freddy kempf - Horowitz-Sousa, Stars and Stripes Forever Transcription

[eltonjohnfan100]

too bangy....

[mishima1974]

Why does he WANT to play faster than Horowitz? This is far too messy and bangy.

[yoontk717]

Too many small mistakes

[gsxrbikerlad]

too much pedal!!

[Balgig]

Not a scratch on Horowitz.

[Bruce88keys]

the beats at 1:10 are his recovery- clearly this a piece that must be executed with grace and ease- he is in struggle from the start and defeats the grace - sad buts its a butcher's dance

[andrewTbell]

TERRIBLE - TERRIBLE - TERRIBLE. There was no musicality, whatsoever, to his performance. It sounded like somebody smashing 2 X 4 pieces of wood all over the place. What a terrible waste of pianism - he has great chops, though - and I have heard him perform beautifully.

[andrewTbell]

TERRIBLE - TERRIBLE - TERRIBLE. There was no musicality, whatsoever, to his performance. It sounded like somebody smashing 2 X 4 pieces of wood all over the place.

[davids2000]

Great attempt. What a difficult piece this is. You really need to play this slowly. Everyone listen to the melody at 1:13 onward. You can hear all the breaks in the simple music line. That is why his forte parts sound bangy and quieter parts sound drab. To be truly great, play without pedal, and very slowly. Also, you need to really develop your musical ideas. Play all other pieces besides this, and you will find this one much better in the years to come.

David

[DzikenS94]

Plus za technikę, lecz minus za wykonanie.

[ThePianoguy89]

This is a great rendition, a bit too fast and too much bombastic octaves playing.

[kyleclef]

I love Freddy Kempf, saw him live last week, although when he signed an autograph for me, he was very miserable :( this interpretation is like...wtf...how are people supposed to march to this? Also, it just sounds like noise in some parts... :/ Way too fast.

[cubanbach]

@kyleclef IT is SUPPOSED to be bombastic! geezz it was HOROWITZ who arranged it. And you cannot get MORE bombastic than that! and I adore Horowitz.

[kyleclef]

@cubanbach i think you meant to reply to thepianoguy89 not me lol. however, horowitz said in an interview how the piece should NEVER been played any faster than he played it. Kempf could have atleast respected horowitz's wishes, and the fact that the piece of for a march, not a bloody sprint.

[cubanbach]

@kyleclef hehe, you're right on both counts...sorry about that...on second hearing it was too fast...

[kyleclef]

@cubanbach Yes its a shame here, because i thought freddy kempf was great, then i saw him live, and it was...average to be honest...then he signed my autograph and he was so PAINFULLY miserable, i wanted to grab and shout SMILE :D...but then i hear this interpretation of the stars and stripes...not sure i'm a fan anymore :/

[datruzepp]

HAHAHA

zo far da only interp to conjure up images of hiroshima, appropriately

[jefftam1234]

And what happened to the trilling thirds?

[jefftam1234]

WTF, have you guys even listened to the March before commenting? Freddy is right on time here as the original march. Go search for it here on youtube.

Though I don't like his interpretation, the tempo has nothing wrong.

Geez you sheeple.

[dishflow]

@jefftam1234 Personally don't think this is mean't to be played this fast on solo piano with this arrangement..just cant handle it which is pretty evident in this video coming from this professional. Anyways..horowitz himself opinionated this was meant to played at a slower walking tempo...just sayin.

[PurniQles]

It's a march, not a race.

[Kapomafioso]

Piano rapist!

[noone99990]

Why do you say that this sucks. I like this version and I don't see anything wrong with it.

[icedolphin9999]

@noone99990 ... i think he may be commenting to the fact that there is only one section of dynaminc contrast. the rest is just loud.... LOUD. not necessarily a bad thing. but still.

[Kakarot21591]

Faster isn't better...

[Achtelnote]

terrible interpretation.too fast for a march and so also no time for details.

[ednozeg]

@Achtelnote Just because you cannot play it like this it is aweful? It is awesome I think Kempf has done a good job here :)

[Achtelnote]

@ednozeg and for that reason its not allowed to have an opinion?then no one can have an opionin who cannot play this.

[ednozeg]

@Achtelnote I don't say that, but did you ever hear the original?

[Achtelnote]

@ednozeg of course i know the original from sousa,but i compare this to the horwitz version.but now let it be.kempf can play piano thats obvious,but i dont like his style.

[wayneredhart]

Compared to Horowitz, this is frankly like the playing of amateur.

[zither22]

@wayneredhart disagree with this comment you obviously cant play

[wayneredhart]

@zither22 because I have higher standards than you I "obviously cant play"? That's certainly some intriguing logic. Seriously though, there are performances of this that are literally by amateurs (here on youtube) that are both vastly more polished and vastly more musical than this. For a professional, this really is pretty poor. Have you even heard Horowitz play this?

[demosj]

@wayneredhart I'm surprised a professional could play this transcription this badly and percussively and with such brutality.

It's a Sousa march, yet his interpretation still sucks. Volodos and Libetta would feel superior after watching his.

Amateurs have played this better.

[hotbebimauz]

WOW! what an ENERGY he has!!!!!!!!!! incredible!!!!!!! great pianist

[riribun]

Thanks so much for your posting ! ! Freddy seems to have almost four hands. This performance is one of my best memories:))