Shostakovich plays Piano Concerto No 2 II. Andante (1958)

[RazorWind421]

Shostakovitch wrote this piece for an audition of his son, pianist like his father.

It's one of the most serious work he's ever made.

It's not sad, it's careful, like a father to his son.

He could write any thoughts a human beeing can have, but he was the best in Irony..

[largolegato]

often heard the main theme from radio when I was a kid, and fell in love immiately. Been always wondering which piece it is.

[largolegato]

Thousands of words can't express how much I love, and respect you, Mr. Shostakovich.

[SamuelConcepcion]

I like the lyrical passage very much .... although it makes me feel sad.....

[ThePWTULN]

Absolutely beautiful!

[bronxboy47]

This entire work was choreographed and performed by the Dance Theater Of Harlem many years ago; and this movement was used to devastating effect in Rainer Werner Fassbinder's "Fox And His Friends". Such ineffable eloquence in that second movement. Its deep, contemplative sadness almost seems to stop time in its tracks.

[pagisubuh]

put your personal away idiot!,this man so call listen to orchestration music not being able to appreciated beethoven.How silly is that!.

do not compare and put your personal away becouse no give a shit about what you feel.perhaps your knowledge still little about this kind of music.if u just like one composer,it fine.but dont show your ignorance ...becouse it is really stupid to do that.

[pagisubuh]

just different era and different ability ...

[SirSebastianWang]

I had only heard the first movement before... how I missed on so much.

[jovocoenn2]

i wish more people from my generation would appreciate classical music. (18 - 22 year olds).. i think that one should embrace music in general, and not dislike certain music because of prejudice

[rkj1963]

@jovocoenn2

It has to do with intelligence. The most stupid people like Hip Hop and Rap, normal people like pop and rock but the most intelligent people like classical and hard rock. Has to do with either the speed or complexity in the music.

[jovocoenn2]

@rkj1963 it doesnt have anaything to do with intelligence, it has to do with patience i guess. every one can understand emotional music, weather it being hip-hop or or pop music, this kind of music just requires patience. and believe me, if this were played on the radio or promoted on youtube, ALOT of people would listen to it, simply because, right now barely any one in my age has ever heard any classical music. you dont have to understand the complexity of the music to like it.

[KryssTheAlien]

@rkj1963. I like Classical, rock, pop and my favourite is Hip-hop. I'm an intelligent person who like to act stupid. You sound like an asshole who try to be clever. Dont. Be yourself, we love you the way you are...

[them4ster4]

@rkj1963 you obviously aren't a musician then

i'm studying music and a top university and i like all music

only someone as naive as you thinks that genres of music has anything to do with intelligence. I'd like to see you write a good hip hop song, seeing as you think it's for stupid people and think yourself above it.

[crisclols]

Una gran pieza del Maestro Shostakovich!!

[CristiDucaMusic]

How can anyone could dislike this???

That's really sad :-<

[szszrocks]

@CristiDucaMusic That's exactly what I thought!

[TheMeg5241]

i had to do a practice As listening test to this. one of the most difficult i've ever done but i enjoyed every minute because of the 2 minutes of this i got to hear. just lovely.

[Offin]

Today I hear it for the first times in my life.....just so all of you can be jealous of me while I dont know what comes the next second,..the feeling of seeing an universe being born..:-)

[thespassfogel]

It's like he takes all the sadness and darkness in his soul and exposes it to the light...exquisite

.

[jacobjdong]

This is a very moving piece by shaostakovich.

[nbharakey]

One can say that there is better recording. That's of his son and grandson!

[7teenf]

We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving. And we all have some power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.

[jacobflaschen]

Is it just me, or is Shostakovitch unusually fond of the chromatic upper neighbor?

[glaswegian1979]

Absolutely mesmerising. It takes the mind to someplace --dark, tragic, wistful, yearning.....bloody everywhere.!! Just incredible.

[Dodo251]

Unbelievable piece of music!

[tutifruti1998]

who would hate this?! this is one of the most beautiful pieces that was written!

the 6 people who disliked this must have a good reason why they dislike it (THERE IS NOTHING TO DISLIKE HERE!!!!!!!!) or they seriously dont have the music in their hearts... >:(

[pianoviola120797]

i just dont understand how one person can create something with so much emotion... not just their own emotion but something that can bring others to their knees.... this is one of the only pieces of music that makes my eyes bring every single time.

