Brahms Paganini Variations Bk. 2, Elena Ulyanova

[tangyorangy]

**strong stamina**

[tangyorangy]

wow !! seriously o.O she's got string stamina !! V^_^V

[mayerlacika]

very good.

[Slow2Motion]

very nice...

[diblasic]

she can play the piano admirably, but she isn't really making much music here. The video also appears to be sped up artificially. Yes the piano is out of tune, especially in high register.

[callenishss]

@diblasic she is amazing, and the vid is specifically "out of sync" with the audio. not sped up. its just the visual comes before the audio.

she plays beautifully

[Haeronthegreat]

I think it's an insult she be made to play on this detuned monstrosity.

[yellingLoL]

She probably put it out of tune by pounding the keys as hard as she does

[Ellinidara]

She's little histeric...

[rationalistx]

Magnificent performance!.

Elena Ulyanova must have dedicated her whole life to the piano to play like that.

Natural ability combined with hours of practise every day of her life.

Let's hear more of the same on Youtube please Elena.

[mikejr41387]

the audience doesn't seem that excited.... losers!

[Libertein818]

I agree, weird that they didn't seem to appreciate it, she should have got at least a standing ovation. Maybe the audience didn't understand that what she played is something few others in the world can do also. Who knows... either way shes got my applause. : )

[callenishss]

@mikejr41387 yea they dont understand the challenges of such a piece, plus there are not enough people in the audience, plus russian heritage has left many pianists in the shadow of existing legends

[Cirapf]

bello

[reaperman2004]

Thanks for uploading this....

Will hopefully help me learn it quicker...

That is a bitch of a piece to learn....

[111alexander111]

Brava!

[jamaalakagradea]

nuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Haeronthegreat]

The thing is, this piece was designed to challenge Carl Tausig with new pianistic textures. As such, it is a set of etudes, as the correct title suggests. There is room for expression, but it is an exercise in gaining sonority and comfort in impossible textures.

[JorPove]

Independientemente de su postura (eleccion de la interprete por razones que solo ella conoce y que en nada invalidad su ejecucion) la interpretacion es hermosa,ajustada a la partitura y aun asi con mucha originalidad en el fraseo ,de manera que lo refresca a su manera. Felicitaciones a Elena ,otra gran interprete ucraniana.

[tatsumaru1984]

she has a nerves tik?

[GeorgeMaxwellDuPre]

This is excellent pianism. A few wrong notes but who cares! I think the slips have to do with her evidently very small hands. Brava!

[4ubi]

what weird posture of the body :D

[reaperman2004]

I agree...

but jesus - can she Play or what!!!

[fabioso82]

She can't bang the piano better, that's why that position.

[luminoceanne]

wow this is quite amazing !!! I look alot of piano videos here ...but this one is quite different !!! hihi ! she has quite a personnality !!! and even if I find it sometimes a little " to much" compare to what we are used to, more conformist...I like this very personnal interpretation here !

not only her techic is impressive, but also her character that we really can " feel" since she really seem completely " in it"...Impressive !

[timrogers500]

outstanding performance!

I like this about as much as the Rachmaninov variations on theme of paganini, and that's saying a lot...

[4ubi]

yeah brahms.. :)

[coldgamesLUPIN]

i am sorry. a was mistaken. i pushed not bad switch.

[jero13595]

But Sorabji's Opus Clavicembalisticum definitely beats this interms of difficulty!

[malditocalvo]

.... ¡qué bestia! O.O

en el buen sentido de la palabra... ¡qué fuerza tiene además!

[fongpayman123]

Is this harder than liszt's?

[xgianpatrick]

yes, absolutely.

[tjelong]

she plays like a mechanical music box... =(

[Nightblade2222]

do u actually know how hard this piece is? it is said to be the 2nd hardest piece in history of piano. her technique is incredible to just get this far

[guyincognito84]

What's the hardest piece?

[Nightblade2222]

some critics say its islamey by balakeriev but i am not sure

[jero13595]

It's Sorabji's Opus Clavicsseilriasdf whateva. That's the hardest piece I'm not sure about the spelling. Anyway there are still many pieces harder than Islamey for example Gaspard a la de nuit and some works by Alkan.

