Ravel - Le Tombeau de Couperin (Cecile Licad, 1986) 3/3

[erginakif]

The last movement that starts at the 2:45 mark is Cecile's way of saying: "Just give it up. In your BEST day you'll never be this good." Fast and furious with sustained energy all throughout the piece... It's been 25 years and nobody has played this better. Top that, bitches!

[hadsell1962]

@erginakif God you are SO right - Good luck hopefuls!!!

[HSchoenberg]

The technique is absolutely stunning, although the performance could be more refined, if the tempo was a little bit slower- listen to Yvonne Lefebure playing that piece at 76!

[gsarci2011]

PANALO ANG PILIPINAS! WOOHOO!

(PHILIPPINES WIN! WOOHOO!)

[BenMcCormack91]

Her beginning to the Toccata is the best I've ever heard it. At the ending I think she panicked a bit, though. Whether from the notes or from something else, the voicing kind of got lost in a roar, and then the final note just didn't have the sort of... finality... I was hoping for. The first part of it, though, is, as I said, stellar.

[merson21concha]

I don't know why she could perform all the complicated musical pieces from memory...Is she that talented?

[madlutist]

@merson21concha Most solo musicians develop the ability to perform from memory.

That's one of the many things that a lot of people tend to be impressed by that isn't actually necessarily impressive. Anyone, with enough time and effort, can play a huge amount of notes at any speed you please, and memorize them as well.

The real trick is musicality. Debate all you want about whether it's teachable, but I'll tell you one thing: Learned or inborn; it's rarer than speed or memory.

[Baddogphil]

Her technique is astounding- how she maintains this fiendish tempo through the coda while maintaining such accuracy, well, words fail me. I am attempting the piece myself, so I admire her achievement greatly. However, pace lesrondee, I think that Gilels gives the more musical performance, warts and all. Gilels plays balls to the wall at the end, whereas her superior velocity somehow lacks passion.

[tuberobotto]

@Baddogphil sir, (at this year of recording) are you comparing a 20+ year old CL to a 50+ year old Gilels who is one of the formidable pianists to come out of Russia in this century? That's a true honor for CL. However i beg to disagree re: the last part as being messed up unless you're from the Paris Conservatoire but I believe even Casadesus (or even Cortot) would play it like so. Cheers.

[lesrondee]

among all the performances here on YT of the toccata part, this is so far the most impressive. Almost all of them, Gilels included, messed up the piece especially towards the end...

[OrangeSodaKing]

@lesrondee

I agree! I was getting annoyed about not being able to find one this good. Although David Smith's is comparable to this one, and that's here on YT also.

[agreatguy6]

a bit messy just before the end [hella better than I can do xD] but I most certainly applaud her for having the chutzpah to go at that speed!

[prandtastic]

Woah the toccata is not supposed to be that fast!

[xgianpatrick]

@prandtastic

Check Ravel's metronome marks. It IS supposed to be that fast.

[pureaKero]

@xgianpatrick The tempo markings aren't Ravel's! They are Marguerite Long's, the first pianist to perform these sublime pieces.

[Ruacello]

i love the menuet, is mu favourite movment, sure i like more with orchestra jajaja but this interpretation is really great :D

[afertyus1000]

i wish i had her and argerich [when she was about twenty] play on my panpipe together

[rach3master]

Incredible. I'm especially amazed at how her hands appear to move very little considering the fast-paced virtuosity of the Toccata. No energy wasted or traces of excessive movement whatsoever here!

[wildknight1103]

I count myself among Cecil Licad's fans, and I am looking forward to becoming better acquainted with her playing. Nevertheless, her performance of the toccata is TOO FAST. It feels like a race, and lacks the elegance and grace that Walter Gieseking, among others, bring to this piece. At the end of her performance, all I could say was, "Whew!"

[kowalityjesus]

I like the ending of the menuet, the trill fades into nothing; quite novel.

Very impressive rendition of the Toccata, Although she wants for clarity, it was not at all mechanical. Good Job

[Grigor99]

Rowena also competed years ago in the Maryland competition before it became the William Kapell. I don't know if she placed that year but played very well. Nice to hear that she is doing well!

