Last night was a fun night alone for me after having visitors for several days. I played through some piano anthologies I recently purchased---mostly short compositions of the master composers. I came across this little Schumann piece and it SPOKE to me. Am I weird or what? I sight read it and then couldn't stop playing it over and over. All of the information on the music is in German, and I don't know what any of it says. So perhaps my interpretation is way off base. Anyway, I almost felt like ol' Bobby Schumann was revealing secrets to me through this music. Geeze! Can I get any weirder!

I'd appreciate any suggestions you may have. I know I've heard the work before in the past, but have never played it. At the beginning it says, "Nicht zu schnell" which means nothing to me. I felt that I needed to play softer and softer and softer, but couldn't get soft enough without notes not sounding. Pianolady would probably play this piece beautifully.

Sorry. I forgot to upload the piece. Here is is.

Nice playing, John.
I have never heard this piece, before. I can tell you like it. Your balance was good and your touch sounded fine, although I don't know what the markings are without looking at the music. Don't know if you added any reverb to this, but I think it would smooth it out a bit if you do - maybe you could also hold out the last chord longer?

"Nicht zu schnell" means, "not so fast". When Schumann speaks to you again, ask him if that was the right tempo.

LOL, Pianolady. Did you think the tempo was too fast or too slow? I have no idea. The truth is I wanted to play it slower, but I have a tendency to play "romantic" pieces too slow. There were a few pianos and fortes, rit's, cresc's, and then two German markings: zugerund, um zeitmafi...not much to go on.

This is not Op.52 but the first mvt. of the Waldszenen Op.82. To me this is Schumann's most wondrous and touching cycle which I have been considering recording for a long time. Never got around to it yet

Your slow tempo in itself is no too bad (though could be a bit faster) but it is all a bit wooden and short of charm. For me this should evoke the feeling of children darting into the dark and cool summer woods, full of brim and expectancy. It helps to know nothing scary will happen to them, although there are some deliciously eerie moments along the way. It is that feeling of childlike wonder that I miss here. Technically of course there is nothing wrong with this.
There's a still a bit of clipping (distorted notes) but I know wonder if it's clipping or something else.

Thanks, Chris, for the information on this piece. I knew I had heard it before but couldn't remember where. Also, as you know, I'm having trouble with my eyes. I checked again and the piece is listed as "Entrance, Op. 82, No.1" in my book. I guess Op.82 must be Waldszenen. Hoping to have eye surgery on March 23 if they can schedule it then.

I felt that there was a youthful but lonely feeling in this work. I wasn't sure how it should be interpreted.

Well I am not sure either... But I feel very strongly about this set and cannot imagine any other way of thinking about it. If I had to pick one Schumann work, this would be it. I should really get to work on it in earnest.

We seem to have a double topic about this recording and I uploaded it to the site from here:
http://server3.pianosociety.com/new/php ... php?t=1063