Hello everybody,

Last week I recorded some new piano pieces which I loaded up on youtube. I will first post the links here. If you are interested in putting the recordings on your website, I could upload the videos or just the audio data file.
If you have some critique, feel free to tell me, I would be very interested in reading and thinking about it.

And just an other idea: How do you think about a rubric "new recordings" on your front page, like you have "new pianists" and "new composers"?
I think it would be nice to see what's new

As to my recordings:

Rachmaninov:
Etude e flat minor from op. 33
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjRN3BtmL0s

Bach:
Preludium and Fugue from WTC I:
F major
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOTr4tm4-NA
F sharp major
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbwzcsQHWko

Brahms:
Capriccio f sharp minor from op. 76
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXfbD_SfWCI

Mozart:
1st mouvement from Sonata KV 330 C-Major (I will record the rest in a few weeks after an importand piano-exam where I just need the 1st mouvement)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZmehwMsK4U

Tcherepnin:
10 Bagatelles op. 5 (Same as with Mozart, I will soon play the rest)
#1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6JIA3yzAJY
#2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiBX1u0oQy4
#3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmD8LTvdEqE
#6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MiYLCUVlvE
#7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdYCCCDslPw

If you have come until here, thank you for listening!
Anne

I sampled some, and there is hardly anything to critique ! Will listen to the rest later.

I had wished for a bit more weight in the Rachmaninov, but it's incredibly well done especially how you bring out the melody in the LH.
Obviously we'll want all these recordings for the site in mp3 format.


We have a 'New recordings' page that is auto-generated every day. For some reason I don't know, this link is not directly on the front page, but is lurking in 'About Piano Society'. Yes a list of new recordings directly on the front page would be nice but it would have to be done manually, and that is too much work (unless we can get a volunteer to do it )

Tell me, what do you mean with this? I don't understand... Do you mean I sould play louder?

I'm sorry for the two keys that are out of tune...
Here the files. Thank you


Rachmaninov - Etudes-Tableaux, Op. 33, no. 5 in E-flat minor
Brahms - Capriccio in F-sharp minor, Op. 76
Mozart - Sonata in C major, K.330, I: Allegro moderato
Tcherepnin - 10 Bagatelles Op. 5, no. 1
Tcherepnin - 10 Bagatelles Op. 5, no. 2
Tcherepnin - 10 Bagatelles Op. 5, no. 3
Tcherepnin - 10 Bagatelles Op. 5, no. 6
Tcherepnin - 10 Bagatelles Op. 5, no. 7

Bach - BWV 856 - Das Wolhtemperierte Clavier I - Prelude and Fugue No.11 in F major (2:20)
Bach - BWV 858 - Das Wolhtemperierte Clavier I - Prelude and Fugue No.13 in F sharp major (3:53)

Bravo! You certainly have great command of technique and musicianship. I particularly enjoyed your interpretation of the Brahms and Tcherepnin Bagatelles, Nos. 2 and 7. The Rachmaninov Op. 33, E-flat minor Etude is a favorite of mine.

I notice that you possess the power to successfully convey such pieces on a large scale, however I think the mics are placed too far away from the piano which is taking away the dynamic impact, and the focus of your performance. There's too much reflected sound from the room, and not enough direct sound from the piano. For a large room as the one you're recording in with concrete walls, there is hardly any absorption from the walls, so try placing the mics 3-4ft from the curve of the piano and about 6ft high pointing toward the strings as a starting point. I normally wouldn't say all this, but I am just offering my advice because I think that it can compliment your artistry. The piano has great tone and timbre; is it a Grotrian-Steinweg?...

George

Hey Anne,
First off - please submit only a few pieces at one time; takes me a long time to process so many at once. Second - most of your recordings are up on the site. Please check the links. The Bach is not up, though, because I need for you to paste both the Prelude and Fugue together in one file. Third - I enjoyed listening to your Tcherepnin pieces. They were new to me, but I liked the music. And since you have submitted multiple recordings by a new composer to the site, then you get to write a biography on Tcherepnin for the site too. Post it here or email it to me when you are done. Thank you!

Hi Anne,

I listened to the Rachmaninoff Etude, the Brahms Capriccio, and the Tcherepnin Bagatelle No. 6 and greatly enjoyed your playing. All are fine performances. Brava!

