Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Me playing Moonlight (3rd Mvmt); would love your thoughts!

So I went to another piano store today, which had less selection than the previous one (it had 2 Steinways, some Yamahas, few Bostons, and then mostly all uprights). I asked the manager if I could test-drive the Steinway and he told me to be brief -- apparently he suspected I didn't look like a prospective buyer -- so I felt internally pressured while trying it out, in addition to VIDEOTAPING it. I had to put the mini flip cam (resembles a cell phone) on the chair next to it. Sorry for the limited view of the hands.

I'd love any of your comments, & feedback on how I can improve.

(Trying it out for the first time felt a lot different than the upright I practice with at home...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnxlbdJHwZ0

oh and if you want, check out my other vid I posted right after this too

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERgRlkobp58

I would like to see more passion/fury in it, and a bigger contrast between the very different parts in the piece. Also much more dynamics. All in all, VERY nicely played though, you got the technique and the notes, now its time to pour some heart in it !

Nice playing! Keep up the good work.

Don't you just hate piano store owners who don't let you try the pianos just because you don't look like a prospective buyer. It's a terrible attitude for any salesperson to have, but especially an piano seller.

Nice playing btw!

Thanks for the replies, debrucey, Orange Soda King, and to Victor for the great critique.

and yes -- it really is bad for the piano salesmen to have that kind of attitude!...their sales will be considerably less than friendly sales people.

Darn good!
BTW....just wanted to mention......do you realize that you left out a beat (4 notes in the RH) around 0:32-33?

Fun stuff, Mozartian_Dreams!

Did you like the Steinway?

I would like to see the "hidden camera" interaction with the snotty manager. "Be brief" my a**! That's probably the reason his store has less selection. Hard to sell pianos with an attitude like that! I hope you raised some eyebrows in the store when you tore into your piece!

Next time, tell the manager you have $20,000 cash in your pocket, and if you like the piano after a thorough testing, you'll think about it.

I hate to break up the party here, but I think this piece is either too difficult for you, or you haven't practiced it slowly enough. It does not sound like you are in control.

I gotta agree with JustAnotherPianist. You're off to a good start - but you need to work on some of the passages that are giving you trouble - try to maintain a STEADY tempo throughout - and strive for more dynamic contrast. Why do you slow down in measure 75 when the LH has the melody? Just because Beethoven has marked that section "Piano" doesn't mean it should be played slowly. Keep plugging away - and thanks for sharing this !! Would be great to hear it again once you work out some of the kinks.

Sounds like you're on the right track. Perhaps a big stronger in spots but rather nice generally.

One immediate thing which will dramatically improve your performance...... At the beginning, and in all analagous passages, DON'T play the 8th notes in the LH equally. The second one needs to be MUCH quieter/lighter than the first one.

I actually think it sounds good considering the circumstances - you were feeling rushed, and you were playing in front of strangers. When I was piano shopping, I found it pretty hard to "open up" and play in front of the salesmen. I always felt stiff and it took me a while to be able to start playing the way I usually play at home.

Keep up the good work and you'll be playing that like a pro soon!

I did too.
I thought it was pretty fine, except for the omitted beat.

Sounds like some other things were mis-read too, but maybe he just fluffed them because of the situation. And CAREY is right about the slowing-down. The piece needs more work.

But I don't agree that it's beyond him.

I don't think the piece is beyond him either. Though, it's a piece that requires much control to master. Let him do a little more work.