Sviatoslav Richter plays Beethoven "Hammerklavier" (1/6)

[meesbroersen]

2:23 i'm actually glad he makes a mistake too..

[jcalli66]

Awesome-thanks for posting. I finished reading Morris' great Bio on Beethoven recently. I was interested to learn that Beethoven spent years before publishing 'Hammerklavier" studying Archduke Rudolph's unequalled collection of Baroque (esp Bach/Handel)scores and endless hours studying counterpoint. Always tempting for me to fantasize all his magnificent music magically sprung into his head- I respect him even more (if possible) knowing some of the hard work that went into this piece and others.

[claudia2yz]

very moving, powerful and genuine...truthful...wonderful music...

[dosomethingaho]

這首曲子聽到後來讓我渾身打顫。這是一首表面上陽剛，實際上卻是­很沉痛的曲子。彷彿心中千言萬語想要傾訴，然而到了嘴邊卻只是輕­描淡寫地一語帶過…

[chopzart]

do i hear a sigh at around 3:29?

[avq5]

I looked up this video after reading that this piece was composed by an old, almost deaf, frustrated Beethoven. And that it was deemed incomprehensible and unplayable in it's day.

[awesomekapownoises23]

i prefer this to the prague recording, i think, unless this is the prague recording! a mistake i very often make :P

[tempodiborea]

Schabel

[tahileki]

Genius Beethoven <3  Genius Richter <3

They even have similar faces.

[Tzsil713]

To be honest, I don't really like this interpretation.... :(

[lovesGenet]

Schnabel seems wilder in this sonata .But it is all held together.

[StamZO]

Yeah... sure, when it's about music the quality of the record is not important..... they invented the HD by mistake... you're denying like a kid...

[nicodagger]

There are many brilliant interpreters of this sonata, but, for me, Richter captures the passion, the wildness, the almost out-of-control force that, according to accounts of people who heard him play, were hallmarks of Beethoven's playing.

[4shockblast]

OMG, even on a YouTube video of Beethoven's sonata there are people arguing about religion... Seriously, just believe whatever you believe in; it's not like anyone here can prove either side of the argument. Leave these conversations to 4Chan.

[paganviodio]

WHERE...did he play this...i´ve heard of "Carnegie Hall", is that correct?....Some says this from the "prague concerts"...tell me where did he play this...

[RedCloudBeechWaveAhh]

Richter's the MAN!!

[MaestroTJS]

Probably the best performance of this I've ever heard. Richter really manages to convey the "hugeness" of this sonata!

I'm also not as fond of the fugal finale of this sonata as I'd like to be....Beethoven's fugues, impressive as they are, don't seem as neatly pacakged as Bach's and tend to ramble on a bit too long, plus he tends to slow things down after a while which makes me lose my train of thought.

[RabidCh]

Honestly, I find it hard to lose my train of thought on Op. 110's fugue.

[Gargantupimp]

If anything my train of thought gets back on the rails when the fugue starts up.

[arturon111]

not at all, Arrau's version is superior in every sense than Richter's both technically, and spiritually

[mihajovics]

it's not a competition

[KennYWooD2]

Keep in mind that Beethoven's mind is/was on another level than yours. What, to you, is rambling on, for him, was concisely saying that which needed to be said on his terms, which, we may not fully comprehend, but then, Beethoven was aware that we might not. "...those are not for you, but for a later age."

[MaestroTJS]

I am reminded of a quote by Vaughan Williams once on the subject of Schoenberg, which went something like this:

"Schoenberg meant nothing to me, but as he meant a lot to others, I have to assume the fault is all mine."

Well, Beethoven means a lot to me, but in the case of some of the fugues, I would have to say the rest of that thought applies to me! I hope one day I will be able to appreciate them as much as I appreciate the rest of his music.

[KennYWooD2]

Study the score away from the piano. Break it down and you'll see just how incredibly genius Beethoven's fugues are. There's hardly a fugal "trick" he doesn't employ. There's something new to be found with the turn of every page and each day you approach them, hopefully, you'll learn something you didn't know the day before.

