Playing with feeling

[sasson]

Hi everyone,
i am new to this forum and started playing the piano again. i haven't played since the age of 9 - now in late 20's.

I am learning Chopins Waltz 69 Op 2 - a big stone for a first piece after a long hiatus (which has been a favorite of mine for many years)....I deeply feel the song but for some reason i cannot put it into my hands and it sounds very mechanical. I am generally a very emotional and dramatic person but none of that is coming through.

Any ideas? advice? i am really stuck with this.

Thanks.

[Celeste]

How long have you been playing this piece? Perhaps you haven't been playing it long enough.  I know it takes me a while to start playing with emotion because first I have to be somewhat sure about the notes. Then, all of a sudden, it just comes to me. This could be your problem if the piece isn't properly prepared.

[amee]

I find it difficult to play with feeling if I haven't sorted the technical problems out first.  Don't be too anxious - learn all the notes of the piece, then start putting feeling into it.  That way you dont have to concentrate on the notes while you play.

[sasson]

thanks for the advice. i have been playing it for 2 months now. i think it's probably true, perhaps i still need to get the technical aspect down. but the parts that i do know well technically i still can't get the fingers to show how i feel about the piece.

it's encouraging to know that i may very well get that aspect as time goes by.

thanks.

[BuyBuy]

Well, if you can't get out of it what you want, have you asked yourself why ? Because all you tell us is that you're not showing the feelings, but what makesthat happen ? Once you find that out, you can work on a solution.

Now, remember, expression in a piece is always, always, always produced when a hammer hits a string. And a hammer hits a string when a finger presses a key down. A a finger presses a key down when there is a mechanical movement of your body (wether fingers, hans, arms, shoulders, parts or whole together).

So cutting the bla bla, for as much as you "feel" the piece, pure technique is necessarily your mean to translate those feelings to the keyboard. Now, after many years of absence from the piano, I hardly see how you could have a technique that allows you to express what you want on a piece. So your situation is normal, don't get frustrated about it. Just keep playing, learn new pieces, work on your technique, and you'll see in some time that you'll be able to express more.

[sasson]

thank you all.
I think your right buybuy, the technique is what's failing me not the feeling part. i know how i want it to sound but i am not getting that outcome. Hopefully time and practice will solve that issue.
i also just started learning Solfeggietto so when i am frustrated with this, i can turn to something else !
Much gratitude again for the great advice.
S~

[liszmaninopin]

One thing that helps me really put energy into a piece is to use the widest range of dynamics your keyboard allows without banging or being inaudible.  Also, if you don't already, you might want to really try moving your whole arms and body.