Piano Forum

The most impressive thing is of course your level in just a few months of playing.   Indeed, congratulations with that.  But you can do better ! And you know that.   It could be interesting to post it again and to hear your evolution.

I'm actually still 'studying' this piece for which I already foresee that I will not be done with it for the next weeks (maybe months, maybe years).   It is one of those pieces that I like for their easiness on the surface, but that are (and I'm talking really "for me, personnaly") so difficult to achieve a satisfying interpretation.  There are no technically difficult passages in it, but to produce the right "mood" that I have in mind, is not easy.   I have (and let's have) this focus on the beautiful note in the beginning - it's an obvious starting-point - this indication that says lento placido : not just some kind of "lento" (it says not "largo" neither), but a lento "placido".   When I listen to your interpretation, I hear some sort of rubato in your left hand, or let's call it a tendency to stretch or compress the tempo in the left hand in order to make it match with the liberties of the right hand, but... can't hear any "placido".   I personnaly find it hard to find the right balance with this sustained, velvetish, almost supporting left hand, not overdo it, and keep throughout the piece the undertone of "placido" altogether in the same time with an overall "wideness" (forgive me my bad English, I'm doing my best !).   You understand what I mean ? There could be (such as there is in your interpretation) some gentleness, kindness, almost cuteness in this piece, but for me... it is not a "cute" Consolation.  Making it sound "cute" would be some sort of underestimation.   You can find very different interpretations of this piece, but almost none sound 'right' in my ears.  I think we have to look for uttermost refinenement and delicacy and all this, but in the same time this lacework has to take place in a wide, desertlike landscape.  Vastness emptied of drama.  I have it hard to combine this idea of "notion", and "self-awarenes", "realism" with this idea of "consolation", "comfort".   It is not an absolute contradiction, but it's hard to keep this kind of "smile", this type of "affect".  An image could be that of tears welling in ones eyes, but the tears never roll out of the eyes over the cheek, it's just the eyes that are full of tears, but no weeping, oh no (not for the duration of this consolation) we are not crying, it is "just" emotion, just (high-)sensibility, it's "just" life.

Hope this post makes some sense

Very kind greetings to you pbryld and very kind greeting to everyone.