Stravinsky - Petrushka (1-2/3) - Davide Cabassi, piano

[KaitoAri]

I love how he smiles and nods through it... I'd hate to call it "cute" but it really is! Much more light and playful than others I've heard... I really like this Petrushka!

[candyfrogsarethebest]

How the hell can you dislike this?

[wearetheggmeninit]

6:45 -> 6:48 = "First I was afraid...!!"

[kreesu]

the precision of that sweep at 0:12 is breathtaking

[ironspokes]

wonderful. very well done......and hes REALLY sexy to watch also.

[AttemptingToBeBusy]

Such a beautiful rendition! Stravinsky would be proud...

[Pazsive]

Me encanta! Adoro esta pieza.... ! Ame!

[wevil770]

Wow.. He's really cute!

[thisismymoniker]

My favourite versions of this that i've found so far are Pollini's for absolutely phenomenal clarity AND lyricism at full tempo; and Weissenberg's, which has numerous errors and ad libs in but is played with great drive and panache...it has you on the edge of your seat, as this piece really should. I'm not so interested in "mere" playing of notes than the spirit - do the puppets come alive or not, does the 3rd mov. really sound like a carnival or just a string of notes...

[thisismymoniker]

Human = Evolved from simpler primate.

Ergo the quest for perfection is an existential pretension.

Listening out for slight anomalies and keeping score is terribly dull and, indeed, a very UNmusical enterprise.

Must everything be a competition....can't it sometimes just be an experience?

The point of my ramble is that the fact he smiles and plays some wrong notes isn't really that important.

Does it communicate anything, the only question!! And that depends in part on the listener of course!

[Jigov]

omg this guy makes TONS of mestakes.... shame shame. i would never play it in front of people !!!! very bad preformance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pinkmusicians]

@Jigov Speaking of 'mestakes' - or should I say, 'mistakes' - I would never speak in front of people if I couldn't spell 'performance'.

[Jigov]

@pinkmusicians i dont care this is not my language and i never learn it. All i know is from internet and my contacts abroad. Sry but english is for retards who dont know other languages.

[physphilmusic]

Damn the guy makes quite a number of noticeable technical mistakes. Definitely not cut out for international stardom. Nowadays an average Chinese pianist can play any piece technically perfect...

[ShowtimePanda]

Daniel Faraday, overweight.

[ohlordbabyjesus]

Great musician but his hair and facial expressions just scream, "douche bag." 

[AnhDiemVu]

When Yuja Wang plays this piece, I see her fingers and I think "how difficult this piece must be". When Davide plays, I don't think---I feel and I get lost in his interpretation. This is a GREAT pianist

[nikjoevid]

@AnhDiemVu I think Yuja Wang has more of stravinsky's interpretation in mind, which is what i prefer. with pieces such as petrushka, which were made to tell a story in a specific fashion, i disagree with personal interpretation. Yuja Wang emphasizes points that occur in the ballet and I feel they are hidden with this performance. plus, at the end of the first movement, when he does the accents, it doesn't sound like interpretation, it sounds like he forgot where his fingers go for the chord.

[rovj666]

@nikjoevid Really i dont like her interpretation!! she is so fast that she loose the rythm and the original idea!!

[nikjoevid]

@rovj666 have you heard the original idea? because she plays it to a tee. Petrushka was a ballet and at this point in the ballet there are three dolls, a Moor, a Ballerina, and a Clown (Petrouchka) that have come to life and are dancing to entertain an audience. It is supposed to be fast and energetic! Don't tell me Yuja Wang lost the rhythm, when Davide Cabassi clearly losses throughout the piece with his bad taste on pianist expression, but none more than starting at 2:31.

[rovj666]

@nikjoevid yes i did, and i prefer the horowits interpretation!!

[nikjoevid]

@rovj666 And I prefer the correct representation of the work, which is not presented in this performance by Davide Cabassi

[coldshovel2010]

While I know there are others out there that can play this, this is the one that just changed my life.

HAIL Stravinsky

[utki17]

who the fuck disliked this video ?

[shrinandan]

This fellow is an accomplished performer!

I am impressed.

[DJPsionix]

anyone who prefer yuja wang's version is a robot

[shrinandan]

@DJPsionix

You are a pretentious doofus!

I like her rendition.

