Thomas's Performances - NEW Liszt Moments Musicaux D.01 - Page 39

pianohama wrote:You're definetly getting better!

Totally Agreeing .. 100%

Amro wrote:

pianohama wrote:You're definetly getting better!

Totally Agreeing .. 100%

Thanks Both of you I might try to practice it someday, but Ill just let it be for now. I prefer composing and sheet-music but this is fun every once in a while

Thoses christmas videos helped out a lot this year
so now I don't have to learn them ^_^
Great

Update for those who read it

Well, only got a hint for now even though no one probably care
Im gona try to record a new Original Comp Tomorrow!
Not 100% satisfied with how I play one part, but Im gona give it a try.



Stay Tuned

ohh ^_^ I'm excited

Now its done Ill ad some Extra info about the Rag and Process after the video for those who want to read it.
I havnt covered all that I want to say, so I might update that

Silver Bullet Rag - Original Rag


Extra:

Story behind it:
I started with a single bar in Later November - 08 that sounded raggy, but first a couple a weeks later I decided to go for a Composition on the idea. I knew little theory about the genre, and knew it would be a lot to do, but I gave myself time to do it in my own paste.

The Process:
I sat down in December - 08 and tried to build something on the idea I had, but I couldn't really get anything done right away. Just a little was built on that first session. So i decided to pick up on the theory. And it was a lot available Wikipedia got lots actually.

I read about rules, patterns ect and I was in contact with mr Bill himself
Then everything felt bit easier.

I follow the "Rag-Rules" so I can call it a Rag. I try my best of course to use my creativity within the frames that are set. If I managed that? That is up to everyone for themselves to decide

The Rag:
Its a classical rag, and therefore follows the pattern:

Intro AA BB A CC DD

The A-Strain starts of pretty "easy" and is created like this to get people into the rag if someone would want to play it. Then it continues with the hardest Strain, the B-Strain that is a variation of and a continuing of the A-Strain. The Right hand octaves vs the heavy left hand jumps is Very hard to get right, but it shouldn't be a problem after some practice Then the C-Starin follows, with a change in rhythmic pattern. This is a bit easier than the B-Strain cause of shorter left hand jumps, the melody got fast multiple notes, but should be ok for anyone who plays ragtime. Then finishing of with a lighter D-Strain which is as easy as the A-strain, but with some alternative chord progressions.

The Name:
Well, I feel that the "Silver Bullet" is "modern" but also chains back to the period where Ragtime was Big - from 1898 - 1917ish.


11.01.2009
#43 - Most Discussed (Today) - Music on Youtube

Copyright 2009 Thomas Andersen

oh...man......

All I have to say is that is the best original composition I've ever heard from anyone I personally know. That's amazing! ...I wrote more on youtube So you can read that as well.

You're getting SOO GOOD!

Hehehe

I really enjoyed reading what you said Its a great compliment, and
Im really glad that you like it I wasn't sure I would get to post it yesterday since I struggled a bit with some bars in the B-Strain I think I made it to hard there

Thanks again

That was really good. And I really like the jumpy feeling of it. 5/5 definetly. Also you inspired me to try something like this soon aswell.. I'll keep you posted ;]

WOW ..
No Comments .. JUST AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZING ..
Well-Played
/ 10

Thanks Guys Glad that you like it

Admin Andrew wrote:
You're getting SOO GOOD!

I agree. Very impressive. I love it.

Christian wrote:

Admin Andrew wrote:
You're getting SOO GOOD!

I agree. Very impressive. I love it.

Tnx Glad you like it

Dont got a lot to say I feel myself that I nailed the interpretation. This is how I prefer it to be played, and its most inspiret by Rubinstein. The stupid thing is that the bad audio rec equipment I got get in the way some placed especially with the turns and these things. I have perfected all the turns ect and they dosnt really sound the same in Audiocity as they do on my piano when I record for playback there! But thats okay I guess

Nocturne Op.9 No.2 - Chopin

Thomandy wrote:Dont got a lot to say I feel myself that I nailed the interpretation. This is how I prefer it to be played, and its most inspiret by Rubinstein. The stupid thing is that the bad audio rec equipment I got get in the way some placed especially with the turns and these things. I have perfected all the turns ect and they dosnt really sound the same in Audiocity as they do on my piano when I record for playback there! But thats okay I guess

Nocturne Op.9 No.2 - Chopin

very good. Since youve got so much better I think you should have some harder critic, so you can become better, heres what I think:

I thought the tempo was a liiittle bit choppy at some of the difficult spots,
the dynamics and pedaling was great though.

