Ok, so I played hungarian rhapsody no. 2 for my teacher yesterday, and afterwards, he tried to help me play the piece more properly with a more refined touch and a sense of rubato that makes sense to the pulse and the phrasing.
He told me that I add inappropriate mannerisms - visually and physically. Therefore, by the end it seemed to him as if I am trying to make a farce out of the piece and try to "re-enact" certain traditions that have been developed in other recordings as a result of the piece being too popular. He (any myself) wants me to not just "play the notes," but search for a more profound meaning deep rooted in the sheetmusic. I am sure you know what I mean when I say "traditions" - innacuracies in the piece like pedaling that isnt marked in the music, yet seems to be heard in a number of recordings.
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As an example, you know that opening theme that goes
B# C# D# E A E D# C# ? According to the sheet music and all logic surrounding the phrasing of the passage, the notes should flow somewhat evenly.
Well, it seems that I subconsciously add a little break between the first E and the A so it sounds like
B# C# D# E ___ A E D# C#. I dont mean to do such things, but the fact of the matter (I know, it sounds like Im just making up excuses to mask my lousy musicianship) is that I hear recordings (orchestral and piano) that seem to do the same thing. Am I going crazy? Am I the only one who hears these things, and therefore am I perceiving this music entirely wrong?
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I was a little upset with myself with the fact that my playing came off that way, since it was really not my intention to do such a thing. But in the end, it does not really matter what I tried to do. The important thing is what the audience hears and if it rubs them the wrong way. Because my playing came off as superficial and pretentious, my teacher thinks I add these things in on purpose. Well, I was a little dumbfounded to get a punch in the face from reality because I learned and played this piece the way I always do - from recordings. I think, possibly, I listened to the wrong kind of recordings that more or less make a farce out of this piece, and therefore I receive the wrong influence.
I am trying to take a look at this piece with fresh eyes and try to purge my mind of what I had heard before. Therefore, I am looking for recordings that most honestly portray Liszt's original ideas. Ha - looking at a piece with fresh eyes by listening to recordings, if that doesnt sound hypocritical, I just dont know what is.. However, I think I dont have the musicianly integrity or knowledge of the instrument to really understand the music from sheetmusic alone. I am sure if I dont listen to any recording at all, I will develop my own stupid ideas and make an even more insulting farce of Liszt at my next lesson.
If you didnt bother to read my whole spiel up there (and I dont blame you; it's just a lot of childish ranting), Please read this: I need to know who plays Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 with the most honesty to the sheet music and portrays ideas that Liszt would have approved of, so I can track down their recordings and dig myself out of this little crappile I have blindly fallen in to.
Many thanks,
donjuan