hi edson, i remember your diploma in vienna. you played scarbo. i want tell you that the first concert i have heard in life had been a recital with jaques klein! i was 7 years old and thought that the almighty is playing and i decided to become a pianist. i studied with dieter weber, bruno seidlhofer and hans graf, who was a good friend of jaques klein.
a good recording - sounds better than from horowitz. but there a few wrong tones (doesn't matter) and the tempo at the end is not clearly like at the beginning.
really fudged towards the end. Think the piece works better if you don't speed up and gradually build and crescendo. Almost seemed like he missed out whole beats, yet alone notes, in the final few bars. However, I enjoyed the energy an tempo otherwise
I have Sokolov's DVD and other recordings with much better sound quality; you can't say that Sokolov's sound is dull. Though, I really like this performance, too. Unexpected!
Edson Elias is a founder-member of two international academies in France, visiting professor at the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris / Alfred Cortot and professor of Virtuoso Piano at the Conservatoire de Genève. Edson Elias has been invited to take part in the jury of many international piano competitions and to direct Master Classes in several European countries as well as in Japan.
He has performed concerts in Europe, ex-USSR, South America and Japan, playing as a soloist with the New Philharmonic of Japan, the Pasdeloup Orchestra, the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, the Sao Paolo Symphony Orchestra and has toured with the Austrian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Tonkünstlerorchester. He has also toured Brazil and Spain with soprano Gundula Janowitz.
The Brasilian pianist Edson Elias was born in Rio de Janeiro where he graduated at the School of Music of the UFRJ receiving their Gold Medal. He also graduated at the Vienna Academy, having been awarded a Commendation Prize, the highest distinction bestowed by an Austrian university. Edson Elias has received 13 international awards from Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, Japan and Brazil.
Tous ces élèves savent à quel point il était un maître absolu du piano, de la musique, et du son. Je pense à lui, à ses proches, et à ceux qui ont la chance de le connaître. J'étais à ce concert salle Cortot et je ne l'oublierai jamais. La performance était phénoménale. Il avait joué en première partie la sonate K282 de Mozart, les Ballades op 10 de Brahms, et en deuxième partie, la sonate op35 de Chopin et la 7ème sonate de Prokoviev, si mes souvenirs sont bons.
What a pianist ! Honestly who can match that? Everything's there. Rhythm, control and above all musicality. What pleasure to the ears ! I totally agree with those who say that Sokolov sounds dull compared to this.
Edson was a great pianist, and my cousin. Unfortunately I just heard of his untimely death this month. He was Brazilian and lived in France. If you do a google search with his name, you will find info on him and his career, and his records.
He died? My sincere condolences. Certainly a loss to the music world. I'll do the Google search for sure. It's...a coincidence? I came back here to answer the comment of mpantel88 to mine of 9 months ago...and now I read this.
Amazing! How is it possible that I have never heard about this pianist? When is his next concert? Does someone know anything about him? I WANT TO BE THERE!!!!!!
while this was a heartless thing to say, and while i admire sokolov very much, i agree with suzettegm. this here sounds more alive than sokolov's interpretation.
I take it as a joke!... i havent heard a better interpretation of this piece... far more beautiful, much more clear, much more rithmical, and not a couple of notes thrown away...
Honestly. Almost every single piano performance student at Julliard, MSM, NEC, Oberlin, or any major conservatory could play this piece better than this guy. And there are probably one or two students at most strong music programs (we're talking liberal arts colleges here) that could play the piece better. That ending is hella sloppy. Plus the rhythmic accents are kinda weak throughout.
Dear Iluvdux, we are waiting your post to judge. But please don't you think you are going too far in your comments? I went to this recital invited by a Juilliard professor who was in Paris at that moment. We both loved this performance. Besides, your comments are untrue: accents are just perfect. You must have a sound problem in your computer.
i love reading your comments. who are you guys. honestly. You think you're all mighty because you play the piano better than him or her. Or you all think you're correct. Please get a life and quit commenting videos. Get a more productive hobby..take pleasure in hearing a difficult piece being performed not finding everything wrong with it
Istevensenwien has mistaken the way to play Chopin's music. There are no tempo liberties with "tempo rubato!" By the way, Elias's interpretation of the Toccata is UNREMARKABLE whereas Sokolov's is quite memorable because he plays it so much better. PRECIPITATO means to play with a certain abandon, as though falling, pianistically, over a PRECIPICE.
