Chopin Scherzo No.3, Op.39 (work in progress) - Enzo

[emill]

edit audio recorded: 5/10/11

Enzo practices Chopin's Scherzo No.3, Op.39 in preparation for a solo piano recital
on the last week of June and we really hope we can have some feedback.
So many thanks for any input.


edit:  video recorded 5/22/11

[reelypiano]

Nice job!

It's a bit "stampy" if you know what I mean, try to get it a bit smoother. And if possible bring the tempo up a bit, especially on the arpeggios towards the end.

If you want some specific advice, I'd say: Make the downward leggierissimo runs (measure 159-162 and the similar ones) more etheral. Not so edgy, more soft (as in articulation, not volume). And the arpeggio measure 244-249 a bit faster. The section measure 359-366 could be a bit more desperate. The octave A's are accentuated. They're not part of the G#major chord, and produce a nice desperate effect when accentuated properly. Also, at the ending, make the crescendo in the run measure 623-629 more evident, the top E the highest point, and keep the drive without losing any energy from there and downward to the bottom A in measure 633. Also, the scherzo is rather repetitive, and naturally what I said about specific places applies to all similar places too.

But anyway, great job so far! Good luck on the recital

V

[emill]

Thank GOD!!!   hehehe  a response within the day..wow!!  I was beginning to
lose hope. THANKS.... (the Liszt concerto No.1 which we posted May 3 is
growing moss..)

this is what I usually do .... I print your comments and give it to Enzo who in
turn discusses the points with his teacher.  They now meet 2-3 times a week
in preparation for the recital in late June.  Comments and opinions enhances a lot
his perspective about the piece, of course with inputs and guidance from teacher.

ONCE AGAIN...THANKS!!!!   for the specifics.

[reelypiano]

Glad to help Can't help on the liszt concerto though, barely know it at all, sorry. Enzo is talented, how old is he? Wish him good luck on the recital! I doubt he'll have much of a problem 

V

[emill]

We are posting the video of Chopin Scherzo No.3 which was
recorded 5/22/11. We wish there will be additional comments. 
T H A N K S !!!

[furtwaengler]

Emill, I am sorry I've not been much of a help to you lately. I've not so often been visiting the site, and when I have, I've been much more selfish with my time.

It's an odd thing. I see a lot of comments people make about not being able to comment because they've not played the piece they're commenting on. I feel completely the opposite. I feel I have much more trouble commenting on pieces I have played and most so in pieces which carry a deep meaning. Such is the case with this Scherzo. I have a vision for it that is mine, and to give it would be a disservice to you, and to judge Enzo's vision based on mine, and much greater disservice. All I can really confidently say is that he is making great progress. The first video had some pulse issues, especially in the opening. These problems are much less evident in the latest recording. The latest recording has more of a structure to it, more of Enzo's vision mapping itself out and appearing with power. It is not quite cataclysmic yet, but almost there. I think that's the direction Enzo is going, and where he needs to continue to push. It can never ever ever be too much. I really think people should feel they were rocked by a typhoon at the end of the piece. Everything is intense, the wall of octaves and the rush of the storm is mighty...but NOTHING in the piece should prepare the audience for the cyclone of the coda. It is complete, utter devastation. Well that's all more my concept, but Enzo is going that way, and can get their.

(Oh, it continues to tear my heart out that my big Chopin concert from a year ago failed to get recorded after all the effort to get it recorded. I have a silent DVD...they forgot to plug in the audio input...Oh it hurts. That day I played the fire out of Chopin's 4 Scherzi. I lost control of the coda to this one that night...but I still wish I had it...BAH!)

[furtwaengler]

What else will Enzo be playing on his recital?

[emill]

Dear DAVE!!

First of all. so many THANKS for the encouragement. Your words have reinforced Enzo's confidence that his "vision is mapping itself out and appearing with power".  In fact I feel his teacher is allowing him a lot of leeway to express himself better. He has some definite ideas on how the Scherzo should play out and everyday whenever I get the chance to come home early and catch him practicing .... it seems that a storm is indeed brewing which eventually becomes a typhoon in the finale.  I love the way you describe how the piece should be played and the feeling of complete and utter devastation it should bring in the end ... 

It is an ambitious recital which has made me quite nervous as he has barely 12 weeks to bring a brand new repertoire into recital level.  We are on the 8th week now and his teacher tells us that he is almost there and the remaining weeks will be for polishing and finishing touches. Sometimes I feel I may be the only one who underestimates my son a lot!! Often I wonder why? ... are fathers usually like that?

I am a bit disappointed that almost nobody offered any suggestion to the pieces I posted. I was really hoping for more comments which I am sure will widen Enzo's perspective on the pieces ... perhaps a good number here feel, like I often do and as you have correctly observed ... that their not capable of commenting as they've not played the piece they're commenting on.  Or perhaps "selfishness" as I am sometimes guilty of.  Commenting on someone else's audition piece will push down the piece one posted ... eventually into the 2nd page and into oblivion...hehhehhe   Or the better players and the teachers here are just plain tired and bored ...  after having been doing the same things here in pianostreet for many years now.  Or some may feel that Enzo is talented enough and has a good teacher. 

What else will Enzo be playing on his recital? 

He will be playing with the Manila Symphony Orchestra the opening piece - Bach's Keyboard concerto No.5 in F minor and the final piece - Liszt's Piano Concerto No.1 in E-flat Major.
In-between will be solo pieces - 1. Beethoven's Rondo in G major Op.51, No.2;   2) Chopin's Scherzo in C sharp minor Op.39, No.3;   3) Debussy's - Reflets dans leau from Images I;   and    4) Prokofiev's Sonata in A minor, Op.28, No.3;  and a Filipino piece ...  I am hoping for the best.

(Oh, it continues to tear my heart out that my big Chopin concert from a year ago failed to get recorded after all the effort to get it recorded. I have a silent DVD...they forgot to plug in the audio input...Oh it hurts. That day I played the fire out of Chopin's 4 Scherzi. I lost control of the coda to this one that night...but I still wish I had it...BAH!) 

My .... talking about things going wrong!!!!!   that is why I do all the audio recording myself even if the recital hall has its own recording setup.  ahhh.... that explains why you carry a portable recorder in your pocket!!   just in case....hehhehe