StuKautsch wrote:
I downloaded the Mozart score, but I do not want to start the review process until I know what we're reviewing here, since another MP3 at 192 kbps could appear...
If he re-submits the same recording, the different format and bit rate shouldn't much matter, unless we want to review the quality of the recording technology, which I don't think we do. It's mainly about the quality of the playing.
I'm looking at the Mozart, using my 1963 Henle edition which claims to be about as close to Urtext as is possible.
On the whole this is pretty well played with a good deal of sensitivity where required, but here is a list of my niggles.
Bar 11 (0:17) Missing note (the 2nd beat B RH). You probably played it, but it just didn't sound.
Bar 16 (0:26) Timing glitch near end of bar. Could this be an edit which didn't quite line up?
Bar 21 (0:33) The LH minims (half notes) come out staccato. Just an accident, they're OK everywhere else this thematic pattern occurs.
Bar 33 (0:51) This could be editorial because you do the same in the equivalent place later (bar 128) but the 3 editions on IMSLP agree with mine. Unless the LH is drowning them out, you seem to be playing straight crotchets (quarter notes) in the RH (Bbs alternating with Ebs). Each Eb should be a pair of quavers (eighth notes) like in the 3 previous bars.
Bar 46 (1:11) The beginning of this bar comes a beat too early, you are cutting short the rest in bar 45.
Bar 52 (1:22) Good heavens, what an almighty crash! There is no need to play the LH F octaves triple forte. Let sleeping dogs lie.
Bars 59-60 (1:33) There is a noticeable slow-down here, probably because you've gotten too fast in the excitement of the dogs waking up.
Bars 63-64 (1:38) I have each of the four groups of notes on the 2nd and 4th beats printed as an 8th followed by two 16ths, with a
tr above the 8th; you are playing them as 4 straight 16ths (as though they had been printed as quarter notes with turn symbols above them). This interpretation can sometimes be argued for, but here I would argue against it, given that similar identically printed patterns occur elsewhere (such as in bar 2 etc.) where they are played as 5 notes instead of 4. I think therefore these should also be played as 5 notes.
Bar 98 (2:35) This chord is a beat late. You may have deliberately done so for effect, but I think Mozart's writing of the three previous bars provides quite enough suspense so there is no need to add to it. A tiniest bit of rubato may be allowed, but I would change nothing in your impeccable timing of bars 95 and 96, and would stay metronomic (as you do) right up to and including the 3rd beat of bar 97. I would then delay the 4th beat by a hair's breadth and the downbeat of bar 98 by a further hair's breadth. It needs no more than that.
This same chord is unfortunately missing its top note (the Ab you no doubt intended to play failed to sound), so we hear an ascent rather than a descent to the G of bar 99. This spoils the mystery of the suspense somewhat.
Bars 161-162 (4:17) There seems to bit of panic in evidence here. Relax. If it's too fast, look back. There will have been places you rushed. Don't allow yourself to.
Bar 175 (4:39) This trill is sounding untidy and is also so loud that we can't hear how well the LH is keeping the beat.