Earl Wild Plays Liszt "Le Jeux d'Eau a la Villa d'Este"

[Aerovistae]

DAMN this video is old...this is one from 2006. shit son. you're an original.

[e4e5sf3sf6]

Maybe the fly was Franz Liszt reincarnated :)

But excuse me for a moment while I whipe the semen off my keyboard. This piece is definetely going in my playLiszt XD

[JazZebra]

2:49 right hand rhythm and chord structure. sounds like that's where Ravel "borrowed" part of the melody for jeux d'eau (??)

[ImmortalSpecies]

@JazZebra Yes.

[VyvienneEaux]

It actually sounds like water, and the irregular ripples that appear on the surface. I don't car 'bout what y'all is sayin', I see the sound as a bright blue in the beginning, an it ripples exactly like water. I've never heard another piece that sounds like what the movement of water sounds like to me. I'm a synaesthete, and this piece looks like water.

[maxscriptguru]

What a Brilliant Improvisation/addition from 6:38 to 6:55.

He goes kind of fast for my taste in some places, but his technique is magnificent, and his phrasing in most parts is head and shoulders above the general crowd who play this piece.

[maxscriptguru]

Yes, he did modify it a little bit, and it works well. Instead of the impossible trills in the right hand, where 2 against 2 are trilled, he simply turns it into an arpeggio. I had to listen closely to know the difference.

Other than that, I love his version of it, it's very fine, not rushed at all. Always concentrating on a beautiful tone.

[ClonedTyranny]

Beautiful, the fly makes it even more impressive.

[nellie2581]

Bravo!

[jcsiegelman]

Sooo lovely...

[MrNickKane]

One of my favorite pieces of music. I love the Louis Kentner performances of this and the old Vox Turnabout recording by Jerome Rose is nothing to sneeze at either. But there is such a synergy between performer and composer when Wild plays Liszt. I'm going to miss his performances.

[lovesGenet]

This is finer than i thought anyone could do .All the stuff that seems cheap before is brought back to its original iridesence ! Maybe only a few can play as softly with all the layering and without shrieking in top register but for the impossible hear PLETNEV!

[ChristianKeen]

just awesome!

[Tsamnon]

Amazing...

[MrWeakness2]

cool

[nujij10]

My YouTube-friend Earl Wild is dead.

[nujij10]

Earl Wild

November 26, 1915 - January 23, 2010

[nohpiano]

This is the Earl I will always remember - that tremendous sheen to the sound and wonderful sense of timing.

R I P

[dsyglym]

i love 6:11 arpeggio's !!

[Caramellatta]

Wow, this is so impressionistic! Liszt's genius cannot be exaggerated.

[maxscriptguru]

This piece is for white mained lions of the keyboard of a class such as Wild and Cziffra.

[felix0911176727]

I love 6:38 to 6:54!

[Beakerandgreg]

Earl Wild is my favorite Liszt interpreter. I love the elegance and light touch he brings to music that is all to often "banged out" on the piano!

[JazzDioNy]

MUY CABRON FELICIDADES

[Pischnaholic]

One of the greatest -- and most under-appreciated -- pianists America has ever produced.

What was lacking?

If Sol Hurok had taken him on, or Columbia Artists Management, his name might also have become a household word. I think Earl Wild may have been a victim of poor public relations --- and being American.

[loltheworld]

excellent

[TomOwen77]

Wonderful playing, deeply felt, beautifully re-written in the "tremolo" areas - am sure Liszt himself would have approved of this interpretation.

[cmhmuscle]

Well now really......you people going on about him swatting at something....do get some lives will ya? How about listening to the extraordinary playing of this piece, eh?

[pianocommy]

Earl Wild DID modify this. He believed (like many others,not me), that Liszt's tremolos in this, and other works, was excessive and "offensive".

Wild was, and is (now in his 90's), a fine pianist. It is true that for decades he did a lot of TV and radio stuff that may have included what one could call "tack". But this began from the need to earn a living when he was a young man in those dreadful depression years.

[prsnth1111]

Wild's version is quite beautiful, though I don't think Liszt's tremolos "were offensive". Do you have a quote for that?

