My recording of Chopin Nocturne in C Minor (post humous)

[vasu123]

Hello,

I love this nocturne and tried my hand at it. This is my first ever recording so would love some feedback on it.

link: https://soundcloud.com/opusindia/opus-chopin-nocturne-in-c-minor-op-posthumous

Thanks!

[faulty_damper]

Resolutions need to be softer, not accented.  This actually gets on my nerves hearing them.
Melody has inappropriate dynamic swellings and contractions, almost like bulges.  It should be more rounded, gradual increases and decreases.  There are also some inappropriate accents on the melody which distorts the character.  Also some hesitations which hiccups the flow.  It could be played just a tad faster as well.

[vasu123]

Thanks for the feedback. I agree that some of the resolutions should be smoother and softer. I tried to give the piece my own interpretation and therefore took it a little slower. Will try to come up with a new version, but do you think that the mood and color of the piece has been captured? I tried to make it more pensive and thoughtful.

[faulty_damper]

I think the character has quite a bit of sadness and some anguish in it, not really pensive.  So at that tempo, I don't think it reflects that character very well; I'm already anticipating what comes next.

[bronnestam]

I can clearly hear that you love this piece. That is a good thing.

[vasu123]

Dear Bronnestam,
Yes I do! Glad to know atleast that has come through in the playing!

Sorry faulty_damper could not respond to you earlier...Since you know the text and have an understanding of this piece of music you have the ability to anticipate what comes next given the tempo of this piece - but what about the person who has no foundation or exposure to this type of music?
i have had very little technical training in piano and am largely self taught. So what i want to gauge - i live in new delhi, india where the knowledge and understanding of classical music is very limited (frankly it does not exist. they dont even know who Chopin is). So while my playing is not great, I dont want to restrict the idea of putting my understanding of these pieces out there to be heard, because for the average Joe in Delhi, they do not know whether the resolutions are accented or not, whether the crescendos are gradual etc. But i think classical music is quite intimidating in that sense and I can sense the reactions it gets from the purists. Does the playing have to be so regimental and rigid? Is it not good enough for it to just plainly, sound good?

[faulty_damper]

Even in the European/western cultures, very few understand European classical music.  It's "art" music and the majority of people, including instrumentalists and singers, are drawn to it for it's aural aesthetics, not it's ability to communicate.  Thus, it's rare for even the very capable of musicians to truly understand the meaning of the notes.  They can sound very good, capable of fooling an entire audience, but what's really important is that they communicated the ideas in the appropriate manner.  Sometimes that will sound ugly, but only true musicians will understand that and have the nerve to express it with its full ugliness.

I don't think saying this kind of music is rigid is appropriate.  That would be like saying Shakespeare or Tolstoy is rigid.  Anyone can recite the words of Shakespeare, but to say them in a manner that appears as if he was expressing it for himself, because that is what he is feeling, is a difficult art to achieve.  This is the difference between a musician and an instrumentalist/singer.  There are too many of the latter.

[danthecomposer]

faulty_damper,

I just wanted to show my absolute agreement at your comparison with Shakespeare and 'instrumentalists' over musicians.  An excellent allegory.

As for the pianist of this recording, Vasu123, I offer you this quote by Liszt:

For the virtuoso, musical works are in fact nothing but tragic and moving materialisations of his emotions; he is called upon to make them speak, weep, sing and sigh, to recreate them in accordance with his own consciousness. In this way he, like the composer, is a creator, for he must have within himself those passions that he wishes to bring so intensely to life.

All the best for your progress.

Dan.