@onlymusiciansallowed Ladies and Gentlemen..Please welcome..MARCEL MOMBEEK...THE PSYCHOPATH IS BACK!!!THIS TIME UNDER THE NICKNAME "ONLYMUSICIANSALLOWED".MM canceled his account because to many people spoke out against his horrible and denigrating comments about these 2 pianists.A 47 Year old man hopping from one pollini/richter forum to another pollini/richter forum leaving no chance alone to vomit on these two giants of the piano.BTW its "to cook"and not "to cooke".:)
I agree this a bit rushed and certainly not Pollini at his best but I don't hear him losing control at the end. A couple of wrong notes doesn't equal a loss of control. Also, Pollini may play too fast and harshly sometimes but he is no show-off!
Even for YouTube, what I have read here is taking nonsense to new levels.
What each and every person's review does is say something about THEM, and nothing at all about Pollini's interpretation. We can't even know whether we're all hearing the same thing. The human brain - never mind human auditory apparatus - is infinitely complex and variable.
This is art, the realm of the totally subjective. So any opinion (rather than FACT) about this subjective performance is necessarily subjective.
I do like a lot Pollini's analytic rendition of Beethoven. He is a genius. But I find this Liszt unbearable. The result is just chaos, and metallic, horrible sound. It seems that Pollini wants to prove that his technique is better than Kissin's, or Valentina Lisitsa's, or Yuja Wang's, or MA Hamelin's. Actually (sorry for the very rude comment, but it is what I think) he is just ridiculous. I guess nobody asks from him for such hammering fingering on the piano. Just my opinion.
this pianist has so little phantasy.... its sad to hear him....
I remeber his horrible Beethoven sonata cycle in Paris it was awfully boring....
he was famous because of the 24 etudes of Chopin and the Debussy etudes which he managed very well. His live recital of Debussy etudes in Paris was really impressif. But he really wasn t a great musician.
@geertdehoux I dont know he read books about them but he did win the Chopin competition for your information.Given the thundering applaus there must be a zillion people that know nothing about piano/music.Thank God we have people like you and MM to enlighten us on how to enjoy and correctly appreciate music.After all..what would the piano world be without the Leo and Martin duo to guide us.
This is terrible! Listen to Cziffra's performance, he plays this etude like it's a real piece of music. I have so many wonderful recordings of Pollini; this performance is awful by comparison.
@RollaArtis I totally agree with you; this is an etude of a furious character, even wilder than, say, "Wild Hunt", and the many pianists who interpret it as a Chopin's impromptu are wrong, in my opinion
@speedyguy8 without Chopin Liszt would ve never become Liszt as a composer. I only like a very few Liszt pieces and they remind me of Chopin and some a little of Beethoven. Chopin dedicated his famous op 10 to Liszt and first liked his interpretation, but Chopin did not like Liszt´s monkey-like behavior and performance. Chopin wrote to touch your soul, Liszt to touch the audience trying to be the centre of attention. Liszt testified his love to Chopin also in wrtiting the 1st Chopin-bio
its funny how the professionals can get away with playing like this but if you were to play like this for exam youd fcking flunk so bad theyd they might send you back to preparatory
What happened to Pollini? He is my favorite in lot of pieces. This one he blew....badly. I've played this piece for a long time. YOu cannot rush it. Steady is not the way to go. It is another "appasionata" , Liszt style so you know it should have a WIDE range of emotions! Well, I will treasure Pollini's rendition of Bhrams..
It may seem like he's rushing but in actually, he's playing it quite steadily. It is actually Berezovsky who rushes - a LOT for that matter. Pollini is a fan of steady, slightly faster pulse. It helps to bring out the longer lines and display the overall structure and momentum of any work. I don't always like it but it is fascinating to listen to.
Prehaps Maestro Pollini wanted it this way, fiery and temperamental. It was accomplished and no question, he is one of my favorite. And perhaps some listeners prefer a rather more lyrical approach, there is many ways to play this piece and many great pianists who play it with different feelings. They are all good. No need to compare, but let me hear it now from Cziffra...
i do not think that 'all those guys' hate Pollini, but i think the problem of his personality is that there is too less congruency between his extraordinary skills in technique and distinctive musical and personal expression. he always seems to play a bit too objective, you cannot separate personality from playing in my opinion, because there is always clearly evident a so called 'personal style' of great and ingenious Interpreters. that also applies for the top composers, they all do have it.
This is a live performance, and a really fiery and fearless one! Other performances can be more refined, spotless, or lyric; but I've never listened any other pianist play this etude with such a wild energy, nor manage to create such a feverish atmosphere
We can get machines to play it like that. Where is the singing? Pollini almost seems to be trying to prove that this piece is badly written, as Liszt critics always say "Too Many Notes" (compared to melody). Liszt is not Krenk.
Maurizio has said that his son Danielle plays better and has better hands than Maurizio -- I agree. This is an awful rendition of a beautiful etude. I know, because I play it.
Berman,Cziffra,Bolet,Argerich,Pace,Berezovsky,Sultanov,Michelangeli,Lisitza,De Maria,Horowitz... and much others...Pollini:listen and learn !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have to disagree with you. Most people could learn a lot from Argerich! She doesn't need to listen and learn from anyone's virtuoso playing, she has more than enough fire of her own.
It seems to me that all you guys hate all greatest pianists and love only argerich. I am so sorry about you! But fortunately your hating doesn't reflect their beings. They will live long after you die.
A great Italian pianist and teacher who was present at Pollini’s exam of fifth piano course, told me the talented pupil played magnificently, but from that time on his playing became worse and worse. To judge from this dreadful Liszt performance he was right.
Liszt reminds me of Joe Satriani. Sure, he had tons of techinal talent, but his music doesn't really inspire or stimulate in the same way as Chopins works.
for everyone who does not know, Pollini performs and records very little Liszt, so it may be reasonable to conclude that he does not like or admire the latter's work.
Bastante rápido e sem sentido nenhum de melodias! Precisa de mais calma principalmente nas passagens mais expressivas e melódicas! No entanto, tem uma técnica brilhante, melhor que muitos outros...
I have always admired Pollini, but in this case i have to say that his performace although technically speaking is BRILLIANT, does not satisfy my AT ALL in terms of style and the real comprehension af the piece, anyhow it is wonderful to see him paying like this at his age,, one of the great pianist of our time ,, no doubt !!!
I have always admired Pollini, but in this case i have to say that his performace although technically speaking is BRILLIANT, does not satisfy my AT ALL in terms of style and the real comprehension af the piece, anyhow it is wonderful to see him paying like this at his age,, one of the great pianist of our time ,, no doubt !!!
I have always admired Pollini, but in this case i have to say that his performace although technically speaking is BRILLIANT, does not satisfy my AT ALL in terms of style and the real comprehension af the piece, anyhow it is wonderful to see him paying like this at his age,, one of the great pianist of our time ,, no doubt !!!
I have always admired Pollini, but in this case i have to say that his performace although technically speaking is BRILLIANT, does not satisfy my AT ALL in terms of style and the real comprehension af the piece, anyhow it is wonderful to see him paying like this at his age,, one of the great pianist of our time ,, no doubt !!!
