Debussy - L'isle joyeuse

[andhow04]

this is from a concert a couple of weeks ago.  here is the whole program:

Medtner - two fairy tales, op.20
Quentin Kim - Sonata in g# minor
Franck - Prelude, Chorale n Fugue
INTERMISSION
Debussy - Masques / D'un cahier d'esquisses / L'isle joyeuse
Bartok - Musiques nocturnes
Messiaen - petites esquisses d'oiseaux

[birba]

Yes, I don't know how we missed that!!  I had to go look for it in the second or third page of the audition room. 
Anyway, personally, I don't think this measured up to the level of artisitic achievement you attained in the rest of your programme.  There was so much intensity in the Bartok, so much color in the Messiaen and  the Masques - and the beautiful, although not to my tastes, interpretation of the Franck.  But in this Debussy, all I heard was a vehicle of virtuosity.  Right from the very beginning, you had the same eclatante sound you projected (and wonderfully so) in the climax and coda.  There was no build up.  I feel the beginning much more lackadaisical and understated.  The second sensuous theme lacked just that:  Sensuality.  It was monotone throughout.  Maybe too fast at the beginning.  I don't know.  All I know is that I expected more from you.  You're an expert in coloring and I was expecting a much more vibrant and contrasting conception.   

[mikey6]

I've been playing a fair bit of Debussy recently and the thing that keeps coming up is look at the score - I hear no cresc. in your opening trills and your f in bar 3 sounds no louder than your p at the start. In the first 3/8 section you could pay closer attention to the hairpins and shape more.
The big second tune - marked expressif - it could use more weight especially the tenutos.
The a tempo after this, the tenutos again could be singles out as tenutos.  When the LH has the whole tone theme, it's marked expressif et en dehors, it sounds a little fuzzy and under-projected, and before this passage.  The same passage on the Bb pedal is better.
More quick fire changes of character, more sparkle in the figurations and more space in the 2nd theme's reappearance - it sounds a bit hectic, whereas I get the impression is should sound big, grand, noble.  Technically it's all there, it just needs more of everything.
Well done on the end!  That last's a's a pregnant dog to get!

[franzliszt2]

It's very well played, but I think it sounds a bit like a painting with too strong an outline. A lot of it needs to be much more veiled. For example the introduction...the trill should come out of nowhere, and be perfectly even. You start it slightly slower and then speed up, which I like a lot, but maybe try and make the transition to the full speed trill a lot smoother. When the theme comes make a bigger contrast between the dotted demisemi's and the triplet semiquavers. The triplets need a lot more suppleness.

At 3/8 use a lot less pedal! I don't really do any crescendo with my fingers, I just play very lightly but use the pedal to create the dynamics. Experiment and you'll find some wonderful sounds. I kept the pedal off for the first 2 bars, and then for the cresendo I put it down a tiny bit, and fluttered it away for the diminuendo. Then at pp I put the pedal down the tiniest bit, and keep the fingers very light. I use more finger weight at the mf, but again just pedal the crescendo. A lot of this depends on the piano, but it's worth experimenting. It's such a beautiful section if it has a certain mystery about it.

At Un peu cede, it needs to be much more sensuous and erotic. Use lots and lots and lots of rubato. Aim for different colours in all the chords, sometimes the need more voicing towards the soprano, and other times you need to voicing in the harmonys.

At Plus anime don't take it too fast! Just a touch faster than the opening. At pp subito when you get the G#'s play it a lot slower. It's far too fast. It should sound like heavy drum beats. It should sound quite primitive. Voice the harmonys a lot more when the RH comes in, they are a lot more interesting than the top line. When you get the Eb major chords, you need to articulate the semiquavers a lot more. I think if the tempo is slower, this will happen naturally.

U peu cede needs a lot more space. It's one of the most orgasmic moments in music! The top needs to sing out, and the tenor voice must come through. The tenor voice is probably the most important. A;ll the energy comes from this voice, so you must voice it very carefully! Give lots of time for the bottom Bbs...that moment is the most important.

Then if you go crazy at the end it makes sense, it's a like a wild release after a huge orgasm!

[mikey6]

Give lots of time for the bottom Bbs...that moment is the most important.

But don't prepare!  This is strictly disallowed by the school of Maestros! 

[andhow04]

sorry nobody really liked this!  i appreciate all the usefulc omments.  maybe this piece was so well known i took a lot for granted!