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Re: Mozart Concerto performance (correct link)

Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2014-11-20 03:24

Hi Eduardo:

I'm kind of sad and suprised that nobody's yet taken the time to listen to you and comment, so I did.

I'm not a professional, and at the peak of my playing ability I played just slightly better than this, and at a later age than you. So understand that some of my suggestions are things I should probably internalize, as much as pass along to you.

Let me talk about what I liked. Although it's hard to judge in a room like the one you played in, where sound bounces off of everything, and recordings can be deceiving, nonetheless, I really enjoyed your tone and ability to keep in tune. Playing the Mozart in its entirety is itself hard enough, where good technique can flounder in the face of exhaustion. With this said, let me also point out some concerns I have as well. As you read them, don't forget, I thought this was a wonderful performance. You're not ready for the principal chair in a leading orchestra yet, but I know how much work went into making what you did possible, and I want to acknowledge that.

Rounded fingers are a means to an end: great playing. Some great players don't/didn't have them, and plenty of lousy players do. But I would like to see that right hand up close while you play. I don't care that you keep those fingers flat like a board when not using the right hand for play, but if you're doing similar things when making right hand notes, I am concerned that you're going to work harder to get to and from the right hand trills keys as a result. It was hard to see if you were.

During the first movement in particular, some of the 16th note passages got slightly off meter. I'd take them back to the metronome, at slower speed, develop eveness, and then up the metronome 1 beat per minute at a time until you can do those passages "in your sleep" faster, and in tempo, than the movement's pace calls for. I am though not blind to the idea that your meter may have been thrown off by the conductor or orchestra. An example was at 3:04.

Eduardo, to say that this was played at one level of volume would be so gross an exagerration that it would be a lie. I clearly recall differences in volume where they were suppose to be. But there is room to make this piece more your own in the area of greater degrees of you alternating the volume.

I'm not saying you didn't individualize yourself. You certainly did in many embelishments you added to the basic notes on the page. I'm saying that through more volume dynamics you will demonstrate greater command of the instrument. People have said that the late great Harold Wright was such a great player because he had mastered all the technical aspects of play, and could focus on the artistry.

I loved how you weren't shy about taking the stacato road on the 3rd movement, and did such a good job at it.

Not to get all "touchy feely," but one useful way I learned to turn a piece into my own was to sit down with the music and envision it a soundtrack to some action. When you listen, what do you see in your head? For example, when playing the group of 6 eighth notes in the 3rd movement I sometimes see to kids playing tag. In the clarinet closing of the 1st I see the King offering his final decree on a matter of conversation dicussion repeatedly through the repetition of musical theme. Paint your own picture and then play that. Tell more of a story with your play.

(Apologies in advance if your're saying to yourself right now, "you don't know how hard I worked on individualizing the work!" Nothing's quite as frustrating as your teacher critiquing the one thing you thought you worked so hard on since the prior lesson.)

So take only what's useful of my comments here, forget the rest, and know that someone else could have an entirely different take.

All the best wishes. You are a fine player!

DDJ

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