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In Piano Magic we first play the melody with a single finger (usually the index finger). This looks silly and people will ridicule you for it... but once you know how to make that finger jump all over the keyboard, playing octaves or more complicated right-hand stuff is absolutely no problem, and then it don't look so silly no more.

I read the same thing that NancyM33 mentions.
Practise by having your fingers over the keys before you have to press them. Then when its time, you press the keys. Start slow with the metronome and then increase speed gradually...adding a little salt...oops sorry.
This advice if I recall is in the Chang book.

Peter

I decided to post this here because I have some suggestions and remarks that maybe wouldn´t really fit in the general discussion room. So, in random order:


Piano again:

My idea of a fugue is that it is supposed to be a kind of ‘flight’, if you like. It starts with a melody and then it just takes off and keeps variating on it and doesn't stop until the end (well, that’s generally the case with all music but I hope you get my meaning somewhat). I think your playing absolutely did justice to that idea. Your tempo is quite high and excellent for this piece, good job on keeping that pace constant as well. I also didn't detect a hesitation, which gave the piece the necessary flow. One thing I don't like so much about these 'Inventions' though is that there is so little repetition: you can't really get a grasp on the music (my ear that is, your fingers did quite well). But I suppose that's why it's called a fugue.

AdagioM:

Hmmmm, beautifully played and very relaxing. However, it is over much much too soon… the piece doesn’t really have a head and a tail, it sounds like it could be the intro to something more suspenseful, to finally resolve again in the end… You have a great rest in your playing of this piece, you don’t let yourself be rushed and keep the ‘feel’ throughout the piece. But I’d like to hear you play at the other end of the spectrum as well. I hope to hear more from you, maybe in the monthly bars or else in the next recital. Deal?


Balladeer:

I have to say I have a certain envy of the Pianomagic players around here. They can do things I can’t, but want to do, and maybe could, if I gave those elements of piano playing more attention. However, I have chosen not to do so (not at this time anyway), in favour of practising sheet music… and there just isn’t time enough to do improvisation on top of that…
But onto your recording. Well, with a piece with such a solid melody you can’t go wrong I would say. But wait, what have you done with it? You have completely turned it around, the intro sounded familiar to my ear, but from around 1:10 you take off and make it entirely your own. The piece has become utterly relaxing, however watch out that it doesn’t become too relaxing! Lazy listeners (like me) tend to lose where you’re going with the piece! So throw some tension in there, or jump up and down some octaves. That will jab that lazy audience back to focus again!

Bluemarine:

What an amazingly beautiful piece. Like with most good pieces, you constantly get the feeling you’ve heard it before… while you hear it for the first time. The main theme is so emotional and powerful and you played it very convincingly. I have to say I don’t like the bright interlude starting at 1:05, but I always think interludes generally are most beautiful when they stop! That’s their function, they break the main theme so that when you get back to it your ear is longing for it… good job on not getting carried away with the brighter melody, it was immediately back to serious again when you came back to the main theme. Very beautiful piece… could you maybe provide sheet music please?


Bob Muir: I think that melody was in some baby toy thing I had long long ago… all I know is that this melody goes back a long way in my memory, it’s been there for years and years… what is it known for? Can you provide me with some more details? (It’s probably something really well known but I don’t know what it is…)
Anyway, very subtly played, nice glissando’s, they sound quite smooth… and I liked how you kept a ‘low profile’ so to say, you generally keep the volume low (one or two mezzo fortes) and let the melody subtly work on the ear. One thing that struck me though, there is only so much you can do with this melody, after a while it gets to repetitive and there is nothing happening anymore.

Copper:

Hm, I have to admit I’m not a big fan of religious music. I can’t help but feel that this music is somehow preaching… and I don’t like that feel. It’s more like a command: joy to the world! Than it actually brings joy to me itself… maybe it should focus more on that. I know I’m criticizing an immensely famous piece, and maybe ridiculing myself in the process… but that’s just how I feel. Maybe I would even go as far as to leave out the amen at the end… I think it should be up to the listener to decide if it’s ‘amen’, but I realize that’s quite crude.
I liked your recording of the Petzold minuet for recital 3 better, but that’s mostly because I like the piece better as well. Your technique is good for these kind of pieces, so I would say it’s time to move on to something more daring!