[ricseste]

nice impeccable playing especially the toccata. I'm studying it. Wish I could play as fast as her

[FrankMazeppa]

nice contrast to the Gilels version, of which I also like very much.

[slothvader]

superb, young lady. one of my favorite sets, and i don't think i've heard it better.

[77katsumoto]

Briliant tocata! Cecile Licad is one of my favorite pianists, mainly after I assist the 2nd movement of her Rach 3.

[KevinFromSD]

Are you referring to Richard Clayderman? He's just a pop music player (although classically trained). So you should know the answer to your own question.....

[gemininer]

So Licad it is. There's another filipina who, I've heard is also quite good. Her name is Rowena Arrieta. Have you heard of her? I heard she won a couple of competitions in Germany or something.

[KevinFromSD]

Rowena Arrieta placed 4th in the Tchaikovski competition in Moscow in 1981(?) and 1st in the Jose Iturbi Competition in Spain some years later. Unfortunately her concert performing career did not take off, and I've heard that she is now just teaching piano in NY. It would have been nice to see her and Cecile Licad both shine in the international classical concert scene. Oh well.....

[FilipinaAn9e1]

I am a student of Rowena Arrieta, and although she didn't launch a concert performing career like Licad, I don't think saying that she is "just teaching piano in NY" gives justice to how much so many have learned from her. I am incredibly blessed to have had her as a piano teacher.

[torontochopin]

She was 5th in the Tchaikovsky.

[danbar73]

5th in the Tchaikovsky? CL never participated in that or any other competition that's adjudicated in 2 or 3 weeks. She was the recipient of the Leventritt Gold Medal(after 10 years without a winner), after having been closely observed for a period of 3 YEARS by a panel of distinguished concert artists and music educators to make sure that her artistic excellence and development truly deserved the very prestigious award. Your claim of 5th in Tchkvsky is incorrect. You said you're a fan of CL?

[mozartian18]

danbar73: Please read carefully: my response is about Rowena Arrieta, not about CL, in response to KevinFromSD' s comment 1 year ago about Arrieta's 4th place finish in the Tchaikovsky.

[mozartian18]

And if you're wondering, yup, mozartian18 is also torontochopin.

[danbar73]

CL fans must have felt relieved with your explanation that it was not she who finished 5th in the Tchaikovsky. There is nothing shameful about 5th place at all. Vladimir Ashkenazy finished 5th behind Van Cliburn in the first Tchkvsky but came back 4 yrs later to co-win it with John Ogdon. Hope you're having an easier time as a mozartian.

[mozartian18]

Thanks for your reply, danbar. Just fyi: being a mozartian is NOT easier than playing Chopin. On the contrary, playing Mozart PROPERLY is a lot more challenging than playing Chopin. My experience as a pianist with both repertoire parallels Schnabel's well-known quote about Mozart's piano music, "Children are given Mozart because of the simplicity of the notes. Adults avoid him because of the great quality of the notes."

[danbar73]

Adults who avoid Mozart for "great quality of the notes" should not be playing Chopin because they are obviously technically deficient to provide the requisite transparency in his complex writing. Chopin's notes require the same respect as those of Mozart. His exposed bel canto melodic lines are just as divine. Mozart himself would have been proud had he heard CL's Chopin 4th Scherzo in Phila concert last February for its grandeur, delicacy,transparency and heavenly music.

[mozartian18]

Based on your response, you seem to misunderstand Mozart's technical difficulties. Yes, his music is much simpler in texture than Chopin's, but the control and accuracy that Mozart's music requires far surpass that demanded of Chopin's. It's precisely that simpler texture that easily exposes a technically-deficient pianist, and makes playing Mozart properly much harder to play. With Chopin, one can easily hide behind his thick textures(often heard among pianists) - you can't hide with Mozart.

[danbar73]

A pianist who has reasonable technical proficiency, musical intelligence and reasonable capacity to feel has NOTHING to fear with Mozart's simplicity and transparency. If one cannot play Chopin with control and accuracy, play something easier or another instrument, a piccolo, a saw, a spoon or something.

[torontochopin]

I agree with you on this, but you missed my point. If you're a performing pianist, you will know what I'm talking about.

