My second one of the series. I really LOVE this one!!! It's my new favorite piece - for this week, anyway....

Poulenc - Improvisation No. 13 in A minor

I like this too. Some nice harmonic twists and turns. Nicely played, though I personally would try to be a bit more decadent with rubato, etc. Not that I'm overly knowledgeable on Poulenc, so that's more an initial impression than informed opinion on my part.

Monica,

Yes, that is a wonderful piece. Reminds me of those lush 1930s and 1940s romantic movie themes. It has a very romantic character with a harmonic twist now and then. Your performance was very good and brought forth that wonderful romantic character.

Scott

Thank you, Andrew and Scott. I actually video-recorded this piece too, but I'm too embarrassed to show anybody. I did play it with more rubato and so forth, but then decided it was just too 'schmultzy' like that and so I did another audio-only recording this morning and played it pretty straight-forward, which is really how I prefer it now. And I am so excited - had a great afternoon reading through two or three other improvisations from this set and discovered that I also like them very much! I love when that happens - I feel all bubbly inside and can't tear myself away from the piano (ok, maybe I am a dork...)

If you are a dork, then you are in good company here. How many non-dorks would spend their time playing and thinking about classical music.

Scott

Right !
Actually it's the others that are dorks, not us

A great piece, nicely played. A bit straight-laced tempo-wise, maybe you should have kept the first version with the more rubato. One should not be afraid of being a bit schmaltzy in Poulenc.

Unless my ears deceive me, the final chord is not ideally together. I mention that only because I gotta have something to nitpick...

hohoho - that is an extremely fine-picked nit if ever I've seen one! Anyway, thank you!

You know, there are fifteen in this set - I don't think I can do all of them myself. I am perfectly willing to share if anyone else wants to record some more Poulenc...

Yes, I'm good at that
It's true though, isn't it. All the more a pity because this exquisite ending is otherwise perfectly done. That not-quite-smooth closing chord spoils it just a little bit for me. I have on occasion re-recorded a last bar for similar micro-nitpicky reasons. The end is the most important part of any piece
(in addition to the beginning, and the middle )

This is a good one and I like the way you do it. I would not bother with rubati: much better to keep away from thieves (Rubato=rubare=to steal): one keeps good time without keeping bad company.

Funny: I seem to remember that first figure from somewhere else. Does he mention borrowing the motive?

I dunno....I'm wondering if it's the reverb that is making it sound to you like those three notes are not coming down together. To me, it sounds okay but I guess I can re-record the end and see if I can get it any better.



Thank you, Richard. I agree that a piece like this doesn't need any 'enhancement'. The structure itself and markings provide the right amount of 'je ne sais quoi', IMHO.

Nah, I don't think it is the reverb. If anything, reverb tends to smooth out any minor inegalities (that's why I like to use it so much ).
If I'm the only one who hears this, don't bother about it.

Yes, the chord is split. Funny thing is, I quite like it like that and think it's in character. Then again, I am addicted to left hand before right effects.

Glad I am not the only one to hear it.


Yeah I know... and I am allergic to them

Really? You both hear it??? I don't really hear it. But I did actually re-recorded the ending a bunch of times yesterday but then I remembered that I had a cake in the oven that I needed to attend to, and then I didn't get around to fixing up this recording. When I do get a chance - maybe you can see if it's better okay?