Liszt: Consolation No. 2

[donjuan]

Recorded today while procrastinating my university studying.  feel free to comment.. I also played this piece yesterday at my uncle's funeral.

[asyncopated]

Well played.  First time I'm hearing this piece actually.  The melody sits very well, and is clear in most places.   Well done.

I think that there could be more details added but thats really just being picky  .   Well, if you really want me to nit pick, post again and i'll make the effort.

Thanks for sharing.

[rafant]

Very good, finished, professional playing. Orien Lee is your true name?

[rachfan]

Hi donjuan,

I enjoyed listening to you play this consolation.  No. 3 is most often heard of the set. so it was refreshing that you picked a less familiar number.   You play the piece with wonderful expression and nuance.   It's obvious too in listening, that you greatly enjoy playing it.

When Liszt was once asked how he thought he'd be remembered, he said probably for his innovative harmonies.  This consolation contains several ravishing modulations, and we never tire of that element in his composing.  So he was probably right in his assessment.

Thanks for posting your recording.

[donjuan]

rachfan: thanks for listening! I enjoy your recordings too.

Rafant:  yes, you didnt think my name was donjuan I hope.. haha

asyncopated: thanks!  Don't make the effort if you don't feel like it; I used to play this piece with more rubato, dynamic changes, and tried to sound smart with the phrasing etc but after a while it felt like I was cheapening it.  Therefore, now I try to play it neutral.. but I might have gone too far because the beginning was a bit mechanical, so if that was what you were going to mention..

[asyncopated]

asyncopated: thanks!  Don't make the effort if you don't feel like it; I used to play this piece with more rubato, dynamic changes, and tried to sound smart with the phrasing etc but after a while it felt like I was cheapening it.  Therefore, now I try to play it neutral.. but I might have gone too far because the beginning was a bit mechanical, so if that was what you were going to mention..

I don't think you can really cheapen the piece by phrasing things correctly.   It's like when you are speaking, when we speak or pitch naturally varies.  Ofcourse you can be extemely flaboyant, which is probably not what you want in this piece, but nevertheless phrasing is an essential part of telling the story with your music.  Anyway, the melody lines in the piece belongs in standard 8 bar phrases, or 4 bar subphrases ala beethoven, and should have a natural ebb and flow.

Well played in general, the mood is well presented.  I would really encourage you to work on the details, just to make this not just a good piece which it is already, but to really let it sparkle.
 

[RealPianist]

hi donjuan, it's nice

i'm just wondering, isn't will be more impressive if the tempo is slower?

[donjuan]

hi donjuan, it's nice

i'm just wondering, isn't will be more impressive if the tempo is slower?

well now, this is an old thread..  thx for listening and for the comment.

To each his own.  I didn't want it to drag too much and I'm always concerned about the overall structure being lost if I play it too slowly or with excessive rubato.  That said, this recording is a bit too formal/straightforward isn't it? I would definitely play differently if I were to record it again.

donjuan