Stravinsky: Petrouchka - Chez Petrouchka

[g.gould]

Hello,
I'm posting my performance of Petrouchka after a month of work...

Hope to get some comments!

[lostinidlewonder]

Your fingers certainly control this beast very very well. I have to give thumbs down to your recording device, I had to imagine some of the more ambient passages because the legato ties just don't work. Some melodic passages where somewhat soft but again it is your recording device. I am looking forward to your recording of this at the Tel aviv museum! You will certainly do this pieces great service. Thanks for sharing this with us!

[g.gould]

thank you for commenting

30 download and 1 comment?
i'd like some more comments please!

[lostinidlewonder]

I listened to the recording with this concert effect and it sounds nice improving some legato. I think it goes to show that your touch would work very well for a large hall with lots of reverb. I don't think you will get many comments because this type of music is beyond most people (even though its not that far out!).

[franzliszt2]

You need to have more sense of rhythm. It doesn't hold together well. I think if you secure the rhythm, then it will make a lot more sense to the ear. Like the very opening for example.

You could also vary the sound more, and give it more character. Really try to grab the listener and pull him/her into the sound world

[richard black]

OK:

1. You deserve a better piano

2. You deserve a better audio recorder.

There's some very good playing in that, I'm quite impressed. I don't quite follow your logic in one or two places - listen to a few orchestral recordings to get some ideas of how the rhythm and metre can stay a little more consistent (without eliminating rubato, there's still room for some). Very tidy, though, and very good control of tone, as far as it's possible to tell from that recording.

[g.gould]

Thanks you for the comments!

In a few more weeks ill have a recording of me playing on a steinway grand piano and a it'll be recorded with a very good audio recorder, and then ill reupload it

[pla635]

I like your approach-it is commendable and interesting. 
THe crispness and lightness of your textures are great! 

I imagine the opening of this piece as the floppy and pathetic body of Petroushka-a stuffed straw puppet flopping around on the ground attempting to stand up on his own without the magician.  SOmehow, your approach is a bit too jaunty and energetic-almost too scherzando in a uniform way.  Not all of the runs have to be so crisp.  I imagine the opening page to sound floppier, more pathetic, more of an emotional and physical struggle to get up from the floor-to stand on his own.  The opening chords sound to me like petroushka being thrown into his cell, and the subsequent chromatic falling line-a slow, sloppy, dejected descent to the floor.  Your approach seems too precise, a bit too cheerful.  Remember this piece was written for ballet and this section was a free cadenza with very expressive modern dance like movements and floor work.  It should still be rhythmic however. 

Your middle section is not so convincing to me yet-the balance of the l.h. accomapniment interrupts the sad music box like theme.  I hear the grace note chord accompaniment as background-with careful attention to the voicing, you can create a stunning three dimensional texture in layers not too different from Debussy's impressionism albeit to a very different end.  The challenge is to create contrapuntal and clearly separable lines and textures.    Also, I think the approach the grace notes should be absolutely consistent and even-to give the effect of something mechanical-almost cold-I imagine the ballerina dancing on pointe in a completely expressionless manner though perfect and beautiful! 

These are just my ideas, I'm no sokolov or pollini.  Good luck-this movement was so fun to play.  That 1st mvmt was such a beast.  If you have any suggestions for that terrible l.h. passage-the harp effects, please let me know.  My rendition sounds so faked.  Also, what tempo do you play the first mvmt at?  I can do it convincingly on stage at 108, perhaps 110 if I'm really nervous. 

good luck-this is really good for 1 month.

[g.gould]

Thank you very much for your comment!
It was very interesting to read about the way you imagine this piece

I think that ill really try to do what you wrote about the first part (the first part more sloppy - less cheerful) and about the second part!

The only tip i can give you for the passage the you've talked about is my fingering:
5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1-2-1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5

 

[barnardo]

The only tip i can give you for the passage the you've talked about is my fingering:
5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1-2-1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5

 

In the interests of velocity you have to do the above fingering or something even simpler. I always play
5-4-3-2-1 4-3-2-1 -2-3-4- 1-2-3-4- 5, but it is still the passage that is least likely to quite reach mm116!