Mozart Piano Concerto no 19, K459 3rd MVT

[teresa_b]

Hi all,

I've had one heck of a time figuring out how to do this, but MAYBE it worked this time??

Here's a performance from last year of me playing Mozart with the Chamber Orchestra of Florida. 

Caveats:  Poor miking of the piano
                Some mistakes made by moi!    (I asked Mozart's forgiveness, and I ask you the same.  I'm only an amateur pianist, and I perform rarely.  Nerves.)

All the best, Teresa

[Dazzer]

sounds very professional!  great quality.

nice playing too. but then i'm not the best interpreter of mozart... hehe

keep up the good work

[teresa_b]

Thanks, Dazzer  ...

I had checked this post and found the attachment vanished--but it's now back.  I hope a few more people comment--I may well be playing more Mozart in the future, and I'm interested in any suggestions as to improving my playing.

Teresa

[beach]

sounds great!  I can only hope to play like that one day.  Sorry I don't have any suggestions...just a beginner.

[teresa_b]

Thanks, beach!  I haven't been here in awhile, so didn't note your reply 'til now.  I'm sure if you practice, practice, you 'll play even better at some point--good luck!

Teresa

[doctop]

Very Nice Teresa

[Barbosa-piano]

 It sounds great, very nice soft playing, fits Mozart's style very well.  \

nice playing too. but then i'm not the best interpreter of mozart... hehe

I have the same problem...

[ozzy]

  Very nice!
I always truly envy the great results coming from  splendid amateur pianists. Here I am, devoting my life to the art of piano playing, and some of you get great results just playing as a hobby... You bastards!

 

Seriously... as I was saying, i really like it!
The only time I felt your "nerves" was maybe a little bit in the cadenza. Common problem to always think that the audience would get tired of hearing "just the piano", and one tends to stress things up a little bit. I would , if possible, let some passages take some more time.
About the small mistakes: noone cares, as long as you keep the music alive! (one of the most difficult things to learn to grasp, especially under a actual performance)

Did you play the whole concerto, or just this movement?

[ted]

I don't usually like Mozart but I liked this one. Playing something like that with an orchestra in front of people would give me a heart attack. Come to think of it playing anything in front of people gives me the heebie-jeebies. Nice clear finger work, Teresa, and I found the recording to be quite good. I always write these downloads to CD and play them in my audio CD recorder, which produces much better sound than my computer.

This audition room has only been going a month or two and already we are seeing an amazing diversity and depth of style and talent.

[teresa_b]

Hi all,

Hey, thanks for the nice comments!  I haven't been here for awhile and I really appreciate you listening. 

Ted, I know what you mean about the heart attack--especially when you're up there and you make a mistake--the hardest thing is to forget it and not get too self-conscious. 

Ozzy, thanks for the compliment.  I am an amateur, but of course I've been at it a lo-o-ong time!  I played the whole concerto in the concert. 

All the best, Teresa

[pianohopper]

As everybody else has said, Teresa, it sounds fabulous!  There's not much more for me to say without repeating everybody else.

A question for you: being amateur, you wouldn't have an agent obviously, so how did you get this stint with the CO of Fl?  Do you just have good connections, did you audition for that, or something completely different? 

[pianohopper]

And hey, by the way, wot's up with all the applause after the first mvmnt?  I thought you played the whole thing -- or was it just a very underexposed audience?

[teresa_b]

Hi pianohopper,

Thanks for the nice words.  I did play the whole thing,  and that was the 3rd movement--thus the applause.  I think I tried to post the 1st movement, but it wouldn't post because it was too long. 

To answer your question--because not too many pianists are lucky enough to get to play with orchestras, especially amateurs!  I had been a friend of the music director of the CO of FL for quite some time, and I finally decided to audition for him.  (It did not hurt that I had helped with the group's fundraising, given a couple of musicales in my home, etc)  So I auditioned Mozart K488 a few years ago, and he liked it enough to give me the gig.   

Teresa

[nicolaievich]

hello!
i really liked your playing. you play very clearly, and you knew how to lead with mistakes (mistake - that monster walking around everytime and everywhere), and that's a reason for admiring you. everybody make mistakes when playing, the difficulty is to go on playing well. i like the way you played the cadenza  .
go on for another concert!

