Bellini-Thalberg A te, o cara (I Puritani)

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Following on from pianovirus's excellent submissions from Thalberg's "L'art du chant", here is the opening piece of the collection.

From a recent recital, and apologies for the (very minor) memory slips.

[rachfan]

Hi sylphes,

A very beautiful performance indeed!  I like, most of all, the big coda of this lyrical transcription.  It's treacherous and challenging, but you play it very effectively.  Excellent! 

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Thanks - I'm glad to have had the opportunity to perform this piece, as I simply cannot understand why it (and the set of arrangements it comes from) appear to be almost totally neglected nowadays. I think the writing is both ingenious and effective. In the coda, I'm glad I have big hands! It means I don't have to trill with 45 and can arguably cheat a little by using more convenient fingering (Thalberg was famed for 45 trills and they occur quite often in his arrangements and paraphrases.)

[pianovirus]

Wonderful performance, ronde! Though I briefly looked over all of the op. 70 pieces, through your interpretation it is the first time I actually hear this piece really come to life!! It's wonderful! I currently don't have headphones with me so I'll have to relisten in a better setting. I second David's comments regarding the coda. Well done! Did you give a new full-length recital where this was included?

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Wonderful performance, ronde! Though I briefly looked over all of the op. 70 pieces, through your interpretation it is the first time I actually hear this piece really come to life!! It's wonderful! I currently don't have headphones with me so I'll have to relisten in a better setting. I second David's comments regarding the coda. Well done! Did you give a new full-length recital where this was included?

I thought it was likely that you would have taken a look at this piece. Glad you like the performance. It was indeed part of a full-length transcriptions programme:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=34554.0

I've posted some of the concert already and will probably post some more. I will have video of it at some point as well.

[pianovirus]

I must have missed that thread... What a great and challenging program!! I hope everything went well and you're happy with the concert. If you don't mind, I'd be most interested to listen to your two own compositions, the Somnambula Fantasy and the Thalbergiana.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

There were a few things in the recital which didn't go to plan, but for the most part I was very happy with the end result.

re my compositions, I prefer the performance of the Somnambula from a concert last year, so rather than upload the fresh one, the older one is already on youtube:

I'll probably upload the Thalbergiana fantasy later, but have not transferred everything from my recorder yet.

[thalbergmad]

I think this is the best i have heard you play thus far. This is a billion times better than the Power recording and you can take the 10ths which is another improvement. Unlike her, you also add some artistry and the overall result is a piece of considerable beauty.

One down and 23 to go. The Pergolesi next.

Thal

[pianovirus]

re my compositions, I prefer the performance of the Somnambula from a concert last year, so rather than upload the fresh one, the older one is already on youtube:

That's a great fantasy!! It must be so rewarding (or, in other words, just lots of fun!) to be able to play one's own works (if one plays them so well as you do there). Once my little recital is done, I'd love to try writing something of my own as well...

[ronde_des_sylphes]

That's a great fantasy!! It must be so rewarding (or, in other words, just lots of fun!) to be able to play one's own works (if one plays them so well as you do there). Once my little recital is done, I'd love to try writing something of my own as well...

I would definitely advise you to have a go at writing. Imo, it makes you think about the structural facets of music, organisation and manipulation of material from a different viewpoint to that which you have as pianist, and I suspect it can only be beneficial to the process of developing as a musician.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

I think this is the best i have heard you play thus far. This is a billion times better than the Power recording and you can take the 10ths which is another improvement. Unlike her, you also add some artistry and the overall result is a piece of considerable beauty.

I'm glad you said that, because I must admit to not particularly liking the Power recording. I felt that her recording made it easy for a casual listener to dismiss the composition as just another mediocre piece by an obscure composer, when in reality I think it's a very fine arrangement deserving of wider recognition. I'm obviously biased, but would like to think this recording does something to redress the balance.