Nights in the gardens of spain - Advice, please

[bennom]

Hi there.

If you performed the de falla piece with orchestra and are willing to share your wisdom I would be very grateful.

I find the piano writing very "tiny", is it hard to be heard over the orchestra?

How do you tackle the strange "situation" of being a soloist, but not a traditional "dominant" piano concerto - soloist, being sitting "silent" for long periods of time?

Do you think the piano part should be performed with great freedom?
de larocha is quite free on her recording, but has to "wait" for the orchestra every other bar.

Most nuances are p and pp. If you obey this, then you would just be one of the orchestral instruments. Perhaps this is the intention.

Grateful for any comments on the subject.

 

[franzliszt2]

I have a friend who is doing this , he's on piano street as elevateme. If he see's this post he wil probably post, but I'll give him a call and tell him to post, he'll have good advice, he's a great pianist

[bennom]

Tanks, franzliszt2. I appreciate it.

I have to add another question:

In the first movement, I think it is rehearsal number 22, when the principal theme reappears, just before the glissando-festival, de falla states metronome quaver equals 88. This is indeed much slower tempo than what is the case when the theme is first introduced.

In the two "classical" recordings, that is, de larrocha and rubi, they play the recap in the same tempo as the intro, which sounds logical.

But the composer still wants it to be so much slower: Is there a tradition, or is de falla's metronome a misprint, or...?

Please, someone, enlighten me.

in gratitude,
BennoM

[burstroman]

We, pianists, too often think we need to dominate or be at the fore.  Just focus on the music in the greater sense being performed and just fit in as another element.

[bennom]

We, pianists, too often think we need to dominate or be at the fore.  Just focus on the music in the greater sense being performed and just fit in as another element.

Well, I don't mind being in the background, when, for instance, accompanying a singer. I don't mind playing the subtlest ppp...if it can be heard.

When appearing as a soloist, you should dominate. By the means of intensity and virtuosity. And you should be avant-garde, at the fore, in the sense of interpretation. You should be able to inspire the musicians.

But in this particular piece (Nights in the...) the soloist is not a piano concerto soloist, nor is he a member of the orchestra. He is situated head of the orchestra and appears to be the soloist, but it isn't very much to play for him in the score... I find it confusing.

But no one seems to have the answers for me, so I guess I have to find them myself.

Thanks anyway, folks.

[elevateme]

hello im here im doing this piece (thanks adam )

first thing - the piano writing is tiny, but tricky in places - and yes the piano part is clear throughout the whole thing, not so much in the big glissandos, but certainly in the small bits & where it says solo.
dont dominate - its not a concerto, but there are solos - when the piano needs to be heard, solo will be marked in the copy. for the long periods of time..  ..theyre not really that long, maybe you can twiddle your thumbs or something.
definately play it crotchet = 88, every note needs to be heard - the semis are in 2 groups of 3, not the other way.
be free in the solos, but when youre playing with orchestra be as in time as possible
hope this helps

[bennom]

  Finally! Thankyou, I really appreciate your answers.

But since english is not my first language, I have trouble understanding this:

the semis are in 2 groups of 3, not the other way.

Would you mind clarifying this to me?

As for rolling thumbs, I won't follow your advice, sorry... but maybe I will take a powernap in between the solos.