Could you give me comment on the Beethoven 3rd movement Pathetique please?

[dora96]

Hi all

I upload this Beethoven Pathetique 3rd movement. The recording  is not good quality due to I only can use hand digital recorder, but at least  listenable. The beginning is bit muck up. Any comment is very welcomed thank you

[teresa_b]

Hi dora,

I love Beethoven!  Good start--you have the notes, and you play clearly.  What you need to focus on is your interpretation.  How do you feel about the piece, what do you want to say? 

Here is what I think is your most important area to focus on:  Throughout, I feel I am hearing one separate measure after another, and not a melodic line.  I suggest you practice melody lines without the accompaniment, and think "over the bar line" to produce beautiful phrasing--when Beethoven wanted legato, he meant it!  The accompaniment is too metronomic and dominating the melody line.

Think about what dolce or espressivo means.

Much more dynamic contrast (I realize the recording might be minimizing your dynamics, but do think about it).

You must emphasize those big chords that end sections, not make them so cut-off, even when they are marked staccato--give quarter notes their entire value.  In the coda, there must be far more of everything--I do not hear espressivo, ff, sf, con fuoco . 

You have already accomplished a lot to play accurately and clearly--now for the DRAMA.

Best,
Teresa

[dora96]

Thank you Teresa,

Your comments are very help, and exactly what my teacher will say to me. What I am struggling when I play this piece the left hand sounds always louder than the right hand after I recorded it. I have been recording few times of this piece, I try to play it as soft as possible, but listening to the recording the accompaniments stick out and cover the melodic line. I will try your method to practice on the melodies.

My teacher always says to me, I am too agitated and the mood and my body is not relax enough. If I play at slow tempo 70 per 2/4. I feel like dragging the music. If I play it fast the triplet is not even. I don't know whether my tempo in the recording is correct or comfortable as listener. I should know but I am in doubt . My teacher won't let me using pedal, I feel that the music like broken from phrase to phrase. The dynamic I am still focusing on them, sometimes, I can do it really well, but sometimes hard to express depending what mood I am in the day.

This piece I find that I feel like to rush in the middle of it when the music getting excited and tensed. Thank you so much for your reply and even though I am taking lesson, during the lesson is hard to sink in all the information my teacher gave me. Besides, second opinion is always encouraging and valuable to me. I just wish I can record better sound, I appreciate you have taken time to listen and write to me.   

[goldentone]

Admirable, polished playing. 

Yes, if you can free yourself from the bar, you will be on your way. 
You have a beautiful tone.

[teresa_b]

Your tempo sounds OK to me.  It may well be that your recording is making your accompaniment sound too loud, so you need a live listener to hear it.  (I just about died last year when I listened to a recording of me playing Beethoven in a concert--it sounded as though I was emphasizing all these notes in the mid-range!  But I was assured by those who heard the concert that no, they did not hear it that way!  Recordings can be deceiving.)

Why won't your teacher allow you to play with pedal?    I can understand not wanting to get into the bad habit of overpedaling, but subtle pedaling can help keep phrases legato when your hand is forced to jump too far to maintain the legato.

 When you are playing the melody line by itself, and thinking "over the bar", pay attention to where the phrase is going, and then think about how you can achieve the legato necessary to bring out the long line.  Try using pedal only to connect places that you are unable to connect with your hand. 

Good luck, and have fun!
Teresa

[sarrasani]

Hi all

I upload this Beethoven Pathetique 3rd movement. The recording  is not good quality due to I only can use hand digital recorder, but at least  listenable. The beginning is bit muck up. Any comment is very welcomed thank you

I apologize, but I have nothing to add to Teresa_b comment. Also about the pedalling question.
All the best,
Sandro