REPOST Faure Nocturne no. 13 in B minor

[furtwaengler]

This was recorded July 3rd, 2008 at the house of my Grandfather, on his 1915 Chickering upright. This was the day before his 92nd birthday, and it was his Radio Shack tape recorder (no external mic) which recorded it.

I also like the wonderful, truly wonderful video Michael Langlois posted here, and remind you of this to better serve the piece: https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=35831.0

(This is a different transfer than my first posting, which I take down, 16 downloads. I monkeyed with it quite a bit using Audacity. Tell me what you think.)

[rachfan]

Hi furtwengler,

Bravo!  This is a fine performance of this very complex and gorgeous nocturne.

I love the Faure "Nocturne" No. 13.  The only one of that set that I've recorded here is the more Scriabinesque No. 6 in D flat, so having not played No. 13 myself, I cannot do a detailed critique. Although I have many Faure scores at home, not this one, so I couldn't follow along with your playing.

Few know that the Nocturne No. 13 was the very last piano piece Faure ever wrote.  I saddens me that in Faure's retirement he was very poor, living in a garret and at times had to sell his valuable manuscripts for a pittance in order to survive.  

From listening, one can easily discern its ternary form with its more agitated Part B.  The character of this piece strikes me as being very pensive and meditative but not without angst at times, and yet the nocturne is not overly dark.  I can also hear the challenges within the figuration--counterpoint in the texture, long ties, altered chords, the sinuous appogiaturas, short cadenzas, Fauresque flights of fancy, and more.  

I did listen to Michael's recording you included here as well, but I believe there is much to be said for both interpretations.  The fact that you allow your personality into your playing is actually a desirable and very good thing.  That's what gives your interpretation it's individuality.  This goes back to the old saw that if you have any six pianists play the same piece with the admonition to strictly adhere to the notation and markings in the score, all six renditions will sound different!    If that were not true, we would live in an exceedingly boring musical world. Conductors are more apt to think orchestrally in terms of timbres and colors, which gives your playing another interesting dimension.  Consider too that this nocturne is French late romantic music, so there can be a some romantic surge and a liberty here or there.

The noise factor on the recording is really loud.  I suspect that you'd need not off-the-shelf editing software, but heavy-duty guns at a professional studio to try to clean up the sound somewhat.  Up until a couple of years ago, I was still doing analog recordings too.  Like you, I'm not a recording engineer.  Then I made the leap to digital recording and am very glad I did. If you'd like me to go deeper into that, just send me a PM.    

Thanks for posting this beautiful nocturne.

      

[lostinidlewonder]

Here is some quick cleaning and restoration. I love Faure and Rachfan reminding me about this unique composer last years makes me sad, this recording also somehow captures that sadness I'm feeling, sentimental playing, very nice. Because of the low quality of the recording some of the sounds are suppressed, long sustained notes vanish too quickly some colors are lost. But I can certainly sense it hidden back there it being done.

[rachfan]

Hi lost,

Wow!  I just listened and I'm amazed at how you were able to enhance this recording! I'll bet that Furtwaegler will be really pleased with the improvement.  Great job!

[furtwaengler]

Thank you for your kind comments, Rachfan, and thank you for your efforts, lostinidlewonder (what did you use, if I may ask?).

I have decided I was far to hasty in posting that first result, and may be hasty now (I'll have to hear it on real speakers when I get home.). I made another transfer from the tape, and played around with it on Audacity. While I don't like hiss, I can easily bare it if the quality of the performance comes through. Here in this attempt, I may still have gone too far, but it is a thin line and I am a technological novice. For now I'll take it as something I can share, and one of these days when it's back in my fingers I'll record it again. It's a piece I've played before and foresee playing many times again.

Thanks for your efforts, inputs and advice. The new file is at the top, on the edited first post.

Dave

[lostinidlewonder]

...lostinidlewonder (what did you use, if I may ask?).

Sound Forge Pro and Goldwave.