VIDEO: Chopin Nocturne B flat minor Op. 9 No. 1

[gligeti]

Hi all,

 I have recently returned to playing the piano, well, I should say playing classical piano after a long journey in other genres. I am looking for advise for improving skills/interpretation.

 Here is one of the recordings I made recently. I am aware of a couple of mistakes as well as errors in the actual notes ( an a instead of the correct b flat in the connect note; and a missing repeat and a bad note of the last arpeggio leading to the repeat of the main section) -- these are easy fixes, I am more interested in advise on interpretation. Dynamics is somewhat swallowed by the camcorder's auto-level thing unfortunately, plus there are obvious limitations in the subtlety with the otherwise decent Yamaha upright, but I think you can still hear some problem areas in the interpretation...


 I could say the excitement of the recording added a stress, but it is not the full truth since I had played in public (jazz, rock, popular), so while there has certainly been some stress, nearly not as much as with other 'first' youtube posters, so don't hesitate to beat me up.

 

 Thanks for any advise or comment -- good or bad

[furtwaengler]

I should have remembered you'd mentioned the auto level of the video camera here before I made the comment on the Debussy, and though you're not playing a concert grand I think your upright actually has some very nice resonant qualities.

Your lines really sing, and you have really good musical sense. Another easy fix as you say, is in the pedaling. I'm not opposed to your pedaling choices, but you could be more precise in carrying them out, making sure the pedal makes a full change.

I hope to hear more of you in the future.

[gligeti]

 I appreciate your comments on the upright, yes, it is a pretty decent instrument and while most Yamaha uprights of this age tends to be in bad shape from years of school usage, this specimen was in a mint condition and was sort of a gem find I (actually a friendly piano technician) happened to come across and recommend. I still need to get used to it -- has a stiff action and bright sound... And the pedal... Your observation with the pedaling is accurate. I've been indeed having problems with fully releasing the pedal. This is mainly some 'legacy' habit from other pianos which were (especially my digital) releasing quite a bit sooner. My U2 may also need some adjustment as it seems to be quite the opposite and releases only 'way up'. I am about to get it tuned/voiced/adjusted soon (it only had a usual tuning when it was delivered this summer).

 Sounds like I am trying to put blame on technical conditions (pedal, recording level  ) -- really I need to be able to adjust my leg to any pedal I may come across...


>I'm not opposed to your pedaling choices

 I decode it as you mean that I am doing it in an unorthodox way -- yes, likely... I am probably not observing the pedal strictly in the urtext but go the way I feel it in many cases (legacy from the more popular genres...). I'll look at the authors' intention more carefully in the future -- although I don't necessarily want to lose my 'unorthodoxness' as long as it is natural to me.

 Any advice for the middle section? I don't think I really feel it yet. Dynamics are also wrong.

 I have some other recordings on YT, but were not yet comfortable to post them. I'll make more recordings in the future and post them to (hopefully) show progress...