[medviation]

@Clsclassic not just clap

[2ScoopsOfZeke]

@medviation uhm...fap?

[username14657]

Such a sensitive undertaking... like a true master of music

[cristinadopico]

David, it's all right if you do not like it, or feel anything, but, let me ask you, what the hell do you listen to?

[fflossdavies]

He takes it faster than I expected, but hearing the master himself playing my favourite piece of music - gasp!

[kadjrare]

@ 2:50.. the hemiola is on fucking point

[zcityofchampionsz]

@kadjrare agreed

[TheHTrox]

So beautiful. I would have this playing whilst making love.

[philiphoward123]

At about 3:50 he writes all the same notes as at the beginning but changes the key signature - amazing transformation!

[PaulMaccasBiggestFan]

@Clsclassic SCREW MOZART

[Dodo251]

@PaulMaccasBiggestFan Screw you!

[username14657]

Wow.

[GingerJoberton]

To say that something "sounds like Shostakovich" is most likely very easily disputed; unless you are referring to the composer's Amazing eclectic style!! This is a gem; do any of you guys know any others that sound like this? (not rhetorical or sarcastic).

[dragmio]

@GingerJoberton Well, to me there is certain "shrillnes" in most of his music that is quite unique. I also find it to be very Russian. Khachaturian's "Sabre dance" is in a way similar, but only in it's "sound". Mussorgsky's "Pictures from an exhibition" also have that quality. But to me it seems that Shostakovich has perfected that sound and made it his own. Maybe it's something in harmonization, maybe even the orchestration, I don't know.

[Portogallo3008]

magnifique!!!

[a066298]

Découvert grâce à JF Zygel (Les Clefs de l'orchestre - Radio France).

[anduinemor]

may i ask to the 7 voters who disliked this piece to give grounds for doing so?

[HostDavid]

@anduinemor I haven't voted, but i don't particularly like it. It's rather boring and i dont feel anything when i listen to it. i can barely hear a tune, it's just lots of notes stuck together which kind of work. There are no powerful parts which grip me or gives me goosebumps. Music is a matter of taste and i couldn't hear anything in this piece. Other people seem to like it though so i suppose i am just unlucky - there is plenty of other tunes which i find better so i dont really mind!

[TTakach999]

@HostDavid maybe you should listen to the piano part first  then gradually train your ears to hear melodies outside the piano. never forget, not all music has to be forte to be powerful...

[Dodo251]

@HostDavid There is something wrong with you.

[anduinemor]

@HostDavid definitely a good answer :) luckily, there's plenty of music for anyone

[pianokid1849]

@HostDavid I get goosebumps everytime I listen to this piece and the piano comes in... Such beautiful harmonies and a beautiful piano melody. Wow, Shostakovich.

[loganINTJ]

I wish his whole concerto were like this.

[ChuckyJesus666]

Good old Dmitri Dimitrivich.....

[markparrgardiner]

this is pure' art'

dylan in his sleep would weep !

[phylliselias]

Has this piece ever been used as the soundtrack to any film or TV programme?

[yanpan16]

@phylliselias

1st mvt of the concerto was in fantasia 2000

[phylliselias]

@yanpan16 Thank you for the reply. I think it is a wonderful piece.

[pianogirlA]

I can't believe that I had never heard this piece even after a master's degree in piano! It is the most moving and romantic of any work I know! And it is wonderful to be able to hear the composer play!

[pianogirl97]

@pianogirlA ~ I'd never heard it, either, until a couple years ago when I was the "orchestra" for a piano concerto competition....also have that MM in piano performance! I've accompanied both concertos, and really love the amazing music!

[kxttxya]

this song is beautiful. i want to cry.

[ReiginaSophia]

this piece is a captured conversation between the two halves of me.... both of their voices are clear and though intertwined, also in conflict.... i am whole in this piece....and it makes me cry. both of me.

[Jragir]

It is pieces like this that are the reason I listen to music. PIeces that express such longing... Such sorrow... Such hope... It evokes in me the urge to both cry and sing for tomorrow... I learned this piece and played it with my piano teacher for a recital, her playing the piano part, and I sobbed as I played... Truly one of the greatest pieces ever put down on paper.