There is something illogical in what you say: if you fall over a "precipice" as you say you can't play with a "certain abandon". Your vision of Precipitato is completely unreal, I am sorry to say. More: in Sokolov there is no Precipice, just mechanical chords with little phrasing concern, I am afraid. Please check it.
This is one of the best versions of this piece I have heard! I would like to know more about Mr Elias. I learned by a Korean pianist that Mr Elias has just played a huge Grieg concerto in Korea recently and someone else told me he will play Tchaikovsky concerto in Brazil very shortly. By Google I knew he teaches in Geneva, Lyon and Paris, but I would like to know more about his career, if someone can help me. Thanks.
It seems odd to me that so many people think there's only one correct way to play this piece. To be fair, the word "precipitato" is fairly vague and open to interpretation. How are we supposed to know how Prokofiev "wanted" the piece to be played? Everyone is entitled to give their own interpretation. You should also bear in mind that this piece is incredibly difficult and in a very awkward time signature. Who are we to say, "That's wrong"?
I agree completely with you. An artist has the right to give his personnal feeling as long as he respects the text. Mr Elias plays absolutely in tempo and respects the text, so he can show his own interpretation without any problem.
Great energy & passion. But it's rushed at times; the magic of this mvt comes from its implacable, machine-like rhythm. That should be there at all time.
Almost every previous remark points out PRECISELY his huge rhythmical & tempo control. Compare with the versions of Horowitz and Argerich. He keeps a perfect tempo from the beginning to the end. I presume you are a musician too and I give you an advice: don't let your jealousy get over your hearing capacity. I would like to play like him too but my possibilities don't allow me. So I understand your feelings, but believe me, to write wrong comments won't help your ego to heal
You got it all wrong, there's no ego here. Maybe he's less rushed than Argerich, but if you listen to Sokolov in the same mvt, right here on Youtube, and you'll see what I mean.
You are wrong again: Sokolov plays around 50 the bar and Elias is around 56, which makes the 8th at 350 for Sokolov and 392 for Elias, much faster. Besides, Sokolov plays like toccata (obsessional in a fix tempo) and not Precipitato as Prokofiev wanted. See also versions of Richter and Gilels of both pieces (Toccata and Precipitato)to understand the differences of both atmopheres
But that's precisely the point, it must sound obsessional, bcs of the ostinato in the l.h. You can choose whatever tempo you want, slower, faster, I don't care, but once started, it shouldn't fluctuate. Precipitato is an indication of movement & character; imo it doesn't mean we can take liberty w/ the tempo. This is not Chopin.
Precipitato is non static playing. Sokolovs version is rather static. Argerich's, Horowitz and Elias versions are dynamic views of the reality and none of them took any liberty with tempo. I would even say that I would prefer that Elias played it more forwards. Besides he does not rush, you better check it again.
I don't understand you guys. This pianist plays with his heart and it's normal it gets a little bit faster or slower sometimes because he seems to be an artist and not a machine. He has a strong rythm and a perfect control of the tempo. What do you want more?
I disagree entirely with your point of view. Mr. Elias plays with a remarkable rythm and tempo control! and besides,this is "Precipitato"(going forwards)!!! So please think twice before writing in the future.
Sokolov's rendition is more deliberate, has better tone, better phrasing and much greater control and variety of dynamics than Elias's version, but the latter still has great merit nonetheless.
There are a few inaccuracies towards the end in Elias's version, but that is par for the course in this piece------the ending is a notorious bitch------but I think he kept the feverishly intense pace very well, despite missing a few notes. And wih all that dissonance, who cares anyway?
