Ravel. Gaspard de la nuit. One of the giants of the piano repertoire, being written only in 1908, it's crazy to think there are still approximately 50 people alive today that were born before this amazing work of art existed. “Listen! Do you know what you hear? Handfuls of rain that I've thrown against your window, thrown by me, Ondine, spirit of the water.” The first of three piano compositions based on poems by Aloysius Bertrand, Ondine tells the dream-like story of a nymph singing to lure an outsider into her underwater kingdom. Both seductive and lethal, Ondine represents the allure of that whose beauty and promise belies a darker nature, much like the siren singing the lonely sailor to his watery grave. Ravel has captured this in glittering, enchanting piano arpeggios, which (much like Ondine herself) are so difficult that, when this piece was composed, it extended the classical piano technique. “What is this uneasy sound in the dusk? Is it the gasp of the winter wind, or did the hanged man on the gallows give out a sigh?” Le Gibet. The middle composition in Ravel’s Bertrand poems triptych, it slices the opus in two, conjuring an image of a lone body hanging on the gallows. Meanwhile, a bell tolls from inside the walls of a far-off city, creating the deathly atmosphere that surrounds the observer. What is exceptional about this composition is that Ravel repeats the Bb octave ostinato throughout the whole piece, imitating the tolling of the bell that so sombrely characterizes the scene. “Now blue and transparent as candlewax, his face as pale as the molten drippings and into the dark he's gone…” The final composition in Ravel’s settings of Bertrand’s poems, Scarbo recalls the nightmarish mischief of the eponymous goblin. The sly fiend makes pirouettes, flitting in and out of the darkness, disappearing and suddenly reappearing. Accordingly, the piano part requires acrobatic athleticism, marking the high point in technical difficulty in the entire set. Ravel wrote that this composition "has been the very devil to write, which is only reasonable since He is the author of the poems.” Hope you enjoy this finally-released full performance of Gaspard de la nuit, performed by the amazing M.I. Only 9 days left until Christmas, I hope you're all having a great holiday season ♥
Ladies and gentlemen - presenting to you one of the hardest piano suites in existence! Do you enjoy the long-form videos? The rendering time on these is absolutely insane but would you want these more often?
This man? There are several pianists who make up this channel. No one person plays all these songs. This channel is a collective. READ THE DESCRIPTIONS, FFS.
@@thorr18BEM it tells at the start of the video who it is performed by. If it doesn't list a name I'm assuming it is performed by Rousseau himself. Rousseau probably hires other pianists to help him out with upload frequency etc. PERFORMED BY M.I
Ondine is difficult for several reasons: 1. Projecting the melody without it sounding forced. 2. Pacing of the phrases and separation of them. 3. Making the water effects sound “watery”. 4. Bringing out all the dynamic contrasts. 5. Conveying the emotion and pictures of the poem in music.
_Appasionato_ Yes, challenging to play the opening softly. I labored over the climax and double notes. So difficult! I’m trying to sound like Argerich in vain...
I've never once commented on a TH-cam video before, but I wanted to do so right now to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you Rousseau. I first heard this song when I was probably 11, almost 20 years ago as a demo piece on my parents electric piano. It was one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard and was one of the songs that inspired me to play piano. I've always wanted to learn it as a goal of mine, but I never could figure out the name of the piece or composer. I eventually forgot about it until I watched this video today. Hearing this song again is like finding a piece of myself that has long been missing or forgotten and makes me want to get back to playing piano again. Now that I know the name of this masterpiece and its composer, maybe I'll finally fulfill that dream of learning to play it that I made so long ago. Again, thank you Rousseau, you're work here inspires generations with the immutable art of music and history.
Yes, it’s a very intelligently constructed and vividly imaginative composition, in which the virtuosity is always in service of the overall musical vision. A true masterwork!
@@SaadTheGlad he went for the next position a step early, basically his hand moved on to the next and he had to quickly move back to not miss the note. Of course since he's too damn good at piano it still almost looks natural.
@@serdiezv I'm learning Le Gibet right now. It's a sightreading nightmare. There are so many chords, with so many accidentals. You also have to keep the b-flat ostinato going.
breaks my heart that i'll never be able to play ondine or scarbo due to motor function issues with my hands, but i sure will subject my neighbours to the sublime misery of le gibet several times a week!! so nice to watch someone perform these pieces (and so well) with full view of the hands, gives you even more appreciation for how stupidly difficult they are
Elwood Blues It’s all subjective of course, but Ravel certainly had en enormous impact on music for someone who wrote relatively little. He was a perfectionist - sometimes to his own cost - and every note he wrote had a purpose.
My body and soul: Alright we're ready to sleep Rousseau: *uploads the full version of Gaspard de la nuit* Me: Okay imma sleep after 20 minutes. Me after 20 minutes: this is too great I can't even sleep
That’s mesmerizing, the colors, the sweetness of interpretation, how your fingers are running on the tiles, how easily it seems to be when however we all do know how hard it must be. I’m glad I found your channel more than a year ago. Thank you so much for making us dream and export talent all over the world
@@AyAdam1337 Nah beginner would be stuff like his Consolations or that semi-atonal stuff he wrote late in life, or even Liebestraum is much easier than any of the HRs. HR2 is far from beginner lol
@@AyAdam1337 No, more like Contrabandista and the original 4th paganini etude are some of the hardest pieces ever written. Fun fact, the etude has not been played by a single individual at tempo since the death of Liszt, and the only one who has come close is Petrov(Plays at 55bpm when the indicated speed is 60bpm)
This makes me feel like I'm chasing a melody that only reveals itself in full glory briefly, before retreating into the darkness again. I mean this in the most loving way possible, I would follow this melody to the end of the world.
he really portayed the water like sound and feel to this piece so well, he did this piece justice. best person to play this piece no doubt. he blended all the notes together, it wasn't just a clutter of notes but it sounded like an atmosphere. he expressed the atmosphere of the emotions of the poem this piece was written about. what a lovely pianist and piece. my favoirte
although i’m not the biggest fan of rousseau’s interpretations, i can admit that this is one of the best fast interpretations(i like pogorelich’s better in general) of ondine. a lot of that goes to his audio mixing, which makes the piece sound just like it should.
