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Playing the piano so well after no practise? spoilers

posted 13 years ago by HB-77
16 replies | jump to latest

When Szpilman meets the German officer Hosenfeld, he plays the piano quite perfectly and Hosenfeld is deeply moved by the music. I wonder if such a performance is possible after some years without practise. It felt overdone to me.

I play the piano - though not even close as good as a concert pianist - and I know if I don't practise for a year, I won't be able to play anything well by heart on the first try. If I live in fear, hunger and illness for that year, much less I think.

I know Szpilman practised in thin air in one scene, but I still doubt this makes such an *instant* performance possible.

What does the book have to say to this? Any concert pianist here caring to elaborate?

[–] fiatlux-1 13 years ago

I think it was a combination of his having 'practiced' in a way (he pretended constantly with the piano lid closed) and pure adrenaline. Szpilman had no idea that Hozenfeld wasn't going to kill him, so he was literally playing for his life in his mind. He played as best he could thanks to adrenaline, because he was terrified.

"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."

[–] MissKateRabbit 12 years ago

this is what I think too

Lets build a snowman!

[–] monotoned 13 years ago

"What really happened (according to his biography) was that he actually played the much easier Chopin nocturne in C-sharp minor(No.20). His fingers were covered with dust and were slow(from lack of practicing for more than a year), the piano was horrible and thus he played horribly( don't blame him. Under these circumstances playing anything would be a miracle). But I guess a chopin ballade played well would appeal to the audience more so than a badly played Chopin nocturne."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8lU8viRGYo&feature=related

[–] gmwdim 13 years ago

That scene emphasizes what a phenomenal musical talent Szpilman was, that he could still play from memory after being out of practice for so long. Hosenfeld recognized this and was strongly affected by what a pathetic malnourished scavenger this great musician had been reduced to because of the war. When I watched this scene, I noticed that Szpilman's playing started out very hesitant and mechanical (perhaps unintentionally, as Adrien Brody was the one playing, before they could get the hand double), but gradually increases in strength and confidence as he recovers his feel. I thought it was all quite reasonable and an excellent scene.

[–] rmiikku 13 years ago

Well yes but who cares. So what if he was a great pianist.

[–] youresomodest 12 years ago

It's not reasonable at all... It's Hollywood.

[–] kay_rock 8 years ago

Agree. Definitely not reasonable. Anyone who thinks so has never played the piano.

It's not about menorization of the piece; muscle memory from constant repetition can keep a piece of music in your head for years. It's about dexterity. A week without practice and you'll definitely need a warmup. That much time plus malnutrition? Not possible, no matter how good you are.

Movies are IQ tests; the IMDB boards are how people broadcast their score.

[–] stealth4386 11 years ago

I'm no musician, but I also noticed that Szpilman started out rusty. He got progressively better as he got into playing.

[–] gljbradley 11 years ago

This.^

[–] PotassiumMan 11 years ago

I think its a fair proposition that Szpilman was playing out of genuine fear that if he didn't play well, he would be killed. That probably motivated him to muster all the skill he had built in his life, even if he hadn't played in a long time. And I might add, he starts out playing slowly so that might lend credence to the notion that he was quickly warming up. Regardless of how plausible this scene may be (I stopped playing the piano decades ago), I thought it was extremely suspenseful and well-acted.

[–] CandyFluff 11 years ago

I don't think he was worried about being killed if he played badly. At this point all he knew was that he was a Jew in hiding caught by a German. At that point he would have thought he was dead whatever happened.

So at this point, he's only playing for himself. As far as he knew this would haven been the last time he would ever play the piano.

[–] lcforsythe 10 years ago

I'm certainly not concert level, but have been a lifelong pianist. Many times I've likened it to alcoholism. There are times when absolutely nothing else will satisfy or come close to expressing what's in my soul, or heart, or whatever you want to call it. It's not that I want to play in those times, but I NEED to play. HE does start out rusty, as anyone would after such a long time away, but it is a little like riding a bicycle. The finger memory is still there. I actually think after a few measures he completely forgets the soldier is there, because the music takes him to another place. As he sits there quietly at the end, reality seeps back in and he remembers where he is, and he becomes fearful again.

[–] pgFiSheYe 10 years ago

I'm no musician, but I also noticed that Szpilman started out rusty. He got progressively better as he got into playing.

No. This statement is inaccurate.

HE does start out rusty, as anyone would after such a long time away, but it is a little like riding a bicycle. The finger memory is still there.

No and yes (more no than yes, though).

1. He didn't "start out rusty". That's exactly the way how the piece meant to be played, very soft and slow tempo in the beginning, and then it progresses and picks up pace in the end.

You can listen and compare to both versions (the movie and a normal-concert version) and you'll see they sound the same (apart from the edits the movie made to it)

Movie version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHfQCfUTlXE

Concert version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW5po_Z7YEs

(the movie plays from 0:00 to 3:20, then cuts to some random parts in the middle, then plays to 8:20 till the end)

2. In reality Szpillman played the much easier Chopin Nocturne Op.48 No.1 in C Minor, which is probably a better choice after not playing for so long. You can listen at it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=107Iwx5RKSM

I'm a pianist myself, not concert level, but I'm able to play the Nocturne quite well. The Ballade is way more difficult and I have a lot of trouble playing it exactly as it should be; I can play the beginning up to the mid-part, but the ending is a bit hard.

Regarding the long period of time with no playing, indeed finger memory is still there, but I guess it depends on the talent and skills of the person. Speaking for myself, if I spent so much time without playing, I would definetily not be able to play the ballade.

I also don't understand why they went with the ballade for the movie rather than the original nocturne. I think the nocturne would have captured the same essence, would have been a bit more believable of being able to play it after so long, and would have made a better point.

[–] craigsonburg 9 years ago

even more unbelievable is just a few moment before they show us with his hands all cramped and contorted (most likely from lack of nutrients and stress) magically turn into healthy pianists hands 1 minute later lol

[–] mojoguzzi-879-68498 8 years ago

Wrong. He starts off playing clumsily, but as he keeps playing he starts becoming his old self again, freed by the very act of playing once again. The music becomes smoother and more complicated the longer he plays. And the German officer becomes more and more impressed as he plays, although his reactions are subtle.

Watch the scene again with this in mind. It's subtle but it's there. Polanski is not a ham-handed director. It's a brilliant scene.

[–] Saltpeter 8 years ago

For what it's worth, I've been a professional pianist since 1979 (and for what it's worth part 2, I'm a descendant of Holocaust survivors), and I go along with the comments that say, basically, his lack of practice, though it would have helped, ultimately didn't really matter. The combination of his playing in his head regularly for years (as I conceive it) to keep from going nuts and his fear that if he doesn't play well this Nazi big shot will kill him, succeeded in providing him with the incentive to project a superb recitation.

My favorite part of that scene is when Hosenfeld walks over to a chair and slowly sits down. Yet another superb moment of direction from Polanski.

Playing the piano so well after no practise? *spoilers*

Playing the piano so well after no practise? spoilers