E' un grande, ma sempre ha avuto il neo di non lasciarsi andare. D'accordo con chi scrive che è troppo veloce, specie dove si possono cantare le melodie. Sembra che certe cose siano buttate.... Rimane un grande comunque. Paolo
Wow, i'm... speechless. This is actually garbarge, trash, worthless and a waste of a performance. Yeeehhhh!, they are human after all. For some reason it makes me feel better when i stumble across fuck ups like this by great pianists. There's a recording of chopin's heroic polonaise by Kissin posted which also should have never seen the light of day. Check it out y'all!!!
He launches into each phrase immediately after the previous one ends. There's not a single moment where the music breathes comfortably, and he finally lost control at the coda.
Granted, this is a Liszt showstopper, but somehow there's more excitement when there's a modicum restraint. Pollini usually understands this. I'm very surprised to see this kind of playing from him.
@demosj he has no notion of the flamboyance of Liszt, Pollini plays according to the metronome not the (surely) more fluid even improvisatory style this demands
Pollini non sembra in pienissima forma, non intendo tecnica, le note ci sono tutte, questo è chiaro. Non compare nulla del senso trascendentale del canto che può emergere dietro i cumuli di onde, lo stupore sarebbe proprio lì, dietro i prodigi infernali o delle tempeste di Valpurga, lo stagliarsi umano del canto. Forse l'audio è mediocrissimo ma tutto ciò lo trovo un pò rimasto fuori della sala.
Not impressed I'm afraid, he's basically saying metaphorically- 'look how fast and loud I can play!'. Textures are muddy, tone raw and clangerous, tempo rushed to the point of not allowing the music to breathe.
For an artist of Pollinis reputation this performance does him little credit.
It's nice to see Pollini's playing is still as fiery as ever. Some pianists as they age become much slower and deliberate (e.g., Rubenstein, Bolet, etc.). Thanks for posting!
Yes, I remember reading somewhere Cortot's comment regarding a particular pianist - 'When things become difficult he becomes more expressive' - one cannot say this about Pollini. When he is expressive it's because he means it.
Add Arrau to your list. He had an amazing career, but I heard him in Vienna when he was quite old and his "L'Isle Joyeuse" wasn't very "joyeuse." Of course Arrau was over 80 when I heard him and Pollini here is only 65 or so, hardly elderly. I've always admired Pollini for his overall approach to the repertoire!
E' la meccanica quella che si perde con gli anni, per questioni naturali e inevitabili, ma non mi pare proprio il caso del Maestro Pollini!
Quello che intendo dire è che se Pollini voleva dare un minimo di dinamica e agogica in più a questo studio, poteva tranquillamente farlo, ma ha deciso di suonarlo così.
Detto questo, non piace nemmeno a me quest'esecuzione, pur rispettandola.
Da ultimo, non è molto corretto pubblicare video pirata senza il consenso dell'esecutore.
1) o il Maestro era in serata no, e può succedere a tutti, anche ai migliori, di avere una serata no, tanto più se si ha un'agenda come quella di Pollini.
2) o c'è una precisa scelta dietro tutto questo, una motivazione musicale e intellettuale. Intanto con gli anni non credo proprio si perda la musicalità, al massimo cambia o si affina, ma di certo non si perde. [continua nel post successivo...]
labradordynasty(AKA John Bell Young) Did write me a recomendation to USF and at one time I thought he was cool and even sweet. Then he started harassing my friends - making fake accounts like "labradordynasty". he can claim that I am mentally unstable but, I'm not the one hiding behind a fake account and then actually admiting who I am.
Thomas Nathaniel Martin (aka tnmtemerity) took a few piano lessons with me years ago. He has a tiny talent, but no hope for a career. After I dismissed him, my colleagues at USF rejected his application, on my advice. So he harassed the faculty. We found he had devastating psychiatric issues; he lived in utter squalor surrounded by human and dog feces, pools of urine, and huge piles of rotting garbage swarming with maggots. We were compelled to inform the Dept. of Public Health
It's kind of tiring to see fucking idiots comment interpretations like that like it's the last piece of crap the earth should bear. We have a fair share of underachievers who wouldn't play TWO bars of this, coming here and playing the pompous pricks saying how Pollini is out of his mind playing it like that. Why don't you take a good look in the mirror and realize you're a NOBODY commenting the guy who everyone applauses in the end. Fucking idiots.
Pollini has nothing to say,he is a musical corpse.He makes up for this fact by occasionally raising his butt from the bench.The butt-raising is supposed to signify "dramatic" feelings.
Who ever said that Liszt would not have liked a pianist to just go for it in his Transcendental Etudes? While Pollini certainly is not noted for his lyricism or passion, he also should be commended for playing within the realm of decency in virtually anything he plays. As opposed to lets say Berezovsky who has shown on several occasions to just blast through serious music (see his 24 minute Liszt Sonata). Regardless, Pollini's accuracy and intensity is still remarkable.
Decency is not enough. Pollini impresses for his mechanical command here, but that's all. If only he would pay attention to what Liszt actually notates , he would have found its musical value. He misses entirely the internecine dialogue, for example, in the left hand, and fails both to differentiate and to bring out the exceptionally rich harmonic contrasts that informs it. Instead, he equalizes and flattens it all out, as if it were a single, monolithic voice.
Well said. However, I don't think that by the butt-raising he tries to fake dramatic feelings. I think that at these points his "dramatic feelings" are 100% genuine and he expresses them by banging the keys a little louder than he usually does. However, he already puts all the power in his arms into banging the keys throughout the piece, so in order to achieve differentiation in dynamics by banging the keys even more loudly, he needs to put more bodyweight into the keys. Hence the butt-raising.
Schroederdevrient, Pollini is amazing. This "butt rasing" isn't him trying to fake dramatic feeling it his him putting power into hitting the notes. Just because he isn't getting really into the music visually doesn't mean he is a musical corpse. Lizst requires a great deal of concentration and technique and anyone who can play it like this, has more passion and virtuosity than most pianists will ever hope to possess
i find this a rather strange approach, granted that every pianist has a point of view, whatever that is. but i think that even a highly energetic, furious piece like this has to breathe from all the loud , hair-raising speed drive. it almost makes one (having played these pieces also) wonder - great as he is - WHAT is he trying to prove ? that he can play EVEN faster and louder without let-up than anyone that ever lived? and lost in it all is : exactly WHAT is he trying to SAY?
Typical efficient Pollini - how interesting it would be to hear him 20-30 years earlier when his Petroushka was dazzling piano fans everywhere. What's incredible is that at his age now - he is one of the few who can play at this level - regarldess of whether one likes or does not like his "style." Which by the way is as vanilla as it gets..
I agree, it all sounds the same from beginning to end. There is no music. I am an admirer of Pollini but this is not a performance I could stand behind.
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pollini was never able to give fire or passion in music, this is a very good example of playing without fantasy and imagination. He is from the generation of "reproducers" and not "creators". Just like rubinstein and richter, very good pianists, but NO musicians, even not richter.
The fact heplays this really ugly doesn´t mean what you said.
Pollini sometimes is extremely cerebral , and he took this piece as a kind of Czerny etude: Busoni used to have the same problem. In this case Pollini just tought too much , and the result was ugly. But listen him playing the Schumann F# minor sonata in live performance ...specially when he makes the dynamics between PPPPP and PP . Just from another world ..and the tone quality ...no words.
Your favorite pianists were too stupid and afraid to play difficult pieces by Boulez and Stockhausen. You are probably too stupid to appreciate such pieces.
