VIDEO Chopin Nocturne in F minor

[arielpiano]

Here is a video of the Chopin Nocturne in F minor as I played it at a live concert on June 22nd.

www.arielpiano.com/Music/chopin_nocturne.wmv

Also, things I posted as practice you can now see live.
Copland Cat and Mouse: www.chars.com/ariel/coplandcatandmouse.wmv
Bach P&F in G from WTCII: www.chars.com/ariel/WTCIIGmaj.wmv
Bartok Ostinato: www.chars.com/ariel/bartok_ostinato.wmv

[gilad]

wow, ariel i loved that. yafeh me'od.

[kony]

amazing!!!

i can't believe how young you are. surely if you worked hard, you could be a hugely successful and famous pianist on the international scene.

[piano121]

Quite nice, as usual, little man.  I love your playing! the image and sound are good, I would just sugest to the person who is videotaping this, to use a tripod! avoiding the distracting camera movment, so whe can pay more atention to your nice playing. 

[monsieurrenard]

Ariel,

For your age, you played absolutely great, especially techincally, but you have some big interpretation problems with the nocturne, probably due to your age. I actually had to fast-forward through some of it because I was too annoyed by the inconsistancies and major fluctuations in tempo and loudness. I think that a little more control would make for a much much better performance.

With Chopin, you have to strike a really fine balance. If you're too straight, you bore the audience, and if you're too wild, you lose the audience.

What you learn with experience is that when you play, you have to realize you're not just making your own music, but you're making music for those listening, you can't just selfishly forget about them (not saying you are). If you let your emotions guide the way you play, you're just playing for yourself, and I really can't guarantee others will like it. It's really hard to explain, but as you become a great virtuoso you'll understand exactly what I mean.  This is why you need to play a crescendo when it sounds good, or put rubato when it sounds good, not when you feel like there should be a crescendo or  rubato.

In any case, I see a bright future in your piano playing. Good work.

-Monsieur Le Renard

[counterpoint]

In contrary to M. Renard, I want to say, we have so many of this perfect pianists, who always play in perfect time and tempo, and all sound the same.
Ariel, your interpretation of the nocturne was so personal,  spontaneous, you  play with so much conviction and emotion, I'm really, really impressed.

As the others, I'm sure, you will get a great pianist, anyhow, if classical, jazz or avantgarde. Keep on your way!

PS: I also liked very much the cat and mouse-piece 

[piano121]

but you have some big interpretation problems with the nocturne, probably due to your age. I

Gosh.... I just see no point for such coment.

Dear Ariel, don´t let these kind of coment bug your mind. Propably you are folowing the interpretation your teacher is telling you, and he is guiding you in a good direction. Obviously, he/she is a great teacher, due to your playing, your technique, ect... And certainly, he/she nows very well wath you need right now, and what will come with age. So, there is no point on geting woried about stuff you will just naturaly understand in the future. You will have a life time to understand Chopin or wathever. So, just trusth you teacher and don´t listen much to that kind of coment.

I played these piece when I was 14, and I´m shure you anderstand the piece much better than I did on that time.

Anyways, Your playing is absolutely beatifull no matter your age. Keep it up!

[quantum]

monsieurrenard, those comments were unnecessary.

If you are going to critique, at least have the patience to listen to the complete performance and give more detailed specific comments to support your interpretive suggestions. 

[opsen]

Wonderful!

Ariel, I have had a great time listening to your playing. You have a great talent and I hope you have good teachers to help you become a great pianist in the future. You still have plenty of time but it is important that you don't let yourself be misled by incongruous advice. That is why you should take also what I say as just another opinion.

If you let your emotions guide the way you play you’re are going to make wonderful music. It is your personality, your taste and your knowledge what counts, not what “others” may think about it. Artist are not there to win the “liking” of the audience but to express themselves and to present what they think were the intentions of the composer. If you feel like doing a crescendo, and you do it properly and convincingly, it WILL sound good and, at the end, you must be the last judge of taste. Every great pianist is. They don’t play what others decide that “sound good” but what they feel, and that is why they become great.

You play Chopin the way you feel it has to sound and that is fine with me. I expect that you in the future change your approach, not to please any audience but because you feel different and understand the music (and use your technical possibilities) in a different way. I wait eagerly until it happens and in the meantime I’ll keep enjoying your playing as it is.

Congratulations!

[kelly_kelly]

Wow! Great job! That may not be my interpretation, but I loved it nevertheless. May I ask how long you've been playing?

[g.gould]

Hi ariel! You played excellent!

I also remember you from TARG Center in Jerusalem in may 26st,
I also played there :-)


You are very talanted,
Kol hakavod ve-behatzlachca!

[arielpiano]

Hi Everybody,
Thanks for all the nice talk and the criticism. Monsieur le Renard, which bars you didn't like? Please look them up and let me know. I have been playing for 3-4 years. This is my fourth year.  G.Gould, as luck would have it, I saw a new movie about Glenn Gould today. What did you play at Targ?
Ariel

[g.gould]

I played Abegg Variations by Schumann in the Targ Center 

[hiline]

WWWWOOOOOOWWWW !!!!
At what age did you start playing the piano, arielpiano? Your technique is awesome, and your interpretation is very personal. I'm jealous with your talent.

[zheer]

your interpretation is very personal. I'm jealous with your talent.

  Hahahaha never be jealous, by the way ariel piano the Bach P&F was great really great to listen too. 

[pianistimo]

i like the way you take charge.  no sitting on the bench.  no sir.

i would say if you hadn't given us the video clip, we'd have thought it was someone much much much older.  you are a very smart and brave performer.  you don't seem to have any nerve problems.

[nocturnelover]

HOW OLD ARE YOU!?!?!?!?!!?! My GOD very well done AND you've only been playing for three or four years EVEN BETTER!!!!!!!!!! When did you start playing I mean how OLD were you!?!?!

[smedmark]

Dear Ariel,
magnifique! I loved it. What a passionate performance! And the video was quite entetaining as well!