So you think you're good?

[kaveh]

Just came across this website-

https://perso.wanadoo.fr/jemboy/video.html

Click on Mazeppa and sit back in disbelief. 

And if that's not enough, click on the other videos and see what this kid can do with the guitar! 

[lagin]

You know, that guy is a member of this forum.  Cool, isn't it?

[nanabush]

Oh my god..... that's crazy!  I play guitar too, but not close to as well as him... oh my god... gaaaa the mazeppa is crazy!!

[maul]

It looks impressive, and with the horrible sound quality, it sounds alright too...that is until you listen to some of his other recordings in the "piano music" section. Not so impressive.

[lostinidlewonder]

Really good technically. The sound seems too sustained/without clarity in places though especially the middle voice of those jumping shared double notes. Probably the recordings fault though.

[ted]

His jazz is also very accomplished and well worth listening to.

[musicsdarkangel]

He says that his "technical secret" is playing the Liszt excersizes.


bahahaha told you those excersizes are good.


I'm using them and improving constantly

[thierry13]

It's good but... he cheats on the 2-4 

[jeremyjchilds]

I could only watch for about three minutes...

My personal style is to perform only what I have mastered...

It appears that he has chosen speed over clarity and accuracy.

I would like to hear him play slower and more carefully, cause he obviously has a lot of skill, but come on, that was not that cool...that was just showing off for the sake of showing off, and missing all kinds of notes...

I'm not trashing him as a pianist, I am trashing his tempo choice.

[hazypurple21]

I'm with jeremy. It's not athletics, for crying out loud. It's music, it's art, it's emotion.

[luc]

Did you watch the video 'Alla turca'?
What's this??  Sounds strange..

[i_m_robot]

I could only watch for about three minutes...

My personal style is to perform only what I have mastered...

It appears that he has chosen speed over clarity and accuracy.

with the sound quality of that vid, it's suprising that one can come to such a conclusion

[donjuan]

Did you watch the video 'Alla turca'?
What's this??  Sounds strange..

arcadi volodos' transcription of Mozart.

I enjoyed watching jemboy play, but a number of the videos are cut up... makes me wonder if he can really perform as consistently as he appears to play.  For example, in that godowsky etude, the screen flickers and goes black... sort of looks like he performed the piece many times in front of the camera and edited together bits of each performance.

[janne p.]

He's really talented, but the unpolished sloppiness is somewhat disturbing; as he's on such a high level, I'd like to hear/see him perfect things. Especially on the guitar clips he is playing stuff way over his speed capability, both with alternate picking and sweeping. There's a minimal chance it's the recording sound's fault but it doesn't really look like it. Tremolo away on all strings with poor coordination between the hands. But all in all, the piano vids were quite impressive but not satisfying.

[limegreen]

Jemboy has his very own community now! LOL LOL LOL ROFLMFAO     

He's even quoted the posts on this forum praising him! LOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!


                              https://jemboy.fr-bb.com/index.htm


LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Say what ya will bout him but one thing that boy is not is insecure LOLOLOL!!!!

[Jacey1973]

He's really talented, but the unpolished sloppiness is somewhat disturbing; as he's on such a high level, I'd like to hear/see him perfect things. Especially on the guitar clips he is playing stuff way over his speed capability, both with alternate picking and sweeping. There's a minimal chance it's the recording sound's fault but it doesn't really look like it. Tremolo away on all strings with poor coordination between the hands. But all in all, the piano vids were quite impressive but not satisfying.

I agree. I didn't watch all his videos - i think the Schumann concerto shows the most depth to his playing. Nice to listen to. But it is hard to hear his playing clearly above the orchesta in this recording.

As for the Liszt videos - its feels like he's playing faster than he can handle i.e he hasn't spent enough time on slow practise, clarifying each note and the main thing i noticed was his lack of contrast. Can this guy play any quiteter than forte?! It seems in these Liszt clips he only plays at f, ff and fff!! (I don't think it would make a huge difference if the sound recording was better either.)

It's like what someone else said - not very artistic. When i listen to a pianist contrast is one of the main things i listen for plus how carefully they have crafted and taken care of every single note. Also i think perhaps his fingers are too flat sometimes? Anyone else notice something not quite right about his fingerwork?

But on the whole interesting to watch, he's certainly got strength, stamina and lots of enthusiasm! Would just like to see a bit more attention to detail...but who am i to criticise?!  

[nanabush]

Haha, I just realized that guy looks EXACTLY like me.. I could easily send this video to one of my friends saying it's me.. hehe, I won't though then they'll ask me to play it. and umm I can't.. (mazeppa that is)

[nicko124]

Does anyone else here think Mazeppa sounds really good at his tempo?

 

[stevie]

Does anyone else here think Mazeppa sounds really good at his tempo?

 

yes, sounds even better when played faster than him though.

like berezovsky and raikerus.

[thierry13]

I agree. Some parts where you have to jump constently, are really way more emotional, nice, and passionate when played faster, like Berezovsky. Berezovsky plays it faster and it sounds really nice, emotional and it's furious  It's very good !

