Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 102, Mvt. 2 - Shostakovich

[brianroger]

Isn´t the normal style from Shostakovich? Try the Largo from his sonata in D minor op.40 for cello and piano and the Largo from his 5th symphony. Granted the piano concerto II Largo is rather Chopinesque.

[ginastera403]

It is rather slow and sad movement. How could Shostakovich composed such music with intense emotion.

[Cardien18]

Brings back memories.... so beautiful...

[MisterAlphawolf911]

Oh holy god! . Waths is so beuatiful and cativating?

Please send me help!

Incredible!

[blaubeeri666]

the conductor and the pianist's timing are way off sometimes, look at 6:25

[dreddy1988]

2.33....4.47......just georgeous

[bellagirl123456789]

this is really beautiiful. it makes me want to cry it's just so georgiious.

[shavkatikk]

This theme sounds similar to the one from the Pearl Harbor movie. I think the guys stole it from DDS.

[mussorgskyj]

this is great piece...the other two parts of thi work are also great but in different way..reminding me something like grotesque...but this is absolutely elegant...and..in this "andante" i hear Rachmaninov from second concerto..i dont know why ;)

[MrShunyata]

Rachmaninov...? Possibly; I hear 'The Field of the Dead' from Prokofief's Alexander Nevsky -- check it out and you'll see what I mean...

[dashatsh]

such a beautiful music-don`t understand,why it not so often beeing played-never in in competitions...

[coasterman16]

Most competitions only accept fast movements of concertos. Also, this movement is extremely easy in terms of required technique. Musically, it's more challenging to pull off, but if you had to judge this against a Prokofiev concerto, for example, this would be much less impressive.

[bomberchicken]

I have a friend who is playing this in a competition ( though she is playing a fast movement from a Lizst concerto too )

[tshnips2]

I had to play this in a competition :)

[godleyviolinist]

we performed this last month at a orchestra camp i went to....absolutely beautiful. It was so hard not to cry..

[halfabeet]

This is one of my favourite movements from a piano concerto -- lovely stuff.

[daaamirsutra]

the c minor to A-flat major chord progression (at 5:23) is the most beautiful thing

[Deotyma7]

Wonderful !

Thank you-5/5

[spreckon]

Finally a video where you can hear the strings thank you so so so much!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cardien18]

Brings tears to my eyes and precious memories..beautiful.

[Pennsalley]

I love this piece.

Thanks for sharing!

[Lblondi95]

Incredible! Its a very sad piece... it even made me cry! And I agree, very beautiful and relaxed.

[wataken1128]

This movement is a remarkable miracle of music history.

You know 3rd movement is a happy ending.

[jaywyn]

I just like this movement... wat's wrong with being "too emotional" or "too simple"? How nonchalant and sophisticated you guys want him/it to be?

[mayabarfoed]

Not a bad effort but some pretty large errors don't help and it's a tiny bit too slow.

[bernfacer]

for any reason, I don't like this movement. Shostakovich was a great composer, but this one is just too "simple" for me.

[callanmchugh]

i think i know what you mean, shostakovich was a very tense, and frustrated man, and often this can be seen in his music, like in the 3rd and second movement, the music is very tight, very tense, but here, its relaxed, its beautiful, and people arent used to this with dimitri, but... it is, very beautiful as i say

[millencolinman]

@callanmchugh I agree, this isn't the normal style from Shostakovich. He created something beautiful with rich, consonant harmonies much like that of a Chopin nocturne. Not that his other works aren't beautiful, but they might not appeal to the same listeners.

P.S. i heard that he composed this particular piece for his son's birthday. I'm not sure if it's true, but possible fun-fact if it is.

[farmchase]

Fantastic, absolutely fantastic.

[Xeraquera92]

me encanta!

[tchuchovsky]

and the first movement?

[sketchphonics]

It's...really too emotional (not critiquing the pianist, the composer)

[thecelloking]

so you're saying that composers can't write with emotion? I guess that's what stalin thought too.

[sketchphonics]

I didn't say that at all... too much emotion can ruin a piece. Shostakovitch is very good about this, except for a few examples (perhaps this one). It's tempting to write really emotional music, but sometimes it just sounds bad (opinion). Saint-Saens made a big point of this. -why bring up Stalin? Stalin has about as much to do with D.S. as Napoleon did with Berlioz.

