VIDEO: Prelude No. 1, Frederic Chopin

[pencilart3]

Hey guys, so this is my first post in the audition room. Judging by the way other pianists have been bashed, there is apparently a very high standard here. I'm sure I will not meet this standard.  I just really love this song so much I had to record it. I have only run through it a few times before recording.

So, with that in mind...

LET LOOSE THE HYENAS

[chopinlover01]

Everything is solid except the tempo- that is, your phrasing/shaping, technical skill, and all the rest are just fine, but the music too slow for any sort of cohesion.
This also isn't me being faulty_damper, you're playing the prelude at about half speed, and not really paying attention to the tempo marking of agitato

[pencilart3]

Thank you, Chopinlover01. I can play it faster, but I felt that my dynamics were bad enough at the current tempo . I will play it a few more days and make a new recording. I don't think it's "half speed" though. Look at Blechacz (did I get that right?) his comes in a 38 seconds whereas mine is 44. Making it 22 would be quite... interesting....

 This piece isn't in my repertoire I just sat down and played it a few times through then turned on the mic. I will try and make it agitato as recommended.

P.S. Thanks for not being faulty_damper I will try to not be michael_sayers haha

[chopinlover01]

Well played, friend. Well played indeed.

[michael_sayers]

P.S. Thanks for not being faulty_damper I will try to not be michael_sayers haha

Hi pencilart3,

Are you saying that there is something wrong with my piano playing?

You are right, everyone around here needs to lighten up!

[although maybe they could play a bit LOUDER ]  


Mvh,
Michael

[pencilart3]

Hi pencilart3,

Are you saying that there is something wrong with my piano playing?

You are right, everyone around here needs to lighten up!

Well, we can all agree that you don't quite follow the tempo marking... and that's what he said I was doing as well.

[michael_sayers]

Well, we can all agree that you don't quite follow the tempo marking... and that's what he said I was doing as well.

Hi pencilart3,

When it is observed that a pianist doesn't follow a tempo marking, that is all it means - nothing more and nothing less.  To observe such isn't (in my opinion) actually a criticism of one's piano playing or one's technique.

This is your thread, so I'll go away now.

Keep up the effort with the Op. 28 No. 1!  

If that is how you play it after just running through it a few times, then I would suspect that with some work you can increase the tempo quite a bit.


Mvh,
Michael

[chopinlover01]

Are you saying that there is something wrong with my piano playing?

[although maybe they could play a bit LOUDER ]  


Mvh,
Michael

Well, there's quite a bit "wrong" with it, so he's not far off
Tempo markings do matter, as it is the tempo the composer intended for the piece to best express whatever mood is present. In this case, a slow tempo doesn't really express the almost anxious feeling in this piece.

[michael_sayers]

Tempo markings do matter, as it is the tempo the composer intended for the piece to best express whatever mood is present.

Hi chopinlover01,

What happens though if the pianist's mood, while playing the piece, is different than that of the composer?

[sorry pencilart3, I am interested in the reply to this!]


Mvh,
Michael

[chopinlover01]

Hi chopinlover01,

What happens though if the pianist's mood, while playing the piece, is different than that of the composer?

[sorry pencilart3, I am interested in the reply to this!]


Mvh,
Michael

There was a quote somewhere on one of your other threads, (8_Octaves, help me out here!) but it went along the lines of "My inner feelings should be of nobody's concern".

[michael_sayers]

There was a quote somewhere on one of your other threads, (8_Octaves, help me out here!) but it went along the lines of "My inner feelings should be of nobody's concern".

Hi Chopinlover01,

I think it was Alistair Hinton who said that - whether in reference to himself or to me, or to everyone, I am not sure.


Mvh,
Michael

[chopinlover01]

Hi Chopinlover01,

I think it was Alistair Hinton who said that - whether in reference to himself or to me, or to everyone, I am not sure.


Mvh,
Michael

Regardless of whomever said it, it's still true 

[8_octaves]

There was a quote somewhere on one of your other threads, (8_Octaves, help me out here!) but it went along the lines of "My inner feelings should be of nobody's concern".

It was Carl Nielsen who said it. He, in a way, didn't like the kind how too romantic composers or musicians offered [ Addition: exhibited  ] their inner feelings to the audience.  

But, today, we won't find such romantic people in our world, will we?  

Cordially, 8_octaves!

[ahinton]

It was Carl Nielsen who said it.

Well, it's nice to be confused, if only momentarily and in just a single context, with Carl Nielsen who famously also said that "music is the sound of life". Ronald Stevenson quoted this on a number of occasions and when, on a long walk years ago with him near his home years ago, I referred to it and added that, as we also know that whisky is the water of life (for that is its meaning), does that mean that whisky is the sound of Stevenson? - and, after a brief pause, we each declaimed in unison "discuss!"...

Returning to the topic, I'm afraid that I have to agree with most of the comments here (and the piano could do with the tuner's attention!); not quite lifeless as such, but way distended, non agitato and in no way urgently ushering in this wondrous set of 24 Préludes in most of which so very much is said in so short a time - models of expressive concision they are indeed! In an interview some years ago, Elliott Carter spoke very warmly about them (which might surprise some), enthusing about just how much Chopin could get onto a single page when he wanted to.

Best,

Alistair

[pencilart3]

Returning to the topic, I'm afraid that I have to agree with most of the comments here (and the piano could do with the tuner's attention!); not quite lifeless as such, but way distended, non agitato and in no way urgently ushering in this wondrous set of 24 Préludes in most of which so very much is said in so short a time - models of expressive concision they are indeed! In an interview some years ago, Elliott Carter spoke very warmly about them (which might surprise some), enthusing about just how much Chopin could get onto a single page when he wanted to.

Best,

Alistair

Thank you Alistair. I have already sped it up to agitato. But, since you seem to know what you're talking about, how should the accents be performed? I currently accent the top notes at the beginning and the bottom notes in the middle because I think it sounds best that way. But, should they be consistently accented? E.g. all top notes or all bottom notes. I want to fix that before I record it again.