Chopin Ballade 1

[pianoman1245]

Hi everyone, this is my first post & first time submitting anything. I'm an 18 year old student with a recital coming up; I was looking for some alternate opinions on my musical interpretation of this piece.
 
I recorded up to the Coda, because I'm still working on that section. It was recorded via my iPhone, and my piano has seen better days (needs to be tuned at least), which both obviously effect the recording, so take it for what it is, please. Some loud sections get distorted and sound like they have mistakes when they actually don't, and sometimes it sounds like the left overpowers the right (in the intro to the second theme, for example), but that's really due to the iPhone microphone. I just thought I should clarify that before I posted.

Thank you so much in advance for the comments.

[quantum]

The Ballades are stories.  When working out your interpretation, think of the story you would like to tell.  You are the storyteller.

Opening measures, you need more finger control.  Both hands should sound simultaneously.

Do you sing?  Chopin adored the Bel canto style of singing, and applied it to his compositions.  All the lyrical sections of the piece, especially the Gm and Eb themes need to sing.  In the Gm sections, less on the portato chords - they are accompaniment.  

You have a few sections with really sudden jolts.  Be mindful of the phrasing.  Look at bar 40 marked agitato, it is only a restatement of the previous 4 bars not a different section.  

The tumultuous transitional sections are more than just fast notes.  There is much room to shape the music.  I feel that you are getting a bit out of control here, LH and RH at times not in sync.  These sections are not just about speed.

Eb major theme: consider a person singing this melody when shaping your rubato.  Be mindful of the breath and how a singer would use it.

[pianoman1245]

Thanks a lot for the reply, quantum. That was probably one of the most detailed and helpful answers I've ever received on a forum. I've already begun working on each of your points 

[miken49]

In my humble opinion all of your problems can be summed up with one simple sentence. You don't know how to read the score  . You have good ideas but your inflicting too much of yourself on the music and because of that you lose your direction. My best advice is to befriend the metronome. Carefully study the sheet music again and play as written.

P.S: If you are listening to Horowitz turn it off

P.S: If you haven't heard of Marc Andre Hamelin Look him Up

Also I hope I have not insulted you in any way. You a good musician, but you need some discipline.