Sviatoslav Richter plays Mozart Sonata in C major, K. 545

[gingerchild1222]

raped repeat, over and over and over....and im 15!

[dalecampbl7]

i played this piece a long time ago when i was first learning piano..it never struck how perfect this sonata is...such genius to write something that sounds this charming and yet technically simple...it's like the most beautiful short story written for piano. The second movement is absolutely quintessential Mozart.

[BnkWrATMt1ts]

This is my favorite version. Perfect tempo, unpretentious.

[BachBeethovenBeatles]

Yes, the digital age has made us listen to music differently. The digital age has actually made some of us listen to music incorrectly if there even was such a thing. But there is no wrong way to listen to music, perhaps just misguided ways.

[redshark618]

lol at the top comments. dawg.

[gr4l9um20b7o]

Where I think is a classic: 0:06 0:28 1:49 and simular places.

[gr4l9um20b7o]

@gr4l9um20b7o Hey I can repeat to myself!

[marian444]

Wonderful!!

[12zuzus]

lol at the end they actually all coughed in unison LOL...

or maybe that was the chair scratching the floor?

[12zuzus]

im playing this song for a competition today, so i thought i'd come here for some inspiration :D

its always nice hearing another pianist's take on the song :3

[enedving]

Mozart why do you bring the tonic back in a different key in the Recapitulation MOZART WHY ARE YOU BREAKING THE FORM. You /rebel/.

[sparklnkitty]

coughing after coughing means this is Richter's recording.

[truecrypt]

@sparklnkitty

Depends on listener's IQ:

For higher IQ - more music, for lower - more cough.

[fearlessftw]

@truecrypt  low blow

[truecrypt]

@fearlessftw

Nope, just right to the point.

[sparklnkitty]

@truecrypt

I meant Richter did not choose the audience. What is so good about the less coughing audience who probably think about money money money. He did not play for money, but simply enjoyed his music...that's why he did not do the studio recordings....that's it.

[truecrypt]

@sparklnkitty

Sorry, I didn't get the meaning of your comment and probably offended you with my reply. Cough or no cough - I don't understand how it can be such a big deal. Probably it is generational - people raised on "sanitized" CDs are too sensitive to any extra sound or technical imperfections of the recording. For me it has always been only about performance and nothing else. Again, my apologies!

[SuperMininuke2011]

v.nice

[trubblemuffin]

Instead of applauding they all coughed in unison!

[trubblemuffin]

The coughing's a nice touch!

[333sweetc]

I just decided to do this for my recital peice!! Wish me luck!:)

[InomCookiesForLunch]

Why can't all music be this wonderful? xx.

[AuntieReaRea]

wow! this piece is amazing! definitely NOT easy! :) 13 people are crazy!

[AuntieReaRea]

wow! this piece is amazing! definitely NOT easy! :)

[keetner]

If you guys think the coughing is bad, it's even more annoying to be in the middle of it all...

I was at a performance once where people kept coughing, pulling out gum/mints (why?? In the middle of a performance??), massaging their hands, leaning over and whispering to their neighbour at climatic parts...man.

[AurynThePaladin]

@keetner sounds like a group of professional trolls.

[badpancake1]

@keetner because people doesn't  know how hard piano is and heres this song everywhere

[Putore]

I listened a lot to Richter's version when I was studying this piece. Never understood why Mozart called it 'easy sonata'.

[DadoD999]

This soo beautifal!!!!

[sineaddg]

Richter proving, again, why he is the greatest pianist of the 20th century.......

[MsFUCSIA]

quanto amo Mozart!!

[LanzaLover2]

That's real talent -- to make something so familiar sound like this was the first time heard on the planet!

[gracie8091]

this is absolutely brilliant. perfectly done and well balanced :D

[ChronicMetamorphosis]

Can we shoot the guy coughing in the background?

[cjdarnieder]

Leave it to Richter to make an overplayed classical staple sound fresh and wonderful.

[sid040691]

Is it Possible to make this highly overplayed sonata ANY more original and sublime?

[polymath7]

@sid040691  It would seem not. This is absolutely perfect.

[Naoya130]

amazing!

[relrel310]

nice video. but i can hear someone breathing in the background...

[A8opi]

he is awesome ! I love his interpretation

[Tschaennis93]

so is it richter or pires?!

[truecrypt]

@Tschaennis93

This is Richter's recording!

Pires is probably an advertising placed by YT...

[mrdude999]

@truecrypt lol

[aranberri]

MAGISTRAL

[pierolivier111]

The thrill at the 0:42 is really hard to play. Do you have suggestion on how to improve my-self on this.

[mynamesfake2]

@pierolivier111 oh i was also stuck but my piano teacher suggested to use the fingering 3,1,3,1,3,1,3,1,3,1,3,1 etc...  Hope this helped!!!

