Piano World Home Page Forums Fun Stuff! - Parties, Tours, Projects & More... Member Recordings Chopin Etude 10 / 3

I promised a friend I'd record this one. It needs a little work, but I just learned it:

http://raktron.com/piano/Chopin_Etude_Op10_No3.mp3

Excellent .

Just out of interest, where do think it needs work specifically? The only place that sounded perhaps a little perfunctory to my ears, was the passage immediately preceding the return of the main theme, where I was expecting some 'lazier' triplets in the bass and a bit more 'calming down' after the stormier middle section.

I also liked yesterday's hymn impro very much too. Last night I was horribly stressed out and tired after a not-very-good day at work, and having listened to it once, I listened twice more. It certainly had good therapeutic effect.

Thanks for sharing these recordings.

-Michael B.

Thanks, Michael. The things I would have liked to do better are mostly tempo-related. I think the beginning drags a little, and other parts maybe should be more controlled. I think some of the playing is uneven, which I think comes across as excessive rubato - not what I was trying to do.

That's what I like about recording - it exposes those things you don't always notice when practicing.

Mark:
That's what I like about recording - it exposes those things you don't always notice when practicing.

Indeed. Listening to one's playing is quite a revelation, and quite often not a good one :p .

To paraphrase what my (French-speaking) teacher said when I showed him the Zoom H4 (and mentioned my horror at some of my first recording attempts ): "Tape can be very cruel." Then again, he said that he has noticed better attention to detail and a general difference in my playing since I have had the H4 and done various recording experiments. So, like you say, I would agree that it is a good tool for when one's own ears don't notice things whilst playing/practicing.

Best regards,

Michael B.

Lovely playing Mark. Even through the tiny speaker of my laptop computer I could hear your beautifully shaped phrasing of the beginning and final sections of the study.
The diabolically difficult double chromatic 4ths were cleanly played and you gave the con bravura double 6ths a noble reading.
Inspirational work.

Thank you very much.

Robert.