Hi everybody! Sorry for the long hiatus over the summer. I had a chamber music album recording in June (updates will follow!), then vacation in July and now some time getting back into it all in August. Still working on my long-time repertoire list, 6 more to go after this and then we'll see what happens next. Also I'm trying out a new camera setup here, I kinda like it, what do you think?
I’m glad you came back. Your analysis as always are very illustrative and informative and inspiring us to go deep in the great classical music knowledge universe. Thank you very much.
Great, congratulations! Some suggestions to You and All who wish to practice these pieces. Bartók plays it like this: ua-cam.com/video/cW4AHmTzyMo/v-deo.html The collection sounds like this: ua-cam.com/video/MhCoDIiWtzw/v-deo.html Agogics in general: These songs have lyrics. They should not be played in that much "in tactus", but with more agogics and and "microrythm"! Just as if it would be sung. Rubato, sudden stops, strong accents, these nicely go here. You can give a hearing to the folk source, and practice these two together. E.g. by playing the melody only, trying to follow the rythm of the folk source. These melodies are much elaborated, so the pieces are different from what we hear in the recordings, but they are very good starting point to the microrythmic studies! You can also try to play EXACTLY how Bartók plays it. Then you can deviate it later, just give it a try first. Pedals in general: This is intended for an old style piano (Viennese early 20th century) that had a different pedal mechanism than today. Half pedal took the bass only, the right hand remained unpedaled! With a slight modification of the mechanism, you can get to the same function with modern pianos, too. 1st movement: First section: Microrytm! The short notes are gestures, and they should be played even more shortly than notated. Middle section - the 1/8 breaks must not be in the pedal. These musical gestures are separated. Staccatos at the end: must be separated, not in the pedal! 2nd mvt: too slow. Follow qu=144. It has some rubato, the first few notes are a bit slower ("held back") and then it runs. But it works only in faster tempo. Microrythm: after all 8x1/8 notes, the local tempo slowers a bit (kind of hearing the fading sounds). 4 bars before the the end: there is an unnoted stop. Repetition: Bartók played in octaves, not just an octave higher. It is kind of convention today, but not notated in the score. 3rd mvt: when the right hand goes higher, don't keep this in pedal. This two parts are separated here. Also separate these with agogics. 8 bars before the end: put the low notes in the left hand as melody in forth as well: 3 notes going down slowly. Than it repeats lower, and repeats again at the end. 4rd mvt: bu-chum or boo-choom (but short u-s). No k. Do not say i as well, "ci" is simply the "ch", just written like as is. Hungarian spelling "Bucsum" is also pronounced as bu -chum. The first notes (tenuto E) in the right hand should be very bright, projective and significant. Kind of: "E." "I am singing E." than maybe after a bit separation, the melody continues. So these notes are shinny, they have a beautiful presence. No "fade in" effect at all. In repetition as well. Piú espresso: the left hand can be more "sonoro", with an elaborated countermotiv. In reharmonisation, show the differences with agogics. (More "hearing", not that strict tactus.) Mvt 5: it should start with an accelerando: starting from the slow tempo of mvt 4, and in 1-2 bars, we accelerate up to the "polka" tempo. This is the function of the left hand figures here! The first base note is a tenuto. It needs to have more time, we want to be hearing it! Here we also have a countermelody in left hand, it can come much more forward. You are mostly playing the pedal that you see, but it is too much (as you noted correctly). The entire movement can go without any pedal and it's OK (more OK like that). Mvt 6: It is even faster, qu=155 or even faster. There are many "compound" "gesture-like" notes and decorations especially here, you should not play them as "notes in their own". Just kind of a gesture. Really not the individual notes are important, but the arcs, runs, sometimes the "noise". Try to exagerrate the "effects" when practicing. Then you can reduce a bit, but honestly, I find it quite difficult to give "too much" of these effects here. They are just essential, this is the spice of this movement, but it works only in the fast tempo. I just learned from this video how far the CE folk music is still from the classical repertoire. I, being risen here, always heard these in a unity, heard the Hungarian children's plays, gipsy yellings and the chanting of the drunken at late night in Haydn's music, and also, the echo of the classical resources in folk music, above the really ancient layers. I think what Bartók wanted with these, and with other "folk" pieces is to give this experiences and recognitions close to all musicians in the world! Good practice to everyone! ;)
Enjoyed your analysis. Just for your interest, the Pe Loc is indeed a stomping dance done in one spot i.e. you do not travel with it.. The reason it is quiet in Bartok's arrangement is that it is played on Kaval in the source material which is inherently a quiet peasant flute instrument. Here is how it is played and danced in the village : ua-cam.com/video/baYRLRCeP5E/v-deo.html,
Ah, I love Bartok! Currently obsessed with the Bagatelles...even the "easiest" ones can give even old pros an interpretive challenge! Then the hard ones give everyone a good challenge, no matter who you are! And your playing...every piece you play, every note you touch...just exquisite. I have thought that for a long time. I don't know what it is about your playing style, but everything you touch is just beyond outstanding. The most refined touch and playing I have ever heard. You are like one of the greatest pianists right now but relatively very, very few people know who you are! :(
Hi everybody!
Sorry for the long hiatus over the summer. I had a chamber music album recording in June (updates will follow!), then vacation in July and now some time getting back into it all in August.
Still working on my long-time repertoire list, 6 more to go after this and then we'll see what happens next. Also I'm trying out a new camera setup here, I kinda like it, what do you think?
Nice that you are back! I like the new camera set-up!
Very nice👍🏻
Looks very good my friend
@@hvewjp😊😊
So glad to see you! I have been waiting :)
I’m glad you came back. Your analysis as always are very illustrative and informative and inspiring us to go deep in the great classical music knowledge universe. Thank you very much.
