CHOPIN Polonaise Op 44

[arielpiano]

The Polonaise in F-sharp minor.

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[emill]

This is very nice and expressive playing of this wonderful Polonaise by Chopin!
THANKS ARIEL!!!

[pianoman53]

You played this beautiful piece quite well! You got a really nice color in the beginning, both the melody and the opening notes where very convincing.
Though, I would still try to improve that... the color, in general, that is..
For example, the theme is first in minor, then there is a small major part (.50 in the video), try to do something with it there. I would play it more fragile, with the chords a bit softer and maybe some left pedal.
Also the part that begins 3.20ish. It's too long to sound the same.

That's sort of what I would say about it. The rest you can figure out, if you agree ofc.. But good job!

[rachfan]

Hi ariel,

I'm very impressed by your performance here.  This Op. 44 Polonaise, from a compositional standpoint, is generally considered the finest of the seven.  You play the long line of the piece, observing the dynamic and other markings along the way, while imparting the rhythmic drive demanded by the score.  (You had a Hambourg Steinway coupled with a room with less than ideal acoustics, so probably  more of a challenge.)  

In the octave passages you seem to be getting good utility out of the 3rd and 4th fingers along with the 5th which facilitates a phrased octave legato even in these rapid 16th note passages.  Your voicing of the top melodic line is always excellent, especially in deemphasizing any non-melodic elements.  You play the "chains" of trills, for example in measure 20, very nicely indeed--good connectivity as well as pedaling for clarity as they growl in the bass.  From measures 117 through 124 to the pp, "spending" that very long diminuendo is difficult, but you execute it very well.  

At the Doppio Moviemento where you have the legato thirds in the RH and the portato chords in the LH in measures 131, 132, and 133: In addition to Chopin's pedaling, it works best on the second beats not to hold the pedal down through the third beats as marked, but instead to "spill" some overtones in the second beats with just a half-pedal moving into the third beats.  That takes care of the passing tone and neighboring tone issues there in terms of maintaining clarity.  If you're already doing that, super.  Today's pianos are more powerful than in Chopin's day.  He could get away with his markings, but sometimes we can't.  You do a fine job on the big run up to the coda.  Very exciting!

Great playing, ariel, Bravo!

David  

[arielpiano]

Hello David, thank you for your kind words.
Indeed, this Polonaise is the finest of the seven, along with the great Polonaise-Fantasie, Op. 61. The Steinway piano in the hall was a Hamburg, how did you recognize (I prefer the NY Steinways...) the piano? The acoustics are not ideal, but they are good enough. I played in places with much worse acoustics. With regard to the pedaling in the Doppio Movimento, I prefer to do it sometimes, not to overdo it, in other words, not to use it as a pattern.
Anyway, thank you for your many kind words.
Hope to hear from you soon,
-Ariel

[rachfan]

Hi ariel,

I knew it was a Hambourg Steinway for two reasons. 1) The NY Steinway (which I prefer) has more complexity of overtones which contributes to the "American sound", while the Hambourg Steinway emphasizes the fundamental tone which makes it sound (to me) more pure, but also more strident and more tinny in the treble.  And 2) the quick way to cheat--the Hambourg keyboard cheeks have a different design than the NY Steinway which provides an immediate visual giveaway.  

David