Ravel: Jeux d'eau / 水の戯れ

[RAD37458September612]

単にbeautiful

[pedi007]

Great piece and you played it very well. I wish i could do that

[Bleucel]

ものすごく綺麗な音色で感動しました！

[syusei225]

手が大きいっていいですねぇ。楽にひけてそうですｗ

すばらしかったです。

[PianoHero101]

What exactly constitutes a "hobby" player than if a "hobby" player can play Ravel semi-successfully?

[wevil770]

Lol.. epic fail at 3:35

[looney1023]

@wevil770

How so?

[jonprak]

I thought that this was a beautiful interpretation :D You also have a very nice piano! What kind is it?

[wamadeus]

awesome!!! u r amateur??

[bs2k6]

too fast , u dont play every notes .

[jcrogers14]

Awesome!!! :)

[Alucinoria]

You did a great job!

I managed only halfway through. xD

[emilyeatssocks]

AHHH! haha holy crap you play fast! that is sooo tight! I WISH I COULD PLAY LIKE YOU

[jamkablam]

you play well! i just hate seeing a piano player in shorts and without slippers or shoes hehe

[anohana]

hmm... are many people offended by my outfits? I'd wear properly if I'd play on the stage, but this one is supposed to be a casual recording at home. But you're the second one pointing it out, so if it bothers many people, I'll consider better.

btw, I usually practice even without shirts :-) It's that hot here in Hawaii.

[jamkablam]

oh you're from hawaii? cool! you really play well. how do you practice? do you read both g and f clefs at the same time or do you practice one hand at a time? i want to try learning jeux d'eau but i don't think i can finish it especially during the confusing parts! :)

[anohana]

I'm really bad at sight-playing. If the piece isn't slow enough, I usually start with one hand, slowly, until I remember most of the piece.

One thing I found effective to memorize at the beginning is using recording feature of a digital piano. Record right hand slowly. Then play left hand with the playback. With this you can increase speed of playback once you get familiar with the piece. (Though I only use a digital piano for this kind of exercise or exercise at night)

[insertoriginaluser]

Yep, you definitely need to work on refining your technique before tackling this monster.

Volume control was horrible. The dynamics make half the piece. Your fingers lack dexterity- some notes were mashed up. Tempo could be less rushed in the opening. Yes, that's right, you can slow it down a little.

But good effort. Would love to see you tackle this piece again if your technique has improved over these 3 years.

[anohana]

Thanks for the comment.  Do you have any suggestions to improve both dexterity and control?

[insertoriginaluser]

For every full-speed playthrough of this, practice 5 times REALLY SLOW.

Speed is not attained by "I PLAY THIS PIECE AS FAST AS I CAN AS MANY TIMES AS I CAN", it comes naturally when your fingers are coordinated. The key is to play it slow, to let your fingers learn not to mash up the notes and control the volume. Better slow-mo than making 984023 mistakes when you play fast every single time. This philosophy/method works like a dream for any fast piece I learn.

Good luck. :D

[anohana]

Hm, for every piece I start from slow tempo and gradually increase the speed, but the limit where I start losing the accuracy doesn't seem to improve even if I work on a piece for years. I almost think it is just as far as I can reach with the time I can afford as a hobby player (up to 1hr/day). But I might not have been patient enough. Really slow, 5 times, then full-speed, and repeat from the slow, that's what you mean, right? Now I'm working on Chopin's studies, I'm going to try that.

[anohana]

Today I followed your advice, and I realized I hadn't been slow enough. Slow-motion requires a lot more concentration than just playing through in the comfortable speed... But I feel it is already working. Thank you!

[insertoriginaluser]

Happy to help. :D

[jilmjones]

haha... i read the disclaimer: "A hobby player recklessly tries" then i read "Volume control was horrible. The dynamics make half the piece. Your fingers lack dexterity- some notes were mashed up" and rolled my eyes

[insertoriginaluser]

I'm sorry for pointing out his shortcomings so that he can work on them and thus improve.

I mean really, who doesn't want to improve?

[anohana]

To insertoriginaluser: *I* appreciate your advice, and I'm sure some of the readers of your comments do as well. That's what matters. I won't ever be able to play well enough, but still I like to improve.

[insertoriginaluser]

If only everyone had your great attitude. :D

[jilmjones]

no prob..i misinterpreted it. i'm a hobby player too and read that and had a vision of a teacher slapping their student's hand with a ruler at every mistake. haha.. sorry

[marioman60]

Woww, for someone who's just a hobby pianist this is great!!! :-D there is a lot of good stuff in here...

