The Third Sonata of Prokofiev - Attempting to Transcribe an Imagery Structure

(It is unfortunate that the format of this site does not allow you to include graphics in the text of the article - this deprives you of the opportunity here to see music quotes for those in question.) All this is in the original.)

Despite the one-part and relatively small amount, the composition was given to the composer, apparently, it was not easy and lasted 10 years (from 1907 to 1917) - the term is huge. That is, the beginning was laid on the third year of training at the conservatory (at the age of 16), at the time of "fervent experiments of youth", and the Sonata was finished at a quite mature age, together with the "Classical Symphony". As we shall see later, this work was worth it! In addition, the longer a work is written, the more events occur during this period, the more thoughts are born and the more significant and deeper the idea. Of course, the genius work combines both boyish fervor and the skill of a mature composer, realized to the fullest.

Significantly, the creation of this masterpiece captures the period from 14 to 17 years - years, according to N.Ya. Myaskovsky, marked by a certain change in Prokofiev's attitude towards depth, spiritual wealth. Not only growing up, but also the beginning of the First World War, was probably the reason. The emotional palette of images stretches from a stormy, sometimes explosive energy to quivering lyrics, and even a complete "frozen", detached. It was during this period that the composer realizes the existence in life, in addition to unbridled elements, of universal ecstasy, of universal calm and silence.

From his early years, Prokofiev was accompanied by two important things: the desire for theatricality and susceptibility to fears. And, of course, all this manifested itself in the Third Sonata, so you should not forget about the brightest imagery of the composer's thinking for a second. In addition to his natural inclination, carried away by the tide of time, he also strove to write "emotionally contagious music", catchy, sonorous, contrasting.

Another important point is the cinema, which was rapidly developing in those years. This kind of art immediately captured Prokofiev and inevitably influenced his composer style. Eisenstein (the genius filmmaker who produced the films "Alexander Nevsky" and "Ivan the Terrible" with Prokofiev's music) struck "the ability of Prokofiev to instantly become infected with visual impressions and convey the essence of the artistic image imprinted on the film in music." Here I want to add that in the rest of the music, written not for the cinema, we often can easily catch various purely cinematic effects.

But the most important thing, in my opinion, is this, despite the abundance of rebellion and audacity, harshness and causticity in his music - magnificent melodism , and in this romantic sonata in particular (and remember the brilliant theme of the 2nd concert of the Concert begun in this The same period!), Melodism, which, unfortunately, is often ignored by some teachers and performers. True, Prokofiev's lyrics, according to many researchers, "are largely devoid of sensuality, love, erotica, it is basically contemplative, personifying Good as opposed to Evil, which often has a sarcastic or even humorous connotation." May be. Somewhere, in something. However, everyone decides for himself, as far as this is true in each particular case. I, in any case, strongly doubt it. And not only I doubt, but I do not support it at all. I'm just sure that this is not so.

The theatrical nature of the contrast of "masks and open faces" gives the richest possibilities for the pianist's imagination. The likelihood of the simultaneous presence of the hero in several images (a kind of matryoshka) significantly expands the boundaries of interpretations. And children's fears of the composer can be felt in more mature works. It seems that he remained a big child even in his mature years. It is enough to read his Autobiography, written strikingly sincerely and directly, to be sure of what was said.

I have not been able to learn anything about the reliable version of the program of this sonata, most likely it does not exist (but, frankly speaking, I did not get killed in its search). Therefore, all the images that I appeal to in this work are my own fantasy dictated by the structure of the Sonata music, its texture, intonations, etc. And in any case, even with an official composer program, every teacher or The performer, in my opinion, should individually study the musical fabric of the work and for the conformity of the program, and for finding its own way of adequately interpreting the images - so to say, "privatizing" the content.

I want to present to you not one, but several parallel possible images, although it is quite obvious that there can be many of them. And, of course, these images do not need to be taken seriously, going deep into detail and trying to follow the logic of their life and relationships in the work. I offer only a certain basis, a kind of impetus for the flight of fantasy. Remember the sketch-painting Rachmaninov "Little Red Riding Hood". Of course, Sergey Vasilyevich did not think of any Red Riding cap during the composition of this masterpiece, and in general he is not a children's composer. Simply said, apparently, the first thing that came to mind, because he was tortured by questions about the Etude program. It is remote, of course, similar to the "confrontation" of the Wolf and the Red Cap, but, of course, somehow melkovato, not serious. Especially for such a giant as Sergei Vasilievich Rakhmaninov, who was deeply experiencing the human grief, he sensed all those misfortunes and misfortunes that came to the lot not just many people - whole nations, and felt responsible for almost all the injustice on Earth! That's where you need to look for the program and find images! Although, of course, it is possible that someone is more encouraged by the "tragedy" of the Little Red Riding Hood.

