Earl Wild - Etude 4 "Embraceable You"

[680stp]

Beautiful interpretation and execution. As I attempt to learn to play this piece, I appreciate the camera work--hand close-ups--which help me to divide the

hands, choose better fingering, etc. Thanks. And E.W.'s transcriptions are such that there is no ONE way to play the piece. Many of the individual variants can be great.

[WuSchell]

cool video.

where can you download the score to this piece?

[blamont]

Absolutely fabulous. Great technical playing and beautiful musical finesse. Bravo.

[kcmarkham57]

So lovely, such a fluid melody line!

[dab505279]

WOW! What a great performance.

[HarpoMarx22]

Beautiful rendition of this transcription. Even better than Earl Wild's own recording of it. Who is this guy? Why haven't I heard of him?

[acorntechnique]

played with such care and attention the many details this piece has.

10/10

terrific playing

[KIMHUYNGUYEN]

Just wonderful.

You are a great artist, man.

[dudesouth14]

you got mad skills bro

[sorobji]

Really beautiful playing! I'm just curious, are you classic or popular orientated. Because you have that finesse of a classical pianist and the real feeling of a cabaret musician!  I got a hold of his transcriptions and this was the one I wanted to try.

[Lebowski53]

Great performance.

Great moustache.

[OldGringo38]

It doesn't get any better than that. What pleasure to listen.

Thank You for sharing.

[batlin]

My god that's a difficult piece, but beautifully and played absolutely fantastically well. The sustain pedal was used nicely - I guess it'd be very easy to have too much "muzz", but it sounds very clean here. Favourited!

[Alffovinni]

beautiful!

[Alffovinni]

beautiful!

[rdoister]

you live three lifetimes with playing like this--thanks so much!

[bersa888]

Great!

[Matthewfawr]

You great man, you! Beautiful playing

[stephenjoeagi]

Wonderful playing of Earl Wild's arrangement. I actually like Verzosa'a version better than Earl Wild's. Bravo !!!!

[crazypianolady]

If I could ever play as well as you, I could die happy!

[LeighFeatherstone]

I have been trying to contact U! Voltaier. you tought my niece and I need to send some great talent to you. I am Leigh Harris with cool blue talent.

[threeekings]

Wow!! Fantastic. I echo all of the praise below - from a professional pianist.

[MichaSchlechtriem]

Just listened to you again, and it is ....masterful, absolutely masterful, beautiful rubati, the theme always shimmering through.....great!

Thanks a lot,

Michael

[sanjosemike]

Any form this ravishingly beautiful song takes is worth hearing, and played beautifully by Voltaire Verzosa, here.

sanjosemike

[Djfriction33]

wow...that was fantastic..I first heard this piece performed live by one of the 5 browns and I loved it then...this youtube video sounds just as good as the live performance, well done...how long have you played?? This song is on my wish list but I know I'm not ready yet

[licoricestic]

ravishing performace

[shela2]

Deliceuse.........

[MISHA1119]

I disagree with the poster who suggests that you subdue the accompaniment more. One of the things I like so much about this performance is that the melody is always clearly projected, yet the marvelous passagework glitters the way I think Wild meant for it to. The complex accompaniment creates so many fascinating harmonies - I admit there's a fine balance, but we must hear these progressions to to really appreciate the full range of Wild's stunning transcription.

[nohpiano]

I agree - and I studied with him. Earl that is.

[lemonyjoels]

Great video... I love this etude, but can I suggest one thing? I think you should play the inner notes much softer so the melody has more power. You have a decent grasp of the phrasing and you introduce the overall form of the piece rather nicely, but for me the melody must always be the most important thing. All the other embellishments must always be secondary. Also if you look back at the score there are some notes you are not quite holding for their full value. Other then that, great job. =)

[stephenjoeagi]

Superb. Thank you very much.

[rockdots2009]

Fantastic, sensitive performance. More please!

[wdkelper]

Great job!!!!

[milograamans]

Amazing performance! I don't know what to say about it, I'm speechless.

While the video editing is well done, I could have done without the one camera angle where your hands aren't visible.

[valevtx]

Absolutely awsome.

[ninemuses]

Since there was not enough space in the first commentary (left minutes ago), I will continue. Your concept of this piece is well thought out. The rendition is so complete; the pedaling and dexterity are extremely refined. People need to hear playing like this more often. I encourage you to do more uploading of videos to YouTube. Thanks for the present posting!

