Philip Glass - Metamorphosis Two

[starstruck5]

Far from perfect -some notes missing -arps not as smooth as I would like in some places -but all in all I tried -

Hope some of you will enjoy this beautiful haunting piece.

[zoecalgary]

Hi, thanks so much for posting this.

I had trouble hearing it on my laptop (with bad speakers!). I will have to dig up some headphones so I can hear this properly.

I could tell you play it much faster than I do. That really changes it doesn't it. Even so, I still really like it and each rendition is awesome in its own way.  More comments to follow when I can hear more clearly.

 

[starstruck5]

Thanks Zoe -Your tempo was probably much more expressive -and I guess the arps can breathe more as well -maybe if I re-record it, I will play it slower -

[49410enrique]

really enjoyed your interpretation of this, it has 'energy' and movement but doesn't feel frantic or rished, like a quick moving stream with very little protruding rocks, there's an illusion of more tranquility and  peace than the actual speed of the water underneath the surface would actually show, save perhaps for the occassional fast moving leaf or something like that floating along the surface.... your pieces are always very evocative somehow, i get very vivid images from it.

great job!

[candlelightpiano]

Enrique says it very well with the picture!  That's exactly how I envisioned it to look like when you were playing this soulful, tranquil piece.  One gets the vision of a full moon on a clear and peaceful lake in the melodious section and tinkling waterfalls in the arps.  Lovely interpretation!  Excellent work!

[zoecalgary]

Hi again. I finally got the chance to listen to this. It sounds very nice. I love your arps. Very nice. Like falling water. It sounds like some have an accent but the ones without sound nicer to me. I know when I've played it I wondered if accenting one if the notes would be a good idea. Hearing you play convinces me that no accent is best. Again gives me the impression of water.

I wonder though how it would sound if you slowed it down a bit. It seems a bit fast (not rushed) but too fast for the emotion of the piece. Maybe slowing down a touch would really let each section stand out more. Just a thought though.

Overall I really liked it. You did very well with a piece I really like listenng too. Thanks for recording it!

P.S. I really need to get onto the next few pages of it! I learned just enough to keep repeating what I know and getting lost in the piece. I should now get on to the middle and end of it! You have motivated me to keep going. My very first take was very slow but I think I need to speed it up a bit. I feel like there is a magic line with the tempo in that too slow gets too boring vs too fast and it loses some of the emotion. I haven't found that line yet but I am trying!!

[starstruck5]

Thanks so much to Enrique and Candlelight and Zoe for your warm hearted comments - -

I think you are right about the arps needing to without accents Zoe -they were not intentional!  They are deceptively difficult to play perfectly every time -The score suggets a tempo of 96-104 (QN) - I didn't really measure the pulse according to the metronome though -The most important thing is to get the piece flowing like a river -it is amazing that Enrique found that analogy! I had this in my mind when I began!

Also I think the left hand shouldn't be subserviant -it should be equally important -I don't think it is like the Alberti Patterns in Classical music -

I look forward to your finished interpretation Zoe -I know it will be exceptionally beautiful -

[zoecalgary]

The first time I heard another recording of this I thought the arps sounded like crystals tinkling in the wind. Then I heard others and thought water droplets, then I thought rain.  When I try to play them they get choppy due to a lack of technique and worrying about my LH.  Then I realized they sound different depending on how the LH is played. I agree that the LH should not always stay in the background. At parts it needs to come out more. I tried various dynamics for LH but haven't settled on anything yet.

I never realized how long the whole piece is. I love just listening to it.

Because of it's length I think I'd have to be really clear how I want each section to sound. Without being explicit one can lose track of the music I think.

I find it fascinating how many interpretations there can be of this piece. I think that's why people are drawn to it.

[emill]

Hope some of you will enjoy this beautiful haunting piece. 

hmmnn ..... haunting??  It will really depend on what mood one is in or the scenes you create in your mind.  This piece, personally an attractive one for me is far from haunting at the moment. It flows with expectation and hope as if the coming of the dawn .... the sureness and the nearness of salvation .... the hope of seeing one's love at last!!

THANKS for posting .... enjoyed the music and the scenes in my mind..... though only briefly.

[frankiisko]

Very nice, starstruck5! This music is very relaxing and the picture that enrique has put is, IMO, perfect! 

Yes, some notes wrong but that doesn't matter in a piece that last 6/7 minutes, so don't worry because the performance is quite fine!

Thank you for sharing!!