Sviatoslav Richter plays Chopin Scherzo No. 1 in B Minor

[skelittle]

4:16 - 7:42

[OhNatali]

Исполнение Рихтера несёт выражение высочайшей внутренней культуры. И это скерцо - взволнованная исповедь о трагизме человеческого существования. От некоторых аккордов холодеет и замирает сердце. А как выразительны паузы! Не понимать, не чувствовать этого- значит, не дорасти ни до Шопена, ни до Рихтера.

[eugenstar81]

Bore. All the repetitions are the same... Which is not professional. It is the only difficult thing in this Scherzo. And he fails.

[truecrypt]

@eugenstar81

Да, товарищ Стародубцев... Конкурсов выиграли много, а скромности мало...

Ваш, с позволения, "комментарий" напомнил мне подобный из "Жалобной книги" Чехова - "Сию станцию проезжал Иванов седьмой"

И совершенно замечательный ответ:

"Хоть ты и седьмой, а дурак"!

[eugenstar81]

@truecrypt Ясен пень - Рихтер это круто, а кто не согласен - седьмой.

[truecrypt]

@eugenstar81

Да нет... И Рихтер может не нравиться, но говорить о нём *так и в таком тоне* не стоит - Вы пока не заслужили такого права (if ever)... Понимаете, Евгений, ни Ваши конкурсные победы, ни ассистенство с будущей профессурой в Московской консерватории не дают Вам такого права. У Рихтера есть, чему поучиться... даже Вам... Так что не обижайтесь, а становитесь умнее и интеллигентнее. Наташе Труль - привет! Я её совсем молоденькой помню... ;)

[eugenstar81]

@truecrypt Учитесь, маэстро, на здоровье. Я, однако, предпочту этого не делать, так как нечему. Есть куда более интересные музыканты. Конкурсные победы и ассистентство здесь ни при чем. Сейчас все лауреаты, и это, что называется, ни о чем. Так и намерен думать дальше, до тех пор пока не найду хотя бы одну приличную запись этого пианиста. Пока не везло. Может повезет в будущем. Это ведь ИМХО, как принято постить в инете. А комментарии в YouTube - это оно и есть. Кстати, как Ваше имя?

[truecrypt]

@eugenstar81

Проблема в том, что право на мнение у Вас есть, а скромности и уважения - нет.

По поводу "приличных записей" - Вы плохо искали - для начала послушайте из того, что сами играли - Франка и Шостаковича... или Скрябина... может, ход мыслей и поменяется. 

[eugenstar81]

@truecrypt Г-н Анонимус. Скука и ординарность (прямолинейность) не могут быть предметом для уважения. А Франка и Шостаковича я, разумеется, слушал. Нет. Не звучит.

И все же. Кто же он, этот ярый поклонник советской фортепианной школы?

Прямо досада берет, на канале один Рихтер. Однако - спасибо за Я. И. Зака и Софроницкого. Впрочем, позволю себе, (а ведь дураку, да еще седьмому - можно) ремарку: собственные записи запощены в недурной компании.

[truecrypt]

@eugenstar81

Кому "скука и ординарность", а кому и нет... Речь не о праве на различие мнений, а на тон  и способ "самовыражения" в comments. По поводу "не звучит" - Бог Вас простит... ;)

Я не *ярый* поклонник "советской" школы, а вот русскую пианистическую традицию очень даже уважаю. И в YT выкладывал не только Рихтера, т.ч. не надо "подкусывать"... ;)

Мои записи - по просьбе друзей. Славы не ищу, но хамства не люблю. Каждый себе свою компанию выбирает, не так ли?

[eugenstar81]

@truecrypt Верно Вы говорите. У нас с Вами очень мало общего. Всего хорошего, удачи!

[OhNatali]

@truecrypt Искусство можно сравнить с горной системой. Она состоит из незыблемых вершин. Рихтер - одна из них. И никому до неё не доплюнуть!

[truecrypt]

@OhNatali

Но некоторые всё же пытаются... ;)

[hevosha]

@eugenstar81 this is even not a critic. OMG I can't believe that there is somebody on earth who says Richter unprofessional....haha nice try.

