Pedal or not pedal?

[jono]

Hi, it's Jono here again.  I'm wondering if I should use a pedal or not in the song "The heart asks pleasure first"   (Theme song of the movie the piano)
/From Jono

[Etude]

I would certainly use pedalling in this piece if I were you.  If there are no pedal indications on the score, this usually means that the pedalling is completely open to the performers individual interpretation.  Maybe you should use a professional recording as a guideline for pedal use, or you could experiment with your own pedalling.  Just be careful to avoid using too little pedal which results in a dry sound, and using too much, which turns the piece to mush.  The most important thing is to listen to the sound you are making and to adjust the amount you actually use according to this.

Hope I've been able to help.

Etude_de_Concert

[sirpazhan]

same here,, I agree with everything above,, 

[will]

Yes. Do not hold down the melody notes with you fingers while stretching (and straining) to reach the other notes. Let the pedal hold the melody notes and simply play the melody notes louder than the accompanying ones. With good use of pedal and quick lateral displacement of the hand & arm a neutral hand shape can be kept almost throughout the piece.  This makes it easy to play fast and without strain.

[dlu]

Make sure to take into account the phrasing marks (if any) to guide your pedaling as well. Release and repress the pedal between each phrase. Use legato as well (when possible). I find to notice a difference in sound between using the pedal and playing staccato and playing legato. I think legato with pedaling while taking notice of phrasing would be your best bet for this piece.

DLu