Because it's physically impossible. The way a piano produces sound is when the hammer hits the string, and the string vibrates to produce the sound you hear. In order to do a crescendo, each note played must be louder than the last note in comparison. Without comparison, there is no crescendo. If you play only one note, there is no comparison, you will not hear the music becoming louder, therefore, it is impossible to make crescendo on only one note.
I'm no professional, but yes I think. I've never tried that before, and I was never taught to use the soft pedal in anything either. I think it would create an undesired "jump" in the volume of that note, but you never know until you try.
Yes...he as conductor, Rubinstein with piano, with London Philharmonic Orchestra won the Grammy Award for best soloist performance for Beethoven: The Five Piano Concertos in 1977.
I agree with Barenboim. Rubenstein is the master. Horowitz was however a great pianist too. Many of us have met Horowitz in our lifetimes. He was always approachable, and played in small towns, at people's homes etc. Rubenstein stuck to the great settings and was much more of a celebrity. However, Rubenstein had every right to be treated in awe.
I apologize in advance, but Lang Lang really looks like he does not have a clue about what Barenboim is talking about. Ive watched the whole masterclass and got a felling that Lang Lang rarely opens he music and tries to analyze and understand the musical language. What a pitty!
Barenboim answered a quasi-metaphysical question with a quasi-metaphysical answer. Although to some it may seem long-winded, he actually brought it to it's logical conclusion with very little restatement. It is exactly how I would have attempted to explain what I feel when I play.
For those who only know the old horowitz on video-sort of silly (not the playing) but the personality-never forget the immense will that drove him.
I've actually sent this out to many friends as one of the most enlightening statements i've heard. Not a popular way of looking on life anymore, or art-but true nevertheless
What a marvelous story,and he captures Horowitz's style and accent. He takes the question, and makes his answer into something far more profound. What is it that separates great talent, then from a transcendent one-will. Not a very fashionable answer for the post-modern age, but one that is true, and not to be forgotten. Of course it made a deep impression on young Barenboim.
Often I thought of Horowitz-long career-breakdowns-long hiatus-pain-illness-sadness-but always he would come back-will
A direct responsive answer would have been "First, a piano string cannot crescendo after it is struck. Second, a pianist can only crescendo by playing a second note louder than the first". From note to note, it is not an "illusion of crescendo", but an actual cresendo. But there will always be an actual diminuendo after a string is struck and held.
It was a simple question, and a poor, long winded explanation. The piano is governed by physics, and clearly, the only factor in sound production is how fast the hammer strikes the string. What is in a performer's imagination is of no consequence to the resulting sound.
I'm very impressed by his very deeply felt answer to that stupid man's question who said, "I play a little piano myself". I wonder what a little piano sounds like. Is it a toy piano? Actually I was surprised by Barenboiom's intelligence, for sometimes his playing is not so heartfelt as his answer here was, but is rather overly calculated and studied.
It was an honest question from a gentleman who of course is no where near the level as Barenboim. But one shouldnt discount the genuineness of the curiosity.
Yes I agree it WAS an honest question. But it makes you realize how far away the word of classical music is from most people's understanding about what it is, and what it means, especially for their salvation from their own destruction of not living in, nor being aware of the WORLD OF LOVE, and the difficulty of staying in that world. I heard the question like a dilettante saying "I love a little, or I write a little poetry" etc. Just passing the time of day. Meaningless really.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
The only SUPERSTARS are the master composers. Those who have the gift to perform music well should consider themselves fortunate. But they are NOT stars.
There are pianists I've heard who can really give the impression of a crescendo on one note. Barenboim is certainly not one of them, however much he can talk.
I met Horowitz myself in 1956. He actually played a piece on our upright piano. He was traveling with the Vienna Boys' Choir at the time. I personally really like Barenboim (his music), although I have never met him. I am sure if anyone has this ability, it is him. I love Richter's and Baremboim's playing. My music teacher always said that Horowitz was the greatest, and that was in the 1960s too.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Well, you know, I met Horowitz too, when he was travelling with the Barnum and Bailey circus in the 1970s. At that point in his careeer he couldn't find work playing classical piano, so he just played some light pop music between circus acts--Beatles medleys, Man of La Mancha, that sort of thing.
Dear LVB - Your passion and enthusiasm are contagious: pray tell, what is the name of this box set that I might also suffer your cardiac condition? Salutations!
baremboim is nothing like horowitz
finconnaiseur111 1 month ago
Interesting !
gerardbedecarter 1 month ago
I don't understand why it is not possible to make a Crescendo on one note?
