Saint-Saens, étude op.111 nr. 6

[diomedes]

Not often played repertoire, but incredibly effective and demanding in solving unusual pianistic configuration, lots of outright tricky writing by an exceptionally skilled pianistic mind. Hopefully I can put this brilliant composer on peoples awareness. His piano concertos are second to none.

Also, I adjusted the beginning and inserted the start of the finale of the 5th concerto and then led that into the etude. The start of the etude too consciously etude minded for my taste and the opening of the concerto too brilliant not to use.

The recording was done live at the end of a recital.  

8AwqA

[visitor]

Camille's etudes are wicked hard as is, your spin around it is phenomenal. Not much more I can add other than


really, superb. thanks for sharing.

[pencilart3]

Great Job

[diomedes]

Thank you, you're both too kind. I'd like to have been able to play it better, but it gets the point across. Worth learning and I'll definitely use it again.

[emill]

Looks and sounds so difficult .... Bravo!

[francoisfj]

It sounds really great, I didn't know this etude I enjoyed listening

[kawai_cs]

OMG, that sounds diabolically difficult I am jealous of your skills. 
Diomedes, did you cut on beer? I mean, you look so much skinnier now

[diomedes]

Cutting on beer works best I find. Last night I went through 6 pints while listening to Bruckner. I guess playing something like that étude helps too. On one occasion a rather impressed director at my music school immediately asked how many calories I burn playing that and if I'm hungry.

Drink, pass out, wake up the next day and attack a piano. Rinse and repeat.

All kidding aside, much of the summer all I consumed was coffee. And this particular etude really really tested my problem solving skills. Each new section has a totally mind boggling pianistic idea I've never seen before.

The comments are very supportive, I'm surprised. I think it was barely passable and you should have seen the battle I had to endure with the audience on that recital. The beethoven sonata I rushed so I could go home and drink and I cut all repeats in both that and Scarlatti. The arpeggios before the F major recap were not clean and it was because I didn't sit at the right place on the bench, so I had difficulty reaching the high range. I've never seen repertoire that had that as an actual factor. I sat incorrectly because I was very displeased with the audience. It was by accident, mainly I didn't put thought into it and just wanted to get home to my cat....however  I had one particularly dedicated student in the audience so I have her to thank because I wouldn't have played with any conviction at all at any point in that performance.

In any case, thank you for the comments.

On to Liszt. ...