[mozartian18]

Are you aware that many pianists regard that Leventritt given to Cecile Licad as illegitimate? Before her winning, ALL previous Leventritt competitions were actual, juried, competitions. Licad was GIVEN the award WITHOUT AN ACTUAL COMPETITION. Further, there was no winner for a time before her because the Leventritt was NOT HELD for those years.

Can you actually prove, by REFERENCED SOURCES, your claim about the selection process that led to Licad being chosen as the winner of that Leventritt?

[danbar73]

I'm not aware of anyone (before you) who claims CL's Leventritt award as illegitimate. Those who do are either misinformed,jealous or sore losers. Until 1976,the Leventritt was an open one-event competition. Since then,the Lev administration decided to change the selection process with new rules to save the talented young artists from the demeaning, psychologically damaging consequencies of many international competitions:.."it is undignified to subject young talent to the circus atmosphere...

[danbar73]

circus atmosphere found at many international competitions..we now rely on our panel of judges to recommend talents, and we then invite them to audition privately. Our judges include Leonard Bernstein,Leon Fleisher,Rudolf Serkin,Max Rudolf,Eugene Istomin and 25 OTHERS,some of whom are themselves past Leventritt winners. If the panel is favorably impressed by the performer, he or she is chosen as a Lev artist and plays in our series managed by Columbia Artists.This enables young people to gain..

[danbar73]

to gain exposure and experience. However,this is just the beginning of their audition,since the judges will continue to observe actual performances and periodically hear them play privately. Finally,if the impression is that an artist is worthy of embarking on a major concert career,the first prize is awarded". CL was under the microscope of these judges for 3 yrs giving about 60 "small concerts" with groups like the NY Philharmonic, Boston Symphony,Guarneri Quartet,etc. as a Lev artist before..

[danbar73]

before she was awarded First Prize. Being the 1st winner of the new Lev,CL didn't even know she was being monitored for the award: "When I began playing in the Lev series (60 small concerts over 3 yrs),I didn't know they were watching my development(artistic) and audience reaction. I was asked to play privately for conductors G Solti,CM Giulini,C Abbado,Mehta,Ozawa,Maazel..and I would often be invited for a get-together so that people like Isaac Stern or Nathan Milstein could listen to me play".

[torontochopin]

danbar: Will you cite and prove your source of information on this? Giving a quote by someone is NOT a valid source.

[danbar73]

New York Times, Section 2, October 4,1981

[mozartian18]

This is the source that you're referencing to? Of course, the reporter(Glenn Plaskin) would report what he saw from this 'new' Leventritt - that was his job. What he didn't see was the actual, behind closed doors, proceedings of that particular Leventritt. Have you even checked the validity of this article, and what Mr. Plaskin reported on? Of course, not. It's clear to me that your information on this 1981 Leventritt is woefully incomplete, but you present it as if you know the whole story.

[torontochopin]

If this were true, then it was biased in the first place - as clearly biased as it was seen then by many pianists. Why? Because the Leventriit was supposed to be an international competition for any aspiring pianist, not just 'recommended talents'. for private audition. Recommeded by whom? Rudolf Serkin, perhaps?

[danbar73]

What is biased or illegitimate about Leventritt changing its own policies and rules? What is wrong with Serkin recommending his pupil whose abilities he knew very well, who was a recipient of the Paul Mellon Award for Most Outstanding Student at the Curtis Institute?He was just one of the 30 judges. It was not all private auditions;CL gave some 60 concerts at Marlboro,Tanglewood,New York,Phila,etc with orchestra,chamber groups,eminent concert artists over 3 yrs before she was declared WORTHY.

[mozartian18]

You really believe this story, huh? It's a pity that you have been fooled by this 'new' Leventritt story all along. No one would dare reveal it at that time, but it was well-known in pianistic circles that a legenday pianist, a major driving force behind the Leventritt, was instrumental in giving that Leventritt to Licad in 1981, without the required competition, making it lose its validity, and angering many pianists struggling to establish a career.

[mozartian18]

Revived only for that year(there was no more Leventritt after that), that 1981 Leventritt, with its so-called 'new rules and policies' for selection, looked suspicious and dubious to a lot of pianists. The award opened doors to Licad, without having her go through the usual competition route like everyone else(does that ring a bell?).

