Added: 5 years ago
From: thepolonaise
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  • He is goooooood.. :)

  • 20:40 thought a barbarian yelled at rafael =\

  • Perfekcja nad Perfekcją , Niewyobrażalny Talent który sie zdaża raz na milion lat . J

  • Rafal is one of my favorite pianist. I went to his recital in Madrid this year. And let me tell you that I discovered a new pianist, a russian one, his name is Alexander Lubyantsev. He is competing now in Moscu (Tchaikovsky Competition 2011). He is extraordinary, watch and listen his interpretations...Support and disseminate new talent, they deserve it.

  • @gonzalojosevb just checked out Lubyantsev and wanted to say wow!!thanks for telling about him he's really great!I still prefer Rafal's chopin though,but Lubyantsev plays like nobody's business :-)

  • @nousernamewhatsoever Both are extraordinaries pianist. They are very young and they have a wonderful future with our support.

  • Chopin rocks!

  • Amazing peformance!

  • Polonez zaczyna sie w 13:54 min

  • Waltz in C-sharp minor, Op. 64 No. 2 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3. 5 hearts instead of 5 stars.

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  • thanky for the explanations , I always mix the names up :P although heard them thousands of times :)

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  • all i wanna hear them say is "Vi sitter här i venten och spelar lite DotA "

  • Rafał plays way that's hard to define .......the key is that he's one of us , truly Polish understanding history of our country ,which he's brushing with the piano ....no doubt he feels same emotions as Chopin

  • Well, from the ratings of this video, it looks like 20 people were eliminated from the competition! Blechacz is awesome.

  • God...?!? Hard work, lots of it + genetics, that's what is takes. If you thank "God" for this pianist's talent, for beauty in nature or music, then you should also thank God for giving AIDS to babies in Africa. There's no difference in your rotten logic.

  • 19 people watched this and got jealous.

  • Wow what a performance, perfect..

  • How does he play the minute waltz so awesomely good? It's like he's touching the keys...does he use a soft pedal?

  • I would learn to speak Polish just so I could go to this competition.

  • @AuppaWappa

    you think the Chopin would sound better if you knew Polish?

  • Dear Rafal Blechacz,

    Chopin is my first great love. You are my second.

    Pjotr.

  • @Peterbark6 Dear Peter,

    In polish Peter is Piotr ;] You will know for future, sorry for my english. I hope that you understand what I try to say ;D

  • @emokillla: you are just as rude and stupid as 1023george! Tuxdcat was using rafal's playing as an example of what he would have like to have accomplished when tuxdcat was 8. He's not meaning it literally. Comprehension is sorely lacking in you. Tuxdcat at eight wished he could have been a virtuoso pianist. He used rafal as an example of a virtuoso pianist. You should grow up! Stop insulting people as a result of your ineptness!!!!

  • @1023george: you obviously lack skills in comprehension. Tuxdcat was not saying he literally wanted to play like rafal. He wished at the age of eight he could have mastered the piano as well as rafal has today. He was anaologising. You took it far to literally. Then, because of your stupidity, you insult a gentleman who was simply making a passing comment. You should be ashamed!

  • Piękne video

  • Polish soul

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  • @TheLittlegrenade rafal is the only one who won all the categories of the competition, ever. plus, judges considered that he outperformed so much all the other contestants that they didn't give a second prize that year. you may like yundi li playing more, but you can't say he is way better than rafal.

  • very nice ...

  • Thanks...Best Chopin interpreter

  • How'd you get a video up that was longer than ten minutes?

  • This "polish guy" talking in 26:35 is Bogusław Kaczyński - polish publicist, journalist and musician. He often is a commentator of TV broadcast of important music events in polish TV e.g. the New Year's Concert in Vienna.

  • Rafał Blechacz, will you marry me? XD

  • I just realized that he plays the Minute Vals in a way that no other pianist can. his performance of it is so light, fast and yet so charming and sensitive.

