Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Recital 53 --- General Discussion Room

47. Micael K - Bransle de Bourgogne
Excellent performance! I have listened to recordings of this piece several times recently, and I think your interpretation is very close to what was intended by the composer. I agree that some of Poulenc’s music may sound a bit weird until you get familiar with it. The style is clearly modern, but Poulenc makes use of many elements from early music, and he is clearly influenced by the great classical composers. This piece is the first movement of “Suite Francaise”. I’m very glad you presented it here.

57. Pathbreaker - Nocturne Op. 84 no. 8
I’m a great lover of Faure’s music in general, and his nocturnes are among my favourites. I have played no.1 and no.3, and am currently studying no.8 myself, so I know the piece in detail. I was impressed by your performance. It is the shortest of the Faure nocturnes, but not easy at all. Your interpretation reveals great understanding of the music and I enjoyed listening to it. I know how difficult it is, but fortunately this is the kind of music you can work on for ever without losing interest for it. Thanks for sharing this beautiful piece.

"Ambient classical" is one I hadn't heard before...

The music streaming service iheartradio has a number of stations that concentrate on this genre, including Davis Lanz Radio, Jim Brickman Radio, Jon Schmidt Radio and David Nevue Radio among others - and they all play each others music!

37. AssociateX (Liz) - Schubert-Moments Musicaux 3

Liz - very well played for the short time you've worked on it - real nice effort.


44. jotur/Cathy Turnr - White Christmas

Cathy - every day is Christmas when one is listening to really good traditional holiday music played well - thanks for being a tad late (or is it way early) for the holidays - very enjoyable!

Recital index has been updated for recital #53.

I think these are the first-timers:
Animisha
facdo
Purrblast
RogerRL
RosemaryGirl
QuasiUnaFantasia

Welcome to the recitals!

Sam

13. Dan- What a beautiful little piece and you play it so delicately. I really enjoyed listening.

17. Peterws- Very dreamy. i enjoyed the "visuals" on the youtube.

21. Moo- Wow, that must have taken you some serious time and work. good job on such a complicated and difficult piece.

22. CMB13- This is probably one of my favorite Chopin nocturnes. You do a really nice job with it. Congratulations.

Many thanks to those who have expressed appreciation for the Grieg pieces. As I was playing Grieg for the first time it is gratifying - so far! - that I don't appear to have got the idiom all wrong.

Two points from the comments: re dynamics, as I have played acoustics for far longer than digitals I set the dynamics at 60dB to get somewhere approaching the range of an acoustic. Yes, this means pp needs a light touch but I played a harpsichord exclusively for some years so this helped develop a lighter touch.

SMA55, thank you for your appreciative comments. It would help if you could indicate what you find fake about the Pianoteq sound. The Grieg for the most part doesn't flatter the sound as I find a line of single notes from about C4 upwards the worst aspect of the model and I have spent some time alleviating what can sound thin and sometimes harsh. However, when downsizing and therefore selling my last grand, a Kawai RX2, I bought the ES7, bought software pianos and tried Pianoteq out. I played both at home for a while and clearly the RX2 was better in comparison with Pianoteq5 and the software sampled sounds. Pianoteq6 has taken a step forward and I still have access to a 7foot grand (a Kawai RXA, a hand-made fore-runner of the Shigeru series.) The RXA is lovely in Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. So clear. It struggles with Schumann, Chopin etc. I have the advantage at home of having reasonable speakers - never use headphones - and a sprung wooden floor with a lot of space below. So the sound does make the ES7 vibrate, making it feel more acoustic-like. Pianoteq is divisive but I prefer what people call the playability to the more obviously recorded piano sounds of sampled pianos. This week I fiddled around with the 1899 Bechstein, Peter's (peterws) favourite and compared with my usual instrument it felt as if I were playing a different acoustic. Lovely sound, although it can do with a bit more tweaking. It's uncanny how each Pianoteq instrument seems to come with its own inbuilt action/response to the touch.

