Just learned this. Would love to hear criticism, as I'm teacherless and rudderless at this point. Thanks. It's not particulary good, so listen for pleasure at your own risk.

Traumerei

Wasn't bad. However, remember that this piece is supposed to be about a dreaming child. Remember your ritards, because you didn't always do them. Also, the main theme is a little too fast in parts and not soft enough. You're off to a good start though.

You won't get criticism from me, as I would be very happy to play it that well at this point. I'm sort of teacherless too, but not rudderless, I don't think! I want to play this too and have been playing with it a little. I think it's doable and yours sounds lovely.

I pretty much agree with teachum. It was pleasing to listen too. I worked on this in October and would be happy to have played it this well. Drumsticks is probably right with some of his comments, but I've hear this piece "overplayed" quite badly at times, and this certainly wasn't one of thosetimes ... (saw one guy take over 7 minutes to play it ... well maybe not quite. ) :rolleyes:

I liked your piano's tone, too. What model is that?

Bob

Thanks everybody, I really appreciate the comments. I agree that it's too loud in many places (this is partially to do with bad fingering (which I've changed), partially to do with the voicing in the tenor being a bit overpowering, and mostly to do with my playing).. and the ritards are erratic. I'm glad there's something decent there to work with! I also agree that it's easy to get overly sentimental with it; that was my initial approach while I was learning the notes, but after I recorded and listened for the first time, it was clear that it needed to be livelier.

Bob, the piano is a Bohemia 125, and I'm very happy to hear that you like the tone! I'm a bit neurotic about it, but when I step back and try to listen rationally I think I agree with you. It is a full, rich tone, especially for an upright... just not quite even enough through the whole scale, to my ears. But that piece probably doesn't display those idiosyncrasies much.

Nice job Horace!

I've played this before but a LONG long time ago and it's very hard musically. Did you use the pedal in this piece? I cheated and used the pedal . I must say that it sounded rather muddy, but then again that was on my digital piano. Who knows how bad it would sound on an acoustic .

I agree with pretty much what wld has said . Don't worry, it will come all together pretty soon. Perhaps you can play this piece to your family one night and by the end they will be all asleep (Not that it's boring, but that it's so dreamy!)

Thanks for your comments, Googlism. Yep, I pedaled. Is the pedal not supposed to be used? I could swear all the recordings I've heard use pedal.

Well in my book there are very few pedal marks and all of them are for only a second or so. Instead legato is listed pretty much everywhere.

I've had trouble finding the difference between using legato and pedaling in a recording. Probably it's cause they use so much editing that you can barely notice it. Anyways, whatever you think will make your life easier and make the piece sound better is all up to you.

Very nice, Horace!

Very , very nice. I also love the sound of your piano.

Thanks, Bernard and SusieQ. I really appreciate that you took the time to listen to it.

Googlism, I've checked my Alfred edition of the piece, and the editor has added pedal indications. In the original edition there is a "ped" at the beginning of the piece and nothing thereafter, meaning that pedal is to be used, at the discretion of the performer. I pretty much pedal throughout, but the editor's suggestions in my Alfred edition are much more sparse.

Not to impose on anybody's patience, but I have taken the suggestions to heart (I hope) and recorded a new version tonight which I've put here . Thanks again for all the very nice and helpful comments.

Horace - this is very beautiful.

P.S. Horace - I agree with the comments re your piano's tone. It was nice enough that I checked your profile to see what you were playing. It sounds very rich. My kind of sound.

Horace, your second recording still seems a little too fast. Horowitz (IMO) played this piece the best. If you have any recordings of him playing Traumerei, listen to it. Your pedaling seemed dead on in the recording though.

Oh, congrats on your 1000th teachum!

I enjoyed this! I would say that the parts that weren't quite "dreamy" enough were more due to the recording situation (mic in close proximity to the piano.) I would think that with a piano voiced softer or had a really controllable touch in a large, silent space, you would sound amazing with this piece.

Thanks, Drumstx - I'm not sure exactly what the 1000th was. It kind of slid by me. I hope it wasn't something too inane and stupid.

I think the rubato is too much!

Horace, I'd love to listen to your new Traumerei, but try as I might, I can't get through to your MP3 on Charter.net. Could it be a setting on my IE?

Jim