Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Themed recital - the BIG ONE!

"Someone needs to stand up and say Barenboim should be banned from playing the piano in public"

A tad harsh; He`s an Artistic Person. It`s expected these folk do weird and stupid things . . .where would we be without the Dylan Thomases, the Van Goghs, . . . Freddy Mercurys . . .damn, I wish I hadn`t started this . .

OK, I just sent my two pieces to Rostosky. Glad that's over with!

By the way, I agree about Barenboim's tempos - they are not musical...

Sam

I just ordered a Zoom Q2HD and if I'm lucky I can make the recordings this weekend.

I rather like Barenboim's Mendelssohn.His tempo for 38 no2 is on the fast side but not out of the ordinary.

I got my music from his Youtube posting. And I think he`s too slow . . . .or I`m too fast. . . 38 4. Can`t fault him really. Now, what was he on?

I believe Art should be visual,( paintings sculptures etc)
I believe poetry should be about words.
I believe music, should primarily be about sound.

And it is that sound that we hear as an audience or a single person.
If our ears are hearing that sound and converting it into something our brain can understand and then our heart and soul can feel, and our ears/brain/heart/soul are screaming "slow down"
Then the music is failing to connect with us on a level we wish it to.

many folk find this with moonlight sonata, they want to hear it slower than most folk play it, I sincerly believe its because it says more slowed down some, this may not be "technically correct" but if it connects with the soul that way than surely thats what counts?

Barenboim does not seem to realise that expression beats tempo hands down when it comes to touching the soul. Music is not about who can play it the fastest, we could make machines to do that.

Anyways, I wont go on about it here bacause its not the right place and wayne will be miffed at me because he is exceptionally busy at the moment with a community action group, i dont know what the action is about yet but can only hope all will be revealed!!

what i will say is that as more and more submissions trickle in, one thing is becoming apparent:

The standards you guys are achieving are magnificent and truly inspiring.

Hi Everyone.

One of our members (LimeFriday) has injured her hand and will not be able to perform her pieces for the recital. She was signed up for 30/6 and 62/5. She asked me to let everyone know and is very disappointed and feels bad that she won't be able to participate.

V.

I'm very sorry to hear that, and hope that she recovers soon.
I can take over 62/5 if nobody has objections to that.

Good post Rossy, I'll be taking your points into consideration. How you get your info is beyond me lol.

Sorry to hear about Limefriday

Ganddalf that would be great. We could then just sub the other piece with a YT video, if we can get the performers permission. Bk later folks

- LimeFriday - hope your hand heals quickly.

I could have a crack at 30-6 as a backstop - I'll give it up anytime over the next couple of weeks to a PW member who isn't yet participating and would like to play it.

Sorry LimeFriday...hope you recover soon and return.

The tempo discussion is interesting. I've experimented with different tempos (wihin my limited ability to do that) and the music expresses itself differently with each change. My Mendelssohn (notice I'm getting possessive) needs slower but with bright spots because it is sad but not only about sadness but about life and ultimately a sense of peace and acceptance. Still...I like Berenbaum's version.

That would be great Dire-tonic

Sometimes Wayne, I have to actually make the info up on the fly to strengthen my point of view and make it sound plausable.

Seriously though, I can play my ( possesive) piece as fast as Barenboim, but I will not be doing so for the themed recital.

This has led me to a dilemna; folk may say "Rossy, as well as being annoying and holding points of views about many things that appear off the wall ( untill they have been adequately explained by your good self) You are also now a liar and cannot play your piece as fast as the crystal meth man can"

So I will do two recordings one on a mixture of amphetamines and crystal meth to prove I can.

and a proper one that will go in the themed recital expressing emotion and feeling within the piece to connect with folk on an emotional and spiritual level.

With regards to tempo, I think that tempos since the 20th century have increased, so playing Mendelssohn a bit on the slower side is probably closer to how he envisioned it (of course, while still maintaining the essence of the tempo indications).

I have to agree on Rostosky's comments on Barenboim. He's hardly one I choose to listen to for anything but note accuracy and a modicum of dynamics. Not to belittle his accomplishments, it's just not an aesthetic I prefer to listen to.

My tempi will be quite a bit slower than his, and/or with a lot more rubato. Of course, when I signed up for this I had NOTHING on my calendar for April, and now I have a performance Monday and two mandatory auditions on either the 19th or 20th, and another on the 28th if I wish to be employed next year. Fun!

-ok, I'll understudy it but it's still there for LimeFriday's return if the hand gets back into action before the 21st or, alternatively, for a PW newcomer to take on.

(really looking forward to Rossy's crystal meth performance - hopefully with the occasional head-shot gleaming with sweat)

Ouch, LimeFriday! So sorry!
And Gandalf and Dire Tonic, you are both awesome for stepping up! I wish I could step in and learn something that quick. One day!

Rossy, I am eagerly anticipating the meth performance as well. Don't let me down!

Anything less than a three finger amputation or severe frostbite whilst awaiting amputation does not get her excused.

For example, I have two bad knees that audibly "click" whilst pedaling and didnt choose a piece with no pedaling in it.

I have a bad cut on my thumb from a very sharp and dirty sink unit that had to be installed, my tetanus is out of date and I may get lockjaw at any moment. ( it wont shut me up though)

I have social phobia issues, indeed I am socially inept and prone to saying innapropriate things about the pope and other politicians.

I constantly mimic tourettes syndrome because my brain tells me its funny.

I chain smoke both at and away from the piano.

I dont pass wind in an orderly fashion, I allways try and force it out because I still find it funny after all these years, so it would appear I have maturity issues on top of lower back pain.

My posture sucks, after four or five hours on the piano, I need a strong and dangerous accomplice to straighten me up.

And the next door neighbours are directing bad reiki at me 24/7.

And yet I will be playing my piece.

Not that I am trying to make her feel guilty or anything.

You are giving me some good ideas, Rostosky . . I`ll try `em out on HER...

Seriously. I think I `ve done mine too fast...Beremboam or whatever he`s called does it too slow. But it sounds good. I like his stuff.

I have just found out that mr Barembore is not entirely to blame.
He was given as a child what i have christened as a "demented metronome" its slowest speed is Presto instead of largo and it continues up the way to Prestoplus, Macpresto, Multopresto,
and tops out at Prestissimo, The spring inside it that allows this to happen was designed by Buster keaton,

And constructed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who showed up at the recent olympics poorly disguised ( But enough to convince the average USA CITIZEN) as Abraham lincoln. (ABE)

There is only one of these metronomes known to exist and Barembore owns it.

I got my new Zoom Q2HD yesterday and have made my first recording attempts.

This unit EATS batteries.
It allows an enormous number of user setting combinations, and finding the optimal one is not a trivial task.
The microphone seems to be more sensitive to squeeking from the chair than to the music.

OK, after playing around a bit I have found a combination of settings that seems to give decent recordings. But with four pieces to record I anticipate making 50 attempts and spending several packages with AA batteries before I'm satisfied with the result.

One issue I didn't think about beforehand is that it will be necessary to turn the sheet unless the piece is short or it is all memorised. One of my pieces is rather long, but since it is technically difficult I have memorised it. Two of them are short, and no leaf turning is necessary. But the remaining one is a problem. It seems that I have a memorising job to do before I can record it. And the coming two weeks are awfully busy....... Maybe photocopying is the solution.