Ultimately, I would like not to impose any specific interpretation, but basically to "infect" with such a form of creative approach to the work in general and to this Sonata in particular.

Imagination must be constantly included in the musician, but simply "list" the notes can now and any soulless computer. But, in order to create your own interpretation (and the value of performance is in it!), You need convincing images, even for yourself.

Remember Akhmatova, her poem "Creativity":

It happens like this: some languor;

The ears of the clock do not stop;

In the distance there is a rumble of subsiding thunder.

Unrecognized and Captive Voices

I feel like complaints, and groans,

Narrowing a secret circle,

But in this abyss of whispers and ringing

There is one whole winning sound.

So around him irreparably quiet,

You can hear the grass growing in the forest,

How on earth goes with a knapsack famously ...

But now I heard the words

And light rhyme signaling bell, -

Then I begin to understand,

And just dictated lines

They lay down in a snow-white notebook.

1936

In my opinion, this Sonata can be a kaleidoscope of childhood memories of Prokofiev, sunk in the soul of the composer, which left a mark in his memory. Or maybe a deep reflection on the destinies of the world, or even prophecy. However, it could be just a dream. Or even all taken together! These images have little contact with each other, I have not been able to build a logical story from beginning to end, but it probably is not. Separate episodes follow one after another, we get such a bright mosaic that is bizarrely connected only with themes, constantly transforming, sometimes beyond recognition. But even a set of seemingly unrelated images can, at least approximately, form a definite whole, in which, gradually, sometimes even unexpectedly, the idea crystallizes (as in a painting, when the initially seemingly disparate spots suddenly form a completely recognizable image). An idea that can lead to much thought. And this alone will make the work sound special - this is how the interpretation is born!

However, nothing prevents everyone from trying to build their own logical chain of images and events that could lead to a harmonious narrative.

And the last thing I want to talk about about the Sonata is its form. The form itself is not the subject of my analysis and I only want to agree on terms. This one-part Sonata, although the sonata allegro turned out to be somewhat unusual, especially the reprise. In total, 5 episodes with absolutely clear boundaries are obtained. But the word "episode" I need for a smaller division, so I will call them parts. So, inside the one-part Sonata conditionally there will be 5 parts.

And now, having in mind all of the above, we will open the Sonata notes. Here, at first, everything is simple - Allegro Tempestoso , i.e. Violently, impetuously, frantically, frenziedly, fiercely (everything that comes to mind when describing thunderstorms - thunder and lightning!) Fully corresponds to the first measures of the work. The tempo is desirable close to the limit of operation of rehearsal mechanics of piano keys, at least 160 per quarter, but I would recommend a tempo of 180 beats per minute. The account must be kept "on time", i.e. Dimensional unit in the musical sentence must be a whole cycle. And the faster the pace, the easier it is to achieve.

Of course, where there will be intonations, you can briefly retreat from the tempo you have taken - somewhere a little bit to overstay a long note or pause, somewhere to place, somewhere, on the contrary, to squeeze. Agogyku no one canceled, in any case not turn off the musician!

{Option 1} The first two measures are clear thunder, frightening, even horrifying at times, so it seems to me to play them as a single sound mass for fortissimo , without differentiating the top notes and without singling out the third and first chords in the triplets, so that this A kind of ta-tam ta-tam did not become dominant. Form-forming for this image, I think first of all dynamics - either continuous crescendo to the third measure, to break into the invocatory theme of the right hand, or, conversely, to shade its entry, making a considerable sound exuberance to the beginning of the second bar - as if making a threatening attack - and Somewhat retreating to the beginning of the third. Both bars, of course, on the same pedal.

{Alternative 2} Alternatively, you can treat these first two measures as an explosion and the rapid emergence from the smoke on an imaginary scene of an image of evil, a kind of "Mephistopheles", not necessarily from Goethe's Faust, but something very similar to him dancing an ominous tarantella . In this case the dance becomes dominant, requiring an excellent rhythm, clarity of all twenty-four tri-ole eighths and only slightly over-emphasizing the chords.

{Option 1} The theme itself, as if sounded in the performance of the pipe, can be imagined in two sub-variants - large, aggressive, in one nuance, with one sweeping brushstroke, like the fanfare accompanying Zeus's travel in his chariot in the firmament.