Ondine is my favorite piece ever written for piano. A dark yet beautiful melody bathing into mesmerizing fast chords mimicking the flow of water... Bewitching.
wow i didnt realize the sheer length of this piece, i was just tuning into this monday morning video. Glad i was able to witness it so early and glad it made my day a better one. currently laying in bed dreading getting up
Stunning. I studied Gaspard de la Nuit and performed it as part of my final recital in my postgraduate degree whilst study at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow (in the early 90s). I had the good fortune to perform it in a masterclass with Pascal Roge around the same time. However....I have never heard or seen it played so astonishingly as you do. Unbelievable. Thank you.
first got recommended the ondine on spotify and got mesmerised by the shimmering first few bars and mystical arpeggios, then realised how beautiful (and challenging) the rest of the piece is too. (especially scarbo) Hats off for a flawless performance!
this is amazing. Trying to wrap my head around how people wrote such insane music without the giant network of information we have today with the internet baffles me. Also props to the pianist for shredding so hard
Those wonderful piece of music was heard by me for the first time when I saw the movie The Hunger staring Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, and Susan Sarandon. Miriam, the character played by Deneuve, plays Gaspard de la Nuit on the piano when she morns the death of her lover John, played by Bowie. It is a haunting piece, and this movie showcased many incredible classical music pieces to the viewer. Thank you for playing this piece and posting it online for all of us to enjoy. Chapeau!
@@andresguillermoalvarezlope418 It looks easy but it's pretty hard to master. Some says that it's sight reading nightmare. It's playable tho by grades 5-6. But still, the Henle levelling says 8.
The way you made it sound so light and like the pattering of rain. Just so majestic and peaceful. Cannot believe you were able to play this in one go. Thanks for this
I kept waiting for his third and fourth hands to appear, but they never did. What a marvelous piece of music. I've never heard of it before now. Thank you for introducing me to this great composer and allowing me to experience his music through your hands and talent. Merci beaucoup.
Thank you for bringing more attention to this piece. It’s one of the most amazing pieces of work ever created for piano, IMO. Yet definitely not easy to present to an audience. Much respect for taking on the challenge of sharing your interpretation with the world.
aznplucky It’s not music for the average consumer of classical piano music. Even then, some avid listeners never end up enjoying it. I think it speaks volumes of Rousseau’s passion for music that he is willing to publish perfomances of music that isn’t exactly digestible to the average person. Ravel is truly remarkable, though.
absolutely stunning. i cant imagine even attempting this. the scales, the movement of the wrists - how relaxed they look. no doubt the hardest piece I have ever seen. just awestruck by this.
Leuvre Absolutely. It is one of Ravel’s more harmonically ambiguous works for sure, but compared to the music of the modernist movement - which ran parallel to the impressionist period that Ravel was part of - it is very approachable.
I don't listen to classical music. I don't dislike it, I just, don't... pursue it, I guess. I've arrived here completely by chance. Someone mentioned the name of this piece, I thought I'd check it out. Didn't expect a full suite. I've just listened to the first part, Ondine, and I needed to take a break. I've never been this mesmerized by music. Maybe the visuals play a part in that, but I truly felt like I was in a dream. I was just transported by how airy and floaty this piece sounded. And the technicality of it ? Again, I don't play piano, I don't listen to classical music, I know nothing, but to see the player's hands cross over one another, it felt like the movements of them were mimicking the sensation I was feeling of gliding through a fantastic landscape. It sounds dumb lol but I just feel... a little "changed" after this, I guess. Like I've just discovered a whole new dimension I never knew existed right there. I'm going to listen to the rest of this, now.
@@EthanJbleethan the midi is edited to remove incorrect notes and the visuals are corrected too, then transformed to mp3 for better quality. He said it himself
Gaspard la Nuit is a fabulous work created by one of the greatest composers of the modern period. The set of images that it induces is musically strong of a fantastic realism. Although Ravel did not wanted to be included as an impressionist. However, , his music finds a great parallel with this current. The pianist is outstanding with an enormous sensitivity and a remarkable technique that profoundly utilizes the possibilities of the instrument. Viva Ravel and his extraordinary music, that leads us to unforgettable moments of delight and pleasure.
This program with these colors fits SO well to that colorful peace that makes you almost see colors and smell scents as you're listening! It's almost like a musical painting! Fits so well with that program!
@@o.s.h.4613 He is human like other pianist. This pieces aren't impossible and inhuman as you can think. After a 3-4 days of practising I can play Ondine 2 pages.
this piece, specifically the first part, makes me cry of how good it is 😢😢 im so happy someone was able to compose something that beautiful, and someone that was able to perform it with such emotion and.... like... its perfect💖 thank you so much.
If there was ever even the tiniest part of me that had an interest in learning to play the piano, this just killed it. My god that looks as difficult as it sounds amazing.