[davidgray2]

Shocking edit at 2:08!! Richter is wonderful, though. I'm just surprised he would permit that on the record, given his perfectionist attitude.

[ym42ym42]

Love it! Richter was awesome! From the very first notes you hear that HE HAS GOT IT!

[margotlorena1]

crazy

[keetner]

As great as this performance is (it really is), it just blows my mind thinking about the fact that people are even capable are composing great music like this...I mean, really. Mind boggling but brilliant at the same time.

[brengf]

I listen to rock/metal bands as well as classical music. I am amused to hear matters of personal taste argued in both areas albeit more politely in the classical arena. Rock and metal fans seem more interested than classicists in audio recording techniques and the differences in instrumental choices, for instance guitar and drum makers.

[RH98]

@brengf Instrumental choices are pretty moot to be honest. All the good makes are well established from donkeys years long relationships with music's greatest performers and composers. We moan about recording quality, but considering the artists have little control over their own recordings - classical has never been a studio "art" in the same way that popular music is - it would be pointless to criticise them directly on that.

[koreybishop]

@RH98

don't you feel like you might be understating the importance or significance in the audio production of a track? keeping in mind that the end goal of all music to be heard by a listener, you would think that almost all musicians would have a strong will to (a.) do the production themselves to retain artistic control over something so encompassing, and/or (b.) make sure that whoever does produce their albums/songs does so in the best way possible. a lot of great artists produce themselves.

[RH98]

@koreybishop Very true on both points. I guess what I was gettting at is that in classical music the job of the recording is - in my eyes at least - to bring the performance to the listener in a rich but transparent manner. I would argue that classical will never be a studio art like pop is. Classical is recorded in the studio, a lot of great pop is *made* in the studio. I hope that made a little sense at least.

[koreybishop]

@RH98

i agree with that (also the line "classical will never be a studio art" (never be) (already happened)), and my point is that it is restrictive and limiting and it shows. in modern times where audio recordings are a given destination for the songs you write, you have no excuse not to take the art of audio production every bit as seriously as the first stages of writing, you write a lot while you're producing and add and compliment and enhance. see: radiohead ok computer - in rainbows.

[MISSANNOYINGHAHAHA]

i remembered staying overnight at piano camp and i didnt sleep well 4 the whole week and the day of the recital i was about 2 doze off until this kid started playing this piece i have 2 say awesome piece

[MetalAge19]

i like his performance! perfect

[rabbit055jp]

Among the numerous performances of this Schezo,Richter plays the best,and no other one cannot realize so fantastic music as Richter does.......

[anonymousQ45]

i have a recording that i downloaded from some site. its incredibly fast and really accurate but i dont know whos it is! im guessing it could be Argerich or I.Pogorelich. has alot of Pogorelich signature in it

[Carlosrenti]

@anonymousQ45 can you share it plrase??????

[pudunda]

goddddd dammmmnnnn....

[f1f1s]

I do not know why!.. But!.. Every time I turn the Scherzo on (any performer; my favs are Richter and, of course, Pogorelich), I am horribly covered with sweat; it is badly flowing from my head and armpits.

Chopin must have had an intention to depict the Earth after "Koniec świata" (Doomsday). After the Last Judgment, the creeping chaotic horrors are infesting the desolate soils of the sinful Earth. Pure running devils in the main theme at 00:07-00:09 and so on!..

[farah73]

we have 11- very jelous people here!

[Ray0X0]

This is a beautiful version, but I think Arrau's is so much musical and lyrical than Richter's

[advisorC101]

This does the heart and mind much justice after breathing it in a few times. That's all it takes to escape the jaws of time just for a few moments in your life.

[cedricrlongreen]

I really like this piece and Sviatoslav Richter did an EXCELLENT job

[MicrobeObliteratorMo]

I uploaded my rendition of this Scherzo to my channel. Would anyone like to give me some critiques and suggestions? XD

[awesomekapownoises23]

richter is the greatest pianist of all time

[pianOracle]

@awesomekapownoises23 : lmno! u mean of OUR time?