[mozartian18]

This is NOT an affront on Licad, as I see her as an exceptionally talented pianist, and I consider myself a fan(although not as ardent as you). As for her Leventritt, she was extremely lucky, as there were many other equally exceptional pianists, if not more qualified than her, at that time who did not have the benefit of the kind of 'backing' she had.

[mozartian18]

danbar: I admire your steadfast devotion to Licad. She is lucky to have a follower like you. However, your adoration seems to blind you about anything negative about her, even when it's true. Your devotion prevents you from seeing other possibilities about her, seen by other people. I understand your devotion, but refusing to see and acknowledge possible negatives about your idol is sad, and reveals a lot about you as a person.

[mozartian18]

danbar: I have restrained myself from refuting your Leventritt story for a long time, but as I continue to see you spread half-truths about it on you tube, I felt compelled finally to challenge it. I bet that you didn't realize that constantly promoting that Leventritt story would result in someone refuting it, and challenge the veracity of that 1981 Leventritt award.

[mozartian18]

The bottom line is this: What you know is incomplete. You don't know the whole story behind that 1981 Leventritt because YOU WERE NOT THERE. What you rely on is second, even third, hand information. Moreover, you don't know me and what I know about it - you don't even know who I really am.

I will continue to refute you in the future about this, as the truth about that 1981 Leventritt has to be rekindled and known.

[danbar73]

Of course I don't know you; you don't even know yourself. You can't even make up your mind if you are mozartian or whatever.I gave you the NYT ref for the quotes I used, and have no reason to question the writer's integrity. I'm satisfied with the reasoning given by Lev and happy with the selection of Licad who's turning out to be one of the finest and most durable of Lev winners- 30yrs on the scene, still exciting and getting better.Winner of one-event contest is not always BEST of the crop.

[mozartian18]

'you don't even know yourself. You can't even make up your mind if you are mozartian or whatever"

danbar: I have two accounts. Nothing wrong with that. Why be limited to one?

[danbar73]

Please don't be too presumptuous about what I reveal about myself as a person. I'm not blind,deaf or dumb. I don't fault her or the judges who lobbied for her (as jurors lobbiy behind closed doors for a verdict), judges who felt secure in their belief as I do that CL truly deserved the Leventritt. I don't know of any other pianist who has done a better job of serving Music unselfishly far and wide,in affluent surroundings,in the heart of chinatowns, in humble settings, you name it.

[torontochopin]

There you go again with this 'new' Leventritt story, the story that the general public was led to believe.

Say what you want, but the cat is now out of the bag.

[danbar73]

Right, a toothless,tired,old cat is out of the bag. Who are we to question the Lev's policy decisions or its future plans? Perhaps it was tired of its old system that did not produce a winner for eleven years,and decided on a new one to hopefully find a real winner worthy of its name. Had CL not proved herself to be the artist they were looking for after a 3-yr probationary period, they could easily have declared a no winner. Nobody was under the gun to make her win. Brilliant, wise decision !

[mozartian18]

This is pure conjecture on your part and you know it, and reveals even more how much less you really know about that 1981 Leventritt. And about questioning the Leventritt's policy decision, it's obvious from your statement that you weren't aware that many pianists at that time questioned it. The result was seen as controversial by many. You still don't know this?

[mozartian18]

And let me be clear on this: Licad had nothing to do with this controversy. She was given the Leventritt and that was it. I did not, in anyway, call her undeserving of that award. Just because there was a controversy surrounding that 1981 Leventritt doesn't mean she didn't deserve it - never did I say that about her. If that's how youve understood our argument so far, then you didn't understand it.

[danbar73]

The Leventritt Prize was not handed to her on a silver platter. She was picked as a potential winner based on HER abilities, and she proved herself WORTHY after three years on the fire. It's not like the prize was blindly awarded to a chimp.

[torontochopin]

danbar: you're starting to sound like a broken record. Is that what you want? I already know your 'story' on this. Again, at the risk of sounding like you, my original point was:

I was shedding light on the validity of that 1981 Leventritt ,and how the dubious process and result were negatively seen by many pianists at that time.