[donjuan]

I actually prefer the orchestral version of Mazeppa over any of the three piano versions.  It flows much better and has more power and color for example, with the trombones carrying the melody.  I find that the transcendental version seems to make a big deal out of the technique introduced rather than phrasing or other much more important stuff.
just my opinion..

[janne p.]

I find that the transcendental version seems to make a big deal out of the technique introduced rather than phrasing or other much more important stuff.

That's why/'cause it's an ETUDE.

[thierry13]

That's why/'cause it's an ETUDE.

People tend to forget that

[BoliverAllmon]

You can say what you want, but I liked the vids. yeah he edited everyone of those vids, but I don't really care. He is better than I for sure.

boliver

[Bouter Boogie]

[lava]

This young guy is just great! I think he's left handed, he also keep his guitar opposite. Did you see the Chopin-Godowsky study for the left hand?

The guitar vids are very cool. Nice improvisations. You can tell he has been studying Bach on the piano.

[stevie]

I actually prefer the orchestral version of Mazeppa over any of the three piano versions.  It flows much better and has more power and color for example, with the trombones carrying the melody.  I find that the transcendental version seems to make a big deal out of the technique introduced rather than phrasing or other much more important stuff.
just my opinion..

its really an entirelly differect composition, the only similarities are the fact its based on the same themes.

i do agree with you though, its awesome.

[the jemboy]

Hello,

Thanks for all your comments, my english is very bad but i think that i understand all your comments.

I want to say you in first that if you've any question i enjoy to answer you.

I'm very sad to share vidéo in very bad quality but i'm not a lot of money and my cam-recording is old, i' compress in wmv and the sound is always bad nad not restoring my P, MF, F and FFF...

My piano vidéo section is a chalenge that i give me in september 2004 to try to record in vidéo the most difficult transcription of piece of piano repertory like horowitz transcription, volodos, godowsky, etc...

In the futur i thinks post more vidéo always free...Probably cziffra,liszt,horowitz transcription and i want to record classical recording probably Chopin cd because Chopin is one of my favorite piano composer: perhaps study, or Scherzy, ballads or Medley with my favorite piece.

Thanks to interest me and don't forget my website is free, you can support me with a donate Guestbook's msg or buy my first real piano improvisation jazzy-romantico recordings: -Melkion-

Many Thanks.

Regards 

"The Jemboy" Alexander Aitammar

[the jemboy]

hi

New video on line for those which that interests: Hungarian Rapsody N°2 of Franz Liszt.

the vidéo is in great quality.

Go in the section custom,video created for the occasion a teaching idea which I had who consist has to make of the vidéos on order, in other words nobody register onmy community can propose/ask me to record a works with camcorder 's plans etc... All that for 1 SMS/CALL.

The rapsody N°2 makes party of these orders, it was made by an Australian young person of 17years old who ask me to record for him.

More To come the premiere ballade from Chopin , as well as the night posthumous one in Ut#mineur.

peace

The Jemboy

https://www.jemboy.tk

[mycrabface]

You know, that guy is a member of this forum.  Cool, isn't it?

Who is he? Wads his username?

[bearzinthehood]

hi

New video on line for those which that interests: Hungarian Rapsody N°2 of Franz Liszt.

the vidéo is in great quality.

Go in the section custom,video created for the occasion a teaching idea which I had who consist has to make of the vidéos on order, in other words nobody register onmy community can propose/ask me to record a works with camcorder 's plans etc... All that for 1 SMS/CALL.

The rapsody N°2 makes party of these orders, it was made by an Australian young person of 17years old who ask me to record for him.

More To come the premiere ballade from Chopin , as well as the night posthumous one in Ut#mineur.

peace

The Jemboy

https://www.jemboy.tk

Is it just me or is your piano out of tune in the HR 2 recording?  I'm talking about the one in the piano music section, not in the custom video section.  It sounds flat or something to me, it's kinda sucking the life out of it a bit.  I dunno maybe I'm schizzo.

[the jemboy]

Who is he? Wads his username?

sorry i don't know he is member on my forum this name on my forum is is_it_i

[the jemboy]

Is it just me or is your piano out of tune in the HR 2 recording?  I'm talking about the one in the piano music section, not in the custom video section.  It sounds flat or something to me, it's kinda sucking the life out of it a bit.  I dunno maybe I'm schizzo.

yes there is a mp3 in piano section and there is now a VIDEO of total hungary rapsody 2 in "custom vidéo"

recording in better quality, "mpeg" 80mb

tjb

 

[mycrabface]

sorry i don't know he is member on my forum this name on my forum is is_it_i

Chay..

[I Love Xenakis]

Bleh.

[jamie_liszt]

Hey Jemboy, this me jamie, nice to see you posting here, talk to you on msn sometime.

I watched your hr no 2 video, its great. you should record some chopin etudes (not godowsky) maybe 10/1 or 10/2, or a challenge 25/11.

[lau]

Why do you call yourself the Jemboy?
what a retarded name.

[kelly_kelly]

Why do you call yourself the Jemboy?
what a retarded name.

How kind. Jeez...

[beginner_ben]

[

Why do you call yourself the Jemboy?
what a retarded name.

is it just me, or does lau seem rather odd to you??