Welcome to the 21st century, where a CENTURY has passed since Quantum Mechanics replaced Newtonian physics. Did you know that the former helps explain why 1) Sun Blocks Work via excitation of HOMO electrons of the aromatic chains 2) Why diatomic carbon forms double instead of quadruple bonds although the latter seems possible in trivial Lewis diagrams 3) lasers 4) Paramagnetism of diatomic oxygen but not nitrogen
Oh, but your favorite pianists are too craven and parochial to face changes.
music is about deep emotion, happiness, sadness (sorry for my english), these emotions I do not hear in the note's (I can not call it music) you mention... I do not say that this is no art!!! but I never dragged a girl with music of stockhausen or boulez!!!
it has nothing to do with contemporary music!!! You live in it - they do not. In 200 years some internet man would say the same about you as you say about the musical progress of the end of the 20th century now and their musicians. Yes, it is slow but it is contagious!!! So, stop disrespecting the greatness you would never be able to achieve!!!
Stockhausen and Boulez wrote their music circa late 40s to early 60s. That's a LONG time ago. Horowitz COULD have played that during his Carnegie Hall 1965 recital. Ditto Cziffra. Even Cherkassky learned to play the Stockhausen's Klavierstuck IX (1961) when he was like 80 or 90.
Non of the musician you've mentioned would have ever drastically changed pace - so to speak. One needs to grow with the New from birth. Other great musician would emerge playing the Contemporary. Do you know any great ones playing Stockhausen? I doubt... That music has roots not from the Romantic but from feelingless form. I am a contemporary composer myself and would never laugh at fellow musician that have missed the Revolution in music. There are plenty for everyone needs...
I have no idea what you're talking about. Cherkassky lived through your so-called Revolution. He decided to play them. Kudos to him. Kudos to Pollini, Aimard, Hamelin, etc. They were all born before 1961. Are you suggesting they used a time machine and forged their birth dates?
Thanks for the farewell letter. Yes, I just enjoyed Klavierstuck V, and it was a blast. Immediately afterwards, I felt like reading the Physical Review Letters, because it just wet my appetite for some hardcore mathematics! Bye bye, and please improve your diction before we ever converse again.
its a pitty, really! pollini is such a talent, but he is still a so called Urtext-player. he gives nothing from himself, only correct notes (of course, its difficult enough). he does it in a remarkable way, but it doesnt touch me. sorry!
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actually fuk dat last coment where the fuk is the passionn music is nothing and i mean nothing without passiona and beauty and polini does not possess this. end of story
i really admire pollini for playing this piece in a concert considering he's almost 70 now. however, the piece is literally played as sustained crescendo the whole time. it is too rushed and doesn't really have too much musical qualities to it.
Which Etude is this, is it really called X? Sorry I want to try some Liszt Etude recently and I want to be familiar with the versions and number first...
this is like someone trying to "prove" : "i can play faster and louder than anyone on earth because I am Pollini:".
it is strange to hear him play that way, to say the least, because he plays WONDERFULLY in other pieces. maybe it's a "test run" in the rest of the liszt repertoire for him? just wondering.
In my view of Pollini and surrouding this video. It seems a great deal of critics follow this man even to an audience recording of him. Very sad sight to behold when being negative is the ultimate form of ones understanding of this music. I pray the heavens will teach those a greater respect and bless them who desire to reach the ultimate form of music in its purest form. Or Show them that this is not there passion, & lead them to another craft less they blemish this art with there bickering.
just some hippie who thinks he is another jesus of music acting stupid on stage
even worse are the people who cheer or applaud him they know less about music than the people at home drinking beer watching TNA on Spike TV every Thurdsay at 9 pm EST Hosting wrestlers such as Kurt Angle (Olympic Gold Medalist), AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Scott Steiner, Christy Hemme, and Christopher Daniels.
This is crap!!! Who cut Pollini's heart out and told him to just "play the notes - don't take any rubato" (i.e. 1:39 a minor to D-flat Major). I don't know if Liszt wrote a ritard there but only a heartless bastard would play through a moment like that. 19th Century piano lit. should not be played by left brained analytical snakes. Horowitz, Hofmann, Rubinstein and Rachmaninoff never played Schoenberg. Why does "iceman" Pollini think he can play this music, even if he does have a big technique?
well maybe he is a "heartless bastard" and therefore he should play it accordingly right? Heartless bastards have feelings too, and therefore you should accept a heartless bastard's interpretation lol.
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I'm not saying you specifically so don't try to twist my words into some personal hate crime. And if we are on the subject of twisting words. I didn't say this was the best performance. Although it is a very dazzling performance. from the looks of his hair, it's amazing he can still play like this (I mean no offence.) And note liszt never played his pieces the same exact way. So take your "markings" philosophy someplace else.
I see. Pollini's ability of technical execution is amazing, but he should really reconsider the way he plays this piece. Being a concert pianist is an unimaginable challenge. There are so many who would love to and some don't become concert pianists simply because they are good, but they have "a lot to tell" the audience through music. (There are many other requirements of course) I don't mean excessive rubato is the answer, but I can't deny he plays it like how Czerny exercises are played.
Very nicely played I enjoyed how he showed no weakness to this piece. the left hand was playing triumphantly giving the right hand melody no reason to back down or calm down or be afraid of where its going. This is truely how I wanted to hear the piece I'm tired of hearing people trying to play these pieces romantically all quiet. The soul is not just a quiet poetic shadow in beauty but also a deadly force that will fight with us till our very last drop of blood has bled from us. Childish ppl
Chriswatch, Pollini plays this Etude in "constant forte", I have no problems with you liking this version, but, in my opinion, this is definitely not one of the best performances of this piece. Listen to Arrau's, Ovchinikov's. Their dynamic ranges, depth of expression are far wider than Pollini's. Pollini simply rushes through with uncontrollable force. Don't get into some random philosophy call others childish simply because they don't agree with you.
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First off. You don't know the range or concept of why I "commented" the way I did. And considering the 'ff' and 'ppp' markings. I don't think his intentions were to play like a whipped school boy. If this arguement is going to simmer down to "its all about interpretation" lets just agree on that record now and stop treating music like a book. And Claudio arrau though a great interpreter of liszt is most times a tad slow and uses to much pedal. But that's my opinion.
Chriswatch, There can be many different types of interpretation to approach a piece of music. However. You sound as if you don't know about what is expected from a concert pianist. They must consider how every note should be played with emotion. Pollini's interpretation is mechanical. He focuses on being metronomical and playing in forte constantly. To me, it's boring. What's more? As I told you, he ignores the composer's tempo, dynamics markings.
I think I don't know the range or concept of why you "commented" the way you did because you don't explain thoroughly. How does a whipped school boy play? In my opinion, Pollini treats music like a book. Looking at his performance I must say it is too mechanical. Have a computer play the music and there won't be very much difference. I never said anything about hate crime. I simply told, you talk about irrelevant stuff like force, life and not to call others childish because they don't agree.
If your offended by some video, of some guy that recorded it, from in the audience, not even from the begining. Why do you insist on bothering those who find his playing pleasurable. And my comment of "childish" are for the extremist degrading his name with there own names such as bastard or what have you. Like I said. Nothing was aimed at you. Because I know your type and I don't want to waste my time so good day Chopin and liszt.
it is definitely mechanically played. he plays brilliantly ..he finds the classicism in Chopin as well as any pianist...but in LISZT it is an altogether different ballgame. unfortunately in this case. pollini basically gives the example of "great technic" banging out Liszt..which is not good for Liszt, imo. compare this with Lazar Berman's...technic and SOUND to burn but POETIC and true drama. being among the great performers does not absolve Pollini from criticism.
