Liszt sonata in B minor middle section

[ethanivo]

Thanks for listening!

[pencilart3]

It's very difficult to give you constructive feedback with such low recording quality. The piano, room, and recording device (ipod 1?) are really bad, sorry

That said, I can hear some interesting ideas. It's clearly well under your fingers. This is one of the most beautiful sections of piano music I think

[pencilart3]

OK, well that wasn't very helpful was it.
Here I decided to record a piece of it myself to demonstrate what I mean about 2 things:

1. I feel that you could climax a little better (i.e don't rush to get too loud too soon)

and

2. After the climax, make the D to D-sharp sort of a tone/color change, almost like you aren't playing a new note but just minutely changing the backdrop.

[georgey]

OK, well that wasn't very helpful was it.
Here I decided to record a piece of it myself to demonstrate what I mean about 2 things:

1. I feel that you could climax a little better (i.e don't rush to get too loud too soon)

and

2. After the climax, make the D to D-sharp sort of a tone/color change, almost like you aren't playing a new note but just minutely changing the backdrop.

Hi Pencilart.  Sounds great!  You picked my favorite section of this great work (one of the very greatest of the 19th century piano literature).   Best wishes.

EDIT:

Here is another favorite section:  minute marker 3:00 to 3:35 in the below Cliburn recording. Or you can start at 2:33 to 3:35 or even 1:58 to 3:35 if you have time. No editing, like done with Cliburn.   

[ethanivo]

Hi Pencilart3,

Thank you very much for your feedback and demonstration. I listened to your recording. Obviously it is very clear, and I like the freshness of it.

You are right that I got too loud too soon. I played it quite fiercely.

Liszt put a diminuendo from the Gb major chord that starts the climax, but in the numerous recordings I listened to few follows the notation, except for Horowitz's. Why did Liszt want a diminuendo there, when it seems natural to keep the loud volume? Personally I think the conception of Liszt is better, but I still cannot fully make sense of this decrease in sonority. May I ask for you opinion?

Best wishes

[pencilart3]

@georgey thanks! Just now saw your comment and appreciate it

@ethanivo
With dynamics, I don't hold too strictly to the score markings. If all pianists played with the same dynamics at the same places music would be really, really boring. I think it's about experimenting with different dynamics and finding what you like most and how you think you can bring fresh ideas to the old but beautiful piece of music.