Chopin Nocturnes

Started by Scarpia, January 28, 2010, 08:42:27 AM

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George

Quote from: Holden on April 21, 2014, 11:21:38 AM
I feel that many pianists ruin the "flow" of the Nocturnes" by the excessive use of rubato. This tenet can be applied to any Chopin work but the Nocturnes exacerbate the issue. It's one of the reasons that I like Rubinstein and Moravec.

Having recently enjoyed the Pollini set, I am curious what you think of it, Holden.
"I can't live without music, because music is life." - Yvonne Lefébure

George


I invite others to listen to this and check out what he does at 3:53.
"I can't live without music, because music is life." - Yvonne Lefébure

Mandryka

Quote from: George on February 25, 2024, 06:25:05 PM

I invite others to listen to this and check out what he does at 3:53.

It's a misjudgement on Pollini's part. He left it in the release so I guess that's what he really wanted.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Brian

I guess he wanted to differentiate the restatement of the theme from the way it's played at the beginning? It's not totally wrong, just...so arbitrary.

George

Quote from: Brian on March 01, 2024, 05:26:16 AMI guess he wanted to differentiate the restatement of the theme from the way it's played at the beginning? It's not totally wrong, just...so arbitrary.

I don't think it's wrong at all, I quite like it.
"I can't live without music, because music is life." - Yvonne Lefébure

Mandryka

Of all the ways to differentiate a massive ugly sforzando is totally bad taste
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

George

Quote from: George on March 01, 2024, 05:36:17 AMI don't think it's wrong at all, I quite like it.

Correction - I LOVE it.
"I can't live without music, because music is life." - Yvonne Lefébure

Brian

Quote from: George on March 01, 2024, 06:12:09 AMCorrection - I LOVE it.
I could see warming up to it over time. Looked up Jed Distler's review and he didn't even see fit to mention it.

Mandryka

Quote from: Brian on March 01, 2024, 06:15:49 AMI could see warming up to it over time. Looked up Jed Distler's review and he didn't even see fit to mention it.

That's because he didn't listen to the CD properly. You know what journalists are like. 
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

George

Quote from: Brian on March 01, 2024, 06:15:49 AMI could see warming up to it over time. Looked up Jed Distler's review and he didn't even see fit to mention it.

I find that it is always nice to hear someone find a fresh way to present something in an old work. 
"I can't live without music, because music is life." - Yvonne Lefébure

(poco) Sforzando

A fortissimo statement of the theme at this point is exactly what Chopin calls for. Come on, guys, check the score and you'll see Pollini is scrupulously faithful to the written dynamics throughout.
"I don't know what sforzando means, though it clearly means something."

Mandryka

Quote from: (poco) Sforzando on March 01, 2024, 07:25:15 AMA fortissimo statement of the theme at this point is exactly what Chopin calls for. Come on, guys, check the score and you'll see Pollini is scrupulously faithful to the written dynamics throughout.

Well so much the worse for playing come è scritto

Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Pohjolas Daughter

I found this video to be quite helpful and enlightening.  The pianist first plays the nocturne and then talks about the work and Chopin and giving musical examples to demonstrate what he means.


Hadn't heard of the pianist before now, but you can read about him and his Chopin project here:

https://niemczuk.com/artist/biography

His name:  Grzegorz Niemczuk

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

(poco) Sforzando

Quote from: Mandryka on March 01, 2024, 07:50:34 AMWell so much the worse for playing come è scritto



Facts are stubborn things.  ;D
"I don't know what sforzando means, though it clearly means something."

Mandryka

Well I don't see why a little thing like a fact should get in the way of a good argument.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: Mandryka on March 01, 2024, 09:35:59 AMWell I don't see why a little thing like a fact should get in the way of a good argument.
:laugh:

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

Brian

Quote from: (poco) Sforzando on March 01, 2024, 07:25:15 AMA fortissimo statement of the theme at this point is exactly what Chopin calls for. Come on, guys, check the score and you'll see Pollini is scrupulously faithful to the written dynamics throughout.
If I had known that, I would have liked it from the start!  ;D

Maybe it's a good reminder that Chopin was a classicist and the nocturnes should not always be played as if the pianist is a starving poet living in a Parisian garret.

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: Brian on March 01, 2024, 09:45:41 AMIf I had known that, I would have liked it from the start!  ;D

Maybe it's a good reminder that Chopin was a classicist and the nocturnes should not always be played as if the pianist is a starving poet living in a Parisian garret.
Oh, Boohème!

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

Florestan

Quote from: Brian on March 01, 2024, 09:45:41 AMIf I had known that, I would have liked it from the start!  ;D

Maybe it's a good reminder that Chopin was a classicist and the nocturnes should not always be played as if the pianist is a starving poet living in a Parisian garret.

Well, Chopin was a poet of sorts, but he never starved and never lived in a garret.  :) 
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini