Sokolov plays Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No. 3 2/5

[g7727]

WOW! He is so awesome!!! favorited.

[swirls999]

Which 3 dribbling cretins gave this the thumbs down?

[sll10]

The guy's a bona fide genius!

[Millard234]

Many Many Tears, The Whole Thing Is Beautiful! But The Cadenza Frickin' Rocked! Grigory Sokolov = Man-Enough!! (To tk on Rach... ) !

[TheFryderyk1]

What a pity that sound quality isn't so good !!!!

[IceCrawler777]

you should watch from 0:00 until 0:14 without sound!!!!

[Pirotechnik1995]

Very nice performance ! but sound quality isn't so good =(

[klavierspieler72]

Funny how "amigosmusica" says that Sokolov's playing "sounds like a struggle."  Personally, I don't think so. I think, first of all, that he has a technique of the first order. Secondly, I think he is making a musical choice with the broad tempo in the cadenza, and he makes the piece sound like it CLIMAXES in the cadenza, after all the brilliant stuff that comes before it, rather than the other way around. Sokolov makes this work, despite folks like Horowitz and Bolet saying it's too much!

[eltachimetro]

so powerful cadenza..

[Ricarkaza]

Los rusos siempre serán los mejores, tienen una escuela y una tradición fuera de serie.

[MrSevenOranges]

Truly hair-raising and goose pimples....I have cherished every concert I have heard of his every year for over 15 years. He is so versatile - from the delicate Clementi works he loves to Chopin and Prokofiev. Wish he would perform this live sometime. His tone is mesmerizing live helped by the effect of the dark hall with the single light on him.....

[MrSevenOranges]

@MrSevenOranges I meant Rameau rather than Clementi....

[vlad432]

wow!!! at last a great version comparable to berman's including the cadenza. just perfect! a little overacting perhaps but if you just hear is perfect sound and musicality talking too

[mrjlowitz]

In my opinion. Too much pedal, muddy sounding piano perhaps, The cadenza is a bear.

My favorites Cliburn and Berman. Don't know what to make of the Gavrilov rendition really. Either a brilliant soulful creation or an off day. Can anyone tell me more about his aledged alcohol usage?

Thanks.

[amigosmusica]

Wonderful clear finger work...can´t say "great technique" though....way too pounded, exaggerated, over acted...the cadenza sounds like a huge struggle...and it shouldn´t be that way, considering his facility.

[BrookHornblower]

Good interpretation

[Besdonaz]

very interesting, this is answering a lot of questions. Why Rachmaninoff and Horowitz played it so extremely fast, for example.

[Richteralan]

I sight-read both versions.

The chords are easier once you understand the harmony progressions. It comes pretty easy under my small hands.

The ossia version has many hands-crossing which I feel uncomfortable.

Thicker texture makes it easier to "cheat", thinner texture makes it more difficult.

[everythingistken1291]

What I want to know is why does everyone besides Horowitz and Rachmaninoff play the Ossia cadenza? I do like it I just want to know why

[MrToulis93]

Argerich played the one as horowitz and rach as well

[Richteralan]

The ossia version is actually easier. Many people (who don't understand piano) take huge chords and loud sound to be difficult.

[Besdonaz]

maybe not easier, just different. Rachmaninoff and Horowitz were romantic pianists, not sentimental. However Rachmaninoff's music in general and ossia version of cadenza in particularly is a huge field for sentimental interpretations, that are more accessible for not musicians.

Sorry, i'm not english-speaker.

[socarra]

sokolov is my favorite pianist, his technique, the most powerfull and melodic notes i have ever heard , the feeling... simply.... AMAZING!

[klausknulp]

i feel with you! sokolov is best of all!

[freeqwerqwer]

Sokolov's haircut is that of either a 9 yr old girl or a Medieval servant.

[Obaysch]

It used to be called the Prince Valiant haircut.

[Zengui]

@freeqwerqwer it looks a little bit like Franz Lizst doesn't he? Maybe is some kind of tribute :)

[leonicle]

sokolov is god

[LukeMD]

I read about the lack of power. Wrong. Just dont look at the video but just listen. Sokolov was and is a master, the ideal pianist. Keep listening over and over. Just great performance.

[ayso78]

the coolest thing is the guy in the audience w/the tinted glasses

[sll10]

Wrong notes?? First of all I don't hear so many wrong notes. Maybe it's me, but I've been listening to this piece for over 40 years and have almost 80 recordings and this is one of the most fantastic performances I've ever seen or heard! Sokolov is an example of a what a great pianist can do!!