Great, congratulations!
Some suggestions to You and All who wish to practice these pieces.
Bartók plays it like this:
ua-cam.com/video/cW4AHmTzyMo/v-deo.html
The collection sounds like this:
ua-cam.com/video/MhCoDIiWtzw/v-deo.html
Agogics in general:
These songs have lyrics. They should not be played in that much "in tactus", but with
more agogics and and "microrythm"! Just as if it would be sung. Rubato, sudden stops,
strong accents, these nicely go here. You can give a hearing to the folk source, and practice
these two together. E.g. by playing the melody only, trying to follow the rythm of
the folk source. These melodies are much elaborated, so the pieces are different from
what we hear in the recordings, but they are very good starting point to the microrythmic
studies!
You can also try to play EXACTLY how Bartók plays it. Then you can deviate it later,
just give it a try first.
Pedals in general: This is intended for an old style piano (Viennese early 20th century)
that had a different pedal mechanism than today. Half pedal took the bass only, the
right hand remained unpedaled! With a slight modification of the mechanism, you can
get to the same function with modern pianos, too.
1st movement:
First section: Microrytm! The short notes are gestures, and they should be played
even more shortly than notated.
Middle section - the 1/8 breaks must not be in the pedal. These musical gestures are separated.
Staccatos at the end: must be separated, not in the pedal!
2nd mvt: too slow. Follow qu=144.
It has some rubato, the first few notes are a bit slower ("held back") and then it runs. But it works
only in faster tempo.
Microrythm: after all 8x1/8 notes, the local tempo slowers a bit (kind of hearing the fading sounds).
4 bars before the the end: there is an unnoted stop.
Repetition: Bartók played in octaves, not just an octave higher. It is kind of convention today,
but not notated in the score.
3rd mvt: when the right hand goes higher, don't keep this in pedal. This two parts are
separated here. Also separate these with agogics.
8 bars before the end: put the low notes in the left hand as melody in forth as well: 3 notes going down slowly. Than it repeats lower, and repeats again at the end.
4rd mvt: bu-chum or boo-choom (but short u-s). No k. Do not say i as well, "ci" is simply the
"ch", just written like as is. Hungarian spelling "Bucsum" is also pronounced as bu -chum.
The first notes (tenuto E) in the right hand should be very bright, projective and significant. Kind of:
"E." "I am singing E." than maybe after a bit separation, the melody continues. So these
notes are shinny, they have a beautiful presence. No "fade in" effect at all. In repetition as well.
Piú espresso: the left hand can be more "sonoro", with an elaborated countermotiv.
In reharmonisation, show the differences with agogics. (More "hearing", not that strict tactus.)
Mvt 5: it should start with an accelerando: starting from the slow tempo of mvt 4, and in 1-2
bars, we accelerate up to the "polka" tempo. This is the function of the left hand figures
here! The first base note is a tenuto. It needs to have more time, we want to be hearing it!
Here we also have a countermelody in left hand, it can come much more forward.
You are mostly playing the pedal that you see, but it is too much (as you noted correctly).
The entire movement can go without any pedal and it's OK (more OK like that).
Mvt 6: It is even faster, qu=155 or even faster.
There are many "compound" "gesture-like" notes and decorations especially here, you should not play
them as "notes in their own". Just kind of a gesture. Really not the individual notes are important, but the arcs, runs, sometimes the "noise". Try to exagerrate the "effects" when practicing. Then you can reduce a bit, but honestly, I find it quite difficult to give "too much" of these effects here. They are just essential, this is the spice of this movement, but it works only in the fast tempo.
I just learned from this video how far the CE folk music is still from the classical repertoire. I, being risen here, always heard these in a unity, heard the Hungarian children's plays, gipsy yellings and the chanting of the drunken at late night in Haydn's music, and also, the echo of the classical resources in folk music, above the really ancient layers. I think what Bartók wanted with these, and with other "folk" pieces is to give this experiences and recognitions close to all musicians in the world!
Good practice to everyone! ;)
Enjoyed your analysis. Just for your interest, the Pe Loc is indeed a stomping dance done in one spot i.e. you do not travel with it.. The reason it is quiet in Bartok's arrangement is that it is played on Kaval in the source material which is inherently a quiet peasant flute instrument. Here is how it is played and danced in the village : ua-cam.com/video/baYRLRCeP5E/v-deo.html,
I love Bartok
Hi Henrik, I love your channel. Is there any chance you make some videos about Haydn piano sonatas?
hi! can you do a write-up or video on how you do your recordings? mic placement/type etc? this is so great
"in one spot" is in Turkish makam music called Nikriz btw. Thank you for that great explanation.
My son is playing them! Thank you for your insights. 🎉
Fantastic, I loved that vídeo!! Thank you for posting!! Nice Bartok and these folk themes!! Super nice greak scales, very well explaned!!❤❤👏👏
5:29
Ah, I love Bartok! Currently obsessed with the Bagatelles...even the "easiest" ones can give even old pros an interpretive challenge! Then the hard ones give everyone a good challenge, no matter who you are!
And your playing...every piece you play, every note you touch...just exquisite. I have thought that for a long time. I don't know what it is about your playing style, but everything you touch is just beyond outstanding. The most refined touch and playing I have ever heard. You are like one of the greatest pianists right now but relatively very, very few people know who you are! :(
I played this music many years ago and maybe it's time to try again. Thank you! 🎉
This was a blast to watch. Thank you!
So glad you're back....the Bartok tutorial is very helpful, as always.
Buttock
"Is it exotification or even r4cism to do that?" WHO CARES! Why even entertain such idiotic questions