Brahms Op 119 No 4 (Eb Rhapsody)

[thalberg]

Hi friends!  Okay this recital was many years ago.  This performance was at the end of a long, long program.....I sort of quit paying attention a few times, but oh well!!

[rachfan]

Hi thalberg,

I've played this piece myself, so know first hand the challenges it contains, including the coda.  I think you give a very creditable performance.  Nice job!

[matterintospirit]

Hi friends!  Okay this recital was many years ago.  This performance was at the end of a long, long program.....I sort of quit paying attention a few times, but oh well!!

oh shut up. thought it was beautiful. loved it.

[pianowolfi]

This is one of my favorite Brahms pieces, it's a very inspired piece and underrated in my book. Thank you for posting this. I like how you play it. I like very much your choice of tempo, it sounds epic and everything is very distinctly hearable. I don't get your career change You're a very good pianist!

[counterpoint]

That's a real great performance! Wonderful playing, very controlled, clear, transparent, nuanced dynamics. The dripping applause at the end is totally inadequate to the great performance.

Only one little shy question: why don't you make a difference between forte and fortissimo?  Brahms does not often write a ff in his music, but if he does, it's really serious. So one should play it really ff - which includes a certain roughness, which belongs to Brahms' character as well as his extreme tenderness on the other side.

[matterintospirit]

agree with all this feedback. the middle section sparkles.

[rallestar]

Op. 119 is one of the pinnacles of the piano repertoire, IMO. Ranks up with Beethovens late works. You do great justice to this heroic ending to some of the most complicated and deep music. Beautiful.

[thalberg]

Thank you all for your extremely kind comments!!     

Wolfi...I might try opening a piano studio....I don't know yet..perhaps a part time thing for a while to see how it goes?  Anyway, the whole career change thing is just me trying to make a living 

Counterpoint, thanks for your always-kind comments.  I'll remember about the fortissimo parts next time I play.  I think you're right about that.  I was using a lot of cushioning with my wrist and such, and I think that eliminated my attempts at roughness.  I must come up with a different tactic.

Matter--   Glad you liked it.

rallestar--I agree this is such a wonderful piece.  I would like to play it every day.  Even non-musicians who never listen to classical music comment on this piece.  A security guard at my school was watching me practice on the video camera and asked me about the piece.  lol.

One more thing to Counterpoint:  you mentioned the dripping applause.  It may make you laugh to know there were exactly 8 people in the audience at that performance.  Haha.

[counterpoint]

Counterpoint, thanks for your always-kind comments.  I'll remember about the fortissimo parts next time I play.  I think you're right about that.  I was using a lot of cushioning with my wrist and such, and I think that eliminated my attempts at roughness.  I must come up with a different tactic.

Your dynamics between pppp and f are marvellous. You don't need a different tactic. Just play a bit (a great bit) louder at the ff parts 

[imbetter]

this is the first time i heard this piece and i really liked it.

what else was on this "long long program"?

[thalberg]

this is the first time i heard this piece and i really liked it.

what else was on this "long long program"?

Bach English Suite in A minor (entire), Mozart Sonata K576, Bartok Sonata, and Brahms Op 119 (complete).

For me at the time, it was rather demanding.

[pianistimo]

wow.  i can't believe i missed this.  this thread must have been hiding.  great job, thalberg!    and good luck on the studio (rather, blessings!).  you're going to be successful at whatever you do, i'm sure. 

[goldentone]

This is great playing, Thalberg.  "Epic" as Pianowolfi said.

Power, command, clarity. 

[lazlo]

Really solid work on a really difficult piece. I'm impressed! Especially with the knowledge of the program.