chopin a minor etude, op 10 no 2 (live)

[le_poete_mourant]

This is from a recital I gave two weeks ago.  Steinway concert D, at Nazareth College.  Chopin's A minor etude, Op. 10 No. 2.  Tell me what you think! 

[ramseytheii]

Great fingers.  I think it is slightly too slow, and also it is a bit on the heavy side, though maybe I only think that because the recording is on the dry side.  I would definitely experiment with playing this a couple notches faster.

Many congratulations,
Walter Ramsey

[matterintospirit]

This is from a recital I gave two weeks ago.  Steinway concert D, at Nazareth College.  Chopin's A minor etude, Op. 10 No. 2.  Tell me what you think! 

Enjoyed your playing very much. Very fresh, accurate and straight forward with a lot of spirit. Agree could be lighter. Also more contrast between sections. A quicker tempo would enhance, although I don't think it's absolutely necessary.
    I always find it helpful to listen to different  recordings of great artists playing the particular piece, not to imitate, but to hear all different musical conceptions. Many in the music field dissaprove of this practice, fearing that you will imitate and not innovate.
   But I feel that it gives you a multitude of ideas, that you can accept or reject---ideas that you can forge with your own. It can greatly enrich your understanding of what the music is "about."
   Why rewrite history alone?

[marik]

I think it is slightly too slow, and also it is a bit on the heavy side,

Those two are completely related. The lighter your touch, the faster you can play it.

[counterpoint]

Those two are completely related. The lighter your touch, the faster you can play it.

That might be true. But the question is: does he want to play this piece as fast as possible? It's Allegro not Prestissimo. Don't mind the metronome markings 

It's a great performance, musical, powerful, atmosphere, I like it very much!

[the_duck]

i also think this is a really impressive performance, even more so considering it's live. congratulations! the speed is also fine in my opinion. sure, it could go faster, but it sounds absolutely fine as it is, and more speed probably wouldn't bring any more to it. i look forward to more recordings!

[ramseytheii]

No one is saying play it as fast as possible, I just feel that an extra kick would add a lot.  To my ears, the current tempo is a bit on the careful side, and while it is great to hear this piece with every note in place, I think it should have a more spine-tingling character, which comes from a faster tempo and a lighter, more ghostly sound.

By the way, there has been a lot of stock in several posts lately put in what artists want, and how if they achieve what they want, they can sit back and enjoy it.  If you ever get what you want in making music, you for sure aren't challenging yourself enough.  I think the next step for this fine pianist is to challenge himself to give the tempo a push, and to lighten up the sound.

Walter Ramsey

[matterintospirit]

That might be true. But the question is: does he want to play this piece as fast as possible? It's Allegro not Prestissimo. Don't mind the metronome markings  

GOOD POINT "TEACH"--- student should always make the decision if it is what THEY want. They must learn how to accept, reject, incorporate ideas. How else is someone able to find their ground?

Hey "poete," get back here your missing some good stuff

[prongated]

...omg...this is good stuff! Congratulations!

[counterpoint]

And about the tempo again:

Chopin's metronome marking is quarter 144, LePoete plays about quarter 150, so why should that be too slow? 

Has the SDC Club got a new member? 

[hakki]

Congratulations le_poete_mourant !

Very well played. Clear, solid and and even.

The tempo is also just right (same or faster than Pollini's tempo)

Thanks for posting and I would like to hear other recordings from your recital too.

Also, I think it is better to post mp3 files at 192 kbits. 128 is a bit lossy.

[pianistimo]

wow.  nice!  no wonder you got a 'bravo' at the end.  (if only i could play etudes live.  so nervous about chopin etudes.  they are very difficult to pull off because if you miss one note the whole thing goes down like dominoes).  your piano has a 'soul' too.

[michael_langlois]

  I think the next step for this fine pianist is to challenge himself to give the tempo a push, and to lighten up the sound.

Walter Ramsey

I agree, the left hand is a bit heavy, and the right hand follows suit.  Perhaps a little lighter touch with plucked left hand chords would allow for a more agile and *even* sound.

Also, a change of color would be nice after the first section.

Neverthless, congratulations on enduring this to the end - I know from experience that it is a quite difficult étude.

Best,
ML

[counterpoint]

le_poete, may I ask you a little question?

I'm curious how "strong" your 4th and 5th fingers are 
Do they have thick muscle packs around them?

[ramseytheii]

le_poete, may I ask you a little question?

I'm curious how "strong" your 4th and 5th fingers are 
Do they have thick muscle packs around them?

And are they 6-packs?

Walter Ramsey

[le_poete_mourant]

Thanks everybody for all the nice comments! 

Hey "poete," get back here your missing some good stuff

Sorry for my prolonged absence...

That might be true. But the question is: does he want to play this piece as fast as possible? It's Allegro not Prestissimo. Don't mind the metronome markings 

A very good question.  It is often more impressive to play something cleanly and accurately at a lesser tempo than sloppily at a suicidal tempo.  I felt that I played it pretty close to the maximum I could play without becoming sloppy. 

And about the tempo again:

Chopin's metronome marking is quarter 144, LePoete plays about quarter 150, so why should that be too slow? 

I wasn't counting, but again, I felt like I was playing very close to my maximum. 

le_poete, may I ask you a little question?

I'm curious how "strong" your 4th and 5th fingers are 
Do they have thick muscle packs around them?

No muscle packs.  I think they are definitely much stronger and more capable than before I started playing this etude. 

And are they 6-packs?

Walter Ramsey

More like 1-packs. 

i look forward to more recordings!

I'll try to post a few more recordings in the next few weeks... it is a little difficult because I filmed this recital with a digital camera, and I don't have the capability on my computer to download the film... so I had to do it at school, and then extract audio from there.  So it's a long process, but I'll hopefully get some more music up soon.   

[rachfan]

Hi poete,

This is a marvelous rendition of a daunting etude.  Excellent evenness in your playing! 

Regarding comments here on a "heavy" touch, I suspect it might well not have been you, but more a function of the piano.  This is an example of where the Baldwin SD10 (had that been the piano on stage) would have offered a wonderfully transparent sound of crystaline clarity for this will-o-the-wisp piece.  The Steinway D is just too blatant and wooly a sound with its Renner Red hammers.   

[hnzu]

I think the chromatic on the RH should be clearer than the semiquavers chord (also on the RH) and the 1st and 3rd beat at the LH should be clearer too, also need to be lighter and quiet (piano). Try to make a different color in the next section. Try to achive the contrast in dynamics

[gyzzzmo]

I dont agree with most of the tempo comments. To my opinion the tempo is fine, but everything is abit too heavy and too mechanical.
The sixteens should be more on the background and as legato as possible. The eight's make the melody and should give the piece the funny 'jumpy' feeling.
Afterall, since its a concert etude, its about the melody

gl with the finetuning,
Gyzzzmo