[jamison94816]

@pierolivier111

Instead of using fingers 3,2,3,2, etc, there is another way to use fingers 3,1,3,1,3,1 etc.

[semicroma]

@pierolivier111 Try this. Practice with a metronome and start with a tempo that is very easy for you. Increase the bpm after every time you played the trill. When the tempo is to fast for you, take a break a couple of minutes to rest your head and hands. Then lower the tempo and try speeding it up again. Do this every day.

[sophelet]

I learned to play this piece when I was 9 or 10, and could manage it technically, but now that I am much older and a more experienced musician I keep finding more and more ways to interpret it. Great music rewards repeat visits like this.

[thatguy22441]

This isn't 50 Cent and because of that it sucks. Ya'll listen to some weird shiznit.

Just kidding. This is an excellent piece of music.

[NB180]

@GDEstherLo FAIL.

[NB180]

in communist russia, piano plays you. oh, and this song is awesome/

[SuperHelloNinja]

My bro plays this so good

[MyEleanorShow]

I LOVE THIS!!

[drCasey555]

this is what i was looking for!!! not fast or slow--just perfect indeed thankyou very much

[roguepenguin1994]

This is one of my favorite pieces for everything. I love playing it, i love hearing it, it's just such a fantastic piece.

[jkl1222]

Beautiful.

[Fuliginosus]

Best version I've ever heard of this.

[PowerofTrueInsight]

@Fuliginosus D'accord. Nearly perfect.

[squishyblob7]

how the hell did he compose this ==" wat a pro

[pieguyfry22]

why does someone always have a cough???

[mgager06]

@pieguyfry22 because Russia is always cold.

[mario54671]

@pieguyfry22 Because they forget to bring cough drops or gum. :) It sucks here in the Disney Hall, because with the acoustics, you can hear EVERYBODY. :P

[yenhoho]

@pieguyfry22

And they always cough at the silentest moment in the concert.

[Lity10]

@yenhoho or maybe that's where you hear it the most? :D

[newFranzFerencLiszt]

@pieguyfry22 because they feel sick to listen such bravura

[daniel15671]

beautiful...

[HaveUSeenMyLeviJeans]

Listen at 0:29.. did someone cough?

[borgoat21]

Sviatoslav Richter made a mistake...lol. When it should've been A-F#-D-B, he played A-F#-C-B.

[near2ariel]

@borgoat21, so what? it still awesome

[rach0n]

@borgoat21 this is true! he makes this mistake twice, and twice more when at 2:43 and 4:02 he plays DBFE instead of DBGE

was his score different?

[elmarbijlsma]

@rach0n

It's not a mistake, he plays the good notes. A common mistake is usually put on the "cheaper" sheets usually found on the internet. In the exposition it's also played this way..

[fernandovzamora]

Esto es lo que yo entiendo por "perlado" wow!

[dungeonguardian1]

awsome? ya danm it!

[semicroma]

Some people say this sonata is easy, but i´m not sure it´s easy if you should play it like Richter did.

[dideoxynucleotide]

@semicroma Well this is the difference between playing all the notes on the page versus playing in such a way as to impart an intangible magic to the music. Of course K545 is technically easy. But even with technically difficult pieces, you can grab the average Julliard student and they can probably sight read through many pieces that require transcendent virtuosity. But do they have the ability to make the notated music come alive? That's the real issue. This cannot be taught.

[Matteo7419]

@semicroma I agree with you. I suggest to listen to the Uchida version too: very very good indeed.

[TheTazok]

I agree, FINALLY a version where a child prodigy doesn't perfom. Child prodigies are rubbish and can suck my English cock.

[JLCProductions]

@TheTazok Oh fucking yeah!

[tommy9882]

those pathetic shits only have child prodigy in their eyes , they probably think richter is crap , how sad

[EcoleDePianoMayumi]

I played this piece when I was 10 years old. I recall that time. I haven't played this piece for long time. But if I play now I would like to play like Richter!

[TheMoctezuma86]

Perfect speed. Some people play this way too fast.

[danielondeck333]

lol u can hear the page turn at :29

[Spiritsoulxx]

No, what you hear is someone coughing.

0:00-0:49 is one page.

[Malegnius]

Don't think that's a page turn. I think it's somebody int he audience who coughed or sneezed. As you can hear, he's performing in front of a crowd, throughout the entire performance you can hear other crowd noises.

[danielondeck333]

@Malegnius it is a page turn because ever time my director turns the page it sounds the same. and i doubt someone is coughing every minute for 1/4 of a second

[sophelet]

@danielondeck333 That would be very surprising, as I doubt he's using printed music in this performance. He would be playing from memory.