[pianocommy]

I have the book "Reflections from the Keyboard":a collection of interviews with pianists by the American musician Davie Dubal. Asked about "touch-ups in the texture" of this piece, Earl Wild says "Sometimes I think Liszt was carried away with his orchestral thinking. When there are too many tremolos, I am offended".

[mcmilld1]

It was my understanding that tremolos irritate him because they were overused in silent movies (to indicate sadness, crying, death, etc.) so much that it cheapened them. From then on, whenever tremolos appeared in whatever he was playing, he amended the score in this way.

[shilloshillos]

God! One of the most inspired interpretations of this piece ever. Never gets carried away like pletnev for example. And dare I say, more poetic than Arrau's too. Lets not forget the bug annoyance at 3:00 which was handled most professionally.

[jelenka1]

PURE BEAUTY! Don´t comment, just listen.

:)

[AulicExclusiva]

A magnificent performance in the grand manner. Not "impressionistic" or overpedalled or precious. Just brilliant. The tone as beautiful as one is likely to hear nowadays. Bravo.

[pianovideo]

This has been edited/transcribed by Wild and the edition is available from G. Schirmer

[Briccy777]

love..

[LisztFan10]

Personally I think that the ear-scratching at exactly 3:00 is distasteful to the aim of what Liszt originally intended. What a grotesque symbol of modern interpretations of already-perfect pieces.

[KuppaDuppa2]

What the Hell? Earl Wild was a good friend of mine and he could run circles around you at the piano. Think before you insult such a fantastic player.

[Frozentoes1]

And you have heard LisztFan10 play? Or are you just ASSuming.

[GaussVsEuler]

This music is trash. Earl Wild was a hack and everybody knows it. No self-respecting musician would take his hands off of his instrument like Wild does at 3:00.

[tnmtemerity]

Wow, I almost have to wonder if you're John Bell-Young. First of all most people who enjoy non-modern music would agree that this is one of List's more sublime works. Wild's performance is excellent and I have to wonder if you've ever receieved applause from an audience like he has. If you actually are 19 I'd venture to believe you are still trying to find out who you are. Perhaps you believe saying negative things about an aclaimed pianist will make you special. OH BTW - Earl Wild is alive.

[guirlandes3]

Hmm. I cannot imagine why my name was mentioned by you here, or for what reason, especially in connection with Wild. Whoever it is you are referring to is not me; and I am 55, not 19! What's more, Earl Wild is a magnificent pianist, whose performance of Les Jeux d' Eaux is quite wonderful in every respect. My many glowing reviews of Wild over the years for American Record Guide, the St Petersburg Times and other publications is evidence enough of my esteem for this magnificent pianist.

[tnmtemerity]

Oh, what anguish a paranoid, delusional schizophrenic must suffer through...

[ohhazel69]

if your face itches... scratch it

oh and learn something about piano

[mcmilld1]

You're kidding, right? It looks to me like a fly landed on his ear or something and seriously distracted him. He cares about the sound, not about his appearance, and he obviously couldn't maintain that sound without dealing with the distraction. Every serious musician shares/shared the same philosophy, including Liszt. So how exactly is that distasteful to Liszt's intentions?

[Likui]

how do u know what Liszt intended?

Maybe he got the original liszt scores and there said scratch your ears???

you never know

[AulicExclusiva]

Liszt obviously never scratched...

[Likui]

you never know what he did you weren't there so u can't say. Who knows man that day liszt just had a mosquito bite there??

[shilloshillos]

Its in the score. Look carefully. At that particular moment there is a direction that says "wiggle your head", then immediately after it says "wave your hand over right ear".

[123mazeppa]

@LisztFan10 Lol =D

[timearchitecture]

@LisztFan10 hearing aid malfunction mb. i heard franz once took a shit on the bench while playing.. explain that..

[Aerovistae]

@LisztFan10 i love you

[ddoyle11]

I have heard this many times before, but I've never heard the upper notes quite like this rendition. I liked it.

[e1337air]

yeah you are absolutely right, but i think he overplayed the upper notes a bit. i think the intention of liszt was to let them just be the background, like a purling creek when you walk along it.

[francescoambrosi]

un suono limpido come l'acqua delle fontane in villa d'este

[nohpiano]

Elegance personified.

