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Hi,

I will record it in the studio on the 13th of June.

Just recorded it when practicing.

Best wishes,
Jaak

LINK

That was splendid. I can honestly say I enjoyed your performance of this beloved work as much as any I've ever heard. Your expressiveness is beautiful and you have wonderful control over dynamic range and harmonic nuances throughout.

This was awesome to wake up to. I haven't listened to this piece in over a year. Thank you!!

It's beautiful, Jaak! I really like your playing. Will we get to hear the pro recording?

--Andy

I'm about to listen and do commentary while I listen, as usual. (And go over it again at the end to edit.)

You could sink into the keys more at the beginning. Your sound is a bit shallow.

Work on that little octave run - it's a little sloppy.

You're doing a few quirky things with ornaments I've never heard before. Interesting, but I'm not sure I like it.

With the arpeggios transitioning into C major, your tempo is dragging a bit.

Think about tempo more. I think you tend to rush in the "lilting" section.

I don't like the staccato chords at 2:22.

2:41 - you could have even more passion and drive here, but it's not bad. I think the section leading up to that is the problem - you need to work on a gradual build, instead of suddenly switching moods which is what it felt like.

You're arpeggiating a few chords now - if it's not necessary, I don't think you should do that.

Your section with the runs is not bad, actually. Try to work on getting a lighter sound in the runs, and when the arpeggios start in LH then bring out the melody more.

Consider more rubato at 4:53. Again, I think your mood changes a little too fast.

The C# minor section - I like the way you're playing it so far. But your tempo's dragging a little bit. Remember, this is an emotional climax (the chord-arpeggios). You may need a bit of technical work.

The section following that is again slightly slower than I'd like.

For the coda - try to make it sound more triumphant and majestic. Listen to the beautiful, colorful chromatic harmonies. With the repeated chords - it again needs to be a gradual build, until you explode into the cascading Ab arpeggios.

These last few lines could go a little faster. The final chords - sink into the keys more, and take them slightly faster. They're an outburst of joy - this is, by the way, the only ballade that ends in this manner.

Overall, a very good performance. Needs some work, of course, but shows potential.

You are so off-base that it's not even funny. I think you love seeing your own words in print. Good, because you come off as a total buffoon. Who in the world are YOU to address someone like this who is in all likelihood more accomplished than you - or, in fact, most of us - could ever hope to be?

You're a real piece of work.

What is the issue here, exactly? The fact that I spent 15 minutes writing a detailed, thoughtful, and informed response to this person's performance?

Oh, and I see you've run away and logged off - and your private messages are disabled. Interesting.

Fight nice, kids.

Jaak, thanks for posting this, and best wishes for your studio recording. Even with just the Zoom, you have a big, dynamic sound, very attractive, and without crashing. I particularly liked the feel of the opening; you have a good "swing" to the rhythm, with plenty of energy and forward motion, but there's still a sense of ease.

Although there are areas that I expect you're not quite happy with, you're getting the job done. This is my least favorite of the Ballades, and I've heard it so very many times, but you got me to enjoy it quite a bit.

Elene

Polyphonist did nothing wrong, Goomer.

Thanks, but don't even bother, Joel. He won't listen to reason.

Bravo, this was beautiful! It's possibly my favorite Chopin ballade, even though the others may be more "epic" in character. The only comment I would make is that opening section (approx. the first two minutes) could be more coy and playful in character... it seemed a bit straightforward. But really an excellent performance.

I think there's room here for both Polyphonist and Goomer. Posting a recording is always a risky business, and one should expect anything from a simple , to "It sucks", to no responses at all. It's the price you pay for going public. I'm sure Jaak knows all this, and is perfectly capable of handling both the accolades and the critiques.

Personally, if I were posting a recording (ain't ever gonna happen), I'd be more grateful for a single detailed critique like PP provided, than a string of "atta boys".

I think it's really the tone(14 0f 15 comments were negative) of PP's post that was being objected to. Bruce often posts detailed suggestions and no one has ever objected to his comments.

First, I think this was an excellent performance. I know that there have been a few critical responses to the critique posted by Polyphonist. I tried listening and reading that critique at the same time to see if I understood and/or agreed with PP.

I liked the sound. It was warm and captures what I always think of as the dreaminess of this particular Ballade.

I didn't think it was sloppy. I just thought it was a little rushed.


I'm assuming PP is referring to the octave grace notes. I've heard a few different approaches to these. I tend to like them a little broader like you are playing them.


I didn't think so. I liked how clean and precise they were. I feel you could make the crescendo and decrescendo a little more pronounced.


I like your tempo. I think some pianists sentimentalize this section a little too much. I've always though of it as dancing.