  • I never forget they are trying to approach to what Chopin meant in every interpretation I hear.

  • ambrosia for the ears!

  • fenomenalnie gra!!!!

  • i do agree that this is no near played as intended, even though Rafal can obviously play!

  • I listened to this guy last tuesday. I'm very lucky ;)

  • Brawo Rafał!!!!!!!

  • wow.this is brill playing.He made the Mazurka more interesting than I usually care .He won all da categories in performances.How often has that happened.sonata and mazurka and concerto parts.5 years later is the charisma there and have audiences taken him in?this is fabulous directand rytmic mazurkas.Profiled and characterized masterfully at only age 20.I knew his f major etude was something but these 2 maz are great1

  • We talk about Blechacz, Rubenstein, Argerich, Pollini, Ashkenazy and all the others. But we forget Chopin in all this. No Chopin, no party.

  • how can you say we forget Chopin when we constantly honor him by playing his work?

  • @iampauleybaby

    useless comment man

  • @v4liumfrance

    Oddly, the most useless and least relevant comments have a tendency to be the ones highest rated.

  • @iampauleybaby Don't forget JS Bach, Bartolomeo Cristofori, Apollo, and Steve Chen, Chad Hurley and Jawed Karim. And Al Gore.

  • Your opinion of the performance says more about you then anything else. I would say it marks a sad moment in the history of your life if you sat through that and could only summarize it as 'awful'.

  • @emilovius

    what u call "typewriter" i call it technic, and "with emotions" i would call it "an artist"

    so, instead of "a typewriter with emotions" it would be "a great artist with a great technic"

  • Why does he leave the stage so often? Is it to hydrate?

  • On October 21, 2005, he became the sole recipient of all five first prizes at the 15th International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, taking First Prize and the polonaise, mazurka, sonata, and concerto prizes. According to ABC News, one of the judges, Professor Piotr Paleczny, said that Blechacz "so outclassed the remaining finalists that no second prize could actually be awarded."

    (wikipedia). He must be good to win all 5 first prizes. Hope there was no unfair bias??

  • everytime when I listen to his performance, especially how he plays the waltz opus 64 no 2 and Polonaise in A flat Op.53 "Heroic", I'm almost crying. There are so many feelings expressed in his performances.

  • in my opinion he's the best piano player of our time. no one else does feel and play Chopin's music in such a wonderful way. The fact that he played this way at the age of 20 means a lot. I adore his personality too.there are very few such talented people like him.

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  • After hearing him playing Polonaise and Preludes, I have to change my opinion of him. His playing of Polonaise is second only to Rubinstein. I have never heard pianists who play so well, with so much emotions., Maybe he has been through much in life, with some heartaches. I cannot bring myself to listen to his preludes, there is a strong touch of melancholy. Great pianist in 10 years time, he will be. Hope that he has a great future.

  • His playing is better than Martha Argerich. He is really a rare star in the making! Hope that he will maintain his stamina and carve a name in the cut-throat music industry. He can be the next Horowitz or Rubinstein. He is so young! Have a great future ahead! Look forward to him debuting in Carnegie Hall. Can you tell me how is his latest CD? One reviewer loves it and gave it 5 stars.

  • This guys playing is fantastic; however, the editing is making me sick! They wont show his hand for more than 2 seconds and the jumping around of camera angels is nauseating!

  • The best interpretation ever done. Amazing!!

  • He seems to be so nice and modest. As if he himself wouldn't be aware of his talent.....cute^^

  • A few years back whilst working on a boat, in dry dock,,, I was staying at a shitty hotel and chanced upon a documentary on this guy, the first Polish person to win in 35 years,, when reporters asked him for an interview after round 1, he replied that he had to get home to milk cows and do chores,,, fuckin eh!

    Never judge us blue collars as in-un-educated eh? Not that you did but this guy is an endless recommendation on Youtube to friends.

