LISZT Mephisto Waltz no.1 - please comment and criticize [youtube VDO]

[classical pianist]

It's me playing in a Studio Class rehearsal
Part1

Part2

Thanks a lot in advance for all comments and critics.

[grisell]

No doubt that you have the technical ability. Very clear. Especially the cadenzas are very good.

I can't criticize on anything particular. Try to imagine Mephistopheles, Gretchen and Faust in a small tavern in the countryside, improvising a dance under the influence of a violin and an incountable number of beers. I think this is a piece like that, sort of an impromptu. Don't take it too seriously. Give some more improvised freedom to it. Don't forget to read about "Faust" in order to get the same influences that Liszt got.

I'm jealous: I wish I had your technical ability. I played this one too, many years ago. I don't anymore. Never got it right.

[lostinidlewonder]

I will stick to just critique, a lot of good stuff overall really great work!

The recording is has a little too much reverberation this makes a few things difficult to hear.

Careful how you approach the crescendo in Bar 16, I think you are a little early in your approach which makes things a little too noisy. The marcato suffers we cannot hear the marked out Rh clearly enough. Also how the energy is dissipates is not controlled enough, when the RH starts 23-25 try to decrease step wise each bar then smooth it out.

The leggiero part is not sharp enough nor quiet enough (it was at the same level as the repeat of the beginning that follows it should be a notch below it.), you should roll and sharply play the octaves, it sounded to smooth to me.

After the 2nd leggiero the chords at the end are not is not effective enough. You didn't push through the build up with Bar 87-93. The marcatissimo ff following is ignored.

After the cresc molto that follows the marcato rh melody is just not with enough character. Notice the 2 staccatos that follow each other, it is easy to fall into the trap of playing (B C# B tied) instead of (B C#tied  B staccato). When you finish the phrase with C# D D# F# E, there is just not no shape to it with an increasing sound.

I found overall your melodic lines lacked shape to them. The note qualities like; staccato, legato, marcato, tenuto etc all are somewhat ineffective, the recording quality is to blame I think.

That glissando was like mad fast lol

What about un poco accelerando? The ff chords after this have no power behind them, nor does the rolling sf #C D E F after them. What about the fff? You broadened out but there was no force behind it.

As soon as you hit the dimin before the Un poco meno mosso part (not the pui dimin the one before it) you must instantly change character, more dreamy melody.

In the Un poco meno mosso when you hit the dolce you should somewhat escape the legato feel from the pedal, make it less smooth paying much respect to the quaver rests.

pp touch is ineffective for the Rh poco rall parts. The first 2 should be kept quite and delicate, the following 3 however intensify in character, almost becoming more sinister after one another.

Presto starts ppp, the touch is lacking in the recording.

Espressivo amaroso passage all the way to the Piu mosso needs Rh work it is not feeling the melody enough. Piu mosso was great. Presto following was a little shaky.

leggiero molto staccatissimo part make the rinfoz following it much more furious, put more pedal.