VIDEO: Beethoven Sonata Op. 31 No. 3 IV. Presto con Fuoco

[nightwindsonata]

This from a recent (online) recital in Portland, Oregon. I have one month before I perform this piece in my senior recital, any feedback is welcome!

[dw4rn]

Hi nightwindsonata,

Very impressive, and truly "presto con fuoco"! I really like the energy you're putting into this.

My personal view is that you should try to find more soft nuances in this, and keep them for longer. An example: 16 bars before the repeat there is a piano marking. I would like it if you kept it soft all the way to the sudden fortissimo just before the repeat, and then return to a crisp piano when da capo-ing.

In the development part, after the repeat, perhaps you could treat the many ff:s a bit more like accents, to avoid making this section sound like one long, massive wall of sound.

In the softer parts you could also experiment with skipping the pedal altogether.

In any case, I'm sure you'll do a really great recital. What are you playing other than this?

[anacrusis]

You have a massive amount of energy and drive, and I think that's awesome. Sometimes, it feels like you are a bit out of control and musically, your express train just keeps hurling forwards, so to speak, at moments where maybe you, and the music, would benefit a bit from breathing, taking a micro pause, making sure that you are highlighting important harmonies or ends of phrases to help the listener orient themselves in what's happening.

So I'd advice you to practice one version that is a bit slower and very, very controlled, where you are able to take care of every harmony and detail. Late, you can combine this with this amazing energy and forward moment you have, but make sure that it's very deliberately chosen when you employ it, combined with being a bit more caring for important harmonies, special moments ad clearly sculpting phrases and the architecture of the piece.

[nightwindsonata]

Hi nightwindsonata,

Very impressive, and truly "presto con fuoco"! I really like the energy you're putting into this.

My personal view is that you should try to find more soft nuances in this, and keep them for longer. An example: 16 bars before the repeat there is a piano marking. I would like it if you kept it soft all the way to the sudden fortissimo just before the repeat, and then return to a crisp piano when da capo-ing.

In the development part, after the repeat, perhaps you could treat the many ff:s a bit more like accents, to avoid making this section sound like one long, massive wall of sound.

In the softer parts you could also experiment with skipping the pedal altogether.

In any case, I'm sure you'll do a really great recital. What are you playing other than this?

- Bach Prelude and Fugue No. 17 in A-flat major (book 1)
- Beethoven Sonata Op. 31 No. 3 (complete)
- Brahms Klavierstucke Op. 119
- Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No. 5
- Florence Price Clouds
- Scriabin Etude Op. 8 No. 12

Thanks for the feedback! I've done a lot of this 'controlled' work, so to speak, but it seems more is necessary :/

I will also keep working on finding places to pause, for sure. I always take the D-flat major chords between the end of the exposition and the start of the development as a place to pause; but where else should I look? There don't seem to be many opportunities.

[lelle]

I think you could easily slow it down a couple of BPM and still stay true to the Presto con fuoco character, that might give you a bit more time and musical breathing room. Right now your tempo is as fast as it could possibly go and still be musical, and while that is awesome I don't think it's required