Ravel seriously made a piece, not only accomplishing it’s purpose, that being achieving more difficulty than Balakirev’s Islamey, but also managed to make it sound extremely good. (I could’ve worded this better but in simpler terms Ravel made a piece extremely difficult technically and yet also made it beautiful.)
I find Ravel (and Impressionists, in general) very dear to me. Impressionists have a special place in my heart, because they defied what Classical Music looked like. Beethoven, Mozart, they always created grandiose music. These Impressionists did the same, except they made us feel human and not as nobles being entertained in courts. They made us feel what is sad and happy, lonely and contentment.
If you like impressionism check out Charles Tomlinson Griffes. He died very young and only has a few published works but his piano music is just as high quality as Debussy or Ravel. Fountains of Aquapola sounds a bit like Ondine.
I don't know if I have commented on this before but this is so freaking amazing beyond belief. The more well known classics don't compare to this level. Iits a contender for one of the greatest 3-part compositions ever. Especially liking the first two parts . The third I have to be in a special mood for its also great. I have to check out more Ravel.
My MUS history teacher used to rank pieces by how "showerable" they were. If you could sing it in the shower, it was appealing to the masses beyond the artistic crowd. I don't think this is a showerable song. XD
I love this so much. The works of Ravel somehow speak deeply to my soul. I had this on vinyl when I was in France - it was bought from FNAC just up the road, but it got lost somewhere along the line of coming back to the UK.
You have made something really special here in this video. I wonder how few people in the world could have done this. Absolutely mind blowing. I love the tolling B flat throughout the second piece. Incredible.
i am pissed... so few views on such great video... thats really painful to see that this amazing and extremely hard piece being performed for youtube auduience and major part of this auduience cant appreciate this piece. BIG thanks to rousseau channel for uploading this. thank you. :)
As I walked through the streets of the Lower East Side, my heart was racing with excitement. I had always been a huge fan of Maurice Ravel's music, and today was the day I was finally going to meet him in person. I had received an invitation to join Ravel for dinner at a French restaurant in the neighborhood, and I couldn't wait to sit down and talk with him about his compositions and his life. As I approached the restaurant, I saw Ravel standing outside, looking dapper in his suit and hat. He greeted me with a warm smile and a hug, and we made our way inside. As we sat down at the table and looked at the menu, Ravel told me more about his music and his career. I was enthralled by his stories and his passion for his work, and I found myself falling more and more in love with him as the night went on. As we finished our meal and said our goodbyes, Ravel took my hand in his and looked deep into my eyes. "I hope we can do this again sometime," he said, and I knew in that moment that I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of my life by his side. From that night on, Ravel and I were inseparable. We continued to meet for dinner at that same French restaurant on a regular basis, and our love for each other only grew stronger with each passing day. I will always be grateful to Maurice Ravel for bringing such joy and beauty into my life, and for being the love of my life.
I have never heard of this piece until today and now I am a huge fan of it the intricacies of the parts the haunting discordant melodies all sent chills down my spine I can also see why this is slated as one of the hardest pieces to play
I am a fairly novice player. Some of the famous "difficult" classical pieces, while I'm nowhere near being able to play them, I can follow most of them. This is on a whole other level, I'm completely blown away by it. Just relentless shifts in the pattern being played by both hands, and it sounds amazing. Very underrated.
I have seen this piece performed live in Sammatz, a small village in the rural area where i live. It was a Duo - an actor was recitating - and playing - the wonderful Fairytale "Der goldne Topf" from E.T.A. Hoffmann. Both, Le gaspard de la nuit and Der Goldne Topf matched absolutely beautiful, one of the most intense experiences i have had in theaters in my youth.
its incredible how immersive Ondine really is. you can literally hear a conversation between the human man and Ondine, just like in the poem, but this time with far more malicious intent. pretty scary, actually
There's something to be said about being able to entrance both people who play the piano and people who know nothing about it alike. His talent and hard work is there for all to see.
this song doesn't try to sound difficult and insane, it really tells a story far more than representing emotions like a lot of songs do. Also, I think that it is a lot lot lot lot lot harder than it sounds, and it already sounds very hard.
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Ravel. Gaspard de la nuit. One of the giants of the piano repertoire, being written only in 1908, it's crazy to think there are still approximately 50 people alive today that were born before this amazing work of art existed.
“Listen! Do you know what you hear? Handfuls of rain that I've thrown against your window, thrown by me, Ondine, spirit of the water.” The first of three piano compositions based on poems by Aloysius Bertrand, Ondine tells the dream-like story of a nymph singing to lure an outsider into her underwater kingdom. Both seductive and lethal, Ondine represents the allure of that whose beauty and promise belies a darker nature, much like the siren singing the lonely sailor to his watery grave. Ravel has captured this in glittering, enchanting piano arpeggios, which (much like Ondine herself) are so difficult that, when this piece was composed, it extended the classical piano technique.
“What is this uneasy sound in the dusk? Is it the gasp of the winter wind, or did the hanged man on the gallows give out a sigh?” Le Gibet. The middle composition in Ravel’s Bertrand poems triptych, it slices the opus in two, conjuring an image of a lone body hanging on the gallows. Meanwhile, a bell tolls from inside the walls of a far-off city, creating the deathly atmosphere that surrounds the observer. What is exceptional about this composition is that Ravel repeats the Bb octave ostinato throughout the whole piece, imitating the tolling of the bell that so sombrely characterizes the scene.
“Now blue and transparent as candlewax, his face as pale as the molten drippings and into the dark he's gone…” The final composition in Ravel’s settings of Bertrand’s poems, Scarbo recalls the nightmarish mischief of the eponymous goblin. The sly fiend makes pirouettes, flitting in and out of the darkness, disappearing and suddenly reappearing. Accordingly, the piano part requires acrobatic athleticism, marking the high point in technical difficulty in the entire set. Ravel wrote that this composition "has been the very devil to write, which is only reasonable since He is the author of the poems.”