[wukillah]

Wow, thinking I saw this man live, and that I was too young to realise how lucky I was! Amazing performance of the Hammerklavier. (not my favorite sonata though, I don't like the fugue... actually I don't like any fugue!)

[leonengard]

This is really BIG!!!

[shadishadyshadi]

i love this theme! 9:23-9:37

[markd1936]

почему все они так ненавидят музыку или поскольку вих игре полностью отсутствует пиано они все глухи

[Kobzar3374]

Perhaps it is the first time I give four stars (instead of five) to a video of a performance by Richter. It is not a fault of the performer, but it is a pity that the sound quality sometimes becomes blurred. But this is one of those "first rate items" in Beethoven's output, one of those works in which majesty and beauty reach heights that only Beethoven was able to reach.

[truecrypt]

Do you rate the quality of paintings by the quality of frames too? ;)

[Kobzar3374]

Hello, Truecrypt: No, I don't rate the quality of paintings by the quality of frames, but this is a different case. It is something like watching Leonardo's "Ultima cena" before restoration. Of course you would admire proportions and all that, but you would regret you miss lots of beautiful details. Anyway I won't argue with you, I deeply admire Beethoven's last sonatas, and Richter is one of my favorite pianists.

[efitzger76]

Truecrypt.

Thank you - and thank you again for all your recordings of Richter. Every one is timeless.

[D0g63rt]

@truecrypt

If the painting was behind a smudgy glass case that gave it lots of blur perhaps he would.

[truecrypt]

@D0g63rt

Would you downgrade the painting on a basis of a "smudgy glass" in front of it?

[D0g63rt]

@truecrypt

We were talking about him, but personally I would find the experience of viewing the picture degraded, regardless of the quality. If he feels that the experience of the song is degraded, that doesn't mean he dislikes the song, just the experience of hearing it in such a manner. Like good food that is served with dirty cutlery.

[truecrypt]

@D0g63rt

Sorry for "degraded experience of the song"...

For many ordinary people and musicians (myself included) "listening experience" is about performance itself and never about secondary distractions such as quality of recording equipment, noise in the audience or low bit rate... "Cutlery" is not dirty here... May be a customer a bit too sissy...

[SDMSProductions]

@truecrypt Clarity is just as important as experiential listening, but I for one think this is a beautiful recording.

[ChopinXVI]

@truecrypt That's clever! The quality of the sound recording is irrelevant.

[truecrypt]

No, this is not! I like O'Connor but he is not up to Richter's heights. BTW, crappy comment...

[henrique1944]

Pena que o Richter não observou os pedais. Por ex.os compassos 263 até 266 tem que segurar o pedal e ele siquer coloca pedal.Bém no começo Richter usa o pedal, mas não mantém até o começo do quarto com passo. Só se a Ed. Urtext está errada.

[BrookHornblower]

Jesus not only did exist but does exist! God bless you, anyway.

[connorross123]

One of my favorites by Beethoven. Personally, I prefer the Moonlight Sonata, but that's just me.

[BrookHornblower]

don't get me wrong - I love the music of both Beethoven and Schubert. My favourites are Schubert's songs, fmin duet, last 3 piano sonatas, 1 of his klavierstucke, trios, etc and Beethoven's... everything (Though I prefer Schubert).

[truecrypt]

Mr. Derek Prince may well be "an excellent source in illuminating the meaning of the scripture", but I don't think it is an appropriate place to promote his books here.

Also, your assumption that "Beethoven and Schubert are nothing" is not a *fact*.

[Sim882]

Beethoven existed.

Jesus didn't not.

Beethoven's music has more depth than any bible passage.  Beethoven's IQ is higher than the pastor's/priest's who have brainwashed you since birth

[advisorC101]

@Sim882

I totally agree with your EPIC remark. Beethoven is a brilliant composer

[iamnotstoned619]

@Sim882 your exactly right jesus didn't not exist. he did exist

[D0g63rt]

@Sim882

Didn't not is a double negative.

