Liszt Spanish Rhapsody

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[pianowolfi]

Another piece that is bringing me on a trip down memory lane. Very strong sound. Grandezza. Around 2.19 it's somehow schubertish i find.. very nostalgic. Youre gifted. You really touch my heart..Where have you been studying? ok it's after midnight and i'm slightly sentimental. But not drunk. I avoid drinking since last year.  5.45, here it sounds actually spanish. 9.14-10.20 verrry fast, indeed. Oh man that's too much. exciting. very emotional and very serious interpretation. wow i love writing comments while listening, it's fun.

[daniel patschan]

Super ! Better than Kissin´s performance from the Carnegie recital. You must be famous. 

[donjuan]

Very fine playing!  I am working on this one right now, and I know how hard parts of it are to control.  You did an excellent job; I especially love how straight forward you play it- kind of like Gilels, but with less wrong notes.  Stephen Hough or even Cziffra sometimes use too much rubato and throw in extra stuff to make it special, as if Liszt didnt make it special enough, and I like how you dont do this.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Most impressive.  It sounds very polished and controlled. One of the best recordings I have heard in the audition room.

[chromatickler]

HAHAHAHAHAHA *!!!!!!!!

DA MARIK genius!!!!

AHAHAHAHAHAHAH this RAW FURY ZTYLEE, JUZ LEGENDARY true!!!

AHAHAHAHA genius ACCURACY THRUOUT

AHAHAHAHAHAH DA MARIK ALT OCTZ, ZLITELY WIKID!!

AHAHAHA ZTUNNINLY FLUID ENDIN

respect 

[pianistimo]

you are starting to pay more attention to the 'outer edges' of your playing.  for instance, in the high treble when you have the 'twaa twaa twaa' part with rh and lh. i hear something being done differently each time at the outer edges. 

the more you study 'decay' of sound - the more you can imitate it in reverse.  take for instance - any note in your piece.  if you know the decay - then you know the exact loudness that you should play it - so it will not cover any other note - and also will not be too soft. 

you are really quite good.  you are just refining into the 'artistic world' of which artists are better suited to give advice.  it's just that i happen to like to listen and write about things that i hear.  especially good piano music. 

i think it's a relationship with the hammers and strings (the action) rather than with the keyboard.  your pedalling is really good - but i would also - keep the foot even tighter on the pedal.  you know, those 'story telling parts' that go slowly - don't lift the foot all the way off.  just hold taunt the line.

[pianowolfi]

Dear marik, I'm sure I'm not the only one who waits tensely for your opinion to all our comments. 
Greetings

Pianowolfi

[brewtality]

Your performances holds up against any version I've heard.

[jakev2.0]

Marik is one of the most valuable members of these forums. Listen t this recording. Then click on his name and read some of his post. He is a real pianist.

[m]

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[pianowolfi]

Marik is one of the most valuable members of these forums. Listen t this recording. Then click on his name and read some of his post. He is a real pianist.

Yes, I totally agree!

[daniel patschan]

He is on of the very few who actually prooves their professionalism in knowing and playing the piano by really showing this in these two pieces. Both recordings indicate he is a professional pianist of the highest order - as oposed to others who just talk (don´t want to mention any particular names).

[klick]

This piece got me into Liszt, have not heard it in a long time. You did a fabulous job with it, lots of emotion, work and musical analysis went into this and it shows. Awsome job.

Klick

[pianistimo]

whenever there is a repetition - such as the 'twaa twaa twaa' part - i like to hear increasing intensity - which is a lisztian attribute.  and i certainly wasn't saying it was missing - but i personally feel that although i hear the path so nicely - i was only speaking of a very minor portion (the outer edges as i call it) of fine tuning and not the basic musicality/artistry.  sometimes when you get to the pinnacle it is the very little things that distinguish you from another pianist.

sorry if i sound unappreciative, though, because i know i am way below your level right now.  and, i don't play much liszt.  but, one can have a perspective without being a concert pianist (yet) and also listen to someone's interpretation with details in mind that would intensify the listeners pleasure. 

i realize listener's pleasure really doesn't mean much, though - because you can't please everyone.  obvioiusly, you have professionalism about everything you do - and also artistry - which is most important as you say! 

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[pianistimo]

true.  ok.  you have the basic 'twaa twaa'  part repeated twice  and then you go into the 'twaa twaa' development  (in the very highest registers with the rh and lh at the beginning - after the intro).  i want to hear someone zapped electrically.  for me, it sounded like the person was dead before the completion of the final zapping.  ps  i'm not normally like this - and i'm not referring to torture - as i am definately against it.  but, i'm referring to the intensity of the line.  i personally would continue zapping.  it's just a preference.

[donjuan]

To be honest, I am completely lost as for which parts you are talking about and what outer edges do you mean. Maybe something like timing into the piece or measure numbers would be helpfull.

haha cmon man, you know, that twaa..twaa part
.... heh
I think pianistimo is talking about parts in 0:36 to 1:16, and wants you to increase in intensity as you go higher and higher, so when you get to the highest notes, the sound is very bright and like fireworks.  and then these fireworks stay on for a while

I think you could experiment with this idea.  from 1:06 to 1:16, when the left hand is playing the chords, play them more solidly, and more softly than the right hand.  In other words, try to think of the left hand chord just as it is written - as the first note in a group of 5.

As for the right hand, slow it down a teensy bit, to appreciate the tension between the notes, and get louder and brighter as your arm moves from left to right.  When I do it, I try to really grip the keys and rip them out of the keyboard

[00range]

Bravo!

[flontarna]

wauw!

very beautiful played! one of the best things I heard on this forum.
If I can play the second ballade, is this possible for me to play?

[PaulNaud]

Dear Marik,
Because I was in Europe this last summer and I also was busy on september, I found only today this post by chance and I listened to your recording.
It's AMAZING, STAGGERING
WHAT A PERFORMANCE!!!
and all these nuances... one of the best Liszt I've ever heard !!!
BRAVO!!!
and THANK YOU EVER SO MUCH!!!

[kelly_kelly]

You are amazing.

[mephisto]

SUPERB Marik, just freakin amazing! I love your raw fury, technic and musicality.

[jlh]

This is one of the best performances I've heard of this!   Bravo!

[imbetter]

WOW that was VERY VERY good

[rachfan]

Hi marik,

This is one of the greatest performances I've heard of this rhapsody.  Extraordinary!  Thanks so much for posting it here.

[steffin]

This is one of the best, I`ve ever heard. It was wonderful 
Oh, I wan`t to be able to play this, I`m really enamored in this piece 
But I also know, I`ll never play as good as I need 
You must be famous, because of that great interpretation!!!

steffin

p.s.: sorry for my horrible English, I don`t speak it very well