Brahms Intermezzo A Major Op 118 No 2 Lupu Rec 1976.wmv

[michaelheintz1833]

Phenomenal performance, incredibly moving........

[atinitiny]

I love this piece! I am playing this and Beethoven's Pathetique. Great contrast and Great pieces to end my freshman year of college! :D

[jkpiano]

For me, the greatest Brahms player of them all - beautiful sound, poetic, imaginative and true to the score. Words can't describe how lucky I feel to be able to hear playing like this, it makes everything else worth it.

[jimryland]

I agree with Titusbeertsen... set the piece aside and analyze it. There are two things that I always remember when performing Brahms; he loved the richer registers of lower voices be they human, the cello, the french horn, etc, and he wrote exquisite inner voice lines. Like hearing strings and the organ in Bach's work, one hears the impact of German Lieder on Brahms' compositions. Don't be afraid of the phrasing, the moments of dramatic rubato, and... silence.

[Baddogphil]

This is by far the best performance of this piece that I have heard. It is a very difficult piece to interpret, with most pianists using either too much or too little rubato, but Lupu nails it. Touch, tempo, phrasing, everything is done with a perfect understanding of the music. Thank you, Beckmesser2, for posting this.

[TheGreatPerahia]

Just listened to Rubinstein's version of this and has nowhere near the depth of feeling or emotion that Lupu plays it with. Not all great pianists give great performances. They make a reputation and identify with certain pieces or composers but don't necessarily perform every work greatly. So in my opinion there are only great performances and if a pianist gives enough great performances then he/she can only then be judged a great pianist. Great is a word over used in todays world.

[TheGreatPerahia]

Gilels performance has always been my favourite but Lupu is equally compelling too.

[TheGreatPerahia]

Wonderful!!!

[OldRabit]

Heavenly!!!!!!

[FPA2008]

This interpretation is much closer to how I feel this piece. I prefer this more relaxed tempo. Btw, I saw Radu Lupu in Sacramento 12-18 years ago. His performance was mesmerizing. I got to meet him backstage and while he acknowledged me, it seemed he was just in a trance. Brilliant pianist.

[titusbeertsen]

I was planning to play this piece, but now I've heard this... I will never come close to Lupu here.

[Beckmesser2]

@titusbeertsen Lupu was 31 when this was recorded. You are 25. Lay the piece away for a couple of years without listening to any recordings of this Intermezzo.  You know the composition. . You can hear it in your mind. When you decide to come back to it, record your playing. It will not sound like Lupu's. This is your interpretation. Stick to it.

[estarielevenstar]

@Beckmesser2 Why put it away? Use the recordings...feel the passion that Lupu has. Memorize each cresendo and decresendo...learn to live the vision the person is trying to play. Dont just play the music...become it.

[PhysiqueQuantique]

I love how many voices Lupu effortlessly brings out. 

[dlphcoracl]

Unfortunately, a recital in early 2010 at Chicago Symphony Hall showed Radu Lupu to be in poor form and well past his prime. That said, at the height of i his powers in the 1970's and 1980's he was one of the finest and most underrated interpreters of Brahms. His playing was always thoughtful, poetic and inevitably went to the heart of the music in an unfussy manner. His older CDs which contain many of these performances are treasures.

[Beckmesser2]

@dlphcoracl

Sorry to hear this. He was born in 1945 which would make him 66. Many pianists are at there peak at that age. Hopefully, Lupu is experiencing a temporary distaste for public performance which is reflected in his playing. Other pianists have gone through such periods. If his poor form is caused by health problems, that indeed is a tragedy.

[pauldavidclub]

@dlphcoracl Yes, my wife and I heard him a few years ago with The NY Phil in a concerto. His playing was perfunctory at best, I'm afraid. But then I thought the same about relatively recent Kovocevich & Goode as well.

[minuicch]

I am overwhelmed by emotion !!! :''''')))

[stellartunes]

I think from the first note you can feel the wonderful tenderness in his playing. To me he captures the essence of Brahms. Pogorelich does some nice colouring, however I find his tempo drags a bit too much for my liking. Lupu caresses the keys so beautifully, and his he makes the music come alive. This level of performance is music achieving it's highest level, and his musicality is truly inspiring. Sublime.

[nytalltower]

his face :(

my face o _ O

[nytalltower]

i like the guys face in the back in the picture....lol. nice piece!