Hope you enjoy this finally-released full performance of Gaspard de la nuit, performed by the amazing M.I. Only 9 days left until Christmas, I hope you're all having a great holiday season ♥
Simply amazing, M.I.
Rousseau none of your classical videos videos can be downloaded Anymore and it’s really ruined my week could I know why they can’t be downloaded
@@shevinperera6334 yeah.
😔
Great work for uploading the whole piece! Also, I loved the information you gave about this amazing work
It’s so long 🤣 I don’t want to read this but I believe that is interesting :)
Ladies and gentlemen - presenting to you one of the hardest piano suites in existence! Do you enjoy the long-form videos? The rendering time on these is absolutely insane but would you want these more often?
Stupid question
Rousseau I wanna Ballade no 2. Do you will record it?
Yes, will you do a piano version of Beethoven/Listz's Fifth Symphony?
Please play Rachmaninoff polichinelle
@@reffman you mean liszt's arrangement?
This man casually dropping some of the hardest pieces like they pop covers 🤧
I know! And he played it perfectly!
This man? There are several pianists who make up this channel. No one person plays all these songs. This channel is a collective.
READ THE DESCRIPTIONS, FFS.
@@jtm232556 the only descriptions I see, both video and channel description, say nothing about it being multiple people. Quite the opposite.
@@jtm232556 even so, one would expect that these master pieces are saved for milestones. Yet they are dropped as regulars!
@@thorr18BEM it tells at the start of the video who it is performed by. If it doesn't list a name I'm assuming it is performed by Rousseau himself. Rousseau probably hires other pianists to help him out with upload frequency etc. PERFORMED BY M.I
This is one of my favorite piano pieces ever written. What is your favorite, and why?
*Liebestraum No.3*
What's your favorite, Rousseau?
Moment Musicaux No. 4 by Rachmaninoff- it feels so grand and heroic, just a flawless piece. In fact, all Moment Musicaux’s, 1-6, are great.
definitely the first ballade of chopin
Ballade no 4, it changed my life
Moonlight sonat mvt 3 for me
Ondine is difficult for several reasons:
1. Projecting the melody without it sounding forced.
2. Pacing of the phrases and separation of them.
3. Making the water effects sound “watery”.
4. Bringing out all the dynamic contrasts.
5. Conveying the emotion and pictures of the poem in music.
@Alexander Scriabin what does M.I mean ?
@Vedant Dave and what is his name please ?
@@themoroccanpianist8953 the pianist refers to himself/herself as M.I. and it is in the introduction of the piece(you can go back to 0:00).
As pianist I can say the main problem in this piece is a double chords like at the first page. If you can deal with that you can beat the all piece
_Appasionato_ Yes, challenging to play the opening softly. I labored over the climax and double notes. So difficult! I’m trying to sound like Argerich in vain...
4:08 smoothest glissandos ever...
JackPlays they are indeed quite tasty
Oh my god that's so satisfying!
I'm not a musician but even I can understand it because it's so good.
second* because Hamelin exists
I also love how he doesn't make them sound "chunky".
An old favourite of mine! I even wrote an English assignment in high school around this piece. Awesome :D -Andrew
THERE HE IS!!!
Sheet Music Boss
Top 10 Anime Crossovers
which piece? there are 3
@@orsemcore Gaspard de la nuit consists 3 movements, but they're actually one piece
@@Medtner26 oh sorry
0:00 - Ondine
6:00 - Le Gibet
13:00 - Scarbo
up
Up
Thank you. UP
up
up
I've never once commented on a TH-cam video before, but I wanted to do so right now to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you Rousseau. I first heard this song when I was probably 11, almost 20 years ago as a demo piece on my parents electric piano. It was one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard and was one of the songs that inspired me to play piano. I've always wanted to learn it as a goal of mine, but I never could figure out the name of the piece or composer. I eventually forgot about it until I watched this video today. Hearing this song again is like finding a piece of myself that has long been missing or forgotten and makes me want to get back to playing piano again. Now that I know the name of this masterpiece and its composer, maybe I'll finally fulfill that dream of learning to play it that I made so long ago. Again, thank you Rousseau, you're work here inspires generations with the immutable art of music and history.
ReturntoOne 🙏🏼 that’s awesome
That's insane dude...
Have fun learning this if you do!
Same with me, except for me it was Hungarian Rhapsody No 2
longest but nicest comment ever
Currently Grade 7 but playing Diploma music cos Rousseau inspired
"To say with notes what a poet expresses with words." - Ravel
This was incredibly well done!
What i love in this piece is that none of it can be debated that it is a simple show of virtuosity, it is all eloquent beautiful and narrative
Yes, it’s a very intelligently constructed and vividly imaginative composition, in which the virtuosity is always in service of the overall musical vision. A true masterwork!
10:40 nice save lol
top comment material
Thought the same lol
Wdym
@@SaadTheGlad he went for the next position a step early, basically his hand moved on to the next and he had to quickly move back to not miss the note. Of course since he's too damn good at piano it still almost looks natural.
@@seana3918 wow, thanks for the explanation
at the starting of the video
Me: I can’t play this
At the end
Me: yes I can’t
At the middle you get kinda hopeful but then scarbo starts
@@ilkesarpsoylu2990 Le Gibet might be more simple, but to me it's the most beautiful. I view Gaspard de la Nuit as a whole though.
