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Gorgeous Schubert from Broberg.

Would Pierdomenico have been better off playing the rep. from the earlier recitals later?

Yes Broberg is KILLING IT in the Schubert. To think I was nervous for what seemed like a treacherous choice!

I think it goes without saying that any reasonable and serious piano student doesn't just want positive feedback. I don't mind negative criticism about these performances if it's phrased in an appropriate manner, if opinions/preferences are clearly expressed as such, and if the reviewer doesn't post a huge preponderance of negative criticism. To me, the last one says they are just looking for negative things to say. In addition, my guess is that many(not all) of those doing the negative criticizing cannot play anywhere the level of these pianists.

As far as snarky comments go, I don't think they're ever appropriate since one can always express the same idea without a snarky tone. Although my guess is very few, if any, of the participants read this thread, I think posters should take into account they might and express themselves accordingly.

I'm loving Broberg's sense of drama (especially in how he times things) and of voicing, both in the Schubert and the Liszt.

Not sure if it's as technically dazzling as the previous Liszt sonatas I've heard, but I'm enjoying it the most of any of them.

I know of a teacher who has never given a very positive review of any concert. To me, that is quite unfortunate...though more so for them than anyone else. On the same note, no one has a right to not be offended nor should one have to tip toe around their thoughts for fear of offending random third parties who are, in the grand scheme of things, no more important than those making the criticism.

Also, why should we assume this tech savy generation of pianist doesn't read this forum? I not saying they do, mind you, but I am saying that it's unlikely they would have any trouble finding this forum. It pops up pretty often on google searches and what we say is archived for years. I think we should all be mindful of the fact that there's a good chance our comments might someday make it directly to the performer.



I have rather mixed feelings about this though Bronfman has manged to sway me towards his viewpoint: https://youtu.be/EAPg4HfQwaI?t=9m40s

Now, since I have unfortunately managed to turn things off topic, I have to say that I'm very interested to hear the last night of Mozart concerti. I want to hear Sunwoo because he seems to have a love of the classical period based on his programing, but many seem to be left a little cold by his conservative approach. I also want to hear very much the young Yike Yang who's appearance in these later rounds is a very welcome thing indeed.

Right, he really stands out in this competition with his voicing and inner melodies for me. Makes me appreciate his first round counterpoint all the more now as he seemingly naturally highlights "hidden" melodies in the later Chopin, Schubert and Liszt he played. Also great use of the pedal in his playing.

Yes, that was a quite interesting statement from Bronfman given that he's bucking a trend, or maybe I feel like it's a trend because I read the New York Times music reviews and Anthony Thommasini. Thommasini loves a concert that makes him think, something cerebral, no matter how many wrong notes are in it.

I think it's perfectly fine to have either opinion - that wrong notes matter, or that they don't. It's okay to disagree with any opinion put forth in this forum.

I understand that Anderson & Roe are doing a very specific job and part of their job is to be unrelentingly praising and if they didn't like a particular thing about a performance to disguise it with carefully couched phrases, but if you ever get the chance to listen to competition commentators who are willing to be upfront and honest and not only uniformly praiseful, such as Gerard Willems at the Sydney piano competition, there is something not just refreshing about it but very educational. You educate your musical ear not just by listening to lots of music and playing it but by hearing others discuss what was successful and unsuccessful about it and why.

I don't think wrong notes don't matter. I think a great pianist/musician can make them not matter. Schiff's discussion of what constitutes great technique is also interesting. He says we mistake mechanics for technique today. I would agree.

I was quite shocked by Bronfman's statement when I first heard it though, after careful consideration, I had to agree. Anyone who's ever played any of the repertoire of the level being programmed in this competition knows how difficult a task it truly is to play all the notes. On the same note though, I have a friend who does the most interesting things musically that I've never heard anywhere else. He hates to drill anything though, so his performances are somewhat sloppy. I'd jump at the chance to hear him! Maybe even over some of the competitors we're hearing here.

