in the spring of 2005. Leon Fleischer toured with them, and each night he performed, he would play this piece as an encore. David fell in love with it and asked me to learn it for him.


Widmung (Dedication)

Robert Schumann wrote Widmung, one of his most well-loved songs, in 1840, the year he finally was able to marry the love of his life, the pianist Clara Wieck.

I have performed this song with many singers, and have always loved it and its text. For our anniversary one year David and I attended a recital given by Van Cliburn. He played this Liszt transcription of the song, and I knew it would be one of “our” pieces.

David has always encouraged me and helped me to succeed. I remember many nights in the music building, after hours and hours of practicing, David would show up with dinner to help me get in just a little bit more time. He has given up a lot of comfort in the last few months to let me practice just that extra hour or two here and there. I am grateful for his sacrifices for me and for our family.

The English translation of the text (by Friederich Rückert) is:

You my soul, you my heart,
You my bliss, you my pain,
You the world in which I live;
You my heaven, in which I float,
O you my grave, into which
I eternally cast my grief.

You are the rest, you are the peace,
You are the heaven upon me bestowed.
That you love me makes me worthy of you;
Your gaze transfigures me;
You raise me lovingly above myself,
My good spirit, my better self.

The Obligatory How-Does-Time-Pass-So-Quickly-and-How-Can-I-Make-It-Stop? Post

It was Ben's birthday on Thursday. He turned two.

Yes. Two.

I spent the morning in a blur of emotion because, well, you know, he's two.

He was just born, I swear.


He just turned one, I swear.


So how could he be two?


But the calendar doesn't lie, so although my heart wants to deny it, my mind has to accept it.

And Ben at two? Oh my. Charming. Kissable. Mischievous. Darling. Darling. Darling. I want to bottle him up. I'd make a fortune (well, except people might ask for their money back when he tears into their funeral cakes or draws on their piano keys.)

Ben loves RC cars, singing, counting to 12, pizza, spaghetti, most forms of sugar, reading, dancing, his bro-bro and sissies, his daddy and mommy, Little Einsteins, Clifford, his cousins and friends, being outside, being silly, sticking out his chin when he smiles, chewing on his fingers or his coat or his collar, waffles, chocolate milk, trucks, GeoTrax, babies, and hide-and-seek. He makes us happy. He's growing up too fast. STOP IT ALREADY.

Wish Me Luck

Actually, many of you already have, and I appreciate you!

I just got back from practicing at the hall. It went well-ish, and I'm excited. Nervous, a little, but excited. It will be nice to share these fantastic pieces with so many of you that I love.

The dress thing finally worked out, after much adventure.

I memorized one piece yesterday that I felt like needed to be added. (Scary? Yes.)

My sweet mother has been here helping watch the kids (and do dishes and read books and do puzzles) so I could practice.

My sweet sister has been doing Kate's hair and helping her choose an outfit.

My husband loves me and has been thrilled about this whole endeavor.

I love the gift of music and what depth it has brought into my life. Setting this goal, excavating this part of me...it's been a great journey. I'm thrilled that I get to keep moving forward and to find out what I'm supposed to do next.

Seriously? Seriously.

So Josh has a fever for the 14th day in a row.

WHAT?

And David got it yesterday.

For real. The knock-you-down, throw-you-into-bed influenza. He suffered through work yesterday somehow, but last night he was so miserable that he didn't sleep more than half the night. And he has literally slept six or seven hours so far today.

Then Ben woke up at 6:30 with the hacking cough that means we're about to enjoy the croup! Huzzah! Does that explain the non-stop runny nose he's had since Monday? The kind that is like a slow faucet, never stopping, never releasing me from the insanity of nose slime? Oh well, at least it's not the flu...yet...but even if it's not the flu, it's making him cranky, needy, and clingy. All good things, right?

And all the dresses I ordered for my recital don't fit.

And I had to miss helping in kindergarten and couldn't find anyone to sub for me. I hate leaving the teacher in the lurch like that.

And I couldn't go to the viewing or funeral of a man in our ward, due to all the sickies at my house, and that made me sad. I wanted to be there to support his family. But my family came first, I decided, and tried not to feel guilty.

So I worked on making a cake for his funeral. I thought I'd do something a little nicer than normal and made a pumpkin cake. While it cooled, I went downstairs to work on the evite for my recital. Until I heard some suspicious noises from upstairs. (Will I NEVER LEARN?) And found Ben had pushed a chair over to the oven and gone to town on the cake with a spatula and his little snotty fingers.


Yeah. I was excited.

And then Ben colored on my piano keys with a pencil.

And then I made another cake, realizing that the chances were slim of getting it to the church by the time the family was back from the cemetery, but I had volunteered a cake, and I was going to deliver that darned cake. And I did, but frosting a warm cake (even with my delicious chocolate frosting) is a disaster waiting to happen. And the cake wasn't pretty. And I had wanted it to be pretty. And I was feeling really sad about my sad cake and its sad frosting.

And then I delivered it and one of the older ladies in the ward said, "I told the others earlier that you always bring a hot cake and the frosting for us to put on later."

Seriously? Seriously. I mean, you say that? Honestly. I told myself that I didn't need to be offended (and if that has happened before with the DOZENS of cakes I've made for our funerals (we have an old ward), it has maybe been ONE TIME. Once. And Really? You'd bring that up?) So much for my whole "I never get offended" thing. I got sad. And maybe even cried a little on the way home, because it has just been one of those days.

And then I came home, and Liz called me from across the street, and I couldn't hide my stupid red eyes (because when I cry, it's not really something I can hide), and she was offering me SOUP. HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP. Because she's just that awesome, that's why, and she didn't even know I was sad. That's what I call a friend, girl. Amazing. And she let me blubber, and I didn't name names (which is so Christlike of me). And she didn't ask for names (which is so Christlike of her.)

And then I went into the house and woke up David from his sick sleep and cried some more and said, "I just need to go on a run" and he said "Go for it" and I did it, and it wasn't feeling great, but I did it anyway, and when I came home, I felt much much better.

And then I realized it was April Fool's Day, so I decided to play a prank. I posted this picture:


(remember it from Halloween?) as my profile picture in Facebook, changed my religion to Fundamentalist and let the fun begin. One girl who doesn't know me well kind of believed it for a minute, I'm afraid. So that was a bright spot.

And now I'm feeling better almost all the way around.

Except (and I'm NOT lying) Kate just came downstairs telling me that Ben is coloring on my piano again.

Seriously.