Emil Gilels was known throughout western Europe to have the most delicate, colorful sound of all pianists from the Soviet Union. His tours in western Eu anticipated S.Richter, whom Gilels praised to reporters as one "better than me" when Richter was still to be heard at our side of the iron curtain. As a funny but true story, once Gilels was reharsing alone in Florence for a recital. Some musicians and piano students were able to overhear him studying Mozart's piano Sonata in F major, they cannot believe of the strong, almost violent energy he put while reharsing on a vertical piano of a famous Instrument Shop. The same day, in theatre the recital went perfect and his sound was as heavenly as ever. So we may think that he had already memorised the resistance of the concert instrument, the acoustics of the hall, and was studying just with the right touch for the concert.
I used to be not so keen on the Brahms ballades, having expected to hear something akin to Chopin's masterpieces. I found them very different and I dare say lacking in substance. But I think they are "acquired tastes"; the more I listen, the more I can appreciate them for their own attributes and the more I notice details I never noticed before. In the end, though they are not like Chopin's, they do have their own artistic qualities and evoke different moods to Chopin's, yet still romantic ones.
Beautiful playing - full of Brahmsian drama and breadth. I heard Gilels in the late 70s play the Schumann Piano Concerto - stunning (if a bit slow) - Such wonderful sound!
to the plethora of imaginative music of Liszt-all the way to the sometimes goofy melodies of Prokofiev, Stravinsky, and avante gardists like Leo Ornstein. I love the music. Further more, why would I favorite about 1000 classical music videos if I "dont enjoy" listening to classical music as you presumed? Least play it?
@thedudethatkilledyou Liszt isn't ALL technical, nor is Beethoven and Bach. ANd by the way I do admire Chopin as a great composer. Just look at my channel, I even posted two videos of me playing his music. I like nearly all composers-this piece just didn't capture me.
kempff95 I love classical music-as a matter of fact, its the only music I enjoy. Just look at my favorites, I have at least 1000 videos of classical music. I just think this piece is rather bland-I've listened to tons of music-mostly piano. In addition, I play piano-so that also testifies to the fact that I like classical music. You shouldn't generalize like that and assume that I think ALL classical music is boring. From the contrapuntal music of Bach, to the revolutionary music of Beethoven,
Gilels,a true giant... BTW, according to the recently published Richter biography, the story about Gilels dying because of a wrong injection is a complete fabrication.
Could we have that superb interpretation without sound compresion please ? There is almost no difference between the p to ff in the middle section crescendo.
The first page is not at all difficult, but then you've got quite a few octave leaps beginning at 1:58. For me the most difficult bit is the phrasing at 2:48 and bringing out the left hand melody at 1:58 with quite a lot going on around it. In my opinion this interpretation is not savage enough in the middle section (it is meant to depict a murder - sounds more like a funeral march to me), plus Gilels plays the middle section (Allegro non troppo) at the same speed as the first section (Andante). But he brings out the melodies very well.
No, it's not "supposed" to be good music. It IS good music. Perhaps you should go back to Dr. Dre and Biggie Smalls, which I assume are more your style.
Fichtre je ne m'en lasse pas !
How does he manage to play it so quietlyyyyy????!!!!
Emil Gilels was known throughout western Europe to have the most delicate, colorful sound of all pianists from the Soviet Union. His tours in western Eu anticipated S.Richter, whom Gilels praised to reporters as one "better than me" when Richter was still to be heard at our side of the iron curtain.
As a funny but true story, once Gilels was reharsing alone in Florence for a recital.
Some musicians and piano students were able to overhear him studying Mozart's piano Sonata in F major, they cannot believe of the strong, almost violent energy he put while reharsing on a vertical piano of a famous Instrument Shop. The same day, in theatre the recital went perfect and his sound was as heavenly as ever. So we may think that he had already memorised the resistance of the concert instrument, the acoustics of the hall, and was studying just with the right touch for the concert.
I used to be not so keen on the Brahms ballades, having expected to hear something akin to Chopin's masterpieces. I found them very different and I dare say lacking in substance. But I think they are "acquired tastes"; the more I listen, the more I can appreciate them for their own attributes and the more I notice details I never noticed before. In the end, though they are not like Chopin's, they do have their own artistic qualities and evoke different moods to Chopin's, yet still romantic ones.
These are much more spiritual, almost choral like.
I'm with you, but this performance.... I'm sold! WOW.
Beautiful playing - full of Brahmsian drama and breadth. I heard Gilels in the late 70s play the Schumann Piano Concerto - stunning (if a bit slow) - Such wonderful sound!
@Jayangaz it is in AMEB grade 8th Manual list but not the leisure, Piano exam(prof)
@kedmann074 you bake your mana?
Thank you!!! Great!! :)
Cool
to the plethora of imaginative music of Liszt-all the way to the sometimes goofy melodies of Prokofiev, Stravinsky, and avante gardists like Leo Ornstein. I love the music. Further more, why would I favorite about 1000 classical music videos if I "dont enjoy" listening to classical music as you presumed? Least play it?
Bravo!!!!!!
@thedudethatkilledyou
Liszt isn't ALL technical, nor is Beethoven and Bach. ANd by the way I do admire Chopin as a great composer. Just look at my channel, I even posted two videos of me playing his music. I like nearly all composers-this piece just didn't capture me.
kempff95 I love classical music-as a matter of fact, its the only music I enjoy. Just look at my favorites, I have at least 1000 videos of classical music. I just think this piece is rather bland-I've listened to tons of music-mostly piano. In addition, I play piano-so that also testifies to the fact that I like classical music. You shouldn't generalize like that and assume that I think ALL classical music is boring. From the contrapuntal music of Bach, to the revolutionary music of Beethoven,
Gilels,a true giant... BTW, according to the recently published Richter biography, the story about Gilels dying because of a wrong injection is a complete fabrication.
On sait pour qui le coeur de Brahms a longtemps chanté;et Guilels reprend le chant afin qu'il ne s'éteigne pas.
@Kalen1457 I agree, I find this piece of music rather flat... dull if you will.
(yawn) Sorry this compositions is sort of boring in my opinion...
He is a master!
@Kalen1457 I wasn't crazy about it either in the beginning, but it's a grower
Could we have that superb interpretation without sound compresion please ? There is almost no difference between the p to ff in the middle section crescendo.
Nice Beethoven styling he gives himself at 3:30! Love Gilels for his wonderful interpretations :-)
I can play this! But not to the degree of expertise in the video
Compare this piece by Schubert:
/watch?v=3bHuqKAu54k
@kempff95 Take it easy, you'll pop a vein!
on a scale of 1 to 10, how hard is this song?
+Shwarzmen Duddlehaeven i would say middle may be 5
It's on the current grade 8 ABRSM syllabus, so it's not too challenging
The first page is not at all difficult, but then you've got quite a few octave leaps beginning at 1:58. For me the most difficult bit is the phrasing at 2:48 and bringing out the left hand melody at 1:58 with quite a lot going on around it. In my opinion this interpretation is not savage enough in the middle section (it is meant to depict a murder - sounds more like a funeral march to me), plus Gilels plays the middle section (Allegro non troppo) at the same speed as the first section (Andante). But he brings out the melodies very well.
@@gwilymprice4442 Good point about the lack of savagery in the middle section. I was feeling the same thing.
@zimmermann1986 I dont get it, is this supposed to be good music?
No, it's not "supposed" to be good music. It IS good music. Perhaps you should go back to Dr. Dre and Biggie Smalls, which I assume are more your style.