[korotan358]

この曲本当に大好きです。

あなた様の演奏はとてもいい。

これからも見させていただきます。

[girl8wanye]

The interpretation of this was quite well in some parts but I felt that the image still doesn't come across quite clearly. Nonetheless, it was well-played but I felt that you could have done better and put a little more vision into the music.

Ravel's compositions often make me feel slightly light-headed, as they come across quite heavily but really dull in some parts. I felt that you played much better in the middle-end parts.

[anohana]

You're right; I didn't have enough mental capacity to care about images---too busy following the music.  I feel I need more solid technical foundation. But well, I play for fun, and an amateur can be reckless to reach too far...

Thank you for the comment anyway. Such concrete feedback is very helpful, much more than I had expected before posting this.

[maternalheart66]

Do you mean to say that ravels music itself is dull? Or that most interpretations are dull?

[girl8wanye]

Nah, I meant that the hitting of the key is soft - a dull thud. I din't mean dull as in mundane or boring.

[jamesmcguirk7]

君はすごいうまいよ！

僕はせっかくこの曲を弾いてみたけど、これほど上手に弾けない！

お疲れ様です！

[momochot]

anyone know where can i find this piece but in a slower tempo !?!!

[shakuganoPacifica]

i wish i could play this. i downloaded the music sheet.........and it looks impossible!! for me anyway.. XD

[yourforte]

You play this very well.

[noriyukiokada]

Beautiful.

[jessdog9001]

Beautiful! I envy your technique! You make it sound very smooth and effortless.

[Numerle]

wow that looks amazingly difficult. its dancing water!!! lol. great playing.

[ELYS501]

うまい。

アルゲリッチが弾くの水の戯れ聴いてきた後だけど下手くそに聞こ­えない

すごい。

これからも頑張ってください

[Futumch]

Solid technique. The interpretation reminds me of Argerich, especially the rubato and tempo changes.

The shaping of the RH melody can be a little static in terms of dynamics and rubato, e.g. 1:07++. The counterpoint melody (4:20) can also sometimes be overbearing too. Bring out the top line more!

[anohana]

Thanks for useful advice. I'll incorporate it.

[LeenaDea]

This piece is so beautiful, like a charm or a extrange dream, Im learning piano and hope someday will play that well in technique.

[MrNerull]

amazing...

[anohana]

sorry for that. in the related videos section you can find superb performances, so please watch them to save your day.

[aubtn607]

確かにテンポの指定はかなり速いですが、私は遅めに弾いた方がよ­り響きの美しさが際立つと思います。冒頭部分の響きを、一音ずつ­かみしめるようにして味わうといいですよ。

[loltheworld]

Good god, amazing interpretation. I always thought it was difficult to put emotion in this piece because of all the moving around and technicality but you do it so well.

[yoshiyoshi13jp]

目を閉じて聞いていると本当に水の情景が伝わってきます。

難解な曲なのにブラボーです。

[korotan358]

この曲大好き！素晴らしい！

[mikezzzaaa3]

very good. Already better than Richter. Sounds like you can get to that beautiful watery mood of Argerich. Only bit I did not like was that dry bit at 2:09

But brilliant

[anohana]

'at 2:09' you mean the ornamental scale at the end of bar 37? (a#-b-c#-d-f#-g-...), or the melodic phrase from bar 38?

I like that scale stand out in light tone, not to blend into bar 38 but more like a sound cue with which the camera shifts from a place to another; so I like to keep them sans pedal, but I admit this version they sound rather brittle. And after 38... oh gosh I gotta work hard to make the melody flow. There's so much in this music to dig. Anyway I keep your advice in mind.

[SunbeamDropplets]

Well done on your performance, but I would suggest to keep the tempo even, not adjust to different passages as to how you can play them(the final tempo does have to be faster, quaver=144, there is a video of Richter on here, he plays it exactly 144).Also with the 2:09 passage, Ravel marked it "rapido" with pedal, so he does want it gliss-like not detached. Overall try to think more flowing, look at the broad phrases, it is water after all, it's forever continuing, never stopping.But good on you!

[anohana]

Sunbeam, do you have recommendation on the edition of the score? I have Belwin Mills' and Dover's editions for this piece, but both don't have marking of pedal at all in that bar. I once saw an edition by Perlemuter which had very detailed notes; I didn't buy it then but maybe I should've.

