Piano World Home Page Forums Fun Stuff! - Parties, Tours, Projects & More... Member Recordings "Chopin" Opus 9 by Schumann

I just had my hammers replaced and the piano regulated so this is the first classical piece I've recorded with the "new sound". The sound before was quite bright and brittle. I think it sounds a lot nicer now. (It can be compared to my Chopin nocturne recording).

I especially love this small piece from Schumann. For that matter, I love many of Schumann's short works. They have just the right amount of challenge and beauty in a small package for my amateur fingers...

Thanks for listening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECcRpKHQsjM&feature=channel

I'm surprised no one has commented yet...

Lovely, lovely, lovely!!! You did a great job of projecting the melody; the LH was not too loud based upon what I can hear. I recommend you try for possibly even a bit more projection of the melody. Thanks for sharing.

Great music and the voicing now that the hamers have been redone is SO much better. Good job and congrats.

Thanks you so much! I'll do as you suggest with the melody.

Many thanks. Yes, getting those new hammers and losing that overly bright Young Chang tone has made playing that much more enjoyable.

No problem!

As survivordan pointed out, your piano sounds great since it has been voiced. I listened to your Chopin nocturne as a comparison. It sounds much better now.

Beautiful compostion. Beautifully played. You have a very sensitive touch. Gaby Tu

That was outstanding - great playing, great piano sound, great recording. I listened to your "From Foreign Lands and People" as well - I've been polishing this one, too. I've heard it described as "very easy", but it most certainly is not easy to play it as well as you. Delightful.

It is a really sweet composition. I love the melody. Many thanks!!

Thank you so much. I agree that "very easy" is a misnomer. From Foreign Land and People" as with so many of Schuman's "easy" pieces has it's inner complexities. I'm still working at it and probably will be for many years to come....

That's really excellent. It's obvious that you enjoy playing this piece.

If I can offer two suggestions, they would be:

1) The piece is marked "agitato", and your playing seems to be missing that nervous energy. It's a little too "pretty". The left hand probably needs to be a bit faster and lighter, maybe less rubato.

2) More prominent melody in the RH, sure, but you also need bigger phrases. You do this thing where you build up in the RH and then suddenly pull back. That seems to lead to a drop in energy that disrupts the forward motion of the piece. I think the LH and RH need to contrast each other in this piece (rather than LH just being an accompaniment for RH), LH quick and nervous and RH long and cantabile. Try singing the RH part while playing (or listening to a recording) of the LH.

Now, I've never played this, so maybe my interpretation is far off!

Out of curiosity, what's your recording setup?

Great suggestions! I'll work on what you suggest. Many thanks!

I'm using two Behringer C-2 mics going into a Behringer mixer, then to a motu 828 and finally via firewire to my Mac. The software program is Metro. I keep playing with where to set the mics, how much to open the piano etc. for this recording I opened the top all the way and situated the mics about a foot up from the middle.

that is one of my favorite pieces by Schumann - that's a lovely recording of an exquisite piece.. (can i put is on my ipod?)

I love the last piece in Kriesleriana... Schnell und Spieland.. (have a listen if you are not familiar with it.. it's diabolically rollicking and fun to play