The joy and challenges of performing lesser known repertoire: any thoughts?

[beatrizboizan]

One of the blessings of being an interpreter is to bring the lesser known compositions to music lovers. Today I present you "Preludio Galante" & "Preludio Trágico" by Manuel María Ponce (1882-1948) A great privilege!  

I'm Beatriz Boizán, Cuban-Canadian pianist. I just joined this lovely community and I simply wanted to greet you all!!!

[visitor]

"Sister"!! I too am a champion of the neglected, undservedly overlooked, and unjustly forgotten.

Outstanding. I have a recording I have been needing to submit for sometime of an 'unkown' gem my self, I post it soon. Again, welcome.

[beatrizboizan]

Thanks, visitor!!! ..."a champion of the neglected, undservedly overlooked, and unjustly forgotten": so nicely put, my friend!!!!! I look forward to your post of an unknown gem!!! Again, thank YOU!!!!  

[thorn]

Welcome, Beatriz! I watched some of your videos and although it's a well known piece, I just wanted to say I enjoyed your interpretation of Albeniz's Triana (I am a huge fan of Iberia)

I try and play as much lesser known repertoire as possible. I find it quite boring playing things everyone knows and has a set idea of.

Maybe I should post some unknown stuff too...

[beatrizboizan]

"Sister"!! I too am a champion of the neglected, undservedly overlooked, and unjustly forgotten.

Outstanding. I have a recording I have been needing to submit for sometime of an 'unkown' gem my self, I post it soon. Again, welcome.

Thanks again, visitor!!! So nicely put, my friend!!!!! I look forward to your post of an unknown gem!!! Again, thank YOU!!!! 

[beatrizboizan]

Welcome, Beatriz! I watched some of your videos and although it's a well known piece, I just wanted to say I enjoyed your interpretation of Albeniz's Triana (I am a huge fan of Iberia)

I try and play as much lesser known repertoire as possible. I find it quite boring playing things everyone knows and has a set idea of.

Maybe I should post some unknown stuff too...

Thank YOU so much for taking the time to listen to my other vids! Listen, Thorn, I see we share the same pain...I can't play an entire recital without some obscure repertoire...the lesser known pieces add interest to what we do and challenge us to grow further. I very much look forward to listening/watching your post...I must say, what a lovely community this is!!! I just discovered it yesterday by mysterious ways...Stay in touch, ok?

[beatrizboizan]

  A few facts about Mexican composer Manuel M. Ponce:

1. Manuel M. Ponce was born in Fresnillo, Zacatecas, in 1882.
2. Ponce's music is known to many guitar music lovers, as he wrote guitar music on demand. However, his true passion was the piano.
3. Ponce studied music in Mexico and Europe under the direction of several renowned teachers, among them Liszt's pupil Martin Krause, who also taught Chilean pianist Claudio Arrau.

 

[beatrizboizan]

R.I.P. Manuel María Ponce Cuéllar (8 December 1882 – 24 April 1948)

[beatrizboizan]

♥ MÉXICO ♥ MUSIC ♥ PASIÓN ♥ Today we remember Mexican composer Manuel María Ponce Cuéllar (8 December 1882 – 24 April 1948)  on the day of his passing. The passion and beauty of his music inspires me greatly! ♥ R.I.P. Maestro Ponce ♥

[beatrizboizan]

Thank YOU all for helping pay homage to the Mexican master on the day of his passing!!! ♥ 

[beatrizboizan]

One of the blessings of being an interpreter is to bring the lesser known compositions to music lovers. Today I present you "Preludio Galante" & "Preludio Trágico" by Manuel María Ponce (1882-1948) A great privilege!  

I'm Beatriz Boizán, Cuban-Canadian pianist. I just joined this lovely community and I simply wanted to greet you all!!!

From time to time I find images that truly inspire me to perform. A while ago, two Facebook friends made an interesting observation about these set of pieces: "water cascades followed by a storm". I love when nature is used to describe music. ♥ NATURE ♥ MUSIC ♥ LIFE ♥

[liszt1022]

My favorite "lesser-known" piece that I've played is a set of seven Balkan dances by Serbian composer Marko Tajčević.
It was certainly a challenge, but my college piano teacher has Serbian heritage and she didn't often give this out to a student, so I had to make sure to do my best for her sake!

Here's a recording of me from 2003. Have a listen!

[beatrizboizan]

My favorite "lesser-known" piece that I've played is a set of seven Balkan dances by Serbian composer Marko Tajčević.
It was certainly a challenge, but my college piano teacher has Serbian heritage and she didn't often give this out to a student, so I had to make sure to do my best for her sake!

Here's a recording of me from 2003. Have a listen!