Hey Thomas,

This is a review on your - Chopin - Nocturne op 9 no 2

Well, it started off quite nicely, good tone on the opening note, I thought you could be a bit more expressive going larger leaps in the RH, in this piece the RH is an imitation of a vocal line that a singer would sing. So it's importaint to really make those large leaps expressive. (my own teacher told me this years ago)

Your LH was mainly quite good, it stayed quiet throughout, and that's what you want with this piece so great work on that, also the notes were pretty clean.

Now, next is the RH ornimentation. I'd say out of the whole piece, this is your weakest area right now. The opening turn at the start of the piece was to "blurry" the notes weren't easy to seperate with your ears. You want to make each notes dramatize the passage, you'll get a much nicer effect! I should still say that you still pulled everything off quite good! I'm only saying this to give you idea's on how you can improve

Ok, also when hitting base notes in the bottom regester, you need to let back on the pedal more to take away the blur that will happen. an example is at 0:31 and another at 2:30

Always try to play all the "quick" ornamented parts lightly and freely. Sometimes they sounded slightly sluggish and heavy, or they extended past the beat they should have been played for. If you can do that, it'll make it sound even cleaner

Next up is teh passage at 2:50. This is near the end of the piece, when the piece is widing down to the end and transitioning into a long extended coda. I thought it was much too quick and rushed sounding. Try relaxing here and just letting a sense of peace and elegance come over you I think it'll make it sound better. (on a side note, this is just my personal preference, but to add in a special effect I play the first few notes at the top of this staccato and light) More shaping to the final note would help. You want to make everyone listening to the song want to hear that last note you will play to finish the phrase. Make them BEG to hear it. That'll give them more satisfaction. After all we can't give up that wonderful note TOO easily can we?


(3:23 was SOOOO GOOD! PERFECT!! don't change a thing!)

Now, around 3:46 when the octaves start i'm not sure if you see it in your score but in mine there is a "stretto" above the RH with the octaves. This means that the octaves should have a "tight" or disjointed feeling, they shouldn't be played smooth and even. It's to build tension and excitement. You can slightly alter the tempo by speeding it up and slowing it down. It'll make it so much more enjoyable!! The current way you played it was very flat and emotionless. The rest of the piece has so much emotion flowing it it. So you definitely need to work on this part to voice the notes and give them a crisp line!

Here's the definition for stretto if you're wondering

• stretto – tight, narrow; i.e., faster or hastening ahead; also, a passage in a fugue in which the contrapuntal texture is denser, with close overlapping entries of the subject in different voices; by extension, similar closely imitative passages in other compositions

K, the way you built up after the octaves was WONDERFUL! no problems there. but you have a counting error on the notes ending into the final cadence, (4:00) in the score you play a total of 13 Cb's but I counted between 16-18 that you played. It still sounds nice how you did it, but you need to show you can have the control to play how it's written (hehe sometimes I add in extra of them to, I might being a little harsh, but some examiners would make a big deal about it so i thought i'd mention it to you)

annnd! nice ending! good job!

phew!!! Ok, so I know I said a lot of mistakes, but really it was quite good, I just wanted to give you ideas! I know you would probably play this even better on a Grand piano You've made really good progress! In less than a year you're already playing chopin! (wowzers!!! eyes pop out of skull)

anyway now that you're at such a higher level, the things i talk about are going to be less and less noticable, because you're working on smaller things. Overall it was great, but there was counting errors, over pedaling and "cloudy" ornmintation.

So I'd say I've heard this played better by professional pianists and others as well. keep practising it, because now is the time when you're going to learn more things from it. Use this piece to develop easier and crisp trills and turns, and even more precise use of pedal.

Overal mark: 82

Good work! keep it up! This is a fairly harder piece so the fact that you're playing it now is great!