He has a lot to learn from Ovchinikov in terms of musicality. What gave you the idea we want everything quiet? For example, Pollini ignores the "rallentando" and "piano" at 1:32. On the other hand, Ovchinikov makes almost perfect use of rubato and his dynamics ranges from "ppp" to "fff". What's more? Pollini doesn't create the intensity-building effect at the "tempestuoso" part (1:05 ~ 1:10). He starts the part at "ff" and ends at "fff". There's more. He constantly ignores dynamics markings.
really transcendental! he added some new quality to this piece of music. Just listen - this is full of new phrases, emotions, unheard compounds of sounds... Amazing.
Music like every other kind of art cannot be put into frames, therefore waht Pollini did is a new gem in the history of art, even if it were completely different from what Liszt imagined...
Thanx for posting; very interesting! With all due respect, I think that playng all in FFF and without any attempt to give a sense to the fraseggio is not the way to approach Liszt' music.
pollini proves here that he does not understand this piece
onlymusiciansallowed 3 days ago
Brilliant! Pollini brings out clearly the connection between Liszt and Debussy.
istvan283 1 week ago
one of the 6 times he tried to be creative, the other 5 times was when he tried to cooke something for dinner...
onlymusiciansallowed 1 month ago
@onlymusiciansallowed Ladies and Gentlemen..Please welcome..MARCEL MOMBEEK...THE PSYCHOPATH IS BACK!!!THIS TIME UNDER THE NICKNAME "ONLYMUSICIANSALLOWED".MM canceled his account because to many people spoke out against his horrible and denigrating comments about these 2 pianists.A 47 Year old man hopping from one pollini/richter forum to another pollini/richter forum leaving no chance alone to vomit on these two giants of the piano.BTW its "to cook"and not "to cooke".:)
abmsghost1 1 month ago
I agree this a bit rushed and certainly not Pollini at his best but I don't hear him losing control at the end. A couple of wrong notes doesn't equal a loss of control. Also, Pollini may play too fast and harshly sometimes but he is no show-off!
chairrest35 2 months ago
Even for YouTube, what I have read here is taking nonsense to new levels.
What each and every person's review does is say something about THEM, and nothing at all about Pollini's interpretation. We can't even know whether we're all hearing the same thing. The human brain - never mind human auditory apparatus - is infinitely complex and variable.
This is art, the realm of the totally subjective. So any opinion (rather than FACT) about this subjective performance is necessarily subjective.
MashnestMojo 3 months ago
@MashnestMojo ya think?
utubuser10 2 months ago
I do like a lot Pollini's analytic rendition of Beethoven. He is a genius. But I find this Liszt unbearable. The result is just chaos, and metallic, horrible sound. It seems that Pollini wants to prove that his technique is better than Kissin's, or Valentina Lisitsa's, or Yuja Wang's, or MA Hamelin's. Actually (sorry for the very rude comment, but it is what I think) he is just ridiculous. I guess nobody asks from him for such hammering fingering on the piano. Just my opinion.
mebbio 4 months ago
Une superbe version de cette étude ! Pollini a un talent extraordinaire, même là où on ne l'attend pas forcément.
5hellmat 4 months ago
Liszt's transcendental etudes are the best. I love Pollini's fieriness.
forgottenbooks 4 months ago
this pianist has so little phantasy.... its sad to hear him....
I remeber his horrible Beethoven sonata cycle in Paris it was awfully boring....
he was famous because of the 24 etudes of Chopin and the Debussy etudes which he managed very well. His live recital of Debussy etudes in Paris was really impressif. But he really wasn t a great musician.
uhartchristian 5 months ago
what a damn tecnique and strenght :O
newFranzFerencLiszt 5 months ago
@marcelmombeekpiano
Has this famous man ever read a book about the great Liszt and Chopin played themselves ??!!
geertdehoux 5 months ago
@geertdehoux I dont know he read books about them but he did win the Chopin competition for your information.Given the thundering applaus there must be a zillion people that know nothing about piano/music.Thank God we have people like you and MM to enlighten us on how to enjoy and correctly appreciate music.After all..what would the piano world be without the Leo and Martin duo to guide us.
abmsghost1 4 months ago
HORRIBLE!!
Notes and notes...
Does this man actually FEEL music ???
geertdehoux 5 months ago
I'd wish to have a better recording of this concert. :-/
kKpeaceKk 5 months ago
This is terrible! Listen to Cziffra's performance, he plays this etude like it's a real piece of music. I have so many wonderful recordings of Pollini; this performance is awful by comparison.
friendant72 6 months ago
Sì, ma la musica dov'è?
classicaland 6 months ago
Jesus Christ some of clowns sounds as if you can do better than him. Why hasnt Deutsche Gramophon sign you ppl up for a recording contract?
mishugina 6 months ago
I'm sure this is how Liszt would have played it - warts and all. It sounds exactly as it says on the score -- Allegro Agitato Molto.
RollaArtis 7 months ago
@RollaArtis I totally agree with you; this is an etude of a furious character, even wilder than, say, "Wild Hunt", and the many pianists who interpret it as a Chopin's impromptu are wrong, in my opinion
Barbapippo 7 months ago
but it's liszt =/
speedyguy8 9 months ago
sounds like Chopins music
speedyguy8 9 months ago
@speedyguy8 without Chopin Liszt would ve never become Liszt as a composer. I only like a very few Liszt pieces and they remind me of Chopin and some a little of Beethoven. Chopin dedicated his famous op 10 to Liszt and first liked his interpretation, but Chopin did not like Liszt´s monkey-like behavior and performance. Chopin wrote to touch your soul, Liszt to touch the audience trying to be the centre of attention. Liszt testified his love to Chopin also in wrtiting the 1st Chopin-bio
junghesse 7 months ago
its funny how the professionals can get away with playing like this but if you were to play like this for exam youd fcking flunk so bad theyd they might send you back to preparatory
anonymousQ45 10 months ago
What happened to Pollini? He is my favorite in lot of pieces. This one he blew....badly. I've played this piece for a long time. YOu cannot rush it. Steady is not the way to go. It is another "appasionata" , Liszt style so you know it should have a WIDE range of emotions! Well, I will treasure Pollini's rendition of Bhrams..
hmnplmr 11 months ago
I'll stick to my Beethoven and Schubert recordings by Pollini...
MrStrav81 11 months ago
It may seem like he's rushing but in actually, he's playing it quite steadily. It is actually Berezovsky who rushes - a LOT for that matter. Pollini is a fan of steady, slightly faster pulse. It helps to bring out the longer lines and display the overall structure and momentum of any work. I don't always like it but it is fascinating to listen to.
zhangensprachen 11 months ago
Sounds like he wanted to get home for his dinner.
99hoolio 1 year ago 3
Prehaps Maestro Pollini wanted it this way, fiery and temperamental. It was accomplished and no question, he is one of my favorite. And perhaps some listeners prefer a rather more lyrical approach, there is many ways to play this piece and many great pianists who play it with different feelings. They are all good. No need to compare, but let me hear it now from Cziffra...
