reallly went wrong

[nervous_wreck]

i played a recitle and i just did awful... ever get the feeling that people are just clapping in sympathy? i didn't get that feeling... they really loved it, they stood up and everything. and i don't know why, i did awful. how do you tell the difference between sympathy clap, and a really good clap?

[henrah]

Well as a pianist your ears are finely tuned, so mistakes to you (i.e. notes too loud/quiet or rubato you didn't foresee) might be unnoticeable to the audience. Also, they don't know the exact way you play those pieces as they haven't heard you practice them, and so what you class as a mistake - playing it how you didn't intend - is completely unnoticeable to the audience.


A sympathy clap, or an applaud with no general 'w00t-ness' behind it, is quite lifeless and is just clapping. As you said people stood up, this is a sign of a great performance, as many would just stay sitting and continue clapping until you went off stage to discuss how it went with their friends. Also if there were any cheers or shout outs, of bravo or anything really, just any human voice shouting above the claps, then you did really great!

The best thing to do is to remember the good things about the recital and not the bad.
Henrah

[zheer]

Hmmmmmmmmmm , am curious what did you play in your recital.

[bennom]

i played a recitle and i just did awful... ever get the feeling that people are just clapping in sympathy? i didn't get that feeling... they really loved it, they stood up and everything. and i don't know why, i did awful. how do you tell the difference between sympathy clap, and a really good clap?

If they stood up, my guess is that it wasn't a sympathy clap, but on the other hand, audience behaviour is different around the world. Where I come from, standing ovations are rare, and a sign of real enthusiasm. In USA, however, I get the feeling that it's more common. But americans are perhaps more enthusiastic than northen europeans in general?

Anyway, you seem to be your hardest critic. Relax, chill out, accept the fact that people can enjoy your performance even if you hated it while playing. Did you record it? If so, listen to it as soon as possible. It might change your opinion on your own performance for the better.

Best,

BennoM

[gyzzzmo]

Just get your tommygun and shoot them all. That will let them forget your performance.

[henrah]

I too would like to know what you played; and if you recorded it, please post it! I'd love to hear a recital that got a standing ovation! Though as bennom pointed out, the enthusiasm might not be as genuine as hoped...but nonetheless, whatever you played was nothing less than great, as I'm sure that really, really bad performances won't get a standing ovation, let alone a clap from anyone. So take it as a sign of a great recital!
Henrah

[amanfang]

really bad performances won't get a standing ovation, let alone a clap from anyone.

Actually, I heard a concert in Nurenberg that cost 20Euro to get in.  He played everything with music (mostly Chopin waltzes, nocturnes, preludes, ect) and had to pause for page turns.  Not to mention all the inaccuracies.  Nonetheless, he got a standing ovation at the end. 
I suppose for me, I would be a much more critical listener than the average person.  The average person who may or may not be so musical is probably going to attend an enjoyable concert, and wants to hear you play.  Also remember that you are your own worse critic, and it was probably not as bad as you think it was.  That happens when I play for friends and family.  They usually enjoy it far more than I do!

[anda]

why do you think it went wrong? i mean, what exactly (inaccuracies and mistakes?) makes you think it was a poor recital?

based on my personal experience (unfortunately, i have had recitals in the past that i wasn't too happy about, and recently i had a really bad one...):

while we play, what we hear is very different from what the audience hears - not only because you know these particular works better than they do, but also due to the diference in distance and position from the piano; and especially due to the fact that what we (players) hear is a combination of inner mental playing and actual response from the instrument while the audience only hears the external actual playing.

also, we have personal expectations from our own playing, mostly based on previous rehearsals - and we tend to constantly compare our present playing to what we expect to hear. the audience never has this kind of expectations, for them everything is fresh.

one more thing: we pay very much attention to details, and during and after the recital we tend to make a huge drama out of *that b flat not being enough p* or other minor stuff like that. for the audience, it's the message that counts the most, details are secondary.

and chances are the message you had to send got intact to your audience, and they gratified you with a standing ovation because what they heard (which is so different from what you've heard!) was a very good - not flawless, not perfect, but very good performance.

one more thing: in case you have recorded your recital, give it at least a week and then listen. do not listen now, you still have your performance (as you heard it) too fresh in your memory.

best luck on your next recital!

[donjuan]

I second anda when asking what makes you think it 'went wrong?' 
:
I have played recitals when I hit every right note, and had the appropriate dynamic range for the style, and felt really comfortable, and yet gotten 'sympathy' claps at the end.

on the other hand, I have played really messy at recitals also, with wrong notes, 'stop-and-repeat' moments, irratic rhythm, and the audience whistles and gives a standing ovation at the end.

my conclusion: right notes dont necessarily impress anyone -musician or not- you need to show them you got balls for trying something out of the norm, busting your ass up there, and still wrestling it through to the end.

--> this works best if the audience is made up of non-musicians and Great-musicians.  the mediocre-musicians won't be impressed because they just haven't figured it out yet.  they want to hear you type something out, because that's all they know how to do themselves.

[jason2711]

I second Don Juan's point about non-musicians and great musicians being impressed with a ballsy approach.  I've found many fellow amateur pianists who i've played to not to be interested in my music at all, but more interested in me getting off the piano so they can have a go.  I admit I used to be like that, but recently have learnt to listen a lot more.  Great musicians can often find inspiration from even children playing simple pieces.  I actually heard an adjudicator say that she wished she could go back to the time of being a student so she could feel the excitement of discovering a piece.  Perhaps they feel the excitement of someone's musical journey unfolding in front of them.

EDIT: i just realised the subject of this post, and I agree that audiences are less receptive to wrong notes and unprecise dynamics, accents, pedalling etc.  What matters is whether they enjoy your performance, and this can be often more down to the energy, excitement, or beauty you display in the pieces. 

[stevehopwood]

We are not the ones to judge our own performance. There are many elements to this, including how the audience take to us.

Some of my own worst playing (in my opinion) has 'brought the house down'. Conversely, performances I really enjoyed giving gained lukewarm applause.

On this occasion, enjoy the reaction of the audience to your playing. There will be times when they will upset you; it is all part of the balance.

Steve 

[nervous_wreck]

it wasn't all me, i opened for my symphonies chamber group. (not my symphony, the symphony in my city) they gave a chamber series and i played rachmoninoffs c# minor prelude in it. i messed up in the middle section, i had a huge memory slip, and ended up making up about 10 seconds more of the middle section that didn't exist before. eventually i got back on track and played the rest, but i dont' see how no one could have noticed this... this was a huuuuuge thing, and i don't even have the slightest idea how i kept playing for those 10 seconds in which i didnt' have any idea what notes to play... (i'm sorry but no i have no recordings.)

[donjuan]

i had a huge memory slip, and ended up making up about 10 seconds more of the middle section that didn't exist before. eventually i got back on track and played the rest, but i dont' see how no one could have noticed this... this was a huuuuuge thing, and i don't even have the slightest idea how i kept playing for those 10 seconds in which i didnt' have any idea what notes to play...

that's the best way to deal with those!  Im glad you didnt go back and repeat, because once you do that, people (whether they know the music or not) know you messed up.