Chopin - Prélude #20 op 28 [My performance]

[frankiisko]

Hello to everybody!   I want to show you a new recording. In this case is the Prélude number 28 from the opus 20 from Frédéric Chopin.

This Prélude is called "Funeral march" (for obvious reasons) and it has been called "Prélude of the chords" by Hans von Bülow due to his progression of four notes chords. In my perfomance, I've wanted make a little bit more fatal and here is my performance

Well, here you have my interpretation of this Prélude so charged by harmonic mass. I hope you like it!!

[zezhyrule]

Yes, it's Op. 28, No. 20. Just so we're clear. 

You played it nicely! Not sure if it's just the recording, but you could've had a bit more of a dynamic range. Especially at 0:58 onwards, where it's marked pianissimo. And the last chord was a little loud for my tastes D:

[lousyplayer]

Hi,

You move your body too much. You should keep your back straight and move only your arms and finger and don't balance your body to the music, it looks tacky. Also, you might have back problems later if you don't correct posture.

[birba]

What is this with the posture thing?  He doesn't move his body too much.  So he could sit straighter.  Now what about the music?
You play it very well.  The first time you play the second part, don't play it so soft.  That way when you can play the repeat you can do it pianissimo.  And I liked the funereal decor in your room...

[j_menz]

What is this with the posture thing?  He doesn't move his body too much.  So he could sit straighter.  Now what about the music?
You play it very well.  The first time you play the second part, don't play it so soft.  That way when you can play the repeat you can do it pianissimo.  And I liked the funereal decor in your room...

+1 on all points.

[49410enrique]

really nice! this is the first Chopin work I ever learned and performed in front of an actual audience in a student recital. You did a really nice job letting the harmonic tension carry the emotional load of the piece.

i agree with above, i wouldn't pay too much mind to the posture comments and such.

birba has good taste it does look like you have a little gothic/adams family vibe to the video, the lighting and grainy vidoe resolution work quite well here!
 i can totally see gomez or morticia listening to this piece and going on and on about how incredibly happy it makes them

[ajspiano]

You should keep your back straight and move only your arms and finger and don't balance your body to the music, it looks tacky.

I rather think that a stiff non-moving body looks fairly tacky or perhaps unprofessional. - and since your arms have a weight, if you move that weight away from your body you create a sense of more weight in the arms due to having less leverage. Consequently it is pretty important to "balance your body to the music" at the appropriate moments, or move your body to give you're arms space to move freely..

[andhow04]

I rather think that a stiff non-moving body looks fairly tacky or perhaps unprofessional. - and since your arms have a weight, if you move that weight away from your body you create a sense of more weight in the arms due to having less leverage. Consequently it is pretty important to "balance your body to the music" at the appropriate moments, or move your body to give you're arms space to move freely..

sounds like good advice!
i agree with the majority that there is not enough dynamics at the end. it should be ghostly soft...
i like the voicing.
and may i be the first to add that i love the candles!

[lousyplayer]

What is this with the posture thing?  He doesn't move his body too much.  So he could sit straighter.  Now what about the music?
You play it very well.  The first time you play the second part, don't play it so soft.  That way when you can play the repeat you can do it pianissimo.  And I liked the funereal decor in your room...

yes, he does, especially for his age. look at all the professionals and prodigy kids out there how they play... he should move only the necessary to hit the keys, posture is very important. I am giving him valuable advice that was given to me by all my teachers since I was 8.

[essynia]

I enjoyed seeing you enjoy what you are playing ... You are passionate and enthusiastic about your craft, which is great!

I wanted to make a small note on your "movement" that others were commenting on, as I remember that when I first learned this piece, my peers criticized me in the same manner the members of this forum have you. Try to remember that while movement can aid a performance, it can distract as well. If your movements have definitive purpose, meaning you can justify why you are moving your body in a particular way at any given time in your performance AND it furthers your interpretation, then move! But I do see a few body movements here that could be more effective as stillness.

You noted that you wanted to make this piece a "little more fatal" .... Perhaps moving toward death isn't always so rhythmic, so active as your body would suggest? Some of the times I feel most in tune with my own mortality are those when I am entirely still, enveloped in silence.

Maybe play around with movement a bit. Vary the story your body is telling us visually up a bit. Right now the range of emotion you are exhibiting physically is not what you are feeling while you play, I can guarantee that. Remember that performance is a lot about perceptions and accurately conveying whatever message/story you aim to tell.

Thoughts? I noticed you haven't posted back to anyone, and I hope you weren't scared off, haha .

[johnmar78]

very good playing Frankestein . Thereare  two things that you should fix up....1) First two chords started a little too fast.

2) Too much tempo drift on second section, remember, playing softer, does not mean you can slow down more

[doudly]

yes, he does, especially for his age. look at all the professionals and prodigy kids out there how they play... he should move only the necessary to hit the keys, posture is very important. I am giving him valuable advice that was given to me by all my teachers since I was 8.

Your argument is invalid.

[lousyplayer]

Your argument is invalid.

she aint moving anything. she got a crooked back though.

[birba]

For the life of me, I cannot see any extraneous movements in Francisko's performance.  I must be getting old...or already am...

[49410enrique]

For the life of me, I cannot see any extraneous movements in Francisko's performance.  I must be getting old...or already am...

not old, just blind and senile lol. just kidding, or maybe i am too since i do not see it either.

now how do i work this blasted toaster....dabnabbit !why are these things so complicated?



as you all were. op, good job gain. don't pay my ramblings any mind...

[costicina]

This discussion about Frankiisko's posture is going to be as hilarious as the one about 'Arm rotation'  (Thal, where are you? Please, drop one of your lapidary comments?)

Anyway, don't worry, Frankiisko, your posture is ok, your playing is ok: and above all,  trust Birba!!!!

[birba]

not old, just blind and senile lol. just kidding, or maybe i am too since i do not see it either.

now how do i work this blasted toaster....dabnabbit !why are these things so complicated?



as you all were. op, good job gain. don't pay my ramblings any mind...

I have never laughed so hard in my life!  That IS me!!!!!

[richard_strauss]

THIS IS A CRIME!!!! 

I hate it!!!! I hate that... the lights are so low we cannot see your unbelievably gorgeous twinkie face. Please do not cover your beauty, you have a growing fan club here  (L)

[frankiisko]

Well, I'm replying!! Haha!! Sorry but I've been very busy studying for a concert that I had yesterday. Well, I'm ready to answer. I didn't think my post was going to create a discussion like this one 

First I'd like to speak about the posture. I think posture is very personal and everyone moves like he feels; and I don't think I move a lot. I couldn't have played the piece like that if I didn't have moved. So I think I don't move myself a lot and I'll keep doing it.

Thank you to my defenders and a lot of professional pianists move their body. Good exemple: Valentina Lisitsa.

As for the dynamics comments, yes, I'd like that in the video there had more dynamics, but my camera has some limitations too. Anyway, I'll have to learn to controle it (my camera) and to do more dynamics. The change from "ff" to "p" isn't very well done, I agree 

Thank you very much for the comments that speaks of the decoration of my house, haha!

Well, thank you to everyone and I'm very happy that you have liked it!