@@serdiezv I'm learning Le Gibet right now. It's a sightreading nightmare. There are so many chords, with so many accidentals. You also have to keep the b-flat ostinato going.
@@ral8ph it being the easiest of the 3 doesn't mean it's easy at all
@@paeffill9428 yeah, it's still a crazy part of this whole piece. It's an A#, btw.
breaks my heart that i'll never be able to play ondine or scarbo due to motor function issues with my hands, but i sure will subject my neighbours to the sublime misery of le gibet several times a week!! so nice to watch someone perform these pieces (and so well) with full view of the hands, gives you even more appreciation for how stupidly difficult they are
Ravel is maybe the composer who achieved the synthesis of virtuosity, inventiveness, complexity and beauty, raising it to an unparalleled level.
Elwood Blues It’s all subjective of course, but Ravel certainly had en enormous impact on music for someone who wrote relatively little. He was a perfectionist - sometimes to his own cost - and every note he wrote had a purpose.
@@TomCL-vb6xc Ravel indeed was, the same could be said for Debussy though perhaps to a lesser degree
Prokofiev in some of his pieces
While I love this piece I've gotta disagree
@@upside_you_mop Well... disagree.
My body and soul: Alright we're ready to sleep
Rousseau: *uploads the full version of Gaspard de la nuit*
Me: Okay imma sleep after 20 minutes.
Me after 20 minutes: this is too great I can't even sleep
Second movement could help you sleep tbh
444
@Naomi :) it still works. bc you will be sleeping(?
me right now, I was going to sleep but I saw this, and im like no way, a full version of a ridiculously hard piece
Dude, it's 2:11 in the morning for me and I can't even sleep. Two days in a freakin' row now.
I was watching youtube, very casually.
And Rousseau posts the whole piece of Gaspard de la Nuit. I got a heart attack lol
lol 1st
That’s mesmerizing, the colors, the sweetness of interpretation, how your fingers are running on the tiles, how easily it seems to be when however we all do know how hard it must be. I’m glad I found your channel more than a year ago. Thank you so much for making us dream and export talent all over the world
LOL u thought it was Rousseau but it was him/her, M.I. !
This did not sound like music, it sounded like nature itself. I don't know how else to describe it. Wow.
I know what you mean, i can't believe these are the same notes i play on my piano
No. A drama, suspenso, poesía, hanelo, nostalgia
People: Your videos are too short!!!
Rousseau: ok you wanted this
Rousseau 2 days later:
Nobody has ever said that his videos are too short.
@Vtheman PP People complain wanting them to go on for longer.
too*
Symon Singson thx I didn’t see it :)
@@witchkingofangmar9373 Welcome
This is a lot harder than HR2. Never imagine I could see this kind of performance online. Thank you
Hr2 is kinda beginner Liszt piece, you should listen "El Contrabandista" or 4th Paganini Variations 1838 Version
@@AyAdam1337 “beginner”
@@AyAdam1337 Nah beginner would be stuff like his Consolations or that semi-atonal stuff he wrote late in life, or even Liebestraum is much easier than any of the HRs. HR2 is far from beginner lol
@@AyAdam1337
No, more like Contrabandista and the original 4th paganini etude are some of the hardest pieces ever written. Fun fact, the etude has not been played by a single individual at tempo since the death of Liszt, and the only one who has come close is Petrov(Plays at 55bpm when the indicated speed is 60bpm)
hr2 and this are thousands of leagues apart, "a lot" is a huge understatement
"Have fun"
-Ravel
Milk3n “Good Luck....” ~Ravel
@@stephenn77 he never said that
BCA music wooosh
@@stephenn77 ''HEY! That's my qoute=(''-Liszt
@@Batman-hb9dh I did
This makes me feel like I'm chasing a melody that only reveals itself in full glory briefly, before retreating into the darkness again. I mean this in the most loving way possible, I would follow this melody to the end of the world.
So well described.
Especially in Scarbo
Oh wow that’s exactly how I feel
exactly WOW
@@zeke7269 Thats actually what it was made to sound like, Scarbo was a ghost who could disappear and reappear at will
he really portayed the water like sound and feel to this piece so well, he did this piece justice. best person to play this piece no doubt. he blended all the notes together, it wasn't just a clutter of notes but it sounded like an atmosphere. he expressed the atmosphere of the emotions of the poem this piece was written about. what a lovely pianist and piece. my favoirte
although i’m not the biggest fan of rousseau’s interpretations, i can admit that this is one of the best fast interpretations(i like pogorelich’s better in general) of ondine. a lot of that goes to his audio mixing, which makes the piece sound just like it should.
Ondine is my favorite piece ever written for piano. A dark yet beautiful melody bathing into mesmerizing fast chords mimicking the flow of water... Bewitching.
Plume de Mouton When you read the poem it is based on it is even more gorgeous.
wow i didnt realize the sheer length of this piece, i was just tuning into this monday morning video. Glad i was able to witness it so early and glad it made my day a better one. currently laying in bed dreading getting up
Are you still in bed now?
Stunning. I studied Gaspard de la Nuit and performed it as part of my final recital in my postgraduate degree whilst study at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow (in the early 90s). I had the good fortune to perform it in a masterclass with Pascal Roge around the same time. However....I have never heard or seen it played so astonishingly as you do. Unbelievable. Thank you.
I recommend you a lot pogorelich's interpretation.
Gaspard de la nuit has to be one of my favorite pieces. When your first released Scarbo I was so hyped, but THIS, now this is what I’m talking about!
