http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-owcZgPIig

I've heard many interpretations of this Beethoven piece with subtle variations in tempo and note accents. I enjoy playing this several different ways too.
I didn't realize what huge difference acquiring an acoustic piano would have over an elect.keyboard. I got the pictured used U7 Yamaha in great condition and the keyboard only gets late-night visits at this point.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

Sounds good.

I'm too much of a beginner so I can't give you advice. But it sounded lovely to me.

Don't see much of a hiatus there. Great sounding piano too. I like the subtle tempo shifts. And yes, this piece is interpreted so many ways. The only suggestion I'd make is to possibly work on dynamic range. You've got a great sense of timing your phrases, if you could add a little swell to the middle of the phrase, personally I think it would sing better. For example, when the bass becomes more melodic on the second theme. A swell there creates more of that tension and release.

Great work overall!

Well done! I am restarting after....46 years!

Thanks for the suggestions. The dynamics are certainly an opportunity. It's been challenging to calibrate the soft playing in my vertical piano. The softer I play, the higher chance of hammers never touching the strings and gets tough to keep a steady tone.
This is something I notice immediately when I get a chance to play a grand-style piano, it's so much easier to play softly and still keep a steady tone quality.
Watching the video, I also realize my cheapo camcorder is auto-adjusting the sensitivity of the mic volume on-the-fly...I can hear the ambient noise going up and down.
I think I know the section you refer to swell and drop. I have to pull my sheet music and go over it once more. I do recall some dynamics notations to that effect.
I'm also trying this at a faster-pace, which I find highlights the up/down arpeggios, but certainly makes much more challenging to control dynamics and pedal.

Dominicus,

mmmmmm...can not see the 24 year hiatus......... So....just go on.....and stay at the piano.....

Best regards,
Johan B

Understand completely. Play around with your soft pedal too. I sometimes have that problem when playing a provided piano. Sometimes the hammer action is so hard that you can't push the key lightly and get any sound at all. I use the soft pedal to take some of the heaviness off the key (on an upright at least, some grands too, though grands usually shift the keyboard to strike less strings). Either way, this will let you strike the key with more force and still get a softer sound. Dynamics is one of those things you have to adjust for on each piano. Gets easier with time.

I've been trying to play this piece fluidly for several months now.
I got classes with a -very- classical teacher back when I was 15 yrs old and after 2 yrs of mindless Czerny and solphage I convinced myself piano wasn't enjoyable. I never really progressed to playing any classical pieces or recitals back then.
Fast-forward 24yrs hiatus to last year, when I got my young daughter a decent keyboard to practice for piano classes. It's given me a chance to try piano again.
I tackled the Moonlight sonata first, as well as trying to compose some short pieces. Has made my nights much more enjoyable for sure.
For the past month, I've been practicing the easier movement from Pathetique sonata. Chopin is so moving, but totally intractible at this point!
I do try to warm up with whatever scale the piece is based on to give my fingers a sense of tone, and I'm trying some arpeggios.
If I get some courage and time to film, I'll post some of the short pieces I composed.