Hello everyone,
I have been lurking here for a few months and have now finally decided to post.
I did some recording today- Chopin Ballade no 4 in F- and 'Pagodes' from Estampes by Debussy (I will record the rest of the suite soon-it is perhaps my favourite work by Debussy) .
I would appreciate some feedback on these recordings-hopefully some constructive criticism.
What do you like, what isn't so convincing?
http://www.box.net/shared/kxfl93i1bg
http://www.box.net/shared/3y0vig7yyv

Also.... just for a laugh, how old would you guess I am judging only from these two recordings?
Thanks for listening!

Probably younger than my 109(!)year old grandmother.

I haven't listened to your recordings yet, but if you can just play most of the notes you are a lot better than "justanother pianist".

Welcome, JustAnotherPianist, and thanks for your absolutely not just-another-pianist-like introduction. I listened to the 4th Ballade and enjoyed it very much. While you made us curious regarding your age, I can't guess (I'm more Dr. Watson than Sherlock Holmes I fear, but curious of course). In any case you are either still, or already a very skilled and passionate pianist. I heard (among many things) a wide range of dynamics, nice voicing, and some well-placed rubato in your recording and all of it had its right place and proportion to make it a joy to listen to.

Are you serious, pianoloverus! If so, that's really amazing. How is her opus 10/2?

I just listened to the Ballade. It's very nice overall. It sounds kind of funny where the score says <> but you do ><. You're a bit fast for my tastes.

Your age? I don't think you're in your teens. Else you'd probably have a teacher that would point out your <>->< switch really fast.

She plays opus 10/9 now. She's starting 10/10 next year.

Good guess, Anders. Then she has my best wishes to happily reach op. 25 at some distant time in the future!

BRAVO!!!

How did you record that, btw? It sounds great!

JustAnotherPianist,

Thanks for posting! I've never played the Pagodes before, but now I'm inspired . I've worked on the Soiree dans Grenades...have you started that one yet? I really liked your delicate touch, it shows that you are a sensitive player and listen well as you play. Pedaling and for the most part dynamics seemed well done.

Now for one suggestion: move the phrases. Give the audience the desire to hear what's coming next by thinking of the "point" of each phrase, then shape the phrase accordingly. The point isn't necessarily the highest note, but it can be. There are often many possibilities as to what is the point and how to arrive at that.

Let me give you an example. In the part about 2/3s of the way through (I don't have measure numbers) where the LH plays triplets D#-C#-D# repeatedly, and the RH has chords, don't play those triplets so metronomically. They provide the ability to move dynamically as well as tempo-wise, as the RH chords move too slowly to really have a good effect on either tempo or dynamics. Think of the point of that 2-measure phrase and move the triplets toward that and then away from it once it passes. It is something that has to be done tactfully or it will sound cheesy, but with subtlety it will be very effective.

With the RH arpeggios in the next section, the LH can afford to be brought out just a bit more so it's not lost in all the movement of the RH. But this is really nit-picky stuff.

I'll listen to the Chopin next and comment later. I really enjoyed listening!

I was going to ask this as well...the piano sounded wonderful, and it is so hard to record an acoustic well. I usually can tell the sound of a digital piano, so I don't think that was used here.

OK, for the Chopin:

I really like your rubato in here, very nicely done, and you have a very gentle sound in this. You also seem to have a better sense of phrasing (going to and away the point of the phrase) more so than in the Pagodes.

In the part in the beginning where the LH plays the octaves, try playing just the LH and singing in whatever octave is comfortable for you. You're playing the notes and bringing them out, but there's not much of a sense of melodic line here. It's tough because it jumps around a lot, but harmonically there's nothing going on , nor is there anything rhythmically stimulating there, so you have to really focus on that melody.

Good job in bringing out the melody above the running 16th notes in the RH (about page 4 in my score). Can you give more for the FF and then pull it way back after the FZ so you have somewhere to go with the next passage of 16ths? Then when you get to the top of that big phrase and the notes repeat the pattern, let the pedal do the work so you can really start much softer and do the <> there.

I'm going to make one more comment in general, and that is the ability to let the hands be separated. I'm sure you've heard of the LH maintaining tempo while the RH plays rubato. This cannot happen if both hands play simultaneously. This doesn't mean you must do it all the time, but there are many places where it can be utilized to give your rubato more effect, so I encourage you to explore this concept and decide where it can best be added.

This piece has so much in it and I don't want it to sound as though I'm picking it apart, because I really applaud you for doing it so well!

Just listened to the Ballade.

Very nice. Thank you for sharing.

What instrument are you playing on?

Share with us a little more about yourself and (yes) your age...not that it matters from what I just heard!

Morodiene,
thank you for your comments. In retrospect I agree the triplets in the LH are perhaps a bit cloying. A more horizontal approach with fewer accents on the strong beats would be delicious.

Your issue with the LH octaves in the Chopin I assume refers to measures 38-46 (the pp section in Gb+).
Interesting-I never really treated those LH octaves as melodic material-more as background sound establishing the new key while maintaining forward momentum. I actually played this piece for Louis Lorties several days ago and he wanted the exact same thing there-melodic shape in the LH. Were you requesting more projection in the RH?

You want more dim. after the sFz in m. 72 so the subsequent hairpins are more effective? That's probably a good idea. Louis Lorties said regarding that section that I do not really know where it's going, harmonically. I play the notes and move it forward nicely but I don't somehow show the significance of the modulations. He said practice it very slowly and figure out what those chords mean.

I am glad you liked my rubato- learning to 'split' the hands in a convincing and acceptable manner comes with many years of experience. I'll work on that one

I was considering posting this in the Piano Forum and asking what piano they would guess this was recorded on. Any ideas? It isn't anything too exotic. As to how it was recorded, your guess is as good as mine-it was the work of a pro technician in a studio.

I have a voice-memo recorder on an ipod that I can record in a practice room-less quality but enough for me to post newer pieces up here for some initial suggestions. I plan on doing Islamey next week and maybe a Chopin Scherzo.

The rest of Estampes isn't ready yet-I'm supposed to include it on a recital some time in Deceber so I'd better get cracking.

Thanks again for your comments.

Justanotherpianist:
You played for Louis Lortie!! I'm so jealous! I particularly love his Ravel interpretations.
In the Chopin in that section in question (thanks,I didn't have numbered measures), the RH chords are harmonically static, so I don't think you need to do anything with them on their own. The main focus should be the LH there, and whatever you decide on how to shape that melody will then tell you what to do with the RH chords.

As for the piano, I suppose we could have expected nothing less than a professional recording with that quality . And for the piano? My guess would be not a Yamaha or any of the asian companies as they tend to be very bright. Steinway or Bosendorfer?

JustAnother(veryfine)Pianist - What is there to criticize? I really enjoy your recordings. Very well control of tonal balance, tempo, and phrasing. Thank you for sharing.

My guess of your age, you are either in early 20s or late 40s.

Since you invite speculation about your age, and you are playing for Lortie, I have to go with teens. However, your playing is very mature.I really enjoyed the Ballade. And I could hear Lortie there. His recording of Chopin's Etude, Op. 25, No.1, is one of my inspirations. Give us more.

You are in your early 30's. You recorded at least one of these pieces on a Yamaha grand. Please tell me I am right.

I am 19. Both of these pieces were recorded using professional equipment on a Hamburg Steinway B.

Please check out my Islamey thread-the piece is not polished like these and it is my first performance. It is recorded on a Yamaha CFIIIS using an Ipod Voice Memo recorder.

One day you will be very famous. That day, please do not forget us and those close to you who help you and encourage you.

Great job!
Keep it up!