GeorgeOfZala 1 year ago
i do not think that 'all those guys' hate Pollini, but i think the problem of his personality is that there is too less congruency between his extraordinary skills in technique and distinctive musical and personal expression. he always seems to play a bit too objective, you cannot separate personality from playing in my opinion, because there is always clearly evident a so called 'personal style' of great and ingenious Interpreters. that also applies for the top composers, they all do have it.
berlinzerberus 1 year ago
Unexpressivly, too fast...
MrFortepianist 1 year ago
ladies and gentlemen, here the fury of Liszt
newFranzFerencLiszt 1 year ago 3
This is a live performance, and a really fiery and fearless one! Other performances can be more refined, spotless, or lyric; but I've never listened any other pianist play this etude with such a wild energy, nor manage to create such a feverish atmosphere
Barbapippo 1 year ago 2
Check out Lugansky.
nextren 1 year ago
We can get machines to play it like that. Where is the singing? Pollini almost seems to be trying to prove that this piece is badly written, as Liszt critics always say "Too Many Notes" (compared to melody). Liszt is not Krenk.
nextren 1 year ago
Maurizio has said that his son Danielle plays better and has better hands than Maurizio -- I agree. This is an awful rendition of a beautiful etude. I know, because I play it.
davepipe 1 year ago
Pollini going from bad to worse, it tastes horrible.
malditocalvo 1 year ago
Berman,Cziffra,Bolet,Argerich,Pace,Berezovsky,Sultanov,Michelangeli,Lisitza,De Maria,Horowitz... and much others...Pollini:listen and learn !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ellinidara 1 year ago
@Ellinidara
I have to disagree with you. Most people could learn a lot from Argerich! She doesn't need to listen and learn from anyone's virtuoso playing, she has more than enough fire of her own.
pianist3912 1 year ago
@pianist3912 Sure,I mean that Mr pollini has to learn by Argerich for example.I hope to be clear:) I love Martha and I exatly hate Mr Pollini.
Ellinidara 1 year ago
@Ellinidara
Ah, thank you for clarifying :)
Nice to meet another Martha fan! I'm kind of obsessed with her =D
pianist3912 1 year ago
It seems to me that all you guys hate all greatest pianists and love only argerich. I am so sorry about you! But fortunately your hating doesn't reflect their beings. They will live long after you die.
loveforever997755 1 year ago
To people who thinks it's bad.
this recording is very bad but pollini himself is great in this performance.
otherwise why would crowd cheer at his play at all. don't think they can't catch bad notes or bad play.
nyuk36 1 year ago
Wow, you were actually there??
You're very lucky...
keetner 1 year ago
A great Italian pianist and teacher who was present at Pollini’s exam of fifth piano course, told me the talented pupil played magnificently, but from that time on his playing became worse and worse. To judge from this dreadful Liszt performance he was right.
mako162 1 year ago
Liszt reminds me of Joe Satriani. Sure, he had tons of techinal talent, but his music doesn't really inspire or stimulate in the same way as Chopins works.
bsd300d 1 year ago
with respect, I must say this is absolutely beneath a pianist of his level.
conleymon 1 year ago
THIS-IS-AMAZING
4785689 1 year ago
Technically not perfect, and musically a shambles.
nextren 1 year ago
for everyone who does not know, Pollini performs and records very little Liszt, so it may be reasonable to conclude that he does not like or admire the latter's work.
mathpianist93 1 year ago
too fast...
v4liumfrance 1 year ago
Holy crap that's fast.
ZaMRai 1 year ago
Bastante rápido e sem sentido nenhum de melodias! Precisa de mais calma principalmente nas passagens mais expressivas e melódicas! No entanto, tem uma técnica brilhante, melhor que muitos outros...
Faltam sobretudo respirações e expressividade!!
vsdr92 1 year ago
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I have always admired Pollini, but in this case i have to say that his performace although technically speaking is BRILLIANT, does not satisfy my AT ALL in terms of style and the real comprehension af the piece, anyhow it is wonderful to see him paying like this at his age,, one of the great pianist of our time ,, no doubt !!!
Guillermobadell 1 year ago
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I have always admired Pollini, but in this case i have to say that his performace although technically speaking is BRILLIANT, does not satisfy my AT ALL in terms of style and the real comprehension af the piece, anyhow it is wonderful to see him paying like this at his age,, one of the great pianist of our time ,, no doubt !!!
Guillermobadell 1 year ago
I have always admired Pollini, but in this case i have to say that his performace although technically speaking is BRILLIANT, does not satisfy my AT ALL in terms of style and the real comprehension af the piece, anyhow it is wonderful to see him paying like this at his age,, one of the great pianist of our time ,, no doubt !!!
Guillermobadell 1 year ago
I have always admired Pollini, but in this case i have to say that his performace although technically speaking is BRILLIANT, does not satisfy my AT ALL in terms of style and the real comprehension af the piece, anyhow it is wonderful to see him paying like this at his age,, one of the great pianist of our time ,, no doubt !!!
Guillermobadell 1 year ago
E' un grande, ma sempre ha avuto il neo di non lasciarsi andare. D'accordo con chi scrive che è troppo veloce, specie dove si possono cantare le melodie. Sembra che certe cose siano buttate.... Rimane un grande comunque. Paolo
PaoloSavio 1 year ago
disppointed
pptcly 1 year ago
Wow, i'm... speechless. This is actually garbarge, trash, worthless and a waste of a performance. Yeeehhhh!, they are human after all. For some reason it makes me feel better when i stumble across fuck ups like this by great pianists. There's a recording of chopin's heroic polonaise by Kissin posted which also should have never seen the light of day. Check it out y'all!!!
debussy84 1 year ago
George Cziffra is preferrable, is master of this piece of music, Pollini does not seems on top of it, it chases someone thru all the forrest.
danyarivw 1 year ago
Un peu précipité, et pas du tout trop rapide !, mais c'est la rançon d'un engagement psychologique et physique qui ignore la peur. Grandiose !
pianotonton 1 year ago
@pianotonton sono daccordo con te ..secondo me e' troppo veloce ...magari suonassi io cosi ....pero'!!
goldberg72 1 year ago
too fast
v4liumfrance 1 year ago
QU BUENO!!!
ARTEPARALAPAZ 2 years ago
2:55 Berezovsky SUCKS
4785689 2 years ago
He launches into each phrase immediately after the previous one ends. There's not a single moment where the music breathes comfortably, and he finally lost control at the coda.
Granted, this is a Liszt showstopper, but somehow there's more excitement when there's a modicum restraint. Pollini usually understands this. I'm very surprised to see this kind of playing from him.
demosj 2 years ago 6
@demosj he has no notion of the flamboyance of Liszt, Pollini plays according to the metronome not the (surely) more fluid even improvisatory style this demands
chrish12345 1 year ago
Pollini non sembra in pienissima forma, non intendo tecnica, le note ci sono tutte, questo è chiaro. Non compare nulla del senso trascendentale del canto che può emergere dietro i cumuli di onde, lo stupore sarebbe proprio lì, dietro i prodigi infernali o delle tempeste di Valpurga, lo stagliarsi umano del canto. Forse l'audio è mediocrissimo ma tutto ciò lo trovo un pò rimasto fuori della sala.
enantiodrom 2 years ago
Veramente trascendentale e demoniaco!
