Maurizio Pollini - Etude Chopin op.10 no.1 in C major

[KarolLewandowsky]

Vivat Polonia!!!

[iWillBlockYou]

i really think Pollini is the best interpreter of Chopin's etudes.

[nimesse]

he's the best on chopin, i think.

[TripleRhu]

damn, for this etude, he is better than cziffra or richter

[mostruki]

PERFECTION IS SO LITTLE TO CALL THIS MAN

[TheSilentSon]

It sounds like the glorious sun scorching the earth!

[jkbidwell]

I so agree- with just a brief look around- the search stops here...at perfection!

[ghostwriter11]

Perfect. In fact, it's way too perfect.

Pollini plays Chopin like some super-intelligent alien from another planet (Italy??) who has amazing technique but doesn't understand humanity and its flaws.

Chopin's music is not about perfection. It's about imperfection and beauty.

[jumpyrice]

@ghostwriter11 dude. what are you talking about. Do you know Pollini that well to talk those crap about him? He doesn't understand humanity and its flaws? do you know then? I can see why you mention humanity, but what does it's flaws have to do with pollini playing chopin?

[ChukCharcoales]

Valentina's interpretation is slower, has longer pauses, and has a much clearer right hand. I prefer her interpretation.

[bobbphysics]

@ChukCharcoales Valentina does not have a "much clearer right hand." Pollini's right hand in this piece is probably the most even out of all of the pianists I've heard.

[alejandrothefader]

@ChukCharcoales i wont state anything as it´s your opinion but.... hell it´s soo wrong

ok lisitsa is good but too a superficial pianist as an interpreter :p

[marchinoful]

grande maestro ...

[emorydude2]

This piano is a Hamburg Steinway D modified by the Italian piano technician Angelo Fabbrini.

[alejandrothefader]

@emorydude2 are you any kind of online piano guide??

:P

i want that piano...

[z978ady]

That piano has been tuned.

[LtAld0Raine]

0:51-1:04 = eargasm

[anonymousQ45]

@LtAld0Raine yes! my favorite to play and listen to!

[yukie3yo]

He will come to Japan soon.

[AlexPianoPwns]

Wow, Wow, WOW!!! You played it very clear on the notes!!! I like the dynamic contrast as well. Keep playing this everyday and you can even get better!!! There is no end towards Chopin music ;)

[jwunschie14]

I love this piece for so many reasons, my brother practiced it so much back in the day, and it has since become a part of me. Out of all the runs, my favorites are at the following times:

3rd. 0:15 - :017

2nd. 0:55 - 0:56

1st. 0:20 - 0:23

I encourage you to share your own! And I ensure you I LOVE then entire piece, and what a great performance!

[anonymousQ45]

@jwunschie14 i completely agree, but you left out 1:35 , i dont prefer the way pollini plays this section, not that its wrong, just not my preference. to me this section is mysterious, i think it should be played lightly w/ an accent on the first beat of the descending arpeggios. 1:40 to me should be played a bit more agressively, in contrast to my first statement. but Pollini technique still inspires me

[jwunschie14]

@anonymousQ45 Agreed, i enjoy both the runs you listed, more than most. I agree also with the aggressiveness at 1:40. As for overall favorite, I still prefer 0:20....I don't know why, but I am obsessed with this run! Is it your favorite or do you prefer the 2 you listed?

[anonymousQ45]

@jwunschie14 all 3

[felixholek]

wonderful....he seems to sing...(does anyone know a intpretation of this etuse by horowitz??)

[GIULIOPT95]

@felixholek Nope.. sorry friend :(

[karlakor]

@felixholek In conversation with David Dubal, Horowitz claimed that he could not play this etude, nor could he play op. 10. no. 2 or the Winter Wind Etude. It seems incredible, but that's what Dubal reported in his book, "Evenings with Horowitz".

[deadly990]

this HAS been posted before however youtube deleted it along with 4000 other videos on franzferencelizst's channel for copyright infringment (his whole channel was deleted so it may have not been THIS recording).

[Mieta79]

Bravo!!!!!

