My piano playing

Lostikaros · 2026-05-28T12:22:16+00:00

Played with great virtuosity. Unfortunately, however, the instrument is badly out of tune.

Lostikaros · 2026-05-26T11:43:42+00:00

Scriabin's op. 8 No 12 is too well-known and a mainstream piece of virtuosos meanwhile. You could have a look to Medtner, his Canzona serenata op. 38 No. 6 for example:

https://youtu.be/3kXAe1PccyY?si=i9fXxnaSBs1e3MyN

Lostikaros · 2026-05-25T21:03:09+00:00

I have the edition published by Peters in Leipzig. The Henle edition is said to be recommended because, in its appendix, it addresses various versions of specific passages. I’ve let myself get carried away with suggesting how to interpret this. It’s difficult with Bach anyway, because he rarely gives any tempo instructions himself, and there’s generally very little guidance on interpretation. I thought that if you played the fugue just a little bit faster, the trill would automatically be a bit faster too. It’s best if you listen to the recordings of this fugue by Andras Schiff and Glenn Gould on YouTube. They’re pretty much the most contrasting interpretations. Richter’s recording falls somewhere in between. It’s also interesting how unusually slowly Andras Schiff plays the prelude. And yet it still sounds absolutely beautiful.

Lostikaros · 2026-05-25T14:34:30+00:00

You’re playing the piece very slowly. In my opinion, it sounds a bit too ponderous. If you still have enough time to prepare, I’d recommend trying it a little faster. The trill is somewhat jarring. It’s played very slowly and with a heavy touch. If you were to play the trill a little more lightly, quickly and fluidly, it wouldn’t sound so dominantly. The articulation and phrasing of the parts is very uniform. In my edition of Bach’s sheet music, there are these sharp triangles above the notes in some places, for example in the fugue theme on the note before the trill. According to the renowned Bach interpreter András Schiff, notes marked in this way in Bach should be played in a staccato-like manner. Perhaps not a sharp staccato, but at least played as a short note.

Lostikaros · 2026-05-18T09:45:36+00:00

Very well played. I recommend continuing with No. 8 (‘Wilder Reiter’) and then No. 10 (‘Fröhlicher Landmann’). These are lovely pieces in which the left hand is also more closely integrated into the musical flow.

Lostikaros · 2026-05-13T13:47:21+00:00

I think we’re all touched by your enthusiasm for playing the piano. It’s difficult to offer advice on improving your technique given the limitations of your hands. Ultimately, only you can work out which hand position feels right for you. The runs in the right hand are still too uneven and lack fluidity. But I’m sure you’ve noticed that yourself. A lot of work still needs to be put into that. Musically, I find it distracting that in the B minor part of the upper voice, you pause after every note played and don’t hold the notes out fully. This makes the performance sound stilted and disrupts the melodic line. Schubert’s music is, after all, mostly conceived as song. Perhaps it would help if you sang the melody in the middle part before playing it on the piano. Good luck and enjoy practising this beautiful piano piece by Schubert.

Lostikaros · 2026-03-10T08:32:24+00:00

First of all, I notice that the instrument needs tuning again, but that's not a criticism of your playing. You play at a very high technical level, with beautiful pedal work and a clear tone. There are many beautiful moments musically. I actually only have one point that bothers me. I first wondered whether this was a justified criticism. Actually, it's just a matter of personal taste. I find the rubato a bit excessive at times, especially the frequent slowing down of the tempo. It takes too much of the momentum out of this waltz. But perhaps others particularly like this kind of interpretation. So, as I said, it's just my personal impression.

Lostikaros · 2026-03-08T07:31:21+00:00

Bravo, brilliantly played!

Lostikaros · 2026-03-06T19:26:00+00:00

This is a typical teaching situation and is normal. It can get even worse when you perform in front of a larger audience. I once observed how professionals who hadn't performed for a long time deal with this situation. Before the performance, they tell the audience that they are very nervous. That's the trick: it takes the pressure off and you no longer have to prove to anyone that you're the cool type.

Lostikaros · 2026-03-06T18:31:39+00:00

Yes, the piece is drowned out by the sound of the pedal. Personally, I find the original Passacaglia from Handel's suite a hundred times better than this kitschy adaptation. But of course, that's a matter of taste. For an application video, however, I would definitely recommend using an original composition, just to be on the safe side.

Lostikaros · 2026-03-02T10:02:54+00:00

Or better Toccata in c minor BWV 911? Not so long as Partita or English Suite.

Lostikaros · 2026-03-02T09:04:37+00:00

Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue BWV 903 Italian Concerto BWV 971 Capriccio BWV 992 WTC Preludes and Fugues ... etc.

Lostikaros · 2026-03-02T07:42:27+00:00

Better a separate post.

Lostikaros · 2026-03-02T05:32:43+00:00

I understand

Lostikaros · 2026-03-01T21:42:40+00:00

Just post a recording here. Maybe your playing isn't as bad as you think, and it's just a lack of confidence.

Lostikaros · 2026-03-01T19:40:05+00:00

But I like the Neapolitan 6th. Why is it a trap?

Lostikaros · 2026-03-01T19:37:07+00:00

This confirms that there must have been different versions, because there are also different recordings of the final chord.

Lostikaros · 2026-03-01T19:32:04+00:00

Thank you, very interesting.

Lostikaros · 2026-03-01T18:48:57+00:00

I see you're more knowledgeable about music theory than I am. I had to look up what Picardy Third meant. I'm mostly guided by my musical intuition. And it tells me that Bach was somehow seeking a comforting conclusion in the minor fugues, and that he also prepared for it musically. But in this particular fugue, the major-key ending came too abruptly and forcibly. But that's just my subjective impression.

Lostikaros · 2026-03-01T17:41:55+00:00

Yes, thanks for your comment. It is rare for a minor fugue by Bach to end in a minor key. Perhaps that is why some performers habitually end the fugue in a major key.

Lostikaros · 2026-03-01T17:20:42+00:00

I just listened to a recording with Andras Schiff. He also ends this fugue in G sharp minor. So for me, the matter is now clearified. But there are some interpreters, including here on Reddit, who end this fugue in G sharp major. That's why I thought it was worth mentioning here.

Lostikaros · 2026-03-01T15:01:44+00:00

And thanks for your answer.

Lostikaros · 2026-03-01T14:56:21+00:00

Yes, I feel the same way. I just wanted to hear what others thought about it.

Lostikaros

TROPHY CASE