Same here, i wish he realeased them all in separate video too like scarbo, wouldnt be too much work
I LOVE the typo: Gaspard De la unit 😂😂😂 I actually laughed out loud
It's so dreamy, so calming yet so powerful. I just can't help myself but to listen to this everyday. I'm definitely going to listen to more Ravel
Clément Guichet Cannot recommend him enough. He is a great gateway into more contemporary and harmonically unique music.
*when the outro is the piece*
Me: hey.... that’s illegal
Nice observation 😂
Bhooshan Pandit thank you, I’m trying my best :)
Piece*
Kyle Finley better? :)
@@MrTristan223 😁😁
first got recommended the ondine on spotify and got mesmerised by the shimmering first few bars and mystical arpeggios, then realised how beautiful (and challenging) the rest of the piece is too. (especially scarbo) Hats off for a flawless performance!
this is amazing. Trying to wrap my head around how people wrote such insane music without the giant network of information we have today with the internet baffles me. Also props to the pianist for shredding so hard
5:15 if you put headphones on and put the volume all the way up and listen really closely, you can hear the damper pedal.
Davis Robinson thx bro :)
and 13:42 as well
@@ludwig4029 lol
@@ludwig4029 Damn you.
@@Dylonely_9274 holla
Those wonderful piece of music was heard by me for the first time when I saw the movie The Hunger staring Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, and Susan Sarandon. Miriam, the character played by Deneuve, plays Gaspard de la Nuit on the piano when she morns the death of her lover John, played by Bowie. It is a haunting piece, and this movie showcased many incredible classical music pieces to the viewer. Thank you for playing this piece and posting it online for all of us to enjoy. Chapeau!
Only pianists will know how hard the opening of Ondine is to play. You capture the shimmering perfectly - reminds me a bit of Michelangeli.
Nutjobs will open a recital/competition with Ondine XD
Imagine getting this sheet music just after Ravel lainched it. Poor man on that time, they didn't know what they would've get into...😅
I’m sure about one.
His fingers are faster than my internet connection. The end.
You mean her?
@@nicholasgarcia399 I'm not sure the 15 flying fingers known as Rousseau could have a gender.
you can't measure finger speed in bits
syst3m ! okay
Rousseau is a he.
This is one of those pieces I can add to the list of never will be able to play
Actually le gibet is quite reachable
The second mouvement
@@andresguillermoalvarezlope418 It looks easy but it's pretty hard to master. Some says that it's sight reading nightmare. It's playable tho by grades 5-6. But still, the Henle levelling says 8.
It has been added to my future goals, just accomplished Clair de lune
@@cutedukeplays5065 which one? Le gibet?
The way you made it sound so light and like the pattering of rain. Just so majestic and peaceful. Cannot believe you were able to play this in one go. Thanks for this
I kept waiting for his third and fourth hands to appear, but they never did. What a marvelous piece of music. I've never heard of it before now. Thank you for introducing me to this great composer and allowing me to experience his music through your hands and talent. Merci beaucoup.
Oh I love Ondine it’s so breathtaking
YOU'RE BREATHTAKING😂
Chris Y woah thanks!
Distinct [GD] how wonderful!
yum
First Name Last Name what a glorious day! Thanks
10:40 Congratulations, Rousseau!!! You were stronger than your arm, you could've played those wrong notes and mess up.
what did the piano ever do to u
LOL it's M.I. who performed at the video
This is not Rousseau playing
Thank you for bringing more attention to this piece. It’s one of the most amazing pieces of work ever created for piano, IMO. Yet definitely not easy to present to an audience. Much respect for taking on the challenge of sharing your interpretation with the world.
aznplucky It’s not music for the average consumer of classical piano music. Even then, some avid listeners never end up enjoying it. I think it speaks volumes of Rousseau’s passion for music that he is willing to publish perfomances of music that isn’t exactly digestible to the average person. Ravel is truly remarkable, though.
absolutely stunning. i cant imagine even attempting this. the scales, the movement of the wrists - how relaxed they look. no doubt the hardest piece I have ever seen. just awestruck by this.
God I love this part so much it’s so distorted, messy and perfect at the same time 3:36
Same, it's just... i don't even know how to describe it. it's just so good
Same with this part: 13:43
@@saltezers2242 giant steps changessss
this part makes me feel an emotion that used to exist but doesn’t exist anymore
This is rhythmically the most challenging part of Ondine in my opinion. The right hand has slightly more notes to play than the left hand.
This is absolutely insane. Imagine writing this down as a composer.
Leuvre This is fairly tame compared to other stuff written at the time.
@@TomCL-vb6xc are you sure?
Leuvre Absolutely. It is one of Ravel’s more harmonically ambiguous works for sure, but compared to the music of the modernist movement - which ran parallel to the impressionist period that Ravel was part of - it is very approachable.
Ravel had a maniacal thing for perfection. That's why his works are extremely refined and well composed.
@@TomCL-vb6xc "fairly tame" you say, you got any examples of something not tame then?
This piece is literally insanely difficult. I have so much respect for you for learning this and playing with such mastery
Online is possibly the most magical piece ever written. It’s just so otherworldly.
Those hands are just majestic the way they slide effortlessly across the keys 🥰
I don't listen to classical music. I don't dislike it, I just, don't... pursue it, I guess. I've arrived here completely by chance. Someone mentioned the name of this piece, I thought I'd check it out. Didn't expect a full suite. I've just listened to the first part, Ondine, and I needed to take a break. I've never been this mesmerized by music. Maybe the visuals play a part in that, but I truly felt like I was in a dream. I was just transported by how airy and floaty this piece sounded. And the technicality of it ? Again, I don't play piano, I don't listen to classical music, I know nothing, but to see the player's hands cross over one another, it felt like the movements of them were mimicking the sensation I was feeling of gliding through a fantastic landscape. It sounds dumb lol but I just feel... a little "changed" after this, I guess. Like I've just discovered a whole new dimension I never knew existed right there. I'm going to listen to the rest of this, now.
