Added: 2 years ago
From: EuphoricDan
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  • This lacks fire, culmination in the b part, not the middle part.... The tempo is quite good, but the drama is missing. However, Ax is great professional, everything is under control.... sound, texture, he shows the musical motives wich is very important!

  • The slow middle section is so breathtaking, so beautiful.

  • AX is an incredible virtouso! not just hear but many Chopin recordings hes stands out with Zimerman and Rubinstein, the essence of musical understanding

  • Emanuel Axe really captured the essence of Chopin

  • Ax was obviously imitating Richter's playing here.

  • As a fan of Yundi Li his interpretation of this scherzo is the most satisfying to me. But this version does not stand second to it in any way. I find myself a fan of Ax too. His performance of the Ballades is the best I have heard. Two favorites, double the pleasure.

  • @Ernesto7608

    I am not a fan of Yundi Li, but I mean... saying pianists on his level are bad is just childish.

    In any case, I have come to greatly enjoy Pogolerich's interpretations... and they are certainly the most "interpretive" I've ever heard, lol. At times imperfect and even "unbalanced" I might be inclined, on a very quirky day to say that I enjoy his versions best.

    Anyway, they are most definitely worth a listen, it is certainly original.

  • @EuphoricDan

    I agree, Pogolerich's interpretations have originality. It is satisfying to hear such differences in expression that are correct in their own right. It's a pity that Argerich didn't get her way and he had received a major prize at the Chopin competition at the time. This would have given him more prestige and more recognition to his style, and we would have a richer set of versions today.

  • @Ernesto7608

    Have you heard Pogolerich's more recent playing? I won't claim to be an expert on the man, but his "uneven" style has become so much more accentuated as he has progressed that it makes for an amazing listening experience. His interpretations leave one to believe that the man may be on the brink of madness. To hear such virtuosity mashed with what seems to be insanity is quite simply breath taking.

  • @Ernesto7608 Funny you said Yundi Li I was about to mention him too. Yes Yundi Li i sthe master to me for this this piece. However Ax has done a nice job, however I do find he plays this a little slow Yundi Li has the correct tempo and speed to make your heart melt. However, nice find and a great upload. Thanks

  • Just enter "David Helfgott Shine" in the search box

  • I think both Ax and Li are very good. Almost on level with David Helfgott...but I think David has more emotion

  • @88Woland

    I haven't heard your guy, David Helfgot... Do you have a link?

  • @88Woland haha, okay, very funny...

  • realy the best !

  • This indeed is a very good interpretation, but so is Ivo Pogorelich in his own way.

    The piece demands a lot in consistency and dynamical layout. I have played it a

    lot and learn something new every time I come back to it after a while,

  • Epic :D

  • I'd like to hear what you have to say about Idil Biret's recording; I've uploaded it.

  • This is true of this recording, and with Ax's earlier recordings in general. HOWEVER, his later recordings have more heart and beauty than one can put into words. He really has grown and changed as a musician; I can attest to this fact, having heard him several times over the last few years. Try getting his newer recordings of the Chopin concertos with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Charles MacKerras. Those will change the way you think about Ax.

  • Embora o melhor pianista pra mim seja o Horowitz, este interpretação é mais emocionante que a dele e também a do Rubinstein. Neste caso, prefiro esta, do Ax. Excelente!!!!!!

  • "Mistakes are OK but not 50 of them, I bet I could count a hundred mistakes in Yundi's. Giant ones."

    Um, I could really give a flying rat's ass how many mistakes he makes. Music is not about robotic manipulation of an instrument.

    Personally, I prefer Ax's performance, because it's more musical. Yundi just doesn't have same delicacy, AFAIK, the same sublime sense of rhythm. I hear things in this interpretation that are lost in Yundi. But I could honestly care less about mistakes.

  • Some mistakes are not bad, but too many mistakes and you no longer are playing the intent of the composer... it is important to stay within the writing of the composer, given that's what he was intending...

    With that said, Emanuel Ax may not be the most "emotional" performer ever, but his performances are stunningly beautiful, clean, crisp, and delicately wonderful.

  • Very clean.

  • I've compared over 15 pianists playing this. Ax is truest to the score, and pays attention to all the details Chopin left behind for us. Most of the other famous pianists either turn this into a Czerny exercise or sound like they were smoking something

  • That is with the exception of Richter, who also plays very well :)

  • It is not rushed, true, but i don't think i can see how you can measure how much emotion he put into this. I still like Yundi Li's version a lot better. I just think it sounds a lot better. That's just my opinion. Again, I'm not super pro at piano so i guess i wouldn't really know. Its just my personal taste.

  • Honestly I am going to have to say that Emmanual Axe gives a more passionate emotionally drived performance. The way he takes his time and beautifies the music is just wonderful. The way he plays the slow section of this piece is just beautiful. Not rushed. Just beautfiful romantic sound.

  • Is this a studio recording? I'm guessing it is - I'm sure Yundi would have no mistakes on a studio recording too...

    Besides, I believe Yundi's interpretation is superior.

  • I'm sorry, but even though I enjoyed both Yundi's and Emmanuel's interpretations of Chopin's Scherzo's, your belief that perfection of the music notes on the page of music are all that counts.

    Musicians, such as myself, music is not judged by its mistakes, but by its beauty, ingenuity, creativity, and other qualities such as those three. Sure, don't get me wrong, you can go on about playing perfectly and playing all the right notes, but I bet you even Emanuel Ax would be saddened to hear (cont.)

  • that your definition of beautiful music is by how strictly and fundamentally you judge a performer's music.

    No, I am not saying Emanuel Ax is better than Yundi or vice versa, I would rather stay out of that issue because you really can't trully judge two people like this. Each performer and musician has his/her own musical unique musical talents.

    Also I would like to address the fact that this recording is probably not performed in front of a very large audience. It was probably in some (cont.)

  • recording studio where there was only him, a few others, and his producer and maybe some other people that worked there. Performing in front of a large audience can cause people, all people from all around the world, even professionals, famous celebrities, who have the spotlight the most in our world, to be nervous and have mistakes in their playing. You see, theres many differences you have to take into account. Sure you can argue Emanuel will play a Chopin Scherzo like no other because (cont.)

  • he plays everything close to perfect without error according to the score, but you cannot say he is a better musician, because all musicians have their own unique abilities. All musicians, especially professional famous musicians, for example Yundi Li, make music, all these musicians are, in the core, making music. Making music is expressing passions, feelings, emotions, love, and many other things. (cont.)

  • It's truly all about expressing these things, not technical robotic performances of sheet music. The sheet music is meant to help you express...

  • u suck , yundis much better

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