Al bando la melassa!
fancazzistastyle 2 years ago
Not impressed I'm afraid, he's basically saying metaphorically- 'look how fast and loud I can play!'. Textures are muddy, tone raw and clangerous, tempo rushed to the point of not allowing the music to breathe.
For an artist of Pollinis reputation this performance does him little credit.
meredith21846 2 years ago 4
I've always found that Pollini has a rather ugly tone for a pianists of his stature...but it's pretty incredible he's playing like this at his age.
serox901 2 years ago
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Huippunopea too!
He eivät ole kilpailukykyisiä tekniikoita. . .
Edelleen, siltä osin kuin kieltää pianonsoiton ei pidä.
0125churi 2 years ago
I can not breathe
YYYVVVn 2 years ago 2
Cziffra'rules !!!!!!!
Ellinidara 2 years ago
Arrau plays this etude better than anyone,...he RULES
arturon111 2 years ago
...Yes,I like his version also,but in this case I prefer Cziffra.
Ellinidara 2 years ago
no!!!
4785689 2 years ago
he plays it like cherny etude.
musicpiano14 2 years ago 6
It's nice to see Pollini's playing is still as fiery as ever. Some pianists as they age become much slower and deliberate (e.g., Rubenstein, Bolet, etc.). Thanks for posting!
bluebychoice 2 years ago 19
Yes, I remember reading somewhere Cortot's comment regarding a particular pianist - 'When things become difficult he becomes more expressive' - one cannot say this about Pollini. When he is expressive it's because he means it.
RollaArtis 2 years ago 3
Add Arrau to your list. He had an amazing career, but I heard him in Vienna when he was quite old and his "L'Isle Joyeuse" wasn't very "joyeuse." Of course Arrau was over 80 when I heard him and Pollini here is only 65 or so, hardly elderly. I've always admired Pollini for his overall approach to the repertoire!
TheAspenTom 2 years ago 3
Sloppy Joes!
brassmonkeyjew 1 year ago
E' la meccanica quella che si perde con gli anni, per questioni naturali e inevitabili, ma non mi pare proprio il caso del Maestro Pollini!
Quello che intendo dire è che se Pollini voleva dare un minimo di dinamica e agogica in più a questo studio, poteva tranquillamente farlo, ma ha deciso di suonarlo così.
Detto questo, non piace nemmeno a me quest'esecuzione, pur rispettandola.
Da ultimo, non è molto corretto pubblicare video pirata senza il consenso dell'esecutore.
marpre 2 years ago 2
Due possibili interpretazioni mie del video:
1) o il Maestro era in serata no, e può succedere a tutti, anche ai migliori, di avere una serata no, tanto più se si ha un'agenda come quella di Pollini.
2) o c'è una precisa scelta dietro tutto questo, una motivazione musicale e intellettuale. Intanto con gli anni non credo proprio si perda la musicalità, al massimo cambia o si affina, ma di certo non si perde. [continua nel post successivo...]
marpre 2 years ago 5
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marpre 2 years ago
Cziffras playing of this is so much better and more sensual
PianoMan1836 2 years ago
To spend so many hours in learning such a difficult piece to play it like a Cramer's Etude...
Pollini is know to be a "muscled pianist" but here, its too much.
adrypiano 2 years ago 2
I have no words,simply unbelivable.
kreutzo1 2 years ago 2
l'ha fatto diventare uno studio di czerny...
mi sa che è peggiorato col tempo....
ovascio 2 years ago
labradordynasty(AKA John Bell Young) Did write me a recomendation to USF and at one time I thought he was cool and even sweet. Then he started harassing my friends - making fake accounts like "labradordynasty". he can claim that I am mentally unstable but, I'm not the one hiding behind a fake account and then actually admiting who I am.
tnmtemerity 2 years ago
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Thomas Nathaniel Martin (aka tnmtemerity) took a few piano lessons with me years ago. He has a tiny talent, but no hope for a career. After I dismissed him, my colleagues at USF rejected his application, on my advice. So he harassed the faculty. We found he had devastating psychiatric issues; he lived in utter squalor surrounded by human and dog feces, pools of urine, and huge piles of rotting garbage swarming with maggots. We were compelled to inform the Dept. of Public Health
labradordynasty 2 years ago
It's kind of tiring to see fucking idiots comment interpretations like that like it's the last piece of crap the earth should bear. We have a fair share of underachievers who wouldn't play TWO bars of this, coming here and playing the pompous pricks saying how Pollini is out of his mind playing it like that. Why don't you take a good look in the mirror and realize you're a NOBODY commenting the guy who everyone applauses in the end. Fucking idiots.
zinutile 2 years ago
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labradordynasty 2 years ago
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labradordynasty 2 years ago
Yes, because I can't create another account either... sheesh, take your ritalin dude.
zinutile 2 years ago
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labradordynasty 2 years ago
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labradordynasty 2 years ago
Perhaps this is why this great pianist does not play Liszt often?
Troybeallad 2 years ago
Listen to Arrau's version please. :)
eliotswann 2 years ago
I'll second that.. WIthout question, Arrau digs deeper, and with far greater understanding into this music than any other pianist.
labradordynasty 2 years ago
Pollini has nothing to say,he is a musical corpse.He makes up for this fact by occasionally raising his butt from the bench.The butt-raising is supposed to signify "dramatic" feelings.
schroederdevrient 2 years ago
Who ever said that Liszt would not have liked a pianist to just go for it in his Transcendental Etudes? While Pollini certainly is not noted for his lyricism or passion, he also should be commended for playing within the realm of decency in virtually anything he plays. As opposed to lets say Berezovsky who has shown on several occasions to just blast through serious music (see his 24 minute Liszt Sonata). Regardless, Pollini's accuracy and intensity is still remarkable.
PIanoReview 2 years ago
Decency is not enough. Pollini impresses for his mechanical command here, but that's all. If only he would pay attention to what Liszt actually notates , he would have found its musical value. He misses entirely the internecine dialogue, for example, in the left hand, and fails both to differentiate and to bring out the exceptionally rich harmonic contrasts that informs it. Instead, he equalizes and flattens it all out, as if it were a single, monolithic voice.
labradordynasty 2 years ago
Well said. However, I don't think that by the butt-raising he tries to fake dramatic feelings. I think that at these points his "dramatic feelings" are 100% genuine and he expresses them by banging the keys a little louder than he usually does. However, he already puts all the power in his arms into banging the keys throughout the piece, so in order to achieve differentiation in dynamics by banging the keys even more loudly, he needs to put more bodyweight into the keys. Hence the butt-raising.
Schamschi 2 years ago
But Pollini keeps his butt clenched, while Cziffra takes it up the ass - and likes it. Witness Cziffra's O-face. He's getting a reach around as well.
fdaltrey 2 years ago
Schroederdevrient, Pollini is amazing. This "butt rasing" isn't him trying to fake dramatic feeling it his him putting power into hitting the notes. Just because he isn't getting really into the music visually doesn't mean he is a musical corpse. Lizst requires a great deal of concentration and technique and anyone who can play it like this, has more passion and virtuosity than most pianists will ever hope to possess
copyofacopy1 2 years ago
i find this a rather strange approach, granted that every pianist has a point of view, whatever that is. but i think that even a highly energetic, furious piece like this has to breathe from all the loud , hair-raising speed drive. it almost makes one (having played these pieces also) wonder - great as he is - WHAT is he trying to prove ? that he can play EVEN faster and louder without let-up than anyone that ever lived? and lost in it all is : exactly WHAT is he trying to SAY?
tedly10027 2 years ago
Typical efficient Pollini - how interesting it would be to hear him 20-30 years earlier when his Petroushka was dazzling piano fans everywhere. What's incredible is that at his age now - he is one of the few who can play at this level - regarldess of whether one likes or does not like his "style." Which by the way is as vanilla as it gets..
