Sergei Rachmaninov - Prelude in C-Sharp minor Op.3 No.2

[specter290]

try reading youtube comments and listening to this song at the same time, it matches

[lukosius1221]

Yes this is definitely the fastest version. But i will say another new thing. It's one thing playing fast right way, playing notes fast and marging the pauses. And there is just playing fast. So two different ways to play fast. I thought this was just fast. After it finished it seemed as if this songs was just....finished. Like it was some work that has to be done and now we can all walk away with nothing much left. Sorry, you will curse me of course, because it's just my opinon

[advisorC101]

@lukosius1221, no, I will not "curse" you because of that.

I refute opinions that I feel are short sighted and biased reactionary statements. Others that make more objective criticisms I will yield to. So far, this video has only been littered with the former kind. I will admit however that I have spoken with some via private messages that do make better points than others here.

[lukosius1221]

@advisorC101 Why would you really care what others would say. You play this the way you want to play. For gods sake, you are playing Rachamninoff...that's wonderful already. Most people can't, and I suppose you play the way you feel, that's more important than comparing other versions. So, congrats! I think it's refreshing to make it your own rather than do the impossible - copy the original.

[advisorC101]

@lukosius1221, This is not me playing, but my tutor when he was younger. I've known him long enough to be able to say that most of these chastising remarks that are thrown towards him are grossly unfair. I'm no hero-worshipper, but I will not abide ignorance. He too is not particularly proud of these recordings, but I was willing to take the risk of uploading them for their musical value.

[lukosius1221]

@advisorC101 And you did the right thing. I agree about the remarks. Some people just want to express their negative feelings towards something that not perfect, they feel the right to upload their shit, which is unfair. That's really cool to upload your teacher's stuff, you must have really liked him. This piece of Rachmaninoff is really great. What do you like to play?

[advisorC101]

@lukosius1221, Anything, I'm very objective in my "taste" of music. And I do [still] like him, he's still my tutor.

[specter290]

@lukosius1221 any comment that is long including the video description when read by an outside party such as i commplements the human speech when read and listened to this song

[LAsexyLA]

Having played that piece a few years back, I must admit the artistry you're refering to here eludes me. Artistry is not merely playing a piece extremely fast, it is understanding its subtleties and the emotions in the music. What we get here is a rushed version that does not render justice to Rachmaninov's work, filled with wrong notes and lacking the right tempos. As for emotions, I was left quite unaffected by this rendition of the Prelude. Whilst the second part is indeed written so as to be

[advisorC101]

@LAsexyLA, It's funny how you speak of not feeling emotion but then complain about wrong notes. And I made no specific claim on what artistry is, that seems to be a strawman of your own creation. The fact remains you know little, if not anything at all about structure. And there is a difference between playing fast and rushing, in case you didn't know that either.

Listen objectively, then let see if you can make the same comment. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say.

[LAsexyLA]

@advisorC101 I will message you my reply because I can't post the whole thing here :) and please don't take my comment the bad way, all the good part got cut and I didn't even notice it when it posted (as you may have noticed my comment is incomplete!)

[advisorC101]

@LAsexyLA, yes, I did notice. But I didn't comment on it because I'd have been totally hypocritical if I chastised simple mistakes! very well then, I'll wait for your message and I'll disregard the last comment.

[advisorC101]

@advisorC101, last comment by me.

[ODcush420]

wow thats a fast tempo, thats pretty ballsy man



[iampoopman]

This is listed as "inspiration" for Protest the Hero's song "Sex Tapes." Hweird.

[numsify]

oh my!!! Wonderful!!!!!! Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[StonerManiac11]

@advisorC101 I like the tempo

[bakidge]

My mom is a full time piano teacher and she is always nagging at me for playing things way too fast... After listening to this I'm kind of starting to feel like I'm turning into my mom. So many beautiful parts of this song were written to really "ring out" and man.. we just blew past them there. I love to play fast... it's fun.. it's impressive looking.. but it's not always more musical. That's my opinion.