And IQ is essentially a logic test, which accounts in no way for musical talent or any skill set that doesn't fit into its own narrow definitions of intelligence.

That doesn't change the fact that Beethoven was a genius and organized religion is a scam.

[sam0xin]

@Sim882 Beethoven existed , just because genius performers were able exist & perform...and bible was main inspiration for many of genius composers starting from renaissance era to XX cent. COUNTLESS amount... By the way the MOST GENIUS work of Beethoven Missa Solemnis , was based completely on bible , created 4 years before his death...

[sam0xin]

@Sim882 ...SOME pastors & priests in the past & nowadays were/are vicious abusers of PHILOSOPHY of JESUS ! PHILOSOPHY...!!!It turned to dirty religion by beasts of churches...So as you and 14 rated up..confused atheists, Beethoven & other genius composers were BRAINWASHED ? Including Mozart,Allegri,Vivaldi,Verdi,B­ACH ....

[sam0xin]

@Sim882 p.s. Genius Richter ..I guess you have no idea who is he...was carrying HUGE CROSS ...so he was brainwashed as well...?

[Alphabex8]

@Sim882 funny comment but, come on ...your double negative is really fucking annoying

[Arfat]

@Sim882 Your statement ignores the obvious historical evidence that a person named Jesus who performed miracles, had a huge cult following, and taught human beings morality in Jerusalem existed.

[Diffomega]

@Sim882 Didn't not...I see you are clever enough to make such statement...

[bananaphone951]

@Sim882 So Jesus did exist?

[originalarchanfel]

@Sim882 很是很是。而且沒人會因為你批評貝而芬而將你烤人肉串。

[Alex4LP]

U ARE CRAZY!!! LOL!!! UR MIND IS DEAD.

[herma57]

Richter seems to get this sonata more than the other latter ones, where drama,organization, far reaching vision is missing, here he's OK; lots of traps in this;

[truecrypt]

Interesting observation...

Any concrete examples of Op.101 through Op. 111 "where drama, organization, far reaching vision" was missed by Richter?

[herma57]

All the Beethoven Sonatas after Hammerklavier I've heard Richter play, they all are unfocused,no emotive center, they were too advanced for him, and the composition of them was fragmented; his Schubert as well, it took him a long time to comprehend Schubert,

[truecrypt]

Even more interesting!

Could you please pinpoint an "emotive center" of any late Beethoven's sonata which is "unfocused and/or fragmented". Since you are pianist and composer, you suppose to be able to provide some professional arguments instead of blurry generalizations. BTW have you heard young Richter playing Schubert? If so, it would take very little time to comprehend how wrong you are.

[herma57]

truecrypt,

I suggest you do more homework,more listening and forget about what you think you know, it is not much; and your words prove it;

[truecrypt]

Of course whatever I know is "not much"... but you started to criticize Richter and couldn't provide a single intelligent argument. "Who are you" is not an answer to my simple question. I expected more from pianist and composer...

[caijpp]

I actually do prefer Richter's tempo here....and I do appreciate his attempt to 'organize' this, IMO, 'disordered' movement.

[herma57]

I'm Wrong ! ? you refuse to think about Richter a little deeper ;Richter's recording of Opus 111, seems to me unorganized in comparison to other Beethoven I've heard him play; that's all, He seem to meander around, not focusedm there is little momentum to his playing which he always has;and Richter if you bother to read his "Diaries"Richter says himself that he came to Schubert late, and never understood him. . . I've heard good Schubert from Richter;

[truecrypt]

Dear herma57;

Let's leave aside who is a "deeper thinker"...

So, we are talking about Op. 111 and you consider Richter's performance "unorganized", "meandering around", "not focused", with "little momentum". In my opinion your "arguments" are completely... I can't even find a word... something between *unprofessional* and *kindergarten*. As for what Richter said about himself re Schubert - take it with a grain of salt.