So, it's clear I'm happy with Pianoteq - what would help is a digital with a better action. But feedback on what is missing, or shouldn't be there at all, would help me direct my efforts towards improving the weaker aspects of the model.

Thanks, folks, for listening....what a great, international community we have!

Thank you - a few people commented on that; I thought the video looked washed out, but couldn't get it better in the daylight.

Thanks!

Thanks for the input Liz....will keep working on it. I like that (Drill and Trill). Sounds like something my dentist says though. It requires a lot of upkeep to keep it fresh. I'm on to your piece now, the 72.1. May need help here too .

Thanks - working on them!

Absolutely true....if we were experts, we wouldn't be here!

Thank you - this piece is a keeper.....love it!

Yep, on YouTube sometimes it seems as though only the masters are on there!

Thank you!

YES! It was in The Pianist, along with the Ballade. That was some movie, partially inspired me to learn this one. The Ballade will have to wait.

Thank you....appreciate it!

Last batch.....great playing!

33. dumka1 - Song without Words, Op. 62, No. 6 ("Spring Song") Nice playing, Dumka. Those Mendelssohn songs are nice. Looking forward to hearing more of the seasons pieces also.

34. Dmitry Balezin - Requiem for a dream Good playing, nice song. I might work on a little more legato playing of the notes in the R hand, so they sound a little more fluid or connected.

35. lyricmudra - Vocalise Op. 34 No. 14 You can tell from the first phrases....fluid, dynamic, good balance, great tone production. Love it. Great job.

36. QuasiUnaFantasia - Kind im Einschlummern Very pretty, pensive, reflective. Good balance. Thought you did a great job with it…and at only 1.5 yrs?

37. AssociateX (Liz) - Schubert-Moments Musicaux 3 Very nice, and what a departure from the last piece in style! A little too upbeat for me . Could benefit from more security in the tempo, but that’s just a few practice runs. One take? Wow!

38. Serge88 - Something Who doesn’t love a Beatles song? Nice playing, nice video setup. And you accepted a delivery right in the middle!

39. Mosotti - Canon Fantasy Great tune, I learned Lee Galloway’s also, but never completed it. Definite keeper!

40. Greywullf - Chopin Nocturne in F minor Op. 55 N. 1 Beautiful, an unexplored Nocturne (I Haven’t listened to this one much yet). Thanks, so evocative!

14 Peyton

Well done! Loved the atmospherics, and your Jo-Anna sounds right nice and woody. You got well carried away halfway through and towards the end. Fortunately, you came out of these well, and finished off a fine rendition still in one piece! Phew!

15 Riddler

Contemplative jazz usually requires a bevvy or two, and - what a coincidence - I have one to hand. Sainsbury's (house) Claret.
And so, it's in a fairly laid back state that I can confirm my suspicions.
I know nothing about jazz. But it's darn nice to listen to one who does.

16 Kalos Piano

Very very good. So flowing, lovely sound, light and shade . . . .Loved the feel to this, so mature for the time you been playing man. Excellento!

18 Timmyab

Dramatic, gentle, thoughtful and emotive. This Schubert has it all in abundance. Fine job from you, and your little piano which sounded very grand. Much intricate work is evident; superb control and efforvescence which I loved.

19 facdo

Played very sympathetically, and not hurried. So well handled. Good to hear such pleasant playing. Nice!

20 Jazztpt

More jazz. And with such built in sophistication. I can enjoy this though. Fine job!

21 Moo

You put much work into this rather heavy sounding piece but it had it's lighter moments. well done on a difficult sounding work.

22 CMB13

Nice reflection! Not a tune to evoke many laughs, but you played it well and unhurried.

Well, this could very well be the perfect Recital Review! Bold and honest, yet refreshing and delectable (with just a hint of oak and berries) - just like the claret of which he speaks...

