French Suite No. 5 - Allemande & Courante

[Teddybear]

Here's some Bach I recorded today. I started working on these a couple of weeks ago during the Christmas holiday, so my teacher hasn't heard these yet. I used my MP3 player, and the piano is out of tune and silenced, so... I hope you enjoy anyway!

Cheers,

T

[Teddybear]

I realize my initial message was not very appealing  but it's not as bad as you might think. Please try it and comment, if you can.

[pianorama]

I have never played or heard either of these songs, so it is hard to rate, but to me it sounded very good. Besides the fact that the piano is silenced, but I still think you did well.

[Teddybear]

Thanks for replying!

Yeah, it's a pity... I can't take the silencer off because the piano is really loud and I have a crazy neighbour. The silencer changes the keyboard action quite a lot, it's difficult to play.

[brahmsian]

Besides the fact that the piano is silenced, but I still think you did well.

Agreed. It would probably sound much clearer and sharper if the piano wasn't silenced.

I like the Courante, the tempo and phrasing are good. The Allemande could be a tad faster though. I refer you to Gould's recording.

Nice playing

[Teddybear]

The Allemande could be a tad faster though.

I think so too, but I can't make it yet.

Nice playing

Thank you.

[Rafant]

This is my favourite Bach's Allemande. It sounds very good. You chose the right tempo for my taste. Maybe some trills could be prolonged a little. It's really admirable you have done that in just two weeks.

[Teddybear]

This is my favourite Bach's Allemande. It sounds very good. You chose the right tempo for my taste. Maybe some trills could be prolonged a little.

Thanks! I think you made a very good point about the trills. I don't feel comfortable with them yet, and it's true that they sound a little nervous.

It's really admirable you have done that in just two weeks.

It's amazing what you can do when you have the patience to practise really slowly. :I I'm actually trying a new strategy just now: I allow myself to play one section five times, and then I have to move on. I'm sort of hoping this will force me to concentrate; I don't want to waste my five times, right?  Plus I don't have to spend so much time on practising... (I'm in a very reluctant phase at the moment...)

[serge1paris]

Hi Teddy

The silenced piano sound is really bad but the playing seems quite good to me.

I like the tempo and the very cool unstressed way you have with Bach. The different voices are perfectly weighted.

I just studied the second French Suite which is really GREAT and was thinking about the next one. Now, I decided n°5 will be next ( I know the Gigue is tough !)

Keep posting the other movements !

[serge1paris]

Hey Teddy

This morming I read the Allemande. Very nice piece.

Two points :

A. the way you play the trills is correct for the second part but the first three trills in the first part are slow trills(six notes). It is important because it alters the character of the music and is part of the melody.

B. Be sure to hold the notes for their correct value at the beginning. It is very crucial.

Allthe best

Serge

[Teddybear]

The silenced piano sound is really bad but the playing seems quite good to me.

Hello, Serge. The sound doesn't bother me, but I understand it doesn't do justice to the piece.

I like the tempo and the very cool unstressed way you have with Bach. The different voices are perfectly weighted.

Thank you. I think it needs to be even smoother and less mechanical, but two weeks is a short time, so I'm quite satisfied with what I've done so far. Today I had my first lesson after the holiday season. My teacher urged me to do better with "separating" the voices. She also told me to drop the legato for now (I'll probably make a new recording soon so you can say how you feel about that version; it's interesting to compare).

I just studied the second French Suite which is really GREAT and was thinking about the next one. Now, I decided n°5 will be next ( I know the Gigue is tough !)

Keep posting the other movements !

Sure!

[Teddybear]

A. the way you play the trills is correct for the second part but the first three trills in the first part are slow trills(six notes). It is important because it alters the character of the music and is part of the melody.

I sort of ignored the trills, I wasn't sure about how they were supposed to be done, but I knew for sure that my teacher would comment on them, and so she did. I'm not sure what you mean by 'slow' trills, she just told me they have to be longer (just like Rafant told me).

B. Be sure to hold the notes for their correct value at the beginning. It is very crucial.

You're saying there were some mistakes with that? I tried to be careful. I notice it's difficult to hear the notes' duration for sure in the recording because the piano is silenced. :/ I hope I did allright. My teacher is very strict with this, and she didn't say anything.


I forgot to write this in my previous post: she was pleased with Courante, she only wanted me to make portato when the middle voice appears. I'm still not happy with the trills, but I'm sure they'll come.

Thanks for comments, Serge and everyone else.

[mr. folsom]

I digged the schleifers in the Allemande muchly. Nice playing.

[winterwind_23]

I listened to the Allemande. I thought it was very nice.

btw, is your piano a Yamaha? My Yamaha U1 sounds like that also when it is muted.

[Teddybear]

I digged the schleifers in the Allemande muchly. Nice playing.

Thanks!

[Teddybear]

I listened to the Allemande. I thought it was very nice.

btw, is your piano a Yamaha? My Yamaha U1 sounds like that also when it is muted.

Thank you. It's a Kawai.

I haven't listened to this recording in a couple of weeks now. Now that I hear the Allemande, I find it disturbingly mechanical. I'll make a new recording very soon, I hope I can make it sing more. Don't take me wrong, people; I appreciate all your really kind feedback and think it's not bad, but it certainly needs more work. Two weeks is a short time indeed...

I just started working on Sarabande and Gavotte. I don't know if recording the Sarabande is worth doing. It might sound horrible with this kind of equipment.