A.Schiff plays Dvorak piano concerto

[1993allende]

@evansvitz grow up man. Schiff plays this beautifully in my opinion. I admit I had not previously heard this concerto.

[Rmypantson]

This concerto is not difficult for an accomplished pianist. Dvorak knew it, critics knew it. I don't understand why the top comments both say this is difficult. I'm not saying that it is easy, just that it is not a virtuosic concerto.

[bersa888]

@Rmypantson : The main critique of the concerto is about its non-idiomatic writing for the instrument, which is more or less true, whether someone wanted to admit it or not ;-) But I played many of his chamber works with piano, and, although they are sometimes ill-fitted to the hand, they are a joy to play - like this concerto :-)

[youchocolateme]

@Rmypantson

i beg to differ. The great maestro, Sviatoslav Richter, who along with Carlos Kleiber promoted this concerto from obscurity, wrote in his notebook/diary that this concerto is probably the hardest concerto out there, together with Tchaikovsky's first.

[christomacin]

Schiff really plays the living hell out of this finale!

[FirstGentleman1]

Masterpiece!

[fredericfranc]

This music is unbelievably crude in conception, like it is basically Brahmsian, but, God, compare it to real Brahms!. But Antonin is nailing his coonskin to the wall, even if the piano part is ridiculously hard to play, Dvorak had no idea how to write idiomatically for this instrument. Perhaps that is why the cocerto has such a "wild and crazy guy" quality, sounds like those SNL guys saying: BALLS!

[poplarboydavid]

Exquisite playing as always from this pianist!

[afertyus1000]

i can play this along to a recorded orchestra i will upload soon

[jdbrown371]

I love the cello concerto and felt left out for many years as a pianist unable to play anything but the simplest cello parts. This is just as good so I'm not totally left out. The best I'll probably ever get to do is play this concerto karaoke style. I love all the Dvorak concertos, including the violin concerto. First rate music, all on the same level but for some reason the cello is extremely popular above the others.

[carmolis98]

Sorry for the incorrect spelling in "used". I was just too pissed of to check what I wrote...

[evansvitz]

Schiff you disingenuous dick. I remember you giving a masterclass at my school saying how it was sacrilege to play the opening jump of Op.106 with two hands, and here you are playing half the notes of the Dvorak. You have the integrity of an apricot.

[jdbrown371]

@evansvitz You don't know what you're talking about!

[ulyssesjj]

@evansvitz You still have a little to learn about the music world. Calling Andras names will not endear you to many and as you will probably already know, it is about how much you are liked as a musician and not just how many notes you can thump out. Maybe you will grow up before you are widely thought of as the prick you seem to be...

[MrGrigor99]

Schiff plays with a lot of bravura and great sense of style, but in spots there is a little fakery going on, But this is a tremendously difficult work also!

[pianoenthusiast11]

it is in fact a very difficult score, in both the Dvorak original and also the Kurz re-write - but it is a wonderful piece, and actually a lot of pianists seem to have recorded it now, and several of them non-Czechs too!

[jkabat]

@pianoenthusiast11

check Lukas Vondracek-amazing recording!

[pianomike1]

Someone please show Mr. Schiff where the sustain pedal is located.

[sanjosemike]

ONE OF THE GREAT PIANO CONCERTOES IN THE REPERTOIRE

This conceto rivals any by Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky or Chopin.

Unfortunately it is not performed nearly as often as it should be, possibly because it is very long and frankly difficult to play.

It has had some rough criticism by some music critics, who are idiots.

I absolutely adore this work. It needs to be heard far more often. There are two "piano versions" of it, both excellent in my opinion.

sanjosemike

[ThaSchwab]

The only reason it's so overlooked is because it's a very easy piano concerto (in terms of the average Romantic era piano concerto difficulty). I bet that if Dvorak added just a couple more notes, this would be standard in the professional pianist's repertoire. Either way, I'm surprised it isn't.

[ThaSchwab]

Well, if it was really that difficult, Rachmaninoff wouldn't even be touched. This concerto is maybe five-ten minutes longer.

[k73f]

@sanjosemike amen! This is such a underplayed work, it's really sad

[ym42ym42]

@sanjosemike Its good, but don't you know its edited and revised by Vilem Kurz, do not know which version this is, I have not played this one... Its good though!

[pianoenthusiast11]

i was there - it was just wonderful!

i have always wanted to hear that concerto and to hear it in pragyue was amazing!!

[Grigor99]

This is some great playing! But where's the rest of the concerto??

[301250]

A Hungarian and Czech affair can only mean one thing -- FIREWORKS! Great music, great pianist,great orchestra and conductor! sd goh (malaysia)