D. Kabalevsky - Sonata no. 3, op.46

[birba]

I saw that in the audition room there was no complete performance of this delightful sonata.  So here is a tape from a few years back in New York.  (Yeah, right.  Like 20+...)

allegro con moto - andante cantabile -allegro giocoso

[costicina]

Wow, birbante!!! 
Your performance is astounding GOOD…A  jewel of a piece, played with a rare finesse. Thank you so much for sharing.
Davvero maestro, complimenti…you are  really “speciale” 

Margherita 

[birba]

Grazie, Margherita!

[pianowolfi]

Ma dov'è cavolo la ripresa?     Now that I just wanted to listen. I can't listen to a lot of music, it always tends to interfere with my composing 'n stuff, it's seriously difficult! But I thought, tonight I wanna listen to this   Even if it's just for listening, and not yet commenting.

[candlelightpiano]

I was absolutely blown away! I've always wondered if you were a virtuoso. This confirms it! You were awesome! I hope you'll share more of your pieces here.
Thank you very much!

[pianowolfi]

allegro con moto - andante cantabile -allegro giocoso

*dances around the kitchen to the imagination of these three italian musical tempo markings*

 

[hakki]

Is there something wrong with my browser? (mozilla firefox)

I can't see the links or embedded player in this post.

regards,

[birba]

*dances around the kitchen to the imagination of these three italian musical tempo markings*

 

You had me in stitches imagining that scene with the music of the last movement!!
Sorry.  I noticed with the first copies the beginnings of each movement were missing.  So I tried to do it all in one take but it never went through.  So I settled for this.  but I noticed the USB jumps at times.  Not really very flattering...oh well.

[birba]

Is there something wrong with my browser? (mozilla firefox)

I can't see the links or embedded player in this post.

regards,

Not pertaining to the subject at hand, but I wanted to know if you've had problems with mozilla firefox.  I've had to go back to internet explorer which I DON'T like.  But with Mozilla, my computer would stop dead in it's tracks.  Someone said it had to do with the "adobe flash"? which hadn't been updated?

[candlelightpiano]

I'm using Mozilla Firefox. I can definitely see the links and I uploaded (or downloaded?) to my itunes player and that's how I heard it. At first, it tried to download to Windows Media Player. That didn't work. So maybe you need to download itunes to listen to it. I'm listening to it all again right now. Thanks once again, Birba, for the treat. You're a MAESTRO!

[hakki]

I don't know how, but now I am able to see the embedded player files.

I don't have any problems with firefox. But I am on linux also, if that makes any difference.

birba,
This is the first time that I listened to this sonata. It is indeed a very delightful sonata.
Once again, thanks for sharing your wonderful performance.
You really are a true great pianist.

regards,

[pianowolfi]

Ha! Yes now I could listen and actually I like the second and third movement more than the first, indeed the last makes me want to dance around in the kitchen  (which is basically my workplace often, too, when I'm writing and editing) Great playing!! I like the charm of the tape sound

[candlelightpiano]

Birba: I just wanted to tell you that I could picture fairies dancing in the moonlight in the last movement. They were having so much fun frolicking under the stars. Then, the evil Lord or Magician appeared and they vanished into the night! That's how I pictured it. It was so lovely. I will listen again and again. Thank you for taking me to this magical, enchanting place!

[birba]

Wow.  I'm overjoyed that you both got the spirit of the last movement.  I used to call it "ballet music"!  And you're right about the "evil" spirit that invades the last movement.  (But to me, it was like a spirit PRETENDING to be "evil"!)

[rachfan]

Hi birba,

Bravo! An outstanding performance!  I had not heard this sonata before, so thoroughly enjoyed listening, especially with you as the artist.  I marvel at your masterful articulation in music such as this.  It plays a huge role in putting this music across.  From a compositional standpoint, it seemed to me that, although you served Kabalevsky exceedingly well, the middle movement (andante) is a weaker movement than the two outer ones.  But that's just my opinion, as I notice above that wolfi liked it better than the first movement.  In the last movement I could hear just a tinge of Prokofiev at times, and I loved the finale.

When it comes to analog "historical" recordings, years ago I posted some recordings here from the 1980's.  Yes, there might be some tape hiss, but I believe that analog was also a warmer sound than digital.

Thanks for sharing your very fine recording with us!

David  

[birba]

I feel I didn't do justice to the second movement.  The melody has to sing out much more then what I did, and it consequently came out weaker then the first and third movements.
Thanks for listening!  It's always stimulating to get intelligent feedback!

[49410enrique]

I feel I didn't do justice to the second movement.  The melody has to sing out much more then what I did, and it consequently came out weaker then the first and third movements.
Thanks for listening!  It's always stimulating to get intelligent feedback!

birba you did a more than fine job on this, thank you for sharing and providing the board with a completed interpretation of this (i did feel bad and my attempt was only partially complete).  hearing you perform on this recording only serves to make me  feel better about your kind words regarding my video of the first movement I posted below earlier and even though no one else commented your remarks really did make me feel good about my playing as far was where it was then and where it's headed.

i'm curious due to the age of the recording, was this your own project after you had finished formally study of the instrument or did you perhaps work this while still working with a piano instructor either privately or at a school/consevatory?

fantastic job again bravo!

[birba]

No, I had finished conservatory.  But like lots of newly graduates I ran from one "maestro" to the next, taking advice and professional hints from everyone.    Which isn't a bad idea if you've already got your basic technique and musical preparation.

[starstruck5]

Thanks for the download - The only piece I knew from Kabalevsky was from my formative days - it was something to do with horses if I remember!    perhaps someone on here has posted it?

Anyhow magical playing -

[candlelightpiano]

Birba: This piece always makes me feel happy and gay. I hope you're still playing it. Thanks for posting it. It's become one of my favorite pieces and I didn't even know anything about Kabalevsky before!

[faj]

Oh Man, I only can say tht you are a Great Pianist!

[liszt85]

Wow! I loved it. I should learn some Kabalevsky at some point. Thanks for the inspiration birba! You are a wonderful pianist. There's also a certain charm about analog recording... "warm" is the word rachfan used and is an accurate one here, I think. Thanks for sharing, I'd love to listen to other tapes you might have lying around!!