Chopin - Nocturne in B-flat minor, Op.9, No.1 - Enzo

[emill]

We would appreciate any feedback.  Thanks so much.

[awesom_o]

I thought there was some beautifully nuanced playing here, with great control of the tone. Very good melodic shaping.

I would be careful not to slow down the momentum of the music. It is very difficult to use rubatos in Chopin without everything becoming slightly too dreamy and slow.

I remember my teachers would say things like 'show the beauty of the music with the sound itself, not by losing the momentum'.

That would be my only criticism of an otherwise excellent performance. For me it had a bit too much sentiment! Chopin hated all lingering, dragging, misplaced rubatos, and exaggerated ritardanos. 

[emill]

HI!

Thanks for the comment .... I know my son has picked up your point well.
Regarding the dreamy and the sentiment .... well what can you expect from a teen
"in love" ..hehhe 

THANKS AGAIN!

[awesom_o]

This is one of the big jumps from 'excellent conservatory student' to real professional-level playing.

Enzo already has pretty much all of the 'technique' and 'virtuosity' that anyone could ever need.

Of course, these things keep getting better over time, but it's really just the sense of musicianship at this point which continues to develop....

Being able to feel the music is good... but being able to make the audience feel how you want them to feel is even better!

He definitely has a strong point of view developing already, and that is a good thing!

I would be very interested to hear him play some earlier music.... even something earlier than the Beethoven you posted recently.

Mozart? 

What about the French Baroque? Has he met Rameau or Couperin yet?

[emill]

He definitely has a strong point of view developing already, and that is a good thing!
I would be very interested to hear him play some earlier music.... even something earlier than the Beethoven you posted recently.
Mozart?  What about the French Baroque? Has he met Rameau or Couperin yet?

On review of his repertoire (Enzo just stated with the BM program this fall), his current teacher observed that it was sorely lacking in Mozart and Haydn, that is why she assigned him several pieces for each.  Although he started to play some Mozart and Haydn pieces in the past, he seemed to lack that will and energy to finish those. Unlike when he plays Beethoven where he seems really full of interest and drive.

If you're interested here is the Mozart K330, 3rd movement, though he played this at 12 years old. 

Once again THANKS for the very encouraging reply.