Or, in accordance with the melodic pattern, portray it as very assertive in the 3rd and 4th bars, but sinking in the 5th and 6th, forming a melodic arc in the emotional, pitch and dynamic sense - like the mental state of a frightened person struggling With fear, but passing before the elements.

At its top (in the 4th bar), the melody tends to be higher (the interval la-do should obviously aim upward for a third rather than fall on the sixth), but the voice seems to break and the forces leave it. And this is happening against the backdrop of "wind howls" in the left hand (this chromaticism will meet us more than once!), Where the accents serve not so much to emphasize the bass, but as the support of the fifth finger for a jump to a large interval.

{Option 2} Or, continuing the theme of Mephistopheles, one can imagine his victorious song, in which he "admits the cock" (and if we bear in mind his essence with horns and hoofs, then we can say "gives a goat"). But this does not bother him at all, he does not try to sing like Caruso, the main thing is to express his state of triumph! And in skachkah in the left hand you can imagine his mighty jumps and rapid movement on the stage.

Most importantly - in the first variant, avoid the mental fragmentation of images of a thunderstorm and the subject of a pipe into pieces by a half-stroke (and even more so by quarters!) - this will destroy everything. Such a game, as one of the great ones said, will certainly not be unarmed, but beztraznoy - for sure! I repeat: think only bars!

In the second variant, this is not so critical and it is quite possible to think in half a touch.

The next "six-stroke" repeats the previous one, but with even greater intensity.

{Variant 1} In the 14th and 15th bars, the thunder peals subsided, anticipating the appearance in the 16th bar of a new, quiet, in my opinion, timid and simultaneously crafty tarantella theme, the initial fragment of which Prokofiev famously borrowed from Saint-Saens from Finals of the 2 nd F-n Concert.

As a beginning rain, this flight theme creates with its drops an innocent and unintellectual image of Nature, and it is not scary at all.

The echoes in the left hand should not obscure the long notes in the right in measure 17. It is necessary to hear how the third of the sir, rolling away, rolls through the sixteenth in the thirds of the re-fa, as if asking the question:

Here, the dynamics I signed will help us a lot.

And in the same way you need to listen to a similar motive in measure 19, as if the answer to the question given in the 17th measure.

Echoes of the magnificent pipe theme in the bars from the 20th to the 26th, secco , like the shadows of the former strength, acquire a grotesque, if not comic character. From the "lush winds" left in the left are only memories - in the 20th cycle, la-la-la-ba-salt, in the 21st - salt-sol-b-fa. But this chromaticity will manifest itself.

Still slightly pogromykhivayut distant rumblings in bars 21, 23 and 25, trying to scare us with their sudden forte , but we do not care anymore. I think at the forte in these bars, in spite of the secco , you need to take the pedal by one quarter, creating as it were an awesome sound wave, although these attempts are already not serious.

{Option 2} A completely different image was prepared for us by Mephistopheles. Having put on a gorgeous mask in the 14th and 15th bars and pretending to be "his own", from the 16th bar he plays in a common dance dancing tarantella. But just having fun is boring, doing evil is much more fun! The changed theme of greatness, secco , sounds in the 20th clock - it's not good. And then he pushes someone, then he podstavit someone foot, and then go up to the ramp and slightly open his face to the audience, so they do not forget, "who's in charge here!" All this can be heard in sudden forte in bars 21, 23 and 25.

There are two different images for you, but there may be a third option!

{Variant 3} In the 14th and 15th bars our "Mephistopheles" suddenly notices that something divine is joining the dance - the girl is slim, fragile, tender, airy and "further down the list". He freezes in admiration, and the theme begun in the 16th measure from Saint-Saens paints her dance, full of grace and grace. He is disarmed for a while, his temples in secco have completely lost their greatness and look ridiculous! He, bewitched, approaches her in the 20th measure and tries to dance with her, but it turns out to be absurd, awkward, he staggers from rhythm, stumbles - and this can be heard in sudden forte in bars 21, 23 and 25.

Going back to {Option 1}, we can imagine that we are in the garden, in the gazebo, and therefore we are alive and directly feeling what is happening around. Nearby are large, beautiful trees, familiar to us from childhood. And now, against the background of the rain, a light breeze runs through, barely swinging thin branches - it can be heard in a new theme, similar to the harp sounds, free and serene, appearing in tact.

