So... I want to do my first CD with a whole Chopin Program. VIDEO

[kairosophia]

Hello all,
so I practiced hard, I practiced fierce, but still, I am without a teacher now wanting to go to a recording studio (date already fixed: it's the 17.06) to record my first CD. Pressure is high and I am feeling insecure, so I turn to you to give me some feedback and hopefully some constructive criticism on recordings I did beforehand on my own little Euterpe-Grandpiano. Sound isn't great, but I hope you get the idea.

This is Chopin op 27 No. 1, No 2 is already up as well:

More is yet to come, including the Fantaisie-Impromptu and the Ballade in G-Minor.

Best regards and hoping to hear from some of you,
Irmela Wagner

[ronde_des_sylphes]

 Hello, I've listened to the first nocturne. Of course the recording quality doesn't help in terms of trying to get the details across (are you recording this with your phone), but it sounds like you have the notes under good control and where advice would help might be in terms of how to most effectively conceive and present the piece. My suggestion would be that, especially in the A section, you need to have more dynamic gradation between the two hands. I'd like to hear a luminous tone in the rh and something more sotto voce in the lh, as if the right hand is presenting the melody like a light in the mist. I don't know if that idea is any use to you. In any case, good luck when it comes to the actual studio recording process!

[anacrusis]

I was gonna post feedback a couple of days ago but forgot! First of all, I think this is well done, and could turn into a successful recording for you!

I think ronde_des_syplhes mentioned an important point I also wanted to make - I think you need higher dynamic contrast between the left hand/accompaniment and the right hand/melody. Left hand needs to be softer. This alone could do a lot!

With the Nocturne No. 2, there were a few moments I went "huh? I don't recognize that from when I played this piece". I think you should carefully go through your score and check that you are playing everything exactly as written. I also think you should practice it a bit, playing the left hand absolutely evenly and smoothly. Right now you have a sort of rubato going on in several left hand figures, and I think you need to be more conscious of when you choose to employ it and when you don't. Right now, the piece feels almost restless because of it, and I think it could benefit from feeling more peaceful and calm, after the moody darkness of the first Nocturne

Let us know how you are progressing with your preparation! I'd be happy to give you more feedback if you post an updated version

[dw4rn]

How very smart of you to do a test-run like this before the actual recording session!
I would agree with the other two that what comes out in these recordings as a bit problematic is the left hand. If you can work to get it softer, more controlled and more even in both Nocturnes, you'll have come a long way. Just don't forget that even if you want the accompaniment to appear more 'misty', that's obviously not the same as being sloppy - on the contrary, you need to play each note with even more care and precision.
A nice side effect of this is that it will open up more possibilities to achieve greater dynamic contrasts in general. In no 2 for example, when you get to the con forza-bit towards the end, with dolcissimo a few bars later. In your recording this contrast in sound is now hardly noticeable, except that it's harder to hear the right hand when you are playing softly.

[kairosophia]

Thank you so much for your Feedback!
And I agree that the left hand needs to be softer. It's only very hard to do on my piano where the bass is very loud and metallic. I worry a lot how quickly I can atune to the Steinway, when the keys will be heavier and more will be possible. But I will work on it as you said, and yes, I notice the Rubato in the second Nocturne and think it should be smooth.

I uploaded the next piece, the Etude 25.7 if you want to say something about this as well I would be grateful:

Thanks again also for the encouragement - I really hope it will turn out well!

[kairosophia]

Also the Nocturne 37 No. 1

[dw4rn]

Hi again! Nice! I'm sure you can adapt to the Steinway, just keep your ears open and try to enjoy it.

I think you play the Etude very well. But there's a rhythmic mistake I think in measure 6  (if you start counting at the double barline) and the corresponding bar towards the end: you're not playing the triplets correctly.

In the Nocturne I had the following thoughts:
- The very first note is too short, make it a full quarter-note (at least) before you enter with the left hand
- It might be something with the recording acoustic, reverb or something, but sometimes it sounds as if you should pedal more cleanly (mainly in the B section)
- You do not play the broken chords with a grace note according to how it's usually done - is this a choice or an oversight? For example, in the first one in (m. 44) I would play the notes in the following order: A flat-D-G(grace note)-F

Anyway, it seems you've prepared very well and I'm sure you'll produce a nice CD to be proud of. Best of luck!

[kairosophia]

Hello dw4rn!
Thank you so much again. I am carefully considering all of your feedback. I am already aware of my problems with 3 against 4 and working on it.
Here is Nocturne 48.2

and Nocturne 9.3

Sorry for the rough cuts. Now I have to get to the Fantaisie-Impromptu and Ballade....

[zheer]

Hello, I just had a listen to the D flat major Nocturne, you did a great job, it is a very demanding master piece. We can all give advice, but music is very flexible, there is no one way of performing it, you are your own best critic. One thing I've discovered is that you have to have self-confidence and some common sense, learning from people that know more than we do is common sense. However, eventually we're on our own, the sheet music is all we'll have.
 Recording is an excellent way of capturing one moment in time, like a photo. You will like returning to them in the future, it will bring back memory. Well done.