For those (unfortunately) not a native to the British Isles or not a frequent viewer of British Period Dramas or Detective Mysteries on Britbox, claret is a deep purplish-red, dry wine from the world famous Bordeaux region of France, especially enjoyed by those who live on cold, wet islands just across the Channel...

Bloody good show old chap, but what you forgot to mention is that not just jazz requires this...

Lol!



Lol!

Listen! Claret is French based wine. It's not in vogue except amongst the Snooty Set who wouldn't dream of paying less than £50 a bottle for it. I paid a fiver, well, just less actually.
It's not my favourite, but very drinkable in gulps, has a nice woody feel which seems to resonate nicely with Piano Jazz when i'm sat at the kitchen table, contemplating my next curry. Tomorrow lunchtime as it happens, after I get back wrecked from the cycle class at the Gym . .
But no Claret. Or Shiraz.

43. newbert - Misty Finally! Getting to the piece I’ve looked forward to. This is a perfect tune for the Sudnow method. There was an ABF member who went quite a ways with Sudnow and used to play gigs in a gallery among other things. You did a great job! It wouldn’t hurt me to do some Sudnow I think, so I wouldn’t be so tied to sheet music. I’m so glad you posted this!

46. Piano2138 - In the Spirit Never heard a Christopher Norton I didn’t like. And you play it with just the verve it needs! Fun piece.

49. Piano_primo_1 - BWV 512 JS BACH I’ve played this! I liked the way your music flowed right along – carried me away 😊

54. lvojnovic - Dance (Dances of the Dolls n.7) You played this well as a dance – the steady pulse, the jauntiness, the tempo. The dolls were definitely nodding their heads and moving their bodies

55. noobpianist90 - Divenire Very pleasant, and putting all the parts together so they formed a whole continuous piece was well done.

59. Ralphiano - Sull' Aria I like Mozart, and this was nice to listen to – kind of tinkly but moving right along and lyrical.


Thanks to all those who make these recitals work, both past and present, and to those who listen.

Thank you for the kind words, Cathy. I'm so glad that you liked my rendition!

I also want to be able to play both with and without sheet music, based on the situation. I think that Sudnow is helping me with the "without" side of it. It's very different from anything I've tried before, but is very reasonably priced.

Bert

...another batch.

56. Sam Rose - Prelude in C# Minor
Excellent !

46. Piano2138 - In the Spirit
Well played.

36. QuasiUnaFantasia - Kind im Einschlummern
Well done !

26. Monica K. - Stella del Mattino
Wonderful piece and good rendition. I starting to enjoy Einaudi.

16. Kalos Piano - Turkish March
I like Mozart and it is a very good rendition.

06. Keselo - Valse
Nice very relaxing.

Listening to the these recitals is like have a new boxed set of CDs (yes I still buy CDs), but even better since I don't know what treats are in store.

I'm in awe of those who are able to compose meaningful comments for every piece in a few days. I'm not that productive, I don't always manage to comment on every piece, though they all deserve recognition. In light of that I'll try to spread out my comments.

13. BSharpCyclist Dan - On The Lake Op. 77, No. 12
Feels like a mild summer's day on a small lake. I nice respite from
cold and wind and ice.


26. Monica K. - Stella del Mattino
Well played. Congrats on the the tempo, it sounds comfortable, not
rushed in any way.

39. Mosotti - Canon Fantasy
I'm impressed by the steady tempo. I like the way you keep the left
hand in the background, in spite of the the concentration needed to
play the increasing complex melody. We have the same stupid unending
cold here. It's a pandemic!

52. Yamaha G3 P-80 Mike White - Signore ascolta, Puccini Turandot
Good job sight reading. Do you find that with pieces like this you
wish piano had more sustain?

06. Keselo - Valse
I wouldn't have guessed this 20th century. This is a beautiful piece. Sensitively played.


19. facdo - Clair de Lune
Well done. Great performance for a stretch piece. I particularly
liked the dynamics.

Thank you Serge88, AssociateX, Monika K, and cmb13 for your kind comments.

