Hi all, it's six months ago that I made my last submission of recordings. Now my baby is 20 months old and nevertheless I'm still suffering from the lack of sleep Because of taking care of her and of my disssertaion, on which I've been working for already many years, I hardly got time to play the piano for myself (my digital piano is used mainly to play Christmas songs that my baby learned in the daycare center ). But I was asked to play something for my friends who turned 70 years old last month and I practiced this piece with which I was aquainted though Boris Berezovsky's recital in Louvre. Today I'm going to play this in the Christmas party of my friends again and one more time in the new year's meeting of pastors in my city.
On yourtube there are two recordings of this piece from professional, Tatiana Nikolaeva and Stephen Coombs. Nikolaeva plays it very slowly such that I nearly feel a seasickness . Coombs' rendition is very fine, but I find it a little bit boring. I know my tempo is a bit fast for a Barcarolle, but unfortunately I couldn't find my own way with a slower tempo.
A couple of slip exist, even though I cut an apparent one off. We have a Liadov-expert on the site to whom all the Liadov recordings (except only a single one) belong. I'm looking forward to hear his merciless critique and of course also critiques from other members.

Liadov - Barcarolle Op.44 (3:28)

Just because I've recorded some Liadov pieces doesn't make me an expert And the quality of my recordings is not such that I could rightfully critique others. Lastly, I'm a bit peeved at being perceived as merciless (even despite the smiley). I think I'm only merciless in the face of really bad recordings (of which we hardly get any recently) and of course in pointing out wrong notes.

Now about this recording. It is very fine indeed, highly accomplished and polished as we expect from you. I won't bitch about the digital sound, that is something we'll have to live with, and it's not bad compared to some other digital recordings. If there were any slips I did not notice them (but I have only only or twice played through this piece so I don't know it all that well) and I'd say they are insignificant. I do find your tempo too high though, it sounds a tad hurried in places. Not sure if I heard Coombs' version, but I remember hearing Nikolaieva's, and I thought that was exquisitely beautiful and 'just right' - in fact that recording made me want to study this piece again and record it. It's a bit of a lollipop, in the best Russian romantic tradition, but nonetheless a strong piece and probably one of Liadov's best works.

Anyway, congratulations on another great recording project ! Especially if you can do this in between bringing up a baby and writing a dissertation.

This one is up on the site.

Hi, I've listened to your recording, Nikolaeva and Coombs. I'd not heard this piece before; it rather reminds me of Liapunov's Berceuse (the first of his transcendental etudes). I think you've done a good job with it; though you said slips exist, I didn't hear anything glaring.

I have to say I much prefer Nikolaeva over Coombs who I find rather earth-bound. Like Chris, the Nikolaeva recording made me want to learn it. That having been said, obviously I find your tempo a little fast, but I have to add the caveat that Nikolaeva's tempo quite possibly just wouldn't work with digital sound and the likely differences in characteristics of pedalling and decay.

I've heard very little Liadov before. I've (obviously) heard the Musical Snuffbox on one of Stephen Hough's albums, the Enchanted Lake, but precious little else. Thank you for this; it's an encouragement to explore more of this composer.

The Snuffbox and Kikimora maybe Liadov's best known items but not necessarily his best, and hardly characteristic. His large body of piano music contains many fine and robust items, as good as they come in Russian romantic repertoire. Liadov wrote very convincingly and idiomatically for the piano, as so many Russian composers did. I'd encourage anyone to dig into that vast treasure trove, I'm sure anybody will find something to their liking.

I know no Liadov works, though I do have his Music Box in my library. I very much enjoyed this work and your performance, though I do believe it is a bit fast for a bacarolle. Don't be dismayed about your hiatus for there is nothing to compare to raising a little child I am just coming back to the piano after a 20+ year-long hiatus. It will always be there for you, waiting patiently for your return. Enjoy and thank you.
Edit: What is you PhD in? Dissertation subject?

Hi Hye-Jin,

I just listened to your Liadov "Barcarolle" and loved it! You play it in a masterful way bringing out its lyricism at every turn of phrase. There is often a sense of romantic surge, and always a wonderful sweep to it all. Congratulations on this impressive recording. Very artistic indeed!

