(AjLongsPiano) (WIP) Chopin - Ballade No.4, Op.52

[ajlongspiano]

This is probably the hardest piece I've worked on to date. Hopefully by the end of the year it will be close to perfect. I'm fully aware of any technical shortcomings. When you hear them, please feel free to point out some practice techniques and methods I can apply to refine these mistakes. I hope you enjoy my progress nonetheless!

Best,

AJ

[josh93248]

This is about as good as the time you played for me, which is saying something I'm also starting to notice a bit more what your characteristic phrasing and rubato is, I think, at least to those who get to know you, that you will have a distinct pianistic signature. I really understand why you do it but it may be better to keep the tempo a touch faster in general and in certain places particularly, perhaps it's also because you're still learning the piece but I feel the musical tension going just a teeny bit too slack at times but it's a very minor and subjective matter. In fact, as a contrast, I can see some things being brought out better as a consequence of the intimacy and delicacy of your slow phrasing but a little more variety on the faster side may help. Though, once things get going the intensity ramps up nicely. I suppose it is a big interpretational challenge with this piece, how to keep interest until things get more busy and exciting. I also think that good work on the more exciting and fast sections will give your audience the exhilaration they deserve. But overall, and in all seriousness, there are a lot of good qualities in this that merely need more work and I don't think there's much you won't be able to figure out for yourself. Good luck with it AJ, it'll be better than the G minor almost without a doubt and that too is saying something

[ajlongspiano]

Josh,

   Thank you so much for your comments! I appreciate them a lot. I definitely get what you mean about the tempo. I'll be sure to work on that. I appreciate your compliments and your criticism dearly, for both motivate me to continue doing better! Hopefully we'll get to Skype soon. (just not tonight, it's late over here haha)

Best,

AJ

[chopinlover01]

Your playing is quite well done here. I don't really want to do a section by section analysis of what I would do differently, haha, so I'll just add the thing that stuck with me the most; there's no real sense of structure to the piece.
The ballades all share something in that they're made up of distinct sections. You can go in depth with all the ballades, but they each have a sort of "structural division" in them; think of the F major ballade for this. Calm F major- Stormy A minor - Calm F major - Modulation in stormy minor - Calm F major turning to minor - Coda
(more or less)
I don't feel any of that. It's beautiful playing, but I don't feel any sense of connection between the individual themes and their variations.

Oh, and remember to prep that coda well!

Also, the coda still needs some work, I'm sorry to say. It's okay (and really quite wonderful) to have expression, but keep in mind that this is quite a stormy ending to one of Chopin's most musically mature works. As such, the disconnection and rubato taken don't really work well here, IMO.

Still, wonderful playing. Good job, AJ!

[ajlongspiano]

Hi Harrison,

  Thank you for your comments! I fully get what you mean with the structure of the fourth ballade. However, I think me and you see this aspect slightly different. Out of all the Ballades, I think this one is the most condensed. I see it as one continual progressive line rather than multiple sections and ideas put together. Upon reexamining my recording, I could definitely bring out that progressive quality more. I do feel as if it would be a mistake on my part to played it in a sectionalized way, though. Yes, the coda definitely needs work, and I'm working on it. It's one of the hardest things ever written, and it's still beating me into submission. It'll get there eventually!

Best,

AJ

[pazzi]

Wow, really beautiful, great job!

[ajlongspiano]

Wow, really beautiful, great job!

Thank you, Pazzi!

Best,

AJ

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Clearly much of this is well-presented and precise, but as you obviously know, there is some detail going astray in the passagework. Maybe practicing in groups and / or in dotted rhythms would help? Regarding interpretation, it's such a protean work that it would be churlish to say there it should be presented in any particular way. However, within my conception of the work, some of the end is a bit 'polite'. I must say I also dislike the Zimerman YT video in this respect. Richter, for example, seems much fuller of rage at impending death and the headlong spiralling descent into hell (which is what I feel some the coda, etc to be about). All that said, many things I do like. I think we have very similar views about rubato,  specifically agogics. ☺Also it has to be said that you don't play like someone of your age; that is a plus too.

[ajlongspiano]

Andrew,

    Thank you so much for your encouraging comments. They mean a ton coming from you. I hope that your own practicing is going well. I always enjoy listening to what you post!

Best,

AJ

[109natsu]

Hi AJ,

Such an amazing playing!!! I really enjoyed your playing of this piece. This is considered the hardest ballade by most pianists, (even though I play the third and I think it's pretty hard), and I think you are doing a fantastic job even on the technical side. (It really depends on how long you have been playing the piece.) I can see that you have inputted so much of both the composer's and your own thoughts into playing this piece. I think that your contrast in dynamics, voicing of the melody/harmony, etc. are coming along very nicely. I like how you also move with the piece, (with cresc and decresc markings).

