Bortkiewicz, (С. Бортке́вич), Prelude, Op. 33, No. 9 in B flat

[rachfan]

Bortkiewicz’s Prelude, Op. 33, No. 9 in B flat takes the form of a barcarolle.  This barcarolle in ¾ time suggests a small rowboat on a calm, quiet pond in a lazy summer afternoon, perhaps where a young man takes his first love for a leisurely row.  As the oars dip slowly in and out of the water, they create barely a stir of eddies and ripples as the boat slowly glides by pond lilly pads, and as dragonflies light on the boat and lift off again at whim.  This prelude’s mood is different from the other Bortkiewicz preludes I’ve posted here, but like them, it exudes a beauty all its own.  

Usually when we hear “barcarolle”, as a general rule we think of 6/8 meter.  For example, the three boat songs in Mendelssohn’s Songs without Words are indeed all in 6/8 time.  But there are variants.  Chopin’s barcarolle is in 12/8.  And of Faure’s 13 barcarolles, his 5th, 8th, and 9th are in 9/8 and the 7th is in 6/4.  Moreover, Liszt’s Au Lac de Wallenstadt was written in 3/8.  Rachmaninoff’s early Barcarolle from Op. 10 is in ¾ like the Bortkiewicz prelude I present here now; however, a real surprise is Rachmaninoff’s lovely Moment Musicale, Op. 16, No. 5--which is unmistakably a barcarolle—yet was composed in 4/4!

Piano: Baldwin Model L Artist Grand (6’3”).  I realize it needs some tuning.

Recorder: Korg MR-1000 DSD

Microphones: Two Nakamichi small diaphragm condenser microphones with omni-directional capsules in A-B configuration.

Comments welcome!  

[goldentone]

Romance In Peace 

That was lovely.  I think I'll have to work on this one myself.  I really enjoyed
your description of the piece.  There are some wonderful little surprises that he put
in this piece that color its placidity.

If only a piano could fit onto a sailboat!

Great playing and great feeling, Rachfan. 

[rachfan]

Hi goldentone,

I'm so glad you liked this piece!  I was a bit torn on the tempo, andantino.  Andantino has an odd history, as you know.  In the Viennese Classical era in meant a little slower than andante.  Where the -ino suffex is the diminutive form in Italian, that meaning made perfect sense.  But then in the Romantic age, andantino came to instead mean a bit faster than andante!  I believe that the slower tempo would really make this music far more sensuous, however, I didn't want others to complain that I was ignoring the marking.  So I reluctantly brought it up to where it is now.  It's a gorgeous piece regardless.  The Chopinesque flourishes you mention are a little challenging but add a lot to the sound.  And Bortkiewicz was a master at creating so many different moods in his music.  Anyone who has listened to the many pieces by this composer that I, and others, have posted has discovered that too.  He was a superb composer.  Thanks for listening!

[dnephi]

Thanks for continually trying to forward this composer.

Might you try to post on pianosociety, which is a good place to put recordings for others to find?

[rachfan]

Hi dnelphi,

Thanks for that tip on pianosociety.  I'll definitely look into it today.  And thanks for listening to this piece!

[iheartpiano]

Thanks for sharing, rachfan.  I also thought it was lovely.

[rachfan]

Hi ihp,

Thanks for the compliment!  If you like this piece, but have not heard the earlier Bortkiewicz pieces I posted, they're scattered between pages 1 and 5 in this forum.  They're all so beautiful, I have difficulty picking a favorite.  Thanks for listening!

[goldentone]

And Bortkiewicz was a master at creating so many different moods in his music. Anyone who has listened to the many pieces by this composer that I, and others, have posted has discovered that too. He was a superb composer. Thanks for listening!

That's very true, Rachfan.  Bortkiewicz really takes you there.
(And I thought you did a very good job with the flourishes.)

[rachfan]

Hi goldentone,

Thanks!  One thing I find is that as I get older, my dexterity doesn't get any younger.    So it's a bit more of a challenge sometimes.

[pianistimo]

rachfan - i knew you were good - but this piano is terrible.  i don't like it.  i shouldn't be so picky - but you're good enough to have a better piano.  is there any way you can record it on a less 'slappy' piano?  when you do the flourishes - the piano doesn't help you.  i would buy this recording if it were on a better piano.  the baldwin is just ok. 

i love your rendition!  agreed with the comment that you are helping us learn and hear bortkiewicz as he probably intended.  i like the 'andantino' the way you play it - but, am interested to hear it the other way too - out of curiousity. 

[rachfan]

Hi pianistimo,

Great to hear from you again!  You were missed here on the forum.

