Chopin : Lento con gran espressione (Nocturne, Op Post.) C# minor

Re-recorded, December 31, 2007

Estonia 190.

It almost seems funny for me to be commenting on your playing

I studied this piece over the summer, though never got it to a standard which I would consider it in my repertiore.

Great tempo control throughout the piece. Those opening chords are so elegant, oh, they make me want to pick up the piece again.

Great job.
Matt

Thank you, Matt.

Regards,

Again, great recording! I'm also working on this piece(and the Schubert Impromptu you recorded a while back) and listening to recordings help out alot!

Your piano sounds more "present" in this recording? Is this the Zoom also? Edited?

Thanks again!

kasa

kasa :

The same piano and again the Zoom H4; one "take", no editing.

Thank you.

Regards,

Oh, Bruce...so wonderfully interpreted and beautifully played. This piece always sends chills down my spine. Be proud!!

My best, as always,
Kathleen

Bruce, I got a Zoon (microsoft's version of the ipod) and uploaded your record(s) today. Unfortunatly, because there was no genre attached, it saved itself into the "Oldschool Rap" genre.

Oh, yeah! One of the last of the "Oldschool Rappers": that's me!

Cheers!

Hahah I always knew you were an "Oldschool Rapper".

Wow, You know Bruce, originaly I thought you were not to fond of this piece...

It gets more coverage than the other (greater?) C# Minor Nocturne, I recall was the reason you thought this. Though it appears i've got the wrong end of the stick - apologies

As for the playing, it was really, really good - I couldn't fault it, I think you would have to be very picky to try and do so.

It's a nice little piece, that packs a large punch on the listener. Even though it isn't technicaly too difficult, the musicality (as with all pieces) can certainley be hard to acheive!

Well done

C H O P I N

C H O P I N

You have a remarkably good memory; I am impressed that you have remembered my initial postings on this "Nocturne"!

I had posted, many months ago, my impressions that this piece was "lesser" Chopin; I believe I may even have dismissed it as being somewhat inconsequential.

However, good music is what one makes of it, I guess, and when my teacher suggested I play this Nocturne I felt I owed it to her to approach it with as open a mind as possible, notwithstanding my prejudice against it. Learning it has rewarded my efforts and has changed my opinion of it. No, it doesn't rank with the C# minor Op 27 No 1, - which I will record again, soon - nor does it rank with many of the other great Nocturnes. It may even be a "lesser" work of Chopin, but, nonetheless, it has its beauties and is very satisfying to play.

One has to remember that Chopin wrote this as an "exercise" for his sister in preparation of her studying the Second (F minor) Concerto. It was never called a "Nocturne" by Chopin (simply Lento con gran espressione), and quite possibly was not intended for publication by Chopin.

I'm glad you enjoyed my performance of it.

Thank you.

Regards,

It certainly is a "lesser piece", compared to the majority of Chopin's other works. Especialy the Nocturnes, it's a much smaller, much simpler piece of music, that most likely didn't have the same amount of thought and effort put into it as the other Nocturnes, because it was originaly just an exercise like you said.

Like you also mentioned above, it definately does have some litle beauties, it's a very nice little piece - and has a very haunting melody at the start, which is very apealing to the listner.

C H O P I N

Bravo Bruce ! There is such an understated simplistic beauty in this one and you play it with great sensitivity.

Since seeing "The Pianist", I've always come to associate this piece with that movie (for better or worse).

BruceD, I love this piece!

You play it with all the right notes, but I personally find that it sounds sort of lifeless. It's much slower than I'd like and lacks rubato.

Just my 2 cents.

Congrats on getting through it with such ease. It sounds absolutely effortless to you!