Dannylux:

Wow, are you kidding me? This sounds like an incredibly difficult piece! But I have to say, you can definitely handle it and your practise time has been well spent on this. Besides that I think it is an amazing piece. It’s like some kind of psychedelic waltz, there’s so much happening there, all those gypsy’s are running around and bumping in to each other, or whatever it is that gypsy’s do, there’s lots of activity any way! Lot’s of dissonants being brought up and resolved too, my ear is constantly working at full capacity.
One thing I did have my doubts about however, and it has been expressed earlier in this thread, that those fast upwards runs sometimes sound arythmic (for example I’m talking about the one from second 12 to 16). First I thought it was intended that way, because you’re being consequent with them and the almost syncopated notes sound incredibly good. They are also in line with the psychedelic vibe this piece has. But as someone else brought it up as well, I want, no demand, clarification! Not that it really matters, I like the runs this way.

Dh:

Lol, you shouldn’t have said anything about those hammers in the background! Now I heard them, in fact I was listening and reading your comment, and the instant I read about the hammers, I started hearing them! No, but seriously, it’s not that bad at all.
Good to hear a more traditional silent night version in here, as the melody is just so good. Your playing sounds solid, you have this piece, simple as it may seem, down as good as you can get it. Don’t you think making a recording of your piece always seals it up nicely? I always have the feeling I’m really done with a piece when I made a solid recording of it. Then I can really let it go and stop worrying about it. It’s almost like a physical release of tension, hmm but more mental when I think of it. Ehm, sorry this isn’t really going anywhere anymore. I’m satisfied with your recording of this, and I hope you are too. I be hearing more from you.

Frycek:

{Edited]

Icekid:

When I listened through the recital the first time, I hadn’t really identified yours as a standing out recording, but when I saw lots of people in the general discussion room mentioning yours I decided to look what all the fuzz was about. And I have to admit, I got it wrong. Extremely smooth, extremely jazzy, you do your name justice this recording was ice cold. I enjoy listening to this kind of music (same goes for Balladeer’s for example). I found this piece to have a bit more structure though, the intro and ending really stand out from the rest of the piece, but fit to make a really solid whole. Good job.

McClellan:

Refined choice of music! It sounds really dark, while there is an high alt voice constantly overriding the bass chords… but while the chords are dark, the voice gives it a more sad connotation, I think this piece is food for analysts and I’m interested as well how this works from a theoretical point of view. I don’t know nearly enough of music theory though to work this out myself. Maybe you know more about what has been said about this piece.
I think you did a good job on bringing out the power of the low chords, while not letting the melody snow under so to speak. I’d like to hear a pianissimo in there somewhere though. Your ff’s are very convincing, but the rest is generally mezzo forte. I’d like more variation in there. Also good job on accenting the top notes of the melody, the melody is often working to a height and you did nice in recognizing and accenting that.

Kawaigirl:

One of the highlights of the recital for me. You say it’s more difficult than it sounds, I wouldn’t directly say that’s the case though. It’s more that the music is kept quite simple. The melody is beautiful and haunting and there’s some support in the left hand, and that’s it (and all it has to be). That doesn’t mean it’s easy to play though. I think this piece would be above my level currently, though with real dedication I could probably get there.
Compliments for your recording as well, the sound is so crisp and full. Also, I would almost say that you played it flawlessly, if you noticed any errors yourself, please point them out cause I could not find any! Great job.


Euan Morrison:

So, this Eunaudi guy really knows what he’s doing eh? This one takes my breath away. I want to play this as well. I don’t know if I can reach the level of expression you get in there, but I know it will still sound amazing! If you can provide the sheet music for this in any legal way, please do! I really enjoyed this one. You play it softly yet full, and at around 2:50 you go into an encore, it sounds even fuller and grander. You could have sustained this longer or done this more often in my opinion. I’m already drawn in by the melody but when you throw in that extra volume it really swoops me away.