[sakosd]

i played it much slower on the saxophone

[ReturnOfTheStienway]

I wonder what it would sound like if he played this like he plays the Chopin Op.10 No.4 hahahaha

[fireb0rn]

It'd probably be over in a minute. lol

[ReturnOfTheStienway]

hahahahahhhahaha probably so. lighting fast

[theweirdphone]

I am learning this on the guitar, and it is pretty hard. I can get the speed right it's the fingering that's hard ha ha.

[hobbitz4life]

I am in the process of learning this piece, and am having a hard time getting it up to speed. Does anyone know of any good secrets to playing this fast and up to tempo??

[BeautifulMusic1000]

I am also teaching myself how to learn this piece...the only advise I can give you is the METRONOME! (hope I spelled that right) play through it slow a few times and then slowly bring it up to speed. Good luck to you! ;)

[h4jime90]

practice everyday.

first you have to get used to what you are playing, so you have to play it very slow

play hannon excercises to improve your speed and hability with all fingers... and think of all notes you play, you have to try to not play notes unconsciously

sorry for my english

[SimonDanellPiano]

@hobbitz4life

Play it slow, and very even touch and tempo.

[jaceville]

Richter, the piano genius at work again...!!!!

[ibnz93]

is this really good or average? because i may have to learn this for college auditions?

[remyrem121]

@ibnz93 It is really good. Almost as good as Mozart himself would have played it.

[zwrdl]

@ibnz93 Good or average compared to whom or what? The average college level music student? Richter is considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century. If you play anywhere near this well at your college auditions, you might as well skip college and go straight to symphony performance. LOL.

[jjrcz021]

This is definitely a superb version. Richter always gets so much details in his play. We all can learn a lot from him,

[z0r4x]

Es bonita y facil (: (y)

[353531962]

can play it :D

[urbano277]

@353531962 maybe you can but I highly doubt you can play it like Richter.(emotionaly)

P.S: im not saying you play bad, dont misjudge my words ;) peace

[to9123]

A song implies a recital of words to music, i would call this piece of music, a great one at that.

[petboyjon]

I'm learning this just now but I only have the first and last pages so it's a bit annoying xD

[fireb0rn]

Learning this does wonders for your sightreading, I found... keep at it!

[reedbamboo]

i was quite irritated about stuff at work.

but hearing this....wow! all blew away.

its heaven-sent... so perfect and human stuff are so small

where can i get a cd of this performance?

[Fenris085]

Mozart The Piano Sonatas by Christoph Eschenbach. Deutsche Gramophon. It is a 5 cd set with 5 hours of piano sonatas of mozart. I love it, and it was reasonably priced. This song in particular comes in the 5th cd. I would also reccomend Eine kleine nachtmusik, serenata notturna and divertimento by karajan, deutsche gramophon as well. I hope this has been of any help for you; I don't get any comission by the way , hahaha.

[reedbamboo]

Thanks for the info!

I'll check out karajan's kleine nachtmusik too!

[stuartdthompson]

Fantastic rendition of a superb piece. While considered a "beginners" piece by many (including Mozart himself), this simple tune has many challenges even for accomplished pianists. Mozart had a fantastic way of writing short, simple, compelling pieces that grow in depth the more you play them.

Superb!

[duhhh86]

yes, agree! it's easy to sightread and play this piece, but getting it even and perfect requires good grounding in the basics...not to mention getting the running sixteenth notes to sound in melodic phrases....

[fireb0rn]

I would call it a piece

[bambiballet]

I am unsure of something and would like to know if music is called a song if it does not have words. I usually call it a tune or music to my ballet students. I am not a musician so I would like a musicians professional opinion, is it a song if it does not have words.

[mrbluesummers]

instrumental

[KamenWeil]

As far as I know a song isn't a song without lyrics.

A piece of music that doesn't have any lyrics would be called an instrumental, but this term is more appropriately used to classify popular/contemporary music and is innapropriate when referring to classical music.

When It comes to classical, however, its a bit trickier. In general I believe it would be called a "piece", but I have also seen sonata and other terms used in its stead.

[h4jime90]

song -> someone singing.

[jglsd1]

one of the best versions ever.

[Mafigari]

I do not want to be bad but it is only the first move and I wanted the complete sonata 3 movements.

[truecrypt]

Check our related videos to the right... or add this to the YT URL: watch?v=O6rstctpxGw

[cowardch]

why be bad if you dont want to be?

[ronycafee]

hahaha tengo que sakr eso y mi proposito son 2 semanas haha no cre!!

[keepmsafe]

I can't be sure how Mozart had intended this piece to be played, but I would bet this is VERY close. A joy to hear. Thank you!

[0OoPianooO0]

heavently .

[quinto34]

Richter once said that he found Mozart's music hard to play and remember..

Can you imagine haha, this sound so very very good..

