Without a doubt, Murray Perahia is the greatest living concert pianist since Rubinstein and Horowitz. I’ve experienced him in concert many times, especially loved his recital of Chopin in SF many years ago.
Listening to him place this already wonderfully beautiful piece leaves me speechless. Sometimes I find interpretations of pieces that make me never want to hear another interpretation again because its so powerful. Perahia's interpretation of all the Chopin Ballades are exactly that. I am left in awe at how much I can connect to his interpretations and could only dream to ever even play these pieces!
I've been having a love affair with it all my life! The opening three octaves float in from out some silvery stillness - and then the narrative that follows, all passion and poetry so measuredly spent. This Ballade alone places Chopin amongst the choicest masters of his art for here more than anywhere his writing is so closely aligned to Bach and it is that that sets Chopin apart - his counterpoint - and Perahia here is a Prince! Utterly superb!
That was pretty epic. I've always loved the 1st ballade but have recently come to appreciate this one and have wondered why everyone says it's so great. This ballade is far more subtle, intricate, and complex than the 1st and takes a true virtuoso to do it justice. This performance is in my opinion exactly how it should be played. Simply amazing. I also love Yulianna Avdeeva's version although the tempo is significantly slower.
Honestly: how can he play this ballade in 9:45 min without making it sound rushed at all? I've heard longer versions than this sound awfully rushed. He certainly has an undeniable well balanced tempo
Because he DID rush it. A good rendition of this piece lasts around 11 11:30 minutes. At 8:30 He didnt give any pause before the 5 chords before the coda.
You got that right. Perahia's BAD recordings musically eclipse these new "Internet sensation" record label keyboard kids. Langer the Banger - that's a good one. You can just hear the clasically trained musicianship of Perahia. I have many of his Mozart piano concertos, some of his Chopin and Beethoven. Chopin on a grand piano with expert control Phenominal.
This is from a VHS tape of a WKAR production circa 1981, televised from the Kellogg Center on the campus of Michigan State University. Hence one can't expect "digital" quality.
Solo un gran compositor como Chopin y un interprete de la talla de Murry son capaces de hacernos entender lo que Kant quiere decirnos con lo sublime y lo bello en música
The short section around 2:40 is, to me, the most sublime piano 'moment' of all time. There's a section in Scarlatti's Sonata no. 87 that comes close but this one makes me swoon. Brilliant.
Zimerman's first ballade is my favorite rendition, but his fourth ballade was very dry. I personally enjoy Joseph Bulva's version of the Ballade no 4 the most.
I always attend his recitals, but am so glad he got rid of that page boyish, Franz List style coiffure. This is wonderful playing, and one of the shortest recording times available. for this Ballade
@Shivalingam9 He hardly ever releases wrist/arm - maybe that's why he has had to cancel so many concerts due to hand injuries. As Rosina Lhevinne said - "Fingers, fingers, fingers - that's all I hear!" Still love his musicianship, though.
It has been said that every aspect of technique touched uponm by Chopin in his etudes is addressed in this Ballade. That in itself is wonder enough.....
This could well be Horowitz's piano...it sounds like it. Horowitz let no one touch it, however he liked Murray Perrahia so much he lent it to him for concert use. I don't know when it was though. Anyone got any ideas?
@juniore1 I was being tongue in cheek about my computer but I'll agree with you about it being an old recording. Nothing worse than wobbly notes. Does something to my ears :)
my favorite chopin ballade performances are done by perahia. i have them on cd. this one is great, and i like the one i have on cd even better, i think it's a little older. altogether amongst so many greats i prefer perahia's chopin. he proves that playing chopin's pieces exactly like how chopin wrote them without getting all creative and changing things around and ruining the music does NOT mean playing them flat and lifeless. his way of playing chopin is similar to rubinstein's i think.
@guillermopv90 oh dude... just listen to zimerman, harasiewicz, rubinstein, pollini... perahia's interpretation is not bad of course but imo it's nothing senstaional...
