Watch this BBC 1959 recital and compare Cziffra's deportment at the piano with that of his playing of the same piece on French TV (also on you tube) in 1963.He should not have changed his personality from that of a classical maestro to a wild, romantic, almost gothic figure.His playing was his genius and all he needed. Strangely, Michelangeli ,whose life almost exactly matched Cziffra's (1921-1995/1920-1994) never made an artistic gesture at the keyboard, yet was much the better musician.
@moiAntonin michelangeli the better musician? cziffra is always playing with his heart, michelangeli, sometimes I think he does not feel anything, just like richter bolet and pollini
@onlymusiciansallowed Marcel Mombeek.I see that you just added ABM and Jorge Bolet to your list of "greatest mistakes" in music history.Have you no shame!?
@abmsghost1 shame? no... but richter, polllini and sometimes michelangeli have also no shame otherwise they would play the note's like they where mentioned to play: with emotion, with a sort of "creativity", and I do not mean by adding note's, but by "reshaping" the score so that "oldtimers" like first ballade chopin always sounds "new"... but very sad, they are not capable of being creative...
@onlymusiciansallowed And we do not need to leave Hungary to find pianists superior to Cziffra on ALL levels.For instance Tamas Vasary.His recordings/renderings of Liszt,Chopin AND all 4 RAch.concertos are proof of fantastic pianistic abilities and musicianship.Far more enjoyable than the mediocre "tour de forces" and trapeze acts from Cz.Cziffra is sentimental bullshit.Case closed.
@abmsghost1 sentimental? this is making him "human", isn't mister abmsghost "spock"? other then richter, pollini, and sometimes michelangeli, cziffra is not affraid to show his emotions, maybe because he has them, and the others only see notes on the score, and do not look behind them, or are not capable of looking behind the note's. for Vasary: indeed very big musician, i like him in chopin and rachm, but I find his liszt rather "flat".
@onlymusiciansallowed ABM communicates music in a pure, honnest way.Every note is played exactly as it it is supposed to be played,as ment by the creator of the music.His art is the art of the supreme artist,honnest,respectful, noble.Cziffra's pianoplaying is vulgair,cheap.We had this discussion before and I regret to see your innability to appreciate the art of R.,P.,and ABM.But you did gave me a much clearer picture of your state of mind.Ours are not compatible.
@abmsghost1 "played exactley as it is supposed... as ment by the creator", that's just what I trie to say: NO creativity, not a single clue of how to MAKE music, if we all would play like the composer wanted, even the composer himself would be bored... If one is capable to find always "new" things behind the note's, the music will always have a "rebirth"... humans are no robots
@onlymusiciansallowed There is nothing "new" to find behind notes.Everything is perfect as it is. Mediocre pianists like Cziffra try very hard to find or look for something that isn't there because they(he) are(is) incapable to see the composition like it is.They do that because they hold these compositions for something completely different than what it is.Unforunately guys like Cz. are incapable to read a score correctly because of tremendous interference of their ego.
@abmsghost1 "nothing behind notes"??? what about fiorentino, cortot, horowitz, katchen, wilhelm kempff, rudolph kempf, samson francois, volondat, and so many "russian" pianists, the same country as where emptyhead richter come's from... are these all pianists not worthy listen to? is there interpretation the same as richter, michelangeli... from who you say "pure" and "they play what the composer wants"??? I think you have a empty emotional life...
@onlymusiciansallowed I did not say"nothing behind notes",but "nothing NEW behind notes".Why do you change my words?So,it would serve your cause better?What about all these pianists you mentioned?What about them?Did I say they are not worthy listening to? Just reading the written works by Cortot,de famous Editions de travail, and especially the footnotes are proof that even Cortot is extremely faithfull to the score and leaves no room for out of place"fantasies".
@onlymusiciansallowed Marcel please excuse me for now.I have to play a concert tonight with a violinist,protege from Vasary BTW.:-)Beethoven and Debussy.Talk to you later.
@geertdehoux janneke heb ik aan tafel in het bijzijn van andere pianodocenten horen verklaren: "alle menselijke inbreng in de interpretatie, zal tot chaos leiden"... ongelooflijk stomme idiote pedagoog die vent, kende NIETS van interpretatie, heeft in zijn hele loopbaan ook geen enkel goede student voortgebracht, behalve dan die studenten die het al "in" zich hadden, maar hij heeft nooit potentieel kunnen ontdekken.
A true Hungarian, Liszt interpreter. Every note played. No back hand scrolles as some of the modern pianists do. Sad he died so early, brought on by the tragic death of his talented son.
This great man after all was from a poor "czigane' background, but was a true Magyar. "Piano players" ie; Lang Lang cannot play western music, its not in there culture. Leslie Howard is the finest non Hungarian to play Liszt and even the Magyars chose him President of the Liszt society.
@TheCourtwick Right, I don't know anyone who plays any more typical Hungarian style than him. He was the best translator of Liszt. He does not even look gypsi to me, maybe partly, regardless one like him happens only ones because his heritage and personal quest and the fortunate highest education at the best possible place as a young talent. He feels the Hungarian music so much, hat when his fingers stop the music goes on in our mind and when he snaps back with a hint of sound it's right on.
And here we go, perfection. Overwhelming my seses. Something about the timing tells me that a Hungarian plays. With these underlying waves behind the rapid notes, makes me smell the Hungarian earth and trees with a breeze at spring.. This is communication, this is art., I like it.
Interesting man this Cziffra. Sent to war during WW2, captured, forced to fight for the Soviets, tried to escape, imprisoned, beaten up, forced to work for 10 hours a day, didin't touch the piano for 10 year, damaged fingers beyond repair, could not even touch or practice on the piano but despite all this he strived on and continued to pursue his passion and look at him now.