I am sorry to come back to say that Sokolov's version has not better phrasing at all. He plays every tone by itself (perhaps a good point in such piece). But I prefer Elias and Gilels versions of this work. One message to Perkeno: don't reduce music to a certain passage on 23'24'' or something of the sort. This is a typical small student argument. Please grow up.
Amazing that guy! I have seen his other videos and in all three videos I noticed that he plays the way he feels it. No imitation of any other great artist of the past.
I know Edson personally. So I can tell you that other than having won all sorts of prices worldwide, he is offering master classes of piano at the Conservatoire de Genève (Switzerland). Edson is not just a fantastic interpreter, he is the nicest man to know. Well, enjoy his Prokofieff now.
hi edson, i remember your diploma in vienna. you played scarbo. i want tell you that the first concert i have heard in life had been a recital with jaques klein! i was 7 years old and thought that the almighty is playing and i decided to become a pianist. i studied with dieter weber, bruno seidlhofer and hans graf, who was a good friend of jaques klein.
klausknulp 1 year ago
Love the guys expression... hes having so much fun with this piece.
cfwpiano 1 year ago
This sounds like the beginnings of rock n' roll...I love that bassline!
bombergal1 1 year ago
@bombergal1 Yes, I love it too, it's looks like ACDC or something else (LOL) :D
pedroborges78 1 year ago
This is the first recording I listened to where someone accellerates in the ending, nice job!
katchum 1 year ago
a good recording - sounds better than from horowitz. but there a few wrong tones (doesn't matter) and the tempo at the end is not clearly like at the beginning.
anyway - i like this piece a lot!!!
Cb65at 2 years ago
is luca brasi haha
nice interpretation
salviatim 2 years ago
OMG a big head and body with short arms lol
crapman999 2 years ago
@crapman999 +1 LoL §
hailkayy 1 year ago
Muita saudade!
marcelodealvarenga 2 years ago
It invents his speed and weight.
aphalga 2 years ago
Adieu my dear teacher and friend. JF
tadjfm89 2 years ago
He is like a bomb lol
CHOCSAVEPROB 3 years ago
this technique is incredible
AllUserNamesTaken111 3 years ago
really fudged towards the end. Think the piece works better if you don't speed up and gradually build and crescendo. Almost seemed like he missed out whole beats, yet alone notes, in the final few bars. However, I enjoyed the energy an tempo otherwise
music4sherry 3 years ago
wonderful playing , very clear , AMAZING
choti007depuchamadre 3 years ago 2
Comment removed
KuraiShiranui 3 years ago 4
don't like at the end where he gets up before he ends the piece
Coixxman 3 years ago
Oh my God, he's exploding!!!!
Great performance, he smashed everything
ZioStronzo 3 years ago
His music means something to remember,
Adieu, my dear teacher.
shusevn 3 years ago 4
Indeed, Sokolov's "REAL Sound" is way clearer than this.
jhc0907 3 years ago
I have Sokolov's DVD and other recordings with much better sound quality; you can't say that Sokolov's sound is dull. Though, I really like this performance, too. Unexpected!
jhc0907 3 years ago
Meu primo morreu, é uma pena. Nós da família no Brasil estamos muito abalados.
JuniusAndre 3 years ago
La tristesse est trop grande. Perte d'un grand monsieur, tant sur le plan musical qu'humain.
dimitripapadopoulos 3 years ago 2
Edson Elias is a founder-member of two international academies in France, visiting professor at the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris / Alfred Cortot and professor of Virtuoso Piano at the Conservatoire de Genève. Edson Elias has been invited to take part in the jury of many international piano competitions and to direct Master Classes in several European countries as well as in Japan.
hjabd 3 years ago
He has performed concerts in Europe, ex-USSR, South America and Japan, playing as a soloist with the New Philharmonic of Japan, the Pasdeloup Orchestra, the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, the Sao Paolo Symphony Orchestra and has toured with the Austrian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Tonkünstlerorchester. He has also toured Brazil and Spain with soprano Gundula Janowitz.
