Grazyna Bacewicz's Piano Sonata no 2 (video)

[bach_ko]

1st movement

2nd movement

3rd movement

the last piece for my graduation performance =)
is anyone familiar with this composition?

[retrouvailles]

I am very familiar with this piece and have seen it live once before. It is definitely a great concert work. You do a very good job with it in some sections, but, however, some parts seem like they could have used a bit more polishing. Overall, it seems like it also lacked a bit of confidence on your behalf. I would love to hear how this piece sounds after you spend a bit more time with it in your repertoire, for it sounds like you haven't been playing it very long. That all being said, I am glad to see this piece played by more people. Overall, good work!

[pianowolfi]

This is a very challenging piece, especially the first mvt. and you do a quite good job!
I like very much your second mvt.!
In the first I would strive for more structure, clarity in the structure. I am sure you know exactly what is where in this movement, but it's hard to get that communicated to the listener. Some things might actually need to be exaggerated from your point of view, for instance there should be a clear domination of the treble melody in the first 18 or so measures, otherwise the listener will be actually lost. But that might be a matter of nervosity, as you are doing the development section very well and the recapitulation better than the exposition. Some parts are overpedalled.

In the Toccata I miss also some structuring, and particularly a bit the Mazurka feeling in that part which is marked meno mosso M.M.80 and in the similar parts: The second count of the measure should last a slightly bit longer than it's written. All in all it feels a bit rushed, sloppy and not constant in tempo. But, as Retrouvailles said, you might spend just a bit more time with it

[bach_ko]

I am very familiar with this piece and have seen it live once before. It is definitely a great concert work. You do a very good job with it in some sections, but, however, some parts seem like they could have used a bit more polishing. Overall, it seems like it also lacked a bit of confidence on your behalf. I would love to hear how this piece sounds after you spend a bit more time with it in your repertoire, for it sounds like you haven't been playing it very long. That all being said, I am glad to see this piece played by more people. Overall, good work!

This is a very challenging piece, especially the first mvt. and you do a quite good job!
I like very much your second mvt.!
In the first I would strive for more structure, clarity in the structure. I am sure you know exactly what is where in this movement, but it's hard to get that communicated to the listener. Some things might actually need to be exaggerated from your point of view, for instance there should be a clear domination of the treble melody in the first 18 or so measures, otherwise the listener will be actually lost. But that might be a matter of nervosity, as you are doing the development section very well and the recapitulation better than the exposition. Some parts are overpedalled.

In the Toccata I miss also some structuring, and particularly a bit the Mazurka feeling in that part which is marked meno mosso M.M.80 and in the similar parts: The second count of the measure should last a slightly bit longer than it's written. All in all it feels a bit rushed, sloppy and not constant in tempo. But, as Retrouvailles said, you might spend just a bit more time with it

Thanks a lot for the ideas, retrouvailles and pianowolfi  

I spent 5 months in polishing this piece for my graduation. Ya, I agreed with what pianowolfi said, perhaps i need to exaggerate more on the character of each sections to show bigger contrast of the structure. This is one of my FTCL repertoire that i am preparing right now (I will do Waldstein, Bacewicz soanta and Debussy's fireworks in my exam). I have been doing very slow practise on this to polish every details since my graduation Hopefully it would sounds a bit better when i record it and post it up again

I really love this composition, but it's rarely performed in Malaysia. Zimmerman performed the first movement of this sonata for the encore piece while he did his solo piano performance in Malaysia 3 years ago.