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#418840 - 02/08/07 01:41 PM [Edit] Brahms: Intermezzo, Op 118, No 2
BruceD Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member Registered: 05/26/01 Posts: 15666 Loc: Victoria, BC	Brahms: Intermezzo, Op 118, No 2 Edit : A revised - and perhaps improved - version is further down the thread, but it's a slow download from filesave.com. Regards, _________________________ BruceD - - - - - Estonia 190 in satin ebony
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#418841 - 02/08/07 02:22 PM Re: [Edit] Brahms: Intermezzo, Op 118, No 2
Sarah M Full Member Registered: 09/27/06 Posts: 293 Loc: California	Was that you playing? I loved it, it was very beautiful!
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#418842 - 02/08/07 03:18 PM Re: [Edit] Brahms: Intermezzo, Op 118, No 2
tbuscuit 500 Post Club Member Registered: 09/18/04 Posts: 564 Loc: USA	I have nothing but praise. You can take the armor off $;\)$ While I think this piece can be played 1000 different ways, I seldom hear this piece played the way I personally like it played. You play it much like how I like to play it, only yours is better(and nicer piano/recording too!).
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#418843 - 02/08/07 03:30 PM Re: [Edit] Brahms: Intermezzo, Op 118, No 2
Miss Mouse Full Member Registered: 11/29/04 Posts: 276 Loc: Southeastern Pennsylvania	Lovely. Great to hear you play it. _________________________ Go Eagles! (Well, maybe next year.)
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#418844 - 02/08/07 03:45 PM Re: [Edit] Brahms: Intermezzo, Op 118, No 2
PoStTeNeBrAsLuX 2000 Post Club Member Registered: 10/31/05 Posts: 2618 Loc: Geneva, Switzerland	Bruce, Very nice indeed.... and now for a few observations: The quite noticeable change to a faster tempo at bar 16/3 (and the corresponding part in the reprise) sounded a little strange to me, and is certainly not marked in the edition I am familiar with[1]. I consider that section to be a 'brooding interlude' leading up to the climax at bar 30, where, by the way, if you continue the forte through bars 31 and 32/2 as marked (at the espressivo), the sudden piano at 32/3 is then a lot more effective (and gives you some reserve for the following diminuendo through bar 34). IMO only at bar 39 should the tempo really start to pick up (at the poco animato). You made something of the lower voice in 49-56 the second time round, but I'd have preferred even more $\:\)$ . And at bar 69 I still felt a bit of reserve, although for me this is the high point of the piece where one can really "let it all hang out" as it were... In the reprise, the sudden tempo change at 84/3 was even more noticeable: this time round it is marked espressivo, which on many occasions could be interpreted as a slightly easing of tempo along with a dash of rubato, rather than speeding up. Again a lot of the above is personal preference and, of course, Romantic piano music in general tolerates a wide range of interpretations, so these comments are perhaps worth exactly what you paid for them, but as this one of the few Brahms works that I quite often give an outing, I thought I'd stick my CHF 0.02 in $\:\)$ . Best regards, -Michael B. [1] HN36 _________________________ There are two rules to success in life: Rule #1. Don't tell people everything you know.
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#418845 - 02/08/07 04:30 PM Re: [Edit] Brahms: Intermezzo, Op 118, No 2
tbuscuit 500 Post Club Member Registered: 09/18/04 Posts: 564 Loc: USA	nice analysis there. I did also notice the tempo increase at the section(s) you mentioned but I've heard it on more than one occasion in other renditions. I find that for some reason I want to pick up the tempo here also. There is something in the music...but I tend to not do this. Quote: IMO only at bar 39 should the tempo really start to pick up (at the poco animato). I also observe this but I also see it as personal preference. I figured there was some form of tempo change to warrant the 'a tempo' in the next section and so I considered the poco animato section a place to take a slightly forward moving tempo(i also was never satisfied with how I did this section until I observed this). The section where Bruce's tempo picks up, it seems easy to want to increase tempo at this part. The music is almost asking for it. I would be interested in knowing if the increase was deliberate or not(i've heard it done before). I've never come to a definitive interpretation of my own so I can't comment on this type of thing as positive or negative. The overall playing is genuinely effective in almost all sections. I'm not qualified to go any deeper than this, so I will leave it at that $;\)$
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#418846 - 02/08/07 04:37 PM Re: [Edit] Brahms: Intermezzo, Op 118, No 2