[aston0708]

This is from the other side. Richter's interpretion sounds like a nightmarish  pursuit across the ivories, which is what chopin intended as the ironic title betrays. A beautiful contrast with the hypnotic middle section males the reprive even more devilish.marvellous playing from an absolute master

[OrangeSodaKing]

This is very good! Richter hit the spot, here!

[gfabisevich]

One of my favorite recordings, not just of this scherzo, but period.

[essboarder23]

This is a monstrous piece.

Although, also a beautiful one.

[MyKawaiiPeach]

hehe you can hear Lulajze Jezuniu (Polish christmas carol 'Sleepy Baby Jesus') starting at 4:17 :)

[essboarder23]

I never realized it until my piano teacher told me

[edwatom]

It's the speed of this piece and static that makes it so awesome, for me atleast.

[elgallo2622]

*****Speechless*****

[Angel94angel94]

Richter is the best, and the beast...

[lunaseaux]

can't go wrong with richter! never! true master of all music!

[superbemaison]

Wonderful studio recording though but anyone having heard the live 1965 Carnegie Hall version will be breahtless!!

[menkihs]

Piekne wykonanie utworu, który zawsze wzrusza...

[CelloBoy13913]

Exactly what I was going to say.

[Pianoman602]

Whoever was involved in getting this to me while I am sitting by the window with the first snow of the year falling, I thank you. Perfect. Thank you Chopin, Richter, whoever recorded this, passed it through the generations, and brought it to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[amidunet]

4:48 : how not to cry during the 30 following seconds ...

beautiful, sweet, calm, perfect

thanks chopin, richter, and trucrypt

[johntbelias]

The other is the blanket statement concerning dynamic, articulation, tempi and overall interpretation "Exagerate." Whether specific delineation of parameters is quite clear or not, the performing soloist remains a

potential composer to make empirical alterations, an indulgence into excessives is a flaw, the mentioning thereof, the same.

There is also the obvious misprint in the interlude's metronome marking.

I knew Sviatoslav to be of humbleness enough to appreciate my comment.

[Dougster333aolcom]

not true...He does not make "empirical alterations". Chopin gives people to play with freedom in certain parts of the piece; he may be strict with his notations, but there is not one specific type of way to play sotto voce, or ritenuto. John T Belies, suck a fat one and try to play this piece as well as he does. You will never succeed.

[johntbelias]

@Dougster333aolcom Chopin is only another instrument in God's hands.

[alexggable]

It's precisely the dynamics, articulation, tempi and cohesion found in Richter's interpretation which makes it very special.

If you analyse Horowtiz version are very similar talking about articulation and accentuation of the piece.

To play this piece as Richter does requires an extreme finger control in order to take out the 'melody' figure in the dynamics, somehing hardly seen noadays.

I dare you to play with metronome in your hand and upload the video, I'd like to see the result.

[johntbelias]

@alexggable If you like the slower tempo, fine.

[BoratBrother]

apologies for misspelling your name truecrypt! Vagaries of keyboard stroke!

[BoratBrother]

.. imbued with a thousand nuances of vibrating colour...

[BoratBrother]

Funeral dirge??? Not on your nelly!!!! Johntbelias you are totally misguided. I have to agree with trucypt-it is indeed the poignant polish "Kolysanka" ('L' here is crossed with a diagonal line and is pronounced the Polish way -not as 'L' -if you catch my drift!)..Richter here transcends into a different and divine world where Chopin is redefined-transforming the banal into a source of wonderment. Thank you trucrypt for posting this masterpiece.

[astrofizzi12]

richter is the best!!

[loboris1995]

@astrofizzi12 Agree,the most honneste pianiste in the world,not like cziffra who is very good,but he always slow down a bit,Richter never.And he is very cleer to.

[johntbelias]

In this recording he plays the A section with amazing dexterity except for the misreading (and learning) of the tied left hand octave(s) at measure 52 (et. al.).

He played the B section more like a funeral dirge than a lyrical hymn. Although playing it that way makes for a greater contrast when the A returns, the real beauty of the B section is lost.