[SunbeamDropplets]

Hi,sorry about delayed reply.I cant really give edition recomendations because I managed to get a really detailed one from a friend which was a photocopy, so I dont know whose edition it is,sorry! But I can say that that passage had pedal and "rapido" written, so I think it has to have the feeling of a gliss.

[anohana]

Thank you for the info. I'll adjust my play accordingly.

[SunbeamDropplets]

I do hope you were joking or sarcastic or OVER,OVER,OVER exaggerating with your comment "Already better than Richter." because otherwise it shows utter incompetence of understanding and hearing actual real musical genius. To even compare to Richter let alone praise someone to be better is either complete lack of any knowledge or just cheap flattery. It was a nice performance with several good moments, but things like that should not be said.

[mikezzzaaa3]

Sunbeam, please do not get your knickers in a twist. Perhaps I exaggerated a bit but there was an element of the "feel good factor" in this performance. Whereas I felt the Richter was too technical. Unlike you, when I buy my CDs I do not check that the pianist is famous before purchasing the CD.- I judge purely on the quality of the playing whoever is playing. Your preference to oly listen to famous performers is a form of ignorance itself.

[SunbeamDropplets]

Oh yes the level of famousy is defintely the sole factor in my CD choosing!Hahaha,no I dont prefer Richers playing bcause he's famous,I admire him because he's a great, remarkable musician.Thats indeed why he became famous in the 1st place.Being of such a high level,it's almost certain that all his performances would be wothwhile to listen to,even if there are some debatable aspects.His performance wasnt technical,because at his level technique doesnt exist as such, it's part of the music.

[mikezzzaaa3]

I don't believe that because Richter is famous,most of his recordings of the Beethoven sonatas must be "worthwhile".Example: I prefer Michaelangeli in C maj Op 27, Brendel's Hammerklavier, John Lill's Op111 and Gould's Tempest. Also, Brautigam's  Gesange der Fruehe, Istvan Szekely's Chopin etudes, Imogen Cooper's Schumann Humoreske .Taking a top performers playing of big amounts repertoire as "Gospel" is a form of "passive acceptance" of their average playing Often, lesser known do better.

[20009325]

i actually really like you interpatation but keep it alittle slower and before close your eyes and imagine what ravels poem said

"the water g-d is tickeld by the flowing water" or what ever it sais :) keep it slow and flowing. really put expression into it- like try to totally put alot of expression (not in dynamics so much) but totally overdo it once and see what happens. your very lucky to e able to play this piece.

try listening to jean-yves thibideut (sp?) interp.

[anohana]

Thanks for the advice. Yes, I'll try!

[dudette1989]

sugoi! xD hobby pianist my ass. that was pretty good

[lishie123]

Well I think you've done a good job on this, considering you're a hobby pianist! excellent work!

[talltalestold]

Really fluent. Cool, but i think the piano tone is too thin. It sounds chinky... like tin cans.

[lovesGenet]

I'm always mystified when people call music songs.Gaspard or hammerklavier..a song.Funny.Worse is this idea of music as graded difficulty. Please .wht is this.Schoenberg op.11 looks easy but it aint .Chopin etudes r not difficult once u know.but to make music...that is the impossibility .Jeu d'eaux is transparent but how to set these moods and relate them .u gott abe musical.ANYBODY CAN MOVE THEIR FINGERS and push a pedal!

[Trimen1000]

This one is hard. I play it. I don't hear any water. The notes are good, a little too much use of rubato (Ravel was more classical oriented with tempo), but I don't hear anything that sounds like water. That's the big problem. Proper use of articulation could help, I heard no good portato, quasi-legato-portato, or tenuto, even in places that portato is clearly marked in the score.

[anohana]

Thanks! That's a very good advice. At this moment I was pretty much occupied by just following the notes and didn't care much of expressions.

Now I'm getting back my practice time little by little. Mostly working on etudes. Eventually I'd like to try this piece again.

[Trimen1000]

I may be putting up piano tutorials on some of the important non-basic (not beginner) but basic (necessary as a basis of playing piano) piano techniques and my own methods of practice. Watch for them in the future. I may start learning this one again (last time was kinda half way(I decided to not major in piano ) I was in the middle of learning it when this happened).

[Rach3Freak105]

I don't really agree with that, I'm not saying it's an easy piece by any means, but there are tons more that are harder than this.

