Sunday, September 26, 2010

Listening to My Own Playing from a Few Years Ago...

I uploaded my playing the Mozart Piano Concerto K 491 (in 2005) and the Archduke Trio (in 2006) onto youtube today.  So I got a chance to hear my own playing from back then.

One obvious thing is that I didn't practice enough--I played through tons of wrong notes.  But that's something I knew all along.  I mean, I played the concerto with music.  That surely gives it away.

There are some things that I wouldn't do today.  Like with the Mozart, I probably need to simplify.  It also has too much phrasing done in the Romantic sense, I feel.  With the Beethoven, it's clear that I never put too much thought into it.  Other than the simple f and p's , the obvious crescendo and dimuendo's, my playing lacks a central idea.  [Actually, on second hearing, it sounds downright schizophrenic.  It just wasn't good.]

In general, back then I lacked subtleties.  A better point is that I think I need more layering when I present the music.  Maybe I've heard my own playing too many times, it's just not very interesting.  It's quite straightforward in the presentation.  If there even was a coherent presentation to begin with.

How would I improve my "layering"?  I don't actually know.  I guess that's why I need to buy myself a half-decent recording device and listen to myself.  Cell-phones and built-in microphones on laptops do not qualify.

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