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Beethoven Brahms Piano

Radu Lupu – slower is better!

Posted on July 9, 2010

A musician friend visited my web site and listened to the second movement of Beethoven’s piano sonata number 8 (the Pathetique) played by Wilhelm Kempff, who was particularly well known for his Beethoven interpretations.  My friend then sent me a link to the same piece played by Radu Lupu. Incredible difference! The Kempff version runs 4:56 while Lupu’s goes 7:05! Have a listen to Kempff first, and then the slower, poetic and beatific version by Lupu.

Beethoven piano sonata 8 / 2nd movement by Kempff

 

by Lupu

 

After reading the article below and a few others about Radu I began seeking his music out and I’m now a real ‘fan.’ I was amazed that I hadn’t found him before, during my lengthy and exhaustive  searches and downloads, for the great pianist of the 20th century.  Unfortunately it so far appears that his recorded catalog is fairly small. After the link there are a few more examples of how ‘Slow is better’! Exquisite Brahms.

http://www.scena.org/lsm/sm13-4/sm13_4_lupu_en.html

Brahms intermezzo 118 second movement played by Idil Biret

 

Played by Radu

 

Brahms Intermezzi, op117 (1) Andante moderato played by Kempff

 

Played by Radu

Chopin LONG PLAYING SELECTIONS Piano

Chopin Long Play

Posted on June 23, 2010

 

Piano Concerto #2 – second movement (*Sorry I lost the “tag” for who the artist is)

24 Preludes Op.28 No.6 in B minor played by Garrick Ohlsson

Fantaisie-Impromptu #4 in C sharp min, Op. 66 played by Martha Argerich

Waltz in A flat op.69 1 Valse de l’adieu played by Claudio Arrau

Polonaise No. 6 in A flat major, Op. 53, “Heroic” played by Rafal Blechacz

Berceuse, Op. 57 played by Maurizio Pollini

Scherzo no.2 in B flat minor, Op.31 played by Yundi Li

Mazurka #43  in g, op67-  2 played by Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

Andante Spianato and Grand Polonaise, op. 22 part 1 played by Alfred Brendel

Chopin – Piano Concertos no. 1 – 2. Romanze. Larghetto played by Yundi Li

Haydn

Haydn – the string quartet Master?

Posted on June 9, 2010

Someone reviewing a string quartet CD on Amazon wrote: The opus 20 string quarters are utterly sublime; there is a balance, a humanity, a humour, a joie de vivre and utter contentedness of being. All this and more. Haydn was a master of the string quartet and, in my view, he surpasses Mozart and Beethoven. I know this will be heresy for some, but Haydn is a man who is comfortable in his skin and it transmits to the music. Mozarts are a little too studied and serious at times whilst Beethoven appears uncomfortable in his skin and it shows in his great late string quarters….

String Quartet No. 28 in E flat major, Op. 20, No. 1, Hob.III:31 (Sun Quartets)

Haydn Quartet 28 / Affetuoso e sostenuto

Arensky Composers - Ignored and Almost forgotten!

Another almost unknown almost forgotten composer

Posted on June 8, 2010

I stumbled upon Anton Arensky when I went to a concert in my local small town. While introducing this piece, the pianist in the trio mentioned that Arensky taught Scriabin and Rachmaninoff. My ears perked up!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Arensky

It so happened that my wife Tricia had painted the violinist and entered the painting in a prestigious Australian  art prize. We took it along and showed Niki.

http://www.dancingdust.com/large/niki.html

So many ignored and forgotten great composers. Now with the internet we all can find them much more easily!

Enjoy Arensky’s Trio in D minor, op. 32: Elegia – Adagio

The Nash Ensemble – Arensky- Trio in D minor, Op.32- Elegia – Adagio

Beethoven Haydn Piano

Beethoven and Haydn

Posted on May 23, 2010

Beethoven IS  “The Greatest.” (IMHO)

Did Beethoven ‘inherit'(or use and transform to a higher level): Compositions from Haydn?

Did Beethoven rely on – or come back to Haydn for inspiration? … Haydn’s  humor, spontaneity and Joie de vivre? … and the ability to transform pure ‘sweetness’ into a challenging/deeper probing? This a question for “Scholars”? Let’s just listen!

Well … Beethoven dedicated this piece to Haydn. (*played by Paul Lewis) You be the Judge. How much does Ludwig owe Haydn?!

Beethoven Sonata No. 2 in A major Op. 2 No. 2 III. Scherzo. Allegretto

 

How about watching a new ‘hot shot’ play the same piece? Rafal Blechacz.

Here’s one comment when Rafal Blechacz won all five first prizes! … at the 15th International Frederick Chopin Piano CompetitionWarsaw According to ABC News, one of the judges, Professor Piotr Paleczny, said that Blechacz “so outclassed the remaining finalists that no second prize could actually be awarded.”

Another judge, the distinguished Irish pianist John O’Conor, said “He is one of the greatest artists I have had a chance to hear in my entire life,” according to PBS. Blechacz was the first Pole to win the prize (given every five years) since 1975, when Krystian Zimerman[1][2][3][4][5] won.

