Piano, or what piece did I butcher today?

I'm an adult beginner piano player, playing now for almost a full year. I have a teacher, actually the same teacher my kids are going to. I only started playing when I bought a small grand piano (not a baby grand) for my kids to use for practice. I wasn't looking to buy a grand except that placement in my house was going to be difficult for an upright due to lack of wall space. Besides, once you hear one then the other, the grand will just win. Mine is a Yamaha G2, 5'7" in glossy black.

I started playing late last year using the Alfred Adult Beginners book, but was quickly bored. While I've never taken a music class and play no other instrument, I have more knowledge about music than I thought. It's really surprising at the low level these books assume. I then proceeded to attempt a piece that is considered difficult even for experienced players, Brahms Opus 119 #2 Intermezzo. I muddled through it and at least I could recognize the music.

I've picked up Mendellsohn, Diabelli, Satie, Katchatarian, Bach, Schumann, and of course, Chopin. Some, like Mendelsohn's 'Song Without Words' Op26#2 I think, I can play through fairly smoothly, others I still struggle with. None are particularly hard, except they all have at least one flourish to struggle through.

My current piece is Chopin's March Funebre, you know, dum, dum, da, dum. Pray for the dead, and the dead will pray for you... I wanted to play it for Halloween, since the piano is in the front of the house. I'm planning on pounding it out when kids come to the door. When I demo'd for my teacher, she was astounded that I learned the first part in a day. It didn't seem all that hard to me. She then had me play the rest, which has a few tough spots, but mostly just octaves. Some day I'll post a video of my playing.

I'm finally blogging and otherwise wasting someone else's time

Let me introduce myself. My name is Zac. I'm getting old(er), all of 53. I have a wife, 3 kids, a house, 2 cars. It sounds like a pretty typical American life, and it is. I have my interests, my pet peeves, my likes, dislikes. Maybe you can tell from the Blog's name what my primary interest is? Yes, that's right, I'm into Baseball. No, maybe that's not it.

I started cycling when I was in High School, Stuyvesant HS in NYC. Yes, I'm a Stuy grad. That and 30 cents would get you on the subway back then. My first real bike was a Peugeot UO-18, a 10 speed with some of the worst brakes you've ever seen. I would ride it all around Brooklyn, maybe to Manhattan, and even out to New Jersey. Back then, riding out to NJ on route 9W wasn't just another spin on the bike, but was considered a totally crazy thing to do, especially if you were only 16. I only wish my 15 year old son would have such an interest.

Cycling has had its ups and downs since then. I rode in college, and afterwards too, but slowed down a lot after I had kids.

My other interests, in no particular order, are piano, beer brewing, diy audio, trains (totally geeky), cooking, eating, drinking, the neighborhood and the rest of Brooklyn, politics (Obama!). As I go through these activities I'll post more about them.