This is definately the most difficult piece I've 'seen' Cziffra play on You Tube. Even if I could play those notes, my hands would have dropped off about half way through!
@MrClassicalMusic1 oh most definitely. . . lets just say Cziffra was one heck of a rounded player with alot of diversity in his playing. but mainly we go by the "big bang all over the keys and the piano exploded into a million pieces" kind of Cziffra ;)
I recently purchased the 40 CD box set containing all of Cziffra's EMI and Philips studio recordings. It is fabulous! This set is getting hard to find. I think it is out-of-print now. I recommend it to any classical piano lover.
I did not say that Lang Lang "can" match Cziffra. I said, perhaaps he will improve to match one day... perhaps he wont? I am only thinking that some living pianists may improve one day and we could hope to see them perform live. I also like Valentina Lisitsa and Krystian Zimerman. We can watch them live today and have hope for them. Of course this video of Cziffra as I said, and I commended him well. His great performance here is obviously dearly missed by many.
Cziffra's right hand display at 4:40 is spectacular! Also at 6:20 ~ 6:30 the two handed interaction is unbelievable! What a master extraordinaire! I agree with other commenters here that we need the likes of a Cziffra again today. We may never see someone like this again. Perhaps Lang Lang will impove to match this most grand level of Cziffra soon? - Mark Seibold, Artist-Astronomy Educator, Portland Oregon
No matter of hand size, Cziffra showed the best interpretation of Liszt. Even Liszt's hands were not that big as Rachmaninoff, but he is the best in the history! Cziffra's hands were not so big, too! Basically, Hungarians have Asian heritage (the Huns), maybe that's why their hands are smaller than Germans, Russians, or Americans.... so on. I am a Korean, and we have so many virtuosic pianists, too! I am so proud as an Asian!!!!!
@Easleytee Sorry, nowadays Asia englobes so many countries with many composers such as Takemitsu, Hosokawa or Tan Dun. Oistrakhfollower said he is from Korea... Isang Yun was a lead figure not only there but also in Germany where he taught. Unsuk Chin, who studied with Ligeti, was awarded with Grawemeyer for her Violin Concerto. Even there is a DG Album where Boulez's Ensemble Intercontemporain plays many of her works, etc etc.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
He is so overrated. Ugly sound, hollow effects. He is good for the "everything you can play I can play faster" competitions, but that's about it. The rest is boring.
@AfroPoli blame your mother for being born with bad ears.
this "ugly sound" is clearly depending on how old the recording is. Cziffra is known to have amazing tone sound, just like Arrau. what do you mean by effects ? This is music, not Sony Vegas
It’s amazing to watch his right hand repeating octaves in the finale. I love his fingering in the octaves. The use of 4th finger for every other octave regardless of whether it falls on the white or the black key is certainly quite ingenious. Also, the use of wrist in the repeating octaves is remarkable. But boy! What a speed does it create!!! Unbelievable!!!
@pianist1313 Great to see a new comment - I'm addicted to watching Cziffra's videos. This one proves tto me he really did play those crazy improvisations like Sabre Dance, William Tell and my favourite Blue Danube. In these early years, his technical wizardry is just untouchable, before and after. If Liszt was alive I think he would agree.
A few people have dared to attempt these outrageous transcriptions but nobody comes close although Hamelin is very very able.
@Jim341046 Certainly, Cziffra’s playing is most remarkable for its virtuosity and temperament. Strangely enough, few people know today that his playing of a Mozart concerto could be just as good. Whether Liszt would agree with your comment I don’t know. Frankly, I wouldn’t speculate on that since we know from his pupils (Friedheim, Sauer, Siloti, etc.) that he thought little of players that were trying to play the greatest possible number of notes within the shortest possible time-frame.
@Jim341046 I don’t mean to say that this was Cziffra’s sole aim, not at all, but it seems to me that it was one of his aims amongst many others in his performances of certain works. Yet it always made the most startling effect. His performance of Feux Follets I admire greatly and it is not the speed at all that is so captivating, it is rather the sound and the style, especially the ending.
@Jim341046 Regarding Liszt, I accidentally stumbled over recorded speech of Frederic Lamond on YouTube. I was trying to post a link here but the system didn’t let me. You can easily find it if you do search for “Frederic Lamond”. I hope you will enjoy listening to it as much as I did. Greetings from New York!
so proud to be a pianist and Hungarian.watching Cziffra just makes me want to practice more and more...one day at a time of pure practicing i pray ill get remotely close to Cziffras capabilitys. Cziffra...love you forever. see you on the other side :)
True genius......just astounding. That being said, anyone else here a wrong note @ 5:42? Practically inevitable even for a master like cziffra especially on a piece like this.
Extraordinary! Cziffra is the only pianist I have heard with even more technical facility than Argerich... the way he improvised... this "looseness" toward the music and making it absolutely his own at will, only he was able to achieve. An absolute unmatched talent...
I like how he smiles at 5:00 as the final theme kicks in! Normally I don't care how much of a stone face pianists put up, as long they know how to play music.
But the fact that you can tell from his mimic how much he loves to play this piece, just makes the performance even more awesome!
He must have been such a kind person, wish I had the chance to meet him.
he really is the master isnt he guys? =] he just captivates us in every piece. his technique is flawless beyond flawless. his approach to any piece is perfect. He is absoloute power behind the piano. I wonder how different he is to the great composers such as liszt and chopin and beethoven?