  • This guy really is a cut above all the other "brilliant young pianists" out there--who can play for hours without missing a single note, but who seem unable to actually create emotional and artistic expression.

  • When I was 8 my dream was to be able to play like Rafal. I am 61. I'm glad his dream came true. I'm glad he won...he is a wonderful pianist. God bless him and his God-given gift. May he use his gift to bring great joy to all people who love Chopin. God bless you Rafal! Thank you for the joy you have given me.

  • @tuxdcat Please correct me if I am wrong, but if you were 61 when you posted this 9 months ago, and when you were 8 you dreamed to play like Rafal, that means you dreamed to play like Rafal 29 years before Rafal was born! Didn't really think that one through now did you?!!

  • @1023george What in the hell are you talking about

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  • @zach99998 I was reffering to the comment made by tuxdcat on the 'highest rated comments' section.

  • @1023george Leave the old man alone!!!

  • @zach99998

    For an old man, he sure likes his gay porn.

  • @tuxdcat

    I'd like to point out that Rafal was born in '85.

    If you're 61, you must have Alzheimer's.

  • @EmoKillla I'm 62.

  • @tuxdcat when you were 8, Rafal's father was not even able to walk yet...

  • @An2quamaraN

    He meant to be able to play as good as him. Silly you!

  • @tuxdcat

    I think you have your years mixed up there, Rafal is only 25.

  • @tuxdcat If you're 61, when you were 8, Rafal didn't exist.

  • @nitrocan He meant to write "Since" instead of "When"...

  • @Zimakaku Still doesn't make any sense wanting to play like someone that doesn't exist.

  • @nitrocan Are you trolling me? He wish he had the skills Rafal has now since he was 8, even though he did not exist....it does make sense, just use your brain a little.

    He is not saying that he specifically wants his skill.

    He is talking about skill as if it can be measured, and Rafal has lots of it while he has less.....understand?

    If you do change the "When" to "Since" it makes perfect sense

  • @Zimakaku No it doesn't make sense. If he said he wanted to play at a level that Rafal is at, it would have. Saying that he wanted to play like Rafal since he was 8 means that he knew what Rafal's style of playing was. That doesn't make any sense.

  • that c + mazurka is a crazy piece i tried it

  • not "some polish guy", cause it is our best Kaczynski :D

  • A truly incredible musician.

  • Blechacz is exceptional!!! I was playing (in orchester) with him in Philharmonic in Lodz in Poland. Hi is the most modest artist I meet in my life! Hi play divinely!!!

  • Rafal Blechacz is a freakin' beast! O.O

  • Sorry, I don't understand! Could you explain???

  • I mean he is an extremely talented piano player. ;-)

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  • sweet

  • oh my god can someone tell me how the octaves in the polonaise is possible with THAT speed. unbelievable.

  • u mean chords right?

  • excellent pedalling.

  • modernist interpretation

  • he is very good but still need to work hard...

    i like him better than yundi li...

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  • What a talent!

  • this guy is amazing, i have his complete preludes cd that was released a few years ago. Incredible stuff!

  • He explains why second prize was not awarded during the 2005 competition!!!

    His interpretation of Polonaise Op.53 Heroic and Waltz Op. 64 No.2 some of the best versions I have heard!

    For Polonaise Op. 53 Heroic, Horowitz's was very elegant and Argerich's was very powerful and passionate, Blechaz stands in between and I love it.

    Thanks for sharing

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  • GREAT!

    But really soft...

    Still nice...

  • Great ;) I`ve seen him live.

  • I'm jealous- lucky you!

  • just saw him in Euromaxx now

  • the real style of chopin ~unbelieveable

  • Beautiful!

    Incredible performance and touch from a wonderful musician from a Wonderful Country!

  • Blechacz makes the Heroic Polonaise sound like "no sweat"! Anyone who can play Chopin like this has a special place in my heart eternally.