Funburger:

Yes I know this as Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy as well… I think that title sounds more fairy tale like as well… dance of the candy fairy sounds so… well, american.
Anyway, I played this one myself a while ago in a different arrangement, one that was too difficult for me at the time, and now I read this one was too difficult for you as well. What is it with this piece, can’t someone make a simpler arrangement?! Anyway, I always enjoy listening to this. Few comments. Those low bass runs don’t sound entirely like I think they should (like the one in seconds 15 and 16), they sound a bit too rushed in my opinion. Also you had some hesitations, but that doesn’t really matter as they are more typing errors than grammar errors… (if you follow my meaning).

Mahlzeit:

Yes!!!! This is just amazing. You did an incredible job. Firstly, the idea is brilliant, to make a minor version of silent night. And the execution… really incredible. I was particularly amazed when I saw how simple it looks in sheet music form. It sounds so incredibly rich while all the tools you use are an alberti base and a melody which contains only a few notes. Nice going with the repeat in a lower octave, I couldn’t figure out what it was you did at first because the whole thing sounded even grander and more haunting all of a sudden. For me this is the best of the entire recital, for a number of reasons… the idea is brilliant, it sounds great, and it is simple so I can (and will) play it!!! And impress other with it… yess!!!!
What do you do with pedal? Refresh each measure?

Monster M&H:

This gave me goosebumps all over. I wouldn’t mind you singing a bit louder as well, I can hear it very faintly but still it fits great with the music. It has a nice effect because I can almost see you sitting there playing and absorbing the music… which gives the music an emotional charge.

Well that´s it for now, I hope I can spur some argument with this and get some answers to posed questions. More to come! (Note that Mr. S-H is put on hold in a blatant but probably futile attempt to deflate his head.)


Edit:


Dennis Turner:

I think you did a good job on getting this under you fingers that fast. However I’m sorry to say the piece doesn’t really work for me… I think it’s a bit too sentimental and slow, don’t know what it is but I don’t ‘believe’ in it. And that’s strange because I can’t deny that the melody has a certain beauty, but it just doesn’t click with me. You played it beautifully, very softly and subtle, but while accenting the high ‘dramatic’ melody notes. I have a feeling that that is the way it is presented on the score, but I personally wouldn’t mind if you tried to throw some more tension into it, maybe slow down on a critical point, or throw some more power into it just to disturb it a bit. The way it is now there just isn’t enough happening there to keep my attention.

LiztAddict:

Wow, I saw your excerpts of this piece’s sheet music and all I can say is… I’m not qualified to comment on this one! However, I’ve never let that deter me in the past and won’t start now…
Well, my disliking of religious music still stands, but this one I can handle a bit better. Like my comment on Joy to the world, I said it had to bring joy itself, not tell us to have joy. This works slightly differently, this piece actually sooths my nerves while I listen to it, which is more in line with the Ave Maria theme. But I’ve said this before in my comments, where is the head, where is the tail? This doesn’t work that well as a standalone piece, it’s subtle and soothing all the way, the most tension I hear starts at 3:30 but resolves fairly quickly, and I think that’s a shame. Particularly because this recital is quite laden with soothing Christmas songs, my mind tends to dwell to other things every now and then… I realize it maybe wouldn’t fit well to throw this piece around with lots of ff’s though so hey that’s just the way it is. Nicely played, and frankly I don’t know how you pulled it off judging from the score. I want to dub yours as least imitable performance of the recital, followed closely by the Valse Tzigane.

Loveschopintoomuch:

Hmmm, so where is the Chopin? I had hoped for something my ear could handle better after I heard Lullaby to Jesus… ah well this works well also, though I get the feeling you let the Christmas theme deter you a bit from playing your beloved’s music, but I could be way off here. However when I listen to it I don’t hear the emotion (“how do you hear emotion?” hm yes good question…), it’s more the association I have with you, and it doesn’t fit with this Christmas song! I’d like to hear you play things you really have a passion for, then automatically my mind tags all kinds of emotion to it giving the piece that extra something. Sorry, can’t be of more help with your playing, I hear some errors but don’t think they are structural so all I can say is… practice it more! Or rather, get back to Frederick!

