6. Dorothy

The beginning of this song was very difficult for me because it required almost total hand independence. The large jumps in the left hand were really taxing and were only complicated by the fact that the right hand required simultaneous jumps of different sizes and in different directions. I really had no idea my hands were so bent on working together until I had to pry them apart for the purpose of playing Dorothy. At first, to even hit the right notes, I had to move my hands at a snail's pace, and I wasn't sure I was ever gonna get it. Eventually I did, though, my hands (happily!) being capable of more than I usually think them.

My favourite part of the song is part B, in which it switches from G-major to E-minor. I like playing the right-hand part legato, and a significant portion of this section is played right hand over left. (In the picture below, this starts in the third measure where, on the top stave, the bass clef is indicated.)

        But at first I didn't quite know how to articulate the left hand portion of this section, which seemed to just be a repetitive pounding out of more or less the same chord. It couldn't quite be played legato, and I played it pretty sloppily at first while focusing on smoothing the right hand. Later, once I was able to switch my focus to the left hand, I realised that just playing the chords straight (down) in a clean and even manner provided a solid and even mellifluous support to the melody. I'm still working on keeping the LH clean and even, but I'm glad I figured that out.

Alan Chan's rendition