[truecrypt]

Dear johntbelias;

Leaving aside what Richter was "misreading (and learning)" let me note that part B is neither "funeral dirge" nor "lyrical hymn"... ;)

This is an old Polish Christmas song (Kolyadka) "Lulajze Jezuniu" .

Chopin also used B-major in the middle sections of Fantasy Op. 49 and Polonaise-Fantasie Op. 61. All these episodes clearly associated with Chopin's reminiscence of his homeland.

I have difficulties to hear "funeral dirge" here... matter of perception, of course...

[constantyou]

@truecrypt let me just add something, being Polish and very familiar with Lulajzenie Jezuniu: It is actually a lullaby (that is the meaning of the word "Kołysanka"), sang by Mary to put little Jesus to sleep. We do sing it as a christmas carrol, but given the tempo and emotional value a "lyrical hymn" seems to be a good description.

[tomekkobialka]

@truecrypt Kolyadka is Russian! It's "Kolęda" in Polish.

[truecrypt]

@tomekkobialka

Thank you for mentioning it! Polish language is not my strong point... ;)



[kevinherbert]

johntbelias: you appear to be a person who would be most constructive making instruments, man...not commenting on high level musical skills.

[johntbelias]

I don't think it is destructive to note that the B major interlude is particularly slow. Sviatoslav having lived through many tragic times, the major key would normally mask any lament. And there still is beauty in the way Mr. Richter performed it.

[kevinherbert]

johntbelias: but for what gain?..your ego ?..our edification.....tell us..

[johntbelias]

There are two statements that could have influenced a decidedly slow interpretation of the B major interlude in this Scherzo. The first "It is a scandal to rush." carries with it an erroneous implication that we are all better than Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus Christ. Judas actually began his personal private revelation to resurrection by following Christ's order "do quickly". Scandal is a repetition of evil, not a description of how an activity is performed.

[retrogamerdave]

I thought we were talking about Richter playing Chopin, not the bible.., LOL

[Dougster333aolcom]

Hang on a second. You're telling me that the fact that he is one of the few people who can play at this speed means he's rushing? Rushing gives us the impulse to worry while he's playing, and obviously this genius interpretation does not convey that affect. You do not sound smart talking about Judas, and you do not seem to understand why he did it. This is an amazing piece that deserves the utmost credit. The emotions illustrated in this piece along with the articulation is masterful. FUck You

[johntbelias]

No. What I'm telling you is that Sviatoslav Richter agrees with me, as does Chopin. Anyone with a nanogram of compassion can understand that. So your idea of credit is to debase both of them with profanity.

[flashlightsfreak]

Since when have there been tied octaves in m. 52?

You last played this piece when, may I ask?

[EuphoricDan]

Wow, this man really does a good job with this piece. I think I still enjoy Emanuel Ax a little more. The impressive thing to me is that Richter understands the piece, most pianists either butcher the entire piece (yundi li) or don't play it correctly (horowitz).

Give Emanuel Ax a listen, if you enjoyed this you will enjoy his interpretation as well.

[WhiteButterfly87]

fuck your emanuel ax

[fyipwang]

Oh, I really like his playing. I never thought he can play the Chopin so well. In this particular case, I like RIchter's playing even than Rubinstein's. Richter's is more floawing in the part a and part b is just beautiful.

[trigalg693]

I think this is the best recording of this piece I have ever heard. He portrays the fury of the piece like none other.

[soami2u]

In the past I had not thought of Richter as one of the supreme Chopin pianists...wonderful in about everything else (Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Liszt, Scriabin, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev)...now I think he was such a thoughtful artist that he understood Chopin perhaps better than anyone else. I love the way he maintains an underlying tension and even forboding in that central lullaby...not every pianist gets that. Magnificent! Makes me hunger for more Chopin from this master!

[rabengeraun]

I got to know the Chopin Scherzi from an old EMI LP of Richter's. I'm not sure if this performance is taken from that but there's such a glorious Slavic melancholy about this performance and, as you'd expect from Richter, all the repeats!