This man had no ego, just an awesome talent and a giant heart..

I love him ;-)

[francorussie2]

@quinto34 typical of old-time Russian inteligentsia! So many of them suffered from self-criticism. As to Mozart, Richter means "Well, BUT WHO CAN PLAY HIS MUSIC WELL?" He had doubts not only concerning his own intepretation. Sviatoslav Richter was deeply ambitious in his perfectionism and might. Not "arrogant". I found out that his hard work was largely dedicated to the memory of his father, an ethnic German, a betrayed man who was executed in 1941 because falsely accused of spying" .

[tongueonfire]

@quinto34 well this is a children's piece, so he probably shouldn't find it too hard

[quinto34]

@tongueonfire

Like Artur Schnabel once said, "Mozart's sonatas are easy for children but difficult for adults

[WolfgangFierce]

@quinto34 Have u seen that scene from the film 'Weekend' by Jean Luc Godard, where the pianist is playing the Mozart sonata?! U should watch it!

[quinto34]

@WolfgangFierce hehe, very funny indeed, thanks

[IVlr3vil]

@tongueonfire This isn't an easy piece if we're talking strict allegro time. Try doing everything in 120 metronome marking.

[jjrcz021]

Beautiful! Two hands are so very well balanced, and the trills are excellent!

[experthowto]

@TheFUNNYFLOWERS That is a very racist comment.

[inazuma3gou]

I love how balanced his playing is. Very elegant.

[mismag922]

finally a video where isn't played by a childprodigy

[hithereiluvu]

@mismag922 im a child prodigy. this is me playing under the identity of another

[pauletorres]

@mismag922 hahaha I know! it's either that or a splendid chineese

[HardcoreLoominator]

I'm between this piece and Doctor Gradus and Parnissium (sorry if i killed that spelling) by Debussy piece for an audition for college.

[artlvr16]

Just an opinion, but my piano teacher said that Mozart is better to do for a college audition rather than Debussy. I was going to do a Debussy piece myself, but she told me to work on this piece.

By the way, thanks to the person who posted this, it's great! =)

[HardcoreLoominator]

Actually, i'm doing both :P I need 3 pieces from 3 different styles of music. And I LOVE the Impressionistic period of music, honestly, i could play Debussy for a living.

[artlvr16]

I just recently found out that i also need 3 pieces from 3 different time periods as well for the college i'm wanting to audition at. I know what you mean, Debussy and Mozart both have brilliant songs! Good luck with auditions!

[HardcoreLoominator]

Thank you!  You as well.

[TheAkatsuki2301]

this video is amazing

[mortallove12]

wow

[sindrole]

Learning to play this piece is the bane of my existence. I can hear him breathing.

[ariadnazul26]

I lost this video, finally I could find it! great performance! Love Mozart! this piece is great! I love it!

[Vivaldi1000VolcanoX]

You've earned a certain prestige by being one of the few people to post this piece where it ISN'T played by a "child prodigy" XD .

Envy? Yeah... S'pose. Thank you!

[koliatima]

Merveilleux pour moi! J'adore cette sonate!

[altstorm118]

This is only the first movement, is there an extension of this?

[OldWeaponsRCool]

I have been learning this these past two weeks. It is a very cool song.

[sophelet]

@OldWeaponsRCool "piece" actually. A song usually has lyrics (although Mendelssohn wrote a large number of piano pieces called "Songs Without Words").

[Constantina27]

despite the background noises, this is the best version on utube!! well done!! :D

[ugonaeaturcornbread]

am i the only one bothered here by the background noises (breathing/coughing)? or am i only hearing things?

[hannahhanady]

me to i thought im the only one that heard it

[youhavegottabejoking]

It's a live performance...deal.

[ugonaeaturcornbread]

i better do what YOU say.

not.

[brandusabombonelmicu]

deosebit

[taviona]

Best version on youtube, for me at least.

[n00bszpro]

i can play this :) but the best player is Mozart :) he plays well then all of us ;)

[cardcollectorsteve]

lol tats true he is the world record player lol!

[Liebromeistal]

I bet Marha Argerich would play this at twice this speed!

[samuelishmedia]

it this was played at twice this speed, it would be ruined.

[progressivelife]

why would you want to play it twice as fast?

[Liebromeistal]

I wouldn't play it twice as fast, but Martha Argerich would because for her, faster and louder is always better

[NEMORINO1976]

it's not a race, for God sake! anyway, I'm sure she will! haha!

[bratupir]

your musical culture is 0.

[karisss2009]

i can play this song too but it takes a lot of practice if you think you can do something keep your mind on it and keep trying

[jonnySPF]

I believe it so!

[karisss2009]

yes your right

[dragonyoshi94]

I agree, I need to play this in my piano test