Yeah, I've noticed that as well.. fanboyism is a bad thing. (I bet I'm gonna get a lot of thumbs down as well) Not to be mistaken, I think he plays very well.
The metronome metaphore is most appropriate! He doesn't know how to let the piece Breathe between phrases...everything is hard driven and brittle from the beginning to the end... and that's Not Chopin. Where is the elan, the gracefulness, the elegance?? There is a touch of this at the beginning and then it disappears. Those who gave Mr. Perahia high marks don't really understand what this piece can be like when played at a more unfolded level of mastery. See my other comment also.
Sorry but you don't have any clue what your talking about ita fine to not like the I terpretations but your critisms are things based on stuff that isn't actually true and this is how the piece is written to be people play it to slow just like they do to moonlight sonata cause they do t get it's cut time
Apparently he had not his day, he cannot keep his mouth shut while playing: some cold or whatever. He plays too hasty and the resolution at 8'30" is much too quick. Ashame for a great pianist. I would advise him to delete this performace.
This is an incredible piece, and it deserves a much better performance than this. This is downright mediocre. He takes no rubato, and barely phrases. At 3:25, that is such a huge climax, but the way he plays it, I feel like nothing happened. And the end! I have never heard anything so efficient! And come on! Slowing down at the end? Your in the middle of an accelerando! This is awful!
Murray's playing of ballade no.4 is the best I've ever heard
The authority and confidence with which he releases the key and pedal on the final note, that gets me every time.
What a beautiful dialogue..piano-pianist :-)
He sees nobody..So impressive,and expressive :-)
Can't stop watching it..
I have yet to be disappointed in a single one of his recordings! I always come in with high expectations and he always surpasses them.
Without a doubt, Murray Perahia is the greatest living concert pianist since Rubinstein and Horowitz. I’ve experienced him in concert many times, especially loved his recital of Chopin in SF many years ago.
PERAHIA's !!! performance TOUCHES MY HEART SO DEEPLY..:-) Soo..I keep watching this video for..7 months now..:-)
Again.. So grateful for sharing !
Listening to him place this already wonderfully beautiful piece leaves me speechless. Sometimes I find interpretations of pieces that make me never want to hear another interpretation again because its so powerful. Perahia's interpretation of all the Chopin Ballades are exactly that. I am left in awe at how much I can connect to his interpretations and could only dream to ever even play these pieces!
I love that he takes lots of chances with this piece, and it really pays off. Bravissimo!
i love the looks of ecstasy on his face as the young Perahia channels the brilliance of the master Chopin
still watching and listening in 2019
Extremely beautiful and sensitive playing.
Incredible! This is easily one of my favorite Chopin pieces.
How great was the genius of Chopin to so thoroughly engage the genius of Perahia.
I've been having a love affair with it all my life! The opening three octaves float in from out some silvery stillness - and then the narrative that follows, all passion and poetry so measuredly spent. This Ballade alone places Chopin amongst the choicest masters of his art for here more than anywhere his writing is so closely aligned to Bach and it is that that sets Chopin apart - his counterpoint - and Perahia here is a Prince! Utterly superb!
That was pretty epic. I've always loved the 1st ballade but have recently come to appreciate this one and have wondered why everyone says it's so great. This ballade is far more subtle, intricate, and complex than the 1st and takes a true virtuoso to do it justice. This performance is in my opinion exactly how it should be played. Simply amazing. I also love Yulianna Avdeeva's version although the tempo is significantly slower.
Perahia's relationship with Horowitz made such a difference in his outlook. His talent is enormous, and when he was set free, look out!!!
Honestly: how can he play this ballade in 9:45 min without making it sound rushed at all? I've heard longer versions than this sound awfully rushed. He certainly has an undeniable well balanced tempo
MAgus L He plays the last part faster that others. I think he did that absolutely perfect. (Around 7:00)
Around 8:00
Martha Argerich ( 1960 , live ) 9.10 ! And much better sound !
