Beethoven - Piano Concerto No.1 in C major Op. 15 (allegro con brio) - ENZO

[emill]

Enzo recently took up Beethoven No.1 and this is a practice session with his teacher. 
Still quite raw, but it would be the opportune time to ask opinions from other pianists. 
Enzo chose to do Cadenza No.1.  Thanks so much.

The pianos sound bad and are out of tune, like so many overbeaten, overused
and undermaintained pianos of music schools here ....hehhe

[perfect_pitch]

For me I think it should actually go slower... NOT because I don't think he can handle the speed because I know he can, but simply because it gives the music more time to breathe.

I'm talking a smidgen slower - say 116 crotchets a minute.

But that's just me.

[birba]

I really don't know what to say.  He plays it very well.  He plays it like the age he is.  12?  It sounds like czerny or clementi at times.  And I don't really mean that in a negative way.  It's just that there's something mechanical and superficial about it at times.  I think it's the phrasing that's missing.  The direction the musical line is taking.  But I feel his age has a lot to do with it.  He definitely has talent to spare - and I think the music will mature with him.

[emill]

So many thanks to perfect_pitch and birba for their observations.

Yes, we often hear his teacher tell him Enzo slow down ... take a breath ... do not rush ....
a tendency most likely from his age or generally from a lack of a deeper understanding of the piece due to its being a new piece to him.  Yet in due time, of course varying with the length of time he spends with the piece, he grows and matures with it.  A good number of pieces he has learned to play "well" is often left "unfinished" with his teacher telling us ... time will do the rest ... it will mature and grow with him... (so true!)


 

[arielpiano]

You're right, Emill. Also, when you come back to a piece a couple of years later, you do it "from above" so to speak, with better technique and deeper understanding. So what two years earlier may have been a struggle, now comes easy. It often pays to set things aside and wait a bit... As for rushing, accomplished artists do it also, not only kids.