Chuan Qin plays Ligeti L'escalier du diable

[jorgepombo]

Muy bueno, original é interesante y...obrigado también al PEON que tiene el aguante de ficar estudando esto.

[mecomoxa]

This Masterpiece closed the last century.

[davidbaker03]

to those who think this sounds nothing like jazz.. it actually has its resemblence to jazz. every now and than atonal things can remind you of a jazz piece, like aaron copland piano variations at times almost give off a jazz vibe.. The second movement of prokofiev's 7th piano sonata almost sounds jazzy.... etc etc.

[TheMetzMachine]

Guys. This is actually a pretty good performance. I wonder how much you all are reacting to the recording quality, as opposed to the performance itself. Everyone of YouTube loves Greg Anderson's (I do too!) but you must realize a few things.

Greg Anderson's is: 1. a STUDIO recording, 2. beefed up with effects like reverb, 3. not memorized.

Qin's is: 1. a LIVE recording, 2. unaltered, 3. MEMORIZED.

[sieracki001]

This guy needs an energy drink

[jameslo93]

The Devil's Staircase

[MarcheseCadmio88]

How can you confuse jazz with contemporary music?

[eduardopola1]

Not a good performance. Lack of colors.

[ComtedeMonteC]

A very clear performance. Excellent.

[ToneKicker007]

This is an interesting jazz exercise. It promotes harmonic texture and lively fingering. I think that the tempo and note chronologies could change a little more in this piece, but it's not exactly the most interesting jazz piece I've heard to date. I've heard better pieces that mix atonality and jazz with an almost comedic, Peanuts-characters-falling-dow­n-the-mushroom-stairs sound.

[phar0n]

This is not Jazz

[nepalnt21]

what is jazz?

[emmelia12]

I guess no one noticed but at minute 1.59, he skips at least two lines to get past the polyrythmic ascent. Probably just a live mistake and there's no way he could have gotten away, but by skipping. You should play this etude slower in concert or record a faster studio version (like anderson does).

[tigrisinc]

Not my favourite interpretation, needs a spot more fire and pace. But I like the little colours Qin made with this, he's really good with building things up, shame the build up couldn't end with a mahoosive climax.

Kudos!

[mynippon]

C'est tout simplement BEAU !!

[wing19831228]

this pianist lost lot of messages.... is a sound make peoples easy to forget... I guess this pianist don't have enough experiences about G.Ligeti.. this etude isn't perform like that... too much pedals!!!!! the middle part... he just rush....and where is colours!!!!! he isn't really for this etude... anyone can play the notes.. but the feelings,passions,backgrounds,­ideas.. he totally miss it...

[Sanch3zn]

I like it alot, but Andersons rendition was alot more powerful and insightful, another great factor making me differentiate is the sound quality between both videos. Other than that I rate Andersons a 4.5 and Qins a 4.

[Arubert]

It's a good performance. If I can make some slight criticism, I like these pieces played with more rhytmic energy, more fire, like Fredrik Ullen does. He's awsome. Aimard is very good too.

[kusuna7]

For some reason I can't stand Ullen some of the time; in 'L'escalier du diable' one has the impression that he cannot keep his hands together in some of the "stairways"... you get the same impression in his rendition of 'A bout de souffle'....

[Justino111]

have I ever told you guys HOW BAD THIS PERFORMANCE IS??? I wonder how much contemporary music this pianist has played after playing Ligeti's piece...I wonder...oh yes, I wonder...

[jiolsmolimassunemo]

at least your opinion is an educated one. it's a pity people are reacting so strongly to someone who at least has an idea of what they are talking about, and goes beyond blind praise or ridicule.

[egapnala65]

Or perhaps it's simply a case that these pieces can be read as being direct descendents of Bartok? Unlike other Ligeti works?

[deividsantosguitar]

Serviço de Genio

[YTzHK]

incredibly great. during whole piece here and now. Thank you for this performance, and for post it ;)

[jpiano2]

hte tempo es fantastic...it enpowers the harmonic thythmic progretion....

there are many ways to splintig perseption

love IT

[Justino111]

PLUS, for those who cannot READ and much less LISTEN, this is a POOR performance of Ligeti's Etude. The pianist misses several passages, he is rushing sometimes, he simply does not understand what he is playing. BUT OF COURSE...the piece is energetic and virtuosic so THESE CLUELESS pianists will start playing even though THEY PROBABLY HATE MOST OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC. The guy is basically CHEATING.

