Schumann: Symphonic etudes

[pianisten1989]

This is me playing Schumann. I've played the first 6  etudes for quite some time, but I've played the complete for only couple of weeks.

So I make some mistakes, but I'm no fan of editing until it's without a single mistake.

This is what I'll play on a concert, and they asked me to make it a bit shorter, so I cut a bit in the finale..

Comment plz

[scottmcc]

I'm surprised nobody has commented.  these are clearly very challenging works, on multiple levels--technically, musically, and even to listen to.  as alluded to in the various schumann threads, they aren't necessarily the easiest to listen to or "get."  I've been haunted by them for the past several days though--I've been listening to Kempff's rendition and love it.

you still have moments of rockiness, and a few little kinks to work out, but overall I think you're well on your way.  keep working it!

[pianisten1989]

I thought I wrote that, But obviously I didn't... I haven't really got the recording really under control, so everything sounds kind of non-legato.

But thx for listening!

[birba]

Premise:  I hate this piece.  and yet I played it lots many eons ago.  Maybe that's why.  I don't hate all of it.  There are many beautiful moments.  Actually, I enjoy the posthumous etudes more.  They're just so damned hard to understand.  Scottmcc is right.  Kempff's recording is unsurpassed.  Not so much technically.  There are a lot of powerhouse players out there who can really rip it up.  But the poetry.  You must think of poetry when playing schumann.  Anyway, enough of this.  I actually started to listen a couple of days ago when you had inadvertently posted the second part twice.  Those are the most difficult.  You have the technical grasp of them, I think.  But you have to take quite a few more liberties in tempo and you should consider some of the repeats.  Like number 4.  Play the first repeat.  Maybe playing the first time forte and the second time piano.  Don't rush in the second part.  Keep it really in strict time.  Almost stentato.  Good idea of pedaling the last reprise.  Same thing with no. 5.  Don't rush it.  practise it playing the 16th note like a 32nd note.  Almost an acciacatura to the following chord.  The 4th beat of measure 6, slight ritard, and then the following at a tempo a bit faster then the preceding measures.  Like falling down the stairs... If you want you can repeat the second half this time.  I would repeat the first half in the etude no.7..  The only retard I would do is before the last reprise.  Otherwise I would play it straight.  Keep the pedal down for the full first measure.  Good, though.  You have to do the first repeat for no. 8.  Why do you hesitate at the beginning.  I'm assuming that was a "mistake", right?  You play it very well.  I would anticipate that FF in the second part with a slight "cesura" before.  And the crescendo at the end has to begin much softer and the crescendo, itself, much more gradual.  Divide the pharase (5 bars+)  into p, mp,mf, f, ff, if you get what I mean.
That's enough for now.

[birba]

Etude no.8 is SO difficult for me.  Musically speaking.  You've got the right idea here.  As you probably know, the different rythmic figurations have to be exact.  Sometimes you sort of smudge them.  Accentuate the 32nd notes a bit and don't rush to the downbeat.  I like the way you start the second half piano.  Guido Agosti gave a good guide line to Schumann.  Take all the dynamics down a notch.  F is mf, FF is F, etc.  Schumann's music is definitely not pianistic.  I keep thinking to myself, what the hell does he mean here?!  I think he was really trying to put poetry and words into music.  Who knows what was going on inside that head of his?  Anyway, you've got a fine hold of this etude, I think.
No. 9 is a pregnant dog.  It's without a doubt the most difficult of the series.  Up to the FF it has to be much much more piano and leggiero.  Easier said then done, I know.  You have to use a wrist staccato with active fingers.  In fact, practise it slow with just finger staccato.  The staccato marks in the FF passage are redundant.  Of course they're staccato.  Don't think of it, though.  Just big chords with active fingers, like I said before.  Again, the final measures in piano have to be much more piano and leggero.  Try changing the pedal where it's marked suddenly pp.  Then "butterfly" it when you play the a (with a slight accent).  Really phase it out.
No. 10.  Another pregnant dog.  You've really got to look at the dynamics here.  Consider what Agosti said.  F = mf  p = pp, etc.  In general, I think of this etude as mf and p.  Only in the last reprise is it REALLY loud.  Begin the octave passage p - mp - mf - f  and THEN give it everything you've got.

[birba]

I love it!!!  I've been censored!  Sorry about that.  I didn't know b.... was a swear word.  I'll remember that.  Pregnant dog.   love it.

[birba]

On the other hand, thinking about it, the translation should be "female dog".  Not all female dogs are pregnant.

[pianisten1989]

Dude, thx for your replies, but don't spam my topic! I got like 1 billion mails! ;P
But yeah, They're difficult as hell (wonder what word I'll get) and everything sounds louder than it is, because of my recorder...