i think the tempo was a donkey's pace - but you play soooo well.  theresa_b - i really like your playing.

well, i suppose it was harsh, considering that others have played it slower.  but, the thing is - it had no momentum.  sometimes i felt that it was suspended in time.  it was ALL the orchestra's fault.  not yours.  they started first.  i don't know how you held it together.  personally, i'd like to hear it a slight bit faster.  enough to get nudges forward from the last phrasing.

i think the tempo is ok. just i would like to hear some more colors.

Thanks, pianistimo.  if we ever get another chance to perform it, I'll suggest to the conductor to begin a bit more "con moto".  I also admire your touch with Mozart--I don't think I've heard any of your Beethoven.

Teresa

true,it is elegant,not sentimental. but this movement is maybe even the most sentimental piece of music beethoven has ever written. that's why personally this interpretation didn't "grab me". but still it's just my opinion.

Hi teresa,

I just listened to your later posting of this movement, and really enjoyed it!  You played it with an approach offering great purity of sound and sensitivity.  I believe your interpretation for bringing out the poetry, but restraining sentimentality, was correct.  While Beethoven and Schubert were transitional composers between Viennese Classicism and Romanticism--and, to a large extent, the precursors of Romanticism--it takes the judgment you showed in performance to avoid excesses.  From the numbering, we quickly think of the 4th as a late concerto.  Yet this concerto was composed during 1805-1807, which would be considered Beethoven's "middle period"!  (Think of his Sonata Op. 78 from that same period, for example.)  He lived until 1827.   

It sounded too as though you had a sympathetic conductor who carefully maintained the ensemble balance with the piano.  You lucked out with the piano as well--not too mellow so as to make playing with the other instruments a struggle, but not so bright as to overshadow the strings either.  Congratulations on this fine performance!   

I think it's too fast. And phrases sound a bit rushed. You make the piano sound very 'sad' when you begin, and that's beautiful. But I think you loose the sadness a bit by not employing more rubato, especially at phrase-ends. Perhaps you could have let the trill-section take a bit more time? Now it sounds almost as if you're counting the beats..

But this is nit-picking! You play it quite beautifully already!

I really don't have any complaints towards your tempo, as it is a big part of any interpretation.  I think you can still achieve the momentum Pianistimo is talking about while still staying in your tempo.  By thinking of the directionality and shape of the phrases, you can lead the melodies onwards towards small goal points within the phrase structure.  All this can still be done in tempo because it happens in between the big beats. 

I like your controlled yet expressive interpretation, wonderful tone. 

Quantum, thanks for the comments--I will think "momentum."   

Teresa

Actually what my teacher used to say to me is "push to the end of the phrase" or "look for where the phrase is going, and go there".  You don't do this with all phrases to avoid sounding the same all the time but it is the general idea.  The push and pull happens in between the beats while big beats stay in constant tempo.  The result is expressive phrasing within a relatively steady beat.

BTW, did you read Nils' post on copyright for the audition room?  It's a sticky.  I think you can post the other two movements because we are allowed contemporary music in here.  It's the sheets request board where we can't post copyrighted stuff.  Besides I'd really like to hear the rest 

 There is nothing unusual in the least about your tempo.  It's totally appropriate.

I like your sound quality a lot--really beautiful.  I agree with what they said about goal points in the phrases.  End of the movement was lovely.

Thanks, guys!     I'll ask, quantum.

Teresa