Hopefully you don't take what I said the wrong way. if I didn't care I wouldn't have spent 45 minutes writing this up for you!

pianohama wrote:
very good. Since youve got so much better I think you should have some harder critic, so you can become better, heres what I think:

I thought the tempo was a liiittle bit choppy at some of the difficult spots,
the dynamics and pedaling was great though.

Hehe, I disagree though I have gotten a 96% from a Norwegian music-professor on the tempo and how I use rubato. This isnt a piece where you just play in one tempo from start to beginning. I actually got a 94% based on how I play technically, and he was especially satisfied with the harder parts. But you are of course entitled to an opinion on the subject

Thomandy wrote:

pianohama wrote:
very good. Since youve got so much better I think you should have some harder critic, so you can become better, heres what I think:

I thought the tempo was a liiittle bit choppy at some of the difficult spots,
the dynamics and pedaling was great though.

Hehe, I disagree though I have gotten a 96% from a Norwegian music-professor on the tempo and how I use rubato. This isnt a piece where you just play in one tempo from start to beginning. I actually got a 94% based on how I play technically, and he was especially satisfied with the harder parts. But you are of course entitled to an opinion on the subject

Well I think you misunderstood, I never claimed that the tempo was wrong, what I meant was some of the notes was abit choppy, and not as smooth as it could have been. Also 96% is very good, and I also said that the piece was good but what I was trying to say is how you can get those 4 last percent..

Hi I have read it all now And I appreciate it of course Im a little unsure now though, cause I got a review from a Norwegian professor today, since I have talked to him through this entire process from I started learning this piece, and he has specialized in Chopin and he gives me an overall Mark on 93%. He was the one that introduced me to Rubensteins Interpretation. And his exact words was that; This would sound like an Early Rubinstein playing this piece.

I have actually worked on Lowering the R.H melody! Since I dont like it when the melody is to loud. I can play it louder and accent where I want to ect, but playing a little softer is my interpretation actually. I could create an audio for you if you want to for the first bars or so, with different settings on the piano, and play as you want me to I am pretty sure I can do that since I feel I have played this piece so much that I can interpretate Exactly the way I want it

And about the final cadenc I usually play 13 repeats and can controll how many and how fast ill play. In this performance I play 15of them. But I worked the last 2 days one playing this EXACTLY like Rubinstein, and there are Exactly as many notes as he got!!! Look at the sheet-video made to his performance. They are identical in both notes and speed! Ex You got 18repetitions on this same 4finger-trill.thing in your performance =)

It might be the audio-quality getting a little in the way when it comes to trills and turns ect, but I mentioned that in the descriptionbox at the video. They dosnt sound like that when I play it. I really wish I had better Rec-Equipment. I dont think my piano and rec-equipment do these types of pieces justice. So when I get a grand and a Great mic Ill promise it will be a lot better

About the octave thing: Ahhh, I dont got that in my sheets... But Ill work on that, cause I havent thought about that at all Thanks!!!

About the Pedal: Yeah, I agree I have a tendency to let it got a little to far, creating this Stop in the music, so I feel im holding it a little to much to avoid this. But This is a Great piece do develop this skill

But of course, even though I actually disagree on some things, I appreciate of course every word that you wrote
What I have written abow is Not a defense really, but just me not really understanding everything, or rather a bit confused Especially since I got a higher review from a 52year old music professor from my hometown hehe

But if I do an audio of the first bars, and then you could say if you like that better?? Ill use different settings, so that the Audio isnt as blurry, but I feel its not as beautiful sound to the other settings


Im quoting my other post now:

Thomandy wrote:Andrew:

Here is is the sample.
I feel this is more how you mean I should play it?
If so let me know cause Im a little lost now thinking of your review, and I have used 1 month to get it to a place where I can play just the way I want it, fast, slow, different rubatos ect...

SAMPLE:
http://www.esnips.com/doc/c2ddf92c-ac6f-4d61-aaf0-4147b39f8259/Nocturne-op9no2-2

pianohama wrote:

Thomandy wrote:

pianohama wrote:
very good. Since youve got so much better I think you should have some harder critic, so you can become better, heres what I think:

I thought the tempo was a liiittle bit choppy at some of the difficult spots,
the dynamics and pedaling was great though.