It strains the wrists a lot. It's very impressive that he's keeping tempo and still giving a lot of emotion into the notes.
@@EthanJbleethan the midi is edited to remove incorrect notes and the visuals are corrected too, then transformed to mp3 for better quality. He said it himself
Ravel was a great composer. His music is not "classical music" in my opinion. It' s modern
I was literally watching the old Gaspard de la nuit piece when this video came out, and I'm even happier :)
Gaspard la Nuit is a fabulous work created by one of the greatest composers of the modern period. The set of images that it induces is musically strong of a fantastic realism. Although Ravel did not wanted to be included as an impressionist. However, , his music finds a great parallel with this current. The pianist is outstanding with an enormous sensitivity and a remarkable technique that profoundly utilizes the possibilities of the instrument. Viva Ravel and his extraordinary music, that leads us to unforgettable moments of delight and pleasure.
The most difficult piece, i've ever seen. My respect. Nice interpretation.
One of the most skilled skilled pianists I have ever seen playing one of the most difficult pieces ever and we watch and just say
👁👄👁👍
This is the first time I've ever heard this piece. It instantly takes the spot for my favorite piece of music I've ever heard. Just wow.
6:15 - 6:35
I live to protect these chords.
Best part of Le Gibet, it feels like pure dread and emptiness, you can imagine the scenery perfectly
Really wish he kept going with this motive (or maybe he does and im just too ignorant to notice)
Fax this shit hit hard
It gives me Mars desolation vibes
I love the variation at 12:15 it adds something conciliatory
I think I have perfect pitch on Bb because of the second one
Lmao
Ravel: Just in case you forgot what Bb sounded like
C# major.
P sure Chopin's marche funebre is also in Bb minor...? Would be an interesting link
I have perfect pitch!!
Scarbo sounds like something Liszt would compose if he was in hell
Bahahahahahhaha
Ehehhehehehehehe
Yo my grandson
Heh. Might do it sometime!
I love you btw
Just beautiful, incredible, overwhelming, otherworldly ...performance and composition leave me speechless
This program with these colors fits SO well to that colorful peace that makes you almost see colors and smell scents as you're listening! It's almost like a musical painting! Fits so well with that program!
10:40 - That was close!
Seriously 😳
O.S.H. keep in mind rousseau wasn't the one who was playing
@@hakdog-q3x U telling me Rousseau isn't a human?
Well I'm not even surprised if so tbh
@@o.s.h.4613 He is human like other pianist. This pieces aren't impossible and inhuman as you can think. After a 3-4 days of practising I can play Ondine 2 pages.
The Bb in Le Gibet is one of the most simple yet haunting aspects of any piece of piano music
Teacher: This is the lesson. You won't have to memorize much.
*The lesson:*
LMAOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! THIS IS SOOOOO TRUEEEE!
this piece, specifically the first part, makes me cry of how good it is 😢😢 im so happy someone was able to compose something that beautiful, and someone that was able to perform it with such emotion and.... like... its perfect💖 thank you so much.
that Bb ostinato in the second movement is so brilliant
If there was ever even the tiniest part of me that had an interest in learning to play the piano, this just killed it. My god that looks as difficult as it sounds amazing.
Ravel seriously made a piece, not only accomplishing it’s purpose, that being achieving more difficulty than Balakirev’s Islamey, but also managed to make it sound extremely good. (I could’ve worded this better but in simpler terms Ravel made a piece extremely difficult technically and yet also made it beautiful.)
I find Ravel (and Impressionists, in general) very dear to me. Impressionists have a special place in my heart, because they defied what Classical Music looked like. Beethoven, Mozart, they always created grandiose music. These Impressionists did the same, except they made us feel human and not as nobles being entertained in courts. They made us feel what is sad and happy, lonely and contentment.
If you like impressionism check out Charles Tomlinson Griffes. He died very young and only has a few published works but his piano music is just as high quality as Debussy or Ravel. Fountains of Aquapola sounds a bit like Ondine.
Which hand is melody?
Ravel: Yes.
LoliloL
I don't know if I have commented on this before but this is so freaking amazing beyond belief. The more well known classics don't compare to this level. Iits a contender for one of the greatest 3-part compositions ever. Especially liking the first two parts . The third I have to be in a special mood for its also great. I have to check out more Ravel.
3:30 This part actually made me nuit
3:38 and 5:24 made me nuit so much
@@ludwig4029 "nuit on me daddy 🤤" lmao
@@nicoletteminajee605 LMAO
Nuit means night, you do realize that
@@thepianoman1216 bruh take a joke
My MUS history teacher used to rank pieces by how "showerable" they were.
If you could sing it in the shower, it was appealing to the masses beyond the artistic crowd.
I don't think this is a showerable song. XD
Kaniner Flagg Agreed. Ravel isn’t really the easiest composer for most listeners to follow lol
when chuck norris sings in his shower, he sings "ondine"
"Song"
piece*
@@ludwig4029 Thank you!
The beginning of « Le Gibet » is very powerful, I don’t even know why but it make me feel something deep inside
10:40 Wait, what?
10:55 reminds me claire de lune
Both composers (Debussy and Ravel) around the same time period. Regarded as impressionists but they denied it
@@lczq6737 apparently Debussy hated the term, even though that's pretty much what his music is about xD
@@mr.clasher-clashofclansboo7286 yeah so did Ravel. However the latter referred to the former as an impressionist.