@01AlexZor AH! i love what dis you said! Yes, yes, for me too, Cziffa is my best since i head him when i had 18....And i have 54 now!! i never change!!!! .This interprétation is the best of the world. Even, when, i try to play this piece on the table, ( sic ) imagine even there... i go short!!!
@bobbphysics Oh my gods shut the fuck up you damn bastard who cares if they're a tiny bit uneven?!?! AND the recording quality here is not the best either. and first you gotta be able to do what he does before you can even criticise what he does!!!
I am in awe. What an amazing energy. At the end he is fighting the music out of the piano with a passion, like the frenzied dancing to a wild gypsy rhythm.
Is this a different transcription than usually heard? The openning themes sound slightly different then I'm used to. Maybe its just the interpretation.
@ClassicMusicOnly Glad it helped. Are you a pianist? Cziffra was a incredible person as well as one of the world's greatest pianists. We was like his music. Amazing!
Not yet. But I'll be one soon. I finished one music school (And that was in Warsaw. They told me to leave after two years because I finished their whole programme) so I came to Vienna. I'm currently suddying in Vienna. Very great city and I'll be ending this year , in about 3 months. I'll be a pianist then :)
And I agree totaly , Cziffra is the most amazing pianist. His passion , and colour. Amazing! He's the one I get insperation from....(!!) , Breathtaking pianist.
He always uses a kind of improvisation extending some arpeggios and scales, keep that in mind when hearing to Cziffra or Horowitz. His rubatos also contribute to achieve that effect.
What constantly blows my mind is Cziffras jaw dropping virtuosity AND his marvellous interpretations at the same time; in the same person. What a sight to see..what a joy to hear.
Ist Euch schon die Ähnlichkeit mit Robert Mitchum aufgefallen? Der unsentimentale Fatalismus? Ein Freund meinte sogar, Cziffra erinnere ihn an einen Busfahrer oder Metzger. Der Mann kann der Langsamste und der Schnellste sein, und du siehst es ihm nicht an. Danke für diese Bilder! Die Musik liebe ich schon lange.
well, he wasnt a robot - so I assumed he would at some point, so i think it would have been a somber day in 1994, not a pity, considering this mans incredible and brilliant life.
I so wish you could be with us today! For young people like me to learn from you! Your the great master! We need you now the most! When Classical Music is at its lowest point like never! We are so greatful we have your recordings! You will never be fogotten in our classical community!
@ClassicMusicOnly Classical music is all around us. The love has never reached a low point. I make my skill accessible to anyone who wishes to learn how to express their love through music. It is a beautiful relationship.
You misunderstood my comment, when I was typing that , I was meaning to say, that Classical music is being swept away by this garbage (hip-hop, rap, etc.) and not that classical music fans stopped loving it!
@ClassicMusicOnly I did not. That music flourishes because it is marketable, and people buy it. Another Cziffra or Horowitz will not change that. From the information I've gathered through educating, there are plenty of fans of hip-hop and rap that will listen and appreciate classical music if it is spoken in a way that they can relate to it.
But do not fear, for what goes up must come down and the pendulum will once again swing towards its opposite.
Comment removed
geertdehoux 1 day ago
@CziffraTheThird
Yeah, the legendary NEKEARBREV says he's Dinu Lipatti's incarnation!
And I've heard someone say the genius Charles Ives and a former Belgian concert pianist actually were the same 'soul'!
geertdehoux 1 day ago
I love this interpretation, because it just feels like a threat. Particularly the beginning.
fiveonefiveohwe 5 days ago
Watch this BBC 1959 recital and compare Cziffra's deportment at the piano with that of his playing of the same piece on French TV (also on you tube) in 1963.He should not have changed his personality from that of a classical maestro to a wild, romantic, almost gothic figure.His playing was his genius and all he needed. Strangely, Michelangeli ,whose life almost exactly matched Cziffra's (1921-1995/1920-1994) never made an artistic gesture at the keyboard, yet was much the better musician.
moiAntonin 6 days ago
@moiAntonin michelangeli the better musician? cziffra is always playing with his heart, michelangeli, sometimes I think he does not feel anything, just like richter bolet and pollini
onlymusiciansallowed 2 days ago
@onlymusiciansallowed Marcel Mombeek.I see that you just added ABM and Jorge Bolet to your list of "greatest mistakes" in music history.Have you no shame!?
abmsghost1 2 days ago
@abmsghost1 shame? no... but richter, polllini and sometimes michelangeli have also no shame otherwise they would play the note's like they where mentioned to play: with emotion, with a sort of "creativity", and I do not mean by adding note's, but by "reshaping" the score so that "oldtimers" like first ballade chopin always sounds "new"... but very sad, they are not capable of being creative...
onlymusiciansallowed 1 day ago
@onlymusiciansallowed
Zeer goed gezechd ende geschreven!
geertdehoux 1 day ago
@onlymusiciansallowed
"Our states of mind are not compatible", schrijft 't ingebeeld petekind van den Benedetti.
Wel, hier slaat hij de bal nu eens n'iet mis, seh!
