Liszt Chasse neige

[grisell]

I don't have a teacher so I just wondered if I'm on the right way(?). I just love the piece.

Please excuse an amateur. I know it's not top class (especially the middle part), but I'd appreciate any advice.

[pianisten1989]

As some other people, you're sitting way to high. That makes your wrist go down too much, and you will, sooner or later, get injured.
The 'rule' is that your elbows should be in level with the keys, and your wrist should be an extension from your arm.. kind of...

Your fast notes are not very even, and that's one of the things you might fix if you sit better...

Youtube is ***'d right now, so I can't really see any longer than 1 minute, so I can't say anything else

[grisell]

That's ok. Thanks anyway.

[grisell]

I think I have a good sense for the melody but lack in the technical. If I may say so. 

[pianist1976]

I think you could play it well and you have possibilities but maybe this work is now a bit beyond your technical possibilities. Anyway here come some random advices:

- Choose a constant pulse. The fact Liszt includes a very complex accompaniment doesn't mean that the pulse must accelerate when the score contains more notes per square inch.
- Always keep a fair polyphonic equilibrium. It's easier to play this and many other pieces showing the melody and the bass while keeping softer the accompaniment.
- Re-read slowly the score, there's many harmony missing there.
- Practice slowly, there are places, specially when jumps appear, that are a real mess (sorry for that word, I'm not intending to offend)
- As pianisten1989 said, revise your posture playing. Are you comfortable?

But I think that the best advice could be to rest of this piece while learning another easier that I'm sure you'll play very well. I don't think it's a good idea to play a piece one is not prepared to play yet. It's not good building a house by the roof. I don't want to sound rude (it I was, please, forgive me). I just want to help :-)

[prongated]

As some other people, you're sitting way to high.

Andre, as many other people have also said in this forum in the past, you're sitting way too high (yes, we remember the Campanella too). It's nigh-on impossible to get each of those bass and top notes when you're seated like that. And you won't be able to get the right kind of sound on an acoustic piano either.

Yes, I think it is obvious in the performance that it is something you enjoy, and that is something I appreciate (and to a certain degree, admire). Now, wouldn't you want to learn to play it even better? Give yourself an early (or late) birthday present and find yourself a good music teacher

[john11inc]

I think you should try concentrating on being more rhythmically even (maybe even to the point of it sounding a bit rigid, and in conjunction with slowing down a bit, of course).  I think you'll see yourself improve much more quickly if you spend some time playing it in such a manner.  It gives you less to think about.  That's the best advice I can give you, other than the overall technical improvements I'm sure you know how to work on (and which ones you need to work on).

Also would it be too presumptuous of me to assume you're basing a lot of your interpretation on Berezovsky?  Might I suggest getting to know Lazar Berman's better?  I think you'll find there are decisions you can be making in certain passages that might not only be a bit better, but also easier to execute.

[grisell]

Oh, you remember my La Campanella?  I thought that was long forgotten.

Ok, thanks for all your advice!  I've been down with a cold for one week now so I haven't touched the instrument. I will certainly try to sit a little lower. I actually get a little exhausted in my back after an hour or so; maybe that's because I'm sitting to high.

The teacher is as always a good advice, but there is no economical possibility for that, unfortunaely.

I don't base my interpretation on anyone else's (of course I've heard both Berezovsky and Berman). Any similarity is coincidental. I'm not very fond of Berman's interpretations of these etudes (except for his Mazeppa which is outstanding). His Chasse-Neige is IMO too much show-off. I like it more calm, almost suppressed.

Thanks again! Any comments are most appreciated!