Thank you Shostakovich, from the bottom of my heart, for this great gift to the world.

[Hamgammy]

@Jragir shut the fuck up faggot

[BasileusR]

@Hamgammy lol

[pianoviola120797]

its amazing what one man can do...

[username14657]

Such a tender, elegant and sophisticated interpretation!

[interstel15]

One of my favorites!

[username14657]

He was so handsome! <3

[henzwang]

He reminds me of Stephen Colbert... just a thought.

[javierleonenriquez]

Does anybody agree with me that Shostakovich´s geniality was close to beethoven´s?

[musicin37]

Actually Shostakovich's geniality is much greater but people need more time for realize

[javierleonenriquez]

@musicin37 in fact, with close i mean the same level. Universal geniality

[MarcheseCadmio88]

Absolutely YESSS!

He's my favourite (with Sibelius).

[Jragir]

I do, shostakovich=fucking awesome

[username14657]

Oh hell yes it was!

[arthurdonachy]

@javierleonenriquez I have no idea what that means! that is, I understand the words but the the sentence?

[popeyethedoc]

@javierleonenriquez No. Beethoven and Shostakovich were like 200 years apart. this is a 20th century/modern work. Beethoven was in the Romantic era.

[javierleonenriquez]

@popeyethedoc i didn´t say they´re in the same moment of history. beethoven is classical-romantic and shosta belongs to the nationalism period. i know. i mean a big amount of people think that no composer has rised the level of mozart or beethoven, and that´s quite unfair. The only difference is that music from the classical period used harmonies which are easy to be listened, but that doesn´t make one piece better or worse. just different.

[popeyethedoc]

@javierleonenriquez alright. i see your logic.

[Xavimanjazz]

@javierleonenriquez 

I like him more than Beethoven.

[oakrueger08]

@javierleonenriquez

Pretty sure Shosty would have been extremely honored to be told that :)

[Slitnozzle]

@javierleonenriquez Here! Me! Me! I do! I do!

In fact, I value Shostakovich more than Beethoven.

[Kirasiah]

@javierleonenriquez You can't compare two composers from two different periods. My tastes say that Shostakovich is one of the best and most talented composers EVER, because he's music is just special to me, of course occasionally similar to Prokofiev and other composers; on the other hand, Beethoven to me means almost nothing, I hate almost everything from his work.

[szszrocks]

@javierleonenriquez no

beethoven always changes moods in his pieces, shostakovich's pieces are mostly the same mood

[krzhizhanovsky]

I remember seeing a ballet production of Chekhov's Seagull at the Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre and this piece was incorporated by the orchestra. It was so incredible, it shook me to my core as a human being, and I saw it twice, once with my best friend, and once with a long lost love who I never really had. Strange how a song can conjure so many ghosts,; strange, painful and beautiful. This is humanity's redemption.

[phiweb2]

I could not agree more. This piecoe of music by Shostakovich puts the romanticism of Rachmaninov into the shade. It touches the soul and fully enhances the human conciousness. What a remarkable 20th century musician we have in the great Shostakovich!

[judycfl]

So exquisite, so beautiful. It takes your breath away. It steals your your soul.

[judycfl]

This is such exquisite beautiful piece. I love this music but it's hard to find and theh music in this video is so good. Thanks for the showing

[Violin9921]

What amazing music. Sublime.

[mdyildirim]

No words can describe how beautiful it is... Amazing!!!

[Solecit00]

I cant say any word..its just perfect. I feel so gratefull for being capable of hearing such wonderful music...

[zarowka013]

It's one of the most beautiful piano concerto parts I've ever heard! Absolutely loved it!

[dettitted]

Favourite! Absolutely beautiful!

[marvincette]

mozart nel xx secolo

[braydmusic]

There is an amazing fusion of new and old in Shostakovich... so that you can hear the respect for the 'old' in his more progressive pieces, but you can also feel some sort of 'newness' in his more traditional sounding pieces.

[marzierocks]

My friend just had his Senior recital and he played this but had two pianos. One was the main piano part (Which he played) and the other a girl played and she used the piano to play the orchestra part. It was so beautiful.

[andy31793]

the Epitome of Happy

[lovemusicvery]

i hear this music every time and feel so good.

i love this musi and shostakovitch is one of the

greatest writer of music..

..