;-)
geertdehoux 1 day ago
@onlymusiciansallowed And we do not need to leave Hungary to find pianists superior to Cziffra on ALL levels.For instance Tamas Vasary.His recordings/renderings of Liszt,Chopin AND all 4 RAch.concertos are proof of fantastic pianistic abilities and musicianship.Far more enjoyable than the mediocre "tour de forces" and trapeze acts from Cz.Cziffra is sentimental bullshit.Case closed.
abmsghost1 2 days ago
@abmsghost1 sentimental? this is making him "human", isn't mister abmsghost "spock"? other then richter, pollini, and sometimes michelangeli, cziffra is not affraid to show his emotions, maybe because he has them, and the others only see notes on the score, and do not look behind them, or are not capable of looking behind the note's. for Vasary: indeed very big musician, i like him in chopin and rachm, but I find his liszt rather "flat".
onlymusiciansallowed 1 day ago
@onlymusiciansallowed ABM communicates music in a pure, honnest way.Every note is played exactly as it it is supposed to be played,as ment by the creator of the music.His art is the art of the supreme artist,honnest,respectful, noble.Cziffra's pianoplaying is vulgair,cheap.We had this discussion before and I regret to see your innability to appreciate the art of R.,P.,and ABM.But you did gave me a much clearer picture of your state of mind.Ours are not compatible.
abmsghost1 1 day ago
@abmsghost1 "played exactley as it is supposed... as ment by the creator", that's just what I trie to say: NO creativity, not a single clue of how to MAKE music, if we all would play like the composer wanted, even the composer himself would be bored... If one is capable to find always "new" things behind the note's, the music will always have a "rebirth"... humans are no robots
onlymusiciansallowed 1 day ago
@onlymusiciansallowed There is nothing "new" to find behind notes.Everything is perfect as it is. Mediocre pianists like Cziffra try very hard to find or look for something that isn't there because they(he) are(is) incapable to see the composition like it is.They do that because they hold these compositions for something completely different than what it is.Unforunately guys like Cz. are incapable to read a score correctly because of tremendous interference of their ego.
abmsghost1 1 day ago
@abmsghost1 "nothing behind notes"??? what about fiorentino, cortot, horowitz, katchen, wilhelm kempff, rudolph kempf, samson francois, volondat, and so many "russian" pianists, the same country as where emptyhead richter come's from... are these all pianists not worthy listen to? is there interpretation the same as richter, michelangeli... from who you say "pure" and "they play what the composer wants"??? I think you have a empty emotional life...
onlymusiciansallowed 22 hours ago
@onlymusiciansallowed I did not say"nothing behind notes",but "nothing NEW behind notes".Why do you change my words?So,it would serve your cause better?What about all these pianists you mentioned?What about them?Did I say they are not worthy listening to? Just reading the written works by Cortot,de famous Editions de travail, and especially the footnotes are proof that even Cortot is extremely faithfull to the score and leaves no room for out of place"fantasies".
abmsghost1 19 hours ago
@onlymusiciansallowed Zeg Marcel ..efkes off the record...wat is dieje stank?
abmsghost1 19 hours ago
@abmsghost1 richters lijk
onlymusiciansallowed 19 hours ago
@onlymusiciansallowed Onmogelijk.Al volledig vergaan.Komt van rottend vlees.
abmsghost1 18 hours ago
@abmsghost1 Rottend vlees uit uwe bek ja! Uw lichaam is al in verre staat van ontbinding, juist zoals uw muzikale integriteit!
magicalaidsfrog 14 hours ago
@onlymusiciansallowed Marcel please excuse me for now.I have to play a concert tonight with a violinist,protege from Vasary BTW.:-)Beethoven and Debussy.Talk to you later.
abmsghost1 1 day ago
@onlymusiciansallowed
Wederom zeer goed gezechd ende geschreven!
geertdehoux 1 day ago
@onlymusiciansallowed
't Spook van den Tuur moet ne concèèr geven, zeitem: dat zal nogal eens "as ment by the creators" zijn, eej...!
Groetjes,
Geert.
geertdehoux 1 day ago
@onlymusiciansallowed
Ne Nele grote, Italiaanse muzikant zei ooit tegen mij over Cziffra: "It's not always CLEARRR!"
En de madame van ne nandere, hele grote zei over de madame van Cziffra: "Mais, c'est VULGAAIIRE!!"
Daardoor dacht de mama van ne nandere, legendarische dat den A. 'n lief in Japan had zitten...
geertdehoux 1 day ago
@onlymusiciansallowed
Maar da was ni in Japan, maar in Turkije, neej!
Ja, want hij zei over de M.: "They're the best!"
Volgens Nekearbrev lachen die daar niet mee, zelle!
geertdehoux 1 day ago
@onlymusiciansallowed
Vergeet niet dat wij van janneke NIET naar Cziffra mochten luisteren, he!
Want die speelde alles "als Liszt"!
En C'tje zei over Cziffra: "Da's ne klungelaar!"
En 't Polleke dan, die zei: "Cziffra, da's show, show en nog es show!"
En de Pijtrouw, dieje zei: " 't Was ne cafèèpianist en 't is ne cafèèpianist geblèève!"
Ja, ja, "Gij houdt de geschiedenis levende", placht de grote NEKEARBREV te zeggen!
geertdehoux 1 day ago
@onlymusiciansallowed
Vergeet niet dat de grote Cziffra ondergetekende toeriep met: "Vous êtes un pianiste FABULEUX!!"
't Legendarisch janneke zei daarentegen dak "soep moest gaan koke bij de nonnekes"...
't janneke was dan ook mede-oprichter van de "pedadzjozjiej" aan 't Koninklijk Muziekconservatorium van Brussel, he, m.a.w. een ZEER GROOT PEDAGOOG!
Jazeker, want hij is daar zelfs, in MIJN BIJZIJN, tot R I D D E R gekroond, zoals Mike Verdrengh door Eddy Wally!
geertdehoux 1 day ago
@onlymusiciansallowed
En toen zong 't legendarisch Stafke Fabri over "al die goeie Woulee, die jons em pint sulle betoulee"!
D'at waren nog eens "tijden", he...!
geertdehoux 1 day ago
@onlymusiciansallowed
and 't zakske en 't roberreke en 't janneke van in den tijd.