At the same time, the left hand echoes it and this duet will later be further developed. The threefold repetition of this theme forms the first wave, up to the 35th measure, in which each new conduct takes place at a higher stage and at a crescendo , allowing one to think that the blows of the breeze are getting stronger. However, this does not disturb the state of peace.

The second wave begins in the 37th bar and sounds bassovite, and along with the left this duet gradually begins to resemble howls - the wind noticeably intensifies, and thick branches start to swing. Here crescendo is much more significant. This does not end in a good way - the impulses from the 44th clock are growing, rocking the trees, and finally one can not stand and, with a crash, falls (measures 52-53), causing our great regret and touching memories related to this tree, o Which will be discussed later - in the second part. And this is the first of the three disasters that we will experience in this Sonata.

The octaves in the left, as if stumbling upon an obstacle, freeze on the dominant to the # -minor, and in the beat 54 suddenly the melody begins to flow very smoothly, drawing us from a seemingly obvious tragic up to the # -minor to the light and late C-major. These keys are so close on the keyboard ... and so far in nature! So it seems that after this melody the eyes and thoughts are carried far, far beyond reality - into the past.

And in the 58th bar finally appears Venus from the foam of waves, a charming theme, and so expressive that I do not have enough imagination to hear in it something other than the greatest sample of love lyrics May authorities forgive me!). The rate decreases twice - a quarter 76.

This is an absolutely obvious love duet, in which one voice (rather male) starts the phrase, and another voice (obviously female) interrupts and dips this phrase to the end. However, perhaps it was all the way back - it's not so important. They do not argue, no, it's like an explanation in love. You need to show these two voices with different voices. For this I suggest the first four notes, the first voice (mi-do-si-mi second octave), play piano and light touch, and the second voice play mezzo Piano , more densely, adding weight to the brush. Wanting to draw the attention of the listener to the introduction of the second voice, I propose to play the lower note in the octave with a more emphatic and slightly belated relation to the upper one (literally for one 32nd or even 64th). And to combine these two measures (58th and 59th) in the whole phrase will help me signed the dynamics.

And so these doves coo for 8 bars, and the light and warm breeze of the left hand contributes to a romantic mood. In the 66th cycle the theme passes into the left hand and becomes more strained. Apparently, as it often happens, lovers begin to argue, for example, about which of them loves more and whose love is more for ever.

Here I would, on the contrary, emphasize the initial melody, consisting of notes with the upsides - in part for the sake of diversity, but, mainly, because of the halves of salt #, which I want to listen to the end. West dvuhgolosie need the same differentiation, as in the previous case.

The dispute is dangerous! In less than 4 tacts, as in the subject appeared notes of resentment (tact 70, here simply a minor) and even literally to tears (tact 71, a brilliant chromatic, crying intonation of mi-mi-re together with a la, In the square)! This moment is very desirable and listen to yourself, and shade so that it attracted attention and listeners. And for this I would play this place with a bit of a tempo and subito Pianissimo . But the apology is accepted, the clouds melted and the tears dried up - this metamorphosis is shown to us by the next two bars.

Do not be confused by the transience of events and their number for only a few bars - this is normal for memories and dreams multiplied by the features of the musical language.

After tears, the duet sounds an octave higher (bars 74-77), the recognition becomes even more tender and fragile. It seems that among such an idyll even birds begin to sing along with the enamored - in the 78th bar the appearance of a new theme is even difficult to notice, so much it merges with the previous mood.

Perhaps this is the theme of peace and peace on Earth. After four cycles, it varies slightly, acquiring features of a lullaby, which, thanks to portamento on the last two parts of every bar, as if something is sentencing or enraging, or persistently convinces us of something, persuades us to plunge into the world of dreams. Or plunge into bliss ...

However, both she and the theme of love will endure in the future a terrible metamorphosis.

In the meantime, nothing breaks the silence, and the theme of peace and bliss, clearly having achieved success, imperceptibly leads to the final, pacified topic (measure 86), which finally lulls us and seems to gradually extinguish the light on the stage.

It smoothly lowers us from the sky-high heights to the earth (like in a balloon, an octave in a freakish fret -to-si-sib-la-sol-fa-mi-re-re-do), and we fall asleep in the dark, and As if Time stops along with ritenuto Assai in the last two bars of the second part. I will notice in parentheses that this theme will later become the theme of the chorale, the further transformation of which will plunge all into horror.