[danbar73]

And I said one cannot challenge the validity of the 1981 Leventritt because Leventritt has the legal right to make any changes in the selection process, contest rules,etc..provided it's not done in the middle of the competition to put any contestant at a disadvantage. The changes took place in 1976, long before CL's 1981 Leventritt.

[torontochopin]

danbar, you're now grasping on straws and inventing things. Your argument doesn't look good.

[danbar73]

What did I invent? We got started on your sneaky invention that CL placed 5th in the Tchaikovsky, which never happened. You recanted and offered some explanation, but that invention had been there misleading everyone for seven months. My argument is very simple: if one seeks to challenge the decision of a legitimate organization, one must first overcome its basic right to conduct its business as it sees fit. It's futile and unwinnable, you're better off doing your keyboard exercises.

[mozartian18]

There's no need to be nasty about this. Read that full exchange about Rowena Arrieta carefully. You'll realize that my response to

KevinFromSD was to correct his placing of Rowena Arrieta, not Licad, at the Tchaikovsky. You misunderstood this and reacted to it unnecessarily.

[danbar73]

No, I was not being nasty, just giving you a dose of your own medicine. You said I was inventing things. You could have removed your comment about CL's 5th in Tchaikovsky (7 months unchallenged until I saw it the other day) or you could have attached an explanation to your misleading statement.

[mozartian18]

The topic of that thread is Rowena Arrieta. Any reader can see that, why can't you? Challenging my post was unnecessary because there was nothing to challenge.

[danbar73]

If it was about somebody else, what was it doing in front of CL's video for seven months. You knew about it and its implications for seven months, and did not do anything about it.

[mozartian18]

Based on this long, interesting exchange, any reader can easily deduce that:

1. there was a controversy surrounding that 1981 Leventritt, which you weren't aware of

2. based on you admission, you didn't really know what happened in that 1981 Leventritt

3. your knowledge of that event was limited to a newspaper article

4. you were given 2 published sources, including personal experience, which you refused to acknowledge

5. Licad's credibiltiy was not an issue

[mozartian18]

Our debate actually revealed all of these, with some of them actually revealed, directly and unknowingly, by you. They addressed all the issues that I raised about that 1981 Leventritt.

I invite any interested reader to make his/her own investigation and decision on this matter.

[danbar73]

I am not ignorant about the controversy issue that you are so insistent about, and I don't put much weight on your or anybody's claims about what went on among the judges behind closed doors. Those things happen everyday in America in jury rooms - heated arguments,a little jostling or armtwisting, cajoling, all means of persuation. And all these activities cannot overcome Leventrit's right to change its selection process. The controlling factor is what nobody could see - Lev's future plans.

[mozartian18]

Now that the controversy surrounding that 1981 Leventritt prize is known on you tube, why don't we let the public make its own investigation and judgment about it? Our long debate and your continued participation in it actually called attention to it and revived that controversy - thank you. That was my goal, and I met it.

[danbar73]

You met your goal alright - casting some doubts on CL's worthiness, and stripping her of the Leventritt prize. There's no other way to look at it. Good luck on your useless, baseless, indefensible pursuit.

[danbar73]

SUPPOSE I am Leventritt. With the emerging popularity of the Cliburn, the Tchaikovsky and other lucrative international competitions, I think I want to do something else. I have already produced many world-class artists and have done more than enough for Music. But before I close shop, I NEED to find a real winner to carry and honor my name for a long,long time. I've not found one for sometime now,perhaps I should change the selection process to make sure I find a real winner,not a fluke.

[danbar73]

Lenny,Rudy,Max,Leon,Eugene and 25 other judges should be able to find me what I'm looking for.Wow, this is a fine crop of pianists, and my judges were fighting like cats and dogs back there for their favorites. Bob's fav is an awesome one! Is he pushing 30? He kind of looks like a NASA scientist to me though. Rudy's fav is kind of cute,Most Outstanding Student at Curtis, and only 16? Holy cow, I don't mind entrusting my name to her if she can prove herself worthy in the next three years.

