Wagner-Liszt Tannhauser Overture & Busoni Carmen Fantasy

[pianovirus]

Two works in progress, from a test recital I did yesterday with a friend. These are still full with mistakes and memory lapses. I have two more months to work intensively on these. Any kind of criticism that could help be useful during this time would be welcome... as well any motivating word, of course  

Busoni: Carmen Fantasy (Sonatina Nr. 6)

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Wagner-Liszt: Tannhauser-Overture

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[ronde_des_sylphes]

Just a few thoughts from watching the videos.

The Carmen is much more nearly ready for performance than the Tannhauser, perhaps not surprisingly as Tannhauser is imo one of the hardest Liszt transcriptions. In principle, once it is tidied up (and it's not bad as it stands), I think you'll give a very convincing performance of it - it held together cohesively as a whole, which not all renditions of it do.

With the Tannhauser, it's a guess, but is tackling it a conscious attempt on your part to push and develop technique? One suggestion I would make is regarding the tricky passage from bar 39 onwards (and the recurrences of it). I can't see from the video, but I assume you're fingering it 12 12 12 in the lower rh notes? It's not easy to explain this sort of thing online, but I would practice it with that fingering with the 2 repeatedly coming over the 1 with a sort of dabbing motion. My experience is that you can play the passage cleanly with a fair amount of velocity that way (though having large hands surely helps).

You look as if you're quite tired by the end of it (hardly surprising really). It will be less tiring when you're more in control of the technical aspects and able to relax when playing.

[goldentone]

Nice work on the Busoni Carmen, Pianovirus.

[oxy60]

With whatever failings you might have playing the Tannhauser fade for the listener who has recently seen a performance of the opera. As you played the transcription I kept hearing the orchestration so all I can add is to suggest you pay attention to how those themes are sung and try bring some of that phrasing into your performance. This is strong music telling a tale about a universal truth. We should all approach it with great respect.

[rachfan]

Hi pianovirus,

I had a bit of time tonight so selected your Busoni Carmen Fantasy.  You amaze me by how you learn these difficult works so quickly, and I'm equally awed by your prodigious memory.  I must admit that I'm envious!  Anyway, I eagerly awaited the "Flower Song" and was not disappointed.  The figuration is intricate and quite difficult to execute at times, especially while one contends with the melody in the left hand.  Some minor slips in there, but overall you played it convincingly in my opinion.  I think to get this piece up to concert pitch will require just a bit more polish here and there.  Recall too that this aria is sung after Don Jose is freed from jail and he shows Carmen the flower she had given him, still in his possession, and declaring his love for her before she spurns him.  So you need to project that deep romantic expression at all times to fully attain the desired impact.  Overall, I think the whole fantasy sounds very quite good. So kudos on this achievement!

[pianovirus]

Many thanks for all your comments!

With the Tannhauser, it's a guess, but is tackling it a conscious attempt on your part to push and develop technique?

Partly, but the main reason is that I love this piece so much that I couldn't resist anymore

One suggestion I would make is regarding the tricky passage from bar 39 onwards (and the recurrences of it). I can't see from the video, but I assume you're fingering it 12 12 12 in the lower rh notes? It's not easy to explain this sort of thing online, but I would practice it with that fingering with the 2 repeatedly coming over the 1 with a sort of dabbing motion. My experience is that you can play the passage cleanly with a fair amount of velocity that way (though having large hands surely helps).

Yes I'm using this fingering as well (my teacher does everything with the thumb in that passage, i.e. 51-1, 51-1 etc. but I prefer to play the way you describe). With this particular passage I am actually fairly confident I will get this to a clean state in the next weeks with more practice. There are some other passages where I have more doubts; one that is worrying me for memory reasons is the recapitulation of the pilgrims theme with the chromatic/diatonic repeated-notes figuration in the RH. Since there are different sharps and flats in every measure I get confused so often and keep messing up the passage. I need to memorize this more thoroughly than any other part of the piece I think.