Not sure what PP is referring to because of youtube's not precise time code. Some of the staccato chords are in the score.


I'm not sure of the phrase "not bad". It sounds a little dismissive. But I agree that the build up should be much more gradual and dramatic. I realize it's only four measures to build up to a ff, so it really needs to be well thought out.


Once again, I'm not sure what PP is referring to here.


I liked the sound of the runs, very clean and articulated. I think you bring out the melody just fine. One of the things I noticed is you slow down just slightly when you come to the trills.You start broadening at the first trill and you lose a little of your momentum. I also think you could bring out the accents on the off-beat more in that octave section.

I don't see this. One thing I was curious about in this section. You bring out the countermelody in the left hand in measures 150-153, but you didn't in measures 109-112. Was this a choice?

I think the tempo is just fine. Too many pianists speed this up and it sounds ugly and out of place to me. Technically you don't seem to have any problems. Yes I noticed the slight missed notes earlier, but just saw it as a flub.


I think the tempo here is just fine. I hate when it is rushed. It loses its dreamlike quality.

I love your sound and how you play the return of the main theme. I do think the stretto chords could be a little faster and start a little softer. I also think you pause just a fraction too long before you begin the final arpeggiated section. You lose your forward momentum.

I agree with PP here. You lose a lot of your forward momentum here. Your final arpeggio down is too safe sounding and the final chords are broadened a little too much.

This might be the comment that strikes other members as a little too negative. When I first read it, it struck me as kind of patronizing, especially the phrase "shows potential." I think this is a really excellent performance at a high level, that can only get better.

For me, this last part was the only somewhat positive comment in PP's entire post. The 14 comments before this one were negative. I think some were objecting to the tone of his entire post.

BINGO!

And to lighten up COMPLETELY the tension here, beneath the video I'm getting the following ad "A Baltic Wife? Pretty women from Baltic countries are looking for love now.". What's interesting is that I'm more into Asian than Baltic, in which case I've no idea how THIS ad got into the youtube video! (joke).

So...

I'm listening, and typing while listening...

1. I do find that the sound could be better, but I have a very strong feeling that this is due to the recording equipment and/or the piano rather than the pianist. Jaak, you seem to be doing a great job and you've got a great feeling for the piece.

2. Dynamics stand strong and diverse, as needed, and as of yet (4:00) I've still to catch a wrong note that bothered me, or a rubato going the other way!

3. Same goes for the tempo. I'm VERY used to the Zimmerman recordings (in Deutsche Gramophone) but I find this recording very very much to my taste! There's great attention to detail (which is more than I ever offered to my own recording and performances).

4. The almost last section (the repeated G#) sounded like there was a tiny bit of trouble in the right hand. It felt a bit too detached. Not too sure if this would be an issue of studying more, or just using a tiny bit more pedal... The left hand after that with the like-trill ornament is doing fine...

In all a great recording.

________________________________

And now, for the real question: Why will you be going in the studio to record this? Is it for a commercial CD? For an audition? For yourself? for your dearest friend in the whole world?

Because it makes a world of difference for those commented!

In any case:

BRAVO!

Polyphonist: Your comments may be valid or they may not: Usually too many negative comments need to be countered with some positive in order to sink in somehow. You seem to be lacking that part of posting!

Thank you, DameMyra. What a beautiful explication of PP's critique. (I say that as one who appreciates sensitive, well-informed critiques.) We know Jaak to be a gracious contributor and a very thoughtful musician. I wonder if he posted this, in part, to take our temperature?

Haha, I tried to insert some encouragement into my posts - the thing is, I tend to focus more on what I hear that I don't like, and mentally gloss over the interpretations I think are correct. I should work on that.

(Check my similar commentary on the recent Rachmaninoff Prelude 23/4 thread. I think you'll like that one more. )

Absolutely. Dame Myra did a fabulous job of providing her own critique, while using PP's critique as a foil. Almost like Siskel and Ebert used to do with movies. (Maybe you two should go on the road!) But I think both of you have provided Jaak a very substantive commentary, which he is completely free to embrace, reject, or cherry pick whatever suits his fancy. It is, after all, Jaak's interpretation.

But, Polyphonist, I also have to agree with pianoloverus and Nikolas. After reading Plover's post, I went back and re-read your critique, and he was right: a very negative tone, followed by a couple of patronizing sentences at the close. Nothing wrong with negative remarks in a critique, but it's always helpful to temper the negative with the positive elements of a performance (and IMO, these positive elements far outweighed the imperfections in this particular performance).

I really wish someone could invent a "tone checker". I would personally find that a far more valuable tool than any "spell checker", especially on internet forums.