Janneke was fier, toen hij ons "het Geheim" van zijn onbetwistbaar Meesterschap onthulde: "Eè pshht, ik kan ni segge dak mee mèè nart speel, pt!"
Wat een Legendarische Wijsheid van 't groot janneke...
geertdehoux 1 day ago
@geertdehoux janneke heb ik aan tafel in het bijzijn van andere pianodocenten horen verklaren: "alle menselijke inbreng in de interpretatie, zal tot chaos leiden"... ongelooflijk stomme idiote pedagoog die vent, kende NIETS van interpretatie, heeft in zijn hele loopbaan ook geen enkel goede student voortgebracht, behalve dan die studenten die het al "in" zich hadden, maar hij heeft nooit potentieel kunnen ontdekken.
onlymusiciansallowed 22 hours ago
@onlymusiciansallowed
Goed gezegd!
Ik zeg zelfs meer: "Heeft VELE jonge mensen KAPOTgemaakt!!"
geertdehoux 20 hours ago
I like his improvisation/variation of this piece.
nanioushka 1 week ago
I ususally have this kind of confidence when I stand in front of my BBQ
ArgentPur1OZ 1 week ago
A true Hungarian, Liszt interpreter. Every note played. No back hand scrolles as some of the modern pianists do. Sad he died so early, brought on by the tragic death of his talented son.
TheCourtwick 2 weeks ago
He is absolutely a GREAT PIANO MASTER!!!!!
56Iraida 2 weeks ago
Magnifique! Quelle fin!
SheWillNeverLoveMe 1 month ago
Egy kis ország sok drágaköve közül az egyik. :) Köszönjük!
zso8 1 month ago
THE GREATEST!!!!!
tomasriehle 1 month ago
Look at his strong veiny hands
Fedorasnesguy 1 month ago
Watching daemon-man here play the life out of that piano, makes my mediocrity really hurt.
teaCupkk 1 month ago
Le plus grand virtuose de tous les temps ... Et quel musicien .... Liszt réincarné et insurpassé
Achille92190 2 months ago
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geertdehoux 1 day ago
the best of the best
diogomenzes11 2 months ago
the best version of the song i have ever heard
Mattttsin 2 months ago
The Best !
lego10123 2 months ago
Blah, blah blah, british documentary voice, blah...but then, oh! Look! It's Cziffra!
MrLieblingsessen 2 months ago 4
attention....we all scream together....three....two....one...
FUCKING....AMAZING !!!!!
paganviodio 2 months ago 4
Comment removed
lego10123 2 months ago
whatever how good he could be, the volume on the right hand was not achieved.
hjuniform 3 months ago
He's amazing...I think I'm in love...
natluvsfob1 3 months ago in playlist More videos from poemasinfonico
0:25 if you want to skip the intro.
zyxek 3 months ago 2
Absolutely brilliant!
MrAndieMusik 3 months ago
Oh shit...
BlazeKenny 4 months ago
Comment removed
geertdehoux 1 day ago
This great man after all was from a poor "czigane' background, but was a true Magyar. "Piano players" ie; Lang Lang cannot play western music, its not in there culture. Leslie Howard is the finest non Hungarian to play Liszt and even the Magyars chose him President of the Liszt society.
TheCourtwick 4 months ago
@TheCourtwick Right, I don't know anyone who plays any more typical Hungarian style than him. He was the best translator of Liszt. He does not even look gypsi to me, maybe partly, regardless one like him happens only ones because his heritage and personal quest and the fortunate highest education at the best possible place as a young talent. He feels the Hungarian music so much, hat when his fingers stop the music goes on in our mind and when he snaps back with a hint of sound it's right on.
TVaDaR 4 months ago
Comment removed
geertdehoux 1 day ago
And here we go, perfection. Overwhelming my seses. Something about the timing tells me that a Hungarian plays. With these underlying waves behind the rapid notes, makes me smell the Hungarian earth and trees with a breeze at spring.. This is communication, this is art., I like it.
TVaDaR 4 months ago
Interesting man this Cziffra. Sent to war during WW2, captured, forced to fight for the Soviets, tried to escape, imprisoned, beaten up, forced to work for 10 hours a day, didin't touch the piano for 10 year, damaged fingers beyond repair, could not even touch or practice on the piano but despite all this he strived on and continued to pursue his passion and look at him now.
Vesivian 4 months ago 37
@Vesivian
You know, a world famous pianist told me a totally different story.
geertdehoux 1 day ago
This is definately the most difficult piece I've 'seen' Cziffra play on You Tube. Even if I could play those notes, my hands would have dropped off about half way through!
Jim0734 4 months ago
@MrClassicalMusic1 oh most definitely. . . lets just say Cziffra was one heck of a rounded player with alot of diversity in his playing. but mainly we go by the "big bang all over the keys and the piano exploded into a million pieces" kind of Cziffra ;)
CziffraTheThird 4 months ago
I recently purchased the 40 CD box set containing all of Cziffra's EMI and Philips studio recordings. It is fabulous! This set is getting hard to find. I think it is out-of-print now. I recommend it to any classical piano lover.
