Mozart Sonata K. 310 in A minor

[storyseller]

Though most of the time I tend to prefer clasic over romantic composers I tend to avoid performing them in public... I would say I find any mozart sonata more intimidating than most "million-notes-per-beat" romantic or modern virtuosso pieces.

Ah, I think this went rather well so I thought I should post it.

As always, coments and critique are always welcome.

Hope you enjoy

[birba]

I think you have the capacity,  technical means and musicality to do a much better job then you did.  For a moment I thought you might have been a little nervous and you turned to "automatic pilot", which is a good thing to have, believe me.  But then I began to realize you hadn't really explored this sonata and delved into Mozart's dynamic indications and the reasons behind his choice of certain colors - subito forte, subito piano,  pp to ff, etc.  It sounded like a very superficial reading of this incredible sonata.  I was so tempted to make a video and explain some of these things to you, but it would seem like I want to sit in cattedra and expound my theories. 
The opening promised something good - the tempo was right, it flowed (I would play the first note as an acciaccatura, however) there was direction, etc.  and then it just sort of slipped into a monotone and flat survey of the music.  For example when the theme appears the second time, it has to be detached from that piano measure before.  It's a reiteration of the theme and it has to sound like one.  Not just a carbon copy.  the second theme is piano and this gives you the opportunity to really project the direction of the running line:  it goes up and down up and down. In the last five bars of the exposition (and again at the end of the sonata) where we have that nervous dotted rythm, play it first piano and then forte.  Or something.  And that tragic development where there are FF and PP,, I only heard a bland mf.  To make it brief, I felt short-changed in the end.  Like:  That's all there is?!
The second movement opened up wonderfully.  The right tempo (many play it way too slow) and very lyrical.  BUT, that soon ended and you started playing around with the tempo and it began to sound a bit flippant.  To me, all of the embellishments are melodic and need the appropriate singing tone and  you took way too much liberty with the tempo.  It just sounded to me like you hadn't really thought the whole thing out.
To me, the last movement was way too fast.  It loses it's tragic nature at the speed you take it at.  You take it almost in one.  When it goes to c minor it says PP - at any rate, less then the opening bars.  the forte that follows is SUBITO forte. 
These are just a few observations to make you realize that there is much more behind this sonata then what you presented.  And you definitely have the talent to play it.  But my question is: re-listening to what you did, is this what you REALLY feel K. 310 has to say?

[storyseller]

Thank you for the time and thourouh listening. Obviously this sonata has more to say than what i demonstrated here and your comments helped me remember that "good" is not good enough.... Then again imho this sonata has more to say than what you can find in any live recording, even from the top pianists of the past century...! You can always say do a little more here and a little less there... I believe that what makes it so interesting is exactly that you simply can not capture the essence of Mozart's genious, its always to come never really there...well i m getting too poetical so i stop... 

It sounded like a very superficial reading of this incredible sonata.

Thats a little harsh. Then again the point of posting something is to get feedback, possitive or negative none the less...

you hadn't really explored this sonata and delved into Mozart's dynamic indications and the reasons behind his choice of certain colors - subito forte, subito piano,  pp to ff, etc

Then again this is recorded with a simple old hand camera....and i could push more in the extremes of the dynamics, but i decided not to overdo the contrasts that sounded A LOT less sharp back then, so as to try and give a broaded scope to the music, like think of it per page of printed music, than per phrase... I feel that in Mozart especially too much detail can ruin the coherence of the whole especially in live playing but then again that is just an opinion.

you started playing around with the tempo and it began to sound a bit flippant.

I beg to disagree

To me, the last movement was way too fast.  It loses it's tragic nature at the speed you take it at.

Presto he cried from the rear
and the front line died...

[brogers70]

Very nice and impressive. You asked for constructive criticism, so I'll just mention one thing. What I find most interesting about the 3rd movement is the A major section. To me the rest of the movement is bleak, spare and tragic - all those open harmonies and parallel fourths. Then all of the sudden there's this little music box bit full of sweet major thirds. I think it is deliberately cynical and self-mocking, as though Mozart were saying "Look how inadequate this little bit of sweetness and happiness is to stand against the cold wind." But I heard more bravura than tragedy in the last movement, and the A major part just flew past.