  • Polish style :)

    Blechacz- national prescious

  • I hate it when the cameramen get too creative for classical videos, especially during the polonaise

  • I think the editor was drinking at the time...

  • That's the theory that's most popular so far :P

  • and what a handsome man (:

  • amazing!

  • this is neither russian nor german school he studies in Bydgoszcz Music Academy in Poland

  • this performance of heroique polonaise is better than what he did during the competition. i think it's because he is freer with the rubato not having to worry about critics. plus, he won already, now its time to show off

  • Chopin just answered Lizt, no more no less!!!

  • The heroic polonaise was absolutely absurd... he knows how to make so may different sounds at 17 05, he goes from playing big heavy beautiful chords to almost make it sound like someone was runnung

  • "it sound like someone was runnung" form me this sound reminds "horse gallop"

  • Chopin is from poland, is polish. His name is French, becouse his dad is French. His love polish and hear in his music.

  • His name (Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin) is Polish isn't it? As far as I'm aware he began using the French version of his name when e moved to France.

  • Chopin's name was French, his nationality, Polish, his music, his own ... his appeal -- universal. Let's not use Chopin's greatness to validate our own agendas.

  • He is very good because the russian way of teaching is that you would work on techneick for many years no music pieces until later

  • no, actually that´s the german school, the russian focuses on making music since the begining

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  • Nobody really cares where he was from, except for the Polish and the French. I, being Polish, will always argue that Chopin was Polish. For example, we erected a statue of Chopin in the Singapore Botanical Gardens and at the opening brouchures were given out, extensively explaining Chopin's Polish origin. Chopin is one of the greatest composers in history and he was Polish, thus us Poles feel proud to count him as one of us.

  • Man, I really dont like the Steinway in the middle register. It's great at the top and bottom though.

    And beautiful playing of course, love Chopin.

  • Is it this particular Steinway to which you refer?

  • Well yes, but to be honest they're not my favorite pianos. They're great status symbols.. but give me a Kawai any day.

  • yes!

  • gorgous interpretations!but he must insert one nocturne, one ballade, one prelude and one etude at least!

  • I agree.

    Ballade No. 4, Etude Op. 10- No. 4, Nocturne Op. 9- No. 2 & Prelude No. 6 preferably.

    4 Mazurkas in a half hour set is too many IMHO- it takes up half the time!

  • Ballade no.4, etudes op.25 no.11 & 12, preludes 16 & 24 op.28, Rondo Krakowiak op.14, Fantaisie on polish airs op.13, Variations on La Ci Darem La Mano op.2, trio op.8, sonate for cello & piano op.65 and sonate op.4 for me 8-)

  • Without Chopin, Poland wouldn't have become so famous. His influence in piano music is overwhelming.

  • He's from Poland? lol.. no offense but I thought he was French. Good for Poland.

  • As his surname suggests, his Dad was French. But his Mum was Polish, Frederic was born there and moved to France (Paris) aged 20 and eventually became a French citizen.

    So basically he is half Polish and half French & spent almost exactly half his life in either country!

  • Considering, that his father came to Poland when he was 16, fought in the Polish national uprisings, raised his children as polish citizens, did not return to France, I'd say he felt quite at home in Poland. Knowing letters etc by Chopin and his music, so inspired by the slavic sense of melody, he's very polish.

  • Ja, but then if you spend half your life in a different country, there's no way the culture wont rub off on you even if you're a recluse.

    Plus, his ancestory is French sretching back a fair number of generations i suspect, so the French have a right claiming he is 1 of their own considering the family name stretchs back for generations in France & his dad would've been raised as a Frenchman by HIS dad.

    The Mazurka & Polonaise are Polish forms, but then the Ballade is very much French.....

  • Of course it's not about silly arguign "he's 100 perc. polish", don't get me wrong, he clearly felt quite at home in France as well :) But it just irritates me when people try to say he's French, just because they hear he has a French surname and because he had to flee to France, like so many Polish Emigrants after 1831.

