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5/10
6/10

This is absolutely true. Just as in life, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

For example, here are my impressions of the first 20 seconds of the Beethoven:

1) Voicing and basic tone is good
2) First high C is staccato, second high C isn't (inconsistent articulation, and the slur is marked)
3) Third measure comes in early and is at a slightly different tempo than the first two
4) There's a hint of ritard, but only a hint in mm. 3-6
5) Several details are observed - the rests in mm. 1-2, the fact that the crescendo starts in m. 4 and not the bar before
6) In m. 8, the 16ths are played rubato, but I prefer them a tempo like the bar before
7) Pedaling is basically good

As a result, my "first impression" is that you're listening well to the quality of sound you're making, but there's some inconsistency in articulation and rhythm/tempo.

Listening to the rest of the recording, I find these first impressions confirmed. The general sound is good, but there's a lack of refinement in articulation and tempo. It sounds like you get the basic idea of Beethoven and enjoy the piece, but haven't spent a lot of time on detail work (slow practice, repeating short phrases, refining transitions between sections and where the texture or rhythm changes, working with a metronome to check consistency of tempo.)

What scares me most is that this person teaches. Not good...

More importantly, it really does surprise me that you state that you know the Beethoven is bad but that, at the same time, you think that one more day of practicing is going to bring it up to a competition standard that's going to get you past the preliminary stage.

One can but wish you luck.

Ok everyone! Please check this thread and make all the critiques you want

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1669617.html#Post1669617

It's much better with 6 hours. Now I have to fine tune it ... and I have another 6 hours roughly to do so.

Thank you so much for listening and being totally awesome in your feedback

I was actually taking it pretty well IMO , but I didn't actually ask for 'criticism' or 'critiques' , just a simple rating.

WOW, somebody followed directions

You should rate our responses on a 1-10 scale now. Won't that be fun? Lets do that and make the best use of the time we spend on PW.

You had to go there.

First , you don't know my circumstances. How long I've studied the piece , how many hours I've taken really trying to put it together , how busy I've been in the past week doing other things , the face I didn't expect people to judge my teaching ability based off a recording I put together on a whim ...

Not even worth it to continue refuting your silly comment.

Oh , and to repeat. I know it's bad. I know how to make it better. My technique , ear , and understanding of Beethoven is quite sufficient to put together a professional sounding recording. But it's time and effort and I am lacking recently ... and inspiration.

So go judge somewhere else. Thnx.

A 3? Hahahah I was being honest... It sucked, I'm sorry. But then again, I suck too so no worries.

A 3? Hahahah I was being honest... It sucked, I'm sorry. But then again, I suck too so no worries.

ok I'm going to brave the ratings for a few words that may be helpful.
Great improvement- 9/10 for improvement, and great use of piano world as cheap alternative to lessons . You do too many things well for me to list - sound, dynamics, interesting shaping. Congratulations on your work so far and good luck with the first round.

You understand the short slur very differently from me (my teachers). In my training it implies dynamics as well as a more distinct articulation. In competitions I assume judges have to do their best with the different schools of thought.

Following are some possible errors to consider, or ask others to confirm (I'm not an expert, I am just reading the score I have (Henle).

Bar 32 (1:04 on recording) you have a different edition to mine (?), I have an extra 2 note slur here whereas you have a quarter note on the last beat of the bar (just before the opening theme returns here).

When you don't observe the rest in bar 43 it bothers me becauses it messes up the meaning of the next bar, and is inconsistent with the opening motif (a falling interval with silence on third beat). Even though I don't know this sonate I can hear the connections (or lack of) between statements.

At 2min 30 you don't give bars 83 and 84 (both dotted half notes) their full value and it disrupts the rhythm. Try conducting as you listen to recording as it's a GREAT way to check your rhythmic meaning. Angelina's boyfriend is correct on this point This happens again bar 214 (after 6 mins).

Finally - the 2 bars of 4/4 at bars 158 and 159 (4:40 in the recording) - i'm sure you're edition can't have those extra pairs of 1/8 notes, but if it does please tell me!

Keep working with metronome, and conducting - always good advice I reckon

Let me know if this is helpful, and good luck.

You had to go there.

First , you don't know my circumstances. How long I've studied the piece , how many hours I've taken really trying to put it together , how busy I've been in the past week doing other things , the face I didn't expect people to judge my teaching ability based off a recording I put together on a whim ...

We know this circumstance:

That you have put together a competition recording on a whim.

Serious pianists do not put recordings together or enter competitions on a whim. When you ask a competition jury or a group of people to spend time listening to a recording, you at least owe them the courtesy of being prepared and presenting yourself well.

Instead, you've come across as not taking yourself very seriously. If, as you've said, you could've put together a much better recording and fix some of your own mistakes, then the question in my mind becomes: Why didn't you?

There are only two possible answers:

1) You didn't start preparing early enough.
2) You don't practice consistently or correctly.
3) Something happened in your life to push you off-track.

One would expect a good teacher to know how to avoid #1 and #2.
If the answer is #3, then you shouldn't enter the competition.

The harsh criticism you've received in this thread comes because people get a feeling that you're not putting forth your 100% best effort. It seems like you're just testing the waters, wondering if your recording is good enough for a competition that none of us know anything about.

If you want to avoid the harsh commentary you've received, I strongly suggest taking the following actions:

1) Practice every single day leading up to your recording session.
2) Make the first recording session a few weeks before the competition deadline so that you have time to thoughtfully consider the criticism you receive.
3) Tell us what the competition is, what the requirements are, who typically enters, and something about the level.
4) Tell us your background with the piece. How long have you been studying it? Is it a new work or something you've brought back for the competition? What's your competition/performance experience?

Doing all of these things will show people that you're serious about yourself, the competition, and have a healthy respect for those of us who will take the time out of our day to listen and respond to your recordings. You're basically asking for a free lesson on the internet, so you need to go the extra mile to show people that you appreciate their ideas and their time.

In this case, it doesn't seem you've gone the extra mile, with us or yourself, which has resulted in some of the responses being worth exactly what you've paid for them:

$0.00