PIanoReview 2 years ago
I know・・・
this is poor
but I think negative comment is
far more poor than this
nikinikinikita 2 years ago
I think Pollini is best suited for Chopin's music. Nevertheless, I like how he played this virtuosic piece of Liszt.
paopaomanalansan 2 years ago
too rushed and without pride
MrRachpag 2 years ago
I agree, it all sounds the same from beginning to end. There is no music. I am an admirer of Pollini but this is not a performance I could stand behind.
sonarrat 2 years ago
Doctor sometimes meets unbeleavable sits
Doctor Cziffra cure it with mental care and
soft drug and delicate operation
But most hard cancer operation is done with only doctor pollini
may be this is job by man
nikinikinikita 2 years ago
How can you all say shit, the only people who can critic are those who can play the pieces of music. if you cant then titties or GTFO!
hellnoid90 2 years ago
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pollini was never able to give fire or passion in music, this is a very good example of playing without fantasy and imagination. He is from the generation of "reproducers" and not "creators". Just like rubinstein and richter, very good pianists, but NO musicians, even not richter.
mombeekmarcel 2 years ago
You are completely wrong.
The fact heplays this really ugly doesn´t mean what you said.
Pollini sometimes is extremely cerebral , and he took this piece as a kind of Czerny etude: Busoni used to have the same problem. In this case Pollini just tought too much , and the result was ugly. But listen him playing the Schumann F# minor sonata in live performance ...specially when he makes the dynamics between PPPPP and PP . Just from another world ..and the tone quality ...no words.
Lokopiano
lokopiano 2 years ago
Your favorite pianists were too stupid and afraid to play difficult pieces by Boulez and Stockhausen. You are probably too stupid to appreciate such pieces.
fdaltrey 2 years ago
my favorite pianists play only music and no mathematics
mombeekmarcel 2 years ago
Welcome to the 21st century, where a CENTURY has passed since Quantum Mechanics replaced Newtonian physics. Did you know that the former helps explain why 1) Sun Blocks Work via excitation of HOMO electrons of the aromatic chains 2) Why diatomic carbon forms double instead of quadruple bonds although the latter seems possible in trivial Lewis diagrams 3) lasers 4) Paramagnetism of diatomic oxygen but not nitrogen
Oh, but your favorite pianists are too craven and parochial to face changes.
fdaltrey 2 years ago
music is about deep emotion, happiness, sadness (sorry for my english), these emotions I do not hear in the note's (I can not call it music) you mention... I do not say that this is no art!!! but I never dragged a girl with music of stockhausen or boulez!!!
mombeekmarcel 2 years ago
it has nothing to do with contemporary music!!! You live in it - they do not. In 200 years some internet man would say the same about you as you say about the musical progress of the end of the 20th century now and their musicians. Yes, it is slow but it is contagious!!! So, stop disrespecting the greatness you would never be able to achieve!!!
andreybeci 2 years ago
Stockhausen and Boulez wrote their music circa late 40s to early 60s. That's a LONG time ago. Horowitz COULD have played that during his Carnegie Hall 1965 recital. Ditto Cziffra. Even Cherkassky learned to play the Stockhausen's Klavierstuck IX (1961) when he was like 80 or 90.
fdaltrey 2 years ago
Non of the musician you've mentioned would have ever drastically changed pace - so to speak. One needs to grow with the New from birth. Other great musician would emerge playing the Contemporary. Do you know any great ones playing Stockhausen? I doubt... That music has roots not from the Romantic but from feelingless form. I am a contemporary composer myself and would never laugh at fellow musician that have missed the Revolution in music. There are plenty for everyone needs...
andreybeci 2 years ago
I have no idea what you're talking about. Cherkassky lived through your so-called Revolution. He decided to play them. Kudos to him. Kudos to Pollini, Aimard, Hamelin, etc. They were all born before 1961. Are you suggesting they used a time machine and forged their birth dates?
fdaltrey 2 years ago
if you don't know what i am talking about then we should end this. Enjoy your failure Stockhausen and the whole culture of
math music. Bye-bye
andreybeci 2 years ago
Thanks for the farewell letter. Yes, I just enjoyed Klavierstuck V, and it was a blast. Immediately afterwards, I felt like reading the Physical Review Letters, because it just wet my appetite for some hardcore mathematics! Bye bye, and please improve your diction before we ever converse again.
fdaltrey 2 years ago
the whole world knows you just have to have the last word!!! Please improve you physical appearance before we talk again!!!
andreybeci 2 years ago
Andy,
Please justify your choice of diction, because your statements are incomprehensible:
1) 'changed pace' - what, a mechanical gear?
2) 'grow with the New from birth' - biologically?
3) The difference in use of 'Contemporary' and 'contemporary' when referring to yourself. Cherkassky and Stockhausen were the former or the latter?
4) missed the Revolution - missed?
fdaltrey 2 years ago
Liberal socialist - teacher forever-that is who you are. A piece of very dry bread!!! Eat some vegy!!!
andreybeci 2 years ago
Grazie Maestro Liszt.
Grazie Maestro Pollini
frederickfrederikfre 2 years ago 2
being fast and impossible is the whole point of being a virtuoso!! IDiots!!!
aleksmoderatto 2 years ago
Too fast, I think !
Listen to Cziffra's version
Newwwik 2 years ago 2
no.10
gcaee 2 years ago
its a pitty, really! pollini is such a talent, but he is still a so called Urtext-player. he gives nothing from himself, only correct notes (of course, its difficult enough). he does it in a remarkable way, but it doesnt touch me. sorry!
klausknulp 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
actually fuk dat last coment where the fuk is the passionn music is nothing and i mean nothing without passiona and beauty and polini does not possess this. end of story
KearneyPiano 2 years ago
haha lol chopin etudes good liszt etudes good.. gatn lol reply
KearneyPiano 2 years ago
They would need other 70 years in order that the oldness was managing to finish with Pollini's talent
astronomo16 2 years ago
i really admire pollini for playing this piece in a concert considering he's almost 70 now. however, the piece is literally played as sustained crescendo the whole time. it is too rushed and doesn't really have too much musical qualities to it.
brozors 2 years ago 13
very agitated indeed
Tiszt 2 years ago 2
Which Etude is this, is it really called X? Sorry I want to try some Liszt Etude recently and I want to be familiar with the versions and number first...
civilbb 2 years ago
Well....the X it's the number of the etude, number 10.
ZekenNekez 2 years ago
Oops, how come I did not recognise that? Silly me...thanks anyway.
civilbb 2 years ago
this is like someone trying to "prove" : "i can play faster and louder than anyone on earth because I am Pollini:".
it is strange to hear him play that way, to say the least, because he plays WONDERFULLY in other pieces. maybe it's a "test run" in the rest of the liszt repertoire for him? just wondering.
tedly10027 2 years ago
j'ai beaucoup de respect pour Pollini mais... c'est pas un peu trop vite? je suffoque
choulapine 2 years ago
In my view of Pollini and surrouding this video. It seems a great deal of critics follow this man even to an audience recording of him. Very sad sight to behold when being negative is the ultimate form of ones understanding of this music. I pray the heavens will teach those a greater respect and bless them who desire to reach the ultimate form of music in its purest form. Or Show them that this is not there passion, & lead them to another craft less they blemish this art with there bickering.
