Here, after maybe 100 takes over 3 days, is another prelude, not even one minute long. I am still not really satisfied with the groans that come from the piano, but I give up. Trying to get this piano to be delicate is like expecting a rhinoceros to perform the Dance of the Sugar-Plum Cherry.

To prove it is not I who is no good, I tried playing Bortkiewicz's Butterfly, which at home was almost impossible, on a Steinway 1/4 grand. Wonderful! I had no problem whatsoever in making the melody soar and keeping the right hand discrete, even if I hasd not tested the piano beforehand


Ismagilov - 24 Preludes No. 5 in D major

You've sent the wrong file, this is another copy of No 15.

Oh, and another thing. The Kyoushinsha collection on youtube only has 15 of the 24, and No 5 isn't one of them. Do you have a secret source of the scores?

true, sorry!

Yes. I have a SECRET source! Shhh!

Richard,
I like this one <i>much</i> more than #15. Kind of reminiscent of Debussy's "Pagodes", and not just because of the pentatonics, either. You display a lot of discipline on this recording.
Not only do I like your playing, there's something about the piece that suits your recording setup better. Or have you changed your physical setup? Mike angle? Just curious, since I know nothing about recording.

Thank you, stu. For me this one remembers the pealing of bells, the way they ring them in Orthodox countries. Even though I believe the composer to be Muslim (Bashkotistan is predominantly Muslim, as all Turkic lands are, with the exception of Yakutia), he must have heard church bells in Moscow. Speaking of church bells, I have seen in Russia people play bells as if they were a "keyboard" (for lack of a better word) A number of them are hung up in the same manner as tubular bells are, cords are attached to each of the hammers and joined together in a knot. The performer then holds the chords by the knot and, by moving the knot from right to left and at the same time twisting it, plays a melody.

I moved my recorder further away from the piano and placed it on cushions (I have a portable mp3 recorder) so that it faces the back of the piano. As the room is big and with relatively high ceilings, there is a natural reverbation that before was not present.

That's exactly my reaction too. Rather nice.
Interesting. From your description this appears to resemble a primitive form of carillion, which really does have a keyboard. Except that the "keys" are more robust than those of an organ or piano and are more like large levers sticking out of a huge panel. They require more force, and travel through a larger distance, than the keys of a piano or organ, and are therefore not really playable with your fingers, you use your fists instead.

Since the score is "secret" I can't comment on any misreadings, but the piece doesn't sound as though it conceals any rhythmic pitfalls. (No. 2 looks worth trying!).

A small technical point not related to playing: You seen to have developed a system whereby you enter the composer's name once and it magically appears in three places at once, namely the MP3 file name, and the composer and title ID3 tags. On this occasion you've mis-spelled the composer's name (by transposing the 'l' and 'g') which has therefore affected all three places.

Whoa! You can't get anything past rainer!
It looked a little funny but I thought it was just my dyslexia kicking in again.

No misreadings, that I can guarantee, but there is a left hand e (over a d/a interval on the bass - all played together, thew e with the thumb) that steafastly refuses to show up on the recording, no matter how hard I hit it.

There is a Russian Surname Ismailov and for one of those reasons psychologists spend a career studying, I am apt to mix it up, so that IsmaGiLov becomes IsmaLiGov. Add to that that Ismail is used in Russia in its Arabic form (there is in Moskow a park called Ismailyj Park, that is Ishmael Park). Believe it or not, I mispelled the name three times, not counting the files I mispelled and that I saved! Quite a feat that one!

The score is not secret: is is available, but one needs to know Russian to be able to download it (you need to register). I do not want to put the score on the site, because the composer has some scheme by which he is paid (not by the user but by an advertiser - a type of pay per click) everytime the score of the mp3 file is accessed and I do not want to deprive him of that income, principally since someone else is paying him in my place!

Hi Richard,

I really liked this piece a lot. I don't have the score, but your playing was very convincing indeed. Despite the limitations of the piano, you drew a beautiful tone from it. The new mic placement also seems beneficial. The sound of bells was also my first impression. It brought to mind the start of Ravel's "La Vallee des Cloches".

David

Thank you, David!

Yes, I liked the piece the moment I played through it the fisrt time. After havng played it I listened to a recording. The piano is better, of course, besides some other things.

I have not yet changed tags or file name. If accepted I will submit a new, corrected, file, which is just waiting for the eventual green light.

Richard, can you please put up the corrected file today (or tonight still in your case)?
I know I will have a quiet day at work tomorrow and this will give me a little something to do.

There it is, Monica!

Ok, I've processed the file and will put it on the main site tomorrow. Sounded nice!