MrClassicalMusic1 4 months ago
@hochayminh
I did not say that Lang Lang "can" match Cziffra. I said, perhaaps he will improve to match one day... perhaps he wont? I am only thinking that some living pianists may improve one day and we could hope to see them perform live. I also like Valentina Lisitsa and Krystian Zimerman. We can watch them live today and have hope for them. Of course this video of Cziffra as I said, and I commended him well. His great performance here is obviously dearly missed by many.
cosmiclight 4 months ago
Insane.
scriabinish 4 months ago
Cziffra's right hand display at 4:40 is spectacular! Also at 6:20 ~ 6:30 the two handed interaction is unbelievable! What a master extraordinaire! I agree with other commenters here that we need the likes of a Cziffra again today. We may never see someone like this again. Perhaps Lang Lang will impove to match this most grand level of Cziffra soon? - Mark Seibold, Artist-Astronomy Educator, Portland Oregon
cosmiclight 4 months ago
@cosmiclight Lang lang sucks !! how come you think that lad can match one of the greatest pianists of all time?
hochayminh 4 months ago
@hochayminh I don't know if I would say Lang Lang sucks, but he will never be the pianist Cziffra was.
MrClassicalMusic1 4 months ago
4:43-4:50 god's cadenza
2hyeok 5 months ago
i can play that with one mouth
FutureAbe 6 months ago
Cziffra's addition is the best!
0530pianist 6 months ago 7
hey who wants to see a 12 year old play this? i already posted a video, but not as good. now im redoing it after 4 months! :) (dont tell im 12)
jeffjeff2955 6 months ago
at around 6:34 was Cziffra hitting the lowest B-flat octaves? It doesn't seem that way on the sheet music, but hell I'd love to play it that way xD
anonymousaccount100 7 months ago
@anonymousaccount100 no it just sounds that way because hes playing the lower not of the octave louder than the top
jeffjeff2955 6 months ago
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anonymousaccount100 7 months ago
No matter of hand size, Cziffra showed the best interpretation of Liszt. Even Liszt's hands were not that big as Rachmaninoff, but he is the best in the history! Cziffra's hands were not so big, too! Basically, Hungarians have Asian heritage (the Huns), maybe that's why their hands are smaller than Germans, Russians, or Americans.... so on. I am a Korean, and we have so many virtuosic pianists, too! I am so proud as an Asian!!!!!
Oistrakhfollower 7 months ago
@Oistrakhfollower
Virtuosos...yes.
Composers...NO.
Easleytee 6 months ago 2
@Easleytee Sorry, nowadays Asia englobes so many countries with many composers such as Takemitsu, Hosokawa or Tan Dun. Oistrakhfollower said he is from Korea... Isang Yun was a lead figure not only there but also in Germany where he taught. Unsuk Chin, who studied with Ligeti, was awarded with Grawemeyer for her Violin Concerto. Even there is a DG Album where Boulez's Ensemble Intercontemporain plays many of her works, etc etc.
anaklasis 6 months ago
From 6:21 to 6:29,it's wonderful!!!
0530pianist 7 months ago
OMG he arranges some parts!He is same as GOD!!!!!!
0530pianist 7 months ago
This is what going to the Conservatory of Liszt does to a man....you replace your soul with musical talent. Im willing to do that
jarosemann1228 7 months ago
Monster!
FernandoViani 8 months ago 2
O_O That was amazing!
612curtis 8 months ago
that speed is unbelievable, meaning, you don't believe it until you see it.
cirosuperiore 8 months ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
He is so overrated. Ugly sound, hollow effects. He is good for the "everything you can play I can play faster" competitions, but that's about it. The rest is boring.
AfroPoli 9 months ago
@AfroPoli blame your mother for being born with bad ears.
this "ugly sound" is clearly depending on how old the recording is. Cziffra is known to have amazing tone sound, just like Arrau. what do you mean by effects ? This is music, not Sony Vegas
BlazeKenny 8 months ago
Incredible............
jawgraphy 9 months ago
It’s amazing to watch his right hand repeating octaves in the finale. I love his fingering in the octaves. The use of 4th finger for every other octave regardless of whether it falls on the white or the black key is certainly quite ingenious. Also, the use of wrist in the repeating octaves is remarkable. But boy! What a speed does it create!!! Unbelievable!!!
pianist1313 9 months ago
@pianist1313 Great to see a new comment - I'm addicted to watching Cziffra's videos. This one proves tto me he really did play those crazy improvisations like Sabre Dance, William Tell and my favourite Blue Danube. In these early years, his technical wizardry is just untouchable, before and after. If Liszt was alive I think he would agree.
A few people have dared to attempt these outrageous transcriptions but nobody comes close although Hamelin is very very able.
Jim341046 9 months ago
@Jim341046 Certainly, Cziffra’s playing is most remarkable for its virtuosity and temperament. Strangely enough, few people know today that his playing of a Mozart concerto could be just as good. Whether Liszt would agree with your comment I don’t know. Frankly, I wouldn’t speculate on that since we know from his pupils (Friedheim, Sauer, Siloti, etc.) that he thought little of players that were trying to play the greatest possible number of notes within the shortest possible time-frame.
pianist1313 9 months ago
@Jim341046 I don’t mean to say that this was Cziffra’s sole aim, not at all, but it seems to me that it was one of his aims amongst many others in his performances of certain works. Yet it always made the most startling effect. His performance of Feux Follets I admire greatly and it is not the speed at all that is so captivating, it is rather the sound and the style, especially the ending.
pianist1313 9 months ago
@Jim341046 Regarding Liszt, I accidentally stumbled over recorded speech of Frederic Lamond on YouTube. I was trying to post a link here but the system didn’t let me. You can easily find it if you do search for “Frederic Lamond”. I hope you will enjoy listening to it as much as I did. Greetings from New York!
pianist1313 9 months ago
I love his improvisasions.
DadoD999 10 months ago
after watching horowitz play chopin and the carmen fantasy, cziffra's interpretation seems so... empty.
bicsc7 11 months ago
who are those 3 idiots who have disliked this performance?