[thecelloking]

Shostakovich was hounded by the russian government because they thought he was't patriotic enough. Rostropovich was actually kicked out of the country for playing peices like shosti's cello concerto. I'm just sayin that he was a composer, not a conformist. He can write however he wants. I also guess that beethoven poured too much emotion in his 9th, eh? When bad crap happens, your music can tend to reflect it.

[keogank]

Check out this book sketchphonics, Shostakovich and Stalin: The Extraordinary relationship between the great composer and the brutal dictator... you can buy it on amazon! might answer your question on bringing up stalin, and why this movement is so emotional.

[olga2809]

I read the book too, it was very interesting!

[Kdawg080786]

How is it too emotional? Can you please explain?

[fralogos85]

no words to say ... it's magic ...

[llxie78]

two of my favorite "Andante Movements" are the 2nd movements of two 2nd Piano Concertos by Shostakovich & Glazunov.

[yamahabro]

A skillful & sensitive performance of heart-wrenching pathos.

[vocalpianist]

I have started learning this concerto, this movement is gorgeous! It is pure musical beauty

[i001100i]

Most beautifully crushing music -ever-

[loveraphaelle]

c'est absolument magnifique..

[mendax1773]

This movement always rips my heart out whenever I hear it and now is no exception; it is so beautiful. I think this is perhaps this movement that gets us the closest to the man who was Shostakovich. And LenFromEtobicoke is right about the orchestra and the conductor. Excellent performance.

[vocalpianist]

this is so beautiful, the melody pours into the soul and drowns it in pure musical pleasure. I will be starting this piece hopefully in the next half year.

[chachacha13579]

this is one of my favourite pieces of all time.

[mfcexpert]

This is an astonishingly good version. I'm constantly amazed by the quality and sensitivity of non-professional music. I think I now prefer it to the "real" thing. The most enjoyable concert I've been to in years was in a small chapel in the wilds of the English Peak District. A full orchestra playing Franck's Symphony for £5!

[elliotkool]

man..i first heard it on the radio..kept on searchin for the name n finally..im learning dis song..its one of those songs dat touch u..deeply..no words..jus melody..

[nikanj]

exquisite

[LenFromEtobicoke]

In my opinion, it is one of the most exquisite movements in the 20'th century piano repertoire. I'm constantly amazed at Shostakovich's versatility. Listen to the neurotic,frantic but wonderful music of his 10'th symphony and can you believe the same composer wrote this 2'nd movement of his 2'nd piano concerto?

Its so heatening to hear a youthful university orchestra and pianist play this concerto with such tenderness and finesse.

[PersianPaladin]

This is actually a very well done version.

[emmanuelt]

this is amazing, i loved it! do you have videos for the first and third movements?

[pennycarrasco]

this is my fave shostakovich piece. very nicely renderred. congratulations!

[guanche76]

Truly unique, so full of soul, so deep, so well crafted... Gracias

[ploodie]

There are some pieces from some composers that almos transcend their own body of work. This is one of those pieces. The second movement just blows away anything else Shost composed, in my opinion!

[sshuck]

Symphony No. 14 comes close, though. ;)

[sefard777]

Very nice. I'm looking forward to conducting this concert with a colegue. I am sorry that i have to be the first to say it but i think you need to emphasize the melody more, and be much more subtle with left hand.

Keep up the good work ;)

[GenericRoark]

That was certainly beatiful and moving. Congrats!

[godelike]

excellent performance! really! and, honestly, I don't say that often! congratulations!

[cheloola]

I'm reminded of just how beautiful this piece is everytime I both hear & play it.

[fizzypop]

lovely performance. this is my fave piece in the whole world :)

[kuaran]

the same here (well, i've never played it, though). i still remember how I was in love with a girl in my younger years and found this piece around the same time. we never started dating in the true sense of the word, but I still remember my strong feelings towards her - as if she'd still be there deep in my heart - when I hear this music ... so melancholic to my ears.

[jue1]

very nice james, keep up the good work

[Dantepanatha]

great piece, and amazing performance

!!!

[henrebotha]

o_o

best. music. ever.

sends shivers down my spine. awesomely haunting, melancholy. a total different side of shostakovich than what i'm used to. man. i'm going to buy this tomorrow, i swear.

[NeonVomit]

Beautiful. My favourite work of his.

[michelleblessu]

sounds good

[seh97001]

Shostakovich rocks! I love this; great job.