Finally, I can play all the notes without mistake. Well, not in the same run through. So, I suppose, I mean for the purpose of recording studios, I can play the piece hitting all the right notes. For performance purposes, not close. For one, I haven't even memorized it yet. But my memorization has definitely improved--even though I haven't played too much piano the past couple of weeks due to hand pain. Which reminds me, I should make a post on "Retraining" and what I'm paying attention to in my "retraining".
Anyhow, now that notes are basically there, interpretation now takes precedence. I've actually played this piece for Julie twice in the past 2 weeks, and she certainly had some pretty useful things to say.
1) Don't fall into a pattern--or patternize as she put it. My opening page, she said I've patternized the 4 chromatic runs. They sound identical, and thus she can see what's coming every time after the first.
2) Don't have so many agogic pauses. Despite me consciously trying to avoid agogic pauses, I didn't realize I still have quite a lot of agogic pauses. For instance, the first time the main melody comes in, it goes: "la-so-so, me-fa-LA-so-so-fa-so", I have a huge agogic pause on the LA. And I do it over and over again. It's a big no-no.
3) Shes likes how when how I let the theme build up naturally when there are those spots. Sometimes, those are the spots I don't think too much, and music just flows. I've discussed the importance of the musical subconscious in a separate post, but I don't think I've been paying too much attention to that.
4) In the 2nd part after the drum section, the part where last hand has the alternating octave-thirds accompaniment: she said I should pay more attention to those thirds. Consciously, I am aware that I need to bring out the LH more, but as it's a weakness, obviously I don't always self-correct, and that's what teachers are for.
Well, so I took her advice, and came up with some new interpretation. So far, mostly the first 3-4 pages. Here goes:
1) the 4 chromatic runs: play the first 2 mysterioso. Then gradually open up the other two runs. Of course, adjust the passages around them accordingly. By open up, I think basically means start emphasizing the top note more so that they sound more transparent. The mysterioso ones, I use soft pedal to add to the effect.
2) Don't put a break between the 5 x 4 sixteenth notes (the ones that cresc.) and the chord that follows it. Sounds better without the break.
3) Just play in tempo after the opening page for a while. Regal is what I'm striving for.
4) The broken chords in the main section can be played in a brilliant fashion. Sounds very good that way.
5) The LH in the main theme needs work--both technically, and musically. Even rhythmically, they are all over the place.
6) The 2nd time main theme comes in, i.e. when you start playing in octaces, you have these trills interspersed between them. I've been wondering how to handle them. Having listening to my own playing, I think, for now, it's okay to play them forte, but make sure the trills are exciting and trail off just a little bit.
7) The most important thing is that the each interspersing element in Page 2-3 should have a different sound in my head so that they are easily distinguishable. I.e., the main theme, the broken chords, the glorious descending chords, the trills, etc, all are sections by themselves.
Okay, that's enough for today.
Julie said said something very interesting in my Brahms Op. 76/2 Cappriccio. The singing of "Yes I can, no you can't" etc. More on that in a separate post.
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