[gorbee natcase]

 :)That was great I have kept the download to my computer I hope I dont owe you any money 

[teresa_b]

Well, gorbee, as you know, it's automatically $50 per download...   Seriously, I'm happy you liked it!

And thanks,  nicolaievich!  It is hard not to get unnerved too much by mistakes!  Luckily, they do fly by in the live performance, as opposed to being stuck forever in a recording. 

I'm playing Beethoven trio op 1 no 1 this spring, and next year maybe Mozart PC no 9, K271.  (I did K449 this past year, lots of fun!)

All the best, Teresa

[techlogik]

I must say, that was drab and the interpretation was lacking somewhat....

Seriously, I am kidding, you did very nice and I wish I was as good as you.

The recording is very good compared to alot of stuff you find on here.

I think you did very well.

[vic5]

I just listened to your performance for the 3rd time & I must tell you that it really is quite excellent, and I don't mean quite excellent for someone who doesn't play that often, or for someone who's rusty, etc.  No, I mean exactly what I said, and I would support my opinion by pointing out the importance of a certain quality(ies) that are required in playing Mozart's music which were most certainly present in your recording.  The quaility or qualities that I am reffering to are those of refinement, clarity, that 'lightness' (as opposed to overbearing/vulgar...for lack of a better word) which are not just products of good musicality, but also of good technique. 

Oh and BTW, since none of my friends listen to Classical Music anymore, I'm quite ticked off that I have nobody to share the experience with, get feedback, etc.  So to prevent myself from anger/depression, I have decided to go directly to the top and speak with a composer wondering whether or not he could actually hear me.....so instead of becomming insane from anger, I just go crazy right from the start    And since Herr Mozart happens to be the lucky recipient of my dimensia, I am happy to report to you that he feels the same way as I do reqarding your performance   

In all seriousness, in regards to the mistakes in which you asked for Mozarts forgiveness I'm sure that he would easily overlook the mistakes in situations when the actual spirt of the peice was captured!

Thank you for sharing,

V5

[teresa_b]

Dear Vic5,

Thank you from my heart for that very lovely commentary!!  (And hey, thanks for channeling Mozart's opinion back for me  ) 

I love Mozart, and I'm really happy you enjoyed my efforts at bringing him to life. 

All the best, Teresa

[piano121]

Hi Teresa,

your performance is great! congrats! I would like to ask you a question, I have made it in other pool here, but got no answers. Did you study it using any acompaniment CD with the orquestra only, before you get to the real orquestra? I ask this because I used a C F Peters edition of the concerto 21, with the orquestra recording only, and i thought it was to slow. I am now looking for a better edition. I ´ve heard about a Music minus One edition, but not sure. Do you have any sugestions?

Thansk and keep up the wonderfull work

Carlos

[teresa_b]

Thanks, piano121 !

I didn't use any accompaniment recordings at all, for the reason you mention--tempos are usually wrong for me, and seem to make more difficulties. 

I have not heard a Music Minus One edition of Mozart no 19 or no 21, so I don't know what kind of tempo they may have. 

The only accompaniment I used was my piano coach playing the orchestra reduction on another piano.  You can't hear the different timbres, obviously, but you can get a good idea of entrances and at least hear the harmonies along with your solo part.  Also, you can get practice in NOT stopping or getting off on the timing.

Good luck! 

Teresa

[Kassaa]

It sounded great! Absolutely great! It sounds very professional, and, what is imo one of the most important things in piano playing, it sounded that were having fun there. I can hear the joy and happiness in your playing, which is very difficult to do with nerves.

Post more recordings please!

[teresa_b]

Hey, Kassaa,

Thanks so much!  I love Mozart, and I'm so glad you heard the joy come through.  I had a wonderful chamber orchestra to play with, which made it a real dream.  (nerves and all!) 

I think I did post the 2nd movement on this site somewhere.  I tried to post the first one, but it was too long. 

I have (somewhere) a CD of Mozart PC no 17, K453.  If I can locate it, I may try to post some of it.

I really appreciate your comments!!
Teresa

[jehangircama]

It is a lovely recording. please record all the concerti and post them here. it'll make a great collection   amazing fingerwork and thanks for a wonderful recording.

[teresa_b]

ALL the concerti??   

Oh, you mean all the Mozart ones--no problem.   

Seriously, thanks from my heart,  and I am looking for my recording of K453, which I have misplaced somewhere. 

All the best, Teresa