SO this is the best interpretation of this deceptively simple sounding piece (which it isn't --- maybe not the Chopin 1st Scherzo but harder than most Mozart but with same transparency required. A good thing you do is you only do a moderate lean on the pick-up to the downbeat. Sometimes I hear pianist overexaggerate it or neglect it. Only suggestion needs some rebalancing some fo the upper registers are becoming a little sharp which though not too distracting still can be heard. Finally I think you get well the phrasing as the phrase and harmonic rhythm of the piece is quite ingenious. After introduce the the two bars of 4/4 and the feel of 8 quarter notes, the melodic start on beat 4 of 4/4 and falls on the less strong beat of the bar - beat 3. This presents Mendelssohn with opportunities to maintain a continuous momentum despite the piece landing firmly on the tonic and the harmonic language very typical for Late Classical Early Romantic music. There are also some subtle dissonances in the left hand -- the descending low tones forming a nice ninth in the bass heard two in the piece, some wonderful contrary motion and counterpoint. But really the linchpin to understand the phrasing is to study the last several bars where Mendelssohn has the low E fall on beat 3 and tied into the next bar (two half notes). This shift onto the less strong beat of 4/4 continues almost until the last 3 bars when the half note is tied to a quarter and we hear three quarters notes in the bass actually end the piece by asserting beat 1 of 4/4 in the final chord. In fact, the best phrasing of the melody I have heard (from you and others although they don't achieve that wonderful murmuring quality of the inner voices as well as you do). is the opening 4 notes should start strong with the upbeat, the downbeat dropping in volume, beat two a little louder to lead to beat three which is the softest (but never too soft except in a few spots). The hardest aspect of this piece is to maintain a legato when the right hand is playing inner voices and some pedaling and finger substitution is required --- but it isn't an excuse to take too slow a tempo which I have heard. Another challenge is to shade the left hand when the melody rests with the idea of giving a chamber orchestra effect of the accompaniment coloring the sustained melody line - something that is nto easy to do. If this is not done, one risks the piece sounding quite square. Anyway you achieve these thing and the only I would do differently is the lift before the final chord, your instinct is correct but I think it could be less that is all -- I imagine the piece as the wind on the surface of pond slowly ceases and the water surface becomes completely still, achieving the solace the entire piece seems to quietly desire during its introspections.
You play it enviably well! beautiful phrasing.
Lovely top note phrasing!
Mendelssohn moet een gelukkig mens zijn geweest. Dat hoor je in al zijn muziek.
That's how falling in love feels like....
👏👏👏👏🎹🎹🎹🎹
SO this is the best interpretation of this deceptively simple sounding piece (which it isn't --- maybe not the Chopin 1st Scherzo but harder than most Mozart but with same transparency required. A good thing you do is you only do a moderate lean on the pick-up to the downbeat. Sometimes I hear pianist overexaggerate it or neglect it.
Only suggestion needs some rebalancing some fo the upper registers are becoming a little sharp which though not too distracting still can be heard.
Finally I think you get well the phrasing as the phrase and harmonic rhythm of the piece is quite ingenious. After introduce the the two bars of 4/4 and the feel of 8 quarter notes, the melodic start on beat 4 of 4/4 and falls on the less strong beat of the bar - beat 3. This presents Mendelssohn with opportunities to maintain a continuous momentum despite the piece landing firmly on the tonic and the harmonic language very typical for Late Classical Early Romantic music. There are also some subtle dissonances in the left hand -- the descending low tones forming a nice ninth in the bass heard two in the piece, some wonderful contrary motion and counterpoint. But really the linchpin to understand the phrasing is to study the last several bars where Mendelssohn has the low E fall on beat 3 and tied into the next bar (two half notes). This shift onto the less strong beat of 4/4 continues almost until the last 3 bars when the half note is tied to a quarter and we hear three quarters notes in the bass actually end the piece by asserting beat 1 of 4/4 in the final chord. In fact, the best phrasing of the melody I have heard (from you and others although they don't achieve that wonderful murmuring quality of the inner voices as well as you do). is the opening 4 notes should start strong with the upbeat, the downbeat dropping in volume, beat two a little louder to lead to beat three which is the softest (but never too soft except in a few spots).
The hardest aspect of this piece is to maintain a legato when the right hand is playing inner voices and some pedaling and finger substitution is required --- but it isn't an excuse to take too slow a tempo which I have heard. Another challenge is to shade the left hand when the melody rests with the idea of giving a chamber orchestra effect of the accompaniment coloring the sustained melody line - something that is nto easy to do. If this is not done, one risks the piece sounding quite square.
Anyway you achieve these thing and the only I would do differently is the lift before the final chord, your instinct is correct but I think it could be less that is all -- I imagine the piece as the wind on the surface of pond slowly ceases and the water surface becomes completely still, achieving the solace the entire piece seems to quietly desire during its introspections.