Here are some things that I might suggest; (I have never played this piece)

- Opening: don't take so much time! Rubato happens within a tempo. Chopin never tells you change tempo (except with rit. and accel.) For example, you are really slowing down on Measure 7 ritenuto and the fermata.
- This leads to my next point, have pulse. To be somewhat rude, I don't feel the sense of pulse. You might be feeling it, but I want the 1st and 3rd beat. It's like a swing. A professor from Indiana University told me that I need swing as if I was in space, using gravity to move.
- The second and the third time that the theme comes back, it gets bigger.
   "No matter how big it [the theme] gets, it is still a theme. Therefore, play it like one." - Karen Shaw (from a master class)
I felt like you were thinking too much about making a grand sound that you forgot to add some musicality to your melody.
- Measure 207; play the last note louder so that it sustains more (for 4 whole entire measures)

Again, I haven't played this piece so I don't have much to say about technique... Good luck on your practicing

*-*

Natsu Ozawa
Seattle, WA

[ajlongspiano]

109natsu,

   Thank you very much for your comments! I appreciate them a lot. I find the first and the fourth to be equally difficult.

Best,

AJ

[ajlongspiano]

Also, I've been playing it for a couple of weeks now. I learned it a year ago and dropped it soon after to work on audition repertoire. But now that I'm going to college to start my undergrad in five weeks I'm picking it back up.

Best,

AJ

[109natsu]

   Thank you very much for your comments! I appreciate them a lot. I find the first and the fourth to be equally difficult.

My pleasure! And you can just call me Natsu.

Also, I've been playing it for a couple of weeks now. I learned it a year ago and dropped it soon after to work on audition repertoire. But now that I'm going to college to start my undergrad in five weeks I'm picking it back up.

Oh I see. I often find it difficult to relearn a piece... My teachers tell me that I am relearning my habits, not the piece, lol.

I think this piece is a great piece for college audition. However, when they ask you how long you have been playing this for, and you answer one year, it might not be very appealing. I wish you luck in your auditions I still have four years to go!

*-*

Natsu Ozawa
Seattle, WA

[ajlongspiano]

   I already auditioned awhile back. I'm attending college in five weeks . I haven't been playing this piece for a year. I learned the notes a year ago and dropped it almost immediately after I had finished. It was kind of counterproductive, but my teacher wanted me to work on other things.

Best,

AJ

[georgey]

Understanding this is a WIP: Your phrasing, rubato, dynamics and balance of sound are all outstanding to my ear.  I agree that certain technically tough sections need to be cleaned up.  I greatly enjoyed listening to your performance.

[109natsu]

   I already auditioned awhile back. I'm attending college in five weeks . I haven't been playing this piece for a year. I learned the notes a year ago and dropped it almost immediately after I had finished. It was kind of counterproductive, but my teacher wanted me to work on other things.

Best,

AJ

Good luck in college Undergrad in Piano Performance?
I think what your teacher said was probably a good choice because of reasons... But I still think that it's not worth it to drop such an amazing piece...

*-*

Natsu Ozawa
Seattle, WA

[pencilart3]

Fantastic playing! Ive heard several of your recordings of this piece and you know i love them. Q: i know you said you used to find g minor more difficult. That changed? Also there are some phrasings i disagree with (phrasing is my baby lol) but i cant type them out using my dads ipod. Haha great work!!!

[ajlongspiano]

georgey,

    Thank you so much. I greatly appreciate your encouragement! Thanks for listening .

Natsu,

   Thanks for your comment! I am indeed an undergrad in piano performance.

Noah,

    Thank you, Noah! It's so good to hear from you. I find the F Minor and G minor to be about equally difficult, maybe the fourth being a tiny bit harder. However, I disagree with the universal consensus that the fourth is leagues ahead. And I think my opinion has some value seeing how I've played them both haha. I hope your piano practice is going well.

Best,

AJ

[visitor]

I listened to this yesterday, nice playing, it's ok to start a piece, put it away , come back to it, etc.
actually (and i need to start doing this) as you progress you'll find pieces you will want to /must keep in your repertoire, once learned you won't need to re learn it later just play/practice it everyone once in a while, it will season and get better and better over the years.
as for coming back to it, i think it can engrain a higher level of learning, i have done this, stopped by neccessity or w frustration or just tired of the piece, then i pick up a year or two later , re learning is much faster than initial learning and the polish comes easier and to a higher level.

so kudos for getting this going again.
as for your injury, you can still work the hand that's not injured, just don't over do it, if it's LH, you may find learning it as LH only or singing /playin RH part in your mind as you accompany yourself w LH will aid better understanding of the work and solidify your learning, you can keep this going if you like, just be smart about it.   

[ajlongspiano]

Thank you very much, Visitor. Those are wonderful thoughts and I completely agree with what you said. That's exactly what happened to me with the 4th Ballade. Looking forward to your next recording(s)!

Best,

AJ

[lateromantic]

Beautiful playing, AJ, especially for a work-in-progress!  I've never played #4, but I think I might agree with Josh's comments about tempo and musical tension.  I'm sure that as you continue to work with it, though, you'll add more forward drive and impetus to it.  I look forward to hearing your later renderings of it. 

[ajlongspiano]

Thank you, Mr. Cunningham! So glad that you enjoyed it. I'll keep plugging away at those tougher sections in my practice sessions.

Best,

AJ