hjabd 3 years ago
The Brasilian pianist Edson Elias was born in Rio de Janeiro where he graduated at the School of Music of the UFRJ receiving their Gold Medal. He also graduated at the Vienna Academy, having been awarded a Commendation Prize, the highest distinction bestowed by an Austrian university. Edson Elias has received 13 international awards from Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, Japan and Brazil.
hjabd 3 years ago
Tous ces élèves savent à quel point il était un maître absolu du piano, de la musique, et du son. Je pense à lui, à ses proches, et à ceux qui ont la chance de le connaître. J'étais à ce concert salle Cortot et je ne l'oublierai jamais. La performance était phénoménale. Il avait joué en première partie la sonate K282 de Mozart, les Ballades op 10 de Brahms, et en deuxième partie, la sonate op35 de Chopin et la 7ème sonate de Prokoviev, si mes souvenirs sont bons.
Adieu Edson, vous nous manquerez
jeanmarierenucci 3 years ago 5
@jeanmarierenucci ...et moi d'un récital à Gaveau où en 1° partie il se contentait d'enchaîner waldstein + appassionatta !!!
tonycosworth 1 year ago
What a pianist ! Honestly who can match that? Everything's there. Rhythm, control and above all musicality. What pleasure to the ears ! I totally agree with those who say that Sokolov sounds dull compared to this.
jmmsal 3 years ago
Isn't he??? Thanks for the support.
suzettegm 3 years ago
Edson was a great pianist, and my cousin. Unfortunately I just heard of his untimely death this month. He was Brazilian and lived in France. If you do a google search with his name, you will find info on him and his career, and his records.
hjabd 3 years ago
He died? My sincere condolences. Certainly a loss to the music world. I'll do the Google search for sure. It's...a coincidence? I came back here to answer the comment of mpantel88 to mine of 9 months ago...and now I read this.
He must still be here somehow...
suzettegm 3 years ago
I thought he was gonna burst a blood vessel at the end!!
Grigor99 3 years ago
Fine performance. Very brilliant and exciting. Only complaint is I wish he used less pedal. But better than most performances.
marcparella 3 years ago
Excellent!!!!!!
michieldemarey 4 years ago
Amazing! How is it possible that I have never heard about this pianist? When is his next concert? Does someone know anything about him? I WANT TO BE THERE!!!!!!
MUZIKA1000 4 years ago
move over, mr. Sokolov...
suzettegm 4 years ago
while this was a heartless thing to say, and while i admire sokolov very much, i agree with suzettegm. this here sounds more alive than sokolov's interpretation.
Timrath 3 years ago
Sorry, I didn't mean to be heartless, I also admire mr. Sokolov, especially his Beethoven,
but compared to this pianist his rendition of this part of this sonata sounds positively dull.Kind regards from the Netherlands.
suzettegm 3 years ago
HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH......
I take it as a joke!... i havent heard a better interpretation of this piece... far more beautiful, much more clear, much more rithmical, and not a couple of notes thrown away...
mpantel88 3 years ago
i was talking about sokolov certainly...
mpantel88 3 years ago
Fair enough sonny. Enjoy what you like but it was no joke HAHAHA :))
suzettegm 3 years ago
From Merriam Webster:
precipitate
transitive verb
1 a : to throw violently : HURL b : to throw down
2 : to bring about abruptly
intransitive verb
1 a : to fall headlong b : to fall or arrive suddenly into some condition
2 : to move or act quickly and heedlessly
Miecyslaw 4 years ago
ALSO:
precipitous = STEEP, PERPENDICULAR INCLINE
Miecyslaw 4 years ago
Honestly. Almost every single piano performance student at Julliard, MSM, NEC, Oberlin, or any major conservatory could play this piece better than this guy. And there are probably one or two students at most strong music programs (we're talking liberal arts colleges here) that could play the piece better. That ending is hella sloppy. Plus the rhythmic accents are kinda weak throughout.