David

Thank you Chris, Andrew, Eddy and David for taking your time to listen to this humble recording and to make your kind comments. To the tempo problem: well, I had to learn this piece to a certain level of perfection within a short time and probably that resulted in the psychologically generated problems appeared as slight hurriedness in uncomfortable passages (this piece is relatively straightforward, but has some such ones, though). And there is the influence of the characteristics of digital instuments, as Andrew commented. But above all, it can be ascribed to the fact that my first exposure to this piece was, already having been said, the rendition of Berezovsky. He played it on this tempo and I heard it too much simply because I loved it. I just listened to his playing once more and found my interpretation is too similar to his Even though I haven't listened to it for several months, to avoid such a thing...


Chris, please don't be peeved!!! I always thought that it's a great luck of us all to have such a competent admin and member here. And about the expert thing: However it's true that the personal involvements through one's own playing lets one know the composer deeper than others who didn't make that. In this sense you are the most qualified one among us.


Thanks for pointing out this, Andrew. Probably the differences resulted from the digital instrument has been known to me, but I didn't realize that they can influence the tempo, too. This counciousness would help me a lot also in the future.


Even though I know only the seven pieces of him that Berezovsky played in that recital from the Louvre, I would agree. They are truly small gems and very various in the style and the mood. I'd like learn also the 39-4, but I'm sure it doesn't work on a digital piano since the piece has many octaves in bass. If anyone want to listen to the beautiful Liadov part of that recital, send me a PM. It was broadcasted though medici.tv and I could record it.


Hi Eddy, first, a belated welcome to PS, since you seem to be one of the new faces here, aren't you? I just listen to your Liebestraum and cannot believe that you returned to the piano after over 20 years break! I enjoyed your performance very much. And thank you for the encouraging words.

I'm endeavoring a PhD in the department of philosophy writing a diss. about Immanuel Kant, reconstructing his theory of the taste on the base of the concept "Highest Good"


Thank you David. I'm very happy to hear that you liked it, even though I believe that the good consists rather in this beautiful piece itself than in my playing. I played it in front of others on two occasions and even though I played it horribly on the both(!) times, everyone there seemed to like it very much

hi, Hye Jin! I know beans about Liadov (he's a man who only wrote miniatures, right? he was "afraid" of large forms), but this is such a convincing performance! It is played with a penetrating intelligence. It completely "dominates" the listener (at least, this happened to me).

Sorry for all these too subjective things, but this is something that happens, and maybe this is the most important thing a musician should care about.

Felipe, thank you very much for your kind words! I'm very glad that you like it, even though I'm not sure if this playing is worth of such a compliment...
Everything goes well in Brazil? It occurs to me that on a YT video you played the piano with short sleeves beside a Christmas tree

I've never heard this work before, and it's beautiful! And your playing was so emotional and expressive... indeed, your performance was captivating for me. I liked the spells of soothing repose as well as the stormy moments. I thought you conveyed both very well!

it's okay here. the weather is hot! Monica saw the last video of my dog watching me while I play the piano (in short sleeves and bermudas) and she was equally impressed. hehe

Hye-Jin,
Just a few words to tell you how impressed I am by this recording. So much expression and romantism with such a full technical control ! Only a great pianist can do that... Hope your other occupations will soon let you time to go back to your piano. Thank you for three happiness minutes and Merry Christmas from France (under the snow, quite an exceptional situation where I live, next to the seashore !).

Sarah and Francoise, thank you very much for listening and kind comments!!! As I already wrote in the previous replies I'm not sure that my performance here is worth of such compliments, though Anyway I'm very happy to hear you guys enjoyed it. There wouldn' be a better thing for an amateur pianist, to give one's friends pleasure by one's own playing
I wish both of you and also the other friends a merry Christmas!
@Sarah: I remember you posted a beautiful carol played by youself on AR at the last Christmas. Don't we have one this year?
@Francoise: A snowed seashore would be very beautiful!!! Also we have much snow this year in Germany and since it snowed all the day long today, we have cerntainly a "white Christmas".

I just started a thread on the "Piano" forum. It has to do with my problem of warming up before a public performance. I'd like to ask you guys to give a look on the thread and to give me some advices.
http://pianosociety.com/new/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=4618
Thanks!

Hi Hye-Jin,
seemed that I had two blind eyes all the time, because I only have noticed your submission today.
What a beautiful piece and nice playing. From my modest view you play the piece with a nice expression and musicality! Bravo!
I didn´t know that piece and I haven´t played anything myself by Liadow until now, but I feel motivated to do it one nice day. So, thank you very much for sharing that little gem!
BTW, about what theme do you write your dissertation? I wish your little baby all the best and that she will learn all these Christmas Songs. (I´m teaching my little son also a bit piano now. He is four years.)