OK, thanks! I will! I've listened to some Serbian music in the past and I was amazed by the complexity of its rhythms. I can't imagine the challenge of learning a lesser-known piece from the Balkan tradition. Tricky! Once again, thanks for sharing this rec.

[sean528]

You are great!
Btw, I m a lesser known, even unknown composer, would u be interested to play my pieces?

[beatrizboizan]

You are great!
Btw, I m a lesser known, even unknown composer, would u be interested to play my pieces?

Hello, sean528! I'm currently busy preparing for up-coming concerts in the USA, PR and Canada. I also often get a lot of offers from composers interested to learn their music. I can not make any promises but I will definitely have a look at your work. You can contact me through my website, my facebook page or my youtube channel, all listed below. Thanks for your kind request.

[pianothinker]

Such underrated pieces!!! 
Beautiful playing!!! 

[isyriel]

FAZIOLI

[cbreemer]

Impressive pieces, Beatriz, and performed with much commitment and passion. I was never able to warm to Ponce's 4 Mexican Dances but I love the Elegia de la Ausencia. These pieces here, which I did not know, seem to occupy a middle ground. They sound a bit improvisatory (this could be your playing just as well as the composition    ). I you'll allow me a spot of critique, I think you are drowning these in pedal too much. Sure you want to make the most of the Fazioli's great sonority, but do remember to let go every now and then - if only just to refresh the harmonies.

I agree it's great fun to explore the byways of the repertoire. There are many riches to be found
and sometimes a gem from an unknown master beats a dud from a famous composer hands down.
As for Ponce I love his Concierto del Sur above all, and some of his orchestral works in Mexican
folk idiom.  The Piano Concerto, which very grand and ambitious, I'm not sure about yet.

Cheers,
Chris

[cbreemer]

My favorite "lesser-known" piece that I've played is a set of seven Balkan dances by Serbian composer Marko Tajčević.
It was certainly a challenge, but my college piano teacher has Serbian heritage and she didn't often give this out to a student, so I had to make sure to do my best for her sake!

Here's a recording of me from 2003. Have a listen!

I love these too and in fact recorded them some months ago. This is a live performance, right ?
If so, very good despite some cautions spots and the odd moment of confusion. Thy seem to have the right spirit, I guess helped by your tutelage. For all their apparent simplicity, these are tricky bastards !

[liszt1022]

I've done each dance better individually, but this was the only recording I had of all 7 at once (it was indeed live.) I'm sure I'd be able to do a better job since a decade ago, but I decided not to re-learn them just to share in a response to the OP. I'd like to hear what you've done with them!

[cbreemer]

I'd like to hear what you've done with them!

Mine are not pristine either. Somehow afterwards you always hear little things you don't notice while recording, which is very annoying. Conceptually they are not so different from yours. They can be found here https://pianosociety.com/cms/index.php?section=3290

[liszt1022]

Those are very nice! If I ever revisit them I'll let you know.

[cbreemer]

Thanks !   
I should also redo them. But then I think that after everything I've recorded, and it all to seldom happens    Unless something is really bad, we tend to leave it - at least I do. There's always some new lesser known repertoire demanding attention

[beatrizboizan]

Such underrated pieces!!! 
Beautiful playing!!! 

Thanks very much for commenting and stopping by. Cheers, ~Beatriz~

[worov]

[lostinidlewonder]

Nice, btw..... and i hope I am wrong lol.... Is that Faz out of tune??? Anyone with perfect pitch can you confirm lol. It certainly sounds like some keys are out, that is hilarious though, such an expensive instrument out of tune, I love it actually lol.

[visitor]

Nice, btw..... and i hope I am wrong lol.... Is that Faz out of tune??? Anyone with perfect pitch can you confirm lol. It certainly sounds like some keys are out, that is hilarious though, such an expensive instrument out of tune, I love it actually lol.

it's possible even the best of instruments, if the tuning wasn't done regularly and was allowed even for a little while to 'get out of tune' then getting it back is difficult since tuning some parts of the piano cause other parts previously tuned to go out of tune, so for the performance if a quick tuning was done, but not a full pitch raise where the piano is tuned, then immediately tuned a second time, that may be a cause for some wonky notes/intervals.

I think Robert Estrin describes this phenomenon best in his show 'living pianos' which are super entertaining, educational and he sells some wonderful instrument and he plays quite well in his piano model showcase episodes. Even within a playing session a piano , a good one, can go out of tune and Robert describes that in sessions his father would have the tuner there to re tune the piano between pieces/takes
he starts off giving the example of Indiana U school of music, they tune the pianos every single day....
highly recommend these two videos

more on tuning and temperament

[lostinidlewonder]

Yeah I do realise any piano can go out of tune, it's just amusing that such an expensive piano doesn't get tuned. If you can afford something so expensive but cannot afford tuning service, it's a crazy situation lol.