ChrisWatch 2 years ago
Excellent!! Most pianist find their fire power early on in their career. , he found his later. Bravo1
okera123 2 years ago
1st listenin to classical
a fren told me to hear tis out..
sayin it fits me..
i find it awesome
goathead045075 2 years ago
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yea this is terrible shit
just some hippie who thinks he is another jesus of music acting stupid on stage
even worse are the people who cheer or applaud him they know less about music than the people at home drinking beer watching TNA on Spike TV every Thurdsay at 9 pm EST Hosting wrestlers such as Kurt Angle (Olympic Gold Medalist), AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Scott Steiner, Christy Hemme, and Christopher Daniels.
This guy sucks dog dick
xollyeux 3 years ago
This is crap!!! Who cut Pollini's heart out and told him to just "play the notes - don't take any rubato" (i.e. 1:39 a minor to D-flat Major). I don't know if Liszt wrote a ritard there but only a heartless bastard would play through a moment like that. 19th Century piano lit. should not be played by left brained analytical snakes. Horowitz, Hofmann, Rubinstein and Rachmaninoff never played Schoenberg. Why does "iceman" Pollini think he can play this music, even if he does have a big technique?
iamrscmmom 3 years ago
I agree. Pollini needs his ass whipped for recording some shit like this!!
Jakari90 3 years ago
He's getting old :(
trigalg693 2 years ago
well maybe he is a "heartless bastard" and therefore he should play it accordingly right? Heartless bastards have feelings too, and therefore you should accept a heartless bastard's interpretation lol.
trtnec 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
I'm not saying you specifically so don't try to twist my words into some personal hate crime. And if we are on the subject of twisting words. I didn't say this was the best performance. Although it is a very dazzling performance. from the looks of his hair, it's amazing he can still play like this (I mean no offence.) And note liszt never played his pieces the same exact way. So take your "markings" philosophy someplace else.
ChrisWatch 3 years ago
I see. Pollini's ability of technical execution is amazing, but he should really reconsider the way he plays this piece. Being a concert pianist is an unimaginable challenge. There are so many who would love to and some don't become concert pianists simply because they are good, but they have "a lot to tell" the audience through music. (There are many other requirements of course) I don't mean excessive rubato is the answer, but I can't deny he plays it like how Czerny exercises are played.
chopinandliszt 3 years ago 2
Stupendo studio, ed eseguito anche con grande maestria
AlexanderSeptimus 3 years ago
Etude............?????? um... wooow...
Auswme 3 years ago
exactly what I think.. Liszt was truly a genius!
iridethewave 3 years ago
I COMPLETELY agree with Chriswatch!!
Chopianist3 3 years ago
Very nicely played I enjoyed how he showed no weakness to this piece. the left hand was playing triumphantly giving the right hand melody no reason to back down or calm down or be afraid of where its going. This is truely how I wanted to hear the piece I'm tired of hearing people trying to play these pieces romantically all quiet. The soul is not just a quiet poetic shadow in beauty but also a deadly force that will fight with us till our very last drop of blood has bled from us. Childish ppl
ChrisWatch 3 years ago
(it) È Pollini, non un normale pianista ;)
(eo) Li estas Pollini, ne nur normala pianisto :)
umegghju 3 years ago
Chriswatch, Pollini plays this Etude in "constant forte", I have no problems with you liking this version, but, in my opinion, this is definitely not one of the best performances of this piece. Listen to Arrau's, Ovchinikov's. Their dynamic ranges, depth of expression are far wider than Pollini's. Pollini simply rushes through with uncontrollable force. Don't get into some random philosophy call others childish simply because they don't agree with you.
chopinandliszt 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
First off. You don't know the range or concept of why I "commented" the way I did. And considering the 'ff' and 'ppp' markings. I don't think his intentions were to play like a whipped school boy. If this arguement is going to simmer down to "its all about interpretation" lets just agree on that record now and stop treating music like a book. And Claudio arrau though a great interpreter of liszt is most times a tad slow and uses to much pedal. But that's my opinion.
ChrisWatch 3 years ago
Chriswatch, There can be many different types of interpretation to approach a piece of music. However. You sound as if you don't know about what is expected from a concert pianist. They must consider how every note should be played with emotion. Pollini's interpretation is mechanical. He focuses on being metronomical and playing in forte constantly. To me, it's boring. What's more? As I told you, he ignores the composer's tempo, dynamics markings.
chopinandliszt 3 years ago
I think I don't know the range or concept of why you "commented" the way you did because you don't explain thoroughly. How does a whipped school boy play? In my opinion, Pollini treats music like a book. Looking at his performance I must say it is too mechanical. Have a computer play the music and there won't be very much difference. I never said anything about hate crime. I simply told, you talk about irrelevant stuff like force, life and not to call others childish because they don't agree.
chopinandliszt 3 years ago
If your offended by some video, of some guy that recorded it, from in the audience, not even from the begining. Why do you insist on bothering those who find his playing pleasurable. And my comment of "childish" are for the extremist degrading his name with there own names such as bastard or what have you. Like I said. Nothing was aimed at you. Because I know your type and I don't want to waste my time so good day Chopin and liszt.
ChrisWatch 3 years ago
it is definitely mechanically played. he plays brilliantly ..he finds the classicism in Chopin as well as any pianist...but in LISZT it is an altogether different ballgame. unfortunately in this case. pollini basically gives the example of "great technic" banging out Liszt..which is not good for Liszt, imo. compare this with Lazar Berman's...technic and SOUND to burn but POETIC and true drama. being among the great performers does not absolve Pollini from criticism.
tedly10027 2 years ago 2
He has a lot to learn from Ovchinikov in terms of musicality. What gave you the idea we want everything quiet? For example, Pollini ignores the "rallentando" and "piano" at 1:32. On the other hand, Ovchinikov makes almost perfect use of rubato and his dynamics ranges from "ppp" to "fff". What's more? Pollini doesn't create the intensity-building effect at the "tempestuoso" part (1:05 ~ 1:10). He starts the part at "ff" and ends at "fff". There's more. He constantly ignores dynamics markings.
chopinandliszt 3 years ago
Hectic, scrambled and nearly all 'FF' - definitely not Pollini at his best.
paulprocopolis 3 years ago
RichardKastleMusic, you are an eccentric because you are NOT Richard Kastle, but you say you are.
chopinandliszt 3 years ago
really transcendental! he added some new quality to this piece of music. Just listen - this is full of new phrases, emotions, unheard compounds of sounds... Amazing.
Music like every other kind of art cannot be put into frames, therefore waht Pollini did is a new gem in the history of art, even if it were completely different from what Liszt imagined...
mephaz85 3 years ago
mephaz, I think you must learn what "phrases" mean, before commenting.
chopinandliszt 2 years ago
Thanx for posting; very interesting! With all due respect, I think that playng all in FFF and without any attempt to give a sense to the fraseggio is not the way to approach Liszt' music.
voolare 3 years ago
I just love to read all of you, experts, comments. Pianists wannabe's.
xartmanx 3 years ago