VIDEO: seeking feedback for Schumann's First Sorrow (Erster Verlust)

[kindkaktus]

Hi guys,
Here is my first take on the Schumann's First Sorrow.
I am looking for any tips to make it sound better.

[fignewton]

I think that is sounding great already. My only suggestion is to voice the top notes of the chords in the last 4 measures more. For voicing, I usually practice a variant of playing the notes I want to bring out legato and fortissimo while playing the notes I don't want to bring out staccato and pianissimo. I also imagine pushing the key I want to bring out to the floor while floating on the surface of the keys for the notes I want to play softer. I find it's a lot easier for me to feel the weight in the fingers I want to bring out after this variant. Another similar exercise is to practice thirds with the top notes legato and the bottoms staccato and vica versa. For example, G/E, F/D, E/C, F/D etc., and I would connect the G, F, E, F while playing the E, D, C, D staccato... then the opposite, and then the left hand in the same way.

[kindkaktus]

I think that is sounding great already. My only suggestion is to voice the top notes of the chords in the last 4 measures more....

Thanks a lot, I will give it a try.

[dw4rn]

Well done, I think that's already a beautiful version, very sensitively played.
Just a thought - you are now doing two crescendos in the B section. Another variant would be staying in a louder dynamic after the first one (not doing so much of the diminuendo before a tempo) and only return to piano or pianissimo when the theme returns. What do you think?

[kindkaktus]

Well done, I think that's already a beautiful version, very sensitively played.
Just a thought - you are now doing two crescendos in the B section. Another variant would be staying in a louder dynamic after the first one (not doing so much of the diminuendo before a tempo) and only return to piano or pianissimo when the theme returns. What do you think?

Thanks. Actually I never thought of this interpretation of the B section. I think it is at least worth trying and comparing to the canonical version.

[dw4rn]

I think it is at least worth trying and comparing to the canonical version.

I'm pleased to hear that, but I can't help wondering what you mean by "canonical"? Please don't take offense, like I said I think your version is excellent. But the second crescendo is not in the score, and to me it doesn't seem the most obvious or common interpretation. I was quickly able to find several recordings (Weissenberg, Frankl, Zecchi) where the bars from a tempo to the return of the A section (which is marked p) are played slightly louder.
I still don't know which version I like best, it was just your choice of words that got me curious and made me want to have another look at it.

[kindkaktus]

I still don't know which version I like best, it was just your choice of words that got me curious and made me want to have another look at it.

Considering myself a beginner, I primarily tend to watch videos form piano teachers in constrast to accomplished performers. All of these vids do diminuendo in B20. For example,

The same dynamic is indicated on the score I use, see the PDF attached.
This (probably mistakenly) makes me think of this articulation as the "original" one.

[kindkaktus]

I think that is sounding great already. My only suggestion is to voice the top notes of the chords in the last 4 measures more.

I've been practicing for 3 years, and chord voicing is still a new technique for me.
Do you mean top chord notes for each hand?
Any other hints on practicing chord voicing?

[fignewton]

I've been practicing for 3 years, and chord voicing is still a new technique for me.
Do you mean top chord notes for each hand?
Any other hints on practicing chord voicing?

I'm sorry for my late reply. I meant just the top note of the right hand could be brought out, but voicing the top or bottom notes of the left hand might sound nice too. Another tip for practicing voicing is to alternate between the voiced note and the other three notes instead of playing all four notes together. For example, you could play the D with the right-hand 5th finger fortissimo, then play the other three notes of the chord pianissimo. Once that variant is comfortable, you could try to bring the voiced note and 3 other notes closer together until they occur simultaneously. A similar idea is to practice rolling the chords while keeping that dynamic balance. Finger independence exercises helped me a lot with voicing as well. Like the first book of Liszt's exercises has a lot of exercises that involve holding down some fingers while tapping others. I know that stuff is not everyone's cup of tea, but I personally like it a lot.

[kindkaktus]

Thanks for the tips.
I've been practicing finger independence excercises from Murray McLachlan's "The foundations of technique", which I was previously suggested on this forum.

[lelle]

Sounds great kindkaktus! I remember you posting a video here of something a while ago, sounds like you've developed a lot since then already!

Finger independence exercises can absolutely help with chord voicing. Just be very careful with them and don't overdo them so you don't create tense habits. Make sure to focus on keeping your hands and wrists as supple as possible while you practise them.

Another suggestion is to just practise some chords slowly and try to bring out the top note while staying comfortable and relaxed. Imagine what sound you want in your mind and listen carefully to the result you get.

[dw4rn]

Considering myself a beginner, I primarily tend to watch videos form piano teachers in constrast to accomplished performers. All of these vids do diminuendo in B20.
The same dynamic is indicated on the score I use, see the PDF attached.
This (probably mistakenly) makes me think of this articulation as the "original" one.

I probably expressed myself unclearly. I don't dispute the diminuendo. What I suggested was to play the bars after the diminuendo slightly louder, delaying the return to piano. If you listen closely to the teaching video you posted, I think that is more or less what she is doing.

I understand your point about why you mostly listen to videos by piano teachers. However, I wouldn't limit myself to that if I were you. Comparing your video with the teaching video you gave as an example, I'm not at all sure which one I would prefer listening to. I think you are on a level where you could learn more from studying a couple of professional recordings.