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I recorded my first piece. It's the one I started with when I restarted piano a couple of months ago and I think I have it as best as I'm technically able to do it at this point in time. It's the last of the Chopin nocturnes, the c minor posthumous one, and the first time I've played any of them. I wanted to start with a piece with which I had no history playing.

I'd be thrilled if any of you have the time to tell me what you think.

Don't worry; I'm under no delusion that I have very much to offer here, heh, and I've got an awful long way to go. I played for ten years as a child, but was not a very mature student. And the ensuing 25 years after I quit were not kind to whatever skills I managed to acquire before quitting. But considering I could not play a c major scale over two octaves with two hands together without running out of fingers in April, it's at least progress.

https://soundcloud.com/opusinprogressu/chopin-nocturne-cminor

Beautiful!!!!

Forrest

Hi, TwS -- I find it very mature and satisfying musically, and the recording and piano is beautiful. I'd certainly look forward to more postings from you in the future.

Thanks for sharing!

After your caveats, I wasn't expecting as fine a performance as this; this is really quite well done.

On rare occasions the chord on beats two and four stands out a little from the accompaniment and I don't think it should.

Since there are few dynamics indicated (in the Urtext), you might want to consider where the main points of this Nocturne are and how you are going to work towards those points through use of dynamics. A slightly greater dynamic range and a little more rubato - neither to excess, of course - might give more direction and interest to your interpretation.

That said, this is a fine performance, sensitively felt. Thank you for sharing.

Digital piano?

Regards,

Digital piano, yes indeed! It's that Roland V-Piano that was recommended to me, among other keyboards, earlier this summer so I can keep playing while abroad. I followed all of Bennevis' suggestions and keep it at a loud constant volume, and I'm playing it as if it were an acoustic piano so that when I go back to my acoustic (next week!) I hopefully won't have too much adjustment to do.

At home I have an acoustic grand.

I will try to work a little more rubato in there. My fear is that too much rubato can really come off schmaltzy or, worse, be used to cover up errors in rhythm or technique, so I really tried very hard to make sure it was a tool and not treat it as a solution to other problems, problems to which I am prone to this early.

I hear what you mean about the beats standing out. I am trying very hard to regain some semblance of control and evenness. At times, notes just plonk out, and I wince, heh. Often I land on a note hard just to make sure I play it correctly. I tense up leading into a place where I have had problems, and, well, that's never good for the sound, haha. Accuracy is still a big problem, and will likely continue to be for a good long time.

As for the overall dynamics, I have a good idea, phrase by phrase, or major section by major section, where I'm going but I will sit down and fit them into each other a little better.

Thanks for the feedback!

That was great! Especially for a "first draft" as the way you advertised it.