ILUVDUX69 4 years ago
Dear Iluvdux, we are waiting your post to judge. But please don't you think you are going too far in your comments? I went to this recital invited by a Juilliard professor who was in Paris at that moment. We both loved this performance. Besides, your comments are untrue: accents are just perfect. You must have a sound problem in your computer.
hisoshitanaka 4 years ago
i am speaking to ILUVDUX69
jb0433628 4 years ago
i love reading your comments. who are you guys. honestly. You think you're all mighty because you play the piano better than him or her. Or you all think you're correct. Please get a life and quit commenting videos. Get a more productive hobby..take pleasure in hearing a difficult piece being performed not finding everything wrong with it
cpdavidzas 4 years ago
I play this piece better than this guy. I'll be sure to post a recording in a few months after my recital
ILUVDUX69 4 years ago
Of course you can play everything better than everybody.
But don't forget to post your recital. Everybody wants to listen it.
hisoshitanaka 4 years ago
you are just a looser and what to impress some people here....
jb0433628 4 years ago
Istevensenwien has mistaken the way to play Chopin's music. There are no tempo liberties with "tempo rubato!" By the way, Elias's interpretation of the Toccata is UNREMARKABLE whereas Sokolov's is quite memorable because he plays it so much better. PRECIPITATO means to play with a certain abandon, as though falling, pianistically, over a PRECIPICE.
OnGuardForPeace 4 years ago
There is something illogical in what you say: if you fall over a "precipice" as you say you can't play with a "certain abandon". Your vision of Precipitato is completely unreal, I am sorry to say. More: in Sokolov there is no Precipice, just mechanical chords with little phrasing concern, I am afraid. Please check it.
Musiklieber1 4 years ago
This is one of the best versions of this piece I have heard! I would like to know more about Mr Elias. I learned by a Korean pianist that Mr Elias has just played a huge Grieg concerto in Korea recently and someone else told me he will play Tchaikovsky concerto in Brazil very shortly. By Google I knew he teaches in Geneva, Lyon and Paris, but I would like to know more about his career, if someone can help me. Thanks.
Musiklieber1 4 years ago
It seems odd to me that so many people think there's only one correct way to play this piece. To be fair, the word "precipitato" is fairly vague and open to interpretation. How are we supposed to know how Prokofiev "wanted" the piece to be played? Everyone is entitled to give their own interpretation. You should also bear in mind that this piece is incredibly difficult and in a very awkward time signature. Who are we to say, "That's wrong"?
Roxas13579 4 years ago
I agree completely with you. An artist has the right to give his personnal feeling as long as he respects the text. Mr Elias plays absolutely in tempo and respects the text, so he can show his own interpretation without any problem.
hisoshitanaka 4 years ago
Great energy & passion. But it's rushed at times; the magic of this mvt comes from its implacable, machine-like rhythm. That should be there at all time.
Perkeno 4 years ago
Almost every previous remark points out PRECISELY his huge rhythmical & tempo control. Compare with the versions of Horowitz and Argerich. He keeps a perfect tempo from the beginning to the end. I presume you are a musician too and I give you an advice: don't let your jealousy get over your hearing capacity. I would like to play like him too but my possibilities don't allow me. So I understand your feelings, but believe me, to write wrong comments won't help your ego to heal
tcroche 4 years ago
You got it all wrong, there's no ego here. Maybe he's less rushed than Argerich, but if you listen to Sokolov in the same mvt, right here on Youtube, and you'll see what I mean.
Perkeno 4 years ago
You are wrong again: Sokolov plays around 50 the bar and Elias is around 56, which makes the 8th at 350 for Sokolov and 392 for Elias, much faster. Besides, Sokolov plays like toccata (obsessional in a fix tempo) and not Precipitato as Prokofiev wanted. See also versions of Richter and Gilels of both pieces (Toccata and Precipitato)to understand the differences of both atmopheres
jstevensenwien 4 years ago
But that's precisely the point, it must sound obsessional, bcs of the ostinato in the l.h. You can choose whatever tempo you want, slower, faster, I don't care, but once started, it shouldn't fluctuate. Precipitato is an indication of movement & character; imo it doesn't mean we can take liberty w/ the tempo. This is not Chopin.