[hyperklavier]

¡Tremendo! Casi como la versión de Lazar Berman con Abbado/LSO.

[pgbollig]

Sokolov is a god.

[pianostef]

with Sokolov I always have the idea he is really playing e v e r y single note (although some of them are wrong:P), you can't say that of other pianists.

[shaermy]

my favourite part is from 03:40 to 05:10..so much expressions and emotions...he is really a god on the piano!

[principecalaf]

So many wrong notes..

[jmanpianofan]

I'd far prefer twice as many wrong notes if that's what it took to get this incredible passion and musicality. Wrong notes are trivial when you're dealing with an artist.

[iedsri]

I agree with everyone above -- except to add the justly famous Cliburn/Kondrashin 1957 to the list, and possibly (for an entirely different take, smaller in scale but with incredible intensity in their own right) the two Janis recordings and the incredible Merzhanov.

[weikko79]

Merzhanov is incredible indeed (and much, much too little known), but the famous Cliburn/Kondrashin collaboration was recorded in 1958, not 1957.

[iedsri]

Thank you so much for putting this performance up! In this section (part 2 of the 5) I was particularly mesmerized (despite the undeniable power and authority of the first half of the cadenza) by the whole section beginning with the "water" effects as the orchestra rejoins him -- from that point forward the left hand brings out a whole series of inner lines that I had never heard properly before. Really, really wonderful, magical music-making!

[michelmans]

His musicality are amazing

[amaryllikb]

for me is the best! Rubistein and Sokolov...and no more...

[weikko79]

Artur Rubinstein? I didn't know he even performed the Rach3.

[nbharakey]

Yeah, Sokolov of course, but what about Richter?

[ThomasJBromley]

Umm Richter never played this concerto, if you want to hear another recording i would recommend Ashkenazy/Previn...

[nbharakey]

My comment was reply to amaryllikb who said "for me is the best! Rubistein and Sokolov...and no more..."

[Barmomk]

15 years ago Sokolov played here in Macedonia... I was only 5 years old and I remember... I know that hi will have

success in life... Probably hi is ine of the best pianist of all the time...

[antoinezygfryd]

je pense la même chose que vous.

C'est un musicien vraiment complet,et j'aime aussi comment il sculpte le son.

Il est fabuleux dans certaines études de Chopin!

Ici,dans ce concerto,il est tout simplement impérial.

[chrislibhi]

I'm really socked.This must be one of the greatest performances if not the best!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amazing pianist

[NordicHealer]

The hammers on that piano are like marshmellows...no projective power at all! He is using a piano much more suited to a Mozart concerto than Rachmaninoff.

[jhc0907]

Are you crazy......?

[tgpiano]

There is some truth in what you write. I just have been at one of Sokolov's recitals. He made the technician get the hammers very very soft. But he produces the biggest sound - even on this soft intonated hammers.

[16jsjs52]

Should we ever reply to an ignorant who cannot even distinguish the sound from the performance itself and the distortion through the recording? If so, not seriously.:)

[zkool5]

I agree, it's obviously the distortion of the recording. His sound, heard live, is magnificent, one of the most beautiful tones of any pianist today. I heard him in person in 1996.

[IAMLISZT]

never understood why sokolov is so unkown. truly fabulous pianist.

[vocalpianist]

I think it is because he really dislike the whole publicity thing. His founding belief is that music is enough for your whole life so why add in something silly like being famous? haha he is truly amazing

[rebelcaptain01]

@IAMLISZT it's because he won't do many recordings.

[BSA2417666]

@IAMLISZT Cause he hates rec studios and loves to play live. A real pianist.

[SSchrevel]

@IAMLISZT Unknown???????????? In what cave have you been living the past 10 years? He is acknowledged as one of the greatest piano virtuoso of our times!

[hymnofashes]

@IAMLISZT Of course you'd recognize his talent, you're Liszt. (Write something with a decent melody for once.)

[zkool5]

Holy shit. This is instant classic!

[musicusblau]

A very great musician. I appreciate his playing-style very much.

[liu868]

A recital by Grigory Sokolov is like a vision of a lost age of Russian pianism. bravo bravo bravo!!!!!!!!!

[chad410]

one of the last great romantic Russian pianists. golden tones and a God like musician.