8:45 Strong control of fingers, Clear sound of each single note.
Because he DID rush it. A good rendition of this piece lasts around 11 11:30 minutes. At 8:30 He didnt give any pause before the 5 chords before the coda.
A TRUE MAESTRO.
You got that right. Perahia's BAD recordings musically eclipse these new "Internet sensation" record label keyboard kids. Langer the Banger - that's a good one. You can just hear the clasically trained musicianship of Perahia. I have many of his Mozart piano concertos, some of his Chopin and Beethoven. Chopin on a grand piano with expert control Phenominal.
This is magnificent playing. Fabulously musical.
This is by far the greatest interpretation i've found on the web. The recording isn't good, but the performance is sublime.
agree
Zimerman?
For me it's
1. Richter
2. Zimerman
3. Perahia
for this ballade
@@ShadowShinobi108 Rubinstein’s trumps all in this ballade
@@alany4202 послушайте Алексея Султанова!
truly unsurpassibly magnificent
yeah, this guy is amazing.
Wow, I play his 1995 recording of this all the time!
I half expected it to end with some woman shouting 'HOWARD!' and him answering 'not NOW MOM!'
Wonderful ! Thank you for posting :)
Definitivamente a melhor interpretação dessa Ballada que ja ouvi.
No standing ovation!??? Am I missing something. The performance was great right?
My goodness, this man just blew me away with his interpretation.
Howard Wolowitz playing Chopin
divine ~ thank you!
What a lovely hair he used to have !
My new favorite interpretation of, in my opinion, the most beautiful piece in piano literature
This is from a VHS tape of a WKAR production circa 1981, televised from the Kellogg Center on the campus of Michigan State University. Hence one can't expect "digital" quality.
Wow !! 7 months !!@@
what a long journey !!
I didn't hear this quality of sound from any other known pianist.
Very well put.
So noble!
Solo un gran compositor como Chopin y un interprete de la talla de Murry son capaces de hacernos entender lo que Kant quiere decirnos con lo sublime y lo bello en música
The short section around 2:40 is, to me, the most sublime piano 'moment' of all time. There's a section in Scarlatti's Sonata no. 87 that comes close but this one makes me swoon. Brilliant.
gotta love the thick ass monk cut
i love this song its really amazin
each time i want to listen to this ballade i find myself searching for this video, i honestly prefer this over zimerman's.
mohamed kamal Rubinstein version for me is the best I heard..
Zimerman's first ballade is my favorite rendition, but his fourth ballade was very dry. I personally enjoy Joseph Bulva's version of the Ballade no 4 the most.
Argh! It's not a song, it's a piece. There are no words!
@HansVonBulow I have been in a masterclass he gave. It was breathtaking! Truly fascinating!
This is one of the greatest musicians I have ever heard.
I always attend his recitals, but am so glad he got rid of that page boyish, Franz List style coiffure. This is wonderful playing, and one of the shortest recording times available. for this Ballade
@Shivalingam9 He hardly ever releases wrist/arm - maybe that's why he has had to cancel so many concerts due to hand injuries. As Rosina Lhevinne said - "Fingers, fingers, fingers - that's all I hear!" Still love his musicianship, though.
frumoasa balada nr 4 in fa minor de chopin si talentat pianist
he looks like miss swan! excellent performance of this masterpiece.
It has been said that every aspect of technique touched uponm by Chopin in his etudes is addressed in this Ballade. That in itself is wonder enough.....
Master!
This sound quality does no justice to this amazing Performance whatsoever! It's a crime! Get the TH-cam police on this video!
Good work!
Wooow… an entire life passed after this comment, how are you, my friend? this comment has my age
2019???
This could well be Horowitz's piano...it sounds like it. Horowitz let no one touch it, however he liked Murray Perrahia so much he lent it to him for concert use. I don't know when it was though. Anyone got any ideas?