Sudden Allegro Tempestoso beats like a shoe on the head. The third part began. What is it? The frenzied theme of the breeze from the 29th measure? What characterizes it to the composer - wildly, rapaciously, cruelly, fiercely! It rises up like a rocket, but together with the left hand it is more like the howling of a cannonball that crashes, blowing up in the chord of measure 95. We need to pounce on a small second fortissimo and, after accelerating, play these two measures in one breath and bump From all the swing to the last chord, which, of course, is not able to contain the frenzied head with a single eighth - it will be at least a quarter!

The subsequent theme of the pipe clearly presents us with the military camp workers who are sounding the alarm. So you see the footage of the movie, in which the camera snatches one of the bugler, then the other, then the third, and in the bars 99-100 all three trumpets simultaneously - we have seen such episodes in historical movies. But more often - in film-fairy tales, in episodes of a meeting of royal ambassadors or departure for hunting. As always in such music, every note should be chanted here.

And now, in measure 101, appears the image of a bloodthirsty military machine, a monster that, like a giant steam locomotive, is irresistibly gaining momentum. And the horn of this locomotive (the Big Octave fan, clearly performed by the trombone) does not at all save someone, he does not warn about the danger, but belches a war cry!

On its background are writhing some fragments of the theme of love (fa-mi-re-fa). Or this "love" itself acquired an animal grin, suddenly enraged, and makes a ferocious roar, repeatedly repeated in the passage in bars 105-106. Or it's an echo of screams coming from the depths of hell. And again the whistle, and again the echo, growing into a shrill shriek! The nightmare is growing with the terrible sexticords in the left hand rising in tact, 111-113, but ...

Yet it seems strange to diminuendo in this place, set by Prokofiev. Paradox! The musical language speaks of the buildup, and the composer weakens the sonority ...

The fact is that this is a typically cinematic technique - the departure of the camera. We seem to move away from this nightmare and the sound subsides. This technique is used when the viewer is already impressed by this episode and needs to be switched to a parallel plot line. Therefore agitato in tact 114 begins with mf , giving the possibility of a new take-off, a new increase in sonority.

But, what is this theme, it seems, it reminds something? Indeed, this is a theme of peace and bliss from the second part!

But how much she has changed! This is more like a passionate appeal: - Come to your senses, what are you doing! And maybe even that it's grief and suffering, and screams of pain - the flying interval of the triton of the si-fa!

Only four bars - and she encounters a new topic - formidable and unyielding. But this is the theme of the tarantella, almost completely! By its nature here it sounds like a true theme of fate!

Mercy from this monster does not have to wait, it is accompanied by chastening chords first in the left, and then in the right hand. I am deeply convinced that here it is just necessary to keep the tempo a bit, to play more significantly, especially the octaves in the first bar, otherwise it will fly lightly. The theme itself sounds sharp, piercing, and along with the chords it's even rattling. It all rises and rises, and becomes more aggressive and even screechy. From its pressure it becomes literally difficult to breathe ...

And again, "the camera pulls away," we are again "switched" and we hear the appearance of another topic, very familiar ... This is again the theme of love ...

Only we all - and the performer, and listeners, and the theme itself - look in the first conducting panting (cycle 123), so Moderato Piano Dolce we all are not very successful. You can imagine how the lower voice cries, then ascending by chromaticity, then descending, and the upper one tries to comfort him, uttering some kind words.

But gradually there comes calmness and already the second conducting (tact 128), even more reducing the tempo and sonority, Piu Lento Pianissimo Dolcissimo , flows much more serene, more peaceful, even more detached. And the impression that we, confused and discouraged, is being introduced into the temple in tact 132, where a new beautiful theme of the chorale sounds (remember - did I mention it before?). However, its beauty is somewhat overshadowed by the structure on the absolute chromaticity of crying descending intonations, because of what character it turns out, although bright (major), but mournful.

The author has put in this place Animato , which does not tell us about acceleration, some kind of animation, fuss, but on the contrary - it leads to the enlargement of a measured unit of musical thought - twotaktu, which causes the flow to be almost two times slower!

We cross the threshold of the temple exactly in the place where the velvet basses of the octave of Organ (also on the theme of love) flow from the huge pipes, ascending to the very dome, and the children's voices on the choir theme of the chorale complete the solemnity of what is happening. And in tact 134 bass is so deep that it not only envelops us whole, but also penetrates deep inside us with its vibration. And this is the stoppage of time, "frozen", "a marvelous miracle" (as in the episode of magic in Ruslana and Ludmila by Glinka), the "culmination" of silence, reverential prostration achieved by the composer's fantastic skill ...

