Evgeny Kissin plays Bach/Busoni Chaconne in d-min

[PianoDaemon]

He has no concept of the piece, and plays it like he's trying to win a race. Not only that, but he ends in the wrong key. Fail.

[imsohornynwet]

Love it!

[suezenefg]

LOVE THIS Thank you for the Post!!!

[guigodoipiano]

did he end in d minor????????



[sorim1967]

@guigodoipiano : no, the way he went about it, the piano got out of tune by the end

[PianoDaemon]

@guigodoipiano Yes ... yes he did. :(

[gerrarddominic1]

Impressive playing. I think I've had enough of impressive.

[chobeethaninov]

@suezenne You can hear the first part on his website at kissin.dk

[darkblueangel1956]

Non siamo neanche lontanamente all'altezza di Michelangeli, di Rubinstein e di tutti gli altri. Anche Helene Grimaud è molto più profonda e matura. Questo ragazzino gioca ancora a fare il primo della classe, ma non so se sappia avanzare e maturare con i propri mezzi personali. Senza Karajan . . . si è perso per strada !!!! Che delusione !!!

[mattcarone]

With all due respect to Kissin---everyone falls short of Michelangeli with this and the Brahms/Paganini

[brianCIM]

@mattcarone nail hit squarely on the head. That disc of the Brahms-Paganini and this piece contains the greatest piano playing i have ever heard. it changed my world.

[Prime71193]

Jascha Heifeitz of the piano!!!!!

[minasgekos]

this guy is soooo overrated. Of course he's great, but not "that" great. Those who dare compare him to Horowitz or Rubinstein are crazy. He plays Bach like Schumann or Beethoven - you can't do that... Bach is Bach. But enough said, lets enjoy him playing :-).

[minasgekos]

@foneleep you're right about the fact that it may need a pinch of

romantic soul since it's a Busoni transcription, but I' m not judging him only by this video. I've heard him play original Bach partitas and sonatas, and he always plays Bach as if he was a Romantic Period composer. The Great Emil Gilels also used to do that, don't know maybe it's a Russian thing.

[minasgekos]

@foneleep You're mistaking dear friend. There is a consensus on what's the right way to play Bach. There are some rules that have been established by great musicians and musicologists throughout history. And I can assure you, Kissin doesn't respect these rules. Anyway, he's a great musician, I'm not arguing about that, so maybe he's breaking these rules on purpose. But I'd like him to stick to the romantic repertoire where he does excel.

[debrucey]

@minasgekos Lmao, rules.

[minasgekos]

@debrucey very constructive comment

[minasgekos]

@foneleep Peace. I enjoy having quality conversations about music, even if we don't agree.

[di6na]

sorry,but it sux!!!! cant you hear ti!!! Jezu,its not about speed!!!

[DolfLoneWolf]

@di6na - sorry, but YOU sux!!!

[emarini83]

it's a different version...sounds more like a minuetto than other versions

[brianCIM]

This piece is one of those pieces that is far more difficult than it sounds. I played it in my juries and recital last year and i think the playing here is admirable but no one and i mean NO ONE will approach Michelangeli's 1949 studio recording. When he plays it you realize the possibilities of this piece when played well. I can't think of many pieces that have been so maligned. listen to it on Gys6's channel. you will be awestruck. Guranteed.-Best Wishes, Brian

[garfreed]

Is the hair a metaphor?

[parsifal3142]

Kissin plays this no faster than violinists would play the original. Reminds me of comments made about Beethoven's 32nd sonata where 'the pages are thick with notes, yet the music seems to stand still' The original theme is clearly audible above all that complexity. Busoni was a great pianist and this SHOULD sound as showy as Kissin plays it: sounding 'like a Ferrari' is no bad thing.

[hamblettamaud]

my god, what hair!!! i love it!

[tasteism]

It is purely idiotic to say this one is better than that one. Kissin plays it very differently than Grimaud (with hitting sometimes the wrong key), but I like this version too. It is very powerful and romantic. Pianists are humans (although sometimes I deem them superhumans) and they give their stamp to what they play. This seems so hard to understand with a lot of people here.

[tomargerich66]

i'd pick pletnev any day...also to PianoStudent7, equally who the hell are you to tell us what we can and can't criticise? As an FTCL piece, I think this chaconne is very much open to different interpretations....

[Killua40]

kissin is not in a good conditon that day, he is very stressful. this is mentioned in his interview in a christopher nupen film of kissin DVD.

[orleomarty]

my preference is helene grimauds performance too! kissin is missing sad emotions

[AnnMarry19]

@nicoss007 I agree, Grimaud is better than Kissin, and de Larrocha is AMAZING in this piece :))

[brianCIM]

@AnnMarry19 de Larrocha tames this beast as few can. her performance is easily my 2nd favorite.

[fronesis7]

I've never liked Kissin... i've a lot of reasons, but this is the fundamental, and i'll express it metaphorically: Kissin is like a Ferrari running at full speed over the piano, and when the piece demands some slowness and feeling he is and sounds awkward

[Ellinidara]

@fronesis7 Totally agree.

