24 ms·

His Paganini Etude No 3 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_campanella https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_campanella) is astonishing! You can see Valentina Lisitsa

by Jun8 10y ago

His Paganini Etude No 3 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_campanella https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_campanella) is astonishing! You can see Valentina Lisitsa play it (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY_eIIFqNxg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY_eIIFqNxg) and wonder how is this thing even playable.

orthoganol 10y ago
I sat in on a masterclass where a student played this piece. The instructor was this surly, ancient old lady, and pretty famous concert pianist, who proceeded to scream at the poor kid playing the piece, calling him a 'show off' and a 'jock.' She forced him to play some Beethoven piece which he knew, but hadn't prepared, which unsurprisingly he struggled with, only fueling her anger. Still today I don't think I've ever seen, in person, anyone more violently insulted on stage!
- ktRolster 10y ago
  The instructor was this surly, ancient old lady, and pretty famous concert pianist Who?
snake117 10y ago
I was just going to mention La Campanella! My favorite performance is by Dimitrij Romanov (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ABQFNCFCkY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ABQFNCFCkY). Also, his performance of the first etude (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM_IWEe6AYQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM_IWEe6AYQ) blows me away when he plays the first series of tremolos with only one hand. I just also have to say that one of my favorite performers and one of my greatest inspirations is Georges Cziffra (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Cziffra https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Cziffra). His performance of Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L0Rncqx1yQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L0Rncqx1yQ) is one of the greatest performances I have ever heard.
rifung 10y ago
I'd recommend people also watch Evgeny Kissin play it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0U73NRSIkw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0U73NRSIkw if only to get a fair view as many find Valentina Lisitsa.. questionable. In any case I feel like people either really like or dislike her. My piano teacher absolutely hates her playing, while she's my friend's favorite pianist. Another piece I'd recommend is also Liszt's Mephisto Waltz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9JbNgPsAkg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9JbNgPsAkg
- crdb 10y ago
  If we're listing Liszt pianists, I think John Ogdon should be up there (his B minor sonata is how I finally "understood" the piece) as well as Richter and maybe Argerich and Brendel (for his Annees de Pelerinage). Ogdon's Campanella: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6aLKPtF6uc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6aLKPtF6uc Ogdon's B minor sonata, IMO the magnum opus of Liszt's life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q1tNCVGpt0&t=6m https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q1tNCVGpt0&t=6m Richter's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc4hJtKm278 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc4hJtKm278 Argerich's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n04GkRTC_Lo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n04GkRTC_Lo Brendel's Deuxieme Annee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-XjrjzXjjA&list=PL9D990D86CC462512 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-XjrjzXjjA&list=PL9D990D86C... And for a totally different take on the latter, also listen to Bolet (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVxEG12-1Ps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVxEG12-1Ps) and Lipatti (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzn2fkUdUnI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzn2fkUdUnI).
- tunesmith 10y ago
  Why do people find Lisitsa's playing questionable? I understand there's controversy behind her political views but I'm not sure what the problem is with her playing. My general problem with many famous pianists is they get too much into the flash - at certain moments you will hear a wall of sound as they throw clarity and rhythmic pulse out the window. But her interpretation of La Campanella seemed to have less of that than Kissin's.
  - rifung 10y ago
    I think generally they just find her interpretations to be in poor taste? My impression is that people who weren't really into classical music before listening to her are more likely to like her, whereas people who have followed classical music for a long time are less likely to. I suspect it has something to do with how they consider certain music should be played. As far as I know, she was relatively unknown until she posted some videos on YouTube. Personally I'm not a big fan of her but I don't dislike her; she certain is a much better player than I am and I have no issue listening to her playing. My teacher absolutely abhors her playing though..

by Jun8 10y ago

orthoganol 10y ago

I sat in on a masterclass where a student played this piece. The instructor was this surly, ancient old lady, and pretty famous concert pianist, who proceeded to scream at the poor kid playing the piece, calling him a 'show off' and a 'jock.' She forced him to play some Beethoven piece which he knew, but hadn't prepared, which unsurprisingly he struggled with, only fueling her anger. Still today I don't think I've ever seen, in person, anyone more violently insulted on stage!

ktRolster 10y ago
The instructor was this surly, ancient old lady, and pretty famous concert pianist Who?

snake117 10y ago

I was just going to mention La Campanella! My favorite performance is by Dimitrij Romanov (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ABQFNCFCkY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ABQFNCFCkY). Also, his performance of the first etude (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM_IWEe6AYQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM_IWEe6AYQ) blows me away when he plays the first series of tremolos with only one hand. I just also have to say that one of my favorite performers and one of my greatest inspirations is Georges Cziffra (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Cziffra https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Cziffra). His performance of Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L0Rncqx1yQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L0Rncqx1yQ) is one of the greatest performances I have ever heard.

rifung 10y ago

I'd recommend people also watch Evgeny Kissin play it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0U73NRSIkw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0U73NRSIkw if only to get a fair view as many find Valentina Lisitsa.. questionable. In any case I feel like people either really like or dislike her. My piano teacher absolutely hates her playing, while she's my friend's favorite pianist. Another piece I'd recommend is also Liszt's Mephisto Waltz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9JbNgPsAkg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9JbNgPsAkg

crdb 10y ago
If we're listing Liszt pianists, I think John Ogdon should be up there (his B minor sonata is how I finally "understood" the piece) as well as Richter and maybe Argerich and Brendel (for his Annees de Pelerinage). Ogdon's Campanella: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6aLKPtF6uc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6aLKPtF6uc Ogdon's B minor sonata, IMO the magnum opus of Liszt's life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q1tNCVGpt0&t=6m https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q1tNCVGpt0&t=6m Richter's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc4hJtKm278 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc4hJtKm278 Argerich's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n04GkRTC_Lo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n04GkRTC_Lo Brendel's Deuxieme Annee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-XjrjzXjjA&list=PL9D990D86CC462512 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-XjrjzXjjA&list=PL9D990D86C... And for a totally different take on the latter, also listen to Bolet (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVxEG12-1Ps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVxEG12-1Ps) and Lipatti (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzn2fkUdUnI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzn2fkUdUnI).
tunesmith 10y ago
Why do people find Lisitsa's playing questionable? I understand there's controversy behind her political views but I'm not sure what the problem is with her playing. My general problem with many famous pianists is they get too much into the flash - at certain moments you will hear a wall of sound as they throw clarity and rhythmic pulse out the window. But her interpretation of La Campanella seemed to have less of that than Kissin's.
- rifung 10y ago
  I think generally they just find her interpretations to be in poor taste? My impression is that people who weren't really into classical music before listening to her are more likely to like her, whereas people who have followed classical music for a long time are less likely to. I suspect it has something to do with how they consider certain music should be played. As far as I know, she was relatively unknown until she posted some videos on YouTube. Personally I'm not a big fan of her but I don't dislike her; she certain is a much better player than I am and I have no issue listening to her playing. My teacher absolutely abhors her playing though..