Various recordings

Greetings from France! I've been lurking around since the begining but I don't think I've ever posted or contributed before. Anyway, this looks like a great site and I've been meaning to join for a while.

Here are some recordings I've made over the years. I don't know if they'll be up to the site's standards, since I'm only an intermediate student, but I hope you enjoy them either way.

Debusy - Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir (Prélude n°4 from book 1)
Poulenc - Nocturne n°4, "Bal fantôme"
(both from 2005)

The next two were recorded live at some small auditions in late 2005/2006.
Chopin - Préludes op. 28 n°4, 7 and 20
Mozart - Sonata k330, second movement

And the last three, live as well, are from a public piano exam in march 2007.
Scarlatti - Sonata k481
Ginastera - Danza Argentina n°1
Decaux - Clair de lune n°3, "Le cimetière"

- François

 

I think you did a good job on all of these, François.

 

I haven't had a chance to listen to them all yet, but am just relieved to see someone out there (besides me, and maybe professionals lucky enough to be commissioned to record all 24 preludes) playing the obscure but lovely, "Les sons et les parfums.......".

 

Whoa, bumper crop !

I have so far listened to the French items, and they are very good indeed. Certainly up to the site standards, and then some ! Only I was wishing for a little more 'langueur' in the Debussy. I'll listen to the other ones tomorrow. Interesting, this Decaux piece with its Dies Irae quote in the middle. I hope you'll play more of him.

Welcome to PS, and you had better get going on your bio, so we can put you up !

 

Your Scarlatti is very good. Merci.

-Jules Vern :wink:

 

I like E flat. :lol:

 

Oh god...and that's supposed to help your argument? :lol: He was great as Bette Midler's accompanist...:lol:

 

To be honest, I never gave it much thought... and since it's been well over two years since I recorded that one, I have absolutely no idea what I'd do now. >_>

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

 

I listned to the other recordings too. None if them is less than good, the piano sound however is rather distant and unfocused.

Your Scarlatti and Mozart are dutiful rather than inspired. I must be honest and say I do not like your protracted take on Scarlatti, in a style more suited to a long Mozart Adagio. For goodness sake, do get on with it a bit ! :wink:

I've never much liked the first of Ginastera's Argentinian dances, all rhythm and no sound. Your performance is not quite precise and decisive enough to make it rise above melodic rubble. This is one of my least favourite Ginastera pieces, and I never know what to make of it either. I wish you'd taken on the 2nd or 3rd of the set.

The Chopin preludes are good, you do not put a foot wrong. I am in the E-flat camp too (but really, it's a matter of what one is used to).

I still like the French items best (partly because of the unfamiliaity with the Decaux and Poulenc pieces). The Debussy is very assured but a touch literal and brisk for my taste.

 

Yeah, it's a shame that the sound quality ends up being so bad whenever I have to record from a certain distance. I've got a live Funérailles from last summer that is basically unreleasable because of that. I'll have to experiment a bit with the settings and mic placement next time.

I do see your point about the Scarlatti, perhaps I went a bit far with the rubato. I'm not sure it should (or even could) be played faster, though, it's only an Andante; perhaps omitting the repeats would've been an acceptable middle ground. In my defense, I must also say that this style of playing works a bit better in a live setting than it does on a (rather poor) recording.

 

Ah, I did not know about that Scarlatti being marked Andante. It just sounded as it it could be a bit livelier. Maybe not.

If you wish to be a pianist on Piano Society, please poet your bio and photo here, and I will doenload your recordings and put them up the site.

 

That sounds like a plan!

 

Ok, these are all up. Took me a while also because I had to split the chopin track into three.

Welcome to PS, Francois, and please double-check if everything is correct. We are known to goof up sometimes here.

 

Everything looks fine as far as I can tell. Thank you!

I'll probably have some new ones ready in a month or so.

 

Your Debussy is really good!