Beethoven- Piano Sonata in F Minor, Op.57, No.23-"Appassionata"(COMPLETE)- Enzo

[emill]

Last February we posted the preRECITAL video of the 3 movements and now, allow us to post the Recital proper which was performed soon thereafter on the same month.  Enzo would like to request for any observations or comments especially of the 1st movement, which he will be playing in a competition in late July 2012.  We will be most grateful.  T H A N K S !!!!!

1st movement:

2nd movement:

3rd movement:

 
 

[costicina]

Other, more competent forumeers will be able to give specific/technical advices (the Appassionata has many passionate followers here  .)...
I just want to express my admiration for Enzo's talent: his perfomance is so mature and yet fresh and full of youthful energy...I enjoyed it immensely!!!!

Good luck for the competition: Enzo deserves to win it!!!!

[emill]

thanks a zillion Margh!!!  you have always been so kind and encouraging with your words. YES!!!  I am crossing my fingers that we will be able to receive "tips" for the 1st movement from the teachers here in PS and there are a good number of them.... aahhh my nerves get all shattered up with every piano competition more than the contestant.   MY.... the starins parents must undergo...    T H A N K S ....

[candlelightpiano]

WOW, Enzo!!  That was tremendous!  I've only watched the first movement of this sonata but I'll get to the other two tomorrow (will edit this post then).  A very impressive performance. You have incredible maturity which is vital in this piece and there was tremendous energy and passion.  The contrasts between the moments of melancholy and volcanic outbursts were strong.  The ending was sparkling and brilliant.  Sorry I am unqualified to give any suggestions as I can only play this piece in my dreams.  

Question at 8:26:  Crash in LH chord?  Seemed a bit out of place here.

EDIT

The second movement was splendid:  a tranquility after the storm, a very solemn, graceful procession that takes us into the light before we return to the danger of the last movement.  

The third movement was awesome.  You had it all there:  the fury and power, the passion, .  Loved the flourish in which you performed the con impeto section (sorry, my score is not numbered).  Your ending was terrifying.  Loved the dance of death! My favorite movement.

Overall, an incredibly impressive performance, especially for one so young! 

All the very best in July, Enzo!  I'll be cheering for you!

[zzivauri]

         You made me feel not only the perfection of your craft and emotion in playing Beethoven, but I felt his, and it kept my interest straight through-when pianists play all the same, I tend to space in portions, but no-this was alive.  What a beautiful work it is!! Thank you. 

[perfect_pitch]

Honestly... I think there's very little that needs to be said.

1st Movement

1:03 - That trill sounds dodgy to me for some reason. I've never heard another pianist approach it that way.
8:26 - Did something happen to the audio or something? Sounded a bit odd?

3rd Movement

1:18 & 5:45 - Just be careful... in some parts before the ending, it sounds that you just change the tempo slightly (and I don't mean in terms of rubato). It sounds like you decisively change the tempo... Doesn't seem natural. Don't rush the chords at 5:45... it's all about suspense.
7:11 - I believe the little triplet figures are too slow... You play them as if they are quaver triplets, but I could swear they are supposed to be semiquaver triplets.



As for the second movement... I personally don't know it well enough to really be able to comment, but I think it's fine the way it is.

[starstruck5]

Overall I thought the first movement was well negotiated.  When I was studying this, I found it really difficult to maintain the classical pulse -the temptation to speed up and slow down ruined a lot of my best intentions -I think Enzo managed the tempo much better than I did, but I think the lyrical passages should still retain a better sense of unity -even played near the original tempo -I discovered that what you lost in a kind of romantic soulfulness you gained in a kind of driven desperation -and ultimately that is what this movement is all about for me -

In bars 134-148 -I felt the bass pulse was a bit dry and lacked body -there are little melody notes as well in bar 144 which need to be more beautifully expressed -there is something quite exquisite about the deep regularity of the bass notes against the different melodic strata which goes on in these passages -I think if the bass has drive and power, these melodic interludes have to have delicacy and lyricism -and be voiced differently for each register -I just feel that the play between the melodic strata could be more refined here -I think this is bought more into focus because Enzo is so convincing in the powerful arpeggio passages -

There is much to admire here for one so young -I can only dream, like Choo of being able to play like this -so my observations are very personal -rather than come from an expert!

Good luck in the competition! I think Enzo will do very well indeed!

[emill]

To: perfect_pitch and starstruck5

Thank you so much for your specific suggestions .... as in the past I have already sent them to Enzo's teacher and it has generated good amounts of discussion .... trying this and that .... really a healthy exchange in the sense that  third party inputs are something fresh to consider and try.  T H A N K S ! ! !  

TO: Birba, David and Dave !!
Our profound gratitude for the private mail responses .... it really makes the outlook so hopeful and worthwhile !!!!

To: Margh, Choo and zzivauri  

Your kind words of encouragement are priceless. ... it re-enforces one's confidence in oneself especially now that Enzo really needs it.  THANKS!!!


To : P_P  and  Choo ....

WOW!!! my untrained ears could not have picked what you heard .... listened again intently and yes it sounded strange .... asked my friend who mixed it and he told me to invest in high quality memory disc as the ones I bought, "never heard brands"   hehheee suffers from recording "drops" and noise.  Most likely the ZOOM4hn which was placed "inside" the piano and which picked up so well the lower notes had a drop.  

There were 3 audio sources .... 1) the Zoom 4hn (placed inside the piano) - this recorded well the lower notes, but at the same time picked up all the noise generated especially the pedal;  2)  the videocam1 which was good for middle and higher frequencies and  3) videocam 2 with same frequency range.  THANKS....