[rabengeraun]

Dear soami2u,

If you can get it in the USA I'd strongly recommend a DVD that's recently come out of him playing Chopin etudes at the Barbican Hall in London in 1989. Just a 40 watt light bulb, as was usual in the later years but it forces the cameraman to concentrate on what's important!

[soami2u]

Thanks!

[himitsunosallychan]

I am back teacher! So teacher and pupil have finally someting what they can agree about. I am very glad after I have read comment below. I think we both consider Richter as master of piano. I cann't understand why you cann't understand Lang Lang's quality then. Lang Lang is not Richter, but very good young pianist. I think Lang Lang is in strong hypnotic state when playing, so much he is into music. Please try listen to Lang Lang with eyes closed next time. Sorry, wrong English, and thank you.

[himitsunosallychan]

Oh, sorry, and almost forgot to remind my teacher. I am still waiting for your Islamey. See you again somewhere soon!

[JDIsASuperman]

UGH. It's so smooth and fluid. It doesn't even sound that fast because the phrasing is so smooth. -.-' Inspiring but also just... ugh. I wanna be able to play like that.

[Coixxman]

then it gets really romantic in section B sound a bit jazzy in B. Nery nice Work

[weikko79]

Actually, the romantic section B starting at 4:17 is based on an old Polish Christmas carol, "Lulajże Jezuniu".

[veseli601]

Richter is as always impressive and complete in his art intentions, his God is the BEATY! Thank you for sharing this!

[ilshatt]

Richter is just for mature musicians.

[werciu]

What do you mean?

[ilshatt]

I don´t know, words get short to explain it, but to make a good example, the Well Temperated Clavier I didn´t like it by Richter at the beginning, just liked the Gould version, but years later when I got a more mature taste in music I started to enjoy Richter´s WWC as much as Gould´s, even more in some works in it.

[ljoekelsoey4]

stop dissecting it, its just personal taste, each to their own.

[RabidCh]

Can't assume mature taste, what may apply to you may not apply to others. :)

[ilshatt]

WTC* (Well Temperated Clavier).. sorry

[hansmeyer111]

He isn't a pianist. He is a painter

[mmityok]

да пианист он , пианист!, просто гениальный...и ещё он очень много работал

[levante83]

The Best, just the Best!!!

[ibclappin]

yes.

[her0esfan]

My other favorite version of this is Pogorelich's recording with DG - I think all 4 scherzi, including the no.1 are just amazing to listen to.

[MetalNicola]

Bravo sì, su questo non c'è dubbio, mi piace come interpretazione, ma preferisco quella di Yundi Li ;)

Sto provando questo pezzo (sono appena entrato al 5°corso °_°) ed è un casino, non riesco a fare la prima frase xD

Bravo ;)

[massy1111]

richter the best ever........but ashkenazy version is best of all over the world

[BecsteinDude]

I usually do not like Richter's performance, but this one is the best Scherzo No.1 that I have ever heard. From the beginning, his touch and other things are just amazing.

[janetvan83]

Magical. Thank You, Truecrypt, for posting this.

[Galliano11]

russia

[borsch21]

a. ma. zing.

[billyguns2]

Richter at his greatest. He truly captures the Scherzando element of the Scherzi; listen Scherzo # 4!

[mal8739]

What god inspired him to play like this? Never have I heard anything to compare. The "B" section from 4:16 moves me to tears with its beauty. How can the movement of ten fingers reveal the magnitude of the universe? All that is needed is to listen.

[aewanko300]

The B section really sang.

[SecaMartin]

Many pianists play that section to fast, Richter's version is perfect!

[weikko79]

Exactly, Richter makes it sound just like a carol! It's incredible.

[flute1982]

bravo!!

[willistara]

Magnificent! There is a real sense that anything is possible when one listens to Sviatoslav Richter-- the whole paradigm shifts to color, drama, magic and the adventure of being alive.

[Ankhsnammon]

well said..very well said,my friend...the incredible adventure..the unfathomable adventure of to be alive..already alive!!!!

Ankhsnammon

[paulostroff99]

A masterly performance. Bravo!