<p>GU Jingdan</p><p>The general impression is immediately very positive. Here everything seems to be on the right way: <br />She plays con anima, she is phrasing very well, she is listening to herself, her technique is professional,<br />there is a real pianistic culture and a lot of discipline. The connection of hands, body and mind is excellent.</p><p>So, it’s not about correcting mistakes, but about suggesting different ideas, a different approach in certain places.<br />We have to think about the tempo relations in the Nocturne. The middle section is più mosso, but there should be a <br />connecting energy between the parts (the whole bars a little faster than the half bars before), which means a not too <br />slow tempo in the beginning. Pianissimo and quite flowing tempo (maybe not as fast as Chopin indicated, but still...) <br />can make a more melancholic expression, which I prefer to deep sadness.</p><p>In the Etude op. 10,8 I’m always very interested in the left hand. There are so many important melodic elements, syncopations, <br />off beat accents, interesting dynamics. And it’s also interesting to remember that we can find the same thing in many <br />other etudes. So, the left hand should be much more than accompanyment. </p><p>In the Polonaise just very few suggestions, most of them related to tempo, tempo relations, rhythm etc..<br />I understand the last beat in bar 8 as upbeat (anacrusis) to the real beginning of the Polonaise in bar 9. It can be poco sostenuto,<br />but connected. The transition from bar 79 to 83 should be “conducted” naturally (not too far from the tempo before and afterwards).<br />In the Mazurka part I hear beauty, a very well shaped melody with accompanyment. There could be more of a swinging dance with its typical accents (and a little faster), more happiness (between the dark and dramatic elements).</p>