What a sweet, honest and straightforward man he appears to be!

Female Composers Schumann Schumann, Clara Women!

Deathbed Request

Posted on May 16, 2010

Consider: What music would someone want to hear when they knew they were dying?

It’s especially fascinating to consider when that someone had devoted their entire life to music. She met and collaborated with some of the 19th Century’s greatest composers: Married and lived with one of those Great composers.

That was Clara Schumann – Robert’s wife – a musical heroine if there ever was one! (Google her to find out why she was such a Heroine, raising 8 children, touring Europe and taking care of her husband – it’s a great story)

She asked to hear this piece on her deathbed.

In March 1896, Clara Schumann suffered a stroke. Her friend Johannes Brahms canceled plans for an Italian vacation to wait for news of her improvement. On her deathbed, she asked her grandson Ferdinand to play her husband’s F-sharp major romance for her. That was the last music Clara Schumann heard. She died May 20, 1896. Brahms attended the funeral. He died eleven months later.

Robert Schumann: Romance in F# Op.28

Robert Schumann: Romance, Op.28 in F sharp

Schumann

Why is this so familiar?

Posted on May 16, 2010

I just googled for way too long .. trying to tie this piece into a movie theme, because it sounds SO familiar I assumed it must be a movie or TV theme. Couldn’t find anything. Perhaps someone took the main theme and ‘popularised’ it?

Schumann’s Marchenbilder op. 113 no. IV

If you can help send me an email jimji@internode.on.net

Marchenbilder (Fairy Tales), Op. 113 IV. Langsam, mit melancholischem Ausdruck

Piano Satie

Worth a Repeat

Posted on May 3, 2010

This piece is already on the site (see: A Little Satie and then some more!) –  under Blog Titles.

I thought it was worth putting it out again on it’s own, instead of just part of a Satie medley. I like it a lot. How ’bout you? (*this version is played a bit faster and with more intensity than some I’ve found and it sounds “right” to me)

Did something Transcendent happen? … somewhere?

Eric Satie 5ieme Gnossienne Modere

Chopin Madmen of the piano redux Piano Piano Freaks Only!

Madmen of the piano redux

Posted on April 15, 2010

In an earlier posting titled “Madmen of the piano” I focused on composers. Here let’s focus on the pianists.

I’ve recently spent a lot of time updating my Chopin collection; seeking out the greatest pianists I can find.  The more I listen to these virtuosic dynamos … the more amazed I am that the human body can accomplish these feats. How can fingers move so rapidly? How can the rythym and timing of striking the right note go on and on … when it’s different between the two hands? – Sometimes a variable speed, rythm, reach and tone going on between the two hands. I don’t get it. I mean… they don’t all have a touch of Tourettes Syndrome do they!?

(*I remember reading that some Tourettes people have much faster reflexes and mechanical movements than normal)

Just listen to, and watch, what 10 fingers, 2 hands, 2 wrists and forearms can do!

(My vote for the “impossible” goes to Cziffra in the video)

Claudio Arrua plays Chopin’s Etude #1 op. 10

 

Georges Cziffra – Chopin Etude Op. 25 No. 2

 

Martha Argerich – Chopin prelude 16, op. 28

 

Vladimir Horowitz – Franz Liszt / Tarentella


You have to see this to believe it!

Piano Schubert Schubert: spirituality and inherent weirdness!

Schubert: spirituality and ‘inherent weirdness’!

Posted on March 24, 2010

Here’s what a music reviewer wrote about this late piano piece by Schubert:

I find it hard to account for the intensity of the spiritual response that the slow movements of late Beethoven and late Schubert produce in me…  the slow movement of D960, one of the last creations of a desperately ill 31-year-old-man who has lost his Catholic faith, is frightened out of his wits by the ordeal that lies ahead, and yet produces music of the most magical serenity.

Piano sonata #21  D960/ second movement

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And this second piece with its ‘inherent weirdness.’ It fascinates me how accu

rate, poetic and articulate some music critics can be!

In the great Andantino movement of the A major, the pianist is alive to its inherent weirdness as Schubert sends a nostalgically beautiful melody off the deep end to fragmentation, then reassembles it into a broken shadow of itself.

Piano sonata #20 in A major second movement

Schubert PS 20 second movement

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An Opera challenge! Humperdink Opera/Vocal

A new opera challenge

Posted on March 23, 2010

Here is a comment I just received today.

I recently found your website and have been listening to and enjoying some of your selections. Unlike most other genres of music it seems to be difficult to find classical music on the web without having to pay for the privilege. So your endeavours are much appreciated. It saddened me somewhat to read your “Opera Apology”. Although I’m not an avid fan of opera, it seems to me that you are missing out on so much beautiful music. I put my thinking cap on and thought if “The Evening Prayer” from Humperdink’s opera Hansel and Gretel doesn’t move you then you really must have a very deep phobia.

Here is the uTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6Fr3I4fUAo

No Comment I say! Up to you dear listener. It’s your site!