Another Opus 10, No. 4 Etude, Chopin

[gaer]

Clavinova, LOTS of cussing doing this.

Edit: I removed the file here. It was downloaded 69 times, and I did not get one single bit of feedback about the RE-recording I did based on suggestions from other people and rethinking the piece.

The recording I'm interested in getting feeback on is in message #8… If anyone else wants to listen to what I did, please listen to that file.

Gary

[pianohopper]

One of the most difficult etudes, wonderful because it has both left and right-hand workouts.  Really clean and precise.  What more is there to say!

Edit:  Well, I was impressed. 

[gaer]

One of the most difficult etudes, wonderful because it has both left and right-hand workouts.  Really clean and precise.  What more is there to say!

Thanks. But believe it or not, it is much more imprecise than you realize! If you have a wave program, load in the MP3, then lower the pitch 12 half steps (an octave), and this will do what we used to do with tape-recorders. You will find notes that are not together, that are later, that are early, some are hardly there (when they should be), etc.

I also used many takes, meaning that if I was working on a section and it "crashed", I did it again until I solved the problem. This is a way for me to learn, practice and try to form a cohesive performance all at the same time. If I could stop teaching, devote several hours a day to practicing only the piano, I would be ready to do this live in a FEW YEARS. And I should add that even that might not be possible because I'm pushing 60 REAL fast.

At any rate, I don't want people who are doing one-shot recordings to think that I can play this well on the spot, start to finish, no editing, no "splicing". I can do it with a few pieces that I teach a lot and "demo" a lot. But only a few.

Even the best players in the world are doing a LOT of splicing in studios these days, which is why we have an unrealistic idea of how accurate world-class pianists are.

That's why when you hear people play live, you hear all sorts of things go wrong, even with the best, but some REALLY cool things happen to.

Gary

[mc]

Spliced or not, this is a pretty commendable and accurate performance.  Fairly straightforward dynamics, however, but with practice you shall become more comfortable with this piece and experimenting with other things when you have your mind off the daunting task of hitting all the right notes at an appropriate speed.  Great job on the last descending passage before the end runs, btw.

[quantum]

Only thing I have to say is to give a little more nuance in the dynamics, and maybe a bit more pedal in the coda to add dramatic flair. 

Really good.   

[gaer]

Spliced or not, this is a pretty commendable and accurate performance.  Fairly straightforward dynamics, however, but with practice you shall become more comfortable with this piece and experimenting with other things when you have your mind off the daunting task of hitting all the right notes at an appropriate speed. 

You picked up exactly where I'm at. I tried to stick to the markings, pretty literally, get the notes, accents, big things, but I have a much better grasp of almost anything by Chopin than the Etudes, which are my weak point.

Can you give me some specific suggestions? In general it seems to heavy to me. There is nothing that kills climaxes and drama like a lack of contrast. I have some ideas about what I could improve, but I'd like to get feedback!

Gary

[gaer]

Only thing I have to say is to give a little more nuance in the dynamics, and maybe a bit more pedal in the coda to add dramatic flair. 

Really good.   

I got re-interested in this Etude when I heard the performance by Horowtize from 1973, when he was around 70. Someone else criticized the performace because it was not always accurate (I'm sure the studio recording he made, Columbia, I think, was much more precise), but the 73 recording was so wild. By comparison my work so far puts me to sleep.

I'll have to have another go at it later!

Any specific ideas? Somehow I want it lighter, and I want the last page or so to be "pushed" more. It sounds too safe. Also, I'm not sure I like the idea of slowing down at the end. I wish I had just driven it.

At any rate, it's great to get feedback, and I appreciate your ideas!

Gary

[randmc]

Very Good!

[gaer]

I can't thank you guys enough for your encouragement and suggestions.

New recording, VERY similar to the last, but with some differences I hope will make it come alive.

Just a TAD faster, barely. Caught a couple sections that dragged. Played many sections softer, which actually made it much easier to keep a quicker tempo and hit the accents harder. Added pedal liberally in sections, especially the "coda".

I hope this is starting to sound like a piece of intense music and not an exercise. As always, any comments and suggestions would be great!

Gary