I really appreciated your saying that I play these pieces probably as Bortkiewicz intended them.  In his lifetime, although he was a virtuoso touring artist, Bortkiewicz refused to play his own piano works in recital.  (Rachmaninoff, of course, showcased his own pieces and greatly promoted and popularized them through his recitals, which boosted his career and fame too.)  So it fell mostly to the Danish artist Hugo Van Dalen to champion the Bortkiewicz repertoire on his tours.  Bortkiewicz died in 1952, and that repertoire soon became nearly completely neglected.  Because that was over a half-century ago, the performance practices were lost.  We're just acquainting ourselves with the dusty scores now.  When I undertake one of his pieces, I develop my own interpretation from scratch.  One exception was the Impromptu "Eros", as I had heard Koji Attwood's rendition here before I studied it; yet, he and I both believe our interpretations of the piece are very different.  Anyway, in working up such an interpretation, I am guided by the one ultimate criterion: "If Sergei Bortkiewicz could be here to listen to this interpretation now, would he be pleased?"  That's it.  If I feel the answer is a yes, I post it here.

The piano was rebuilt a year ago and is only now reaching stability.  It was last tuned in May.  But since then I've been punishing the piano with Scriabin, first the stormy "Poeme" Op. 32, No. 2, and now I'm practicing the big "Poeme tragique", Op. 34.  So earlier in the summer the piano was really in "bloom", but now it's getting out of tune again which invites those slappy and ugly overtones.  If it were freshly tuned, I think you'd like the sound better.  Another factor might be that when you were last here, I was still doing analog recordings, but have since switched to doing digital recordings.  Although I love the added clarity and perfectly silent background of solid state technology, analog had a warmer sound to it.  So I wouldn't discount that difference in what you're hearing.

My Bortkiewicz recordings, seven of them now, are spread over pages 1 to 5 here.  If you've missed any in your absence, pianistimo, please do have a listen to them.  They're all so different, and I think you'd really enjoy hearing any you've missed.

Thanks for listening and commenting!

David

[pianistimo]

thanks for explaining and teaching us about bortkiewicz.  it is an honor to listen to you. 

rachfan - this is really picky and only a preference -- i was really referring to the action (slappy) and how one can hear the note slap especially in the ornamentation because the action is loose.  on a tighter piano - less extraneous noise is heard.  you had already mentioned the tuning was out - so i took that into consideration already.  what might work is when you come to the ornamentation - to play it closer to the keys and massage it without letting go of the notes as much.  this is something my last teacher made me greatly aware of (extraneous noises in recordings). 

what you said about interpretation, i heartily agree with.  you have a great sense of interpretation and i never thought anything about copying or whatever!  you are definately practicing a lot and definately yourself.  it's nice to hear and very relaxing.  i will try to listen to the rest.  thank you for allowing me to comment.  i've been 'out of the running' for a while now (several years since piano lessons) and somewhat floundering without a teacher.  i don't know why - but i lose motivation. i am more motivated when i hear a lot of music.  this was motivating again.

argerich is playing at the kimmel center soon, i think.  i'd like to hear her too. usually after i hear good pianists then i get remotivated.  also, having the kids home from school  - they are busy drumming or running around making noise.  we have a drum set in the diningroom.

[rachfan]

Hi pianistimo,

Thanks for that clarification and specificity on the sound you were hearing.  At first I had thought you were referring more to the tonal quality of the Baldwin, which I actually like a lot.  However, I know exactly what you're referring to now.  No, it's not a loose action.  The action was totally regulated during the partial rebuilding (which consisted of Ronsen Wurzen hammers, shanks and flanges; Arledge Bass Strings; Mapes IG wire for stringing the treble bridge; new nickel plated tuning pins one size up; and some replacement key tops.  I can assure you that the action stack is tight as a drum.  That's also something I check directly.  At least once a year I take out the action and tighten every screw, especially in winter once low humidity sets in.

Here's what you might be hearing though:  Last spring I decided to replace the "key punchings".  Underneath every key on the keyboard, both white and black keys, there's a round felt key punching.  The key punching cushions the impact of the key being depressed and stops the key from ever reaching the key bed in the piano case.  For replacement, my tech called PianoTek, one of the major parts suppliers.  They strongly recommended Crescendo wurzen wool conical key punchings as the latest technology, saying that they're in large demand by piano restorers doing Steinway, Baldwin and other premium pianos. 

A traditional punching has a diameter of about the size of a dime.  The Crescendo's diameter is more like the size of a quarter--significantly wider.  The thickness of a traditional or Crescendo punching is about the same--a quarter of an inch.  Just so you can visualize it better, one looks like a thick  round wafer with a hole in the center which seats around a small metal post in the "front rail" out of sight underneath the key.

Some brands of piano (not Baldwin) cannot use Crescedos effectively, because in a rapid scale in the high treble registers in particular, they produce a machine gun tapping sound on the felt punchings.  I have found that any noise on the Baldwin (more in the tenor section, and only a few notes at that) is more noticeable in playing softly.  Higher dynamics pretty much drown out any key punching sounds.  (If you listen to my Scriabin "Poeme" over on page 2, I think you'll see what I mean.)

The distinct advantage of the Crescendos is that their more stable, wider diameter tapering upward slightly (think of the broader base of a cone) coupled with the firm wurzen wool better directs and transfers the energy of the key impact to the hammer and string.  That, in turn, better focuses the tone and produces superior clarity as compared to old-style more spongy punchings.  There's too much energy absorbed in that sponginess, making the musical sound a bit more diffuse. 

