(I haven't heard the newest recording yet.) If simply for your posts, you must stay here; they are most entertaining to read. Did you ever see the movie The Pianist? Your words elicited a memorable seen from that for me. I salute you for your hard work. I had hoped to give you ideas on how to improve the musicality of the performance, even if on an ol' clunker. Take what you can ... and good luck on your quest to replace the Geyer. Have you thought of trying Debussy's Jimbo's Lullaby? With your piano it may be a match made in heaven?

Edit: BTW, maybe if you think of your piano as an elephant instead of a rhino, you may be able to get it to do much more!
• The trunk itself weighs about 300 pounds
• Can lift a 500-pound log but also can carefully and gently wipe its eye or remove an object from a child’s hand

I agree with Monica that it is "almost there." You have done really well to get the voicing improved! But Richard, IMO you're still playing it too "square." Let me use another way to get my point across.

You're first 8 bars:
1........2........3........4........5........6........7................1........2........3........4........5........6........7................

My suggesstion:
1........2.......3......4.....5......6.......7............___1........2.......3......4.....5......6.......7............___

Also, you mustn't play the last bar as if there is more coming (what you did, which leaves the listener thinking you've abruptly stopped playing because you don't want to play anymore), but rather as a memory of what has happened and with appreciable ritardando. If you can do this (I reallize others may have a different interpretation than I do) and correct the rhythm issues that Monica mentioned, I think there will be no question of putting this up for the whole world to enjoy ... despite the ol' Geyer!

I agree with Eddy that the Arietta is rather too literal, whereas by its name it should be a little song (ok, aria ).
Instead of a slight lingering at the end of a phrase, I sometimes heard you rushing into the next phrase. Can't blame the Geyer for that... in fact the old bastard sound quite presentable.

Rest assured you will be joining PS shortly. We just like to get that Arietta sorted out to everyone's satisfaction. If that takes a couple of takes (heheheh pun) then so be it. There's danger in re-recording to fast though, which is getting frustrated and only trying to please everybody. Maybe you should leave it be for a while, you may be amazed on how well you do it after that. All good things come to he who waits.

Maybe this?

Yes, Chris, so anxious not to make a break between bars... Rush instead! I have tried to correct that.

Funny this, I have been playing this one for 20 years, Bortkiewicz 6 months, the Camilleri, 4 months. The less the better. I will buy a new score tomorrow and read it. Maybe I will sound like Horowitz. Horowitz reading a score in the dark with a sore finger, that is.

Actually, I came up with a baby grand recording of the Camilleri on YouTube. And I thought I was the one who could not count. And yet the pianist was giving a concert and I imagine someone was paying to see her. Or maybe it was family who was applauding.

Monica, the reason I like this Society is just that: It is not just the , "oh, how good! Do keep posting", and you know your playing compares badly with that of a linnet with toothache that you get in other sites, but rather, "Yes, yes, all very nice, but you can improve."


Grieg - Lyric Pieces, Op. 12, no. 1 "Arietta" (1:41)

Hi Richard,

I have to chime in here and say that this latest recording you've just attached is far less "square" than the others. The balancing of the hands is noticeably improved. The phrases are handled more gently. You are more expressive in your playing, even with a few touches of rubato. And the ending tapers off quite nicely. I like it!

David

Greetings Richard,

I have listened to some of your recordings, mainly the Gershwin and the Grieg...I'm not familiar with the others, except for the Gershwin which I also studied. The newest version of the Arietta is the best IMO, and even though I've only listened to the second version before it...but it's more relaxed and I see that you've taken everyone's comments into account as much as possible. Good job!!

To the Gershwin, I apologize for commenting on it as much as everyone has, but it's a well known piece in the pianist's repertoire and since I've studied it for a time as well, I'd like to add my 2 cents...
Upon first listening to it, it should be less metronomic in feel...it should be played more freely and have a jazzy mood to it. I read that Gershwin wrote this movement as a 'slow one in the middle of two fast ones...' Anyway, I think the main thing you can improve upon is getting the style of the piece right...as Monica said, for one to be 'seduced' (in a way), as it has its own mood and quality. There should be a bit of a swing to some of the rhythms, esp. the drag triplets-again, a jazzy feel. The piece should have a sense of movement-moving somewhere forward, and it seems that it's sort of trudging along. The best way to describe it is that it must tell some sort of story..(IMO) or at least convey something more...
Also, the contrasting section should be played with a bit more energy (personal interpretation, perhaps?) but I think it's just that: a contrasting section to what was previously heard before. It all kind of sounds the same, and there should be a difference, and even so, as the melody is now in the bottom register of the piano (crossed hands, too, if you'd like??)
And, I would check the last few bars of the piece, with the proper placement of the RH notes, (ascending two note chords) as I think you are off by one eighth note...
There are also some other details that could be taken cared of, but I think they have been addressed already...I think just getting the style right is a good start. I think this is one of the most popular movements, so it'll be judged a lot more critically.

Hope my little bit helps some!

Vcp

I am so glad that this is not a long piece. And I think I have it memorized even though I haven't played it in years - only just from listening to you...

Ok, now on to the chit-chat...I think this final version or at least what you are calling the 'newer' version is nice, except why do not play the bottom E-flat in the LH at the beginning? Is that key not working on your piano?

But I play it every single time! I have trouble keeping it from booming and drowning out the melody! Actually, the following Bb is even boomier. Could it be making the preceding Eb seem not to be there?

Correction: I mean the Bb which is played by the left hand together with the Eb on bar 1.

It seems to me that the bass pedal point note is missing in the first 4 bars, and a low note is left out/inaudible at 0:58. The very last top note is inaudible to me (I believe you do play it but it's really too feeble). Apart from that last note, the ending is very nice now. And generally, there's much more flow and feeling then before, even though you could hold back a bit more at the end of a phrase. I feel a bit mean nitpicking on a couple of inaudible notes, knowing how hard it is to play smoothly and softly and yet making every note sound, on an instrument that is not especially responsive.
But really, a missed or too weak note should be considered as bad as a wrong note. That's not a big deal when notes are being tossed off in spades, but in a sparse little piece like this one can't afford to miss any note, and it's best to start over when you hear one going awol. In a sense, easy and well-known pieces are the hardest to submit

It is an eflat on the bottom. You play it on the first bar,tie it, and then again on the third bar.

Exactly and it is there. I tell you, otherwise I would not have submitted it.

Here you are. I bet a piece of cheese that now the melody is competing with the background.


Grieg - Lyric Pieces, Op. 12, no. 1 "Arietta" (1:41)

Hi Richard and Everyone participating in this thread:

I just listened to this rendition and it sounded carefully played yet with some freedom too and with the requested corrections. And this was accomplished while maintaining a lyrical melodic line. The accompaniment isn't bad at all in this recording, yet might be still softer, but the Geyer is the Geyer. My sense is that this is about as good as it can be given the foibles of the instrument. I would vote to accept it.

David

I'm eating lunch right now and just ate some cheese! But you lost the bet, because the balance between hands is fine here. And maybe I'm going nuts, but now I hear that E-flat. I could swear I didn't hear it on the previous versions....

BUT...now have some rhythm glitches again. You take too long a pause at bar 12 and I lose the pulse at bars 10 and 20.