[ElliePearl]

Love it!

[lance0418]

Amazing!

好精采阿!

素晴しい！

[galaxyrainguy]

straighten up down there this woman is a top pianist and musician and respect worthy few musicians can play these variations this well or even come close, it is a privalage to hear performances of this calibre

[guboub]

I really like what she did with this. Beffy and bold Brahms, that's my own personal taste... And she has some strong intentions that she imposes with conviction, real music there. Thanks!

[denpl]

Typical performing style of the Moscow Conservatory, especially of the Victor Merzhanov studio, where she studied.

Ulyanova`s playing lacks polish and is a bit sloppy. ALl she is busy with is to hit the right notes. No mood changes between the variation!

[tjelong]

she posses good technique, but she plays like a clock, pure mechanical without expression.

[Nightblade2222]

u cant have expression in a fast piece like this.. maybe some and she has.

[wangaling]

dudee im like playing this right now.

but im only 14. half the notes i can't even reach. X[

[Lullabisator]

she plays without any feeling and character, without passion

[sessio84]

alesscort, forse mi è sfuggito ma non ho notato punti in cui leva le ottave, potresti dirmi a quali variazioni ti riferisci così ci faccio più attenzione?

[sessio84]

Ah adesso ho visto, leva le ottave nella variazione 11. Comunque penso che le abbia levate per poterla suonare alla velocità alta che voleva (10 note al secondo circa),che è fisicamente impossibile con le ottave a causa della proporzionalità tra massa e quantità di moto della mano,figuriamoci se non era capace di suonarla con le ottave!

[alesscort]

sarai anche brava ma perchè togli le ottave nelle variazioni più difficili?

[B337h0v3n]

Nice playing but she is very ugly.

She would never be my wife !!! ;)

[rvn10rvn17]

u're such a nasty son of a bitch... haha

[B337h0v3n]

yess, maybe I am...

my opinion is that she is ugly , what's the problem???

Maybe , u ppl like her..your opinion!!!

btw the most of russian girls are veryyyy beautiful

[ReginaFarfalla]

she's annoying me with her head if there's any feeling in that piece it wouldn't be played like that

[lulondon1]

She is perfect!!!!!!!!!!!

[millionpeople1]

what a hec is she wearing?

[cmhmuscle]

well, she certianly beats the crap out of it in the Russian manner. Ugh. More shape to phrases, please.

[hlbrg]

man..... i don't think her "interpertation" was the greatest... with all the booming.. and smuggling face >_O

even though that.. thx for upload but it's just my opinion .

[mayorde18]

claudio arrau was able to play this shit at 11 xD lol... but there is no recordings to prove it

[ghostwriter11]

Brilliant performance, IMHO. Brahmns meant this to be a virtuoso piece, written as a challenge to a young virtuoso. She conquers it. Great presence at the keyboard. She'll be one of the greats, I think.

[chokolattecoffee]

I remember you very well when you where studying in Moscow with much honored professor Alexandr Alexandrov, recently deceased. I remember the words you told me that most important thing is to have "volya", will. I see you have much volya and therefore you have big career. All the Best!!!

[tigrankalevian]

muchos no han entendido esta interpretación, pero es una respetable versión

[maex1000]

she has not got the skills to play that so fast!

[pianistmusic]

fantastic.....

[xgianpatrick]

This can be such a gorgeous piece when it's not attacked like a boxing opponent. The piano was an out-of-tune bloody carcass by the time she left it limp on the floor at the end.

[elineangelica]

it's brahms. you don't have to kill him

[lazarogeorg]

Nice..briliant..but can somebody explain to me why do the best women pianists play sooooo neurotic(ly)..is it in this a part of women temperament..?

[pspdipendente]

i dont like it.. it seems more like a race rather than music..(im italian sorry for bad english)

[tusan15288]

no puedo creer qe no conociera esta obra, increíble sólo el hecho de qe esta mujer sea capaz de tocarla, ya alucinante qe la toque tan bien!

[grnd2]

It's beautiful. I would recommend you to play the original version of Caprice 24 on piano with violin sheets.