I love this so much. The works of Ravel somehow speak deeply to my soul. I had this on vinyl when I was in France - it was bought from FNAC just up the road, but it got lost somewhere along the line of coming back to the UK.
You have made something really special here in this video. I wonder how few people in the world could have done this. Absolutely mind blowing. I love the tolling B flat throughout the second piece. Incredible.
One of the longest but one of the most wonderful pieces ever made
Compared with other classical piano repertoire this piece is not long
5:09 - When you thought the Ondine was a nice mermaid that will help you or something...
5:24 - But she drowns you and steals your soul.
@Meme Machine Oh whoa, thank you for the insight. I can see that imagery too
No that's undine
I thought ondine was a French Boys name
i am pissed... so few views on such great video... thats really painful to see that this amazing and extremely hard piece being performed for youtube auduience and major part of this auduience cant appreciate this piece. BIG thanks to rousseau channel for uploading this. thank you. :)
It's the greatest piece of music ever written for piano.
Smewo I feel you man
I am new to classical as a whole but this is remarkable. It's so profound.and beautiful.
As I walked through the streets of the Lower East Side, my heart was racing with excitement. I had always been a huge fan of Maurice Ravel's music, and today was the day I was finally going to meet him in person.
I had received an invitation to join Ravel for dinner at a French restaurant in the neighborhood, and I couldn't wait to sit down and talk with him about his compositions and his life.
As I approached the restaurant, I saw Ravel standing outside, looking dapper in his suit and hat. He greeted me with a warm smile and a hug, and we made our way inside.
As we sat down at the table and looked at the menu, Ravel told me more about his music and his career. I was enthralled by his stories and his passion for his work, and I found myself falling more and more in love with him as the night went on.
As we finished our meal and said our goodbyes, Ravel took my hand in his and looked deep into my eyes. "I hope we can do this again sometime," he said, and I knew in that moment that I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of my life by his side.
From that night on, Ravel and I were inseparable. We continued to meet for dinner at that same French restaurant on a regular basis, and our love for each other only grew stronger with each passing day. I will always be grateful to Maurice Ravel for bringing such joy and beauty into my life, and for being the love of my life.
I have never heard of this piece until today and now I am a huge fan of it the intricacies of the parts the haunting discordant melodies all sent chills down my spine I can also see why this is slated as one of the hardest pieces to play
3:29 One of the best climaxes in any piece.
The best parte for me:
Ondine best part: 3:26 - 4:08
Le Gibet best part: 7:23 - 7:48
Scarbo best part: 17:28 - 17:56
Elpianista 455
For me, in Scarbo, my favorite part is from 20:30 to the ending. Its just pure chaos and very scary.
I love it.
@@manokmj8014 you're right
There is no best part. It’s all the best part. This piece is the pinnacle of musical maturity and that’s all there is to be said.
i was playing a game and saw this notification, didnt know what got over me and instantly tapped.
i lost
I am a fairly novice player. Some of the famous "difficult" classical pieces, while I'm nowhere near being able to play them, I can follow most of them.
This is on a whole other level, I'm completely blown away by it. Just relentless shifts in the pattern being played by both hands, and it sounds amazing. Very underrated.
0:18 you can see his head, doesn't matter though, well played MI, thanks Rousseau for uploading this masterpiece
I have seen this piece performed live in Sammatz, a small village in the rural area where i live. It was a Duo - an actor was recitating - and playing - the wonderful Fairytale "Der goldne Topf" from E.T.A. Hoffmann. Both, Le gaspard de la nuit and Der Goldne Topf matched absolutely beautiful, one of the most intense experiences i have had in theaters in my youth.
I love Gaspard de la Nuit. First found this piece listening to Pogorelichs version but this is on another level, so smooth. Absolutely amazing
This deserves more views tbh
Every arpeggio/scale/glissando in this piece makes me so glad I have ears
I was usually skeptical of you, because of the hype. Though, this surely converted me... Very few nice recordings of this piece!
Timestamps:
- 00:04 ( Ondine ).
- 06:00 ( Le Gibet ).
- 12:55 ( Scrabo).
Yes
Scarbo not scrabo
At 0:57 I always release a deep breath I didn't realize I was holding in. Everything about this piece is just beautiful.
its incredible how immersive Ondine really is. you can literally hear a conversation between the human man and Ondine, just like in the poem, but this time with far more malicious intent. pretty scary, actually
There's something to be said about being able to entrance both people who play the piano and people who know nothing about it alike. His talent and hard work is there for all to see.
2:14 is the coolest thing I have *EVER* *SEEN*
Shevin Perera IKR?
Shevin Perera it’s been stuck in ma head fueva
What's cool on it? 😅
3:33 you up to changing your mind?
Badreddine Wreqs yh 😂
I hate you
Then I love you
then I hate you again
and then
I love you
.
.
.
I ve been palying the piano for 30 years and you make me wanna quit...
Yes but can he play Charlie Puth - when I see you again?
Never hate, always appreciate
This video deserves way more views
*Ravel* is one of the most *unrivaled* composers
Dude,
No
@@julianbucker1224 yes
No
No
No
Amazing to see how many notes there really are. Beautifully done.
this song doesn't try to sound difficult and insane, it really tells a story far more than representing emotions like a lot of songs do. Also, I think that it is a lot lot lot lot lot harder than it sounds, and it already sounds very hard.
yes, song
Sacreligious
Song?
And the lyrics? Above all who's the singer?