Arrau plays Schumann Carnaval 3/4

[CosmosNut]

i've danced ballet and played a few instruments to some level of competence, so with those caveats I just want to say that this playing of 'Chopin' has a near ethereal quality I find missing in so many intrepetations. At this level, true artists are different, doesn't mean better or worse, just different, why they are true artists? But this 'Chopin' - this one here- has got to be my favorite, the musicality and interpretation are divine. if I ever choreograph again,.. this is it...

[SDxEagle]

Favorite part of the peice

[RWinkley02124]

I love the way that the Paganini movement suggests all the diabolism of that famed violinists virtuosity.

[astronomo16]

My favourite romantic composer is too Chopin, but I am in disagree with you about germans, and I think that your words are unfair. The "german" spirit is one of the most romantic of all, and it was caught in the movement of Sturm und Drang, that had very important personalities like Goethe. The music of Schumann and Brahms has all of that. Listen for instance The concert for piano of Schumann of the 2º concert for piano of Brahms...

[astronomo16]

Chopin hated this dedication of Schumann to him. Chopin even said that this composition had no music. I am in disagree with Chopin hehe

[junghesse]

@astronomo16 I totally agree with Chopin. Chopin´s kingdom was / is pretty small, but in his kingdom he is the king. His kingdom is called The Piano. Somehow this piece of Schumann is nice, but there is one thing missing - the beauty: Tschaikowsky ,after he met Brahms in Leipzig, said the same about Brahms. Maybe Schumanns and also Brahms were just too "german" - hard to explain, but can´t find no other words. Well, I understand why Chopin said that´s no music, he loved Bach, Mozart, Hummel...

[keetner]

I chuckled when I saw "Chopin"...

[grobbinspiano]

The comment about Arrau being the greatest pianist of the 20th century was certainly not my comment, although it seems to be attributed to me. I would have said that he was one of the greatest of all pianists - but saying that he is the greatest, is an exaggeration which i would never make, since there were so many great pianists too numerous to name in the 20th century. Among them are, of course, Rachmaninoff, Horowitz, Kapell, Lipatti, Schnabel, Rubinstein, Serkin, Gieseking, Cortot, etc.

[twooffour]

3 weeks ago, I was at a recital by Hamelin, where he played the Carnaval - as it was the first time I heard this piece, my memories are somewhat vague, but I especially remember how he played the "reconnaissance" part (with the repetitions in the right), and BOY was it great.

Playful, fresh, dancy, sprinkling... just awesome. Nothing to complain about Arrau's more straightforward rendition here, but I so prefer H's on that one :D

[7Saburo]

Can't even see his hands

[Ray0X0]

hard Paganini!!

[newFranzFerencLiszt]

Chiarina = Clara Wieck

[Ray0X0]

¡Qué maravilla!

[wuyiying425]

@grobbinspiano I can not aggre with you more

In my opinion, Arrau is not only the gratest pinist in 20th, but all tine

As far as I know, better than any pianist in present time.

[Ray0X0]

@wuyiying425 I agree with you, artistically speaking Arrau was the greatest of the great pianists from the last and actual century and the more complete of all of them...

[newFranzFerencLiszt]

@wuyiying425 what a pity he is DEAD

[TheBzjuuuTakashima]

AMAZING!!!

[fuchion15]

goose bumps everywhere. beautifully interpreted. i guess chopin must not have liked schumann's composition style or something, because it's impossible not to acknowledge a talent as wonderful as that of schumann's.

[deadlyloop]

Arrau¨s chiarina simply perfect.

[richclayderman]

Bravo!

[xanglat]

Thank you very much for posting !

Sincerely

Avec reconnaissance ineffable

[jesusangeleditor]

Una extraordinaria sensibilidad expresada en esta interpretación. Arrau como siempre logra una interpretación madura llena de vitalismo y belleza. Gracias a you tube por brindarnos acceso a este material invaluable.

[Ray0X0]

Simply a genius of the interpretation...

