I support and admire the attitude you have had towards this study, and I liked your recording!
I agree; I would only like to add that after my comments I re-listened to the two pieces (including no. 9) a few more times, and I must admit that in any case all elements are presented with great coherence, in the sense that once the initial choices are made, they could not be played differently.
When Simone has made his way and no longer remembers me... his recordings of a couple of my pieces will serve as his mentor
Damn!!!! I am truly the last one to have listened!!!!! I apologize to Simone, but I hadn't noticed what he had posted. Well, there is little to say.... much has already been said by others. Very good. Beautiful. Impeccable in rhythm, tempo, and balance. I am glad that Simone specifies that No. 8 is a study for the left hand. That is correct. For my own taste, I would mark this left hand more, and to tell you the truth, I imagine this study—which is performed very well nonetheless—with a more "brazen" conducting than "this left hand"... perhaps even a little rubato. I believe Chopin intends the right hand to be the protagonist only at the beginning of each new position, in the high register. When the left hand enters "brazenly," the right hand must do nothing but "repeat itself," "chatting" in the middle and lower registers. But alright, don't take this as a criticism of this wonderful performance, but merely as an emphasis on my own personal taste. Well done, Simone.
No. 9 reminds me of my study days. My teacher had me play it for an exam, along with others from Op. 10 and 25, despite my hand having a modest reach. I agree in saying that a hand with a modest reach struggles. Some positions in the final crescendo can be shared with the right hand. I like it. Then, also here, "falling" into observations of taste, I would hear it a bit agitated and with a slightly—I say slightly—flexible tempo. I see and hear it as more dramatic and resigned. Although not among the most difficult, it expresses much of that "inexorable romantic wound." Here too, I would like a little rubato in favor of the "agitated" parts and the crescendos. We await more studies played so well and edited. Our Simone's hand was born to be able to tackle them all! So..... he has a moral obligation. Huge compliments, friend Simone.
P.S. ....when you are famous... remember me too... not just Frank!!!!!
Bravo Simone.....I liked it...I agree with you about the rhythm, which must always respect the sense of the piece. Great pianists, as in the last Chopin competition in Warsaw, almost all perform it at your metronome. Congratulations again.
... let's just say that besides skill, as in many other fields, you also need luck and the right connections
connections above all....
Z
zenigata
Member
Reply 28 by zenigata
Posts
70
Wow! Incredible cleanliness. I believe you will truly make your way, I wish it to you from the bottom of my heart. You have an enviable technique and great musical taste. Many compliments.
Is it a MIDI or acoustic recording? Did you make any corrections? The cleanliness surprises me too much.
It is a MIDI recording because it is not easy to find a studio with a D [engineer/technician] that won't slaughter you economically speaking for a day of recording, but I have not made any corrections. Correcting the MIDI produces unrealistic and mechanical artifacts that distort the piece. I use MIDI recording as one would record acoustic instruments. Takes are performed and the best one is chosen to be edited together with the others. One plays, and if a mistake is made, one restarts from certain strategic points, just as is done during acoustic recordings where, from the control room, the musician following the score plays the siren if there has been an error and the take needs to be performed again. Besides, cleanliness is present on all records precisely because of these possibilities available today. I have some recordings of Cortot's Chopin studies—I mean, no nonsense... They are full of errors because at that time it was not possible to correct them as is done today. But we must not dwell too much on this story of errors. Mistakes happen, everyone makes them; what matters is the musical sense and the breath given to the piece by the performer. Cortot was a great master in this as well. Unfortunately, today's market standards are the pursuit of executive perfection that can only be achieved with these artifices.
In effect, by now one should hear an interpreter (at all levels) in both live and recording studio settings. Sometimes there can even be surprises (not always pleasant).
This is indeed why when I perform concerts, I usually include some video clips as well. As Ettore says, pianists are evaluated live; with records, "almost" everyone is capable...
S
stefano
Member
Reply 32 by stefano
Posts
205
I agree with Ettore and it actually seems to me that you and Paolo demonstrated during the live performance what you are made of and what levels of cleanliness you have achieved. If I hadn't listened to some snippets of your concert, I would struggle to believe in a study performed at this level and with this cleanliness.
Coming from the other topic, I can tell you that having brought the study "to this level and with this cleanliness" is certainly not thanks to the Suzuki method
Speaking of Totò-style Latinisms, I'll leave you with this excerpt from "I due marescialli"... Epic!
"Linoleum linoleum, mortis tua et tu patri et tu nonni in cariolam mea.. omnibus, linoleum linoleum... ora pro nobis, ora pro nobis, autobus, autobus, S.O.S."
But the best part is when after saying all these things in "Latin" he says: "Young man, young man, don't you see? I am reciting the orations! This is the hour of the Office..."
