[Video] Liszt: Transcendental Etude No. 1 (Preludio)

[donjuan]

The Prelude to the Transcendental Etudes:

[rachfan]

Hi donjuan,

I'm glad you were able to rig your video/sound system with the Yamaha this time.  The result is way better!  You played the "curtain raiser" Preludio really well.  It was up to tempo with accurate articulation, fine control, great clarity, while conveying excitement.  Nice job!  Liszt gets plenty of music on a single page, doesn't he?   

[russda_man]

The Prelude to the Transcendental Etudes:

Brilliant! You have a natural talent. I like the way you sped the big chords up. You have the feel for the spirit of the piece.
Russ.

[nick]

The Prelude to the Transcendental Etudes:

Great playing! You have it down. I don't know or care much for the piece, but like the playing.

Nick

[mike_lang]

Hi donjuan,

I want to commend you on having grasped the lively spirit of this opening, and on some very good fingerwork.  The one thing that I would ask you to consider is, what is the rhetorical meaning of this opening?  What concerns me at the moment is that I am not able to find a moment in your repetition during which to breathe!  I understand your wish to make haste and the display the virtuoso technique that Liszt études do, but remember that Liszt's technique was one of the mind as much as of the fingers.  I believe it would serve your development well in this piece to listen for yourself, asking yourself at every moment - did I understand the phrase?  Is the punctuation clear?  Am I tripping over my words?

It goes without saying that I am sure you have the technical command in your body of this prelude - what it needs now is a bit stronger of a musical intention to drive it.

Very best wishes,

Michael

[lostinidlewonder]

This was not bad note wise, but sounded messy overall, not very clear. Where melodic lines and brought out notes should be heard (like the top notes of the arpeggios 0.34 onwards in RH), they are not, they are lost in the garble of sustained pedal sounds. Like at 0.20 seconds where the trill occurs, it is totally consumed by the pedal and is not standing out.  Perhaps this is the fault of the room and recording device. Also I felt it was slightly rushed. The pedal overall gave a harsh and confused sound to this piece, where I really feel Liszts Transcendentale Etudes all have lovely melodic lines. I think as Michael_langlois mentioned you really need to consider your phrasing and legato ties in your playing here. I like Claudio Arrau's playing of the Etudes.

[ramseytheii]

I think you could give a better "note-picture," that is a better visual image of the piece by: making sure the top notes of big arpeggios sound clearly; and by following the line of the arpeggios in general better.  For instance the first one, when it goes down, you should lighten up the touch, otherwise it sounds clunky and all the same, and I can't see how the music is.
Looks like you have good fingers!

Walter Ramsey

[donjuan]

Thanks for your comments and suggestions; I definitely take them to heart.

[nanabush]

Holy crap that was fast!  Awesome, I loved it!