<p>Mozar TSANG</p><p>No.1 Chopin: Etude in A minor, Op. 10 No.2<br />- A very beautiful performance of this difficult etude. Except for a few places in the development section, your right hand proved to be reliable and secure. You managed to separate the active 3-4-5 fingers from the harmonic/melodic chords. </p><p>- I also commend you for approaching the work with intensity, yet within the boundaries of set by Chopin - only 3 “fortes” in the piece but lots of “crescendos”.</p><p>- My only criticism is that you do not go into details of the dynamic markings. Just two examples - it is not clear why you make an out of proportion “crescendo” in measure 8 after all it is the end of the phrase and clearly Chopin requests “diminuendo”.  Similarly in the coda the crescendo and ensuing “forte” in measures 42 – 43 are totally missing.</p><p>- Lastly, make a stronger effort to maintain the same articulation in the left hand for consistency – you have a tendency to vary the length as well as the touch. I would suggest that you practice hands separately.</p><p>No.2 Chopin: Nocturne in G major, Op.37 No.2<br />-  What a perfect choice for you, this is such a wondrous piece. It requires exquisite musical taste and you have this. </p><p>-  You manage to capture the atmosphere and the right amount of ebb and flow of the melodic line. You understand the limitations placed by Chopin on the dynamic range, yet within that you manage a great deal of variety.</p><p>- In measure 1 and 2 and similar passages throughout there is a “diminuendo” hairpin, yet you consistently play “crescendo”. In many ways this is a signature of Chopin - a personal trait that he often uses, for example in the Barcarolle to great effect. Since there are no dynamic markings, it is certain that Chopin’s detailed use of hairpins is a way to show flexibility both in dynamics and tempo. </p><p>- The other idea centers around the understanding how he uses harmonic movement as well as the major/minor key system. While Chopin was deeply rooted in the tonic-dominant system, his predilection for shifting the harmonies chromatically was clearly meant to be personal and surprising. After several measures of no harmonic motion from measure 1 to 7, Chopin suddenly moves rapidly utilizing enharmonic modulations. The reverse is also possible as the chromatic movements in measures 26 to 27 are followed by simple harmonies that sound exquisite. </p><p>- It is also important for you to be sensitive to the idea of serene modulations followed by active chromatic movement. This is especially true in the “B” section where the music passes from C major to E major and then suddenly moves chromatically to B-flat major and D major. It is important for you to be aware of the different colors these keys produce, there should not be any doubt that C major is different to E major, and while Chopin uses the same melody and harmony the difference should be quite clear. </p><p>- I do enjoy your lovely transparent sound in this nocturne. The middle section, in particular, is filled with sensitivity and imagination.</p><p>No.3 Prokofiev: Sonata No.3 in A minor, Op.28<br />- Subtitled “from Old Notebooks” this Sonata vies with the No.7 in popularity. Many pianists play it and often teachers introduce the Prokofiev style through this work. It seems to me that it is the virtuoso aspect of the work that captivates you, which you do with vigor and full conviction. While I respect the direction you have taken, for me you do so by sacrificing many aspects of Prokofiev that remain submerged in your playing.</p><p>- The most important characteristic of Prokofiev is color, and all of our focus should be to enable this to come through at all cost. A cursory look at the Prokofiev’s writing for the piano will reveal that he utilizes different articulation, detailed instruction of dynamics and careful use of tempo. From the percussive nature to the singing style and between, he has created a singular world that has to be studied and understood to make it come alive. The constant juxtaposition of ideas that dominated Prokofiev’s creativity between 1907 and 1917 perhaps can be more easily comprehended by viewing the paintings of Wassily Kandinsky and Franti?ek Kupka who were working at the same time. A clear example of this juxtaposition is how the first two measures are followed suddenly by four measures that are completely different. Another example is in measure 27 where the detached exchange between the right and left hand is interrupted by a legato passage, and he continues to do this seven times. Just simply understanding this perspective would make it imperative for you to take a slower tempo and concentrate on giving all your attention to the colors inherent in the details.</p><p>- I strongly believe that indications of composers should be taken very seriously. There are numerous passages that you ignore, such as the different dynamic markings. You play staccato when clearly legato is indicated, and you often take different tempos. </p><p>- For Prokofiev it is important to give tempo indications that are interrelated and provide a homogeneous whole for the Sonata. Thus the “Allegro” has to be tempered at the beginning to give the next indication “Moderato” some meaning. Do not be misled by “tempestoso” as this is instruction about the character, namely stormy or boisterous manner.</p><p>- The decision of your tempo in the recapitulation made it impossible for you to play some of the passage with absolute technical precision – see the ascending staccato right hand while the left hand has chords and the melody played by the thumb. It’s advisable that you establish a sense of pulse that is constant which is central to Prokofiev’s style – pulse that is controlled and intelligently used. </p><p>- I hope that you will try to revise your thoughts about this great work as I feel that with a more suitable tempo Prokofiev’s multilayer details that exemplifies his style would come through and that this would be more challenging and satisfying for you.</p><p>Mozar Tsang, you are a real musician and should develop into a wonderful artist. The fact that I do not agree with your performance of the Prokofiev Sonata is of little consequence. We often disagree with numerous major artists’ performances and yet we know that they are great musicians. What is important for you at the moment is to further develop your understanding of styles and ability to hear not only how music sounds but also how YOU sound. Good luck with all your endeavours and I am sure I will hear you often in the future.</p>