Month: February 2024

Photo: @annemariewiley

Originally posted at: Dorit Kemsley’s Black Sunglasses and Sandals

Originally posted at: Sutton Stracke’s Sleeveless Multi Color Sweater

Welcome to piano lesson 28 where we will discuss composer Johann Sebastian Bach! We will be playing two short pieces arranged for your right hand to play alone which will include the new high B and C notes you learned on p.76 in Upper Hands Piano, BOOK 1.

[NOTE: If you are just joining us for the first time, you can find my previous Sixty and Me Free Piano Lessons on my Author page. You can join our lessons any time and move at your own pace!]

27.1 Amorous Anecdotes about Johann Sebastian Bach and the Mystery of the “Notebook”

Johann Sebastian Bach was one of our most prolific and celebrated composers, having written over a thousand intricate and innovative pieces in his lifetime. His second wife, Anna Magdalena, was a famous, accomplished and beautiful soprano singer, and helped Bach immensely by transcribing and copying many of his works.

Bach fathered 20 children which earned him the name “Papa Bach,” yet Anna continued to perform after their marriage. Here I reveal some of the surprising details of Bach’s love life, along with an explanation of why we attribute some pieces to Anna Magdalena’s mysterious “notebook:”

28.2 Blue Bells of Scotland, p.77

Remember to observe the repeat signs! Play from the beginning to the 1^st ending repeat sign 😐| and repeat back to the ||: beginning repeat sign, then skip to the second ending. Notice also the f-p and the other dynamic markings. Play the first line forte the first time, then piano on the repeat. There is also another forte and a mezzo forte dynamic marking to observe. See my demonstration video to verify that you are playing the repeated section correctly:

28.3 Minuet, p.77

When I was a young student, we called this piece the Bach Minuet, but as you can see in my video 28.1 we now attribute this Minuet to a composer named Christian Petzold. However, since we can’t be 100% sure, the composer attribution reads, “From the Notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach,” Bach’s second wife, who had a collection of pieces in a notebook which her husband Johann Sebastian gave to her. You will recognize this famous tune right away. Be sure to keep your eighth notes even!

Passion Practice

1. Review Exercise #1 in B, and add F# and D-flat, with hands together. These are some of the trickiest pentascales to play, so practice them slowly. Play the 5 notes of each position before playing the exercise to be sure you have the correct notes. Play each exercise once forte (loudly), and once piano (softly) with your eyes open, then closed, if possible.
2. p.77 – Play the Blue Bells of Scotland observing the repeats and dynamics. When you feel comfortable with Blue Bells, play the Minuet. Once you know the notes, you can try playing both of these pieces with a metronome. Listen for even eighth notes in the Minuet.
3. Chord Calisthenics #5, Appendix viii – Play each set of minor and diminished triads, in F# and D-flat, alternating hands. Also review C, G, D, A E and B. See Lesson 26 for a demonstration of Chord Cali #5.
4. If you have time, review For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow on p.67.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Papa Bach certainly lived an interesting life. Do you like learning a little bit about the history of the music you are playing? Bach and Vivaldi (who wrote Spring, p.23) composed music in the Baroque period. Baroque music is characterized by more intricate melodies and fewer dynamics than the generally more melodic Classical era, as you might observe in our pieces by Mozart (Sonata p.58) and Beethoven (Ode to Joy p.31-32). Which pieces have you liked the best? Do you have a preference for Baroque vs. Classical music?

Is anxiety controlling your life? Are you worried all the time? If so, you are in the right spot!

I Was an Anxious Person Too

Ten years ago, I was a nervous wreck because of a relational and legal difficulty in my family. I was a hot mess: I was filled with anxiety; I couldn’t sleep or eat; I was unable to calm my mind down or relax.

At bedtime, my mind was still in chaos and racing in every direction. Worst case scenarios developed very easily in my mind. All the “what if’s” surfaced regularly. I tried distracting myself by watching TV, playing a game, or going for a walk.

