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Isn't a piece supposed to get easier the 3rd time you pick it up?

http://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=50633.0

Much interest in that one! Yes! Really enjoyable to this hearer.

Greg Lemond was talking about racing bicycles when he said this, but you comment about 'easier' made me think of his quote to somebody asking if it ever got easier to climb hills...

'It doesn't get easier, you just get faster'
-Greg Lemond

Forrest

Well that's interesting, because I actually was able to play it faster at some point - this is still several notches from Bartok's insane tempo marking. But perhaps for the better? We know from Bartok's own recordings how flexible he was with his metronome markings. Andras Schiff played all the piano concertos here in Helsinki last fall, and two friends of mine were fortunate to get coached on the 2nd violin sonata with him. One thing he advised them was to take all his tempo markings with precaution, and in most cases play a bit slower than written. Now, I do think that "a bit slower than written" would be an understatement for some of Schiff's tempo choices in the concerti, but I get the point.

I think your tempo was spot on.

Lots of rhythmic clarity!!