[nearenough3]

Just too many clunkers. I guess he is "one" of the greatest pianists of all time, but maybe 50th or 60th on the list. Today's standards are impossibly demanding; Arrau fits a lost era. I prefer Rubinstein, a contemporary.

[Ray0X0]

@nearenough3 For me and some critics too is the first of the list... no one other pianist put same nouances, fidelity to the composer and sensitivity on his interpretation like Claudio Arrau. In many aspects is above other artists of the keyboard. Claudio Arrau was always special and different from the rest, since his extraordinary technique till his personal qualities ... his humanism (reflected greatly on his performances), humility, etc ... resuming his philosophy of life.

[grobbinspiano]

@nearenough3

When one has the temerity to criticize supremely great legendary artists such as Arrau, Horowitz, Cortot, or, indeed, even Rubinstein, at times for occasionally hitting a wrong note, here or there, instead of realizing and appreciating wholly their magisterial playing and interpretative genius is, as the great violinist, Nathan Milstein, once said to me, " like criticizing Niagara Falls." He was commenting about criticism of Horowitz. That comment should apply to all of the above.

[nearenough3]

@grobbinspiano

N: Gee, I was only expressing an opinion, not pulling a 220 volt switch!

[grobbinspiano]

@nearenough3 Today, many pianists, especially young ones, worry only about occasional wrong notes, as if that is the most important flaw one should be concerned about as a performer instead of realizing that being boring and having a lack of interpretative imagination is far worse than playing occasional wrong notes. It's better to temper criticism and instead learn from great masters, like Arrau, Horowitz, and other past piano legends who contributed to setting for us the highest standards.

[twooffour]

@grobbinspiano

How about criticizing Horowith for MAJORLY FLUBBING UP at some of the (later) live performances?

[twooffour]

@nearenough3

What exactly are "today's standards", I may ask? Marc-Andre Hamelin is a "today's" pianist, and is "considered" to be one of the leading technicians of "today", and he sure does have make his share of "clunkers" on stage.

[nearenough3]

@twooffour N: I was referring to the open competition brought about by "modern" recordings, LPs, VHS, CDs, You Tube and Blu-Ray exposing performers to more exacting critiques and standards that didn't exist decades ago. Add to that communications, the internet, blogs, instant news and it's a wonder any dare to even play in a public forum. Arrau is OK. It's my opinion that he is not that all exciting. Horowitz was peculiarly shocking. Arrau is a nice player. OK? Hamelin is good but a savant.

[twooffour]

@nearenough3

Yes, and with all these new media and the internet, pianists can still flub up notes on stage. And it seemed to me you called Arrau mediocre for doing exactly that, flubbing up occasional notes, as opposed to "today's pianists" or whatever. Correct me if I'm wrong?

[nearenough3]

@twooffour I said he was mediocre, OK and nice. These don't mean bad, Now you can consign me to my punishment.

[twooffour]

@nearenough3

No, you said:

"Just too many clunkers. Today's standards are impossibly demanding; Arrau fits a lost era."

Translation: Arrau was good for his old era where the standards for ACCURACY (or what did you mean by "clunkerS" again?) were lower due to the lack of modern media, but mediocre for today's standards. Which is completely fallacious.

Then you go on to call Rubinstein a "contemporary". Really? That guy had some nice "clunkers" in some of his recitals, as well :D

[dukedome]

hey, dont worry. the genius that shows the score at the beginning have already died, probably...kkkkkk

[bersa888]

Great weight technique....

[psabatm]

I've always wanted to know who was the genius that decided to show the score at the beginning of each piece for such long periods of time, instead of showing Arrau's complete performance. What a mistake.

[moonstruckdorian]

5:19

[monicapianista]

Fino ad ora non ho mai sentino un Carnaval così... ci arrivani vicino Michelangeli e Rubinstein ma non sono alla pari...

Bravo!

