Memorable pieces with passages involving "dolce/sweet" playing?

[mathandmusic]

I'm working on a particular meassure or two of Rach's Sonata No. Op 36. (2nd movement) in which notes are played sweetly. (Dolce expression marking). I can play the notes in both clefts but even though I've played it a hundred different ways, I'm not satisfied with how it sounds.

I'm looking around for ideas on how to approach these measures (I really want to do this piece justice!). In particular I want to hear other examples of 'dolce' being used in different pieces. Does anyone recall anything in particular?

The music doesnt necessarily need to include 'dolce' in the sheet music as long as it includes measures that are played softy in stark contrast to the rest of the piece.

[landru]

Well, since nobody has chimed in, I will. I'm currently playing a Chopin waltz - op. 69 no.1 (Adieux?). In one of its middle sections there is a section marked dolce - it is contrasted to the section afterward which is a driving crescendo and the section before which is kinda mazurka/playful.

However, on youtube videos of this piece, I'm not getting much dolce feeling out of the renditions I've heard! Some just plow through it (and these are pros!).

Good luck!

Edit: I just looked at the Performance forum and there is a post https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=50041.0 on this waltz. The poster's version at 2:10 or so is the dolce section and they do it very well. The Lupati version posted later at 3:33 or so is done well. Though, the waltz theme that starts out the piece is already one of Chopin's sweetest themes even though he didn't explicitly mark it out in the score. I guess the "dolce" section is marked out just to make sure that it isn't played heavily.

[alanteew]

Kabalevsky Sonata No. 3 Op. 46, 2d movement has a dolce here and there, well at least in my edition. (I need to find an urtext edition.)

I don't approach "dolce" as soft so much as lyric. I usually hum or even la-la-la sing out loud (when practicing) these passages. I get funny looks from my daughter; then she joins in. 

[j_menz]

Dolce is a pretty vague direction - play sweetly. It's used quite a lot, and there are countless examples of pieces with it in. If your playing the Rach sonata I must say I'm surprised you don't have your own list.

That said, rather than listening to other examples of "dolce", I think you'd be much better off listening to how other people interpret it in this particular context. Just do a YT search.

[chopin2015]

See if playing it infront of an audience helps. Try playing on a different piano.

[p2u_]

Dolce is a pretty vague direction - play sweetly.

Actually, I think the word as used in music refers to a gentle, smooth, delicate sound image.

Paul