[sormu16]

@fronesis7 'and when the piece demands some slowness and feeling he is and sounds awkward ' It gets slow at 2:41. To me it is really well played, very clear, sensitive and expressive. I think I have heard chaconne 1000 times. Liked this fragment a lot, but prefer the violin version, Busoni is a little noisy - something I BTW think that Kissin here avoids better than most others, like e.g. around 8:50.

[archdeaconj]

Why, what do they say about Grimaud's chaconne - that it is too sensual?

[musikman12358]

I think it is difficult to play bach-busoni because the performance practice of such a piece is such an oxymoron. Many listeners expect some meditative Gould-esque performance when, in fact, Busoni's arrangement is the peak of self-indulgence and romanticism. Should one play this as one expansive thought or as a glorified cadenza? I think Kissin walks that tight-rope well... too bad the piano's low notes are out of tune at the end

[pvonberg]

Nice try, but Michelangeli still reigns.

[RemovdSande11]

@pvonberg

rubinstein disagrees. Nah kidding ofcourse, both are really great!

[isaakduerinck]

@pvonberg try Hélène Grimaud's! it will be hard to decide which is best :)

[pincheruso]

@pvonberg Thank you for your comments...Everybody seems like an amateur,after Michelangeli....

[pincheruso]

@pvonberg Thank you!You are right!!!!

[siligius]

I played this piece (is the correct word in english?) two yars ago and I love kissin interpretation but I prefer the cd's version that this live version.

[dbrucemoore]

My preference is with Helene Grimaud's performance of this piece.

[tommyIglesias]

why u think this is arrogant?

he only wanted to play the piece, and he plays it like this...

just...

perfect.

grimauds version its beautifull as well.

[vkorchnoifan]

No matter where you are from (Europe or China) No matter what sex you are (or practise) No matter what technic you have

(slow or fast) If you are a great pianist and play for the people, the beauty (of the piece) comes out the same. Wonderfully gifted human beings play wonderfully.

[briank4251]

I hate to say this, but I just don't like this performance or his interpretation of this masterpiece. In my opinion, Grimaud's version on YouTube stands out as the best.

I would love to hear Valentina Lisitsa jam out on this piece... -Brian

[captaincookies]

I absolutely agree with you.

[segattacicova]

I hate classic music... I hate the way you, greate pianists, have to judge interpretations. Just enjoy the music! Who cares if Michelangeli is better than Kissin, or if Kissin play to fast for your perfect ears...

[FelipeBellani2]

Cheers! I agree totally, I hate these people who think their stupid comments on fucking youtube are going to change anything. it's so disgusting.....they really think they are something. I never saw a great pianist comment on youtube, it's a bunch of amateurs (as am I) but at least I don't spread ignorant comments on interpretations I cannot do the half as good as the REAL pianists do.

[segattacicova]

You are right, I think the world of classic music need some oxigen... We are (I'm a classic pianist) so obsessed by this stupid perfection... But who cares about perfection? The only purpose of music is giving emotions to people.

[ieatplacebos]

Thank you! i am so glad to see someone finally say this! everyone needs to relax a little and enjoy the music!

[ieatplacebos]

and how boring would it be if everyone played the same! each artists unique interpretation and style makes listening more interesting

[captaincookies]

Oh come on, guys... As a classical music lover, I appreciate that music, and that interpretation for what it brings out... But, be realistic, this is far away from a well worked artistic work... And this is a very high demonstration of vanity and selfishness from a "great pianist" toward his naive public... I'm really open minded to new pianists, I love what Grimaud does [...]

[captaincookies]

Hmmm... [...]I love what amateurs do, but Kissin just over evaluated his own talent and his susceptibility to be inherently appreciated by his listener.

Kissin doesn't show us his own personnality or playing style ( which he has and which is really great ) , he's just making the demonstration for the "impressed" public...

Sorry for the mistakes, french speaker inside!

[captaincookies]

Joué bien trop rapidement. A partir de 1:29, par pitié, stoppez la vidéo... Ce n'est en aucun cas digne d'un grand musicien, et je pense que dès lors cela démontre un manque flagrant de travail, à la fois technique et interprétatif, sur l'oeuvre...Une œuvre aussi puissante mérite qu'on y accorde plus qu'une lecture à vue. L'interprétation d'Hélène Grimaud est "emportée", mais la transcende je n'ai aucune empathie pour Kissin, et là j'en ai même du dégout.

[goldberg72]

forse doveva andare al cesso:-)

[kafoly1980]

C'est vrai que c'est un peu emporté comme interprétation pour du Bach

Mais c'est quand même intéressant.

Mon interprétation préférée est celle de alicia delarrocha.

Sinon la version de Yepes en guitare est top !

[flouz2]

Je pense que Gould doit se retournr dans sa tombe....même si je sui un fervent défenseur de KISSIN, pour sûr !!!!

Mais là je dois admettre que je suis quelque peu déçu......

[ciayko]

Very confuse, a lot of mistakes, He cant compare with Benedetti Michelangeli (at least, in this piece).

[herodot2]

Well you can't compare a live with a studio recording.

[ciayko]

Live performance of BM are better than studio. Look for an interview to Kissin where the pianist, astonished, talks about the perfection - without wrong notes - of BM live executions. "Even Horowitz - he says - did mistakes but no Michelangeli..."