Grigory Sokolov plays Chopin Sonata #2, B-flat minor, Op. 35 (1/3)

[melcarlo123]

magnificent

[erickalk]

I love the character from the 5:24... how MANY freaking DEEP emotions could be having Chopin while he was composing this sequence that hurts!!...?!! So beautiful.

And LOVE, absolutely LOVE the interpretation of this wonderful pianist, Sokolov.

[MozartK365]

@erickalk yeah, very well said. Have you heard the last mvt too? I think that's what happened when Chopin found that no melody can possibly convey his emotion...

[timoros6sic6]

Special Agent Lundy sent me here

[paulostroff99]

Superb! TY truecrypt for this great post.

[darkblueangel1956]

Ennesimo sfoggio di sé stesso per apparire originale a tutti i costi ! Siamo nel pieno romanticismo dell'Europa Centrale, ricco di salotti culturali e di menti creative all'ennesima potenza. Ma questo a Sokolov non interessa. Il contesto culturale in cui è nato il capolavoro è solo un minuscolo elemento marginale !!!! Che acume intellettuale !!! E la ricerca di un vero senso poetico da cui nasce il fraseggio ??? L'impianto correlato all'espressività ??? Mistero !!

[anonymousQ45]

very dramatic and expressive interpretation. i like especially the Grave and opening theme, but to much pedal in the f section of the first theme

[BenKilley]

Chopin specifically marked the opening phrases to be played with CONTINOUS pedal, not staccato.  It is played correctly here.

[drab112233]

What a GENIUS!!! This an absolutely phenomenal, breathtaking,striking interpretation!

Maestro Sokolov, whom I consider the greatest of all contemporary pianists, as if re-created this composition anew! The grandeur of his vision, the perfection of his pianism, his high-minded,lofty esthetics - all this makes his performance of Chopin's Sonata incomparable! Bravo!!!

[Hans88H93]

Mit Michelangeli die beste Interpretation dieses Stückes, obwohl ich persönlich ABMs bevorzuge.

[MrMusicpiano]

Increible! cuánta pasión!

[MISHA1119]

MrClambake, the pedaling is exquisite and perfect. Are you a pianist? Have you played this piece? Only then would you understand what great playing this is, even though there are some details I don't agree with. Argerich sounds brutal and childishly arbitrary (what's new?) compared to this classically sculpted yet colorfully imaginative interpretation. Those of you who worship Argerich need to listen to other great artists, then you'd realize her mania for speed and power is often excessive.

[chyiochan]

He was very strict in this piece, but it was still played very well by him. I would have killed to have seen this live.

[TheMrClamberto]

Ugh, way too much pedal. This is much better in the beginning fast part when it is played staccato.

[downtoearthwildguy]

He's OK. Horowitz, Argerich--they are masters of this music.

[iorgbrutus]

Super I went to his concert last Friday. It was impressive so we are lucky indeed

[jasonextreme]

Very intimate. This would definitely "wow" me just as much in a 19th century saloon.

[midibudu]

i love metal, and rock, but i think chopin is the best!

[sissichopin91]

@midibudu Great!

[Liszt1886]

Non mi persuade...

[dussekfan]

I love trhis one!

[Chopoet]

Wow! Very great! He played all from the score!

[gtimny]

His constant tempo changes make me seasick.

[espirito999]

At the moment it's hard to find anything better: Il y a Sokolov, et il y a les pianistes. (Le Figaro, Paris, November 2007)

[tonycosworth]

@espirito999 Ne te fatigue pas: le Fig dit ça de tous les pianistes.

[stewpidvideos]

atleast 3x better the horowitz's, sokolov ftw

[borgesvive]

I didn't like it... too rush in my opinion for a Chopin's piece.

[lovesGenet]

There r always an individual playing when Sokolov plays. I much admire this. Many listens .worth itDirect and convictionI beleive Chopin sound better whwn rubato and constant characterizing touches r added. Bad taste or textual unorthodoxies can make music alive. perhaps we dont need  to hear !75 year old music as it was meant to be heard. Cd's can give us countless similar and stylish correct performances.Listen to His develop section .WONDEFUL.Inventive even.

[sam0xin]

Thanks God ! We are SO LUCKY to be contemporary of this GENIUS MUSICIAN !

Hail to MASTER SOKOLOV !

[bcbdaggtrf75]

you never get bored with Sokolov he plays the most hackneyed pieces in such an original way that you think you've never heard that piece before

[freeqwerqwer]

Sokolov is the mightiest giant of all pianists but not for this particular piece. In this performance he wasn't at his most imaginative form, nor was his tone poetic. It was a good performance but not one of those signature phenomenal Sokolov performance..

[zurzica51]

i agreed!

[AZazaxe]

Robust and powerful, althogh a little to strict for Chopin, but VERY WELL DONE

[Cancrizans]

@AZazaxe mmm This is a Sonata, not a Nocturne or Prelude.It's designed to be more concise and organized.I honestly find it humorous that some posters still mention conventions of the 19th century when discussing this piece,it is both a monumental work of romanticism,and a declarative statement that positions this piano Sonata further along the emotional/less formal lines described by late Beethoven. He was even more obvious in #2 but no one managed to figure that one out.

[tanyaturova]

Это лучшее исполнение этой сонаты!!!

[concerto35]

This is a wonderful delivery. It is a highly artistic and polished performance with great attention being paid to dynamic shading. With a clean, crystaline and controlled sound, Grigory Sokolov speaks emotes as few pianists can.

[jhc0907]

I guess people are so used to with the old stereotype way of playing chopin, such as Rubinstein way. Though I am not completely against some of you, since this recording is not so clear, cannot fully deliver the meaning that Sokolov was trying to express. So my answer is Buy CD, and Listen to CD!

[moncholo]

STFU n00b

[pyroprince78]

You sound like a cheap Critic-Wannabe, and somewhat like a hysterical cunt. What the FUCK are you talking about?

[pianotonton]

@dzinndzinnati I Have the same opinion : Great great pianist, but too much exagerations, contrasts, and facilities of expression. I prefer Sokolov in Prokofiev, Scriabine and sometimes Beethoven and Brahms. And I was in his recitals very offen !

[Elcomunisto]

good sokolov gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­ooooood

[carrottec88]

i can't hear the stretto just after the second theme.

But, he's one of the best for this sonata.

[kamil150991]

He is the best, he creates a sound that you can not imagine! Not only the sounds but he understands the music better than others!

[billydavid97]

Fantastic!

[rigel48]

I don't like very much the way he plays Chopin (mannered and theatrical), but at least he makes the repeats indicated on the score.

[rigel48]

Thank you for your kind comment, but you know, it's just my personal opinion. Sokolov is a very great pianist and I like him in many other composers (Bach, Rachmaninov, Prokofieff, ...) but not so much in Chopin (at least for the moment).

[HelveteKeiser]

what's your prob?he's just saying his opinion!

[jhc0907]

jsjs is talking about the way you deliever your "personal opinion." The way you express your personal opinion against Sokolov was very mannered and pomppous. "Just an opinion" cannot always be a tolerant pass for one's lack of intelligence.

[Reihner08]

Pretty much feel the same way. Chopin is so expressive in itself, that such a theatrical way of playing is "a touch too much", especially the way Sokolov changes his tempo.

[thomaskoo]

For that reason, I prefer Pollini.

[maalga2008]

He plays very well but i don t like the way he used to ....

[Perkeno]

Beautiful tone!

[Desmonddd2002]

He plays the second and third note as "pp" which is not usual but I love his mood

[michelmans]

Bravíssimo