Quite frankly, from the very first minutes it is disastrous! It sounds as if Curzon is really struggling, and the 1963 recording is much, much better...
What a difference with Levy's version! In all its eccentricity, his playing is volcanic, monumental, dramatic and powerful, but it also has precision, control and great sense of architecture...
I never said it would be for all! Though I like this a lot, I cannot say for sure it will be for everybody because of obvious reasons. The nervousness adds an extra "umph" to the performance, I feel that he becomes extra motivated to make something of the performance.
Anyway, I find that even though Levy has a strong sense of architecture the sense gets lost in all his details. I come away more amazed at how he plays the themes than the overall picture.
@RabidCh I think a pianist can have different sorts of nervousness: one that doesn't "go against" your playing and in fact helps to give the performance an extra intensity -- and another that blocks some of your musical intentions and cripples your pianism. Despite some wonderfully inspired moments, I think C. suffered from the latter here, culminating in a massive memory lapse at 7:05.
Ernst Levy's recording made me rediscover the piece, it's so totally original and powerful!
I think a little of that way too, but I think that it comes in both forms here and I really believe that some of the playing here stands with the very best, and vice versa too (funny how that works)
I've listened to Levy's on and off for over 2 years and well, I do like it a lot but well, there's so many recordings of this... But I can say for sure Levy is the only person who makes the appearance of the theme at the second allegro energico an "ugly" revelation.
My comment on part 1 applies also to this part (of course).
gerardbedecarter 1 month ago
ty rabidch :)
coolcrimefighter 8 months ago
Quite frankly, from the very first minutes it is disastrous! It sounds as if Curzon is really struggling, and the 1963 recording is much, much better...
What a difference with Levy's version! In all its eccentricity, his playing is volcanic, monumental, dramatic and powerful, but it also has precision, control and great sense of architecture...
pianopera 1 year ago
@pianopera
I never said it would be for all! Though I like this a lot, I cannot say for sure it will be for everybody because of obvious reasons. The nervousness adds an extra "umph" to the performance, I feel that he becomes extra motivated to make something of the performance.
Anyway, I find that even though Levy has a strong sense of architecture the sense gets lost in all his details. I come away more amazed at how he plays the themes than the overall picture.
RabidCh 1 year ago
@RabidCh I think a pianist can have different sorts of nervousness: one that doesn't "go against" your playing and in fact helps to give the performance an extra intensity -- and another that blocks some of your musical intentions and cripples your pianism. Despite some wonderfully inspired moments, I think C. suffered from the latter here, culminating in a massive memory lapse at 7:05.
Ernst Levy's recording made me rediscover the piece, it's so totally original and powerful!
pianopera 1 year ago
@pianopera
I think a little of that way too, but I think that it comes in both forms here and I really believe that some of the playing here stands with the very best, and vice versa too (funny how that works)
I've listened to Levy's on and off for over 2 years and well, I do like it a lot but well, there's so many recordings of this... But I can say for sure Levy is the only person who makes the appearance of the theme at the second allegro energico an "ugly" revelation.
RabidCh 1 year ago
As good as it gets.TYRabidCh for posting.
paulostroff99 1 year ago