The final part of my Schubert disc (which I finally got around to processing )

The Schubert impromptus, particularly this first set, are arguably some of the best-known piano pieces, at least of Schubert's, so I'll spare listeners any pedantic introduction

Comments welcome as always.

Joe


Schubert - Impromptu in C minor, D899, Op. 90
Schubert - Impromptu in E-flat Major, D899, Op. 90
Schubert - Impromptu in G-flat Major, D899, Op. 90
Schubert - Impromptu in A-flat Major, D899, Op. 90

Great! Beyond my critical capabilities. Anyway I believe that these interpretations reveal Schubert's soul.

I'm still keen to listen to your unprocessed material and to test whether I could achieve a richer sound. Some can be done from the above material but I hope better results from the original unprocessed (and, still better, uncompressed) material, possibly in a mono format since stereo format is redundant for a mono recording like here.

Hi Joe,

I had just a bit of time this afternoon, so listened to the Cm Impromptu. Very fine playing! When I played this piece quite awhile ago, I gave it a more of a romantic flavor, whereas I think your rendition leans more toward the classical sound. For everyone, Schubert tends to be a difficult composer to interpret, and where he was a transitional composer between Viennese Classicism and Romanticism, he can go either way (or both), and it's not as much of a chronological matter, but seems more related to his particular mood while composing a piece. In the opening the spirit there is actually alla marcia, although not marked as such, and I believe you established that well with your strict adherence to the dotted rhythms. You demonstrate control over the dynamics and shadings throughout the piece. I like how you play the Alberti figurations in the base while emphasizing the melodies. You varied the touches nicely. (In my rendition I took heat here for not playing staccato, but where there is a little staccato, the vast majority of those markings are played either pizzicato by tradition or portato per the notation, but I didn't feel like fighting it. ) There are some bass counterpoint figures which you etched carefully. At the coda the half-note octaves need to take on the sound of a trumpet, and you managed that too. This is a fine performance! Congratulations!

David

Thanks, Didier! I'm glad you liked my interpretations.

As I noted in the post on the variations, I would very much like to send you some unprocessed material and plan to for the next thing I record. The only reason I didn't for these is I was close to finishing and I didn't want to undo what I had done. But I've heard you described as the audio expert around here, so I'm looking forward to sending you my next thing

Thanks again,

Joe

Hi David,

Thanks for listening and for the kind words. I agree with you about the more classical sound. I was probably influenced heavily there by listening a lot in my youth to Rachmaninoff.

Joe

Joe, this is fine playing, and these are a pleasure to listen to. I particularly like the way the right hand "sings" and shapes the melody in the third one. Maybe the left hand is a tad uneven at times in that piece, or could be even further subdued, but these are small points.

Very sensitively done!

Bruce

Thanks for listening and for the compliments, Bruce. Do you mean the accompaniments in the right hand? Only asking because No. 3 has very little except octaves and chords in the left hand except in a couple of places, but I agree that the accompaniments could be further subdued in places.

Joe

Sorry about that. Yes—the right hand. (I just looked at the score). That's pretty funny! I've never played this, and listening to your recording, I figured that the left hand was playing ALL the accompaniment notes, and thought—boy that left hand part is hard!

Well, that's a tribute really, to how well you played the melody. You "sing" it so beautifully that I had the impression your RH didn't have a care in the world other than to plunk out a melody note now and then.

Hi Joe,

You create some very nice nuances at the beginning of phrases once you get past the opening.
Why not play the first note of the first few phrases using a softer approach.

There are many wonderful aspects to your playing.  I am used to hearing this piece played a tad slower,
but your interpretation is very valid and dramatic. Thank you for sharing such interesting playing.

-Kaila