Traumerei by Robert Schumann [VIDEO]

[philiphotchkiss]

Hi Everyone:

I'm new to this forum and look forward to learning from each of you and sharing the music. I posted this rehearsal video on YouTube yesterday. The missed note in the RH confirms that it's really me playing

Again, I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you and to listening to your recordings and watching your videos.

[allthumbs]

Welcome to the Forum.

Very beautiful playing. I enjoyed the piece very much. It would be nice if the camera was a little closer to you though.

I look forward to seeing more of your video postings.

allthumbs

[philiphotchkiss]

Thank you for the welcome and the kind words. I may get a chance to rehearse again next week, if so, I'll stake out a better camera position in the hall and try to record the audio with much better quality than my video camera can provide-Phil

[pianisten1989]

Well played

Now, I know you really can't trust Schumann's metronome... but have you tried to play in the written tempo?

[oxy60]

Well played!

I too have been puzzled by the metronome marking. Is it possible that RS forgot to put a flag on the quarter note or the flag was lost in reproduction? 1/8=100 makes a more sense.

Yes I tried it at 1/4=100 and it comes out terrible.

In an historical context, the idea of dreaming in those days was not thought of "like you know, MTV."

[philiphotchkiss]

Great comments on the metronome marking, and particularly the historical question of what "dreaming" meant in those days. It's motivated me to experiment a bit and do some research.

I'm curious if Murray Perahia has recorded Traumerei - I've found him to be a good reference source for tempo and he doesn't go over the top with rubato.

Would appreciate any other suggestions, or recordings/videos that you feel are good reference examples.

Have a great weekend!

[pianowolfi]

Just a few thoughts on this famous piece:

There are words in German that can't be translated precisely.
One of these is "Zufriedenheit" which, in the romantic language, means something like "being satisfied", and it has more meanings. Another one is "Behaglichkeit" (comfortableness, cozyness), this one can have an eminently positive sense. But both of these may also signify a sort of "bourgeois" state of mind, in which people are just seemingly happy, but after all it's like an illusion. They don't want to see the abysmal aspects of the world.
A lot of people see only "Behaglichkeit" and "Zufriedenheit" in Schumann's Träumerei. And of course it is actually there. But there is much more in this piece. The uncertainty, the doubt, Schumann's love for irony (Heine!), the abysmal sadness. One of the "saddest" pieces written in a major key, to me.

Rachmaninoff talked about "the point" that every piece (or even concert program) leads to, and about a Scriabin recital he gave, in which, as he frustratedly thought, he had "missed the point" while all the listeners and critics were full of praise for him!

To me, the "point" of this piece, the turning point, the "climax" lies in m. 16, there is a short moment where we lose the ground...I can't explain it better at the moment. It has something to do with the A7 and it's resolution to the parallel key D minor. That's why this ritardando (like so often in Schumann without a following "a tempo") appears, this happens not only because of a convention. And then we get back to "Zufriedenheit" but it's not really "Zufriedenheit", it's rather, like so many moments in "Kinderszenen", a walk above an abyss...

 This "abyss" is actually not only something negative. It has many different aspects. Schumann knows it's positive and negative aspects and doesn't get tired of bespeaking it, like in "Kind im Einschlummern"...a glimpse of a higher reality and another glimpse, one of a "lower" reality.

So, as I see it, Schumann plays with the  "bourgeois" clichés of "Zufriedenheit" and "Behaglichkeit" only to lead them ad absurdum, not in a revolutionary or aggressive manner but in a subtle, tender one....

[philiphotchkiss]

First off, Wow and thank you for your perspective on this piece.

I'm looking at the score, and your view that the climax occurs in m.16 before the molto rit. is fascinating, I will experiment with this.

Also, thank you so much for the German translation, very educational.

I've only been a member of this community for 24 hours and the interactions have already been engaging, informative and friendly.

Clearly, this is a great online community, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it.

[philiphotchkiss]

Thanks Again for the comments:

Here's some context on the performance: it's a memorial concert to my childhood through adult piano teacher Gary Sipes. I'll be closing the program with Traumerei so the setting will be very emotional. Really need to be calm, cool and collected until after I play.

I'll likely be posting another version after the last rehearsal this week with much better sound quality - I'll be bringing dedicated mics. Again, thx to all for the helpful feedback as I prepare for the event linked below.

https://macphail.org/sipes.html

[fbt]

    Horowitz played "Traumerei" as his last encore in the historic return concert at Carnegie Hall   May9, 1965











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[philiphotchkiss]

Well, I just finished another rehearsal for the concert. I'll do my best to post a new video with much higher quality audio later tonight or tomorrow sometime. I'd really appreciate some additional feedback ahead of the memorial concert for Gary Sipes-thx everyone:)

[go12_3]

I feel this piece needs more feelings into it....the notes are being played all right but not with
heart.  Get more cresendo as the passages go up, decresendo on the downward passages...make it move and come alive, is what I think you need to work on, phil.

[philiphotchkiss]

Thank you for the constructive suggestions re: crescendo, etc. I appreciate you taking the time to watch the video and offer your recommendations:-)

Phil

[philiphotchkiss]

I will soon start a NEW SUBJECT and post a video shot at today's final stage rehearsal for the Gary Sipes upcoming Memorial Celebration Concert being held this Sunday. Please be on the lookout for it, I'm looking forward to your feedback. I'll also post the link in this subject thread once the video is viewable.

The Concert's program has just been posted at:

https://macphail.org/sipes.html

Thanks everyone!

[philiphotchkiss]

Just posted the new video:

[allthumbs]

Again, you've played this piece very well, but this video held less interest than your first video as I couldn't see the keyboard.

Good luck with the Memorial Celebration Concert.

[philiphotchkiss]

Here's a different angle for you - this take shows my hands on the keyboard. Thanks for the candid feedback!

Phil

[allthumbs]

Here's a different angle for you - this take shows my hands on the keyboard. Thanks for the candid feedback!

Phil

Perfect!

[philiphotchkiss]

Thanks!

[goldentone]

The one suggestion I have is for you to play it softer; as of now it's rather loud.  You do play it well.  Good luck at your concert!   

[philiphotchkiss]

I wanted to extend a heartfelt thanks to all of you who helped me with your insightful and constructive comments as I prepared for yesterday's memorial concert honoring Gary Sipes.

https://www.macphail.org/sipes.html

Because of you, I played the piece better than I otherwise would have.

And I'm happy to report, that I played the piece the best I ever have at yesterday's performance. It was the closing piece, and as I was playing Traumerei, I could hear the fain sounds of people crying and wiping away tears in the audience. I could feel the interplay between my playing and the audience reacting - it was a profound experience.

But most importantly, I honored my teacher's memory and I know he would have been proud.

Thank you,

Phil Hotchkiss

PS unfortunately, due to logistics (the performers were seated in a reserved area off to the side) and the length of the concert (it ran 1:45 hours-45 minutes longer than planned) - I was not able to record the performance to share with you. Both the video camera and audio recorder ran out of juice before my performance and there was no way for me to provide power to the equipment.