[valentino1000]

Thanks for posting this

[Fioo20]

I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE this one.

[dherrer1]

i like Dmitri Alexeyev's rendition..simply marvelous!

[rometube]

Mikhail Rudy's rendition of this movement is abolutely brilliant as well.

[WigridXD]

This is my favorite piece of music EVER, from anyone, anywhere, any genre. it's beyond heavenly. Brilliant.

[Carlowski]

Couldn't agree more, brings me to tears every time

[7teenf]

I guess that's the way he wanted it.....precisely

thinking of You. paz

[BulletThroughMyHeart]

My orchestra were invited to watch a ballet last year, and this whole concerto was used in one of the ballets.

I fell in love with this movement; i've been wanting to learn it ever since but I can't find the music for it anywhere. =[

Absolutely beautiful piece of music.

[reiny65]

¡Absolutamente maravilloso!

[fuzz144]

meraviglioso....

... watch?v=2hfYvBAcxos

[nico22059]

My teacher plays this amazingly good, at this level...but better is impossible

[datdoodnick]

Cant play it better than this.

My high school  marching band played this in a show last season..Great stuff. Good emotion and power.. Was an amazing show.

[bomberchicken]

I don't think anybody plays it better than anybody else ( unless somebody murders it with mistakes and tempo errors ). Really, it's what YOU like, but different people have different opinions, and like different things

[hapzone]

I agree-it's like when you take a music exam or even something like an English exam-a lot of it is down to opinion

[OratioFletcher]

Che meraviglia...

[olivedjazzer]

This is the most beautiful melody I have ever heard. I was delighted to find this recording by the composer himself...was not expecting the interpretation but my ear didn't seem to mind ;)

Pure genius all of the time.

[Millicent24601]

Has anyone here seen the movie "Howl's moving castle" The sweet, calm parts remind me of the part in the movie where Howl gives Sophie the garden he made by magic.

(If no-one has seen that part sorry-heehee)

[sanjosemike]

DMITRI HIMSELF WAS AN EXCELLENT PIANIST

It is not often reported, because Shostakovich decided to make a career as a composer, that was also a spectacular pianist.

He could have easily made a career as a virtuoso. Frankly I'm glad he decided to be a composer. We are all the richer for it.

I think he plays this andante tenderly and beautifully.

sanjosemike

[ZerkaS]

This is an absolutely wonderful music piece. I am looking for a free score but I can't find anything. Does anyone know where to download it ?

[alwyn81]

The copyright has not expired yet, so I doubt it will be easy to find something for free.

[EilisErina]

the 2nd movement of this piano concerto is so beautiful !

[karlhschro]

Subliminal. A tender side of Shostakovich that can only be felt through his interpretation here. Wonderful...

[paedde06]

one of the most affecting pieces of piano literature. interesting, how shostakovic himself plays it almost without emotion, very straight and as if a metronome would be at his side...

[adel12037]

you can feel the sadness of the beauty in nature. I won't agree that he plays mechanically. Have you ever been to Moscow region, to the grooves and forests? You might get a picture of your feeling positioned well would you see and feel that atmosphere in 50s.

[nvidiafan0909]

Is it just me or do you hear a touch of Shostakovich in John Williams's music? Can't help but hear the similarities.

Lovely piece!

[godleyviolinist]

I've noticed that as well--you're not the only one :D

[edipus737]

I feel it may be the most peaceful piece of Shostakovich. So pure, classical....

[etnovasintomnia]

il mondo non è all'altezza per capire ciò

"stratosferico"

[worldinmyeyes5]

simplemente precioso..unas de las paginas mas bonitas de la historia del piano...

lo estoy tocando yo este año...ojala lo llegara a tocar asi de bien xD

[bluensunshine]

No words are adequate...

[spreckon]

it was actually released in 1957 at his son Maxim's graduation...he wrote it for his son's birthday that year

[TrippeR90091]

you never know.. but i guess he would apreciate it

[aesthetic1950]

I agree. It is sublime.

[Suwon89]

aahhh. Thanks Shosta! I just took the entire concerto played by him, thanks to this video. Simply Amazing

[lucamadeus]

wonderful...

[plushklush]

Simply breathtaking!!!

[matthewwren]

Stunning! :)

[snaaptaker]

That was quick---thanks, O.

[dabiribd]

Awesome

Thanks