Alkan - Symphonie Op. 39 (pseudo complete)

By the way, this sentence I wrote:

sounds as if I were placing Petri after Lewenthal! Of course I didn't mean to!!

 

I know it!
I made a joke. hhehe
I know the risk we take when transcribing or arranging a Bach work... I said... well... Rachmaninov, Godowsky and Siloti did that, so why couldn't I?

in fact I couldn't because I'm not even half good as Rachmaninov, Godowsky or Siloti. hehe
that's what I meant with that "don't answer :x "
heeh

 

Hi Felipe,

I listened to your new first movement. Here are some observations (I am assuming that the pagination is the same for all editions. I am reading from Richault first edition, the pagination of which was followed, I believe, in Billaudot and Costallat. I mean, who is going to make new plates of these monstrosities??):

p. 1
l.2 m.4 Do I hear an A natural?
l.5 m.5 Broken octaves could be clearer. The issue is one of control. You play the lower notes as rapid grace notes; you can hear that the upper notes are on the beat in your recording, where the lower notes should actually be on the beat. 16th notes would be somewhat slower, and yes, it is more difficult to play them with the necessary control.
l.3 m3: don't hear low C's
p.2:
sordamente - can't always hear all 4 parts clearly,. You miss notes when playing pp.
l.5: dolce e cantante - don't hear B flat seventh chord. You play D flat both times (+repeat).
p.3
ms2, 6: don't hear little broken chord figure clearly, or not at all.
l.2 ms. 2 and 4: don't hear bass B flats.
l.3 m4 beat 1: should be G in bass (both times).
m5 beat 6: should be G flat.
l.5 m.3: low A flat?
m.4: low B flat? Both these low notes require careful left hand practice.
p.4
l.4 m5 beat 5 should be A natural (both times).
p.5
m.2 Don't hear the F flat.
m.5 etc. Don't observe RH rests.
Ditto l.5 (These rests are very important for the contrast when they change to tied notes. Remember the Chopin lesson from "restomaniac" Madame Napolitano?)
p.6
l.4 etc. This passage is very unclear. It needs much careful practice.

These observations are not all-inclusive... just those that stand out. I stopped noting the observations here, as the common thread is this: You have a very nice feeling for the piece, but your performance lacks precision - the kind of precision that requires hours of careful practice. Your note mistakes occur at places where you should have seen the correct notes, not at especially tricky points. There is no substitute for slow, careful reading.

Your technical errors simply require practice, practice, and more practice. There are no shortcuts to perfection, unless you personally do not require perfection. Do you? You should certainly aim for it, even if it can never be reached. You are far too good a musician to ask anything less of yourself.

Again, I would stress that your feeling for the piece is excellent! But I don't hear the necessary hard work behind your performance. You do so many beautiful things with the music, Felipe. There is no doubt that your musicianship makes you capable of producing some convincing and original interpretations. In fact, you do fine things on every page. This seems to come naturally to you - a gift. It is the things that do not come naturally - they don't for most of us - that need concentrated effort and attention, right down to reading the notes.

So? What do you think, mi hermano? (Ooops! That's not Portuguese..hehe!)

 

I'm sorry it did not make sense.
Maybe what James wrote will make more sense - essentially the same message in a more user-friendly garb.
But in he end, you either take it to heart or you don't. Up to you !