HOROWITZ - LISZT Mephisto Waltz CRAZY CADENZA LIVE!!! 1/2

[Restrong]

@Sanitoeter666 I don't know if you were trying to be racist or funny, but that's an awful comment to make and has nothing to do with this video... it's also japanese, therefore you wouldn't get that sound

[datsik]

He is clearly just having fun here, messing around with rhythm and improvisation all over the place. This is pure fun.

[MrLaurence19]

This sounds as good as a record, very good job and an awesome performance, hear the audience coughing? amazing this digital device does a good job, sound wise and so did you. Thankyou so much!

[shimizu1946jp]

このメフィストワルツ私が紹介して日本人に、紹介したら、SON­Yに、消されるんですよね・・・・。亜米利加で、逆輸入したのに­、BMGが権利者なのに。日本に、素晴らしさを伝えたいんですけ­どね。大抵英語で書かれているところに日本人は書かない。

私には関係ない。音楽に国境はなし。厳密にはありますけどね。

それに、メフィストワルツ1/2じゃないですよ。

[Sanitoeter666]

@shimizu1946jp i like the part where you said chang poi peng tsui.

[djgest]

im proud that im Hungarian :)

[amxmachine]

i do not like the clunkyness during the beggining. does not sound very waltz like to me. more like a sumo wrestler taking on my grandmother. then all those pauses and stumbles omg sounded like a wrench was being thrown into the piano. musicality be damned if whatever you play sounds unnatural

[Szpzer]

I prefer the interpretation of Stephen Hough, it is more devilish, faster. (And I heard him live)

[sessionmessiah]

is there no audio record left of Liszt playing ? :(( what a shame, really !!!) oh well there are performances like THIS , that just Make you FLY, and LAUGH and LOVE and Enjoy music.... hah hah Horowitz is top 5 at piano, all times ...

[lsbrother]

it is really very disappointing that the end is missing!

[lsbrother]

@lsbrother oh - silly me - it's elsewhere!

[CziffraTheThird]

@lsbrother second part numb nuts 

[shimizu1946jp]

神。教えうるときは、ホロビッツの真似を絶対させなく、Ashk­enazyだが。

これ、譜面とおり、演奏していませんから。

彼は、体調により、演奏が悪いときもあります。

そして、リクエストには答えない。

ピアノはベーゼンドルファー。演奏会で、自分のを飛行機で運ぶ。

ピアノの鍵盤は、弱く叩いても。音がなる。

リストが演奏していたピアノは、兎に角音が鳴らない。私の基本が­できていないから。その基本はハイレベル。相当強く叩かないとな­らない。それも指で。

[huzzzzzzahh]

Although this is a spectacular performance, i think it shows one of the biggest downfalls of Horowitz's flat finger technique and that is repeated notes. I think he may be one of the worst on that front. Which is unfortunate because he's the best in all other aspects

[cziffra1980]

@huzzzzzzahh The repeated note section is one of the finest things in the whole performance. If you think the reason he didn't blast them out was lack of technique (rather than the fact he wanted the mysterious sounds that come with more space), you're just not thinking.

[ASAngelo]

Magic.

[AlexAlcyone]

Horowitz was a brilliant pianist. He could do things most other pianists couldn't, and his contrasts are monumental. But it must be said.. he pulls some v oddball moves. There are a large number of fluffs in this performance, as well as some astonishing improvisation. Anyone who thinks it's flawless simply doesn't know the score. Don't defend OR criticize him blindly, all you do is display your lack of knowledge to those who know. There are some imperfections in this otherwise amazing perf.

[pianoman082388]

@AlexAlcyone Your arrongance not only blinds you, but places a barrier between your mind and the music. I feel sorry that you are caged by these concepts that musicologists created in order to not only try to rationalize great music, but to make up for their lack of musical understanding. The score, the notes, the dynamics, etc... are nothing more then language barriers which distract us from the natural human emotions which pieces like this were created to stimulate.

[dommboi69]

this is bloody amazing

[harald144]

incredibly beautiful and heartfelt music/playing.. I hear a lot of notes that is not in my version is this edition peters?

[ciayko]

@MasterAzunai: troll,troll,troll,troll,envy,t­rol,troll,troll,troll,envy...

[avalanche183]

@MasterAzunai His technique is SO BAD??? You sir, are retarded on four different levels. Probably MOAR. I just have not yet discovered them. Horowitz's technique CHANGED everyone's technique to mimic his especially with octaves. His flat finger techique is raved about and produces a different sound on the piano. You tard. Get out and quit trolling.

[darconisbob]

@avalanche183 No feeding the Trolls, please. It only encourages them.

[TripleRhu]

@MasterAzunai trollolololol

[peterwdeng]

Sounds like a genius pianist's gone mad; at some moment :).

[Stonefyr]

1:00 : That octave on the bottom seems like it was a spur-of-the-moment addition, which is just cool that he could just spontaneously add it in like that, even if he messed up shortly after because of it.

[Gargantupimp]

It's good some people don't like Horowitz, if every musical idiot liked him it'd be all gay and cheezey to like him.