[BelgianPianoPlayer]

I can hear him counting till here :(

Great technical talent , he's probalbly a very good pianist . but this is reallly NOT very pianistic :s  NOT GOOD ! I AM SORRY

[Justino111]

Once again. PIANISTS: STOP playing this music to promote yourselves. For decades pianists have neglected contemporary music composers. For decades piano institutions have obliterated contemporary music from their curricula. Now they play and promote Ligeti's etudes essentially to SHOW OFF, to promote themselves. Contemporary music DOES NOT NEED YOU.

[martiniboy64]

If you don't understand this kind of music, please let appreciate the ones who do.

Merci ;)

[Justino111]

hahaha...please, if u cannot understand what's been written, do not making nonsensical comments!!! I for one LOVE contemporary music and that's why I have seem so FEW pianists devoting their "precious" time to contemporary music. But then when the late Ligeti writes something, pianists start playing it AS IF THEY WERE INTO contemporary music themselves. Again, LEARN how to read, please.

[inricheetos]

He's right

[MrLovre]

I agree, too.

Look at the Anderson's version and see the difference.

[Putore]

Ligeti died. it's not comtemporary anymore.

[Sorabjian]

What the fuck?

[dalethomasdewitt]

Lets agree to disagree. Seriously, as a tone painting this is not diabolical enough. 2nds are meant to be percussive in this fabric. Ear splitting in fact.

[nemost00]

mechanical, robotic and most important of ligeti's etudes, is 'danceble'. =)

great job!

[xylenz]

Great attempt. A few mistakes but 5 stars for even trying.

[danny73it]

Ligeti....is unplayebale!!!

[maestroanth]

Anderson's is sooo much better.... period.

[ComtedeMonteC]

@maestroanth How can one say Anderson's Youtube version is much better than this with the electronic reverberation added to his version which muddles the sound?

[Justino111]

PIANISTS: STOP playing this music to promote yourselves. For decades pianists have neglected contemporary music composers. Now they play Ligeti essentially to SHOW OFF. It's just hopeless.

[keeskogel3291]

To Justino111: Being a pianist myself, I'm inclined to agree. Although when somebody plays this work as well and with such a diabolical upbuild, telling us a great story, as Greg Anderson does, I don't feel it's just being done for promoting.

[dirq1]

great.

[ugolinoandhissons]

Unlike SOME videos of The Devil's Staircase, this one does not rely on fancy camera angles, but brilliant playing. Youtube needs more Chuan Qin!

[guboub]

From the 5 first seconds, you can tell this would be boring: no phrase direction. You can hear the guy counting in his head. Greg Anderson's interpretation does not rely on fancy camera angles, it's just an interesting presentation on top of a very dynamic interpretation. Close your eyes and listen carefully instead of stating snobish comments!

[greekguyabc]

I don't know both pianists, but guboub, I think you should close your eyes and listen. Whether Anderson relies on camera is not the point, the point is Qin's performance is much better and incredible in terms of accuracy, rhythmic energy, color control, dynamics. They are really on different levels.Also, do you know how hard it is to play it from memory for a piece like this?

??

[guboub]

I bought the part and tried to play this piece, so I know that this is some tough memory work. But I don't care for this detail, it does not add to the (absent)musical quality. I listen to music to be moved, not impressed. Plainly, Qin play like a computer on this one. The purpous is to make it alive, and he did not succed.

[greekguyabc]

1.there are plenty of musical qualities. you just don't have to ears for them. 2. Maybe this piece needs to be played like a "computer", this is not a Chopin Nocturne, for God's sake! I have checked out his other performances (rach 3rd, haydn) on youtube, they are all very musical, now he ranks as one of my favorite young pianists, along with Lang Lang and Dong-hyek Lim

[kpunkt]

marvellous rhythm!!! sound like jazz music :-)

[marcialetti]

eeeeeeeh!!! tenés el oído atrofiado??????????