<p>Zhang Yunling<br />Haydn: Sonata No.46 in E major, Hob.XVI/31 (37:16)<br />I like the fresh, exciting approach of your performance. This Sonata written around 1776 follows the overly expressive emotions employed in the Sturm und Drang period and here, Haydn turns in contrast a most charming key of E major and composes a happy delightful work. To make your performance more complete consider making the contrapuntal voices clearer to make us hear three voices at the beginning, and try to make more surprises by dynamic differences and allowing the music to breath after phrases.<br />Debussy: L'isle joyeuse (40:33)<br />You have a very natural way of playing the piano and as a result your sound is a pleasure to hear. You are indeed a real performer. Your performance of L’isle joyeuse is exciting with variety of colors and you have a wonderful command of the work. While listening to your performance I was constantly asking what advice can I give you to make it even better. Here are some thoughts: somehow you have to make the harmonies more sensuous, warm, inviting perhaps by more supple hands and slowing down the way you move into the keyboard. Make the triumphant parts more elated and euphoric. Too many times I feel you stop the momentum and sound like you are preparing the next phrase, this is certainly a valid tool in true romantic music, but here it becomes more like a habit and certainly it stops the buildup of joy and happiness. Allow the natural flow of the music and only stop where Debussy allows you to take a breath and move on again. Often we transfer what works in one style to another subconsciously, but do not forget, Debussy was consciously trying to separate his music from the strong currents of the German Romantic movement.<br />Chopin: Polonaise in F-sharp minor, Op.44 (46:36)<br />All the Polonaises written by Chopin are connected by the supreme idea of the polonaise - the most important Polish national dance. They are difficult to understand without an awareness of Chopin's patriotic feelings and the tragic situation of Poland during his lifetime. The Op.44 is an epic-dramatic gesture to the idea of the free Romantic fantasy "on a polonaise theme", and it is unusual in the appearance of a mazurka in its middle section, as a contrasting lyrical passage. <br />This is a very strong and convincing performance and I congratulate you. I am sure as with the Debussy the Polonaise will become a permanent repertoire in your future. The introduction should not be more important than the actual theme you are introducing, it should more like expectation of something to happen. You play the theme with nobility, but take care about accents, it is essential to have the dance in your mind and not to accent the third or sometimes the second beats in certain measures. This in itself causes a feeling of heaviness instead of forward movement. Moving from F-sharp minor to B-flat minor should be felt much more, do not forget the B-flat minor is the central key of Chopin’s Sonata No.2 – probably the darkest of all his music. Here there is a feeling of nobility and pride changing to tragedy and death. Your performance of the section prior the Mazurka (from measure 79) is excellent, these relentless passages have to have a hypnotic effect. Yet, it is still part of the dance and you need to take care of the importance of beats within the measures as wrong accents change the pattern for the dancers. Placing a mazurka in the middle of a polonaise is not so difficult to understand as both are extremely Polish in origin. In this work they have different meanings - while the polonaise is made of noble pride and tragedy the contrasting mazurka is melancholic and creates a feeling of beauty. The problem here is that really you need to make the key of A major help you, it is a key of smiles and kindness. You have to work on this contrast to make your performance really successful. <br />General Observation:<br />My congratulations on your wonderful performances. I am sure you will improve in time and will have a bright future. You must develop a more clear understanding of styles as after listening to you several times I felt that the three works you presented have too much in common and not like three distinct styles. </p><p> </p>