Elegance, Style and Excitement
I’ve played Beethoven, Glinka, lots of Chopin and other composers, but I’ve never played Haydn until now! One thing I noticed about playing Haydn was his attention to detail. When I was playing this b minor sonata, if I missed any notes, articulation, or dynamic changes I felt like I messed up the entire piece.
If you’re thinking about playing this piece, I have a few tips to share: Don’t use too much pedal. Don’t speed up. Make a big difference between contrasting dynamics.
I found it helpful to explore a piece from a different musical era than Chopin since I frequently play romantic composers. I know that I gained a lot of valuable musical knowledge from playing this piece.
When I reviewed my completed video, I realized how similar my recording environment was to the elegant palaces that Haydn played in. I hope this setting adds to your listening experience.
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Hi Voice-team I’m not sure if this is only an issue on iPad, but I am unable to play the video file.
Me either. I can’t also play it with my laptop.
Hi Lotchie – Thanks! Please refresh your page – if you are on a PC click CTRL-F5 – and then try again. Are you able to play the video now?
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Hello, Voice team. I can play it now. Thanks for the help.
Hi Carrie – Thank you so much for bringing this issue to our attention 😀 Please refresh this page and you should be able to play the video on your iPad.
Beautiful lighthearted piece of music, very nicely played
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Thank you!
Well played Neil. I thought this piece had a lot of comical overtones, but then I have no musical talent.
Thank you for your comment. I appreciate that you listened to my piece!
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A big round of applause from me. You played it well. Good job, Neil.
I appreciate your positive feedback!
Thank you so much.
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Neil, you have exceptional talent. I play the piano a little bit but nothing like what you have accomplished here. Wow! I very much enjoyed this piece. Good tip about the pedal! Sometimes overuse of the pedal can take away from the clarity of the piece, but here you have executed each note beautifully. Your playing was perfectly precise, yet had the right amount of emotion and excellent use of dynamics. Well done!
Thank you for writing a nice note (pun intended)! I’m glad that you found the pedal tip useful.
You had me tapping my feet and wanting to dance, Neil. And you are so right about the setting. Wonderful, I enjoyed your playing immensely.
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Thank you, this is such a nice comment. I’m glad you loved my playing!
Neil, your title pulled me in – such a great description of the piece! I will always associate Haydn with Elegance and Style now. Your recording is impeccable – every note clear as a bell, especially the delicate ornaments. I love the setting with the high ceilings, the winding staircase and the beautiful grand piano. Haydn would feel right at home there. Congratulations on a great presentation!
Thank you Ms. Harris for taking the time to listen to my piece! I always appreciate your guidance in lessons. In the future I’ll always think about setting when recording pieces.
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Such a fun piece! I hope it was as enjoyable to learn as it was to hear.
Thank you, I enjoyed playing this piece!
So beautiful.
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Thanks!
This is such a fun piece that you played so well! I loved how much contrast and clarity you had in your interpretation. It sounded so elegant, which, like you noted, is exactly what the piece should be.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to my piece! I’m glad you noticed the contrast throughout my interpretation.
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Hello again Neil – I’m watching all the presentations once again and asking everyone about their recording setup. You somehow achieved a perfect sound quality – clear and resonant, every note a treat for the ears. What recording equipment did you use? If you used a phone, how did you set it up and did you use any special software? Any tips to everyone on getting the perfect sound? Next time you may want to try landscape view instead of portrait, and perhaps a little closer up? We’re all in the learning stages of creating incredible presentations. Be sure and check what others answer to these questions, in preparation for the next contest!
Bravo Neil on such a wonderful performance! I can tell that you have really spent a lot of time with this piece and thought about all of the details of the music. It sounds very light and musical. It’s interesting as although this is a piece by Haydn, It feels as though it is a Bach prelude, especially in the introduction. Bravo again!