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Topic: How good is Paul Barton, do you think? (Read 23672 times)

chopinlover01

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How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

on: October 13, 2014, 03:31:10 AM

After listening to his interpretation of Chopin's prelude 16 in B flat minor (

) I believe he definitely should be a concert pianist.

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faulty_damper

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #1 on: October 16, 2014, 04:16:57 PM

"Good" in what way? As a musician? As a pianist?

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visitor

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #2 on: October 16, 2014, 04:20:25 PM

I took it as asking if he's well behaved.

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goldentone

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #3 on: October 16, 2014, 06:19:49 PM

I'm sure he's practically perfect in every way.

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cbreemer

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #4 on: October 21, 2014, 06:22:34 PM

It's so mind-numbingly perfect that you start to wonder if it can be real. I wonder if some post-processing has been involved, as some of the dynamic changes sound a bit MIDI'ish. But there
seems little doubt he can play very well.

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hardy_practice

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #5 on: October 21, 2014, 06:25:37 PM

I assumed it was a joke.

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chopinlover01

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #6 on: October 21, 2014, 06:43:19 PM

It wasn't a joke. I meant skilled as a pianist, both technically and emotionally. I think he could rival some of the modern day "greats" (Lang Lang, Li, Pollini ((If you even count him as modern)), etc). And I say greats with a hefty dose of salt.
@cbreemer Could you point out some of the spots where the dynamic changes sound MIDI like? I'm actually genuinely curious, as I never thought of it, but then again, maybe my ear just isn't trained enough.
The only thing that irritates me about him is that he does almost all his recordings on his upright, when he's shown that he has a very nice Feurich grand. By the way, what does the (in)famous "harmonic" pedal do, on those pianos? I've heard much about these but little actual evidence, and I have yet to play on such an instrument.
Anyways, I'd love to hear him record more Chopin. Maybe the Mazurkas (my latest earworm) or the 2nd scherzo... or Liszt's La Campanella.. Alas, I'm daydreaming. Oh well.

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mjames

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #7 on: October 21, 2014, 06:48:11 PM

He is an awesome pianist. Really talented.

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m1469

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #8 on: October 21, 2014, 07:10:53 PM

Good enough to want to share his tutorial. I actually like the accessibility of him at a student piano, in a practice room, and in casual clothing. In the context of the Classical world, it's slightly confusing to see which is part of what I like about it, because I feel like it breaks down barriers that are worth breaking. In this case, his talent isn't "dressed up" with fancy stage lighting, a big fancy grand, and performance clothing. I do get what all of that packaging is about (and I realize it can be more than packaging) but, at the same time, I think it can be easy to rely too much upon it to define or highlight what a person just has to offer, plain and simple. Who and what are you without it, do you know?

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cbreemer

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #9 on: October 21, 2014, 08:36:07 PM

Quote from: chopinlover01 on October 21, 2014, 06:43:19 PM

@cbreemer Could you point out some of the spots where the dynamic changes sound MIDI like? I'm actually genuinely curious, as I never thought of it, but then again, maybe my ear just isn't trained enough.

There are several points where the crescendos and decrescendos sound rather
synthetic. Some that stood out to me at (around) 0:26, 0:39, 0:46, 1:00, 1:05.
I don't want to doubt that he's a very good pianist (if maybe somewhat technical), and that he's
genuinely playing this, I think the hands prove it, but I'd need some convincing that the dynamics have not been tinkered with here.
I could be wrong, but I've heard too much of that stuff over the years, where sometimes
a (de)crescendo would be heard within the duration of one note. It would be interesting
to be able to play this back at slow speed.

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ctalmadgebell

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #10 on: March 14, 2020, 12:36:23 AM

Quote from: chopinlover01 on October 21, 2014, 06:43:19 PM

The only thing that irritates me about him is that he does almost all his recordings on his upright, when he's shown that he has a very nice Feurich grand.

Well, the upright IS A YAMAHA. It looks like only a 'b series', but even that model, if it's a "b3", probably has a better feel and sound than a high end China instrument.

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ranjit

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #11 on: March 14, 2020, 07:35:40 AM

I've been listening to this on repeat. Damn. It's striking how ABSOLUTELY PERFECT his dynamics feel.

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quantum

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #12 on: March 14, 2020, 12:48:31 PM

The drawings look inspired by the surrealist artists.

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dogperson

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #13 on: March 14, 2020, 01:03:45 PM

Quantum, thanks so much for posting this. I have enjoyed watching Emilie , Paul Barton’s daughter as she grows up, as her father is both a talented pianist and artist and her mother is a sculptor.

When she was around two, the first thing she would do in the morning was run to the piano and noodle around, just to see the sounds she could make. Her face was pure bewilderment and joy

Below is one of my favorite videos
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IYPXeaGuEko

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samwitdangol

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #14 on: May 06, 2020, 05:54:29 PM

Quote from: chopinlover01 on October 13, 2014, 03:31:10 AM

I believe he definitely should be a concert pianist.

He at first was a concert pianist, but later decided that he didn't want to be a concert pianist.

https://www.feurich.com/en-us/paul-barton/

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onwan

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #15 on: May 13, 2020, 07:35:19 PM

His technique is great, but personally I don't like his interpretation. No emotion.

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Bach-Prelude and Fugue 2
Mozart-Sonata 545
Schubert-Klavierstucke D946 - 1, 2
Chopin-Etude 10/9, 25/12
Liszt-Un Sospiro
Rachmaninoff-Prelude 23/5, 3/2

pianopro181

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Re: How good is Paul Barton, do you think?

Reply #16 on: February 19, 2024, 09:06:56 PM

He’s got a rock solid technique but my god is he boring. There’s no emotion in his playing like at all

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