[ninemuses]

Gentlemen, we have a genius in our midst! This is such playing of a magnitude that is indescribable; the pedaling, phrasing, tone, and fluency is so beautiful and everything is done with taste. I would pay $100 to hear this live. Needless to say, the video work is great!! Check out this guy's website. (He is also a singer...don't you just hate multi-talented people like this...of course, I am only kidding.) Keep up the good work. You are supremely blessed! P.S. Who was the videographer?

[bountifullovin88]

Who publishes this collection? I'd love to learn them but can't see them for sale anywhere..

[br13636]

I got mine from the Earl Wild website. They are his own transcriptions, I believe, and from the recordings I have represent a pretty good representation of his playing. My only issue was that they cost $15 each plus shipping.

[pianonine]

Beautiful tender playing. All the notes are there and the phrasing is superb. Love the rubato ... tastefully done! Earl outdid himself on this one indeed. Keep them coming...Thank you. Pianonine

[musicamusement]

Superb! It took my breath away!! Thank you so much!

[EMUCyprusProf]

Dear Voltaire, It's Marc Heeg from Cyprus! My God, what lovely playing! You are in Chicago? Doing what, "professor"? Such a serendipitous surprise to find your video. Beautiful, truly. m.

[junobostock]

Very fine playing, very good musical taste and phrasing, bravo!!

[YYJBL]

This is MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­

[Venttianne]

wow Professor, you could make the piano sing harp.

[rdoister]

just wonderful

[MichaSchlechtriem]

Dear Voltaire Verzosa,

this is absolutely great playing and phrasing!

Thank you for posting!

Michael

[firesong75]

Beautiful, Voltaire, so artistic - just the right mood and feeling backed up by flawless technique! Who was the viodeographer?

[bossmuscle]

a friend of mine from Chicago did the videography in my home. I will have another one done by the end of this month, but may not be as professionally shot like this. Look forward to seeing your video on here too!!!

[cpirozzijr]

Dear Earl It is very nice .If I may add ,in the 2nd bar you must make the diminished change it now lacks

[sagalat]

I agree..."ravishing" is the word. Brilliant! Who'd've known?

[Rachoszsky]

excellent! really beautiful!

[parsonstreet]

Very attractive!!

[michieldpiano]

Very nice interpretation!

Played with a romantic soul.

And on a piano I like alot (schimmel is something special)

Greetings from Belgium,

Michiel

[bongcrls]

hey voltaire,great !!! nice to know you're doing well ... pls. keep in touch( through my yahoo account, rpcaballes)... this is rommel caballes remeber?, marist 82.

[bossmuscle]

My teacher thanks you all for your kind comments. He is the one playing this beautiful Gershwin/Wild transcription. He will post more in the future. He appreciates the fantastic suggestions to make the music better. He suffers from focal dystonia on some of his fingers, and this has added an interesting element to his learning process. But, not bad for someone who suffers from this syndrome. So, this is to all those suffering from dystonia. There is hope to play again---always!

[ALMUTEN11]

Just a footnote to my first post: the criticisms were

nitpicking - you really make this piece ripple across the expanse of the keyboard like the white key deluge Wild meant for it to be. Also marvelous phrasing throughout with a penetrating yet warm sound. And the beautifully clear, even mechanism speaks for itself. Please record some more of these gorgeous Gershwin

transcriptions - you play this music like you were born to it.

[MISHA1119]

A ravishing performance of Earl Wild's glittering transcription. I love the rubatos! It is carping to find any fault at all, yet I also agree with the preceding commentator - when the theme comes back for the last time bring out those dissonant passing tonesa bit more. Also don't rush the big chordal passage right after that - milk those harmonies instead of rushing through them. Just a few tiny suggestions - overall your version is truly wonderful, as good as Wild's!

[ivrykeys]

Also, really nice filmage, hehe.

[ivrykeys]

Hey this was cool. I have been waiting to see some people perform Earl Wild's transcriptions. Wonderful playing.

[bandmonkey101]

Hi Mr. Verzosa! This is Amelia Taylor. I found your video as you can see and this song is amazing! It's very beautiful and you, of course play it so well!!

[wuadawg]

Mr. Voltaire! Enjoyed your video very much. This is Kevin Chang, hope all is well, catch up with you soon.

[jchurch1]

Its gr8 the way he handles the phrasing and I really enjoyed how he handled all the parts so clearly. He could have made more of the final chorus, where the music is just spread arpeggios from one hand to the other, but could sound flashier! Beautifully played though. Thanks 4 posting -- it's gr8 to see the hands as well...I know every pianist has their own ways of arranging the hands! Earl Wild gives us little indication in the score...!