My performance of Liszt's Transcendental Etude no. 10 (f minor)

[dragon11034]

I started learning this piece in mid 2019 and completed it in mid 2020. Took me a year because of procrastination, but I managed to play the whole piece, then I practiced some more until I get to my fastest speed recorded: 5 minutes 20 seconds. This video has been recorded in early 2021, I practiced it harder and re-recorded again, but this is my fastest speed that I can play right now: around 5 minutes 20 seconds. I tried to match the speed of other pianists, but it's too hard right now. My playing is all loud and forceful, it might lack dynamics contrast, some parts the rhythm may not be accurate. Let me know your feedbacks.

[anacrusis]

Hi! Sometimes speed is not everything. I think you'd benefit a lot by slowing down and possibly learning some easier pieces to build your technique. All the fast notes are very uneven right now. Could you record it at 50% of your current tempo and play all the fast notes very evenly and smoothly? If not, you'll need to take a step back until you can get there.

[dragon11034]

Hi! Sometimes speed is not everything. I think you'd benefit a lot by slowing down and possibly learning some easier pieces to build your technique. All the fast notes are very uneven right now. Could you record it at 50% of your current tempo and play all the fast notes very evenly and smoothly? If not, you'll need to take a step back until you can get there.

OK. I will find a time to re-record it again at 50% speed and will show it to you

[lostinidlewonder]

I just want to say, you absolutely CANNOT play classical music like this on an out of tune piano, it's just torture to listen to and I have no idea how you manage to practice on that without feeling irritated. Also it seemed like your playing predominantly was at one dymanic level, perhaps it was the recording.

[ivorycherry]

First things first, like stated by lostinidlewonder, you have got to get that piano tuned. I agree you should definitely slow down and play everything CORRECTLY rather than fast but with a lot of mistakes. This is a very challenging piece to play so I probably couldn’t do any better but slow down. Keep this piece in your repertoire and learn easier pieces and some etudes to help with the piece. Keep playing it, practice in a slow speed, and over time once you develop your technique it’ll get faster. I admire you for learning this monster though. I don’t know the piece though, so I can’t really recommend any sepecific etudes or pieces to learn on the side, all though I know Liszt has monstrous jumps, so you could try to learn Chopin etude op 25 no 4. Learn the all the Bach 2 part inventions, as a member on the forum recently suggested to someone.

[quantum]

Work on creating more shapes and contrast.  Phrase and sing melodies.  Just because a piece is generally loud and virtuosic does not mean that every note should be loud.  As others above have said, slow it down. 

You have a tendency to drop your wrists below the level of the keys.  If you maintained support at the wrist, you could achieve more tone with less effort.