Monica Kern:

Beautiful selection of music. Another laid back piece with not that much happening, but this one is just so beautiful. I would say this can stand alone excellently, I just have so much associations going on when I hear this, I think each person will have different thoughts when he listens to it. From thoughts of youth, or maybe a book you read or a film you watched. Good job on expressing this Monica, I can let my mind wander freely while listening to your music without fear of ‘losing’ where it is going, because in my opinion this piece is meant to make your mind wander!

Mr Super-Hunky:

Well, I also read your post about your utterly unique way of digesting music, your short attention span, etcetera, etcetera… I almost started to think, sheesh what a nutcase. But that’s certainly not the case. You say this kind of learning works for you, and all I can say after listening to your recording is: indeed it does! So keep on this track you’re doing great! I wonder though, how much of this is your own and how much you borrowed from the score? For example I really like the trills in the high section of the keyboard (seconds 39-41 for example), is that your own fabrication? If so, genius! I think I would go so far as to say I like those trills the most in this recording (of course in context with the melody otherwise it wouldn’t mean anything…). They are a sort of transition, before the melody is repeated there is some kind of bridge needed, and that is resolved in a beautiful way with these trills. You’re following the melody, then it stops, the trill comes, you’re breath is taken away… and then it continues. Thanks S-H for this music!

NancyM:

Now that’s what I’m talking about! Play this after the Lullaby and they form a nice pair. It’s like my ear gets ripped apart at first, and this puts it all together again. I constantly had the feeling I knew this from something, but I don’t think I ever heard it before. The sign of real quality! This is not just relaxing, it has great melodic content and suspense (2:20 to 2:40). You can play this suspense part even louder in my opinion. Make the listener sorry you ever departed from the main theme! Then mystery from 2:40… sounds really dark, nicely played. Finally after a little transition we’re back at the main theme at about 3:20. This piece has so much and goes through a variety of moods. Nice choice of music!

Raghnild:

Well, I think Bach can get a bit out of hand every now and then… the music may be brilliant from a theoretical point of view, but where is it going? This piece had that at times. Like 1:10 to (nice trill at 1:50) (listening as I type) to 2:20… what’s happening there? Beats me, I completely lose my sense of direction here… the theme is in there somewhat but Bach experiments with it and throws it around, however I’m not to sure about their emotional value! Would it be somewhat right to say this piece is more an excellent excersition piece, both for the composer himself in experimenting with the music, and both for the student? I think you can do much more however and like to hear pieces with more emotional, rather than theoretical, content from you. Like I seeme to recall that you said you could play the Grieg lyric piece I recommended in your Grieg thread a while ago? Wow, I’d very much like to hear that from you.


Well I think I’ll leave it at that… think I insulted enough people… no but seriously I enjoyed listening to this recital very much and have listened through the entire list 3 or 4 times already! Seriously, good job all, and to those I didn’t come round to commenting on, I want to express one sentiment I felt quite often during this recital… make sure your piece is going somewhere, has a head and a tail so to speak. I don’t know that much about music but I think that is very important for the listener. So make sure you do something with it, it’s your responsibility to translate the score to something beautiful, that just works all the way through! So try to think about that, about the structure in your piece. And errors… ah what do I care I make so much myself. That’s what I meant Funburger about typing errors vs. grammar errors… if you’d practice the piece a few weeks longer you could get those hesitations out, but what’s it to me? I don’t care. I just want the music to be right. However when you do things that break up the music, or using for example structurally wrong fingering making you hesitate every time you play a certain part, then I’m talking about a structural error. Those are less excusable… and it’s our job (the listener’s at ABF) to try and locate them. But that is quite hard! I’m not a music teacher!

Ok thanks all for reading and good luck in future enterprises!

Oh yeah and forgot to mention this... what is up with all the extreme self-underestimation that went on on these forums in the days before the recital?! Sure, we all (well most of us) make mistakes, but reading those post you wouldn't suspect such beautiful playing! Really guys, tone it down just a tad for the next recital, you don't do justice to yourself in the first place, because you put so much work into it. Secondly, you don't do justice to your listener. "Well the artist himself thought that it was bad but I like it, what's wrong with me?" Well that's a bit overexagerated but I hope my point comes across. Self-criticism is easy and nice because you can cover yourself ("don't expect to much from it etcetera...) but how can you take the praise after you bashed it yourself? So next recordings I want to see submitted with head raised proud and high, and take the 'fall' only after it has been received by your audience, not before!

