Bortkiewicz Etude op. 15 no. 8

[furtwaengler]

12/23/10

WAV: https://www.mediafire.com/?oazlt5o4cw3bfv8

This was originally to be a gift for Rachfan, as I was trying some of his recording suggestions with my Tascam. I held off because I thought I'd get another shot later, but after the Tascam was stolen from me, I decided to revisit this, which was not nearly as bad as I remembered it. Still it was recorded the day I read it, and thus the recording has both the flaws and the freshness of new discovery. I actually have grown to like this recording in spite of the flaws, and am sharing it with you, even if a better pianist would not. And speaking of the better pianist, listen to how Koji played it: https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,13402.0.html

!

Dave

[scottmcc]

very well done!  I'm not familiar enough with the piece to offer specific criticisms, but I enjoyed it thoroughly.  keep up the good work.

[furtwaengler]

Thanks very much for listening and commenting, Scott. 

[becky8898]

hi: what great music.  I just loved your playing.   I had to just go get a copy of the music.   Your left hand where the sixteenth note passages begin was just gorgeous.  Silky smooth. I cant wait to fool around with this piece. My only only question.  The re entrance of the Db major key after the minor, I see it as perhaps a little grander, im not sure how , but it reminds me of coming out of a rain storm and at once the sunlight appears.  Your winding down as the piece ends almost had me crying.  Great great job. You for sure have one big fan in me.  Please please post more often.

Cheers, Becky

[rachfan]

Hi Dave,

I'm totally impressed by your playing of this Bortkiewicz etude, as it is not an easy piece to play.  I've listened to it three or four times already.  I've had it on my "repertoire to do" list for several years, but have not yet gotten to it, and believe it will be a while longer yet. Anyway, I'm astounded that you could play and record it after reading the piece with little previous preparation.  It's truly awesome, and I admire your capabilities!  Thanks for posting it!  I believe that if you were to practice it more intensively, having brought this far, that you would refine it even more, yes?  It might be something to consider.  For me it would be too tantalizing not to apply more polish.

P.S. The WAV file is great to hear, but it's a big file (56 MB), so a long download.  If you'd like, you could send a copy of your WAV file to my email address in my profile.  I'd be glad to convert it to MP3 and email it back to you, so that you could post it right here.

David

[furtwaengler]

Becky, thanks very much for your warm comments. It is indeed great music, and it appears you already have a vision at work for the piece. I think you should play it!

If you really like the piece, I'd encourage you to listen to Koji Attwood's performance: https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,13402.0.html

[furtwaengler]

Thank you very much, David. I'm glad you've gotten to hear it, and I hope you do get around to learning it sometime. The piece really suits you. It is a difficult piece with some deceptive technical twists, but you must know I had time that day, and this recording is the product of several hours work. And yes, absolutely this is not at all where I'd want to leave the piece. It deserves much more attention, and I had expected to give it more attention especially to get a better recording for you - it's funny working this way...listening to the recorded material, there is the first phrase over and over and over, and the first page many times over, stopping and going in frustration; only a handful of times did a recording progress to the most difficult portions of the piece! And this was the ONLY good full take (of course quite a bit of work on those sections proceeded the recording). Alas, I've not touched it since that day, and it will be some time before I'm free too, with all the projects - I have a gang of recitals coming up in a short stretch of time, mostly collaborative, but including some fantastic music. Eventually I'd like to learn more of the Bortkiewicz op. 15 set, but there's so much I'd like to learn additionally! I am perpetually interested in many things!

As for the WAV file...it is the same recording as the posted mp3. I made available the uncompressed WAV in case there was interest.

I eagerly await whatever project you'll be sharing with us in the future!

Dave

[goldentone]

This is incredibly beautiful, Dave.  Thanks for sharing with us.

[rachfan]

Hi Dave,

I'm flattered that you had my affinity to Bortkiewicz's music in mind when you posted the etude!  Your description of your recording session sounded like every one that I do.    I'm sure you'll get back to the piece some day to put some final touches on it.  I do know what you mean by being "perpetually interested in many things".  I have all the scores to my current "to do list" lined up beside the piano.  But... now and then a gorgeous interloper piece comes along that I cannot resist, and then the order of priorities changes.  I imagine it's probably the same for all pianists.  Exploring repertoire is like being a kid in a candy store, only more exciting.

You'll be glad to know that my next recording will be a Bortkiewicz piece, hopefully in the relative near future.  

Good luck in your collaborative recitals.

David

[mephisto]

First I would like to point out that I really love this etude, and I would certainly love to be able to play my self...

Anyway: I think your performance was great! The melodie sounds like a song, and the phrasing and passion is superb. Just great!

[furtwaengler]

I have gotten to like how David gives individual attention to individual replies on his threads, and I really wish I could show the same respect. I just don't have the time at the moment...I'll be in and out of here over the next few months.

I do want to thank Goldentone very much for listening and for the generous reply, and I do want to thank Mephisto for a truly great compliment.

Even with the warm reception this has received, I'm a bit weary that I've posted it, because I know it could be so much better. It was an emotional leap that I went for it, publishing it now. It is a positive that this wonderful piece has gotten some recognition, but I'm mindful that first impressions of great compositions sometimes have a miraculous way of to hiding flaws. That is to say there are a number of flaws which will eventual  be revealed as you get to know the piece more personally. There is a small victory too that I have in mind, and that's that I had a goal that day to get a recording of a piece I did not know, and with all that the mics picked up for several weeks I thought I had failed this goal. It was not until my recorder was stolen I went back to see what had and had not been transferred, and it was to my great surprise I found a take in which Bortkiewicz's music spoke.

Thank you all for the comments and the encouragement.

And David, I have used the "kid in a candy store" metaphor many times! It is amazing the things I get to do. I hope we never lose the childlike sense of discovery which makes being a performing musician so grand.

All the best,

Dave

[wzkit]

I know this response comes many years late, but I thought I'd just say how much I enjoyed this recording. The slower tempo really works well and allows the lyrical lines to breathe.  Gorgeous!

[furtwaengler]

Here's a blast from the past! And as it turns out quite present as I did play this again in a recital and then again in a wedding both in September 2016 (I had not played it since). If you want to compare the more recent reading you can find it here: https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=62364.0

Thanks for your kind comments.

[adodd81802]

Right I think I have listened to this wonderful piece enough times to try learning it.