[nowaygilbert]

this is one of the hardest songs to play on piano in the world. there's approximately 15 songs harder than this. well played

[georgecziffra]

Really? Then maybe I should hold off on this one...

[coaster1000]

Take it easy, it is very hard, oh yes, but, it's not one of the hardest pieces in the world. I am in totally agreement with Rach3Freak105

[yenihrmn]

指が滑っていますよ。

裸足でペダリング？

調律を覚えましょう。

[anohana]

アドバイスありがとう。

子供がもう少し大きくなって手がかからなくなったら再挑戦します­。

調律もちゃんとして。

[shentri]

How hard is this piece?

[coaster1000]

Very hard... Not even close to be as hard as Gaspard de la Nuit, but it is pretty hard. An 7 or 8/10

[mattdabrat424]

nice job! my friend who is just graduating from high school played this piece flawlessly - she evoked so much emotion from the audience; i can't even believe it...

[DubplateKilla]

You can either play this piece properly, or dont play it at all.

[klavissimo]

Why don't you show us,how do YOU play it?

[mgiljum]

agreed. and i belive that this person played it properly so has she pleased you, god?

[ibclappin]

it's almost music, and of course, a great accomplishment in your part. good job.

[Tomoliena]

umaidesune!!! I am learning this piece. It's really hard ,,,

[tompilk]

excellent. well played.

[yocoolio333]

hisashiburidesu =D. hanbun kurai hikeru youni narimashita. 45, 46, 47 shousetsu wa muzukashi no de renshuu chuu desu. demo watashi wa 48+ shousetsu wo ima renshuu shiteimasu. jya mata commento wo shimasu kara anata mo ganbatte ne! =D zembu hikeru youni nattara watashi mo youtube ni nosetaidesu. =D

[jannokas85]

it doesn't seem reckless at all! Rather sensible playing! Bravo!

[daviethedrummer]

Incredible acheivement. You're not a concert pianist so people shouldn't judge this performance as if you were. I really enjoyed it! :)

[anohana]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I'd like to polish this up more, maybe in a few years...

[yocoolio333]

commento wo arigatou gozaimasu. Hikeru youni nattara, matta commento wo kakimasu =D. Shindo wo chotto yondemitai desu. New York no Book Off de sagashite mimasu.

[yocoolio333]

watashi wa yonen mae kara piano wo naratteimasu. kondo kono kiyoku wo renshuu suru koto ni narimashita. muzukashi keredo ganbarimasu. =D

[anohana]

Only four years and plays Jeux d'eau? That's pretty good! I've been playing this piece for almost 20 years (well, on and off... there have been lots of "off" periods, actually.)

[yocoolio333]

this is really good, i really enjoyed it =D thanks for posting u give hope to hobby players =D. I can't even imagine how Uta played this song without his/her middle finger.

[EllChupacabra]

I really enjoy this video. It has inspired me to try learning this piece. Very good!

[giorgina182]

Either way lionel it's better

[crowdmaker]

No need to be modest, my friend - this is an extremely difficult piece and it is no small acheivement to have played it as well as you have. And as for expression, it was there. Just that you needed more technique to make your musical vision clearer. But very good job, and hats off.

[mrbiggs]

your tempo is not very steady, and your accuracy isn't 100%.

Enjoyable nonetheless :)

[dejavu19888]

you have absolute ear? , good if you do not have it because I understand that you it must be very arduous, I I have absolute ear as sides are a great advantage. but also I admit that cost work of removing it to me

[dejavu19888]

You have very good form to touch, your hands are to you very efficient, but in the expression when you study that work, it tries to emphasize the songs, them difference, its same one I title says to Jeux d'eau, you must give that effect, depths him. Sumergete in the work. I to touch it still do not record any video but as soon as the control does you. and daras tells you to which I talk about. and that work is very but very good, it continues practicing it. congratulations.

[anohana]

Although I don't follow you completely, I do admit the expression is rather dull. I still put most of my attentions merely to follow the notes... It's a long way to go.

[dejavu19888]

Expresion no tiene vida

[KlausNeumaier]

Thanks for posting - very well performed and a great help for all hobby players that want to learn this tune.

[anohana]

Thanks. I had a little summer break while my family was away and just gave a try. Curiously, I found it very helpful for a hobby player to record his/her own performance---even I don't have enough time to practice, I can repeatedly listen to the recordings, check what's wrong and what's in the right direction, and plan the next little practice time to use it efficiently.