YAMAHA CFIII
rec 2007-02-22
I am not a pianist!

Typical Japanse modesty !
A pianist you are, and a good one at that. You should rather say that you are not a professional pianist. And that is ok, because most of us are not either.

As in your previous Liszt recordings, the playing is technically very good, but I have an issue with the interpretation. It seems to me that the required calmness is missing. The Nocturne as a whole, and in particular the middle section, sounds too impatient and rushed (which is not to say that one should underplay the drama in this piece). Did you listen to any of the great Chopin interpreters in this piece ?

You make very few mistakes, but I heard one or two that seem to be persistent, perhaps read errors. I can point them out if you want. Lastly, I think there were some notes that could not be heard - you probably do play them, but too softly.

This is a very popular Nocturne, of which we have a number of recordings on the site already, so obviously we are a bit more critical of any new submission. It is good, but can be much improved with a more relaxed playing style, some more subtle rubato, and some attention to details.

Hello Kazekayou.



I agree. You play all of the right hand runs very nice and delicately and your left hand keeps steady and legato, although sometimes slightly too loud. You can definitely bring more drama into this by paying attention to markings (if you have them in your score). The rubato is practically written in. ex. at the first and all following sotto voce sections - 5th measure it shows 'poco rallentando and into ppp. Didn't hear any of those in your recording, but it should be too hard to incorporate if you record this again. Think of the loud parts being dramatic, but the soft, very soft parts and the rallentados bringing more drama into it.

Dear Mr.Breemer,
thank you for your kind criticism! The only thing I am dissatisfied with is when you mentioned "typically Japanese." even if you mean positively. I dislike to be Japanese but I appreciate very much to be Asian. 1000 years ago I might have appreciate to be Japanese.

To tell the truth I cannot appreciate Chopin. Every time when I listen to his music I say to myself "My Chopin is differernt". The interpretation of his works by pianists, so long as I know, except Giesseking,Sofronitzsky, Backhaus and Richter,are often to me too feminine, sentimental,fragile. Giesseking whom I had been adoring since my high school days seems to me nowadays ice cold, non cultivated, amoral creature. His Chopin is nothing but blunt. Sofronitzsky, a General but not an artist, can be accepted by me when he plays Scriabin, a mad forest.
Yes, Backhaus was not so bad and Richter's Chopin is very acceptable for me. And Richter is really a few pianist who can play Liszt beside Walter Rummel and Edith Farnadi.

A good critic cannot be, at the same time, a good interpreter,
says my friend.
I agree with him.
I can criticize others easily but never myself.
I cannot know myself how sloppy I am.
I am always surprised by my own foolishness.
Cheers
Kazekayou

I know exactly what you mean, but that's what makes Chopin all the more awesome. Chopin's music is so personal and spiritual, that when you hear someone else's interpretation, whether you like it or not, it invokes something in you as the listener, and especially as a different interpreter. I've heard dozens of interpretations that I don't like, and I'll often say to myself the same thing, "My Chopin is different", but what makes it different? When you hear someone's interpretation that you actually connect with (and if you don't like the 'female, gentle' interpretations, let me suggest you listen to Ashkenazy's Chopin, especially the nocturnes...he's very Russian in his playing, and his gentle is probably more what you're looking for, as a listener), then you can bring that into your own playing...I think playing Chopin and listening to yourself as you play, and then the recording (if you make one) is better than listening to others, because his music is so personal and spiritual.

That having been said, I really enjoyed your nocturne. Very well done...it would be nice to hear the dynamics that others have mentioned, and it would really be nice to hear you on a good piano/recording.

-Rich[/quote]

Ah yes, I remember this now from a previous conversation. Sorry.
Still, it is typically Japanese to be so modest about one's own achievements.

But please, use first names ! We are all friends here, and not so formal.

wooah, welcome back.
Very unusual playing...i liked it...some thing differrnt. Changing mood and tempo at a certain movement. I am sure some of us here disagree with that. Some would say..stick to metronic stability. Some would say no.

Some greatest piannist played with this nocturne with a several differnt tempo, some dnt. this is what really confuses my mind sometimes....who knows which is right??/

One thing I do find is that chopin himself(in research paper), sometimes do a bit of "hesitation or rushness" in his own interpretation especially in his wallze....perhaps in nocturne too? any one else???

thank you for the very kind and warm comments I never expected!

I follow neither the score nor convention. Sometimes I modify even the score. For me, to be exact means nothing. I follow my inner-self. What must we observe, the score or our soul?

wooh thats is a very good interpretation from you......inner self. Sure I am no chopin but we tried to mould chopin???is that right.

as I said, when we talked about taking liberties in music , some do take more than others, and there is a limit when the AUDIENCE starts to get annoyed by means of overly twisted or overly liberated. anyone else

Both