Week 4: Romantic spirits! 
Welcome to the Main Thread for the fourth week of "The Romantic Era" challenge!
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↓ Happy Sharing! ↓
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Ferrer - Charme de la Nuit Op 36
This is definitely my favorite of the Ferrer pieces I've played. I'm not super happy about this performance, but it's a great piece of music, and very Romantic in character.
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Eric Phillips another Ferrer! very romantic and beautiful!
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Mertz - Nocturne Op 4 No 1
Here is one by Mertz I had always liked, but never got around to playing. I kept messing up in the last section (piu mosso).
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Eric Phillips That is great, Eric. I have always liked this much more than the more common #2. I have been playing it as a read thru but have not worked it up (Chopin won't let me).
Have you heard Johann Kaspar's version, it is much slower and stately. I think I really like it much slower - it also makes a more dramatic change to the Piu Mosso. Anyway here is the link:
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Eric Phillips Both of your new videos were music for the night, but I watched them in the afternoon. They were beautiful and romantic, maybe that's the reason why I wanted to take a nap this afternoon.
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Jack Stewart I really like that slower version, Jack! Maybe I'll give that a try. (see below)
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Wai Thank you, Wai. I wasn't trying for the nighttime theme, but you're right. They are two very different experiences of night, however.
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Eric Phillips Bravo, Eric! Thank you for revealing to me so many beautiful pieces from this period. Romanticism is a lack in my education, I have to fix this... Once more, thank you!
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Moyses Lopes Thank you, Moyses. When I first started playing classical guitar over thirty years ago, I hardly ever played music from the Romantic period. Now it's probably the era of music I play the most.
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After taking last week off (vacationing at Lake Tahoe), I wanted to share with everyone a beautiful Valsa, entitled "Abismo de Rosas" by the Brazilian guitarist/composer, Américo Jacomino. I was searching through my music library at the beginning of this challenge looking for some Romantic era pieces and came upon this piece which I had never learned. Born in São Paulo. Jacomino lived from 1889 to 1928. He had the nickname of "Canhoto" which means left-handed because he played the guitar left-handed without reverting the strings. He wrote many beautiful pieces and is considered to have greatly contributed to raising the level of the guitar in Brazil. This arrangement was made by the Brazilian guitarist, Domingos Semenzato. He lived from 1908 - 1993 and was a good friend of Carlo Barbosa-Lima. Finally, this piece is for Moyses Lopes
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Dale Needles That was great, Dale. Your playing was perfectly expressive for this piece. It felt like I was sitting in a small Brazilian cafe and this wistful guitar music was filling the air.
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Dale Needles Bravíssimo, Dale! You got the spirit, I loved your interpretation! As said Jack Stewart , your expression made a perfect atmosphere.
You sharing just not the music - with notes and divisions - but there is storytelling in your interpretation. The final return of A part was magnificent, 'dolce e con garbo', contrasting with the (almost) shy and delicate atmosphere of the other two times she appears. I have no words to thank you for this kindness. My childhood it was full of this repertoire, I have beautiful memories and you lighted them up with this gift. Thank you, thank you very much! -
Dale Needles That is so good, Dale!!! Playing left-handed without inverting the strings just blows my mind. What a shame he died so young. Beautiful performance!
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Jack Stewart Thanks. My first recording with my new condenser mic, focusrite interface Reaper DAW. Much to learn about Reaper and looking forward to watching the recording classes by Martin
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Moyses Lopes So glad you liked the post. I wanted to thank you for introducing us to so much great Brazilian music.
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Eric Phillips Thanks Eric. I agree it is amazing to think of playing the guitar left-handed without inverting the strings. Also, great Mertz that you have been posting. I particularly liked the Nocturne Op 4 No. 2. Beautiful piece and excellent performance!
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Dale Needles beautiful submission. Such a lovely piece. Sorry to say I didn’t know it. Your interpretation is a joy for the ear and the soul. Thank you, Dale!
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Dale Needles so wonderful! thank you for sharing!
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joosje Thanks. So glad you enjoyed this Brazilian Valsa. Jacomino wrote some beautiful pieces.
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Stefanie Mosburger-Dalz Thanks!
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Mertz - Nocturnes 1 and 2 (Op 4)
Jack Stewart shared a video up above of Daniel GIrdner playing Mertz' first nocturne much more slowly than I had. I really enjoyed that, so I thought I'd give it a try. It does make for a much sharper contrast with the piu mosso section at the end. I only wish I could play the piu mosso a bit piu mosso!
And, just because Jack Stewart said he really loved Mertz' second nocturne, I thought I'd do that one as well.
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Eric Phillips the 2nd one sounds more lyrical and pianistic, beautiful! (This time I watched them at night
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Wai Thanks, Wai. I actually played them in the morning. We are obviously on opposite sides of the planet, but sharing our common love for this music. Isn't this cool!
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Eric Phillips Those were great, Eric. I really like the #1 at the slower tempo. BTW, you mentioned David Girdner and who is that ? did you listen to a different version. When I checked I noticed that I copied Mertz's first 2 names as the performer!!!
If this was 2 weeks ago I could claim the fog of Covid. But I think it is just the fog. Anyway, great performance of the #2. I still prefer the first Nocturne. It is darker whereas the #1 is sweeter. In music I tend to prefer darker (in dessert I prefer sweeter).
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Jack Stewart I did think it was odd that there would be a guitarist named Johann Kaspar, but if there were, he would definitely play lots of Mertz, wouldn't he?
I like #1 better too. It's so stern and somber, which is not my personality at all. Maybe it's cathartic for me.
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Eric Phillips Stern and Somber - is that, perhaps, your teacher persona?
BTW what do you teach?
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