Nighteyes, thank-you for your comments and honesty---love it!!! i know exactly where those hesitations are, and also one part where i slowed the piece way way down to make that left hand jump arpeggio--only the arpeggio never came out right because the keys were so darn far apart and i cant bend my wrist the way my teacher says will work because i broke my wrist years ago. i will work on slowing the left hand down though:)
although i wasnt sure what you meant by typing error versus grammar-- i missed something on that one. ah well. i am going to put this down for a while but i will definitly keep your ideas in mind when i get back to it:) thank-you!!!!

Thank you! The piece is supposed to be andantino, and I'm definitely no faster than adagio. I'm not really comfortable with this piece yet (still thinking about the notes), but didn't have anything more finished. The biggest challenge is making the melody sing over the middle voice, even though they're both played with the RH.

This piece is only one page, and it's the first piece from a book of short works about childhood. They are all charming! I'm trying to learn several of the pieces this year.

I definitely plan to be in more of the ABF recitals.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Thanks, Nighteyes, for the kind review. Yes, I did feel very much "done" at the time, but I think it was really more of a turning point than an end. I still don't have the last third of the piece in hand so I'll continue to practice to solidify it. And I would like to play it with a lighter touch. I will certainly be playing it with a lighter heart for having come this far!

Nighteyes,

I'm glad you liked Levitzki's Gypsy Waltz. Thanks so much.

With regard to the runs, the 1st one has four grace notes in it and the 2nd one has five grace notes. This definitely gives them a syncopated feeling, along with the syncopated chords in the left hand.

There is some uneveness in the way I play them, but certainly not enough to throw off the beat. I'll send you the sheets, and you can follow along and find all of my missed notes. Check your Private Messages.

As you point out, Levitzki had a wonderful sense of harmony, with his numerous dissonances that resolve in such satisfying ways. These remind me very much of Kurt Weill's music in Germany in the 1920's and '30's.

Mel

Thanks Nighteyes for your extensive comments. I personally thought there were sections that I had hesitated abit. Plus the pedalling could have been better.

Hi Nighteyes!

Well, if you're going to start off like that, I'd better answer your questions. Thanks!

Of course it's simple... I'm not good enough to play something more complicated. It sounds rich because of the pedaling, I think.

Refresh when necessary. I think each measure would be fine, or at least on each chord change. Sometimes you can keep it down for a while, other times you have to let it up more often because all the notes start to interfere. Use your own judgment!

Thanks for the nice comments, Nighteyes!

Thanks Dannylux for the sheet music. This helps me in two ways. First I can see now what is up with the 'syncopated runs' as I called them. The thing I was hearing were indeed the grace notes. Because they are the highest notes in the run each time before it runs down again, and up to the next grace note which is the highest again, they are the notes that struck my attention the most. So because I could hear them so good I noticed they were just after the beat each time. But now I see that they are kind of jabbed between the run. Good job on those runs they seem a bitch to play, but you get the feeling of them across excellently, even the crescendo comes across quite powerfully, although I think you could make it even grander and end with ff to move into the mp espressivo. But I realize how hard it is to mind a crescendo when you've got all those staccato notes under your fingers... I personally wouldn't bother with it, oh... something like the whole first year I played this piece...

Secondly I could see how excellently you followed the advice given by the composer, but at the same time you aren't afraid to do something with it yourself. Such as the appassionata molto forte... that is quite some power and passion you put into those chords, I don't know where you get it from. Excellent this piece has such an array of moods I really like it the more I study it.
And an example of making it your own, I mean like the mp espressivo, is that pedal I hear? I like that sort of thing the espressivo is only a word on the score nothing more, but you've got to make it into music! And have to use all means available to you. Good job!