Perkeno 4 years ago
Precipitato is non static playing. Sokolovs version is rather static. Argerich's, Horowitz and Elias versions are dynamic views of the reality and none of them took any liberty with tempo. I would even say that I would prefer that Elias played it more forwards. Besides he does not rush, you better check it again.
jstevensenwien 4 years ago
I don't understand you guys. This pianist plays with his heart and it's normal it gets a little bit faster or slower sometimes because he seems to be an artist and not a machine. He has a strong rythm and a perfect control of the tempo. What do you want more?
hisoshitanaka 4 years ago
I disagree entirely with your point of view. Mr. Elias plays with a remarkable rythm and tempo control! and besides,this is "Precipitato"(going forwards)!!! So please think twice before writing in the future.
jstevensenwien 4 years ago
It is NOT rushed. It is a bit FASTER than I might want to hear it, but it is NOT------I repeat NOT--------"rushed."
This man reminds me of Lazar Berman------a great big burly bear wiuth infinite pianistic facility. Who IS he and where does he COME from?
Can he play lyrically? I'd love to hear his COMPLETE Chopin, Opus 35 and this coimplete sonata.
Miecyslaw 4 years ago
NOT rushed? Maybe not all the time, but listen to the end (~03:00), and compare with the tempo at the beginning.
And the end is all fuzzy, can't hear all the notes. Why? bcs it's rushed, that's why.
Perkeno 4 years ago
Sokolov's rendition is more deliberate, has better tone, better phrasing and much greater control and variety of dynamics than Elias's version, but the latter still has great merit nonetheless.
There are a few inaccuracies towards the end in Elias's version, but that is par for the course in this piece------the ending is a notorious bitch------but I think he kept the feverishly intense pace very well, despite missing a few notes. And wih all that dissonance, who cares anyway?
Miecyslaw 4 years ago
I am sorry to come back to say that Sokolov's version has not better phrasing at all. He plays every tone by itself (perhaps a good point in such piece). But I prefer Elias and Gilels versions of this work. One message to Perkeno: don't reduce music to a certain passage on 23'24'' or something of the sort. This is a typical small student argument. Please grow up.
hisoshitanaka 4 years ago
Wow! How is that humanly possible?
BettyCope 4 years ago
Amazing how he plays musically even the most tehcnical passages!
hisoshitanaka 4 years ago
Incredible how he can keep the same beat with a diabolic rythm!!! Fabelhaft!
jstevensenwien 5 years ago
Excelent
nadir2331 5 years ago
Amazing that guy! I have seen his other videos and in all three videos I noticed that he plays the way he feels it. No imitation of any other great artist of the past.
Musiklieber1 5 years ago
This amazing pianist is my uncle! Isn't he great! His wife, is also a concert pianist...Helena Elias. She's really good, too. He's an awesome guy.
monicadriscoll 5 years ago
Fabulous! Excellent phrasing in a devilish rythm!
outlook007 5 years ago
Beauty, emotional power and rythmical precision !
heinzSTROSSER 5 years ago
I know Edson Elias since the youth's years. In this
sonata, he interprets the mecanically arranged sounds
of Prokofieff with invulgar energy.
Critic51 5 years ago
Extremely rythmical and controlled. Really brilliant
musicexpert1 5 years ago
Fabulous! I would like to know more about him. Does he have records ? Really amazing!
tcroche 5 years ago
I know Edson personally. So I can tell you that other than having won all sorts of prices worldwide, he is offering master classes of piano at the Conservatoire de Genève (Switzerland). Edson is not just a fantastic interpreter, he is the nicest man to know. Well, enjoy his Prokofieff now.
ruedesevres 5 years ago
Amazing pianist! This is one of the best versions I have ever heard of this piece. Does someone know him? Why we don't listen him often?
flyingtheme 5 years ago
awesome performance, crazy piece.
Sorcerer88 5 years ago