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[kellyc]

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[rachfan]

Hi Kelly,

I agree that while structuring of a recital requires consideration of many angles, we can't forget the audience and audiences definitely appreciate this piece.

It was wonderful hearing your rendition.  I envy your dexterity and evenness of playing at fast tempo.  Also you play very lyrically in the tranquil parts.  Truly enjoyable to hear overall.

David

[costicina]

Hi Kelly,
Wow!!! Under your hands even pieces I truly dislike, as this Chopin’s  Fantasie-Impromptu, gain a magical aura...
  You are able to capture all the finest details, the little things that make the difference. A flawless techinque at the service of music, what else to say? I really admire your approach to piano playing, it has something special.
I whish you good luck for your upcoming recital. If you can, please, try to post a recording of it, letting us, too, enjoy it!!
Margherita

[fleetfingers]

I don't understand why many pianists dislike hearing or playing this piece. I happen to think it's beautiful, if skillfully played. I enjoyed your recording. Couldn't think of anything to critique, so I guess, in my view, it was perfect.   Share with us your other performances, as well. 

[littletune]

Wow I really like the way you play too!!!    It's great! 

[pianoplayjl]

there is some degree of intensity in your playing, which I like alot.

[starstruck5]

Sounded great to me. I had just been listening to Dannil Triffono - (think that's his name - the young guy who's won all those major comps recently) your playing compared well.

The recording wasn't the best - but it didn't matter. Always a good sign that!

[hakki]

Very well done Kelly.
Almost the way I play it and prefer it played.
Though you play better than me

Good luck with your recital.

[kellyc]

Thanks all for your kind comments.  They where very nice in what you had to say. I only hope my audience at my recital likes it as much. 

Ill try to post something else on the recital program soon. Perhaps a rehearsal recording of the Mendelssohn with the conservatory orchestra.

Kelly

[liszts139]

Excellent performance as usual, Kelly! I really liked the clarity of your playing and your pedaling throughout every passage that implies a fast tempo. Also, great job on the middle section, very musical! Looking forward for your other recital pieces!

Take care,
Jason

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Very nice playing with much to commend it. The passagework sounds clean and well-articulated and the middle section is poetic. The only thing I could possibly suggest is to think about the l.h. in the middle section: I'd probably try and keep it a little quieter than it is, and if I was playing the piece I would try to come to a definite conclusion regarding whether I play the left hand accompaniment at constant volume with a slight emphasis on the beat, or with small cresc. then dim. swells within the bar. I'd avoid it being completely metronomic and I think you've achieved that quite nicely: there are some nice expressive rubato touches. I listened to a couple of famous recordings before commenting and must add that I preferred your recording to one of them: you don't fall into the trap of "this is a hackneyed piece, therefore I must do something different so that I'm 'saying something'". Well done, and good luck in your recital.

[rachfan]

Hi Kelly,

ronde always offers good input.  To wit:

...try to come to a definite conclusion regarding whether I play the left hand accompaniment at constant volume with a slight emphasis on the beat, or with small cresc. then dim. swells within the bar.

I grappled with this same question when I recently recorded Liadoff's "Prelude" Op. 11, No. 1. Given the ebb and flow of emotions in the Liadoff piece--sometimes subtle and other times more stormy--I decided to bring the LH into the crescendo/diminuendo swells as it added power and depth to them--a force of nature as depicted by that piece.  It's the more difficult choice, as the pianist has to work harder to ensure that the participation of the LH ever overwhelms the melody in the RH.  However, I believe that this question has to be decided specifically for a particular piece at hand, as it's impossible to generalize. I believe that ronde probably feels the same way about it. Some experimentation in those passages would likely settle it one way or the other for you.

David    

[kellyc]

To Rondi and David: THank you so much for your wonderful insights. I do endeavor  with so much effort to try and come up with thoughtful and carefully laid out artistic visions of each piece of music I play. It is so very delightful when someone else  (Rondi and David) can do some of the thinking and open my eyes a little.

Thanks again for your perceptive input.


Kelly

[Derek]

Sorry for being such a gear head, maybe you missed my post: what sort of piano are you playing? It sounds digital to my ears. I'd be a little surprised a player of your calibre would use a digital, but I could be wrong. Maybe there are some out there worthy of such excellent playing? In my case, I play a Roland HP-302. For an amateur with several years' classical training, it seems to be adequate. It has enough "bounce" in the action to make playing classical pieces feel right. It's definitely not *quite* as good as an acoustic, though.