Schumann ABEGG Variations

[can]

This is from my recent recital on May 24. Since I'm playing this for 2 months, it needs further study. So your comments and suggestions are very important. Thank you.

[m1469]

Hi, Can.  Nice playing in general!  I generally don't comment in detail about people's playing, but I want to say that I especially appreciate your sense of calmness and assuredness throughout!  I can see that's not only a part of this particular performance, but your overall approach, too!  I also play this piece, but I'm not 2 years old (OK, I can see that you are also not 2 years old, but compared to me you practically are) and it took me much longer than two months to achieve what I achieved.  

Well, actually it took me my whole life  , but I guess that's a whole other story (and probably a very different piece of music   ).

Thanks for posting, it happens to be somehow a very good fit for my concept right now and for my need to progress.  Best wishes in your studies .

[can]

Hi m1469,
Thank you very much for your kind words. I believe such pieces never end. Now I'm in the stage of learning and developing. Later the stage of constant change (and reinterpretation comes). No one can consume Schumann (or Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin Liszt and so on). No one can argue that the best interpretation is achieved. It is always in a state of change as we grow. No matter, 2 years old or 200 years old, we are constantly growing and changing. Thank you again.

Can

[m1469]

Thank you for expressing those comments, it's helpful in giving me some perspective .

[iratior]

As a composition, the Schumann ABEGG Variations is nothing if not droll.  Technically, it sounds difficult enough to make the Chopin Etudes look perhaps not so simple as "Mary Had a Little Lamb" (the way some of that Saynte Sayennes -- deliberately mispronounced Saint Saens -- music does), but cut down to size at least.  Can is more than capable of summoning the technique needed for this piece, and certainly can't be accused of not giving Schumann his due.  In fact, I can't say I envy the professional pianist who feels obliged to put the ABEGG variations in his or her repertoire, because for all its technical difficulty, its harmonic and structural sophistication seems rather obscure.  Of course, Bach's writing of the Goldberg Variations is a tough act to follow.

[emill]

Hi Can,

I have had a super big dose of this piece when my son, Enzo was preparing for his recital middle of last year and I must say your rendition is beautiful in its own way, softer and gentler as a whole than the way my son played it.  CONGRATULATIONS!!  you are a very promising young man.

emill

[can]

Hi Can,

I have had a super big dose of this piece when my son, Enzo was preparing for his recital middle of last year and I must say your rendition is beautiful in its own way, softer and gentler as a whole than the way my son played it.  CONGRATULATIONS!!  you are a very promising young man.

emill

Thank you very much Emill. I'm following your son Enzo from youtube. He is a very good pianist. Congratulations to Enzo also. I'm specifically impressed by his Liszt hungarian rhapsody performance, knowing the fact that he studied and prepared it in a very short time.