[lau]

[
is it just me, or does lau seem rather odd to you??

why do I seem odd. Because I am showing an honest opinion. People must realize that the truth hurts

[cfortunato]

I think he's actually playing it slow and speeding up the film. 

Seriously, I think he's just awesome.  Very impressed.

[cfortunato]

why do I seem odd. Because I am showing an honest opinion. People must realize that the truth hurts

Ah.  So we have one of these all-too-common a-holes who gratuitiously insults people and pretends that it's a virtue by labelling it "honesty."

How nice.

[canardroti]

Lau's hating

[pianowelsh]

I always find it odd that any discussion of Lizst's work ends up talking about either speed or technical difficulty OR both! Especially when these were actually elements of musical performance that Liszt really didnt consider in his own playing by all accounts.  Liszt was all about finding new sound worlds and new modes of expression.  By todays standards Lizts own versions wouldnt have been the fastest and one must remember He was playing on instruments with lighter action. However one can rest assured that if he was playing will o the-wisp (feux follets) then his legato would be seamless, his doubled notes would be perfectly balanced his phrase ends would be perfectly poised his sense of structure and climax would be par excellance.  The reason being because He used ALL his technical resources to elevate the music to convey an artistic image to show peopl YES the piano can sound like a violin and it can imitate a galoping horse or a sparkling fountain or a huge valley landscape its all down to how you control the sonority.  I have to say it intensely irritates me when people trivialise his genius at piano writing by focussing only on the mechanical difficulties and im quite sure it would have annoyed Liszt too.  I would always much rather hear a carefully put together rendition of his etudes one packed with detail and nuance (his earlier versions have enven more subtle detailing in them) than a bog standard competition rendition which tries to get through all the notes at the highest possible speed without falling off.  Frankly that impresses noone - least of all the jury.  Now having said all that I havent heard jem's performance so i wouldnt even begin to condem it But if he is a member of this forum i would urge him now while he is still young to start ploughing his attention into quality because there is truth in this, that when you are young people will sit back and wonder at millions of notes played fast and memorised..fact! ...However i caution you because it really dosent last long atall and if you dont have a real vision for quality and artistry then your career as a pianist wont ever really get off the ground OR at very best it will be short.  There are way too many people (believe it or not) who by the age of 13-16 who can play all the Chopin/Liszt Transccendental etudes at uber fast speeds - very VERY few survive to make really lasting musical impacts on the world much beyond their teens.  Its greatyou can play all these pieces my advice would be now to either revise your rep and really strive for the utmost quality OR keep playing this rep (it will gradually grow better with experience) and with the new rep take a step back in difficulty and focus with all your might on detail and communicating what lies beneath the notes.  Few people take the time but it is worth it!  Good luck

[henrah]

I agree wholeheartedly with you Pianowelsh. Liszt's music has such a range of expressions and modes and sounds that I would never have thought able, and many people strive for speed where it is not necessary. I have recently learnt this with Gnomenreigen, after watching Cziffra's rendition many many times over and thinking to myself 'Wow, that is insanely fast!! So impressive!' Yes the speed was impressive, but I have only recently come to realise that he mushed together many of the wonderful sounds created by Liszt. I have come to put this into my own playing, as I too were striving for speed (mostly trying to imitate Cziffra), but I have noticed many wonderful sounds in Gnomenreigen that I am now trying to voice those sounds and make it a little less hasty (in the words of Treebeard ) and altogether, to me, it sounds so much better! Although I do strive for speed in one part of it, as that is essential to my interpretation, I am concentrating more on recalling many of the notes mushed by Cziffra.

However, it is still fun to marvel at such speeds, as long as musicality is still retained intact.
Henrah

[pianowelsh]

Amen Henrah! By the way in answer to the topic 'so you think you're good?' the answer is a decided NO! - but I am continually learning. And I can say im not bad!

[emmdoubleew]

Jemboy:

It's impressive that you can play that Mazeppa, but you're bordering on just banging ont he friggin piano... Your tone is good at times (at the easier parts) so you can't use sound quality as an excuse, it's just that I think you're picking pieces a little above your level.

I know it's unfair to make a comparision to a pianist 20 years older than you, but check out this pianist:

[beginner_ben]

Jemboy:

It's impressive that you can play that Mazeppa, but you're bordering on just banging ont he friggin piano... Your tone is good at times (at the easier parts) so you can't use sound quality as an excuse, it's just that I think you're picking pieces a little above your level.

I know it's unfair to make a comparision to a pianist 20 years older than you, but check out this pianist:

no lie, I think jemboys performance is a lot better

[cziffra]

no lie, I think jemboys performance is a lot better

I have to disagree, bezovsky's performance is not only more technically impressive in my opinion, but musically it just destroys jemboy' performance.  He really does take on peices that are too har for him, his godowsky recording is painfully slow and lacking in fury.

[donjuan]

I have to disagree, bezovsky's performance is not only more technically impressive in my opinion, but musically it just destroys jemboy' performance.  He really does take on peices that are too har for him, his godowsky recording is painfully slow and lacking in fury.

Not only that, but in his videos, he just snips together parts from different performances.  not very compelling..