If I was washing dishes or watching TV stressful thoughts lurked in the back of my mind. Anxiety was a constant threat to any sense of well-being. Finally, my doctor put me on Xanax to help calm me down. I was miserable. I was so obsessed with negative, scary thoughts.

When the situation finally settled down and I was able to think more clearly, I decided that I was “not living like this anymore!” So I got help to learn how to manage anxiety and worry. It took months but gradually I learned how to become free from the tyranny of anxiety. You might say I became immune from excessive worry and fear. Of course, life still presents challenges, but I have tools and I know how to manage anxiety. This is why I’ve become a certified life coach with the goal of assisting women find freedom from anxiety. It is my passion and prayer.

Managing anxiety is possible for you too!

STEP 1: Name the Fears Causing Anxiety

Identify what is causing your anxiety. This could be challenging but once you know what is causing your anxiety you can make changes to help reduce your anxiety. Answering these questions can help you name foundational fears.

What worst case scenarios am I telling myself?

Can I identify what is really triggering my fearful thoughts?

What is my inner critic telling me?

This inner work is so worth the effort. You must be intentional and focus a spotlight, so to speak, on the fears at the root of your anxiety. Recently, I worked with a woman who was overwhelmed with anxiety, filled with worry and having a hard time calming down. She was very upset and angry about a situation with her daughters.

We worked together and took the time to identify her fears. Through our conversations and journaling, she recognized the fears triggering her anger and anxiety. She was able to get perspective, calm down, feel less overwhelmed and think rationally about her relationship with her daughters.

Step 2: Change Old Thoughts to New Thoughts

Intentionally shift from old thought patterns to new thought patterns. This means catching negative thoughts as they arise and replacing them with positive ones.

This is about a radical change in thinking patterns. As you experiment with this you will begin to experience less overwhelm and out-of-control thinking.

Not too long ago, I was contacted by a person experiencing anxiety about her upcoming retirement. Her mind was spinning in many directions. She was sad, anxious, and fearful. As we worked together, we focused on her thoughts and subsequent feelings. She learned how to pay more attention to her thoughts and feelings and most importantly, how negative and destructive they were.

As a result, with practice, she calmed down and used her newfound tools for shifting her thought patterns. It’s made a difference. While she continues to explore what retirement could mean for her, she is more at peace with the unknowns. She’s feeling lighter about the future.

Step 3: Create a Plan

Create a plan including new habits to turn around guilt producing and fear generating patterns of thinking. Use tools every day to reduce anxious thoughts and feelings.

Outline a routine for quieting yourself. You could verbalize or write affirmations each day.

Self-assurance and hope will develop when you stick with your blueprint for coping with anxious thoughts whenever they arise.

You will discover that managing anxiety is indeed possible.

Perhaps you can identify with another client who contacted me because of the anxiety she was experiencing about her physical well-being. She was quite concerned that she had a debilitating, crippling illness. Waiting for medical appointments was tough. She couldn’t really avoid the situation or change it.

We talked about shifting her thinking and behavior. She moved towards accepting the situation through changing negative thoughts to more positive ones. This helped reduce anxiety and a chaotic mind. Now she functions with a mental bag of strategies and tools she can use to manage anxiety. She’s written down a list as well. This is a continuing journey as she awaits more test results. All the while she is living out a plan to manage anxiety.

Reducing Anxiety Is Possible

You can learn how to manage anxious thoughts and feelings. You can use these 3 steps to handle anxiety. Understanding anxiety and intentionally moving forward with rewiring thoughts puts you on your way to worry free living.

If this sounds like you and you’re ready to make a change and become anxiety free, I hope you find someone to support you in managing anxiety. I’d love to offer you a free 30-minute consultation. We’ll talk about your situation and, if you want my help, explore how I can help you.

Further read, ANXIETY IN WOMEN OVER 60: SPOT IT AND CONQUER IT TODAY!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What worries you the most in life? Does it cause you anxiety? Are there “what-if” scenarios that replay in your mind? How do you manage your anxious thoughts?