David

@ 88man: Thank you for your ideas, I'll try to do better next time. It just was a bit difficult to find a place where I could put the microphone and camera, and there where it stands where some chairs and desks (but they weren't to move...)
The instrument was a Steinway-B, most instrument we have here are Steinways.

@pianolady: sorry for uploading so many pieces at a time, it was because I recorded them all together... I uploaded Bach in four files with preludium and fugue. As to the Tcherepnin, I will try to find some information, but until now, I know nearly nothing.

Rachfan, thank you for listening, too.
A musician is nothing without his auditors...!

I'm not sure what the issue with the Bach P+F's is. A P+F should be submitted in one track, and that's what you did to start with.

I have listened to all pieces now, and your playing is of the highest artisistic and technical level. A shame the sound quality is not so good, and the piano not optimally tuned. Your playing deserves better. The program is clevrly designed to show off your talents in the usual sections of repertoire.

In the Mozart, some of the ornaments near the end are a bit clotted, starting at 5:54. Otherwise that is a very nice performance, maybe the dynamics could be yet more pronounced.

The Brahms seems a bit slow but I have to say it works, it gives more opportunity to bring out all the voices. The piece now emerges as ruminative rather than fiery, which is very interesting.

I'm pleased you make a case for Tcherepnin - an exellent composer who should be more known. Wonderfully inventive and pianistic pieces with just the right amount of novelty, and very idiomatically played. But is this Nikolai or Alexander ?

The Bach are most excellently executed, though I find them a bit relentless and in-your-face. Some more give and take, some more elegance and humanity would help.

In Rachmaninov I always like opulence and weight, and initially I found your recording a bit short on this. But having listened to the mp3 with headphones it comes off much better than on Youtube on speakers. Your take on this is mercurial and fleeting rather than barnstorming, which seems a valid choice.

I didn't know you had submitted two Preludes & Fugues. But I see that these are still broken up. Please combine the matching P&F's into one file and then resubmit. Chris, you can process them when Anne has done so, okay? Also, fyi - a quick search reveals that the Bagatelles are by Alexander Tcherepnin.

Anne, I want you to write the bio on Tcherepnin. It does not have to be long, but it would be nice if members contributed a little more around here than just popping in once in a while to submit their latest recordings. We administrators have other things to do too. Plus, you will get the benefit of learning about a composer whose music you play so well!

They're not. At least not initially. Never mind, I'll put these up tonight.

And the Bach items are up there now, too.

I don't forget the biography about Tcherepnin, I just have a lot to do this days - I'll send it in a few days!

Anne

I listened to the Rachmaninov, Brahms, and Mozart.

Rachmaninov: Nice full tone and fluid passagework. You seem to have chosen the particular Etude-Tableau that suits your pianistic approach. Could be just a bit clearer IMHO; not that Rachmaninov should ever sound "notey," but the triplet rhythm could be more pronounced. You also seem to struggle, though only slightly, in the passage beginning with the descending bass octaves.

One musical detail I wonder about is the ending. Seems as though there should be more mystery and aura about it. Though the ritard is marked over the interlocking thirds, I think it may sound better applied until the end. If you're interested, you might listen to Sviatoslav Richter's performance of it; his has more of a misty quality of finality, a real perdendosi.

Just a few observations really. Very impressive playing.

Brahms: Some nice dramatic dynamic contrasts. Your tempo seems to be in the right ballpark to me, but I don't know much about Brahms and have never played this piece. Seems like there could be a bit more balance and color in places; the sound seems just a tad thick.

Mozart: Generally clear and even, with a few exceptions such as the turns near the end. A bit too much tempo fluctuation IMHO. Also not convinced about some of the staccati, which seem a bit clipped to me. Very fluid playing; I just think there needs to be a bit more underlying rhythmic pulse.


Very good playing though, nitpicks aside. I also watched the videos and thought you had a very solid technique with a nice quiet hand.

Just a short question for the bio: Is it allowed to quote from wikipedia?

@jlr43: thank you very much to your comment, I will answer to it when I post the biography about Tcherepnin

We prefer an article written in your own words. But yes, it's okay to use text from Wiki as long as it is not verbatim. Best to take parts of text from several different sources and then change the wording somewhat to reflect your own style of writing. Remember, a couple paragraphs will suffice, and if you want any help in editing, perhaps I can help you or we can recruit another member.