[1LUPENZO]

e be' claudio arrau un maestro nel senso piu' buono del termine grande sempre :)

[cinquepaolo]

@monicapianista Credo anche io che Arrau, assieme a Benedetti Michelangeli e a Rubinstei, siano stati pianisti "ammazza Carnaval", nel senso che dopo le loro registrazioni è difficile inserirlo nei programmi pianistici; in effetti, il pezzo sembra non essere più così eseguito ... Di recente, solo Kissin si è cimentato in una registrazione e lo inserisce spesso nei suoi recitals

[Beauty12870]

wow his fingers are a blurr....

[ksarah15]

so lovely i enjoy listenning to it

[jewish1972]

Chiarina too fast, Chopin too fast, in others doesnt make pauses where he should

[AgnesPerditaNitt]

Too fast ? The score says "passionato" for Chiarina and "agitato" for Chopin...

[Ellinidara]

With Michelangeli's version this is the best recording ever.Arrau is an other legend of pianoplayng.

[kempff95]

How lovely he playing "chopin".................

[darkkerrigan]

Relaxation technique at it's finest!

[Elcomunisto]

muy bueno

[firebreathone2]

Interesting performance of considerable historical merit

[SEQUINS74]

A brief segment of "Chopin" is played (somewhat amateurishly-possibly by Paul McCartney)at the beginning of The Beatles eerie sound collage "Revolution 9".

[magugreech]

i didnt know that. good information!

[Coque019]

El pasaje referido a Chopin (1:15") es delicioso.

[cCrazyBee]

love the chiarina :D

[musicallo]

i love Clara Wieck! (-:

[sll10]

Fantastic performance! But synchronization is off. What video is this from?

[brandix30000]

oh you every time touch my heart shumman

[JohnnyYugoslavia]

I remember the first time I heard chiarina, I was laying in bed and listening to kamien's compilation for music:an appreciation of. I've loved shumann and arrau ever since.

[felix0911176727]

I love "Chopin", so beautiful! I decide to learn it!!

[raptor0985]

Paganini is one of the most difficult pieces to study I've ever seen :O

[diaswsw10]

this part is great!

[smithsherman]

wHAT HE HAS THAT SO MANY PIANISTS OF THE PAST 50 YEARS LACK.......  is an individually non-mechanistically tailored phrasing that brings an intellectual,spiritual,& psychological depth to the piece that so many others have eschewed in favor of relentless tonal beauty in a mechanistically predictable & unlyrical phrasing rhythm.

[pianogirl714]

well said.

[CB1000a]

I don't even know if this is correct, carnaval, freely translated stands for "carnival"?

This song depicts to me the unseriosity of life, a long life...

[VincentVA87]

Arrau was and will always remain 1 of the biggest geniouses wich the piano had to encounter, lucky piano... If we could all play hafl as gooe as the maestro... Unbelievable!

[chilean100]

Chile is a country of many great artists. This is an outstanding video of the Schumann Carnaval. There is another great performance of this piece by the Chilean Patricio Molina, you guys should hear it!

[billinrio]

It makes you want to go to the bust erected in his honor on Américo Vespucio and leave a flower.

[ytpiano7]

Woukd you tell me the name of those "many great artists, so piece of chauvinist?

ytpiano7

[FabioThePianist]

oh,very beautiful....I love Chiarina and Estrella; when I listen they my heart explode

[omarfarahat]

honestly, listening to this is one of the most pleasant things that ever happened to me! Thanks for posting. I love you!

[pianogirl714]

oh, i looove chiarina!!

[EilisErina]

I love the whole Carnaval...but Chiarina,Chopin and Estrella are extremely beautiful..

[pianogirl714]

yes, i like those three the best too. after hearing this i got so distracted by them that i couldn't make myself play anything else for days, even though i'm not even supposed to be working on them at all.

[subpolarity]

Chiarina is what got me into Schumann.

[jp147wizard]

Excelente

[citlalliguevara]

I agree with mlkn79, is absolutely the best Chiarina!, Arrau is a genius

[mlkn79]

The best Chiarina I have ever heard.

[soami2u]

Same here!!