Mendelssohn Fantasy,Mov I

[yw1935]

This is my audition repertoire,any professional or non-professional commentrs are welcome
[youtube]YafMfK6KmrE[youtube]

[yw1935]

[thierry13]

Ha I played this piece some years ago! In general, it lacks phrasing and shape, wich makes it very boring to listen to and does not do justice to the great structure of this work. Also, your tone is very monotonous. You should listen to yourself more, and try to get into the work more. So, in general your playing lacks expression, the notes are all there, but you still have some technical problems with sound color, and musical problems with imagination and phrasing/shaping. I don't know of what level your audition is, and it is for what, but depending on the level, they might find you extremly good or extremly lacking in musicality. Generally, the big schools refuse more people who lack musicality than people who aren't totally even technically, because the former is much harder to develop, while the latter you can perfect anytime. You know the notes quite well, but nothing more, now it's time to do something with them.

[imbetter]

i agree with thierry. all that this performance has are the notes and nothing more. Also you cant fool people into thinking your being musical by moving your body around and making facial gestures.

[yw1935]

Thanks for your comments,thiierry and imbetter,I heard that,sounds like professional.She is young and will grow into musicality gradually

[rachfan]

Usually, I find myself in agreement with thierry's views.  And I don't disagree with his observation that this young lady's playing should have more musicality.  Deeper insights come with more maturity though.  This pianist at the moment is a delightful child who has much talent that is now being developed.  She obviously demonstrates much progress in her studies to be able to play pieces well beyond her grade, even if it is mostly the notes at the moment. 

Of course, I would rather see her play less demanding pieces, so that she need not focus so intently on technical matters, but rather bringing her expressiveness in the forefront.  Usually the better approach is for the young pianist to play a majority of pieces within the appropriate grade, while also working on one or two "stretch" (or more challenging) pieces that will move the pianist steadily upward toward the next grade.  As the famous pianist Wilhelm Backhaus once said, and I paraphrase here, "Why make a bouquet out of mighty oak trees when there are so many beautiful flowers around?"

It's true, as theirry points out, that technique is only a tool or a means to artistic performance--not an end in itself.  Far more important is inner vision about the music, playing with intentions discernible to the listener, and expressiveness in playing.  Technique alone will not put a piece over to an audience.  It is the passion of the vision and playing that makes the music meaningful. 

So while thierry clearly has this young student's best interests at heart, we also want to encourage her.  For someone her age, so far she demonstrates good poise at the piano, freedom of movement in her arms and wrists, a fine dexterity, a good sense of rhythm, competent articulation, reasonable pedaling, and a prodigious memory.  As she matures in the art of piano, she'll definitely want to work much more on feeling, lyricism, tonal colors, expressiveness, dynamics, playing a legato cantilena line, phrasing, rubato, nuances and the like--that is, facets of musicality.  With close attention and guidance from her teacher, hopefully all that will come in time hopefully, but realizing that expressiveness is more often inborn than acquired.  In the meantime we need to celebrate her progress and successes to this point.  In other words, we need to give her some credit!  I think this young pianist has high potential and promise.