TripleRhu 11 months ago
It's funny. The left hand octaves are almost better than the ones on his right. @____@
zhangensprachen 11 months ago
Cziffra Györgyöt sosem felejtjük el :)
MrJango997 11 months ago
Why could you not be in my generation???
Pianoforteization 11 months ago
A vérében van ez a Magyar virtus
KopiPendulum 11 months ago 2
is this earlier than the other live performance with the Gaveau?
libetta 11 months ago
so proud to be a pianist and Hungarian.watching Cziffra just makes me want to practice more and more...one day at a time of pure practicing i pray ill get remotely close to Cziffras capabilitys. Cziffra...love you forever. see you on the other side :)
Mattouven 1 year ago
True genius......just astounding. That being said, anyone else here a wrong note @ 5:42? Practically inevitable even for a master like cziffra especially on a piece like this.
smulli36 1 year ago
If Cziffra, Sviatoslav Richter, Art Tatum, and Adam Makowicz all played a piano at the same time in the same room, then the world would explode.
MegaYoshitsune 1 year ago
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smulli36 1 year ago
Bravo!......!!!!!!
wallislu2 1 year ago
Ah.... best work! It is as good as hungarian rhapody no.2!
TheSoken123 1 year ago
his hands legitimately look like spiders O_o
Crad4DRC 1 year ago
BEST!!!
MrFortepianist 1 year ago
When there is all space to giving...
heurelebonheur 1 year ago
He was the best!
KingZsolti 1 year ago
Extraordinary! Cziffra is the only pianist I have heard with even more technical facility than Argerich... the way he improvised... this "looseness" toward the music and making it absolutely his own at will, only he was able to achieve. An absolute unmatched talent...
martinl19 1 year ago 21
great
goodmanmusica 1 year ago
I like how he smiles at 5:00 as the final theme kicks in! Normally I don't care how much of a stone face pianists put up, as long they know how to play music.
But the fact that you can tell from his mimic how much he loves to play this piece, just makes the performance even more awesome!
He must have been such a kind person, wish I had the chance to meet him.
MrOliverKjaerulff 1 year ago 2
Oh my God! This almost infernal virtuosity! It leaves me perplexed.
BranSheanew 1 year ago 2
Incredible piece and an incredible player.
thedoswells 1 year ago
WOW!
HnodriHudson 1 year ago
please tell me he was not trilling his 4 and 5 at 5:50ish ill never be able to play this
bethanylovesdan 1 year ago 6
@bethanylovesdan yeah he was, it's a lot easier.
Laudan08 1 year ago
@bethanylovesdan He is doing it in order to get faster octaves at the same key
Enormous hands = advantage
BlazeKenny 4 months ago
@BlazeKenny It's more likely that Cziffra played the repeated octaves 5-4-5-4... because it's less straining on the forearm.
yellingLoL 2 months ago
@yellingLoL both
BlazeKenny 2 months ago
liszt is powerfull like liszt was thats why its so close to liszt
bethanylovesdan 1 year ago
I love the improvisation at 1:42
cammywatt95 1 year ago
he really is the master isnt he guys? =] he just captivates us in every piece. his technique is flawless beyond flawless. his approach to any piece is perfect. He is absoloute power behind the piano. I wonder how different he is to the great composers such as liszt and chopin and beethoven?
777mrpiano777 1 year ago
Györgi, I miss you since the first time I listened to you.
You are the best prodigy the world of piano has never known.
Your hands are true virtuous spiders : the hands of GOD !
01AlexZor 1 year ago 3
@01AlexZor AH! i love what dis you said! Yes, yes, for me too, Cziffa is my best since i head him when i had 18....And i have 54 now!! i never change!!!! .This interprétation is the best of the world. Even, when, i try to play this piece on the table, ( sic ) imagine even there... i go short!!!
WonderfulManga 1 year ago
The octaves at the end are bit uneven... there are sometimes when I can't even hear them
bobbphysics 1 year ago
@bobbphysics Oh my gods shut the fuck up you damn bastard who cares if they're a tiny bit uneven?!?! AND the recording quality here is not the best either. and first you gotta be able to do what he does before you can even criticise what he does!!!
james567065 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Everyone should read his book.How he grew up how he survived WW ll ... It's a special story .. the title is 'Canons and Flowers'
ZhangZhongShi 1 year ago
Comment removed
ZhangZhongShi 1 year ago
the two people who disliked this obviously hit the wrong button on accident.......
joosh1125 1 year ago
wow what an amazing skill..in a couple of years if he keep on practicing like that he will eventually become as good as me.
gohanisbuckethead 1 year ago
Comment removed
funfor1life 1 year ago
I like how he added some stuff to it too.
BlackMasterJoe89 1 year ago
This is the best performance of this piece I've heard in my entire life! And I'm 80 years old!!! (OK actually I'm only 18)
fishwithoutwings 1 year ago 3
The fact he adds stuff to this piece is amazing enough for me! i have a hard enough time trying to play what's already there! :O
calvanistninja 1 year ago
One of the world's greatest pianists! Words cannot express what he does with music.
GloriaMorris33 1 year ago
JESUS-TAPDANCING-CHRIST :-|
enough said...4:50 wow ... just unreal
oh, and Liszt was a sadist composing things like this!
Or3st1s 1 year ago
I am in awe. What an amazing energy. At the end he is fighting the music out of the piano with a passion, like the frenzied dancing to a wild gypsy rhythm.
MellowCypriot 1 year ago 3
Is this a different transcription than usually heard? The openning themes sound slightly different then I'm used to. Maybe its just the interpretation.
andrew17660 1 year ago
Well we have to consider some things. Cziffra has a different interpretation with the openning themes.