[chewievioloncelliste]

In my opinion, it doesn't really matter... He could play it faster, why not 200, maybe more? As one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century, it's not a problem for him. Watch his interpretations of Chopin's Etudes (Revolutionary Etude, Etude 10/4, Winter Wind Etude), you'll see he could be much faster.

If he plays it that way, that means it's a choice, that's only his interpretation! Sometimes speed can be a negative point. It should not become unmusical.

[weikko79]

Amazing. Simply amazing. Takes your breath away!

[tented]

Stunningly bad! It sounds like two children banging on their parents' piano, throwing a temper tantrum! And if you can't play 106 at the correct tempo, then don't play it!

[truecrypt]

And if you can't say anything smart, then don't comment...

[Tetsunaweb]

I look forward to watching you playing Beethoven op. 106 ;)

[tented]

This is the equivalent of saying I can't judge how good an egg is unless I can lay one myself.

For your sake, I sincerely hope that you're under 10 years old to have made such an inane, useless, ridiculous comment.

[PianoForteAndrew]

tented has just as much right to say it sounds bad as you have to say it sounds bad, but i do disagree, richter is amazing.

[Sinfoniette]

Are you insulting the Hammerklavier or Richter's playing? If you are insulting the Hammerklavier, I seriously suggest you to even appreciate it even if you hate the piece. If you are insulting Richter - you are entitled to an opinion - so please state why. But still, I disagree with you either way. :)

[mrmonkeybuns]

learn how to read, he said he dislikes it " right now" " i use to love it" based on the " it " i guess we can guess he isnt really into this piece right now.

[PoopShitMario]

Glenn Gould

[mdeonx16]

my God, this Richter person isn't normal, he's waaaay over 9000 in terms of the number of stars this performance deserves. Unbelievably amazing!

[swanningaround]

Agreed. That is why he is considered the greatest instramentalist of the 20th Century. His countryman Oistrach is number 2.

[quintos34]

Lots of musicians are great in all kind of ways. It's not a contest it's art!!!

Richter's pianoplay was fantastic of course

[swanningaround]

quintos. Fair enough. There are all sorts of opinions and lists around. I agree with your statement.

[ipublica]

Geniuses are not 'normal' persons, that is why they deserve special treatment. Genial children as well, they are not as ordinary children, because they are srongly focused on their art or other intrinsic talent, which is considered by popular culture as 'egoism'. That is why geniuses more than any other group of children drop out of schools and universities. Famous examples are Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso.

[quinto34]

Richter is made for Beethoven (and Schubert, Prokofiev, Haydn :) )

[marmasiotis]

For quinto34

You´ve forgotten Schumann :))

[quintos34]

You're probably right marmasiotis, I wouldn't know to be honnest, cause I'm not made for Schumann somehow..

Somehow I can't get my brain compatible with this man's music. Even when the great Richter plays Schumann, it does nothing for me..

Maybe someday I see the light :)

[marmasiotis]

For quintos34

That´s interesting. You are not the first person saying that..

A couple of friends are reclaiming the same thing.

It´s odd for me, because especially with schumann I have the feeling I understand everything he has to "say".

But of course his music has much with literature and with his soul to do...

I can´t explain eather, that some persons don´t love his music

[quintos34]

Interesting indeed..

Schopenhauer wrote some interesting stuff on this subject, but the same story here lol

[Sinfoniette]

For some reason, I dislike his Piano Concerto right now. I used to love it; it used to be my favorite concerto, but now I can't see joy. But I still see the joy of the Waldszenen and the Kinderszenen. Great calm music (and sleeping music. ;)

[thepomeranian]

Is it still from the times he played by memory?

He got totally lost before the recap...wow , makes us mortals feel good )

[truecrypt]

I often wonder how little it takes to make some "mortals" feel good...

