Here it is...I'll likely re-submit it, in about six weeks.

Pete

Chopin etude Op. 10 No.1

Good job, Pete. Only one spot where your fingers tripped over each other (2:17). But that's the only thing that stuck out at me. I've never played this, (and probably never will) so I can't be more specific. The others will take of you.

This really sounds remarkably relaxed and limpid ! A few small slips here and there, but that is just a matter of time. It's clear you have this one completely in the fingers. What is needed on longer term, I guess, is getting the piece to make its sheer visceral impact. But it's better to take it easy at first, as you have said on many occasions !

Great job, and I have put this on the site straight away.

Pete, I like your playing style very much. It sounds calm and relaxed, and pretty evenly. You do not give up expression in order to reach benchmark speed. That's entirely the right approach, I think.

Yes, there are some slips and wrong notes, but first, respect for everyone who dares to present this kind of "hot iron" piece here, and if one recognizes that the overall mood of the performance is relaxed the listener is automatically relaxed too.

Really good job on this very difficult piece, and I am sure you will overcome these few slips fast - although I appreciate it also very much if someone gives itself all the time to polish on a piece, that makes the whole thing better at the end.

Thanks Chris and Olaf! I did that in one take, too. I have a real problem of playing something over and over and over, trying to make it better and then having severe anxiety when it comes to the final performance. I think of this as a live performance. My pounding heart was evidence of that. I've got to conquer this stage fright. This might be the way to do it!

Pete

This is a recording I made two years ago. The sound quality is really bad but it will give you some idea of the tempo I'm aiming for (or go crazy trying). It's just a matter of aerobic training. BTW, I used my own host for this somewhat extraneous post.

http://star.walagata.com/w/lapeter/10_1 ... o_fast.MP3

Mwah ! It doesn't quite have to be that fast. Actually when done too fast it becomes a sort of parody and loses much of its impact. Musicality over pyrotechnics, please...

Wow, that's really fast. It will not take so long anymore and you come to that speed without the slips, I believe. However it shows me too, that etudes of that calibre need much, much time to have them nailed at that fast speed. If it is not too intime, I would be interested in how much hours you spent through the years only on that (only so about). I prefer your posted version on PianoSociety however, but even at that speed it does not sound like playing with terrible tension or like overplaying, only some more odd slips. You are really good, man!

You're absolutely right, that last recording was a time trial, not a work of art. Now all I have to do is play it well. I'm close.




Thank you both for the nice comments. I prefer the slower version myself, I'm not overly concerned with tempos anymore. It will get there.

How long did I spend? A very, very long time. I practiced it every other day for an hour each time over the course of two years. So, 365 hours, I believe.

I don't "practice" it anymore. I only prepare it for a specific event. If I played it as often as I once did, it would literally drive me to drink. I can leave it alone for months and play it right away at half tempo; I have the notes memorized. The only thing I need right now, is work to ramp up the speed. It usually takes me about six weeks to go from mm108 to mm176

I guess my point of posting a slow recording was to make sure that I kept focus on the musicality while ramping up the intensity. I can be a good technitian, but that's an unsatisfying endpoint.

I'll let you all know when I get there.

BTW, I had my piano tuned and regulated yesterday. It made a startling improvement in my efficiency. I'm really excited!

Pete

That calmes down my nerves a bit. I thought I am the only one poor sod here who needs to practise long to get something useful output. Thank you for your honest answer!

Thankfully, things come much easier now. If I had to put that amount of time into everything I would go mad. I always try to be honest.