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It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
Here I have my entire freshman recital on youtube. I'm pretty proud of it, as it's my first lengthy public performance. I just wanted you all to check it out, if you wanted to. The program with time starts is in the description.
Bach Prelude and Fugue (A Minor, book II of the WTC) 00:37 , Beethoven's Sonata op. 81a (Les Adieux) 04:25 , Liszt's second ballade 20:52 , Debussy's Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest 34:49 , and Ginastera's Sonata no. 1, op 22 38:22 .
Donald: Congratulations! I just did a quick skim so far, and it's immediately obvious that this was a terrific performance, especially for a freshman recital -- heck, for anything.
Thank you very much for your kind comment! I prepared very hard, although, you've probably heard that there a few..erm... sketchy moments, but I'm trying to block those out of my mind .
Donald Allen Lee III
Donald Lee III BM '16 James Madison University MM '18 Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
I did! Thanks for the post. This is a very good freshman recital and I particularly enjoyed the Liszt ballade (no surprise for those who know me ) and the Ginastera sonata. Very nicely done!
I did! Thanks for the post. This is a very good freshman recital and I particularly enjoyed the Liszt ballade (no surprise for those who know me ) and the Ginastera sonata. Very nicely done!
Wouldn't the fact that you love the Liszt Ballade make you MORE picky about the way it was played, and therefore enjoy LESS performances of it?
(I think the Beethoven and the Liszt are the "greatest" pieces on the program.)
For a freshman recital, this is very good. Keep at it.
[...]Wouldn't the fact that you love the Liszt Ballade make you MORE picky about the way it was played, and therefore enjoy LESS performances of it? [...]
By adding your qualifying phrase you severely compromise your "compliment". Not necessary, useful or beneficial IMO. I think the OP is well aware that no one is evaluating him as if this was his Carnegie Hall recital debut.
I did! Thanks for the post. This is a very good freshman recital and I particularly enjoyed the Liszt ballade (no surprise for those who know me ) and the Ginastera sonata. Very nicely done!
Wouldn't the fact that you love the Liszt Ballade make you MORE picky about the way it was played, and therefore enjoy LESS performances of it?
No. That's not to say I like every performance of it, but I have a bit of wiggle-room. I have less wiggle room for things I like less. For instance, I'm not much interested in Chopin that Horowitz isn't playing.
By adding your qualifying phrase you severely compromise your "compliment". Not necessary, useful or beneficial IMO. I think the OP is well aware that no one is evaluating him as if this was his Carnegie Hall recital debut.
Agree totally, including/especially because this is way too good for that, way better than that sounds.
By adding your qualifying phrase you severely compromise your "compliment". Not necessary, useful or beneficial IMO. I think the OP is well aware that no one is evaluating him as if this was his Carnegie Hall recital debut.
I doubt that Polyp-honist meant anything by it, and I'm sure the "qualifying phrase" would've gone largely unnoticed had you not shined a GIANT SPOTLIGHT on it.
I didn't think you did, since you specifically thanked that Polyp guy.
And let me add to what the others have said: These are wonderful performances. I've only listened to the Bach and the Liszt, and will return to the others later. But you have immense talent, Donald, so I hope you'll continue your studies with the same dedication to your craft that got you to this point.
You're cranky old men who like to go around finding things to criticize, both of you.
If you don't want to be criticized for inappropriate and obnoxious comments then you should avoid making them.
Who do you think looks obnoxious here? Nobody else seemed to have a problem with my comment, and as Old Man said, if you hadn't brought it up then there wouldn't be an issue.
You're cranky old men who like to go around finding things to criticize, both of you.
If you don't want to be criticized for inappropriate and obnoxious comments then you should avoid making them.
Who do you think looks obnoxious here? Nobody else seemed to have a problem with my comment, and as Old Man said, if you hadn't brought it up then there wouldn't be an issue.
Another other poster strongly agreed with me immediately after I made my post. Your "nobody else" comment is false.
And this is not the first time you have made comments like this. Far from it. In fact, in this very thread right before my post another poster called another comment you made about a different issue "unbecoming".
I'm glad to hear the OP has no problem with your comment, but I certainly think others receiving such a comment might not feel the same. If I thought there was no chance he would be hurt by your comment, I would not have responded the way I did. I think he was being quite generous.
You're cranky old men who like to go around finding things to criticize, both of you.
If you don't want to be criticized for inappropriate and obnoxious comments then you should avoid making them.
Who do you think looks obnoxious here? Nobody else seemed to have a problem with my comment, and as Old Man said, if you hadn't brought it up then there wouldn't be an issue.
Another other poster strongly agreed with me immediately after I made my post. Your "nobody else" comment is false.
And this is not the first time you have made comments like this. Far from it. In fact, in this very thread right before my post another poster called another comment you made about a different issue "unbecoming".
Actually, I think Cinnamonbear was using irony to agree with Polyphonist's logic. But that was just my take. I could be wrong.
And normally I would agree with the substance of what you were saying. But Mark had already used the same phrase, so I think it's one of those kinds of phrases that "trips off the tongue" (okay, "fingers") in this type of situation, so I don't think either Mark or Polyphonist had any ill intent. For some of us, this freshman recital sounded more like a senior recital, so I think it would seem very natural to add that qualifier.
I doubt that Polyp-honist meant anything by it, and I'm sure the "qualifying phrase" would've gone largely unnoticed had you not shined a GIANT SPOTLIGHT on it.
Actually it hit me over the head big-time, before I saw any 'spotlighting.'
But actually the whole thing could be my fault, because I had said "for a freshman recital" (although together with "especially") and I wondered if maybe Poly was just taking off from that.
[...] Actually, I think Cinnamonbear was using irony to agree with Polyphonist's logic. But that was just my take. [...]
Nope. No irony this time, my friend. I was (and am) irritated by Polyphonist's presumption and what I am beginning to think of as a lack of grace in his posts, when considered cumulatively.
Donald, I have been eager to listen to this ever since you posted it. (It was a long weekend of phone line issues, with up and down internet service. Now that my internet is back to being consistent, I can finally listen, and...) I like what I'm hearing! First of all, what a prodigious program! I listened to the Bach and Beethoven, then skipped to the Debussy (gotta bolt to work this morning. Thanks for the clickable times in the description--that's slick!). Your execution of those three selections alone make quite a statement. Obviously, you are serious, you are capable, and you are committed. What I hear is very impressive, very solid and purposeful playing! Well done.
I'll be back to listen to the rest later. I apologize for my part in messing up your recital thread with the all-too-common PW social detritus. Please keep posting here so we can enjoy your music making and track your progress! More comments to follow...
I listened to the Bach and Beethoven, then skipped to the Debussy
what whatwhat!!!
LOL! You must know how I feel about Liszt by now!... (More Brahms!!!) However, I am primed to appreciate Donald's realization when I listen later tonight.
Cinnamonbear (I love your username, by the way!), thank you so much! I actually love Kapustin. I want to play his jazz variations one day! One of our doctoral students played them at her last recital, and I was hooked from the opening theme.
Donald Lee III BM '16 James Madison University MM '18 Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
)!
. 
Now that my internet is back to being consistent, I can finally listen, and...) I like what I'm hearing! First of all, what a prodigious program! I listened to the Bach and Beethoven, then skipped to the Debussy (gotta bolt to work this morning. Thanks for the clickable times in the description--that's slick!). Your execution of those three selections alone make quite a statement. Obviously, you are serious, you are capable, and you are committed. What I hear is very impressive, very solid and purposeful playing! Well done. 