Dave

36. QuasiUnaFantasia - Kind im Einschlummern A beautiful melody indeed. Very sensitively and delicately played - I loved it.

37. AssociateX (Liz) - Schubert-Moments Musicaux 3 If it sounds this good from an iPhone 6s, I’d love to hear it from a specialised recording device. And after you’ve worked on it for a little longer than just a couple of weeks. Never mind the ‘ton of details that still need work’, that was an achievement to be proud of!

38. Serge88 - Something A pleasing arrangement, well played. I was impressed by the video - and by your concentration. If that had been me, I’d have totally lost it when interrupted .

39. Mosotti - Canon Fantasy This sounded the exact opposite of ‘messy’ to me. It was crisp, clear as a bell, delicate - and perfectly gorgeous.

40. Greywullf - Chopin Nocturne in F minor Op. 55 N. 1 What a technically challenging work! The trills alone would finish me - you handled them, the fast runs, and so many other aspects of this haunting piece, with flair and confidence. Very nice.

Ok, let's continue with comments...

31. Sam S - Piano Sonata 12 - first movement
Well, to start off...10 min is like a heroic feat for me. I play from memory and my longest piece is 4 min. Some parts of the piece I liked a lot...for others parts I need more background to understand what's actually goinig on there. I wonder how it sounds with the orchestra.

32. Handyman - Return to the Heart
Oh, I loved this one, especially after the 1st minute...the mood of the piece changed to something I can relate to and I enjoied it. Probably I would add some softness to it in some parts...but still. GREAT playing.

34. Dmitry Balezin - Requiem for a dream - I love this fella, oh, uups, it's me again with some soundtracks.

35. lyricmudra - Vocalise Op. 34 No. 14
I love lyrical pieces. And this is of course the one for me. Nice touch, trills, flow, well everything is (should I say) perfect. Loved it. I loved ghost notes closer to the end of the piece.

36. QuasiUnaFantasia - Kind im Einschlummern
Just when I thought it was a sad piece, something changed at around 30 sec. and it became brighter in a way. Liked that slow, meditative pace and the mood of this piece. Great playing with emptions.

37. AssociateX (Liz) - Schubert-Moments Musicaux 3
The piece is apparently really difficult and I feel that you struggle a bit with this one. I might be wrong. Still you have enough courage to tackle it and played it well.

38. Serge88 - Something
Well, it WAS something. I mean...the melody came across pretty clear. It was seamless and flowed well. Liked it.

39. Mosotti - Canon Fantasy
This one is also on my list, last year I left it aside because it was a bit beyond my rich, but I'll return to it and hopefully will be able to play it as WELL as YOU DID. NIce, clear, smooth. Great job.

40. Greywullf - Chopin Nocturne in F minor Op. 55 N. 1
Those parts at about 2:10-and on...were quite challanging. I liked the piece when it got a bit faster and more intense. So, everything after 2 minutes time is my cup of tea. Great!

41. SMA55 (Shepherd) - Intermezzo in A major Op 118 No 2
Lovely smooth playing. The piece would make great soundtrack for
some movie with great character and deep thoughts. Loved your playing.

42. thepianoplayer416 - Sarabande from Keyboard Suite in D minor HWV437
Interesting sound.

43. newbert - Misty
Misty is a good name for this piece. Rich deep chords, interesting melodies. Loved your playing. I would love to be able to play something like that in the future.

44. jotur/Cathy Turnr - White Christmas
Warm sound. Nice playing.

45. Ganddalf - Rondo, third movement from Sonata Op.14.1
Loved your playing from the first notes. I like when fast runs sound so light and easy:-) Great techninque. I am not a classically train musician, and to my taste it sounds very good.

46. Piano2138 - In the Spirit
Nice. Yet another piece the sounds of which I liked from the first notes. I don't know how difficult it is to play like that, but I loved your playing. IT's groovy!!!