[marcelmombeekeigen]

I do not like it, first of all, his own arrangement is not what we are used to by wild, normally his arrangements are much better. Second, if you want to play this piece so slow , you better make more of it for the interpreation, then I would recommend arrau, also somewhere on youtube, he plays it very slow but very very deep.

[ioehmichen]

Fantastic tone and personality, very originals "improvisations" wonderfull, deep soul, and to be really compared with one of my teacher... Cziffra!!!

[cynic150]

A really sensitive and commanding, yet personal interpretation. This pianist is under-rated. Not as "deep" as Richter or Cziffra?...? Beautiful!

[ccen1]

hrm... it was a bit slow but overall good :D

[bossmuscle]

I like Steinways, but I actually chose a Schimmel 213 over a Steinway Model B. The Schimmel simply had a clearer focus especially in the treble and sang better (typical European bell-like sound). I suspect that the Hamburg Steinway would have the same quality.

[libetta]

what steinway model are you referring to, new york or hamburg? a seiler would be better than a schimmel, but they are comparative notheless

[bossmuscle]

I'm going to buy a Hamburg Steinway sometime soon. I love my schimmel213 over the Seilers, even which tend to be overly brilliant to me. It's a matter of preference.

[libetta]

hence, both are clear-toned pianos. it's just a matter of tuning

[galaxyrainguy]

Hamburg's are nice, but take much effort to make performance ready, I used one at the Anne Margritte in '81, went well, you must voice carefully, in return they give tremendous range and evenness. Good luck.

[ihrtmusic12334]

i have to disagree. i have had a baldwin and a kawai and i currently have a M Steinway. Baldwin was a very harsh sound, three keys on my kawai broke in the first three months and the sound was not natural. My steinway, however, is very clear sounding and i have not had a problem with it in the last two years! But it is a personal preference.

[mardini1987]

Beautiful. I don't think i've ever seen anyone capture the essence of this song better than this man.

[allegrissimo]

Beautiful performance and very tasteful transcription of some tremolo's! I love Wild's freedom and subtlety in his performances, truely great!

[libetta]

is he better than van cliburn?

[tnmtemerity]

I think saying someone is better than someone else is realative. I mean I love Horowitz in Scriabin but, in Mozart I feel he is sub par. Most pianists have their strengths and faults certainly Wild has had a longer career because Cliburn has taken many breaks in his career.

[pianotalent]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha !!!

[Brianjonestown]

The king of US pianists. A great musicologist and amazing teacher -- his master classes are unforgettable.

[nairdaleo]

I'd save that seat for Gershwin, although I must admit Wild is incredible

[Brianjonestown]

Gershwin??? Uh...interesting you'd think Gershwin was a touring concert pianist. And not a little funny.

[YYJBL]

this is the best that I have heard. Perfect connection. Good feeling in music.

[luvgod]

such a gentleman too, love the performance

[zangdaarr]

Not enough calm and quiet for me. The ending is like a explosion of water, but here it's too much precipitated to give a great effect

[pigolet2178]

i think he plays great, but havn't heard much about him.

[pianotalent]

because he is genius.

[emtube]

Earl Wild is a great pianist, but when he started out, it was practically impossible for a non-European pianist to make an important career. On top of that, he started out performing Gershwin, which got him labeled as a "pops concert" artist, not a serious classical performer. About time people woke up to his greatness! His transcriptions are also superb!

[tnmtemerity]

I think not being a Steinway Artist also hurt his career -Steinway has definatly been able to market themselves well and many feel anyone who doesn't play one is inferior. On NOv 29th 2005 he gave a concert in Carnegie hall at the age of 90 to great reviews as a pianist I have to say I think most of what he does is amazing and very musical.

[pianotalent]

Why did he decide not to play Steinway? He played it when he was young, and recorderded on it, too. I actually find some Kawaii's, Baldwin's better than Steinways in todays world...

[libetta]

Steinway pays artists to play them. Do you think Steinway is in a world all its own? I don't think so! There are many better pianos out there. Earl Wild also uses a Shigeru Kawai piano.

[pianotalent]

Yes Shigery Kawaii is Fantastic. There are only 2 grands Shigery Kawaii in the USA today. I love Kawaii, I myself have a Cremay Grand "Boston" designed by Steiway and made by KAWAII... Love it...

[libetta]

what model are you talking about? the kawai ex or the shigeru sk7?