Also , the recording is very old and the piano really dosen't sound like really would in real life.
ClassicMusicOnly 1 year ago
@ClassicMusicOnly It was recorded before 1950!!! and in Hungary. What a genius.
GloriaMorris33 1 year ago
@GloriaMorris33
Oh , thanks for telling me that. I never really knew what time this recorded. All I knew was that its old! :)
And he is a genius!
ClassicMusicOnly 1 year ago
@ClassicMusicOnly Glad it helped. Are you a pianist? Cziffra was a incredible person as well as one of the world's greatest pianists. We was like his music. Amazing!
GloriaMorris33 1 year ago
@GloriaMorris33
Not yet. But I'll be one soon. I finished one music school (And that was in Warsaw. They told me to leave after two years because I finished their whole programme) so I came to Vienna. I'm currently suddying in Vienna. Very great city and I'll be ending this year , in about 3 months. I'll be a pianist then :)
And I agree totaly , Cziffra is the most amazing pianist. His passion , and colour. Amazing! He's the one I get insperation from....(!!) , Breathtaking pianist.
ClassicMusicOnly 1 year ago
He always uses a kind of improvisation extending some arpeggios and scales, keep that in mind when hearing to Cziffra or Horowitz. His rubatos also contribute to achieve that effect.
Rach3Piano 1 year ago
I don't know if it's just me or not but some of his profiles from the camera remined me of liszt! Maybe the expression of the face? i don't know.
AmericanCars101 1 year ago
Báár nem csodálom...manapság is azt hiszik külföldön h a magyarok azok büdös kokkeró réti niggerek.....
Jusuph 1 year ago
Anyád a cigány te büdős jenki
Jusuph 1 year ago
Ez a majom spiker lecigányozta a magyar zenét,most már csak az kell,hogy CZIFFRÁT le zsdozza!Az agyam ledobja az ékszijjat!!
schmidtl61 1 year ago
What constantly blows my mind is Cziffras jaw dropping virtuosity AND his marvellous interpretations at the same time; in the same person. What a sight to see..what a joy to hear.
EFAJE 2 years ago 7
How play octave 545454?
wow..
namopiano 2 years ago 2
It's not too hard actually, I think you just have have the hand size/strength for it. There a much, much more difficult portions of this piece ;)
sirvio666 2 years ago
Bravo Liszt!
Bravoooooooooo Cziffra!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
namopiano 2 years ago 2
JESUS CHRIST !!! That rocks!!!
uhfqacdfkml 2 years ago 3
A master...
krokigrygg 2 years ago 2
Ist Euch schon die Ähnlichkeit mit Robert Mitchum aufgefallen? Der unsentimentale Fatalismus? Ein Freund meinte sogar, Cziffra erinnere ihn an einen Busfahrer oder Metzger. Der Mann kann der Langsamste und der Schnellste sein, und du siehst es ihm nicht an. Danke für diese Bilder! Die Musik liebe ich schon lange.
6corax9 2 years ago
what is this video? a dvd?
liszt100 2 years ago
they didn't have dvds back then
yellingLoL 2 years ago
Hát igen..egy Magyar Rapszódiát, egy magyar ember érezhet igazán ;)
KopiPendulum 2 years ago 3
im going to quit piano.
ozg1989 2 years ago 7
He was so, so powerful musician...it's very pity he died!
Kapomafioso 2 years ago 53
@Kapomafioso
well, he wasnt a robot - so I assumed he would at some point, so i think it would have been a somber day in 1994, not a pity, considering this mans incredible and brilliant life.
EFAJE 10 months ago
6:31 like claws of a lion !!!
hjiuhfhrehui 2 years ago 5
That is my favorite part ! It makes the piano look as fun as it could possibly be !
GMoralesRCflight 2 years ago
Cziffra!
I so wish you could be with us today! For young people like me to learn from you! Your the great master! We need you now the most! When Classical Music is at its lowest point like never! We are so greatful we have your recordings! You will never be fogotten in our classical community!
ClassicMusicOnly 2 years ago 109
@ClassicMusicOnly Classical music is all around us. The love has never reached a low point. I make my skill accessible to anyone who wishes to learn how to express their love through music. It is a beautiful relationship.
ChronicMetamorphosis 1 year ago
@ChronicMetamorphosis
You misunderstood my comment, when I was typing that , I was meaning to say, that Classical music is being swept away by this garbage (hip-hop, rap, etc.) and not that classical music fans stopped loving it!
ClassicMusicOnly 1 year ago
@ClassicMusicOnly I did not. That music flourishes because it is marketable, and people buy it. Another Cziffra or Horowitz will not change that. From the information I've gathered through educating, there are plenty of fans of hip-hop and rap that will listen and appreciate classical music if it is spoken in a way that they can relate to it.
But do not fear, for what goes up must come down and the pendulum will once again swing towards its opposite.
ChronicMetamorphosis 1 year ago
I like how he rolls the chords into arpeggios very quickly at 1:51. Love that section.
diesel828 2 years ago 4
at 5:29, just great, he is just so much in the roll!!!!!
juancillo 2 years ago 2
5-7 is orgasmic. GO LISZT/CZIFFRA!!!
sirvio666 2 years ago 3
What's wrong with the final notes? It seems like something went wrong... =)
f1f1s 2 years ago
Well, the last note is his improvisation. It's a high note and I guess the recorder can't record it well. :]
fcGroup 2 years ago 5
No nothing went wrong. He just makes it sound like that but everything is just like it should be ( according to the interpretation)
ClassicMusicOnly 2 years ago 7
I just realized how huge his hands are...
kastlesucks 2 years ago 4