[DJPsionix]

@shrinandan I certainly have been called pretentious in the past and make no apology for having better taste... XD

[evifnoskcaj]

@DJPsionix I actually agree. His version has much more thought, musical depth, and personality than hers does.

[tayenpayaka]

sloppy

[goodguysdoll]

LOSE THE HISTRIONIC THEATRICAL MOVEMENTS. They will get you nowhere. It only shows that you have a high regard for yourself, and little for the composer. This guy fits the Lang Lang (Gang Bang) mold, although nowhere near as bad. Too bad.

[earthenvessels]

@goodguysdoll

is it so wrong to show that you enjoy playing? would you rather have pianists maintain blank expressions throughout?

[AzuNyan319]

@earthenvessels i agree with you, i play because i enjoy playing the piano, but there are times that we should face music seriously, well, btw, why is the comments pane turning to nodame's lines?? xD

[physphilmusic]

@goodguysdoll I hate people who can't tolerate facial expressions. Lang Lang is a bit over, yes, almost like a Chinese opera character, but most of the guys out there aren't. This guy is fine. Who are you to restrict how we enjoy our playing? You think people do it for the sake of merely impressing others? Van Cliburn himself did a bit of "theatrics" - just look at his 1962 clip. You can't expect everyone to be a Rachmaninov.

[TiahGothGirl96]

this is very good but i think i prefere yuja wangs one better lol no offense... type in the search thingy yuja wang stravinsky patrushka :)

[martimtavares]

everyone should listen to pollini's performance of this. he recorded it do DG in the 70's and I think it remains unsurpassed till nowadays. great performance by cabassi, but I sense a lack of organization sometimes tough

[nojstradamus]

i've dreamt about those hands

[h4x3dby1337]

Argh! Russian dance is so hard! I'm almost mad at him for making it seem so easy.

[abbia88]

4 1/2 stars... :D

[bcard123]

great performance.

what i love about davide cabassi is he looks like he is having fun playing. just look at his expressions as hes playing. it just makes it sound better. he adds passion to the brilliant piece.

[thelastmusician]

Simply fantastic!!! This is the first time I listen to this Pianist and I'm VERY impressed of his performance.

[dark13rene]

wuooooo sugoeeeeee I love to music

[pianofx180]

Davide Cabassi.....best Petrushka player

[mario54671]

I think the guy's a bit overrated, if I just heard him without the video, I would think a robot is playing, not as bad as Lang Lang, but this guy's movements are just too unnecessary, and when he performs, he makes all these movements, take away the movements, and then it's just dull.

[utki17]

@mario54671 movements are for transfer of weight, it makes the playing effortless and fingers relaxed

[mario54671]

No...it makes no difference in the sound. The fingers are still playing the same. It's easier to tell when you're not looking the video, and you're just listening to it. That's why I don't like listening to pianists like Lang Lang, because without the crazy theatrics, he's nothing. I mean, if you REALLY needed these crazy theatrics, why is it that Richter, Rubinstein and Horowitz didn't make crazy movements? Because they were able to move the audience with their playing.

[h4x3dby1337]

Maybe it doesn't make a whole lot of difference in the sound, but moving to transfer weight is very natural. I'm not professional, but if you watch my videos, I do a lot of moving (I'm probably going to mess up my back one of these days...) unintentionally - it's certainly not theatrics. While I agree that some pianists like Lang Lang tend to exaggerate these things, perhaps Richter, Rubinstein, and Horowitz had a better command over the sound than us mortals can comprehend.

[mario54671]

Unintentionally is different. I sometimes do the same thing, I sometimes move my head or body without knowing it, unless somebody videotapes it and shows me. I agree, that's not theatrics. But it makes no difference in sound. You can easily tell this guy's doing it intentionally for theatrics. Richter sometimes moves his body, and that's unintentional, OCCASIONALLY Horowitz and Rubinstein do, too. That's different. The guy in this video's doing the Lang Lang type.

[mrmolinodelahoz]

Mr. Cabasssi is one of the greatest musicians I have ever heard playing some of the most difficult piano music ever written with enthusiam, joy, and high spirits. All that talent and a handsome man too...................

[pianofx180]

Sheets.....please

[pianofx180]

Please....somebody ..know where get the sheets answer

[pianofx180]

FRom Ecuador : viva Petrushka

[angelgirl0628]

How does he play that CRASH CRASH sound at 2:32? ahaha it sounds so cool!!!