  • .....so the French influence is evident.

    I compare it to Handel- is he German or English?

    Here we consider him English since he spent the majority of his adult life over here playing to our audiences, although George I was German-born(saxon though).

    You just can't live in a country half your life & have it not rub off on you. Chopin's use of "Ballade" as a form proves that IMO but then it's arugable the upbringing determines who you are so there's definitely a strong Polish influence there.

  • The comparison with Handel/England is a bit out of place:Handel chose to move to London; whilst Chopin was what today would be defined a political refugee. The use of the term "Ballade" is certainly not a good example to proof the influence of France on him. Does the fact that he wrote Nocturnes, make him an Irish? And don't forget that the ballades were inspired by Adam Mickiewicz' poetry! Chopin could never go back to Poland, invaded by the Russians.

  • He may not have chosen to leave Poland, but he chose to move to France out of all the other countries.

    A Nocturne isn't an Irish form- it's just a piece inspired by nightime whereas Chopin almost certainly called the pieces "Ballades" after the French poetic form.

    I very much doubt someone into the arts living in France never read any 15th century poetry (especially since he was into poetry).

    Why not give them Polish titles instead of French if France had no influence on his work?

  • BTW he first chose to move to Vienna and spent there some years until it became a hostile environment. The title Ballade does not necessary come from the French 15th century poetry, but most likely from the ballades of Goethe. Chopin and all the romantics (especially his dear friend Liszt,who worte the Faust Symphony, the Mephisto Valses etc) were heavily influenced by the writings of Goethe. Mendelssohn (also friend of Chopin) even orchestrated a goethe ballade! (continued)

  • Paris had an influence Chopin in terms of access to the European Intelligentia, but French music (not at its prime yet) certainly did not influence Chopin, while the Polish Mazurkas certainly did. As I said, Chopin's Ballades, apparently, were inspired by the Polish patriotic poetry of Mickiewicz. FYI, since you dismissed my comment on the origin of the nocturnes, as a musical form, they were invented by the Irish composer John Field and Chopin got across his work. Cheers

  • chopin was inspired by john field the irishman in his nocturnes, they are of a similar vein

  • I thought Chopin moved to france when he was 17, and never returned to Poland again afterwards?

  • That's because he couldn't.

    It doesn't help the cause of the "Polish" supporters that Chopin was buried in France.

  • But his heart was returned to Poland (Holy Cross Church in Warsaw) on his wishes...

  • Chopin moved to France in 1831, when he was 21 years old, and saw his parents for the last time when he was 23, from 1831 to 1849 never saw Poland again in his life....

  • because Poland was not on the map and was being partitioned between Austria, Prussia and Russia. Thus Chopin's Revolutionary Etude - he intended to arouse the spirit of revolution within the nobility of Poland to fight the invaders. He could not live in Poland because there was no Poland to live in.

  • the polish language is really pretty haha.

    i love Rafal Blechacz. my favorite. i love how he has light fingers.

  • the polish language isn't pretty??!

  • Chopin was Pole, Rafał is Pole, he is a new Chopin. His music catches my soul...

    I'm so proud of being Pole...

    nina

  • are you liveing in england?most of the poles are these days

  • Hahaha well i'm also polish and I don't build I have a nice office job and know polish doctors photographers and scientists...so not every pole is working on the building site...I guess if you're good in what you do you can be anything you want anywhere you want..

  • I listened to him without watching him, and his sound is so good, oh my god.

  • Hey, how was a 35-minute video loaded onto YouTube? I thought the limit was 10 minutes?

    Incredible performances, all of them.

  • his fingers seem surprisingly stiff..im not used to seeing this kind of technique..very well played!

  • I don't get it, what's with the hair? most of the pianists have those bushy hair-does... what for? they don't use them for headbanging then why? Do they wanna also LOOK like Chopin?