RediForKing 1 year ago
@RediForKing
Because it's physically impossible. The way a piano produces sound is when the hammer hits the string, and the string vibrates to produce the sound you hear. In order to do a crescendo, each note played must be louder than the last note in comparison. Without comparison, there is no crescendo. If you play only one note, there is no comparison, you will not hear the music becoming louder, therefore, it is impossible to make crescendo on only one note.
mmlprsh 1 year ago
@mmlprsh is it possible to : press any note + una corda then release una corda = cresendo on one note?
Vesivian 1 year ago
@Vesivian
I'm no professional, but yes I think. I've never tried that before, and I was never taught to use the soft pedal in anything either. I think it would create an undesired "jump" in the volume of that note, but you never know until you try.
mmlprsh 1 year ago
I was totally into this until I saw the face of bang bang the clown :(
bsd300d 1 year ago
He's an Arthur Rubinstein fan?
Yes...he as conductor, Rubinstein with piano, with London Philharmonic Orchestra won the Grammy Award for best soloist performance for Beethoven: The Five Piano Concertos in 1977.
ThePVGS1 1 year ago
you know, Im your huge fan!
chenjingzhu 1 year ago
In all sincerity, what a revelation!
keenanonie 2 years ago
These masterclasses are all a fucking waste. You can only admire people like Gould for example.
Danijael88 2 years ago
Care to elaborate?
keenanonie 2 years ago
Comment removed
ThePVGS1 1 year ago
Barenboim's explanation is spot on.
Intelligent and wise.
Knowing as much as he does,he should play the piano much better than he usually does.
It appears to me that he is a much better conductor.
raanan17 2 years ago
what!!! he is a brilliant pianist
afertyus1000 2 years ago
What language are the subtitles in? Dutch? Can't figure it out. TYIA.
AuthenticZephyr 2 years ago
hehe he spoke like horowitz:
"You must will"
serjwill 2 years ago
Barenboim is masterclass king. This was on Dutch TV and I loved every second of it.
KlankOntwerp 2 years ago
I agree with Barenboim. Rubenstein is the master. Horowitz was however a great pianist too. Many of us have met Horowitz in our lifetimes. He was always approachable, and played in small towns, at people's homes etc. Rubenstein stuck to the great settings and was much more of a celebrity. However, Rubenstein had every right to be treated in awe.
swanningaround 2 years ago
Speaking about music is like dancing about architecture.
oyrish 2 years ago
I apologize in advance, but Lang Lang really looks like he does not have a clue about what Barenboim is talking about. Ive watched the whole masterclass and got a felling that Lang Lang rarely opens he music and tries to analyze and understand the musical language. What a pitty!
MsLeewang 2 years ago 3
Maybe he just didn't say anything terribly special?
wayneredhart 2 years ago
i spotted lang lang and brendel
anonymousQ45 2 years ago
Barenboim answered a quasi-metaphysical question with a quasi-metaphysical answer. Although to some it may seem long-winded, he actually brought it to it's logical conclusion with very little restatement. It is exactly how I would have attempted to explain what I feel when I play.
Grigor99 3 years ago
For those who only know the old horowitz on video-sort of silly (not the playing) but the personality-never forget the immense will that drove him.
I've actually sent this out to many friends as one of the most enlightening statements i've heard. Not a popular way of looking on life anymore, or art-but true nevertheless
Labienus 3 years ago
What a marvelous story,and he captures Horowitz's style and accent. He takes the question, and makes his answer into something far more profound. What is it that separates great talent, then from a transcendent one-will. Not a very fashionable answer for the post-modern age, but one that is true, and not to be forgotten. Of course it made a deep impression on young Barenboim.
Often I thought of Horowitz-long career-breakdowns-long hiatus-pain-illness-sadness-but always he would come back-will
Labienus 3 years ago
A direct responsive answer would have been "First, a piano string cannot crescendo after it is struck. Second, a pianist can only crescendo by playing a second note louder than the first". From note to note, it is not an "illusion of crescendo", but an actual cresendo. But there will always be an actual diminuendo after a string is struck and held.
CaseyRocky 3 years ago
The answer was non-responsive.
Notice especially at 3:30 how barenboim wrongly reframes the question posed to him before answering it. He said "the piano cannot make a crescendo".
