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Topic: [Fixed Video] Need advice on the Wild Horseman by Robert Schuman. (Read 1839 times)

kindkaktus

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[Fixed Video] Need advice on the Wild Horseman by Robert Schuman.

on: December 23, 2021, 10:24:07 AM

I am looking for an advice on my performance of the Wild Horseman by Robert Schuman. I've been practicing this piece for about 8 months (started practicing piano 2.5 years ago). I still can't make this piece sound decent.

I tried slow practice, tried HS and HT practice, both at different speeds and tried to leave this piece for a month. Regardless all that, my solid chords still sound mushy and the entire piece lacks crispness and spirit.

Any suggestions are welcome

For those who can't stand clicking artifacts in the video, I also made an MP3 recording on the piano itself (attached)

Schumann-wilder-reiter - Andrei Korostelev_20211224-74BPM.mp3 (614.12 kB - downloaded 71 times.)

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dogperson

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Re: [Fixed Video] Need advice on the Wild Horseman by Robert Schuman.

Reply #1 on: December 23, 2021, 09:29:34 PM

I’d really like to try to help, but my ears can’t get beyond the clicking sound every time a key is played—- is that your fingernails? Something related to the piano?

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ranjit

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Re: [Fixed Video] Need advice on the Wild Horseman by Robert Schuman.

Reply #2 on: December 23, 2021, 10:22:11 PM

The feeling I get is that you are thinking of the beat to the point where you forget the phrase. You need to hear the phrase better, for that I think it's often useful to play the phrase with extreme rubato or sing it, basically play around with it. Your ear should guide you to a place where it makes more sense.

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kindkaktus

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Re: [Fixed Video] Need advice on the Wild Horseman by Robert Schuman.

Reply #3 on: December 24, 2021, 12:03:30 PM

Quote from: dogperson on December 23, 2021, 09:29:34 PM

I’d really like to try to help, but my ears can’t get beyond the clicking sound every time a key is played—- is that your fingernails? Something related to the piano?

I also noticed that, but these clicks reveal themselves only when I record video from an external camera. The piano keys are from wood, and my fingernails are innocently short.
I will make an audio recording on the piano itself, this should not suffer from these artifacts.

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kindkaktus

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Re: [Fixed Video] Need advice on the Wild Horseman by Robert Schuman.

Reply #4 on: December 24, 2021, 12:10:17 PM

Quote from: ranjit on December 23, 2021, 10:22:11 PM

The feeling I get is that you are thinking of the beat to the point where you forget the phrase. You need to hear the phrase better, for that I think it's often useful to play the phrase with extreme rubato or sing it, basically play around with it. Your ear should guide you to a place where it makes more sense.

I think that's because I got too much focused on individual movements trying to make them sound staccato-like, which obviously overshadows phrasing. Nice catch!

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quantum

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Re: [Fixed Video] Need advice on the Wild Horseman by Robert Schuman.

Reply #5 on: December 24, 2021, 01:26:56 PM

When we speak, we use inflections in the voice to bring emphasis on certain words and lessen emphasis on other words. Try to do the same with your musical phrasing.

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kindkaktus

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Re: [Fixed Video] Need advice on the Wild Horseman by Robert Schuman.

Reply #6 on: December 24, 2021, 02:08:15 PM

Quote from: kindkaktus on December 24, 2021, 12:03:30 PM

I also noticed that, but these clicks reveal themselves only when I record video from an external camera. The piano keys are from wood, and my fingernails are innocently short.
I will make an audio recording on the piano itself, this should not suffer from these artifacts.

I attached an MP3 recorded on the piano itself. It doesn't suffer from the clicking artifacts.

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visitor

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Posts: 5294

Re: [Fixed Video] Need advice on the Wild Horseman by Robert Schuman.

Reply #7 on: December 24, 2021, 03:43:43 PM

Quote from: quantum on December 24, 2021, 01:26:56 PM

When we speak, we use inflections in the voice to bring emphasis on certain words and lessen emphasis on other words. Try to do the same with your musical phrasing.

This. Definitely. +1

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kindkaktus

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Re: [Fixed Video] Need advice on the Wild Horseman by Robert Schuman.

Reply #8 on: December 26, 2021, 07:05:32 AM

Thanks for the answers.

Do you think my staccatos can be improved somehow? Shouldn't my wrists hover a bit higher over the keyboard for that purpose?

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stringoverstrung

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Re: [Fixed Video] Need advice on the Wild Horseman by Robert Schuman.

Reply #9 on: January 07, 2022, 11:12:29 PM

Quote from: kindkaktus on December 23, 2021, 10:24:07 AM

crispness and spirit.

Any suggestions are welcome

For crispness focus on finger staccato like so: (not a perfect example but the idea is explained at around 52 seconds):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqumDNU5dZo

you could try to move the wrist less (while keeping it more relaxed).
Also try to get some rhythmic flow going from the left hand (small emphasis on the beat).

Not to be tried at home but what you can learn is to have a look at the stability of the bridge of the hand and the rhythmic pulse per beat coming from the left hand:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjghYFgt8Zk

Regards,
Gert

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stringoverstrung

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Posts: 293

Re: [Fixed Video] Need advice on the Wild Horseman by Robert Schuman.

Reply #10 on: January 07, 2022, 11:15:07 PM

Quote from: kindkaktus on December 23, 2021, 10:24:07 AM

I am looking for an advice on my performance of the Wild Horseman by Robert Schuman.

By the way Schumann is not easy. Souplesse (flexibility) is key.

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Topic: [Fixed Video] Need advice on the Wild Horseman by Robert Schuman. (Read 1839 times)

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