another new piece to learn again....

[amelialw]

Hey everyone,

well guess what, my teacher just assigned me a new piece again.

Some of you know that I have had quite many issues with octaves especially in Mendelssohn's Andante and Rondo Cappriccioso, although the problem has started to go away and now i'm much more capable of playing those fast octaves, my teacher and I both want a back-up piece just in case it's still not good enough.

Yesterday, my teacher said she was extremely pleased with the rest of that piece but anyway both of us decided that we wanted to add another piece.

So my teacher pulled out Brahms. I was very surprised as I had asked to learn a piece by him last year and she said no because I was not musically mature enough nor technically strong enough. We decided that I would still play Mendelssohn's Rondo cappriccioso for my exam if I could play the octaves well enough but decided that I could learn another piece that I would be able to keep in my repertoire and to perform.

She gave me options this time and asked me to pick between these pieces:

more challenging musically
Ballade in g minor op.118 no.3
or
Intermezzo op.118 no.1&2

or
more challenging technically
Rhapsody op.79 no.1
or Rhapsody op.79 no.2

I came home, looked at the sheet music, studied each piece, tried each one on, listened to all of them and decided on Brahms Intermezzo. Some how, even when I listened to my teacher play it, I was taken by the beauty, the emotions etc. musical maturity required to play it and just started learning it.

My teacher at 1st leaned towards either of the rhapsody's because they were easier musically but than played through the ballade and the 2 intermezzo and just sighed as she wanted something that would bring out the musical sense in me.

sorry, it ended up being such a long-winded post.

anyway, is there a particular recording that anyone could reccomend me?

thanks
Amelia

[teresa_b]

Hi Amelia,

I had a recording of most of these by Rubinstein that I liked, although I don't know if it's still available.  There are probably a lot of good recordings of these. 

I did not especially like renditions I heard of the Rhapsodies by Helene Grimaud, or the intermezzo Op 118 no 2 by Pogerelich. 

If you are playing both Op 118 nos 1 and 2, you may find, as I did, that no 1 is quite difficult technically due to large stretches in the arpeggios.  No 2 is an absolute jewel, not as hard technically but full of hidden melodies in inner voices, so beware the challenge of continuity and flow! 

I have played Op 79 Rhapsodies as well, and no 1 is very difficult, but no 2 not so bad.  All are beautiful. 

You will do fine with Op 118 no 1 and 2 as a starting point in Brahms.  I have found that over many years, I play them differently and find new meaning in the passages.  These pieces are like fine wine, they age beautifully. 

Most of all, have fun!
Teresa 

[sharon_f]

I've played 1,2 & 3 from Op. 118. teresa_b is absolutely spot on about the stretches in #1. Very awkward. I had a lot of problems getting No. 3 up to tempo. My favorite recording is byRadu Lupu. Absolutely beautiful. (He takes No. 3 at quite a fast clip.)

[amelialw]

thanks Theresa and Sharon!

I will go look into those recordings that Rubienstien&Radu Lapu made and I too did not enjoy Helene's rendition of the rhaspodys.

I did'nt have any issues with the large stretches in no.1, maybe because I have already played pieces that has addressed this issue already nor did I have alot of trouble with no.2 and i'm enjoying both alot.

Did not take a fancy to rhaspody no.1, quite enjoyed no.2 but it does't seem to be my kind of piece.

again, thanks!
Amelia