13. BSharp(C)yclist (Dan) - On The Lake (Op. 77, No. 12) One of the more polished submissions in this recital! Very nicely performed and very impressed with the level of playing for such a short time at it. I was left wanting more! Seriously, your playing is excellent, record something longer!

14. Peyton - Questa Notte Wonderful performance of a difficult piece Peyton; especially at 2:07 starting with the right hand ...drum rolls?? very tricky/impressive.! Also loved the slow motion moving camera shot. It adds another dimension of professionalism to the presentation. It's funny, because watching you play, I don't see someone playing the piano, but rather someone who 'becomes' the piano, or at least someone who is at one with it for a few minutes. Nicely done.

15. Riddler (Ed) - Naima Nice job with this dreamy piece Riddler -my 'noodler' buddy! I especially loved the dramatic chord progressions played at 1:18, 1:36, and again at 2:18. I could listen to that all night. Well done.


17. peterws - Coming Home Beautifully blended harmonies along with gentle overtones (flutes) to highlight the emotion of this piece. Even the seagulls at 2:46 was a nice added touch. (Waves too!) You have some incredibly nice melodies hiding inside you, I can tell, and I'd love to hear more of it in the future.

18. timmyab - Moments Musicaux no 4 Very impressive to keep this pace up throughout the piece. I loved the beautiful/dramatic deep chords you played throughout. Nicely done.


20. Jazztpt - The Road To Where (always extra credit for an original composition. I love the smooth-loungey feel of this piece. Very easy and relaxing to listen too. Nice work.


22. cmb13 - Craig - Nocturne 20, C# min Really nice job with this piece, especially the trills. I'm glad to see that other ABF members came through to help you pull this off. High notes sounded 'brilliant' (super clean/clear). Congrats to everyone involved.


25. Ralph L - still loving you I love this song and really like what you did with it. NEVER apologize for a dramatic/hauntingly beautiful melody! Good job.

26. Monica K. - Stella del Mattino Beautifully played Monica. Especially the attention given to the dynamics of this piece. Certain specific (melody) spots stood out for me as I'm a melody guy [.57, 1:15, 1:55, 2:14 repeated twice]. I loved those sections. Probably feels good to play them too!

31. Sam S. Piano Sonata 12 - first movement It's nice to hear the finished product of something that so much time and effort was put into. You're a dedicated student Sam and the fruits of your labor come through in these recitals. Nicely played, especially the attacks of the grand chords in this piece.

32. Handyman - Return to the Heart There are several spots in this performance that I can hear the sensitivity and emotion of this piece come through. It's noticeable. Rather than call this "new-age" or "neo-classical", I prefer to call it "emotionally sensitive" music as so many emotions are stirred up listening to it. Well done.

38. Serge88 Something I love the big dramatic chords in this piece and you nailed them! Not easy I'm sure. Lots of practice time to pull this one off but you did it. Nice job.

44. jotur/Cathy Turnr - White Christmas I always love your performances because I am fondly familiar with them and it's so easy to join in and hum/sing along. I bet you're personally responsible for putting many people in a better mood. Kudos for that!

45. Ganddalf - Rondo, third movement from Sonata Op.14.1 Wow, this is what playing with confidence sounds like! Very impressive performance.

48. CebuKid (Herb) - The Lonely Man, Theme from Incredible Hulk I could have sworn I was hearing "My Way" (Frank Sinatra) in the beginning of this piece but then it took another direction. I liked how you played this and was pleasantly surprised where it went. nice job.


55. noobpianist90 - Divenire You did an excellent job with a difficult piece. I loved the addition of the strings which you used sparingly in the correct spots. Not overly done. Very nice.

56. Sam Rose - Prelude in C# Minor Near perfection my piano friend. I'm always amazed at your talent level as it is almost freaky! Outstanding job but I expect nothing less from you. Bravo!

57. Pathbreaker - Nocturne Op. 84 no. 8 This was beautiful and your performance sounded effortless. Well done.