[ytfarmer90]

seems like it's just one snide little comment to make you feel good :)

but yeah it definetely makes me feel better for all the times i've blanked, and there are quite a few, haha

[CeaserXIX]

Are we trying to compete with Sviatoslav Richter now? heheh

[enricoI]

No one will read this, but it needs a response:

There are two schools regarding the passage right before the Recap. One school (Von Bulow) says that the passage is correct as written, and that the all A#s are enharmonic spellings of B-flat. The other school (Schenker) says that's just baloney, and that Beethoven simply forgot to add a few accidentals in his copy to the publisher.

[enricoI]

In this performance, Richter uses the Von Bulow interpretation of the bridge to the Recap.

[francescaemc2]

Sviatoslav Rulz. I love the late sonate of Beethoven and have never heard him play them.

This is such a treat.

Cannot thank you enough for posting.

My father played the Hammerklavier, so it's especially dear to me.

[gerryrains]

Between Richter, Gilels, Gieseking, and Arrau, only one pianist stands out from the rest - Richter! The rest are excellent, but if one is to give them 5 stars, then Richter must have 6.

[Anders039]

Suberb.

[rrapmonmis]

messes up a few times...

[truecrypt]

Is that all you could come up with upon listening?

[yodiepants]

on youtube, everyone is a musicologist.

[ciliaspippi]

@yodiepants

Yes, on youtube, everyone is an expert!

[Gargantupimp]

@yodiepants on youtube everyone is a gynocologist

[tchebinai71]

I prefer arrau's version. Gilels one too.

[laureanobruno]

You know nothing.

[tchebinai71]

Who do you think you are to tell me who i have to prefer . I haven't listened the fugue yet and I'm sure it's quite a wonder.Sicerely Arrau's version is the one that pleases me more, concerning the first movement .

[laureanobruno]

I am god.

[paganiniGOGO]

You can't be, cuz i am.

[kajohada]

thats it how it suppose to be!

[ostrun]

he plays with such an energy!

[keelan111]

Only Richter could have made this massive, unweildly hydra of a composition anything less than a wagnerian chore to hear.

[kandutery]

remember!! YOU CAN ADD "&fmt=18" (WITHOUT THE QUOTATION MARKS) TO THE END OF ANY YOUTUBE VIDEO URL FOR A MUCH HIGHER AUDIO QUALITY.

[speedythecat]

Oh my G-d. This sounds so much better I'm falling over. Thank you!

[kandutery]

hehe :D

[scottbos68]

you can hear it when he plays beethoven - so much love joy and emotion between the notes

[flugelmaniac]

very nice sound quality........good acoustics and maybe one of the Steinways made before the CBS takeover in 1972?

[atralfalgar]

A very amazing performance of this great Beethoven's piano sonata. Thanks very much.

[pianopera]

Here the problem of the MM = 138 together with the "Alla Breve" is an impossible challenge. Richter chose for structure, while Gieseking takes all the risks in an attempt to reach the impossible.

I prefer Gieseking in the Adagio sostenuto, it has enormous expressiveness while R. is dragging a little and not playing real appassionato.

In the last movement Gieseking has put his foot in it, quite disastrous in the fugue sometimes, here I prefer Richter.

[truecrypt]

I think it happens because Richter definitely (as always) goes for *orchestral* approach - I can "conduct" 1st movement - all ritardandos and/or accelerandos are *orchestral*.

Gieseking goes by different road, taking advantage of the "single instrument" flexibility and possibilities. The beginning does demonstrate a huge difference between R and G. I can't believe how fast G plays opening cords! May be there was something wrong with Beethoven's metronome? ;)

[some1x]

Check out Schiff's lectures on the Hammerklavier.

[paulostroff99]

Superb! Bravo! TY.

[aewanko300]

Finally, the Hammerklavier on YouTube. Thanks, truecrypt!

[paulostroff99]

aewanko300-Walter Gieseking is also represented on you tube.

[sagalat]

Huge. Richter. A freight-train soaring above its rails. Some mistakes, but that's what happens when you take big risks

[weikko79]

An unsurpassed performance!