Max Reger - Wie schön leucht' uns der Morgenstern, Op. 40, No. 1 (Teil II) - Maria Abrudan

[Bachlives2]

Well Done! Reger would be proud!

[Jamil501]

I don't think it is necessary to dissect a performance that really is exemplary of a very difficult work. No one is perfect - not even the composer.

[robertgift]

Very difficult work.

Fugue is perfectempo!

(4th note in subject is too long. Also metronome is needed in many places where rhythm is unsteady - likely due to difficulty. In some places, it sounds like notes get out of time with each other.)

Would sound much better and clearer in stereo.

Wish we could see Maria performing, or at least view other photos during the 10 minutes.

Practice this difficult work more and get it into shape. This is a good start.

[Fawkes9]

Thank you for your comment.

BUT we're in the postromantic period when the music must be played more freely.

[robertgift]

@Fawkes9 Yes. But don't let difficulty determine tempo.

"Freeness" can easily sound like unsteadiness due to difficulty.

I always use a metronome so that difficulty does not influence me.

"Metronome will set you free." R-Gift, 1974

[Bachlives2]

@robertgift I am wondering if you can play such a monumental work... Such as this one. Reger sepcifies bizzare tempo changes' Expression marks are everywhere. It is up to the performer to chose what they play!

[robertgift]

@Bachlives2 I learned this back in the late 1970s early 80s. I disregard the tempo markings. I believe Reger exaggerated them thinking no one will quite reach them and therefore made them more extreme. Same withexpression markings.

[Fawkes9]

@robertgift Oh brother... things have seriously changed since the late 1970s early 1980!

[robertgift]

@Fawkes9 Not for me. I'm still stuck in the 70s.

1770s.

I played this tempo withouthe fourth note too long, and NO 16' in the subject introduction. 16' doesn't belong. 8:30 we can't hear the wonderful pedal.

After 8:50 lags. Unsteady rhythm makes hearing the notes and perceiving the lines more difficult. Must be STEADY! At 9:32 I would have paused to create drama.

[Fawkes9]

@robertgift Hah... This is how YOU would play. Do you really expect everyone to pause at 9:32, to use the exact same stops like you, to play exactly like you? Take it as it is and just enjoy the music. This is youtube, after all. Not the place to dissect an interpretation into such little pieces :)

[robertgift]

@Fawkes9 I would expect others to feel the slight pause at 9:32 and express it. Some read through it until brought to their attention. Then it's, "Oh, yes. Good observation. Thanks."

YouTube can be a perfect place to learn and to critique. (Bad and Good)

(My own recordings reveal what I really did, not what I think I did.)

Often we just go along and do as we are told, without critical discernment/consideration.

This recording reveals why NOT to use a 16' in the beginning.

[Fawkes9]

@robertgift Oh, oh! Let's start "The YouTube University". I'm sure it's going to be the most popular ever, with you as the head of the whole thing, obviously.

I get it that you have a strong opinion, but as I said before, there are very many ways of playing a piece, especially a piece by Reger. Believing that your way is the only one viable shows that you are narrow-minded (this being the understatement of the year).

[robertgift]

@Fawkes9 U of You began began when I joined.

Yes, pieces can be played all kinds of ways.

Some much better than others.

Some people have played a certain way, some even playing (learned) wrong notes, until it was broughto their attention.

In Messian I played wrong notes until someone pointed them out.

Some have played Reger mechanically, until the dramatic pauses were brought to their attention. Then they say, "Oh, yes. Why did I not do that? Much better."

[Fawkes9]

@robertgift Have it your way.

[robertgift]

@Fawkes9 I do. I play it my way.

And many like it.

She needs to use a metronome. Her unsteady rhythm even lost me, and I play this fromemory. (Reger should be played only from memory.)

[Bachlives2]

@robertgift I wasn't saying go fast. The markings Reger used are to be done at half tempo. The Eighth note gets the beat on the metronome marking so if it says Allegro he means the 8th note gets Allegro not the quarter. All of Reger goes half the tempo the paper says. Later in his life Reger starting using the metronome the other way and his tempos seemed twice as slow but they were in fact the same... Things have changed since the 70s my friend!