Like a calm before a thunderstorm. Because already through the tact will begin a painful ascent to the culmination of the entire Sonata. In measure 136, where Prokofiev put crescendo , there is still the quietest place - and there will begin the ascent to Calvary.

Pay attention to one more stroke - a triple repetition of the course mi-do in the bass in the bars 132-135, 136-139 and 140-143. This is the sound of the huge bell sounding from afar (do not be surprised that the bass is both an organ and a bell at the same time - it's a dream!), But it's also a vicious circle from which we can not get out for a long time (although it seems to us that we We travel on completely different keys ("absolutes" do not count!)). And only in tact 144, where the composer has put alzando , we, at last, break out abruptly into the fifth quintup and give vent to emotions! The very term alzando , translated as "sublime", "openly", here rather should be interpreted in a figurative sense - "sweeping", which obviously impressed Prokofiev and was often used by him.

In measure 140 is con Effetto Forte , and the theme of love, although similar in construction to the beginning of the second part, but this is not a tender explanation at all, but a passionate oath, and with every tact, more and more like an oath to take revenge on some offender. Is it possible that the theme of love is the theme of retribution? Apparently yes. And it happens by waves, two bars each, from bottom to top, from bass to treble. These waves pile up the tension, surging and falling on the initial chords of the next two-stroke. But in the third pair the wave rises in every bar and this increase, together with allargando , is the prefix to fff Con Elevazione in the 146th measure. This is the culmination of the whole work, lasting six bars, plus two cycles of collapse - the second in the Sonata.

Here, on fff , the beautiful and sorrowful theme of the chorale again sounds, which together with the composer's indication - "sublime" - could become a majestic hymn of love, sound it accompanied by another accompaniment. But these "howling" chords in the left, written with huge swabs-waves, first clambering with incredible weight, and then as if sliding, unable to hold on to the achieved height. Therefore, the episode is more like an expression of despair, a heart-rending roar of hell, a noise of flame and a rumble from the cries of sinners. And if you consider that all this follows immediately after the vow, then is not it a reminder of the penalty of heaven or even a curse?

I want to draw attention to the fact that there is also a state of a closed circle in the basses, only now on the subdominant and the dominant - notes re and mi. And getting out of it is no longer possible!

Curiously, the bars 152-153 - an episode of collapse, collapse, collapse, breakage, death - are conceived by Prokofiev a nuance below the previous one. He put here only two forte unlike the three in the previous episode. It is obvious that for the composer the episode of desperation and punishment was more important, it was he who attached the greatest importance to it, and the collapse, though terrible, was just an inevitable consequence.

(They say that Heinrich Gustavovich Neuhaus once explained to his student the episode of the collapse and the following several cycles in this way: the kitchen cupboard fell and cockroaches began to scatter out of it. Apparently, this image was the most accessible for understanding that student.)

A few words about the pace. Since it's not Chopin who did not always put the return to the original tempo after the slowdowns in the hope that the pianist himself will understand where to return, here, after allargando in the 145th tact, the tempo does not return to Allegro , but rather moderate, practically Andante . Only it is necessary to be able to avoid mechanicality in a restrained tempo, for which it is best to create certain rhythm-dynamic waves in two cycles, somewhat tightening the beginning of the wave and slightly accelerating towards the end. And so in every two-contact.

And in the 151st cycle one more slowdown - ritardando - which leads to an almost complete stop. The crash occurs as in the slow motion picture frames - the worse impression!

The last chord should literally jerk, but so that the top mi is left to sound for a long time - a slow pace, plus a farm, plus another whole beat solo! The entire 153-th cycle sounds on one pedal and it is removed smoothly (like the dispersed milk of dust after the explosion, gradually settling, reveals the contours of the destroyed building), and just before you feel that the remaining upper solids alone will be enough to sound For one measure. It is clear that on the piano and on the concert grand piano this time will be very different.

It is necessary to be extremely cautious and, if possible, imperceptibly flow from a dying note into a salt, the same quiet, "barely alive", and then to the fa. Here the carcass should be very reliable. In order not to lose a note, it is better not to play with light fingers, and add a known weight and tight fingers to slowly press the keys - close to the limit of operation of the mechanics. Playing with light fingers, we entrust responsibility to the keyboard, which is not always ideal, but the strained fingers with their excess force level the shortcomings of the keyboard. And the volume depends only on the speed of pressing, if only not too slowly, when the hammer simply can not reach the string. Therefore, I always prefer tight fingers in slow pianissimo.

To be continued.