[marcxopoco]

Very dry playing. (sparing use of pedal).

[timsanity8]

Horowitz was a master of effect

[OzzyKingofKings]

Unbelievable. Not just the sheer, throttling excitement and tension but the huge range of sonorities and colours represented here...truly only Horowitz could pull something like this.

Incidentally, where/when is this recording from?! I'd love to get my hands on it!

[musician170]

I think he doesn't play well at all. It's full of mistakes and he constantly hits the wrong tones and I agree with SeanFitandSmart that he plays with too much histrionics, which makes it kitsch! I really don't understand why he got so famous... He might have had the right connections / friends? PR / marketing will do their job after that...

(One of the best performances I have ever heard playing this piece btw is of Georges Cziffra: Horowitz has never even come close to that level!).

[hnk777]

@musician170 Connections will not get the public to come to concerts. He was famous because of his playing. As regards histrionics a lot of the piece is supposed to communicate that. Nobody can deliver the clarity and range of colour of Horowitz. His musicianship is of the highest calibre.

[xxxARCASxxx]

@hnk777 lol, don't feed Cziffra troll

[SeanFitandSmart]

(conclusion): But one thing I've never heard him do before: he plays the rapid right-hand passages in the later part of the piece in thirds, which is extraordinary, and reminds me of Ignaz Friedman's "Minute Waltz," where he plays the very last run in thirds, as rapidly and accurately as Horowitz does here. Final Verdict: Mixed.

[SeanFitandSmart]

(twice in the early part, and twice in the recapitulation), he plays the right hand beautifully, but--unusual for Horfowitz, the left hand is not in proper balance with the right, and you get not a "murky" result, but a contradictory one. His other recordings are better, and let's not even discuss that vulgar abomination of a "cadenza."

[Gargantupimp]

@SeanFitandSmart Lol F.Liszt added a bunch of crap improvising to his performances of Beethoven and stuff during his virtuoso years according to eyewitnesses, he probably played like this, really good but extreme in it's interpretation at times. I find it funny to be so contrary to such additions, especially in these days when everything is recorded, he added something in the heat of the moment and it worked pretty good + added interest, that's what matters and that's pretty cool IMHO.

[SeanFitandSmart]

@Gargantupimp Yes, Liszt did improvise on Chopin's and Beethoven's works when he performed them. Neither of us know in what style he played these improvs. But principles of musicianship change. That was almost 200 years ago. Furthermore, when someone makes changed today, they are usually minor, nothing like an improvisation of the 19th century. BTW--I once heard Alexander ____ (can't remember Russian last name) perform the Mussorgsky Pictures, and his additions were dreadful--utterly tasteless.

[Gargantupimp]

@SeanFitandSmart Whats a principle of musicianship, to me there is only good music or bad music, everything else is a artificial fad, utterly trivial in its nature, only a shell for which a artist can express himself, Horowitz disregards that shell and does something that makes no sense inside of the 'principles of musicianship', but nonetheless seem to me anyways to work very well.

[Gargantupimp]

@SeanFitandSmart An improvisation can be utterly tasteless and improvisations aren't justified by their own rarity and boldness, Horowitz' own 'Cadenza' became rather out of character with the piece, but I still thought it was pretty cool, overall I liked it!. After Richter I don't see how anyone can just play direct absolute from the text, he already did that perfectly and recorded it. **I think you mean Alexander Borovsky or something, yeah that guys a fag he sucks.

[0090david]

@Gargantupimp I was with you until your last sentence. Obviously, you are an ignorant, unducated, and unenlightened individual. If you knew what you were talking about, you would know that many, many of the greatest artists of any era were and are gay. So what does that have to do with their artistry? If anything it makes them more sensitive to their art. You should be so lucky.

[Gargantupimp]

@0090david Makes there bungholes more sensitive to wang

[SeanFitandSmart]

I left a comment a few months ago, but upon hearing this performance, I have to defer. I am a big admirer of Horowitz, and I've heard him play this piece magnificently. But here he is engaging in far too much histrionics--the kind that lessened his reputation in many quarters. Since only have limited space, let me just point out one aspect of what I mean: The part in the piece where the right hand has those rapid passages, while the left hand has a counter-melody

[WaldemarKoszlowsky]

Simply the best

[hotbebimauz]

many pianists just play this piece loud without understanding the text. but at horowitz interpratation, every note is at the right place. hes truly a genious. this is the most moving version ive ever heard. its just brilliant, it takes my breath away.

[QueenFantom7]

@hotbebimauz

yeah, i'm gonna like it(˘˛˘) you can be sure...

[madmooster]

Listen with your eyes closed. You will hear the heart of Horowitz. Take it to the very edge. Be the master of the music. The MUSIC. He and the piano are at one with Liszt. (BTW that is one helluva piano - be sure your subwoofer is on.)

[lagomundo1]

Listen to him is so easy! you don´t have to make effort to find the phrases or anything at all, he just takes it all and shows it to you. I agree with CONCERTPIANIST88, when i listen this performance makes me want to practice more and more... limit is yourself, and Horowitz shows it!