[dukedome]

i prefer Gould's interpretation...

[mitzanuflute]

i think the only man who could play this intermezzo godlike is Dinu Lipati

[saaarah7]

its a shame that guy in the background during the first part is photobombing the pic

[AidanNJ]

This is a sublime interpretation. Perfect tempo.

[Xuanly20]

clean and flowing music... Grimaud also not bad. Rubinstein a little too fast.

[psforrest1]

I've just listened to about 5 of the great pianists playing this on YouTube. It seems that Lupu's performance is the perfect balance overall. Gould seemed too fast, Rubinstein a bit dry, Kissin a bit too slow. However, I really respect all these great artists, and their varying interpretations are certainly valid. It would be ridiculous for me to say otherwise.

[RICHARDDESTEFANO]

c'est si beau que l'on a l'impression que personne ne l'a joué avant lui !

[rezmogm]

This certainly does rival AR's interpretations. I think they are both amazing.

[paflyfish]

Lots of good versions of this piece, but this is surely one of the best.

[beccamesser]

@paflyfish AGREED!!!

[ippy65angel70]

Having listened to so many YouTube performances of this piece in a row, even though no one touches Rubinstein for incredible musicality and heart, Radu Lupu is my favorite because from that first note, we hear Brahms, not an interpretation of him. Like Ian Bostridge, he's a transmitter who moves out of the way to let the music be heard. He seems not to be interpreting at all but of course you may say that's his interpretation. We are lucky to have so many good ones, are we not?

[Beckmesser2]

@ippy65angel70

Indeed !

[newwindow7]

@ippy65angel70 You are right after having heard 5 pianist playing, he is the one genuinely interpreted the music and plenty of feelings on everything moment.

[Ferien7]

Does anyone know where I can find a complete volume of all Brahms intermezzos? I cannot find this anywhere and I need it for school purposes.

[rezmogm]

@Ferien7

Are you talking about the recordings or the scores?

[Ferien7]

@rezmogm actually, I was looking for the sheet music, but I have since found all of the scores in a collection of Brahms piano works.

[grahamcmusic]

I urge you to listen to the pianist Julius Katchen He is regarded as untouchable playing Brahms .... something I agree with The most amazing control and balance between intense emotion and not over doing it Timeless

[fledgehog]

@grahamcmusic agreed. i have the katchen box set. wonderful stuff!

[HolyMotherofGrid]

Yowsers!!!! This is amazing. I am captivated from the first note.

[enjoyyourworries]

Wow. For five minutes and fifty six seconds there I forgot about the troubles of the world.

[legginsrotos]

Wooow great interpretation!!

[DrYochanan]

Best interpretation.

Lets not forget that we stand infront of a legend, a Bronze of Riace.

Yochanan.

[BirdsBrasil]

I could say the picture showed at 3:24 is Brahms himself.

Lovely interpretation.

[saltburner2]

A perfect performance of a sublime work!

[fledgehog]

tears.

[justin10292000]

Exquisite. One of the most beautiful piano pieces ever written wonderfully played. Thank you! I, too, play this piece and I agree with Flextones: this is the *right* interpretation.

[Flextones]

This is the right interpretation. Your intuition should tell you that this is it. I used to play this piece. I have a recording of Radu Lupo and another pianist playing some 4 hand music this is pretty.

[azbadnumbertwo]

If I ever need reminding of Brahms' greatness I only need listen to his short piano pieces Op. 116, 117, 118 and 119.

This one is particularly lovely and sentimental. Sort of imbued with a nostalgic melancholy.

[2Fk937N7]

Great interpretation and perfect speed - some youtube videos have pianists playing it way to fast. Thank you for posting this Beckmesser2

[CaseyCangelosi]

my favorite pianist

[karajen123]

beautiful!!

[karajen123]

beautiful!!

[karajen123]

beautiful!!

[PrisLN]

thank you so much for this, so true what you say about him! just right, and charming,

[Rephrat]

The best i heard ever !!

[yiyiku]

best version on youtube! just the right speed, sentiment, amazing range of dynamics, magical chorale section

[snaaptaker]

Beautiful.

He's even getting to look a bit like ol' Uncle Brahms, there.

[yiyiku]

@snaaptaker

good observation. he does look a bit like brahms in this pic!