[danbar73]

I AM NOW DANBAR: So, how could anyone have seen what was really going on in Leventritt's mind, future plans,etc. I see the 1981 Leventritt as its final valedictory, and it MUST produce a real winner,not a one-event fluke, to carry and honor its name. It's decision to opt for a more reliable selection process was brilliant and a wise one. It could have not found a more deserving winner and surrogate to spread its name and good deeds in every corner of the world.

[miguellouieiii]

you're wasting your time... you better spend time practicing your piece and make it perfect like those great pianists!

[danbar73]

I have a mind of my own, my take on things and don't need to know what went on behind doors at the Lev. I cannot do anything about what envious,disgruntled pianists think. If they were that great, why didn't anyone of them win during the eleven-year winnerless drought?

[torontochopin]

Well, you just admitted that you don't really know what went on behind closed doors at that 1981 Leventritt, which was a crucial part of understanding my part of our argument. Thank you for that. At least, we've settled that.

[mozartian18]

'Nobody was under the gun to make her win'

Can you prove this?

[danbar73]

If there was a real gun in there, why didnt anybody get arrested? I presume there were heated debates, some cajoling, maybe a little armtwisting - but real guns? Now you're getting scary.

[torontochopin]

??????

[danbar73]

Will you stop calling yourself a fan of Cecile Licad ? She does not deserve a "fan" who grits his teeth trying to portray her as undeserving of the Leventritt. So who, in your opinion, was more qualified than CL and should have won?

[mozartian18]

I AM a fan. I even described her as exceptionally talented, didn't I? I know her art quite well, and I like her playing very much. I'm a fan, but a fan who's discerning, and who's open to criticizing artists that I like.

[torontochopin]

If you do a search on all of my responses about Licad on you tube, I've always praised her playing. The subject on histrionics came up once, and I clarified them as mannerisms, having no negative effect on the quality of her playing.

[torontochopin]

This question reveals that you really didn't fully understand HOW that Leventritt was conducted. You don't realize it, but it reveals your limited knowledge of it. As well, I have never described Licad as undeserving of her Leventritt. I mentioned that she was very lucky because there were others equally deserving, but never have I said the she didn't deserve it. This is your own reaction. I was only shedding light on the validity of that Leventritt ,and how it was seen by pianists at that time.

[torontochopin]

You should be aware that it's seen as illegitimate because it was given without the usual juried, open, competition, done since 1940 by the Leventritt. Moreover, the negative views had nothing to do with misinformation or losing. It had to do with the removal of the actual competition and its replacement with a dubious selection process. This was well-known in pianistic circles at that time. You can read about these negative views from two books: The Ivory Trade and Pianist's Progress.

[danbar73]

I already explained that after the winnerless 1976 competition,Leventritt decided to abolish the open,juried,one-event competition and replaced it with the new selection process that relied on the panel of 30 judges (Bernstein et al) to produce a winner or declare no winner after observing and evaluating the artist's abilities and development over a significant period of time. What is illegitimate or hard to understand about Leventritt changing its own selection process, policies and rules?

[doggiepu]

Wonderful interpretation. Especially for a blind pianist. Bravo!

[vladyhorowitz]

She is not blind...

[jero13595]

OK each time I see your comment I just can't stop laughing!

[myfocusisongod]

is she filipino?

[gemininer]

yes she is.

[Grisostomo06]

"I don't think she was even looking at the keys, was she?"

I don't think Ray Charles ever looked at the keys either.

[KevinFromSD]

It is not fair to compare Cecile Licad with Ray Charles. First, CL plays the piano from the score, where exact notes have to be struck; RC plays only by ear, where exact notes don't have to be struck. Second, CL plays much more complex and serious music, while RC plays pop or non-serious music. Finally, CL has had decades of intense & disciplined training before performing in public; RC only had cursory musical training. The difference between CL and RC is several light-years.

[Grisostomo06]

I was being facetious. I didn't mean to make a direct comparison between Ray Charles and Cecile Licad. Obviously Charles being blind couldn't rely on a score, he had to play by ear. Cecile closes her eyes and looks up and about so she obviously doesn't need a score to play this piece either. She's played it so many times she can hear it in her head.

[ROCKING79]

Hahaha, man this is funny!

[KevinFromSD]

I don't think she was even looking at the keys, was she?

[yellowkoi]

Licad`s Le Tombeau is incomparable! Bravo.