[Milkshake85]

He is the master.

Anyway a pretty "free" version. Horowitz-style in perfection.

[francescaemc2]

Thanks for posting Maestro Volodya.

[concertpianist88]

A very powerful interpretation. This is the sort of performance you can only give AFTER you have established yourself as a noted pianist. If a rookie gave this performance, critics would say, "TOO many liberties... TOO over the top..." None the less a brilliant take on the work

[Milkshake85]

I don't think that a "rookie" would have been able do play like that. Noone does.

Never forget: There are many people that can play unbelivably good, but what makes for example horowitz or rubinstein better than the rest, or where you can distinguish them is that they understood what they are doing: Music! Every single piece they played full of emotion. In addition to that it's really difficult to understand the pieces' structure especially in a piece like this

[SeanFitandSmart]

"Full of emotion..." What it is is that each note is played deliberately,.. i.e. with planning and thought; nothing is left to happenstance. Everything is thought through. Every note is meant to come out exactly the way id does. But I think I understand what you are articulating.

[TheCinemaization]

Totally brilliant!

[TheMadman2006]

What is amazing is that he plays it like an actual walttz and not just seeing how fast he can hit things.

[goldenthroat86]

Over the top? Yes...Percussive sound at points ? Yes...Taking some liberties? Yes...But who else brings this piece such character, such colors, such a huge palette of dynamics? Say what you want about Horowitz...His performances are NEVER boring!!

[teddy12543]

When is this from? I wish there would be postings of earlier Horowitz and Arrau. So many postings are from their 80's, which isn't a true representation of these giants.

[SCHneiDen777]

It is a proper representation if everybody else they're being compared to is 80!!! Everybody on here is all, oh this or he or she is better. These guys are half dead playing this loud, this fast, and this heartfelt. Show me an 80-90 yr old who can play like this nowadays!

Uncanny some people and their perceptions.

PS I like your comment teddy12543

[pobz100]

Poor piano..!

[SCHneiDen777]

poor piano? the piano is sehr brave! Aber he would've been better had he been off medication and depression and medication that screwed him up. Poor Horowitz. The piano don't need drugs for depression.

Nevertheless powerful performance as always by Horowitz. Never a waste to post Horowitz!

[HerrNollie]

I wish he took his gloves off before he played this.

[EMPERORMIKI]

God this is gorgeous ... best I've heard yet.

[freeqwerqwer]

Horowitz went overboard a bit and it sounds more like a slam than a piece of music.

[match1071]

sorry i accidentally hit the thumbs down on ya. nothing personal

[nik19910204]

this is pure genius at work...it's not a "slam" it's power it's atitude,it's mephisto him self...you ar forgeting who is mefisto...the devil ;)

[calflyboy]

I have learned this piece. I was able to play it - hum- , satisfactorily. but what Horowits does here nothing short of magic. IT is evocative, beautiful, even scary. I used to shrug Horowitz off as old-fashioned. Now, I understamd that he gets 100 points out of 100 and the next best pianist of the 20th century gets 60 points.

Horowitz is the God of piano

[konzolmester]

Horrible......

[goldenthroat86]

Zeus hurling thunderbolts from Olympus. :59...HOLY CRAP!

[SirJohnR]

Liszt himself ! !

or the Devil?.... :)

[sdorr]

Interesting interpretation by one of the 2-3 greatest pianists (musicians???) and tonedictor of his instrument in the last century or so....most of the moderns have just a fraction of his repetioire and range, in any case, not to mention story-telling ability.... It willl take the performers from 3rd world countries another century to produce anyone CLOSE in artistry and musical command of the instrument....lts who can play loud and fast now though, of course.....

[Pianisteny2k]

Too... smashy-like and clumsy for my taste, Even tough it the devil...

I personaly think that the devil makes less nois that this interpretation.

And the middle part is to slow. It says "slower, but not much", kind of.

It's a shame I haven't became a very big fan of Horowitz yet....

[BOSOX9004]

His ideas, as a whole for this piece, are obviously brilliant.

What's interesting to me as a wholly uneducated listener however is the fact that some of his ideas for certain passages, though brilliant, are simply impossble to truly play.

[rainbowfeather]

It's so clear, the runs are magnificent. He can really paint the piece. What an artist he was.

Love it!

[sillyyyface]

5:00 so good.

[Ratshee]

anybody knows when was this piece recorded?

[shrinkingglasses]

1979

[krazykeys88]

I don't like the interpretation of the intorduction. However the main melody introduction is good

[OrangeSodaKing]

wow.

[enzovane]

thank you philippeo

[joesubaruson]

This guy is playing as if had been taught by M-angel himself, too slimy to listen to. You enjoy meeting with faust gretchen and Mr M.

[Arush09]

Obviously you haven't the slightest idea of what you are talking about. If you like music, get the fuck out of this realm. Your shit-brain isn't needed.

[LameForGosuAcc]

o.o

[Pianisteny2k]

Obviously you are the shit-brain, since you don't see the point in discussing music.

[qais18]

thank you man