Hamelin - After Pergolesi [VIDEO]

[cbreemer]

Here's a video of a lovely piece by Marc-Andre Hamelin, which I recorded last year 

It did not get any feedback on YT, only 1 like and 4 dislikes. Maybe it's no good. There are certainly a couple of slips and the odd awkward moment.

[pianowolfi]

Congratulations to a very good performance of a very interesting piece!
If there is any suggestion I could give you: try to find the transitions between the parts, also between the chords, try to let it flow a bit more! Other than that I have no criticism! Thank you very much for posting this beautiful piece!

[cbreemer]

Thanks for that Wolfi ! 
Not sure what exactly you mean about the transitions, but I agree it could have been more flowing.
Despite all the hard work, I don't think I was ready for it yet. It's supposed to be one of MAH's accessible pieces, but even so it is many times harder than it sounds. But so exquisite !

[birba]

That was really neat!  I don't know how many times I accompanied that little thing, thinking it was the most boring piece of music ever composed.  But this arrangement really spiced it up!  Wierd, in a way.  It's like this very plain woman decked out in the most ostentatious costume with tons of jewelry!  I thought you played it very well.  I can imagine how much it took to learn it! The piano sounded sort of dead to me.  Like a wooden sound.  Maybe it's the recording.  Hamelin never ceases to amaze me.

[starstruck5]

I think you play this with great conviction and style.  The piano sounds as if it needs new strings -there is something dead about it -which doesn't suit the music at all -apart from that -interesting.

[cbreemer]

Thanks both for the feedback 

I'm worried about the assessment of the piano sound though, because it's the first I hear that. It actually HAS new strings, and on PianoSociety where I've been a regular poster for years, everybody agreed it was like a new instrument. Would you do me a favor and listen to a bit of the mp3 here https://pianosociety.com/cms/index.php?section=2936 and let me know if you still have the same impression ? Maybe YT conversion degraded the sound (though I don't hear a whole lot of difference myself). It could just be the character of the instrument (a refurbished Gaveau which could be close to 100 years old).

Indeed, Hamelin never ceases to amaze. You can hear his pedigree here. Godowsky would have been proud of this piece.

[birba]

Well, I jumped back and forth between the two recordings and they're pretty much the same.  I think you explained it when You said it was a redone 100 year-0ld gaveau.  You can't expect it to have the same live sound as a modern instrument.  I think with pianos that old you have to really "flutter" over the keys.  A fast going down of the key will injure the sound, I think.

[starstruck5]

I listened to some of the first Landler -the piano tuning sounds flat -but also like the sort of instrument a jazz pianist would love -it has a certain beauty I suppose.  Maybe the new strings just need to settle -I am no expert!

[cbreemer]

Thanks again both. It is certainly an instrument with a peculiar character, and not always as well in tune as a nice shiny modern Yamaha or Steinway would be. I love the sound all the same. Maybe it's an acquired taste 

[johnmar78]

I listend to your interprtation Chris. Its a very clever composition with dischords vs harmony. I would tick "like"  .  I also noticed your piano has a very light key actions compareing to mine. This means you have the full advantage of adding lots more expressions and less efforts required.

[cbreemer]

Thanks John. Light action, humph, if only that were true.... It's not at all an easy beast to play.

[rachfan]

Hi cbreemer.

I had heard your rendition earlier, of course, at Piano Society.  This Hamelin piece sounds very complex with its ever shifting dissonances.  But even with the difficulties it's well worth the effort, as the piece is so ingratiating to the listener.  I'm accustomed to the Gaveau as I've been listening to your recordings for a few years now.  The restringing of the instrument was a positive improvement in the sound in my opinion.  As far as the tuning sounding flat, mentioned by starstruck, I realize it's a consequence of living in a northern climate with harsh winters (as do I). And while a piano has it's "winter voice", keeping it from sliding flat is a real challenge.  But come summer, all the pianos in these climes go sharp!  That aside, to me this is a really good recording of wonderful music, and I enjoy listening to it.    

David

[cbreemer]

Thanks David. Nice to have someone defend my venerable old instrument
We don't have a particularly harsh climate here, and also this recording was made in middle of summer. The past extremely cold winter has knocked it quite flat though, I'm looking forward to the
upcoming tuning. By now the strings should have settled.