Sergio Fiorentino plays Liszt Grand Galop Chromatique

[uhartchristian]

Fiorentino has a sense of structure and rythm which is often missing with cziffra who changes tempi where possible to give impression of more virtuosity and speed.

Fiorentino is much more honest and respecting what is written as Horowitz did.

Yes Ciffra was a great virtuose but Fiorentino is a better musician. Listen to his Chopin etudes, they are better done than anybody else could do.

[pianotonton]

Très, très, très bien : mais Cziffra est génial.

[kikakon]

Wonderful!

[SordidGuy]

I suppose all you with negative comments could do better???!!! If so, PROVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Barbapippo]

The fact is, you know, that this piece is rubbish, so who cares about which is the best performance...

[urahara53]

@Barbapippo this piece is not rubbish, its quite brilliant

[Galantski]

@Barbapippo - Rubbish? Really? Then why did some of the greatest pianists include it in the repertoire? It's not rubbish if it stands the test of time. Is it one of Liszt's most important works? No, of course not, but it succeeds quite well for what it was intended -- a showpiece to display his virtuosic brilliance.

[Gargantupimp]

@Galantski its definately the best galop ever written, and I challenge anyone to come up with a better one!

[Galantski]

@Gargantupimp -- No argument here! Liszt takes this way beyond the concept of a mere dance piece into a whirlwind of pianist challenges that never let up. One of that master's most remarkable pieces from the standpoint of sheer virtuosity.

[Gargantupimp]

@Galantski imo cziffra didnt own this piece because he was a purely better musican though but because he had the best technique, also why he owns Orage, and spanish rhapsody.

[Kapomafioso]

Ouuuu, the sound is terribly flat due to old recording...but version is ok, it's not faster than Cziffra's recording, but it's very musical...I like it!

[sprund2009]

Hang on - no one is FASTER than Cziffra at this piece. I'm not sure that I agree that no one is better.  I think Fiorentino is pretty damn good.

Cziffra plays at light speed so that you can't really hear the piece's structure.

[ilove2listenmusic]

Sergio Fiorentino does not play as well as George Czriffa! Czriffa's version is much better, and has a more lightening sound.

[Ellinidara]

Benedetti Michelangeli 56 years ego considered Fiorentino " the onlyone "pianist (such as truly best interpreter)in the world.But in this case I'm agree with you.

[pianotonton]

@ilove2listenmusic Très, très, très bien Fioretino : mais Cziffra est génial.

[12rosebud12]

WASTE OF MONEY to spend it on any other recording of this than Cziffra's. period.

[simonjp90]

unless you want to hear Liszt's version instead of Cziffra's of course

[demosj]

I dont like comments of that extremity - but its probably true. Its like buying a recording of the Scriabin Etude 8/12 other than Horowitzs. Its pointless.

[checkmatesolidier]

i love and admire fiorentino, but i do agree this lacks abandon. it's a bit flat.

[paulprocopolis]

Since I have no particular views one way or the other about Cziffra, I hugely enjoyed Fiorentino''s energetic account on its own terms. However, I still can't really warm to such designedly trivial music - but there's a place for most things I suppose!

[steinwaygrande1]

The only version I have ever hears is that of Cziffra. I have his recording on an old Vinyl LP which is still in 100% good condtion. That is until I stimbled across this version, and althoughI am biased towards Cziffra, I think this wins by a miniscule margin

[Galantski]

Cziffra owned this piece and others borrow it. It's about excitement and wreckless abandon, of riding a wild horse (yes, I know "galop" is a dance, but...) and hanging on for dear life till you tame it! He breathed this music. Fiorentino didn't have the same virtuosity. His is a measured reading, sounding like he's thinking it through. Not Cziffra! He's off and running from the first and the energy never flags. (Play this version, then Cziffra's right after it and you'll hear the difference.)

[Barbapippo]

@Galantski Being self-controlled and elegant is not necessarily a bad thing in playing Liszt: think of Benedetti Michelangeli.

There is not just Dyonisus, but also Apollon Musagete

[Galantski]

@Barbapippo - I totally agree that the Apollian has it's place and is a trait I tend to favor in pianists; it's just that that approach doesn't really fit this piece. In Hungarian music, even at its most reserved, there's an underlying wildness, which Liszt captures so well in his works. While this Galop may not be Hungarian per se, it has that flavor and, as I keep repeating, Liszt wrote this as a showpiece for his prodigious virtuosity. He wanted the "wow" factor, which Cziffra best achieves.

