[Christopher Nupen Films A09CND] ASHKENAZY, Vladimir: Master Musician

[anonymousQ45]

'A RUSSIAN' why is that so important that they have to keep stating it over and over again

[chopin5440]

@anonymousQ45 I would think that they were stressing his Russian lineage because at this time the Cold War was raging and showing this wonderful pianist and saying he's Russian helped show people a better side of Eastern Culture than the nuclear annihilation stereotype they were being tagged. 

[anonymousQ45]

@chopin5440 cool facts =D

[chazinko]

If the vital juices are Russian, how about a clip from the Rachmaninov Corelli Variations from this DVD?

[cattleman6420012000]

A truly wonderful pianist. He performed almost the total piano repertoire.

[TheCinemaization]

@cattleman6420012000, One thing I know he didn't play was Liszt's Sonata in B minor.

[cattleman6420012000]

@TheCinemaization The Liszt he did play he played brilliantly. There is a lot of Liszt he didn't play because he has small hands.

[TheCinemaization]

@cattleman6420012000 Considering the tricky stuff he did play, i.e. pieces containing wide chords, I'd find it hard to believe his hand size hindered him at all.

[cattleman6420012000]

@TheCinemaization He has achieved an incredible amount and he has always been my hero. The main interview he spoke about not having large hands, the main one was when the Guardian interviewed him on the way in a car to a concert in Birmingham (They briefly discussed the Tchaikovsky No1 concerto. It is made for large hands and he still played it brilliantly and was joint winner of the 1962 Tchaikovsky competition}. He played it incredibly brilliantly. I have endless respect for him.

[sk8ir001]

Can someone please identify the piece he's playing at 0:28 (it fades out, then comes back in around 0:45).

I love it, but have no idea who it's by!

[sk8ir001]

Ah, never mind - I've answered my own question (thanks for nothing, Naxos people!). It's Beethoven, Bagatelle in B minor, Op. 126/4 (there's a Richter performance here on YouTube).

[luxOculta]

how about that ending,great.