Hehe, I disagree though I have gotten a 96% from a Norwegian music-professor on the tempo and how I use rubato. This isnt a piece where you just play in one tempo from start to beginning. I actually got a 94% based on how I play technically, and he was especially satisfied with the harder parts. But you are of course entitled to an opinion on the subject

Well I think you misunderstood, I never claimed that the tempo was wrong, what I meant was some of the notes was abit choppy, and not as smooth as it could have been. Also 96% is very good, and I also said that the piece was good but what I was trying to say is how you can get those 4 last percent..

Then I agree with you Sorry!!! Yeah, there is some choppyness some places
You are very right about that

Andrew:

Here is is the sample.
I feel this is more how you mean I should play it?
If so let me know cause Im a little lost now thinking of your review, and I have used 1 month to get it to a place where I can play just the way I want it, fast, slow, different rubatos ect...

SAMPLE:
http://www.esnips.com/doc/c2ddf92c-ac6f-4d61-aaf0-4147b39f8259/Nocturne-op9no2-2

Hey Thomas

I just can't stop wondering: how do you compose a rag? ^^
Hope you can explain that stuf!

Really nice nocturne by the way! Wow!

CripKilla wrote:Hey Thomas

I just can't stop wondering: how do you compose a rag? ^^
Hope you can explain that stuf!

Really nice nocturne by the way! Wow!

Hi Well, the short story(basic rules)

In a classical rag there are 4 themes. They should be different but at the same time feel like they are in the same piece.
There usually is a intro aswell.

Pattern: Intro AA BB A CC DD

Each theme should consist of 16 bars, where the 16th bar is slightly different on the repeat to lead into the next theme.
The C-Theme(section) usually goes to the Subdominant key. If its in C then the C-Theme would be in F and the you can either keep the F key in the D as well or go back to the normal key. Its up to you. You can also keep the whole piece in One key

Those are the basics


Thanks

Hey Thomas,

I think the difference is in how me and the professor mark. I would give a 95+ to someone who is a professional performer. I would rarely give out a 90 unless it was almost perfect in every way. 60's to a barely pass, just stumbling through the music. I give 70's to good clean yet not the greatest performances, 80's to great performances with all the right notes and smaller things to improve it. 90's to amazing performances that are practically BLEMISHLESS, like soo amazing your ears are singing.

The big things for me was the sometimes blurry pedal and the lack of Stretto on the last page. I think I would be able to give you a higher mark with better sound recording stuff, cause that might have been a problem. and a real piano would help to. So it might not be your fault XD

Either way, i still consider it a great performance with a few small things to work on. The rubato you used was fairly good too I think you could still play around with it slightly more though.

I hope that helps you understand better? 82 would be the lowest I would give it. The thing about Art is you're never finished, it can ALWAYS get better SO i didn't want to give you an awesome mark and let you think there's nothing left to work on I could also accept giving you a mark as high as 90 but, I think you could use more of your body when you play, your arms shoulders elbow look a bit ridgid

You're getting SO much better though, don't let my comments make you feel bad, i would NOT be saying this if i didn't think you were up to the challenge, i think you're getting to the late intermediate starting to approach advanced stage.

Thomandy wrote:Andrew:

Here is is the sample.
I feel this is more how you mean I should play it?
If so let me know cause Im a little lost now thinking of your review, and I have used 1 month to get it to a place where I can play just the way I want it, fast, slow, different rubatos ect...

SAMPLE:
http://www.esnips.com/doc/c2ddf92c-ac6f-4d61-aaf0-4147b39f8259/Nocturne-op9no2-2

That's more like it getting there, but when i'm listening to it, i'm trying to forget who's playing. Pretend i don't know that person. Now listening to how they play would i put them at an intermediate or advanced level? I keep hearing small things that point to intermediate starting into advanced. Thing is though, you're amazing cause if i had to have guessed i would have said that person playing has played for 7-8 years so you're doing an amazing job. The ornamentation sound to sluggish and labored also to heavy. You're close though, keep working at it, soon i'm sure you'll start to get it. I wish I was there, I could show you what I mean.

Anyway i gotta go! cya!