[ayso78]

@Galantski I don't think anyone played circus music better than Cziffra, but Fiorentino's version isn't chopped liver, either (just compare it to Cherkassky and Bolet). With regard to virtuosity, I'd take Fiorentino's transcendental etudes over Cziffra's hands down.

[pianistripar]

No one is better than Cziffra (for this piece and for a lot of other pieces).. You must accept this!

[FabioThePianist]

Grande Maestro

[PY05]

yeh Fiorentino on this piece much more musical rather than cziffra and his showy mechanic driven version

bravo

[piano345]

Like Liszt himself Cziffra played this piece in the style of a show stopping encore. Fiorentino, Jorge Bolet, Shura Cherkassky and others have tried to find something more musically interesting in the piece. Its effective both ways but I prefer it played with all guns blazing as Liszt intended.

[f1f1s]

An intresting version... It is like "Grand Galop Romantique", with more sense, than Cziffra. Anyway, both version are to be appreciated! By itself, the "Galop..." is a bravura genre, its aim is to explode smb's brain... In my humble opinion, Cziffra's play explodes it 100%, shocks... And this perfomance makes us shiver: "Wow, great Italian Technique! A genius! Bravo!"

P.S. I appreciate pianopera's comment. It shouldn't be considered offensive.

[dido93]

Fiorentino was a Genius...one of the greatest interpreter of 20th century...!!!

[pianopera]

"Grand Galop Traumatique" (after hearing Cziffra).

[dido93]

Your comment is not only "silly"...but also typical of one person who never played and probably will never play a piece like this...in "this" way...!!

More "humility" would be better when we approach Genius of keyboard as Fiorentino was...!!

"Probably" you'll never reach a thousandth of "this" technique, touch and musicality...but it's not a problem...

Carry on doing "another YouTube pianist..."!!!

Clap, clap...!!! bis...

[pianopera]

Dear dido,

You misunderstood my comment. As an Italian, you probably felt insulted quite quickly, as F. is your - Italian - hero.

Well, he's mine, too. I really admire this pianist. His Liszt is great, especially the rendering of the First Ballade.

I made a joke about this piece (a showpiece), not about this performance, which is very good. But Cziffra's is spectaculair, especially from a technical point of view.

I don't feel insulted by your words, as I indeed think F. was a genius.

[pianopera]

Btw unlike you, at least I posted some samples of my playing. Feel free to write a critical comment, as long as it is based on musical criteria.

[dido93]

Hei, piano....I'm very sorry for my misunderstood...!!! (also if your comment, in "this" context, should be misunderstood... But this isn't important... Excuse me..!!)

However...I had the honour to be one of the last Fiorentino's pupils.

A little "anecdote": I played Brahms-Handel (with both hands...obv...:-) and he, at my right side, also played both parts "shuffled"...but only with left hand...

An incredible listening...such as Chopin' G minor Ballade played in G-sharp G-flat...:-O

[dido93]

P.S.: I would like to post some samples of my playing, but I graduated in Piano in 1990 (18 years ago...) and then...university, job, family...no more time to study piano regularly...and so... Today, music is for me a beautiful and a little bit nostalgic "recuerdo"...

Maybe (somewhere in my home...:-)I would have got a tape with my recordings of Chopin' 3rd Sonata, Beethoven' "Eroica Variations" and Brahms-Handel. If I find it and manage to put on a cd...;-)

[pianopera]

That would be nice!

As a pupil of Fiorentino, you must have had a "more than respectable" level of playing...whatever happens, music will always be with you. And thanks for the comment on my video! ;)

[Rohit0406]

if this is better than cziffra, then kastle is better than horowitz

[Morahman7vnNo2]

I This This Better Then Cziffra Because I Can Actually Fallow Along With The Sheet Music, Instead of Hearing One Thing Not Matching With The Other.

[klingsor93]

Fiorentino is excellent. Maybe the best I heard......after Cziffra who is unbeatable in this work!

[paulostroff99]

Beautiful playing! Bravo! TY.

[bernie10025]

This is pretty good, but I disagree. My Cziffra recording of this piece is faster, cleaner and more exciting.