Wikipedia:Featured sound candidates/La Campanella

La Campanella

A performance of Franz Liszt's third of the six Grandes études de Paganini, S. 141, nicknamed "La campanella". Based on the final movement of Niccolò Paganini's Violin Concerto No. 2 in B minor, Liszt's revision for solo piano offers many challenges, including large jumps across the piano keyboard and trills using the fourth and fifth fingers.

An excellent and beautiful performance, and we lack any Liszt compositions, despite having a few excellent recordings.

Nominate and support. Adam Cuerden ^(talk) 06:37, 24 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Support I can hear pedaling when the speed and intensity picks up towards the latter end of the recording, but that does not sufficiently detract from the performance in my opinion. Of course I can say nothing to the accuracy/technicals of the piece, that is Adam and Tony1's affair. Sven Manguard Wha? 06:55, 24 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]
~~Comment~~ Oppose—It's a good performance in all respects but for the irritating, brittle, shrill repeated high note. It becomes a problem from 0:19 onwards. In this respect, that Bechstein is most unkind to the piece, and the performer might have compensated for it with a light touch in the upper register. I suppose nothing can be done to the file to minimise this artefact? Tony (talk) 10:38, 24 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]
- The answer, by the way, is that no, nothing could reasonably be done, and I kind of presumed this was failing anyway, so... =) Adam Cuerden ^(talk) 09:38, 5 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Comment - I have encountered this file before, and would have nominated it myself several months ago if it were not for the stream of wrong notes starting from 04:32. However, it is most certainly *not* performed on a Bechstein piano; it, and all other files on Wikipedia by Romuald Greiss were recorded on an 1850 piano made by the small Polish manufacturer Budynowicz. I have asked Piotrus (talk · contribs) to provide an English translation of the description pages on Commons to clarify this matter. Graham87 13:45, 24 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Further comment—Yeah, there are wrong notes (not "a stream of them" as Graham said, I don't think). But I think they are just acceptable given that they occur in very very busy passages. On my second listening ... I loathe that piano: it is so brittle and unforgiving. Listen to the RH octave bangings towards the end. I'd certainly us this file in articles, but whether it should be featured is another matter. Tony (talk) 07:48, 25 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]
- Yeah, my "stream of wrong notes" comment was an exaggeration ... but there are several in a short space of time ... maybe a "drizzle" of wrong notes, or something that sounds equally daft. :-) Graham87 13:05, 25 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Oppose I'm not at all sure about this performance; while it does have some merit, the sound of the piano is simply not up to snuff, and the "wrong notes" later in the piece are a real shame given that this should be the climax of the piece. I could forgive one without the other, but not both. I would think more kindly on the sound of the piano itself if it were a notable type / maker of pianos. Unfortunately I can't read Polish and until there is clarity here, with an explanation why the use of the piano is notable, then I have to oppose. Major Bloodnok (talk) 19:09, 26 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Info - this piano is last one made by pl:Józef Jan Budynowicz which was reconstructed and is able to play (remaining ones are broken beyond repair). A.J. (talk) 09:56, 13 April 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Weak oppose I agree with Major Bloodnok above; I could take a subpar piano with a pristine performance, and a flawed performance on pristine piano, but not both former elements together. I can tell that the pianist is doing is best, and his tempo choice is actually growing on me (although I was taken aback by it initially). But it's just not quite featured-status for me. — La Pianista ^{♫ ♪} 10:47, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Closed as withdrawn - Adam Cuerden ^(talk) 10:45, 9 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]
As an uploader, I'm quite supprised and glad that someone noticed this recording in vast Commons resource pool and nominated it. Thanks anyway! A.J. (talk) 09:56, 13 April 2011 (UTC)[reply]