Liszt Obermann

[moi69]

Here is a little piece of vallée d'Obermann. I'm working on it for 6 weeks. I've a lot of technical and musical problems. Sometimes i feel like "lost". Any help is welcomed!!
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvsu8oazZQ0
Thanks

[rachfan]

Hi moi,

I think you're on the right track.  If there are specific points on which you want comments, let us know.  Here are a few thoughts:

At measure 119 at the Recitativo, when you begin the left hand (LH) tremolo, even though it is marked pp, emphasize (with accent ^) the very first note (the A flat), then immediately keep the rest of it softly in background.  It provides an announcement of the tonal center of the tremelo.

I like your use of right hand (RH) octave fingerings (5, 4, 5, 4, 3 etc.) to connect the top notes. 

At 128, Piu mosso, in the LH, don't make the D# octave too loud, only forte, because further on in 130 the figure is played ff.  So you'll want to make a clear differentiation in the dynamics.

148: The RH tremolo seems awfully slow.  Liszt wrote "tremolando", but that and tremando have the exact same meaning as tremolo.  Can you perhaps play it faster?

160: What is held in the fermata are not the double-note, quarter note chords, but instead the half rests that follow.

In the Lento at 169, consider the ossia.  I believe it is more expressive and dramatic there!

At the Lento 170, in this section, clean pedaling is essential, because the music is being played in the middle (or tenor) register.   For example in the first measure at 170 there are five pedal changes in there after taking the first beat in the pedal.  It then changes for all the diatonic scalar notes in the RH.  Be sure to listen to yourself carefully as you pedal for precision there.  (This might be more the piano's pedal mechanism and not you.)

Starting at the dolce in 175, play all of the low bass notes as tenuto.  I suggest you mark them accordingly, as they have great harmonic significance.  They are almostl shorter-duration pedal points similar to Bach and Debussy.

180: I like how you bring out the top note of each arpeggio, especially on the first and third beats over the LH rests.  Good!  But try to make the LH figuration there more quiet and transparent--it is background, not foreground.

186: In the LH the chord in the second half of the first beat has C, not C#, at the top.

188: In the balancing of the hands, be sure to keep the LH thirds in 16ths quieter and more in background than those corresponding in the RH, which, in turn, are quieter than the RH melodic octaves and their LH bass single note counterparts.  So you really have a three-part layering of sound there. 

195: On the repetitive G#s in the RH, a more facile fingering is 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1 rather than taking them all with 2.  The next best option is to do them all with the thumb.

200: Don't forget that the RH there is only accompaniment, so must be noticeably quieter than the LH.

204: You saw the voice leading and included the top B in the LH 3rd beat seamlessly as part of the diatonic scale.  Good!

214 at the codetta: You prolong the augmented triads prior to the last notes with the fermatas, as do I.  Liszt does not indicate it, but it extends the agony of the dissonance, making the final resolution that much better.  I believe it is a liberty well justified. 

I hope some of this is helpful.  You play very well!  If you're interested, my own recording appears below.

[pianistimo]

this piece sounds extremely difficult and changes character a lot.  not having played it - i can't give advice about the piece itself - but i do notice that you tend to approach playing with bursts of tension and release - which in itself is not bad.  but, what i see during the tensest part of your playing is that it is always downward in motion.

now, with debussy and other composers - you can almost afford to 'float.'  what i mean by that is not to focus attention downwards (to gain dynamics or anything) - and with chopin you can actually start reverse pedalling where you are working with uplift.  in cycling - this is similar to pulling the pedal up when you have already gained sufficient speed.

as i see it - speed is everything here.  so - the lighter you play and the more 'up' - the easier.  you do this towards the end it seems with the repeated notes - but wander back to the other way when octave arpeggios move up the keyboard. 

this may be illtimed and bad advice (being as i haven't played this piece) but if i were imagining myself as a teacher teaching this piece - i'd suggest playing it through once as though you had no dynamics at all to worry about.  then, when you can play it through with more flexibity throughout the fingers and wrists (floppy fish playing at the end on those octaves) - i'd say - ok -when you want the 'impression' of loudness pick up the speed and approach from slightly higher - but same relaxation (limp) and let the natural weight of your hand give the forte dynamic.  also, slight bits of pedal where you want to bring out something.

[moi69]

Thanks pianistimo ans rachfan. For Rachfan:
-169: i don't have ny ossia on my score.... :s
-186: C# is an ossia. I prefer.
I agree with the majotity of your comment. Thanks.

[rachfan]

You're very welcome, moi.  I'm glad to be of help.