[Ana2010Claudia]

Outstanding performance ! Powerful , precise, visceral .Bravo!!!

[Ana2010Claudia]

Outstanding  performance !Bravo!!!

[ulviliegi]

@KV467 and @Mustloveoranda

The tragedy is that you're both right.

[raulisable]

Wow thats the perfect way you can write something in c major, chopin rocks

[gbshalev]

Trust me, I have been playing this etude since forever and this is the best interpretation. I won't write a whole essay about the way Pollini plays this. The pedalling is perfect, the line in the bass is a haunting bell-sounding feature to it. The timing is perfect - not too fast but perfectly even. Pollini plays the difficult arpeggios cleanly and precise. A monumental and legendary performance.

[anonymousQ45]

@gbshalev listen to Louis Lortie too

[Oerti2]

@gbshalev

check out ashkenazys. I think is has a lot more soul than this one.

But this is a tight ass version as well.

[andriventu]

the best pollini

[Fox7117]

Pure magic! \o/ :D

[jordankuprij]

not fair :( my piano sounds nowhere near as good as this!!it makes me sound crappier than i am!!

[YeolWOe]

what can I say for this, just simply the best..

[heyagakurai]

He is the Chopinist!!

[MrTaleylon]

better than ashkenazy's version.

[findelka1810]

@MrTaleylon definitely agree

[mombeekmarcel]

amazing???? not a single note of music, just like his face: fake emotion...

[Boeuf65]

@mombeekmarcel

Enough of your silly playing and your imbecile comment.

[MrMonstaGamer]

Still think this would be great with a Bechstein

[Heero545]

Jeez Im having more fun studying Chopin Etudes than Hanon excercises. Hanon excercises would be more fun if they were more musical. Thank god Chopin lol

[311Bambino]

gona learn this song in 10 years a will have it perfect!!

[robertslistening]

Yes, the balance between the top and bottom ends of the piano is excellent. Obviously, a very high quality ? Steinway? Sounds too bright for a Bosendorfer, so it must be a Steinway. As for owning all of the etudes? Don't know if I would agree there...but this one is between him and Garrick Ohllson.

[markov2b1]

god this song is so pretty. sublime. it sounds very modernische... a bit like grieg

[scottg4life]

Check out my tutorial on this piece on my channel!!

[emi1534]

Another great under- rated interpretor is Vladimir Ashkenazy :D

[robertslistening]

I could tell you which measure he messed up in, but, I like his playing so much that I'm not going to tell you. His continuity was so excellent that most people would not notice the two arpeggios he misses in one measure.

[Lity10]

@robertslistening lol

[classicvinylbiz]

@robertslistening Woytowicz misses no arpeggios. And he uses no pedal. 

[nycolas1712]

Congratulations.

[MusicClassical1]

Thank God I'm Right- Handed!

[Heero545]

@MusicClassical1 I know right? Thank god this ain't like "Revolutionary"!

[Troybeallad]

This is probably my favourite version of this study.

Brilliant playing by Pollini.

[fredericfranc]

Chopin was called the right-handed genius; like I was trying to see how much left hand action you get here, but I can't see a damn freaking thing, obviously...

[bedaccorocco]

MAURIZIO: FUISTE EL PRIMER PIANISTA QUE ESCUCHE EN MI VIDA (6 AÑOS) TE AGRADEZCO INFINITAMENTE POR MOTIVARME A SER PIANISTA Y A CADA DIA ADMIRARTE MAS... DESDE ECUADOR (SUDAMERICA) TE ENVIO MI FRATERNO SALUDO Y ADMIRACIÓN Paúl Carrión

[bedaccorocco]

@bedaccorocco

[gbshalev]

absolute best ever rendition. I have heard pretty much every major version of this etude and have played it for years. Pollini's version is unparalleled. The clean arpeggios, the melody in the bass, the technique, etc...

Other decent performances - gavrilov, richter, beresovsky, perahia, lugansky

[satyu131089]

@gbshalev vladimir ashkenazy, my friend!! and backhaus, argerich??ashkenazy is the best at playing this...amazing dynamics...

