Ah yes, the joys of stage fright. The trick is not to care. Before a recital, I have the odd habit of telling people, "Come see me screw up!" I fully expect every recital to be a complete failure. To expect anything more would make me panic. I find that by recusing myself from the idea that I might give a good recital, I always do.
I have a mix-tape of world-famous pianists screwing up royally. To know that Horowitz, Rubenstein or even Poillini (yes, I have a recording of Pollini making note errors in live performance!) make somtimes egregious slips, is very heartening! So keep playing! We'll always mess up, that's the one sure (human) thing.
Only one piece this time (but a piece that I have some "technical difficulties" with.) Chopin's Mazurka 33/4. I'll leave a post after tonight's performance. I'll tell you guys if I grew out of the clamy-shaking-hand-knee-thumping-the-bottom-of-the-piano mentality.