I am sorry if yoy did not like my comments on the Waltz, Mel. I knew it was a dangerous thing to do, giving critical comments on a piece that I did not know anything about.
The reason why you got the critical comment, Mel, is that I admire your playing and would like to learn some more about it.
If I only get positive feedback myself I always think that people are not beeing honest with me.

So I learned something and I got a lot more knowledge of this music and that was a nice thing about it

Still, it would have been interesting to hear Levitzki playing the gypsy waltz !

Ragnhild

So I edited my comments post... I think I got half of the recital covered by now, I hope you guys have any use for my comments...

Also funburger I replied on the typing vs. grammar errors so have a look if you're still interested in what the heck I meant with that!

I wish I had time to do a blow-by-blow on everyone's performances; I know that kind of thing is really helpful. Thanks to those who did.

I do feel comfortable critiquing my own, though. I wish I could have made these pieces more emotional somehow, but they are not examples of Bach's most sensuous music. I chose these to work on mainly to try to improve my trilling, because there's a lot of it in the prelude. I would have liked to end each trill more crisply, with a nice little turn, but couldn't always manage it. The comments about the tempo make me feel like I was playing them too fast, although the recording I have (the Naxos complete WTC by Jena Jando) is much faster!

When I recorded these, I was really just experimenting to find out how the built-in mic works on our laptop and was pleasantly surprised at the quality, so I decided to post the results. The prelude was the first and only take. I tried the fugue a few times to try to eliminate every mistake but couldn't quite get to that level. Overall, I didn't agonize too much over this. I appreciate having the opportunity.

Nighteyes:

Thanks for the in-depth reviews, everyone certainly will appreciate them.

As for me and my playing style, I believe that stephenc said it best that I "de-compose" a piece, "re-compose" it, and ultimately memorize it. Thats basically true.

I tend to read about 30% of whats written and make up most of the rest. The finished product will usually sound very similar to the original as I am just playing the tune the way I hear it in my head.

I can usually hear a slightly different version of just about any song as I try to play it the way I would have written it (Thats, if I did write it, which I did'nt)...make sence?

I am not a good sight reader and I really can't play by ear but I do have an ability to hear very creative versions of tunes in my mind.

My goal is to one day be able to transfer these "musical thoughts" actually onto the piano keys. I am just starting to do this now, but in a very, VERY beginer type of way.

Some day, I would like to be able play a complete improvised version of many songs. This is very fun for me. I guess it's some kind of creative outlet for me; and besides, it keeps me off the street for a while!

Nighteyes, you have obviously listened carefully to everyone’s recordings and given some very thoughtful feedback. I enjoyed reading your impressions. However when I got to your description of Frycek’s playing my eyes almost popped out of my head. If you found too many fffs, did you not think of turning the volume down? I think this particular recording, for whatever reason, came across louder and clearer than most of the others but if you listen again with the volume turned down perhaps you will be able to appreciate it better. I am quite sure that there was nothing too loud in the actual performance, which is of a lullaby (the words “dissonant and uneasy” apply to the other parts of the Scherzo which Frycek did NOT play).

I know you have only six months’ experience of the piano, but even so it amazes me that you were unable to recognise that this particular performance was one of the best of them all.

By the way, I also thought that your recording of Bach’s 1st Prelude was excellent considering the short time you have been playing – it was admirably even and I look forward to hearing more of your playing in future. I also look forward to you learning more about piano music in general so that you can perhaps at some point appreciate Frycek’s rendition of the Chopin lullaby and maybe even apologise to her one day.

Hi maryrose, personally, I don't think apologies are called for. Nighteyes gave what I saw as an honest account of his perspective of our playing. He's only been playing for six months, but I don't know his listening experience. Either way, any analysis in this critical discussion thread should be taken with the assumption that the author of the analysis has spent the time to listen to the recording and then much more time to attempt to get their thoughts and feelings down on e-paper .

I have nothing but admiration for folks who have the time and the energy to be able to listen to all the pieces and then expend even more energy to help the performers improve their playing. My advice to performers would be to listen to a professional version of their piece, compare it to their interpretation and see if the reviewer has any valid points that you can take advantage of. If not, then please don't take it personally. That would be Brahm's Lullaby. The introduction and finale are bits from that lullaby. You know, "go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep baby Jesus".