[AristYdes]

this music makes me think of sick chopin walking through flowering fields when spring comes... but not for him!

[MrImperfection]

very clear notes. very smooth.. amazing

[semicolin]

this is sublime. sweeping, majestic, towering... pollini really does justice to this etude. makes it sound effortless, when anyone who has attempted to play it knows it is anything but. my right wrist aches just thinking about it....

anyway, bravissimo!

[FearRain]

This shit is epic, but I'm gonna try to play it with crescendos. I think it might sound FUCKING epic if it soudns super soft int he beginning and then rises up to hard sounds, and back to soft and etc. COuld you imagine that shit? AHHHH I'm gonna go practice...I FEEL LIKE GOD!!! LMAO

[aston0708]

perfection,,,,words are useless here,,,,,,,,,,,

[rakuhiro5]

素晴らしい！

お見事です。

[MrReinhardtd]

For me Richter is the greatest at this etude

[psychopathtoine]

actually this piece wasn't played as fast as possible when written. search for 'chopin op 10/1 too fast to play?' and you'll understand this piece a bit more :)

[Cancrizans]

@psychopathtoine Agree...I mean all of the performances I have listened to on Youtube are great, and everyone will have their favorites. For me, I like Cortot the best of those I've listened to around here mostly bc I can't get my mind around the concept of playing anything by Chopin in the mode of a show piece. I also agree with Andre in that I love Ashkenazy's version as well, the degree of colour he fits in such a small space is truly poetic.

[AndreAx1985]

Excellent technique... Perhaps the best technicque on this piece among all major interpreters... Never the less I still prefer Ashkenazy version, no one reaches a wider range of sounds like ashkenazy do...

[SteinwayArtist]

He's really good. I had a go at recording this one too (click my name).

[mrundercoverdude]

why do ppl keep ripping off Chopin's stuff for & then selling only half of it lol... .. ? ..

Peace:) UB

[mrundercoverdude]

lol i mean whole lol

[mrundercoverdude]

thats not the hole tune...

[mrundercoverdude]

oh man this is amazing.. how the hell did i miss this small bit of music heaven?... chopin is bloody amazing!! lol

[leonboelmann]

...SECONDO ..MA PER DIRE..

SCIOCCHEZZE::

grazie.......

sono orgoglioso di essere italiano..

[Cedarosaurus]

Pollini plays each note with such clarity, they sound translucent.

[OLarney87]

He plays it like a monumental prelude... Which, in a way, it is.

[axc19891]

bravo!

[lalagirl259]

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS!!!!

[gta661610]

Sometimes I like Pollini's playing, but this is a boring interpretation of the op10 n1.

So flat, always the same volume...always played forte...where are the dynamics?

[D0g63rt]

Volume leveling software

[gta661610]

In his head

[WaldemarKoszlowsky]

Oh now I understand because you don't like Pollini. You prefer Argerich!? Argerich is not a pianist in a clown who thinks that she is the genius of the piano... She is one of the worse pianist.. Pollini one of the best pianist not only today but all the times like the true Pianist: Backhaus, Horowitz, Gilels, Glenn Gould, Cortoto, Fischer, Demus...

[Matteo7419]

Mi sto chiedendo cosa ti può aver fatto la Argerich perché tu riempia YT di questi commenti assurdi.

[OrganizationX000]

WOW! This is Amazing. any know what brand piano this is because its the most beautiful piano i've ever heard or is it editing that made it sound like the voice of god. And this is a splendid interpretation

[dmcII]

@OrganizationX000 Pollini is a Steinway artist so its probably a Steinway.

[mathpianist93]

@OrganizationX000: I think he plays Steinway the vast majority of the time. Steinways do have their weaknesses though, as all pianos do.

[uhartchristian]

@OrganizationX000 its for sure a Steinway and the recording was done in very good condition with deutsche grammophone as I remember.

The disc was a sensation when it came out and made pollini famous. His integrale of debussy etudes life in Paris was another sensation....