I love his hair.............kkkk
Murray Perahia
@juniore1 I was being tongue in cheek about my computer but I'll agree with you about it being an old recording. Nothing worse than wobbly notes. Does something to my ears :)
c'est pas mal il faut écouter celle de samoschko au concour reine élisabeth de belgique
@TheGreatPerahia I think you secretly love both Bang Lang and Lang Bang.
inspiring
@lewars1912 is just the recording. Like in the old movies, you know :)
can't believe what I read. he has the best hair style on earth, lol.
Wonderdul! Can you post the rest of the recital?
The only bad things about this are his hair style and the sound quality.
@guillermopv90 you should listen Zimermann
my favorite chopin ballade performances are done by perahia. i have them on cd. this one is great, and i like the one i have on cd even better, i think it's a little older.
altogether amongst so many greats i prefer perahia's chopin. he proves that playing chopin's pieces exactly like how chopin wrote them without getting all creative and changing things around and ruining the music does NOT mean playing them flat and lifeless. his way of playing chopin is similar to rubinstein's i think.
ib clappin i agree. The cd is awesome
@guillermopv90
"Zoltan Kocsis plays Chopin's Ballade 4 live" THE BEST
I agree
is there a video of Perahia playing Chopin's 2nd scherzo? I can't seem to find it on TH-cam...
His everything looks like Chopin...he could be a clone
I like it.. but please listen to bolet :)
Quem ta aki por causa do Franz da um like ae
Haha you just made the idiots shoot themselves in the foot! Although you have to admit, he does play it quite well!
great playing while damn naive comments...
it IS great playing... no doubt... (but ... there are others I really too..)
c'est pas mal il faut écouter celle de samoschko
What does he ask for at the hairdressers'?!😊
chopin style
good one. But you gotta remember: it's the 80's.
Is it my computer or does this sound out of tune? Notes sound wobbly.
Great performance and Master skill. But feel a little... cool.
The piano shredder
Oh yeah, like that piece was hard!!!! Just kidding!!! Amazing playing here!!
2:34
@guillermopv90
oh dude... just listen to zimerman, harasiewicz, rubinstein, pollini... perahia's interpretation is not bad of course but imo it's nothing senstaional...
Yeah, I've noticed that as well.. fanboyism is a bad thing. (I bet I'm gonna get a lot of thumbs down as well) Not to be mistaken, I think he plays very well.
no sabia que chespirito era pianista xd
his hair looks like chopin's.lols
hahaha
cuz they're old lol
The metronome metaphore is most appropriate! He doesn't know how to let the piece Breathe between phrases...everything is hard driven and brittle from the beginning to the end... and that's Not Chopin. Where is the elan, the gracefulness, the elegance?? There is a touch of this at the beginning and then it disappears. Those who gave Mr. Perahia high marks don't really understand what this piece can be like when played at a more unfolded level of mastery. See my other comment also.
Sorry but you don't have any clue what your talking about ita fine to not like the I terpretations but your critisms are things based on stuff that isn't actually true and this is how the piece is written to be people play it to slow just like they do to moonlight sonata cause they do t get it's cut time
Too staid, dry, driven, geometric, harsh and rigid to my taste for Chopin the Pisces Poet of the Piano.
Apparently he had not his day, he cannot keep his mouth shut while playing: some cold or whatever. He plays too hasty and the resolution at 8'30" is much too quick. Ashame for a great pianist. I would advise him to delete this performace.
There's nothing g wrong with it your just a troll
This is an incredible piece, and it deserves a much better performance than this. This is downright mediocre. He takes no rubato, and barely phrases. At 3:25, that is such a huge climax, but the way he plays it, I feel like nothing happened. And the end! I have never heard anything so efficient! And come on! Slowing down at the end? Your in the middle of an accelerando! This is awful!
Like 2/3 of your critisms are uneducated or untrue lol nice try troll