Polka Full Member Registered: 01/18/06 Posts: 80 Loc: San Jose, CA, USA	I agree with PoStTeNeBrAsLuX. Personally, I would like to make melody out louder and blend in the other voices. For the repeated sections (sorry, I don't have the music with me, so I don't know what measures they are), I'll show the melody in right hand for the first time, and left hand for the second time, and with more dymanic change. This piece is so beautiful and there are tons of ways to play it. I am still doing different experiment to this one. _________________________ Amateur Pianist * Piano Teacher * Part-time Tuner
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#418847 - 02/08/07 04:37 PM Re: [Edit] Brahms: Intermezzo, Op 118, No 2
BruceD Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member Registered: 05/26/01 Posts: 15666 Loc: Victoria, BC	Quote: Originally posted by PoStTeNeBrAsLuX: Bruce, Very nice indeed.... and now for a few observations: The quite noticeable change to a faster tempo at bar 16/3 (and the corresponding part in the reprise) sounded a little strange to me, and is certainly not marked in the edition I am familiar with[1]. I consider that section to be a 'brooding interlude' leading up to the climax at bar 30, where, by the way, if you continue the forte through bars 31 and 32/2 as marked (at the espressivo), the sudden piano at 32/3 is then a lot more effective (and gives you some reserve for the following diminuendo through bar 34). IMO only at bar 39 should the tempo really start to pick up (at the poco animato). You made something of the lower voice in 49-56 the second time round, but I'd have preferred even more $\:\)$ . And at bar 69 I still felt a bit of reserve, although for me this is the high point of the piece where one can really "let it all hang out" as it were... In the reprise, the sudden tempo change at 84/3 was even more noticeable: this time round it is marked espressivo, which on many occasions could be interpreted as a slightly easing of tempo along with a dash of rubato, rather than speeding up. Again a lot of the above is personal preference and, of course, Romantic piano music in general tolerates a wide range of interpretations, so these comments are perhaps worth exactly what you paid for them, but as this one of the few Brahms works that I quite often give an outing, I thought I'd stick my CHF 0.02 in $\:\)$ . Best regards, -Michael B. [1] HN36 [/b] For Michael B: Michael: Your CHF0.02 are worth working for. It's not easy to incorporate changes immediately, but I gave it a try. Let me know what you think, now. By the way, it's a slow download on savefile.com, but it was too big for box.net. Brahms: Intermezzo, Op 118, No2bis Thanks. Regards, _________________________ BruceD - - - - - Estonia 190 in satin ebony
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#418848 - 02/08/07 04:54 PM Re: [Edit] Brahms: Intermezzo, Op 118, No 2
tbuscuit 500 Post Club Member Registered: 09/18/04 Posts: 564 Loc: USA	I do find it more effective this way(keeping tempo for the section in question). Nicely done.
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#418849 - 02/08/07 05:06 PM Re: [Edit] Brahms: Intermezzo, Op 118, No 2
BruceD Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member Registered: 05/26/01 Posts: 15666 Loc: Victoria, BC	Quote: Originally posted by PootieTooGood: I do find it more effective this way(keeping tempo for the section in question). Nicely done. [/b] PTG : Thank you. I agree that Michael B's suggestion produces a more effective - more artistic - interpretation. Regards, _________________________ BruceD - - - - - Estonia 190 in satin ebony
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#418850 - 02/08/07 05:32 PM Re: [Edit] Brahms: Intermezzo, Op 118, No 2
tbuscuit 500 Post Club Member Registered: 09/18/04 Posts: 564 Loc: USA	I think my recording of this is buried somewhere in the depths of these forums. It's always nice to hear more Brahms. I am thinking I will post another piece soon if I can get some motivation to practice more. But I do need better recording equipment. What do you use?
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#418851 - 02/08/07 05:33 PM Re: [Edit] Brahms: Intermezzo, Op 118, No 2
PoStTeNeBrAsLuX 2000 Post Club Member Registered: 10/31/05 Posts: 2618 Loc: Geneva, Switzerland	Bruce, I feel most flattered by the re-recording $\:\)$ . The sections in question do sound more in keeping; you still pick up the tempo just a little bit, but in conjunction with a more deliberate phrasing than in the first version, means that it 'grows' out of the first section rather than being too much of a rupture. That subito piano at 32/3 quite literally sent a shiver down my spine; the effect was helped by some spot-on pedalling there too. Though I think you perhaps missed a few notes compared to the first recording, I definitely preferred the passion and overall effect of the second one. Thanks again for indulging me! Best regards, Michael B. _________________________ There are two rules to success in life: Rule #1. Don't tell people everything you know.
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