CaseyRocky 3 years ago
It was a simple question, and a poor, long winded explanation. The piano is governed by physics, and clearly, the only factor in sound production is how fast the hammer strikes the string. What is in a performer's imagination is of no consequence to the resulting sound.
CaseyRocky 3 years ago
lang lang is actually somewhat good looking in this video...wow
mdoub 3 years ago
Brilliant, and I repeat textcomment from 9 month ago: "..A priceless lesson".
musikalitet 3 years ago
there is another video of barenboim teaching lang lang beethoven sonata
caricama 3 years ago
yes it is
terri113 3 years ago
I'm very impressed by his very deeply felt answer to that stupid man's question who said, "I play a little piano myself". I wonder what a little piano sounds like. Is it a toy piano? Actually I was surprised by Barenboiom's intelligence, for sometimes his playing is not so heartfelt as his answer here was, but is rather overly calculated and studied.
bigbono12 3 years ago 2
It was an honest question from a gentleman who of course is no where near the level as Barenboim. But one shouldnt discount the genuineness of the curiosity.
ThunderAppeal 3 years ago
Yes I agree it WAS an honest question. But it makes you realize how far away the word of classical music is from most people's understanding about what it is, and what it means, especially for their salvation from their own destruction of not living in, nor being aware of the WORLD OF LOVE, and the difficulty of staying in that world. I heard the question like a dilettante saying "I love a little, or I write a little poetry" etc. Just passing the time of day. Meaningless really.
bigbono12 3 years ago
Wow, a priceless lesson!
pianogirl98 4 years ago 9
yes indeed!
EilisErina 3 years ago
thank you for posting! i'm a really big fan of barenboim's work as a conductor and a pianist!
gcastro44 4 years ago
lang lang can't just can't be compared to that guy. lang lang is a superstar and barenboim is a pianist.
also barenboim can't be compared to horowitz
mUsr001 4 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
The only SUPERSTARS are the master composers. Those who have the gift to perform music well should consider themselves fortunate. But they are NOT stars.
organman52 4 years ago
Hey, was that Lang Lang to the left of him at the end of the video?
pianochick1 4 years ago
yes
Emlomor 4 years ago
he is very inspiring
jose044 4 years ago
Great words, thank you!
nigulat 4 years ago
that looked like lang lang sitting next to him i guess he cant sit still eitha...
ChrisWatch 4 years ago
I enjoy listening to his class, almost as much as listening to the music itself.. It's so nice..he really a MASTER
samaisa 4 years ago
I think he really express the abstract imagination to a more concrete thought!!
laughhao 4 years ago
These masterclasses are vey interesting and insightful! I must say I think he's much more interesting as a teacher than as a pianist.
allegrissimo 4 years ago 8
There are pianists I've heard who can really give the impression of a crescendo on one note. Barenboim is certainly not one of them, however much he can talk.
cziffra1980 4 years ago 2
I met Horowitz myself in 1956. He actually played a piece on our upright piano. He was traveling with the Vienna Boys' Choir at the time. I personally really like Barenboim (his music), although I have never met him. I am sure if anyone has this ability, it is him. I love Richter's and Baremboim's playing. My music teacher always said that Horowitz was the greatest, and that was in the 1960s too.
swanningaround 4 years ago
incredible!
nobulle 4 years ago
What a story! How honored you must have been to have Horowitz play on your piano.
pianochick1 4 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Well, you know, I met Horowitz too, when he was travelling with the Barnum and Bailey circus in the 1970s. At that point in his careeer he couldn't find work playing classical piano, so he just played some light pop music between circus acts--Beatles medleys, Man of La Mancha, that sort of thing.
xistr 4 years ago
I think that is completely nonsense.
Horowitz could always get full music halls.
By the way, at that time he was (almost) seventy, he had earned a lot of money and didn't need to work anymore.
Sam14569 4 years ago
Lol...I would have LOVED to hear him play Beatles medleys...
risrosen 4 years ago
What do you mean by that, xistr?
mishima1974 3 years ago
...then sir, you must "will" =D
prongated 2 years ago
Yes, me too. I want have a heart attack as well.
drchessman 4 years ago
Dear LVB - Your passion and enthusiasm are contagious: pray tell, what is the name of this box set that I might also suffer your cardiac condition? Salutations!
csacta 4 years ago
This is the greatest DVD box set EVER! I screamed out loud in the record store when I saw it. I think people
thought I was having a heart attack and I almost did!
LVB1770 4 years ago