Thank you NE. Actually, there weren't any glissandos in the song, but I think I know what you mean. It's more about adding other notes to the melody note as accents. One of the most important techniques of playing is to vary the volume to add interest and emotion to the piece. However clumsily it was carried out, that was my intent. Yep, you hit the nail there. For simple songs, and Away in a Manger is one of the simplest, it's very important to be able to somehow change the melody enough in the repetitions to prevent boredom from setting in to the audience. You'll notice that most professional Christmas songs will have the singer sing the song once through, then you'll have the song played with instruments only, then the singer will sing the song one or two more times. The instrumental really helps in keeping the repetition from sounding so repetitive.

I had meant to play the melody in a different octave the second time through, but when I was playing it, I forgot to do that and I just didn't have time for another take, so I submitted it as it was. One thing I have to say about learning to play by ear, you learn how to play a song many, many different ways. This makes it easier to extend the length of songs while keeping it interesting for the listener. I'm still not there, but I've only been playing by ear for a year, so there's lots of room for improvement in the coming years.

Thank you for taking the time to carefully listen to the submissions and give us your interpretation of what you understood from each piece.

Nighteyes,

While you obviously took the time to listen and critique all the performances, the people posting them also devoted time to learn, practice, record and post their pieces. You rewarded at least one of them with a critique that crossed the line from useful criticism into nastiness.


I think actionable critical feedback is welcome. Nastiness is not.
I edited your post to remove the nastiness.

Music is very subjective. 2 listeners may have totally opposite views from one playing.

In this group, we play piano just for the pure love of playing piano. But some people are just happy to be able to make some music that they never had a chance to do it at younger age. Some people try to work for perfection. And some people are in between so let me take a stab at this, but I am not going to point out to any specific participant. Overall, I think the quality of playing in this recital is from good to very good. I was totally amazed by the improvement some of you made since the 1st and 2nd recitals. But for some, you really need to work on playing both hands simultaneously; I heard quite a bit of notes not together/out of sync. Practice slowly (as slow as needed) and try to concentrate on pressing the keys down together with both hands.

And someone else already brought this up, some of you really need to use your metronome. If you don't have one, go get one.

Coming into this thread a little late, so I hope it's ok to get back to something that was discussed back at the very beginning of it.

Monica, Opus45 already said this, but let me second that it is incredibly beneficial to practice without the pedal. (I need to do it even more, I'm a pedal addict!) By practicing without the pedal, you train yourself to hold those notes as long as you can. You train yourself to play (pedal-less) so that it sounds as good as it possibly can, without the pedal. That way, when you go and add the pedal later, instead of depending on the pedal to make up for what your fingers aren't doing, you are using the pedal to add to what your fingers are already doing, and the resulting sound is much richer.

Sometimes I'll get a piece mostly worked up with the pedal, so that I know what kind of pedaling I want to do, and then I'll practice it without the pedal, esp section practice, before going back to the pedal.

The other pedal-related thing is half-pedaling, or half-releasing. Are you doing a lot of very detailed pedaling, where you have quick releases and re-pedals? Are you comfortable doing half-releases and quick re-pedals? From reading your comments in this thread, it sounds like you should work on more of this kind of pedaling. But for the record, I'm listening to your recording now, and I don't notice any badly-pedaled sections, so you're probably doing fine!

Regarding octaves, there's been a lot of good advice here already, but another thing I like to do is play HS and not look at the hand that's playing, either look at the other hand's position (even though it's not playing) or look at the score. Then I'll play HS the hand that doesn't have all those octaves, and I'll look at the side of the keyboard where the octave hand should be. And then, I'll play HT and watch that octave-hand while I'm playing. When I have to move my RH a lot and play octaves, I tend to overstretch and end up playing a ninth, so I'll look at the pinkie, or I'll look at the note where I want the pinkie to land. And sometimes just visualizing the note I want to hit, about a second before I need to hit it, is enough. Hope this is at least a little bit helpful!

Sorry if it was a bit long.