[Lennythewinner]

Forte staccato with the sustain pedal and 'hitting' at the keys with a 'recoil', I guess.

[scriabinwasmydad]

I was present at this performance, and it didn't quite do it for me neither. Weissenberg's interpretation has been ingrained in my memory. xD

[victorswiftmusician]

brilliant!

[NathanaelSaintCyr]

I know it looks and sounds impressive... but if you want to hear an ACTUAL performance of this piece listen to G. Sokolov... This performance doesn't come close to doing anything for me... I'm a fan of this pianist... but he doesn't have the chops for Petruska...

[demosj]

I agree. I'm really glad he has warmth, sincerity and everything, but the tempo slags at the Shrovetide affair and overall it's not a great performance. Compare the Russian Danse to Horowitz's recording or Gilel's, and Cabassi cannot compare.

[tampaedski]

Wow...been getting back into playing the piano and I've recently gotten through (very poorly) Debussy's "L'Isle Joyeux"...took this out the other day and it makes the Debussy look like "Skip To My Lou". I probably don't have enough days in my life to make this one sound goood, but I'll have a lot of fun trying! And none of friends and family will realize just how poor my rendition will be! Buwahahahaha! I'll sound like a piano God to them! (dreaming just a little)

[skryabyn]

doesnt 1:10 remind you so much of Prokofiev young juliet???

[stuffupthecracks]

Ah luvs me some Stravinsky!

[thepianist213]

He smiles as he is playing with Hot Wheels!

[cbfoto]

Stravinsky dedicated this suite to Arthur Rubenstein, who never performed or recorded it. Great pianist that he was, I suspect it was too hard for him.

[rihnem]

He performed it often, but did not record it. I don't know if any piece was too hard for him.

[Hervinbalfour]

I read that Anton Rubinstein actually didn't record it or even play it because supposedley he didn't feel his left hand technique was good enough to play it.

[3cplantin]

You're right about him not recording it, but Rubinstein did play it in some live concerts, including some in New York in 1961.

[RaduThePianist]

@Hervinbalfour Anton Rubinstein wasn't alive when this piece was composed in 1921.. I think ur mixing him up with Arthur :)

[Hervinbalfour]

@RaduThePianist Yes You are right!

[RaduThePianist]

@Hervinbalfour Anton Rubinstein was already dead when this piece was composed.. Ur probably mixing him up with Arthur?

[gutman88]

grande artista

[bagdad4]

phenomenal! this is so hard to play ive given up....love the little smiles he does makes it much more fun

[pianosinger55]

This performnace is just magnifo. sensible, yet exotic A GIGANTIC well done though to this performance. the opening chords are so precise and exact oh how i wish i could play like this. As for competitions, they are very important in music career in order to play your best. It is also to learn from other people's playing. if one blanks out the importance to win and plays for own benefit, then he or she shall win no matter what result

[davis1337]

competitions are for horses not for musicians.

well done though.

[ohakkila]

you're obviously not a professional musician and have no idea regarding the importance of competitions to a professional solo career

[davis1337]

that was bartok who said that. and even if it is important (which I know), competitions are still for horses.

[jamesaellis]

better as full orchetra

[strikerdisc]

this piece is such a bitch to play....i swear...

[dalecampbl5]

@strikerdisc it sounds ridiculously tough

[meowkie]

@strikerdisc Agreed!! It makes your wrists hurt just to think about it :/

[GreggaryPeccary]

I hate how he does ritardando on the 8th notes, and those silly accents! Can be played better

[neoclasicofo]

stravinky corazonn

[flic71]

cioè dopo aver sentito Petrushka ti amo

[chuckyAK]

OMG....i can do that duh!! its like soo easy!! :D

[crzy4lotr]

well id like to hear u try.......u probably cant XD u probably havent even seen the score so u dont kno how hard this guy practiced to get it to sound like this, w/ all the perfect notes and good dynamics. this piece is also known as a good piece to play for competitions cuz it shows off how fast u can play and how well u can express urself. overall, its a really really really difficult piece to make sound good

[chuckyAK]

lol...i was just being sarcastic, i totally agree with what you said it is harder than it sounds :)

Forgive my sarcasm..i do it all the time! :D