[shinesinpines]

to be honest, i was expecting it to suck after your defense in the description. not perfect, but still enjoyable

[advisorC101]

@shinesinpines, thank you for your honesty and understanding. I'll admit to you I've changed the defense a few times since in the past I was ignorant and hypocritical of certain points. The current incarnation of it is as far as I'll go.

My content is simply that a performer such as him (even though there are physical imperfections in these old recordings); breathes fresh life into the work with his own emotions that is uncontrived and beautiful. Pure, honest and untainted by ego. That's all.

[bradtiscali]

Try Rach's own 1938 transcription of his classic prelude at  /watch?v=EL2t8gk4Y_c&feature=c­hannel

[Mogtempest]

I had never heard this song before until now. I love it.

[danishpride1]

@Mogtempest

It's not a song ;)

[Musicownz1997]

good performance, but didn't reach the actual climax of dynamics though... i suppose different people think the climax should be different dynamics...

[RemovdSande11]

ah I so love this piece, what a genious composer rachmaninov was... and a great performance, greet feeling.

[sumimimi0]

wasn't he too fast? just asking. because i found others slower but only this is fast

[livingevilde]

@sumimimi0 in my opinion its way to fast - sometimes i played it as fast as he did or even faster because it makes fun :D but its not right - the second part has to be as fast es he plays it :)

[MAZURKAofLIFE]

Thank you, dear James, for sharing this recording !

For me, imho, the few blemishes are totally irrelevant.

This performance shows us Rachmaninov's "Russian soul".

After suffering all these emotions - sad and hopeless dispair, passion, rebelling, yearning, hoping, resigning ... - I especially like the ending: These accords dying away and then the very last two, where you never can guess the meaning ...

[MAZURKAofLIFE]

Peter Roper-Curzon leaves it open and thus he confirmes Rachmaninov's intention in the best way possible, I think ...

[tubelayer53]

Beautifully played and cast from the same mould. Beat the pants off almost every other youtube performer, many of them Rachmaninov lumberjacks.

Text adherence is over-rated. Just remember Alfred Cortot and how great he was.

[crazyghetto978818]

Now there goes a guy who was born to play a piano.. brilliant.!

[smallbutbiggenius123]

Dreadfully beautiful!!! I love the tragicness along with melody and rhythm in this music.

[SophosVII]

ouch! so many mistakes, yes it was pretty well in the beginning, good attack and everything but those mistakes coming one after the other like a water fall is unacceptable. keep working on it.

[advisorC101]

Unacceptable? A few blemishes are forgivable and entirely understandable as this was a live performance, but it's the integrity and musicianship that counts here, traits that most musicians who "play it perfectly" lack. Don't get me wrong, I am a perfectionist as well and I know he can do much better, but I find your remark excessive in the way you've romanticized it.

[organman52]

I totally agree with advisorC101 - and I would add that Maestro Curzon's understanding of the architecture, along with his beautiful tone, is all I need to enjoy this piece to the fullest. You people who want 'perfection' should spend some time in the recording studios and watch all the shenanigans that go on. Then you'll whistle a different tune.

[jrssjdca]

Excellent performance by your teacher, James!! Bravo!! I didn't detect any "artistic slips". For me it was perfectly done. Outstanding work.

[organman52]

What beautiful nuances in his playing. And the piano sound is magnificent - lovely tone. GREAT musician. GREAT playing. And the POWER is amazing.

[passacaglia28]

Thanks for sharing. :D

[organmosic]

oh thank you very much James. I have not heard this piece for a long long time. kinda forgot its drama, passion and dynamics. gee, your teacher is absolutely phenomenal. looking forward to the next uploads WOW.

[robertgift]

Wonderful.

I want human, not perfection.

Nice presentation with the pictures.

Thank you.

[willowthebored]

Aaah...refreshing to hear it performed properly. XD