Rach first sonata 1st Mvt

[pianowolfi]

Work in progress. Recorded with minidisc. Bechstein A grand from 1912. I don't know how I can get rid of that annoying automatic recording level, so dynamics are limted in this recording, especially in the louder sections. I've had a memory lapse shortly before the coda. Thanks in advance for listening and commenting!

Pianowolfi

[zheer]

  Very musical and thoughtfull approach, i love the tone you bring out on the piano very rich full and warm. You never bash or force music from the piano, great stuff. Thanks for posting.

[pianowolfi]

Thanks a lot for that very kind comment I really was afraid that some sections may sound too bashy or hard.

[zheer]

I really was afraid that some sections may sound too bashy or hard.

  Far from it , you never bash the piano, but very carefully creat climax in the music.

[pianowolfi]

Any more comments, critique, advice?

[teresa_b]

Hi pianowulfi,

I really enjoyed your playing!  You bring out the melodies very nicely, and you don't sound "bangy"  at all.

 I have never played this (it sounds fiendishly difficult), so my suggestions come only from what I would like to hear.  Around 4:00 in the piece, there is a very busy passage where I don't hear your delicate melody too well above the rapid accompaniment motif. 

I would like to hear more movement in the phrases where you have big chords.  It's so easy sometimes to lose sight of where you're going when you are trying so hard to play it accurately and bring out the voices, etc! 

You play beautifully! 
Teresa

[pianowolfi]

Thank you very much, Teresa, thats a kind and helpful comment! I'll look up the things you mentioned and work on them. I'm gonna play this sonata in a concert on October 22nd so any advices that help me to bring the music out more distinct and clear are very welcome!

[gruffalo]

Hi, i really enjoyed listening to this. The first 5 minutes were sort of difficult to listen to, because i felt there was not enough momentum. I think you lingered slightly too much on the fiddly bits, but i enjoyed the way you play the theme and bring it back in. Your build up from about 6 minutes onwards is where my attention was more drawn in.  I think you built this up nicely, however at 7:40, you start losing the momentum. I know this part of the passage is tough, but you really need to slog it out there and just go for it. At around 8:35 where that melody in the bass line comes out, it was good but you can really pump out that first chord and then sound out the melody even more. I think you made the climax and the fall after it at 11 - 12 mins very nice, solid with great colour. But i got a bit lost at around 12:10. That part just needs to be kept moving a bit. 12:30 to the end was very good.

Gruff

[pianowolfi]

Hi, i really enjoyed listening to this. The first 5 minutes were sort of difficult to listen to, because i felt there was not enough momentum. I think you lingered slightly too much on the fiddly bits, but i enjoyed the way you play the theme and bring it back in. Your build up from about 6 minutes onwards is where my attention was more drawn in.  I think you built this up nicely, however at 7:40, you start losing the momentum. I know this part of the passage is tough, but you really need to slog it out there and just go for it. At around 8:35 where that melody in the bass line comes out, it was good but you can really pump out that first chord and then sound out the melody even more. I think you made the climax and the fall after it at 11 - 12 mins very nice, solid with great colour. But i got a bit lost at around 12:10. That part just needs to be kept moving a bit. 12:30 to the end was very good.

Gruff

Thanks gruff, also this is a very interesting and helpful comment. I actually myself got lost around 12:10 because of memory lapse.  I'll keep working on these things and then I'll do another take. Just bought a Yamaha Aw 1600 Workstation (Will take me a lot of time to learn to manage that ), so next recording will be in a better quality I hope

Best wishes!
Pianowolfi