Performance by wouter79 from Recital #61 - 2021-02-15

• Performer: wouter79
• Location:
• Experience: >7years
• Composer: Heller, Stephen
• Piece: op.45 sailor's song (n.14) and sternness (n.12)
• Duration: 316
• Music Link: click to play
• Video Link:
• Music Source: sheet music, mostly memorized
• Instrument: Grotrian-Steinweg 189
• Recording Method: DPA4060, EMU0404, Jecklin Disk, Macbook Pro
• Info: I played several other etudes from Heller before. These are "preparations for the studies, op.16", I did not yet look into op.16 but it must be pretty advanced given this title. THe sailor song is of form AA', A' starts almost the same but but the ending is a bit different. This etude is about melody in octaves in the left hand, while the right hand plays soft chords in a higher register. I think I'm using pedal to slur the left hand melody, that seemed to work fine though I'm not sure if that was the idea. I like to play the end keeping the deep bass resonance dominating all four remaining measures even over the crescendo and decrescendo in the right hand. That requires very careful balancing of all the last notes to avoid squeezing out the resonance drone. Sternness is an exercise in soft parallel sixts and in parallel thirds in the right hand, while the pinky of the right hand is playing a melody at the same time. What I find a bit weird is the staccato notes at the end. It sounds very different from the previous, very legato stuff. Heller also asks pianissimo there. I'm a bit lost there at what he wants. Let me know what you think.