Out with the old, in with the new. This thread is for everybody!

[starstruck5]

I agree with Choo one hundred percent!  I would add that the tone Costanza fired up toward the end was masterful -

Enzos Un Sospiro -only listened to the latest version -but this had such passion and beauty I didn't want to wind back to the beginning -the playing had already taken me on a sublime journey -very mature playing for one so young.

[emill]

That was NICE Costanza!!!   With your playing I can imagine a mechanical doll moving about and I am sure with a little more time you can project the mechanical doll much better. THANKS!!

THANKS SO MUCH TO  Birba, Margh, Choo and starstruck5 for the wonderful words of encouragement.  I can sense that Enzo feels more confident with the "changes" he has done to some pieces since it is being met with positive comments.   T H A N K S !!!!

[furtwaengler]

  This thread looks super cool. I love the idea, and wonder how much I've missed...although as for my part I realize anything I've played in the last couple years would belong in this thread and not on its own!

[emill]

HHmmmmnnnn......  let us keep this thread alive .....  NICE to have a "BEFORE" and "AFTER" thing.   Gives a better perspective....
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
I hope you won't mind if we posted a "BEFORE" video .... ...
This was a time that SPEED was king to a young, energetic mind!
ENZO was about 11-12 years old here and into his 2nd year on the piano...

we added some "old film" effect .... if he plays this as part of a performance
for grade school kids early July .... then I can post the "AFTER".  Thanks...

[starstruck5]

Wow -2nd year on the piano I was still trying to find middle C! lol

This is amazing playing for 2nd year!  Of course the playing is warp factor 9 and the control factor is about 7 out of 10 -which is still better than I could achieve -impressive -look forward to the update!

[emill]

EDIT:  June 24, 2012 - with apologies to Starstruck who posted a kind and generous comment
comment above . . . . just found out that my son will not be playing the "Spinning Song" for his performance with the grade school kids next week . . . so there will be no "AFTER" video. 

We are posting instead a new "BEFORE" and "AFTER". Thanks for any comment ....

"AFTER" - Mendelssohn Piano Concerto no.1 (G minor) 2nd mvt. (he was late 13 here)
Enzo tries to "accompany" the Stuttgard Symphony Orchestra's minus 1 CD.. 

"BEFORE" - PLayed as the main piece on his 1st solo recital when he was about 12.

[candlelightpiano]

Loved both pieces!  Dazzling Spinning Song and wow, a second year piece?!?  That makes my head spin!!!  Incredible!  The concerto was beautiful.  First time I've heard it.  Enzo, you played it with such grand reverence.  I enjoy watching you practice your concerto at home with the CD orchestra and the metronome in the background.  Hope you'll post more practices.

[starstruck5]

That was just a total joy -such a treat to hear such seemingly effortless playing -Enzo makes this piece sound easy -which is a sign of a true artist.  Bravo -I think both before and after versions are wonderful -such beautiful tone and phrasing!  I hope to hear Enzo play this with a real orchestra one day -I am sure he will!

Still hope to hear an updated Spinning Song!

[costicina]

It's always hard with Enzo to express a preference between 'before' and 'after': both are superlative!!!! I notice many subtle, yet fundamentale improvements in terms of musical intentions, control and exxpression. But it doesn't mean that the first version is lacking in some respect: it's awesome too!!!
I whish with all my heart that Enzo's talent  will find the due consideration in the musical world. He's a rare pearl 

[danhuyle]

Paganini/Liszt La Campanella

The old

It's on my out of tune piano. Although 0:05-0:50 is better on this

The new

The sound is so much better on the tuned piano. 0:08-0:45 I could do better on that.

Enjoy.

Good work on the concerto Enzo. What a commitment.

[candlelightpiano]

WOW, Dan!!  That was pretty darned cool!!  I enjoyed your bravura performances, even the one on your out of tune piano.  Such an incredible showpiece!  And you do it so well!  Hats off to you!  Congratulations!  Hope you'll post more of your pieces, even the non classical, on this thread.  I enjoy watching and listening to you very much!  Keep up the good work!

[costicina]

You have flying fingers, Dan!!!! Great job, bravo!

[emill]

Hello Dan ....  that was very well played .... deliberate and sure!!   
I loved the body movements!! WOW .... 

[furtwaengler]

Why should a thread like this lie dormant?

Bach Chaconne from the 2nd violin partita transcribed by Brahms (Inspiration fnork).

[rachfan]

Hi Everyone,

I'm glad to see this topic started by birba back on Page 1 again thanks to furtwaengler.  I have attached two Rachmaninoff Preludes here, Op. 23 Nos. 1 in F#m and No. 10 in G flat.  I had posted both individually in Audition Room in October and December of 2012, but believe they would fit well into this wonderful topic and thread too.

My story is that I had first recorded these pieces back around 1985.  But they were analog recordings, and my playing was not as mature as it is now.  They also contained some glaringly wrong notes and other problems.  So I decided to re-record them in digital sound with more attention to accuracy and artistry.

I had never gone "full circle" before--that is, relearning repertoire from long ago.  So I didn't know what to expect in reviving music that I hadn't played for nearly 30 years!  

What I discovered is that relearning is more difficult than initial learning. What was most  startling to me was how much my interpretations had changed!  Because of this different slant, my earlier renditions played virtually no part in influencing the process.  So I found myself paying greater attention to the finer points of performance. I was looking for a more artistic sound rather than the academic sound on my older recordings.  Also, I doubt that decades ago I listened to my playing as I do now.  So out with the old and in with the new!

If you didn't catch my earlier  postings from a few months ago, I hope you'll enjoy hearing them here.  Also:

Link to old analog recording of the F#m:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=18900.0

Link to old analog recording of the G flat:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=18905.0

The new digital recordings are below.

Comments welcome.

David

Piano: Baldwin Model L Artist Grand (6’3”) with lid fully open
Recorder: Korg MR-1000
Microphones: Earthworks TC-20 matched pair of small diaphragm omni-directional condenser mics in A-B configuration
 
 

[emill]

hi Dave!!!

Thank you for the BachBrahms Chaconne, really enjoyed listening to it this very early Monday morning.
I have always liked this particular work and it has set properly my feelings to start the Christian Holy week. Personally I feel the beauty of the spontaneity of your playing, emphasizing more the musical line above the structure of the Bach piece ...WONDERFUL effect on me.  THANK YOU my friend!!!

emill

[emill]

hi David!

I enjoyed listening to both pieces this very early Monday morning and both pieces suits the mood for the start of the Christian Holy Week.  I don't know ... perhaps it's just me?!? ... it seems that the 1st recording of the Op. 23, No. 1 in F#m creates a more sad and lonely mood ... maybe it is the slightly slower tempo??  THANKS my friend ..... for expanding my musical horizon.

emill

[rachfan]

Hi Emill,

Yes, in this later recording I adhered to Rachmaninoff's metronome marking which is a bit faster that of my older recording.  I think that while it somewhat loses that loneliness mood in the older recording, it takes on an intense searching mood in the recent recording.

Thanks for listening.

David

[emill]

 sorry wrong post...hehehee

[emill]

When enzo was "tinkering" with the 2nd movement of "Pathetique" last year, I just wished he would choose it and finish the whole sonata; however he went for the Appassionata. So I am posting the "before" and wish that this year I can post the "after".

Sorry for the background disturbance of persons and instruments.  Any comments and observations are more than welcome. THANKS.

wrong file....hehhehehe  will try again .....  "crawling internet"