Frederic Chopin - Waltz Op. 64 No. 2 - Sergey Rachmaninov

[xMuyLoca]

great:)

[xAnonymousss]

not the best recording, but the fast passages perfectly fit my taste.

[monicamz1957]

He will always be the best, so neat and clear interpretation.

[katsusiekatrockbutt]

this is an amazing song. I'm just starting it now. I really love it :)

[dussekfan]

Rachy is so cool. I love his music, too, but not as much as Chopin's music. :D But they're both cool :) Yaaaay Rachyyy!!

[VarjuanV]

What a masterpiece played by a master

[combine2]

Everyone should know that Rachmaninov (ninoff) is the boss of piano.

If Piano's could talk they would say they were made for him and him only.

[mikopiano]

Ohh its great... Rachmaninov got his own sound, U can hear it when he plays his own pieces, and when he plays Chopin... its amazing - u hear first notes and "YES! IT MUST BE RACHMANINOV!"

[rwilling]

interesting interpretation

[lhmran]

: O

I have this video in my favorites for over a month and I just discovered the Easter Egg today!

[Nutterbutterz95]

This says he was a Russian composer, and while Poland may have been ruled by Russia, I think it's more accurate to attribute this guy his Polish descent. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[gerhold101]

Read it carefully - the "Russian composer" refers to Rakhmaninoff not Chopin

[LLawliet18]

honestly, some people write the most irrelavent comments, except appraising such a great classical composer such as the great master chopin.

[kkjeannechan]

I WANT HIS HANDS! I can only take 9 whites :(

I can also play this song, btw. It's very beautiful.

[namenottaken0]

YOU CAN TAKE 9 WHITES AT ONCE!?!?! holy shit!! I can only take one white but my friend can take TWO BLACKS!!

[bubbles02010]

@namenottaken0 what do you mean by taking 9 whites or 2 blacks?

[jordancts]

I can take only 10 whites,

I also want his hands too.^^

[Elleira92]

I quite like the way he interprets this! The rubato sounds great, and it's seems very passionate and emotional, just like how Romantic music should be!

Chopin wrote great music, and Rachmaninov obviously performs it well. Really well. Quite brilliantly really. In my opinion.

[braydonthepirate]

I like the gradual smile.

[mark9203]

13 keys with 1 hand??? i have "11white-keys hand" but it's the biggest among my friends....:)

[mozarrowitz]

I've heard that Rachmaninoff got 14white-keys hand, which nearly covers two octachords........ Is this true??

[Imxtoeknee]

very true. i think it was 13 keys, but still a great span. he was believed to have marfan's syndrome which causes your bones to elongate. he stood at about 6'5 i think. hope this helps!

liszt was only 6'1 but also had a 13 key span =P

[govance0000]

i don't like the 00:09 part, it's a bit too fast and too sharp. it should be smooth... but who am I to judge :)

[andrew49247]

why should it be smooth?

[govance0000]

@andrew49247 not quite smooth but a bit... dunno, i think it's played too separately. i can't find the right word

[andrew49247]

I see what you're referring to in the piece, though I'm assuming that's just Rachmaninov's interpretation of the piece (so he must have preferred it that way).

[govance0000]

yeah :) u got it :)

[gerhold101]

He introduces tempi changes to break up the 'smoothness'. It causes the audience to refresh their attention but there's an artistic attempt here - it's rather like a stream flowing down an uneven course - it's erratic movement draws attention - so with this waltz.. It could be interpretation or composer's intention. Rakh was the amongst the first artists to treat the composer's score as sacrosanct.

[govance0000]

well, i don't like it... but it's only my opinion.

[bunnyoneedge]

He used the mute when play the section B, which I find not very effective to pianissimo or piano the music. It's a mere emotionless instrumental tool, the key is adjusting the dynamics.

[kedonsiemen]

wonderful! so accurately played, the notes are sparkling.

[Ostaphigeli]

Rachmaninoff is ONE OF THE BEST composers/performers, but to appreciate him one might need a bit more sophisticated / experienced level of music knowledge.

As for his interpretation, it is not fast at all. Even though the middle part might seem a bit faster, it is well balanced by a slower execution of the 1st part. In fact, quite a few pianists tend to play the 1st part much faster than this, which might not be what Chopin intended ( but discussing this needs much more time and space than this

[LAMIAAFRICA]

i don't want to judge anything,i'm not in condition;but this execution sounds too fast,and this speed loose all the passion infused in the velocity increasing passage.

[angelinamontgomery]

I am tired of hearing negative comments about composers. If you guys sit back and think how difficult it is to play the piano? then you would realize how difficult it is to compose and perform the piece. These composers are no longer alive but their names and music live in the hearts of many.... do you think people will remember you after a century? Give some credit and appreciate music that is a gift from G-d.

[anticatss]

you ridiculous jew, GOD is not going to spank you in the butt for mentioning his name,

so fucking childish

GOD GOD GOD GOD GOD

RIDICULOUS!!

[Rubiksfanatic1]

and stepping on a CRACK is not GOING to BREAK YOU MOTHER'S ****ING BACK!

