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Many familiar items in this program for anyone that has followed my posts over the years here! This is what you have to do when an interesting competition is coming up, and you're already learning a brand new concerto for it (Prokofiev 5th in this case) - you better bring back some old pieces that you know you can get into your fingers in some days. As for this program, the main work came right after performing the first round, so, I had some 4.5-5 days to put this all together. Not everything was up to my normal level, but I hope you might enjoy this:

https://app.box.com/s/6rv98dih4ca5363fb6vg

Beethoven - piano sonata op 78
Alban Berg - Piano sonata
Sibelius - from op 58: 1. Reverie 2. Scherzino
Magnus Lindberg - Jubilees 1 and 2
Chopin - Berceuse
Ravel - Gaspard de la nuit

Listening right now. I always enjoy your playing, Martin.
Was this a live semifinal round? And what competition is it? I don't think you said. I was sort of curious as to how you came to play for a competition on short notice.

Thanks for the comment! Yes, this was a live semifinal round, not an enormous audience but a small and half-full little recital hall. I knew about the competition itself a long long time ago, but had so much other things to prepare that I kept thinking Ill either cancel or simply try to prepare once there is less other things to do. Was back from a tour with orchestra in early february, which is when I started bringing back all of these old pieces to my fingers (plus memorizing a bunch of new ones, including the Prokofiev concerto which I only knew to some extent before). Actually the Prokofiev concerto is one of the main reasons why I decided to go - I guess its extremely rare to get an opportunity to play this wonderful piece!

Ill reveal more regarding the competition later once the final results are out - if Im in, its all being broadcasted live on radio (might be a videostream as well)

I was very impressed with the Beethoven, the only number I've listened to so far. Its clarity of execution is really quite remarkable. I've not compared it with other recordings, preferring to appreciate it for what it is, but I do wonder if this interpretation is more Mozartian - or early Beethoven - in its concept than the late Beethoven it is. Could it be conceived with a more dramatic approach?

Nevertheless, I found it very satisfying to listen to.

Regards,

BruceD, thanks for listening and thanks for the very good observation! Indeed I ended up being more articulate than usual, and perhaps the main criticism of that performance would be that some longer legato lines (in the 1st movement, mostly) seem to be less underlined. I keep coming back to this piece, but it's rare to be fully satisfied with a performance - I've done it decently maybe 2-3 times in concert, and badly many times more!!!