His Beethoven sonatas are much less interesting

[RemovdSande11]

if you had the money to buy this piano, than you wouldn't had to ask... : )

[druidmechanics]

Why are we so worried about whether it was played at once or in stages? It's a recording, not a Guinness Book feat. Impressive if he nailed it in one sitting, but I also appreciate music that was honed with the help of editing, to deliver the most rewarding listening experience.

[OlegGultayev]

@druidmechanics Agree - It is normal that all records become stage by stage. If he wished to play for one approach it would be not easier to organise simply concert and to write down from it etudes?) For me - this interpritation of this piece absolutle fantastic! And i don't worry about the way ofrecording.

[CDonches]

Somehow I doubt Pollini or any of the top player out there would stoop to overdubbing. He's probably played this piece since he was a teenager.

[Volanges100]

C'est le meilleur, pas de précipitation, toutes les notes sont là. La main gauche est magnifique. Quelle leçon. On est pétrifié de joie.

[ilikehaku1100]

@mdeonx16 You should see Yundi Li.

[Rigel1033]

@ilikehaku1100 You should see Chopin

[Rigel1033]

I heard that he recorded all the etudes every bar individual.

[OrangeSodaKing]

Basically, every studio recording has countless edits in it. I'm not sure if they're every measure (since it's such a short and concentrated piece). However, I would not be surprised if Pollini could absolutely nail this piece live. =)

[eiweissexperience]

this rendition is uncommonly and beautifully articulate. Pollini truly understands Chopin's études, down to their very fundamentals.

[Nycago]

amazing..

those chords!

[zorablu]

his master was arturo benedetto michelangeli...no words.

[TayuyaCS2]

This is the best interpretation of this Etude.. The Etudes are pieces of technique and showmanship. Pollini's interpretation creates magic. He puts his own emotion in it without disrupting the beauty of the song. It's crisp, fresh, and beautiful.

[Angel94angel94]

Pollini owns Chopin Etudes.

[ThePaczki]

@Angel94angel94,

Chopin's Etudes belong to the world . . .

[ke7hbi]

@Angel94angel94 Agreed!!!

[77orchidjim]

@Angel94angel94 ...and the preludes, too . These recordings are , as a whole, the best.

[noblechopin]

@Angel94angel94 Of course,he has the best version of Chopin etudes.I agree with you

[Barbapippo]

Incredibile.....

[sara7628]

I love Pollini's style

Ashkenazy's is a little bit stiffer

[albagilli]

fantastico....

[cody55909]

I'd have to agree with ruimanak. I never realized this before now I'd have to say some people put too much emotion into pieces that don't require it. For instance how do you put emotion into a song like that entertainer it's supposed to be a rigid march. I believe that this song was intended without much emotion. So I have to say that I believe this is the best interpretation of the song.

[ipublica]

Pollini has in my view created novelty in how he plays Chopin. In fact, I consider it as an innovative comprehension of Chopin and his music that searches its equal in the whole of musical performance history. This is so much the more true for how he played the Etudes. He gave his Chopin a quality of authenticity and, should I say, objectiveness, that I haven't heard with any other pianist. For the op. 10/1 Etude, I also consider the renderings by Richter and Gavrilov very to the point.

[trevjr]

yeah best better, who knows. i give the nod to Ashkenazy for the musicality and being live. this is very good but borders on mechanical.

[Ruimanuk]

I meant his interpretation of Chopin's "études". And even Chopin said what i said about excessive emotions and how they "tore the musical structure" originally intended.

[Ruimanuk]

Excessfull emotions ruins a piece. I think Pollini just got the perfect balance between transparence and emotions on his "études".

[robertslistening]

I disagree on Ashkenzy. Pollini has very clear right hand notes and a much better compliment in the bass. I wish some of them would pay more attention to the bass like it was a melody. It can make the piece so much more beautiful, when the right accents are used. Half of them do a hammer job on the left hand, and have no building process in it. Argerich played it fast but I didn't like her left hand. Cziffra hammered the left hand and almost missed some right hand notes. Lisitsa good but slower.

