Grieg: Piano Concerto (1st mvmnt

[le_poete_mourant]

This is a video of a live performance of the Grieg Piano Concerto, first movement, from Sunday.  The accompaniment is played by my teacher. 

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2291081387411633644

Comments would be appreciated. 

[pianistimo]

finally had time to listen to this.  you must be really happy!  i think you play well.

since you asked for crit - i'll just give a mite.  i really liked the contrast of the white/black suits.  but, the pianos - imo - were too close together.  i like to see them actually facing one another.  don't know why - although perhaps i thought the sound would carry from one less than another (namely the secondo part would be facing more towards the wall).  i have no idea if this is auditorially better though - if the sound bounces off the wall and actually makes it louder.  sound techs know, i guess.

next, you are a good listener.  and, your teacher is a good guider.  some transitions felt rushed by you.  some parts feel pounded.  watching your foot - i think the next thing to add more touches to is your pedalling.  more little taps and less big movements at the end of pedalling. 

you are so relaxed, though.  imo, you have a feel for grieg.  i think that it can be improved (both speed and lighteness) by movement and not just dramatic dynamics.  i like it when pianists make the audience wait and listen.  it's like being guided by a story.  suspense.  romance.  interludes of other action.  contrast.  to make each 'section' completely different. 

last comment :  because you are such a good listener - being on the other side would allow you to look up - rather than at your teacher's keyboard.  it just has less of a look of dependence - even though you are not dependent (in this case playing primo) upon what he does to the exclusion of your own playing.  in fact, i'd like to see you take him for a ride.  to have some sort of edge over him (seemingly) - in tempos, quieter pianissimos - less forceful but faster edgy fortes.  and, for him to allow this.

[le_poete_mourant]

finally had time to listen to this.  you must be really happy!  i think you play well.

since you asked for crit - i'll just give a mite.  i really liked the contrast of the white/black suits.  but, the pianos - imo - were too close together.  i like to see them actually facing one another.  don't know why - although perhaps i thought the sound would carry from one less than another (namely the secondo part would be facing more towards the wall).  i have no idea if this is auditorially better though - if the sound bounces off the wall and actually makes it louder.  sound techs know, i guess.



last comment :  because you are such a good listener - being on the other side would allow you to look up - rather than at your teacher's keyboard. 

the suits were coincidental.  As for the pianos, it is much easier to be side by side, since there are some places where we need to be synchronized.  It would be more difficult if I  could not see his hands because there are rubatos and liberties that are taken, especially in transitioning out of Tutti sections.  This is, I believe, the traditional arrangement.