Chopin Nocturne Op 27 no 2

[thalberg]

This is, again, from a performance about 5 years ago.  Same Steinway D at my school.  Had an ear infection that night--got dizzy at the end--but other than that all should be okay. 

[rachfan]

Hi thalberg,

First, I must say you were valiant in playing the piano at all, as an ear infection can be painful and can cause balance issues and the dizziness you mention, so it must have been a real distraction.  It's much more difficult to play when you're not feeling your best.  Nevertheless, you rose to the occasion.

I've not studied this particular Nocturne, so can only speak in general terms this time.  I do believe that you turned in a very creditable performance indeed.  You brought a lot of poetry to it.  I like your treatment of the cantabile line--it's always songful, as it should be.  Very nice dynamic contrasts and nuances in your playing too.  There is a huge amount of fioraturas or embellishments here--appogiaturas, ever-present grace notes, short trills within figures, short cadenzas, etc!  Only Bach could have jammed as many devices into a piece!  But well executed, as with your playing, they add much charm to the music.  There are also numerous double note figurations, and you voice the tops of those nicely.  You play the instances of portato touch consistently throughout, well differentiating it from the surrounding legato passagework.  Overall, I believe yours is very expressive playing. 

Good work!  I enjoyed listening.

[thalberg]

Hi thalberg,

First, I must say you were valiant in playing the piano at all, as an ear infection can be painful and can cause balance issues and the dizziness you mention, so it must have been a real distraction. 

You're correct about the balance issues-- I had to play Chopin Scherzo #3 after this piece, and when I had to do reach over  and do those downward cascading figures, I almost fell of the bench!!  It was terrifying! 
(I'm not referring to the performance posted elsewhere in this audition room--that one I did another time.)

I've not studied this particular Nocturne, so can only speak in general terms this time.  I do believe that you turned in a very creditable performance indeed.  You brought a lot of poetry to it.  I like your treatment of the cantabile line--it's always songful, as it should be.  Very nice dynamic contrasts and nuances in your playing too.  There is a huge amount of fioraturas or embellishments here--appogiaturas, ever-present grace notes, short trills within figures, short cadenzas, etc!  Only Bach could have jammed as many devices into a piece!  But well executed, as with your playing, they add much charm to the music.  There are also numerous double note figurations, and you voice the tops of those nicely.  You play the instances of portato touch consistently throughout, well differentiating it from the surrounding legato passagework.  Overall, I believe yours is very expressive playing. 

Good work!  I enjoyed listening.

Thanks for those extremely kind comments!  It made my day!   

[schubertiad]

I thought it was great. You seem to give the piece a real sense of forward momentum which i haven't heard from any other performances before, but still no feeling of being rushed. Such a breath of fresh air from the usual drifting, aimless playing inflicted on this piece. Apart from the odd grace note it is a very polished performance, even by professional standards.
Thanks for sharing!

[daniloperusina]

Very dream-like and beautiful!

[thalberg]

Thanks for the nice comments, everyone

[zheer]

  Extremely good. the only thing that i wanted to hear was more drama, you know that section where more is going on and the dynamics are high.If it had that drama this recording would be amongst the very best.Tanx for posting.

[thalberg]

37 downloads and four comments.......hmmm.....

how does one interpret that?

[emill]

Now I understand why you have so much
respect here .....

The piece is so beautifully played!!!

[cygnusdei]

37 downloads and four comments.......hmmm.....

how does one interpret that?

It's better than having 4 downloads and 37 comments ... lol

[thalberg]

Now I understand why you have so much
respect here .....

The piece is so beautifully played!!!

Thanks!   

[aragonaise]

as what others have described, it was a very poetic rendition of the nocturne.

I like how your bass stands out in the middle section.
I like how you play it without too much fuss and sentimentality, while at the same time bring out the dreamy essence of the piece.

Just some comments solely from the point of view of me the listener...at Bar 18 and Bar 20, the double flat octaves are a bit too jarring for my liking. Perhaps the semiquaver octave can be softened in anticipation of the con forza.

Btw, may I enquire how do you tackle the running notes at the last movement (Bar 52)? I had problems especially when I had to place my thumb on one of the black keys. But you breeze through it like Chopin had intended.

[thalberg]

Thanks for the comments, aragonaise!  I really appreciate it.

[nyonyo]

Excellent performance!!  Your approach was totally different from that of Lang Lang.
Yours was more energetic from the beginning. Lang Lang is more dreamy like.

Since you are a piano expert, could you please share your view on Lang Lang's performance?

[thalberg]

Excellent performance!!  Your approach was totally different from that of Lang Lang.
Yours was more energetic from the beginning. Lang Lang is more dreamy like.

Since you are a piano expert, could you please share your view on Lang Lang's performance?

Surprisingly, I thought it was gorgeous and quite elegant (if not for his facial expressions).  He takes a bit slower tempo than in my recording, but I have played it at that tempo myself on occasion.  I think he gets a wider variety of colors than I do, and I like it very much.

[athenaeum]

You play beautifully!!!!You are very expressive with a very good sound!Ihave played this nocturne for my conservatory exams six years ago and it is the one I love most!
I think you should play it a bit slower-you would have more time to express better this poem and take breaths so that you could relax your whole body and spirit..In the middle part the crescendo comes earlier than I would like and feel..My teacher always said "the crescendo comes a little bit after-not in the bar that it is written"...At the very end of this piece my teacher always told me "the sound now ventilates,go up to the sky,you are a spirit,follow yor sound,there are no bones in your fingers,they are made of cotton" and I absolutely agree with her....She taught me a lot...Anyway,that 's what I have to observe.I will try to find my recording from that exam for you to listen.I'm not really sure that I do whatever I said to you but as we all know it is always easier to listen and judge than playing :-)

[rachfan]

I thought I'd listen to this nocturne again.  I stand by all of my many favorable comments above.  Wonderful artistry!

[dana_minmin]

Hi Thal,

I think the tempo is a little fast for my taste, especially the end of measure 52.

On the whole, your playing is beautiful. Good work on 3 against 2, 5 against 2, 7 against 6.  Your interpertation is a lot better than those I heard in youtube.

[gyzzzmo]

Very nice performance!  Together with op9/3 its my favourite Nocturne.Pity of the last part, you must have felt rotten about that
The only comment i can give is that you maybe do abit too much tempo difference with your left hand at the first page. To my opinion you get a better line in the piece if you dont do many ritenuto's at the start, especially the left hand. But for the rest it was great!

About the Lang Lang performance, i was suprised too. I liked it more than pollini's, as long as i didnt look at the rediculous face expressions of mr Lang. I always get the idea that Lang Lang has to poo during his playing and has multiple orgasms. Maybe its the Chinese spacecake, i dont know.

gyzzzmo