[AndreAx1985]

Very good... Perfect I'd say... Nevertheless I prefer Ashkenazy version of this etude: he puts much more feeling in his interpretation, anyway showing a perfect technique.

[zowen11]

I agree.  Although Pollini has some of the best, crispest, recordings of the etudes, Ashkenazy's version is better, due to the feeling he puts into it (like you said). Still, this is a five-star!

[Liebromeistal]

Argerich played it better than Pollini and Ashkenazy... Listen to her recording

[zowen11]

I listened to Argerich's recording, and it's pretty good, but I think it's on the borderline of becoming too unsteady. I prefer Pollini and Ashkenazy's because they are more stable. I also liked Ashkenazy's because he did this cool thing with leaving out the pedal on some of the arpeggios. Oh well...

[Liebromeistal]

Argerich played it better than Pollini and Ashkenazy... Listen to her recording

[NaruSasuFreakYOSH]

Perfection. I wonder if I could ever master it at that speed...

[beyondthesanity]

Astonishing!

[nelsyeung]

this is really good. =D all the notes are really clear

[killingangel707]

Hats off a genius.

[alexilmagnifico]

I believe that the reason he is good is that he is so... honest

[vegatrev]

Pollini set the benchmark with his recordings of the Chopin Etudes. Not my assessment but those of musical critics of the time. Thanks for posting.

[killingangel707]

What is the italian word again, oh thats right: increible.

[fortune32]

you forgot the d.

[fortune32]

and an i...

[D0g63rt]

Your commenting technique could use some improvement.

[STI45]

This is one of My Audition Pieces

[HjalmarGuitarMaster]

for what did/do you audition?

[STI45]

For A Music Conservatory

[HjalmarGuitarMaster]

Cool,Which one?

[STI45]

Peabody Conservatory

[keithgarry]

I want to apologize as I am with stupor of the bottle. But, I have played the piano for quite some time. I would like to interject those whose dream it is to play into the very self. That, though, such people as Chopin are obviously geniuses, they have ultimately, created a shadow of their potential in the social world. Listen. Those of you with such great love for your instrument, remember never to forget the beauty of humanity. And the power of your creation shared with the world.

[morvensky]

His arpeggios are painfully even :D

[freeqwerqwer]

too stiff a performance.

[divebrakes]

Where do I find Godowski'S version?

I have made this etude into a canon; it can be found in the UNC music library.

[123joshyy]

stop commenting on all these videos noone cares and ure jus making urself out to be a slut

[cursestar]

hahaha

[Ellinidara]

Listen Martha's version....and compare:)

[Liebromeistal]

I prefer Pollini's to Martha's

[Ellinidara]

Ok,that's personal,right opinions.I prefer Martha's version.

[gradwhan]

Just beautiful!

[Liebromeistal]

What's hardest? this, water wind etude, or black keys etude?

[pookiehohn]

This one by far.

[vrljikkerssfesst]

waterwind or winterwind?

[xboxer4]

surprisingly, after a few listens I agree.. lol

This is a better song, but Godowsky just amazed me with the way he took something hard and made it into pure headache-inducing difficulty. They are better than each other in two diff ways.

[mc0558]

I find Gadowsky's phrasing to be strangely halting and therefore remote. There is no flow and this peace is about flow.

[xboxer4]

I love Chopin and this piece but, Godowsky took this and turned it into something even better.

[gcaee]

godowsky's version is just pure finger practice .

the original one is the best !@

[iloneens]

oh my God. fantastic..

I need to play it now, but this video doesn't encourage me at all. ;D

[killingangel707]

umm... is it me or does this sound better than Argerich's? maybe it's the clarity of the recording...

[blueshrania]

I love it.... AMAZING

no wonder why it's also known as "waterfall" étude..

Thanks Chopin, thanks Pollini

[imrich6]

Wow, I thought that the legendary piano virtuosos ceased to exist with the death of Richter, but Pollini proves me wrong.

*tips off hat to Pollini*

[urourogyn]

My sentiments exactly

[mdoub]

HOW HOW HOW HOW

[westcoast033]

Very clean and clear.

[morvensky]

Very virtuosic.