(steps on a crack in the sidewalk 4 times)

RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

if you really think god is such a myth why must you get so angered over it

and how do you know he's a jew, perhaps it was a typo?

seriously, your going to offend people

[Memphis35]

Satan is here...

[Caimille]

My god,people! Just stop comparing talents to each other and listen to their music.

[HawaiianTropicZone]

You have got to be joking. Did you compare Chopin to manure, and his music disorderly? Do you even know music? If you cant play them well, particularly his infamous C minor and F# pieces, then its disorderly.

Rach is by no means the best pianist/composer ever lived. If I print a poster and walk two blocks to Julliard and ask people to sign their names if they think hes the best, there might be two that would sign, assuming I might not even walk out of there alive for saying this.

[Darkhalo121]

You know HTZ, it was really know point at giving recognition to that comment. I mean really, really. It's one thing for someone to argue on Rach's behalf..(who I admire as an amazing composer and pianist)..it's another thing however to have no true way to defend your point..(WS302)..so the only thing you can do is slander the name of another great composer..(Chopin who's music I absolutely love, not all of it, but enough). That comment was pure ignorance, and if the music was really crap...

[Darkhalo121]

*cont*

if the music was really crap then Rach would never have played it, or been recorded playing it, or play it as divinely in person as he did, as my late teacher who saw him live informed me so spiritedly one day. "Chopin is crap"...pure ignorance.

[HawaiianTropicZone]

Well said my friend. I also would like to say I LOVE Rach. Funny, as a child I never liked him too much not until the day I moved into my college freshman dorm and found a CD labeled along the line of Frozen in time, digitally remastered from piano roll to bring back the true essence of the master himself That was years ago, and I have loved his piano ever since.

[HawaiianTropicZone]

I was told once that his piano concerto #2 has driven a few famous pianists to insanity and back. Who else hold that record? Yet, comparing to all the greats before him Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Liszt, Chopin, Schumann, Debussy, Paganini, so on and so forth I can say with much certainty not many classically trained musicians will put Rachmaninoff as #1, if even in top ten.

Rach is truly a genius and great, but just not #1-in-history great.

[EneasHeroeTroyano]

Well. If debussy can play this waltz better than Rachmaninoff, I'd like to listen to him.

Rachmaninoff was a great performer and also a great composer. But all the same, opinions in music are merely subjective. And finally, why somebody that doesn't like a video would feel compelled to comment on it? Let's stop fighting and enjoy music...

[billyguns2]

Rosenthal captures the spirit of Chopin in this composition better than anyone. I'm afraid this is just pianistic showing off, which trivializes the piece.

[bookguy12000]

rcm is a joke.

[huangtonsoup]

Did anybody notice that Rachmaninov slowly curves the corners of his mouth upwards into a smile in the portrait as the song progresses?

[pinkanimesmiles]

omg i saw that! so cool!!! :)

[shaylahill455]

woah, thanks for pointing that out, I never would have noticed it otherwise !

[77orchidjim]

...and nose and eye corner, too.

[Maxven]

Thanks for posting what I presume is Rachmaninov's interpretation of Chopin's Waltz Op. 64 No. 2.

I'm a huge fan of Rachmaninov and Chopin (and I can't help but mention Scriabin in the same sentence).

I love listening to recordings of the masters playing themselves.

However, no matter how fast, precise, and eloquently this performance is, had I not known it was Rach playing I would have given it some harsh comments along the way.

[Maxven]

I play this piece and it's not as difficult as it may sound. Hence, there's no bravour in just playing it fast.

What I'm trying to say, is that I've heard performances that I prefer over Rach's. Ones that capture the subtilty of this piece.

I've heard Rach play others' compositions with great empathy but in my opinion he didn't capture the soul of this one.

Critiquing is easy, and it's always subjective. I'm just adding my 2 cents, but still rating it 5 stars.

[huangtonsoup]

Can you name some examples of other renditions better than this? I would like to hear them.

[debussy84]

Oh lord, give it a rest. Why can't Rach's fans admit that he's not the greatest pianist who ever walked the planet. All his chopin interpretation are absoluate SHIT!, confirming the obvious, he's a joke compared to Chopin. If this video was entitled "some guy playing chopin" people would be honest! Its not good, you would fail the RCM exam!!!

[huangtonsoup]

No, I was being serious. I actually want to hear a better rendition than this, because I'm beginning to learn this piece. I'm not really a Rachmaninov fan, but I do like some of this music. Can you provide any references?

[debussy84]

Rubenstien's link to the side of the page is great

[debussy84]

I played this for my grade 9 RCM exam actually, lol

[huangtonsoup]

Really? How many grades are there in RCM?

[WalterSullivan302]

To debussy84 : Chopin is really shit. His music is disorderly. Maybe you russia-phob? ))

P.S. Rach is best

[VikingBerserker]

Great post. by the way your title is off. It says "etude" instead of "waltz".

[f1f1s]

Thanks.

[n64wilbert]

@f1f1s Spatular!!! Thank you for implementing this video!!!

[sagalat]

Elegant precision, little affectation.  This guy's gonna make it!

[blankpianist]

really? will rachmaninhoff really be able to be good enough for you? I am sooooo hoping there was sarcasm in that entire line of writing you wrote.