(VIDEO) Rachmaninoff - Prelude in C# Minor

[jamie_liszt]

Hello

Here is a video of me performing Rachmaninoffs Prelude Opus 3 No 2 C# Minor. I have been learning this for 5 days, so ignore the mistakes for now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPrZYfxXyKA

[counterpoint]

You play it quite well, but somewhat too attentive for this special piece. It's a russian show piece with great (exaggerated) gestures, resembling me  to the beginning of the Tschaikowsky piano concerto. You don't will get the right expression for this, if yout play it in a modest manner, which would be great, when playing other, more serious pieces 

[quantum]

Quite good, you've got the notes under your fingers.  In general I'd like to hear you shape the melodic line more.  Especially in the beginning, melodic line and bringing out counterpoint is quite important to keep chords from sounding all the same.  Think of more push and pull, peaks and valleys. 

Also careful not to program those large pauses at page turns into your performance.  I would memorize the first bar of the next page so you can connect the pages together fluently. 

[lau]

the only thing I would suggest is slow in those beginning three notes and then extremely quite in the next melody part-  I think it is ppp

[zheer]

well playd, even though this prelude brings bad memory.
    It needs a little more drama, play the first section slightly faster and much softer as ppp as possible ( mysteriously ). the second section brighter and shocking tempo and dynamic change, emagin being on a roller coaster the slow rise to the top and the sudden dawnward fall ( very frightning ). The final and third section has to sound volcanic, the best way to achieve this dramatic effect is by playing it as fast as possible and as loud as possible.

 Good luck  

[lau]

      play the first section slightly faster and much softer as ppp as possible ( mysteriously ).  The final and third section has to sound volcanic, the best way to achieve this dramatic effect is by playing it as fast as possible and as loud as possible.

I agree with the ppp, but to have a "volcanic" effect I wouldn't speed up, I play it kind of slow, and super loud. That's what I usually don't like when people play this song, it's to fast.