I can certainly revert to the old style anytime, but I'd like to live with the Crescendos longer to see how it settles in.  Plus the technician might be able to mitigate those few notes in the tenor.  Overall though, I can't hear (with earphones) any really noticeable clicks, thumps or thuds really.  To me it sounds very consistently pleasant.  But my hearing might not be as acute as it used to be (age... arrrggg!)  Maybe others here can also comment on whether or not they can hear key punching related noise in this recording.   

[sarrasani]

Wow, congratulations for all aspects: music (choice), interpretation, piano technique, piano (only a little out of tune, as you tell), sound taking.
Really pleasurable and interesting, Bravo!
Sandro.

[rachfan]

Hi Sandro,

Thanks so much for listening, and I'm glad you enjoyed this piece!  I very much appreciate your compliments on my playing too.  As you can tell, I love playing this composer's music.

Regards,
David

[ronde_des_sylphes]

You're doing a great job with the music of this neglected composer. Interesting music, well played and communicated. The only quibble I would have is that the piano is not doing you justice (a little cheeky of me perhaps as my piano is more out of tune than yours!) and it would be really nice to have it recorded in a studio environment (of course, such things cost time and money).

These continuing posts are a very worthwhile project, keep it up!

[rachfan]

Hi ronde,

Thanks for stopping by to listen, and I'm glad you enjoy these pieces!  I have another in the works right now that should be posted in the relative near future.  It's a real pleasure for me to help promote this nearly forgotten composer.  His music is of high quality, very creative, varied, and lush.  As I continue to delve into it, I never come away disappointed.  And the response of the members here has been very positive and encouraging too.

On the piano, it hasn't quite reached tuning stability from the rebuilding, although it continues to improve.  The next tuning will be in three weeks or so.  (I'll wait for the tuning to do my next recording.)  I'd love to tune it for each recording, but that would be cost prohibitive.  Lately I've also been doing heavy Scriabin pieces, and that really knocks it out of tune faster!

Again, I really appreciate your interest in this repertoire.

[lina rose]

  hi rachfan, that is one beautiful piece and your performance was awesome, thanks for sharing!
  btw, i can't really say much about your piano, mine has some notes that are completely out of tune...

[rachfan]

Hi lina rose,

Thanks for the compliment on my playing, I appreciate that!

Between the climate here, awaiting tuning stability following the restringing last year, and my practicing, sometimes I think that trying to keep this piano in tune is hopeless!   

Between this page and page 5, I've posted several of these Bortkiewicz preludes, if you're interested in hearing more of them.  All of them are beautiful.

[lina rose]

  oh thanks for the tip, rachfan. I've just heard op.40, no.6. Again, i'll have to say your performance was beautiful. And i love your interpretations about what these pieces mean to you, it's great that you do that.
  and don't give up on your piano! lol if you lose the hope, one day it'll be completely out of tune and you won't even realize! i find it a little hard to happen, though.

[rachfan]

Hi lina rose,

Probably as the next step, I'll get an exorcist for the piano.   

Yes, the Op. 40, No. 6 is such a beautiful piece.  I loved learning it, and I'm glad you enjoyed it so much.

[broscoe]

Thank you for sharing, this is very interesting music, a little neglected, and your rendition is without weaknesses. 
Bye,
Benny

[rachfan]

Thanks, Benny, for stopping by to listen and comment.  I'm hoping that the more I (and other like-minded pianists) play the Bortkiewicz repertoire, the less neglected and more appreciated it will become.  It takes a lot of time and perseverance, but it's well worth the effort to promote such a nearly forgotten yet wonderful composer.

[wpasman]

Excellent playing, thanks!!

I listened for the slapping sounds  in the ornamentations but noticed nothing.

In my ears it is more than just a bit out of tune though, actually it is distracting me as if I'm drunk in a sailing boat 

[rachfan]

Hi wpasman,

Yes, pianistimo's remark on the "slapping" sound in the action is still a mystery to me, as I cannot hear it, then or now.  I just listened again, and still couldn't hear it.  I remember that I even took the action out back then, set it on the floor and tried to tighten it, but in August the humidity was so high here that the action screws wouldn't even turn!  They were tight as could be.  That led me to assume that she might be hearing the Crescendo key punchings which are made of wurzen wool, not the more spongy, older types of wool punchings.  The Crescendos are firmer and better direct the energy to the hammers producing a more focused tone.  But as I listened here again, I didn't hear that possibility either.  I just cannot hear that slapping effect at all.    

On tuning, yes, I should have waited for a tuning before recording this prelude.  Mea culpa there.

By the way, if you enjoyed this piece, then you would also like the Op.40 preludes here too. So far I've recorded four of the seven.  You can most easily find them by going to the top of Audition Room and click on Index to Audition Room, scroll down to the composers in alphabetic order, and you'll find Bortkiewicz right there.  No. 7 is close by on Page 2 here.

Thanks for listening!