Nyiregyhazi imitator smashes Beethoven (4 mins)

[speterkar]

Hi, I also can't believe it's Nyiregyházi. I only have a double LP, all pieces by Liszt, from the end of 80s by him, which also tells his story, but apparently the recording quality was far from this level back then. The style here also lacks his power of expression and colour, and I haven't ever heard it mentioned that he played Beethoven. Of course I may be wrong ...

[checkmatesolidier]

speterkar - i think there is no longer any doubt that this is a hoaxster. interesting that someone tried.

[dexterityhunter]

Thank you for this interesting upload! But it does sound like a parody (which can be quite easily made like this). Some thunderous bass notes cannot hide the fact that this playing lacks the range of colors, the elasticity of rhythm and the imagination EN was capable of. I cannot find one single brillant "moment of truth" in it (which most other EN recordings have in abundance). Some more opinions, please!

[jero13595]

As I said on kasyapa's video, this sounds like Michael Sayers... Nyiregyhazi doesn't stretch timings this ridiculously. His performances have an incredible sense of momentum and elasticity despite being on the slow side sometimes. This "imitation", on the other hand, is so absurdly stagnant to the point where it sounds like a parody. Besides, the clean quality of this recording kind of gives it away that it isn't Nyiregyhazi.

[checkmatesolidier]

jero13595 - that's pretty convincing reasoning. i'd not thought of m.s. - his stories are sometimes inconsistent, and i'm not sure how much he actually plays piano and composes as opposed to saying he's a pianist and composer - but i've not known him to indulge in outright fakery. i stand by that this is an intriguing re-imagination in the nyiregyhazian do-almost-anything tradition - which i've heard m.s. do now and then (as with an extraordinary and bizarre chopin prelude recording). (cont.)

[checkmatesolidier]

jero13595 - my only doubt about its being m.s. is an authority i don't associate with his playing. other than that, you have me thinking along your lines, somewhat.

[ongalexander]

@jero13595 I love how you incorporate such appropriate words into your reasoning!

[cziffra1980]

@jero13595 Yes, this is definitely Michael Sayers. I've heard it before.

[checkmatesolidier]

cziffra1980 - you heard it before, attributed to himself?

[cziffra1980]

@checkmatesolidier Yes, i recognise the recording.

[driemaaldrommels]

This is not nyiregyhazi! This is fake!

[checkmatesolidier]

driemaaldrommels - okay. it'd help if you gave some reasoning. why do you declare this fake? it may well be - i've listened to it repeatedly on good headphones and on balance i incline toward thinking it is him. my only misgiving is the excellent recording quality - sounds almost digital. if it's a fake, it's someone who knows his style and has taken specific steps to imitate. maybe barrington-coupe did it?