How wonderful that such commentators exist! Let us not lose such learning opportunities because of censorship and political correctness. On the same token, let us not use the freedom we have to indulge egotism. I think both are extremes to be avoided.



I also agree. I think Leopold Godowsky outlines this difference quite well in his preface to his Studies on Chopin Etudes.

Edit: I am mistaken. I've long since reading his remarks separated technique and mechanics as he does. He never does explain the difference though.

Caught the end of Broberg's Schubert and heard all of the Liszt. The Schubert was lovely and has some interesting things in it.

I'm not sure what to say about the Liszt. He certainly has his own interpretation of it (as a Tchaidze did with Pictures), but I felt that some of the things he did went past interpretation and into misreading territory, IMO. There were some technical issues (I can sympathize...), but he held it together very well. With a 2009/2013 jury, he'd be out for sure, but I think that this panel will award his adventurousness.

Missed Pierdomenico today as well as both of the solo recitals yesterday, so I'll have to skim those before tonight. Kudos to Han Chen for programming Janacek.

Just because no one has a right to not be offended doesn't mean those commenting on the performances should be offensive. Nor would I call that concept "political correctness" as another poster characterized it. I'd call it basic courtesy and how one should treat another person.

And why should we assume that the even more established pianists of today don't read this forum? Some may be surprised to hear about which piano celebrities that have tuned in to the writings here. The world is small - even if they do not bother to check the forums themselves, they also have friends, friends of friends, fans, and others, who may alert them. I can speak with absolute certainty of at least one such case with a pianist considered among the very best, who was shocked to say the least about the negative tone expressed here regarding various aspects about himself. Yes, it would be very naive to assume that pianists in general do not tune in to this forum.

Ugh, buffering. I've missed hearing about 25% of the notes thus far.

I would beg to disagree. Misreading territory? Where exactly? If there were technical "issues", I found them all to be very minor in comparison to all of the positive aspects of his technique. On top of being in full control of the entirety of the piece, he had keen attention to detail, and kept this piece of music (which I rate, from a purely musical standpoint, roughly as highly as you rate Schumann's F# minor sonata...) interesting from start to finish.

I haven't followed the competition all that well, and I must say that I was skeptical when I saw that he had programmed both the Dante and the B minor sonata, but nevertheless, this seems to have suited him perfectly. Pairing the B minor with Schubert seems to have been an excellent idea, as well.

I'm hoping to see him in the finals. I might be somewhat biased, having met and spoken to him at the Sydney competition last year. A wonderfully friendly and interesting character, and he undoubtedly has a bright and exciting future ahead, no matter what the results in the Cliburn will be.

Damn. Yang is slaying it.

Maybe, but at least in terms of professional pianists who concertize with some regularity and are PW members I think there may be as few a 10. You, Brendan, Koji, Can Cakmur, dolce sfogato, and ...? Most of the pianists listed in the who's who forum virtually never post as far as I know.

It is more possible I think that some pro pianists find out about posts related to them through friends or students. Around five years ago I posted something about one of the Prok Sonatas I had heard in a master class at Mannes, and a little while later the master class teacher(the pianist who runs the e-competition)posted a comment about what I had said. One of his students had told him about my post.

Two things: First of all, my point had nothing to do with the regulars of the forum who also concertize. Second of all, neither you nor I know who hides behind various pseudonyms here.

Either way, my basic point was that lots of people tune in here without being active members of the forums, including world famous pianists. With that in mind, it might be wise to consider being careful with what one writes here.

This third movement is way too frenetic.

He really brought out the Beethoven in the cadenzas...maybe just a bit too much so.

I agree. I think people don't realize that the music world, especially at the top, is a rather close knit community and the great pianists of the world don't live in caves cut off from society and I've never met one that doesn't care what the public thinks. WHAT WE THINK!

Whatever our thoughts, I think one mustn't forget that these people are giving up a good amount of their lives partly to provide us with enjoyment. That's a massive sacrifice! I can't help but be grateful.