Guest
Frédéric Chopin - Nocturne in C Sharp Minor (arr. Nathan Milstein) Augustin Hadelich, violin; Charles Owen, piano Filmed live in concert in Grünwald, Germany, on December 11 2018 I first played Chopin's Nocturne in c sharp minor on the piano growing up. The lyrical, aching line of the melody is wonderfully suited for the violin, even if the runs towards the end are totally pianistic, and when I found the arrangement by Nathan Milstein, it became one of my favorite pieces to play on the violin. This was also a piece I chose to play at the 2006 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, and my performance from back then is here: I played it so much back then that I put it to rest for about 10 years and only recently started playing it again. I remember being so excited and nervous and feeling very emotional as I played this piece at the competition. (I even look out to the audience at one point, because in a competition the thought of the judges listening keeps intruding). When I see the video from 2006 now, I looked so innocent and vulnerable compared to 2018! My playing has changed gradually over the years, developing better bow control, employing more sensible fingerings, and a better understanding of the sweep of the long line, but my feelings about this piece remain the same.
