Rach #3 - Cadenza - Lazar Berman

[forgottenbooks]

Truly the best performance of the ossia.

[busylifemeto]

Berman ownes this Cadenza without ony doubt.

[Eristhenes]

I absolutely love this recording!! Berman's power and ferocity are unmatched on this concerto and he still manages to infuse it with temperance so the peformance is not just harsh hammering.

[tschaikowski]

One of the few R3 cadenzas that don't lose the sense of harmony, direction and passion (as opposed to go full force pounding the keyboard). 100% Pleased with this cadenza. :)

[OrangeSodaKing]

Step aside, Berman shows how it's done!!

[gmnotyet]

HOLY FUCK!

[fledgehog]

GOD DAMN! talk about POWER!

[moonpagan]

I love what you've done with this Cadenza, Lazar Berman; I tip my hat to you.

Ron.

( ;-} >

[aardvaark069]

Too bad Rachmaninov himself didn't play this extended cadenza. He played the short version because he felt it was more musical in context. I love this long cadenza because, simply put, it is more piano to listen to and under hands like these who wouldn't............?:-)

[iguarni]

A LEGENDARY PERFORMANCE BY A VERY GREAT PIANIST!!!!!!

[tenorismo]

CLIBURN

[trschaefer]

This is pretty awesome..!!!

[signinname41]

This is the best Rach 3 cadenza I've ever heard. Not too sappy but keeps all the rich Rachmaninoff emotional complexity.

[pianofairy1]

Bravo!!! This is fantastic - a very powerful interpretation.... love it! ♫♫♫

[busylifemeto]

I had a chap criticise and mention that x or Y performed this more as the composer intended i.e Horowitz or Martha. Does he know what is the meaning of Cadneza ?  ..........free form, to show individual virtuosity,improvised, ornamental to name a few adjectives. So many look at the world through a drain pipe.

[monobrow638]

I don't think he's playing a "piano-forte" in this recording...just a "forte"

[koryano321]

berman or ashkenazy takes it for the best cadenzas in my opinion.

[concerto35]

I have listened to a number of Cadenzas, and this one seems to be the most artistic of them all.

[malditocalvo]

wonderful

[airtz]

Perfect.

[animefan294]

:D i think i found a new favorite song

[ffalieri]

Ok, I'm ready to die now.

[jhyounyo]

This is surely the best and historical rendition of ossia cadenza.

[busylifemeto]

@jhyounyo 100% spot on !! BUT its not like the Composer intended, see my latest post lol

[ophelius111]

I didn't even know some of those chords even existed!

[ajeptorres]

welll this verssion is awerssome but what do you have to tell about Volodos? i think that he is wa wonderfull pianist.

[danadatz]

@ajeptorres

Of course he is. And Bronfman too. But I think Berman`s Cadenza the best .

[Enerkhan]

@danadatz true Berman's cadenza is great, but the best one for me (and I've listened to some dozens I must say) is the not very well known version of Nikolsky at the Queen Elisabeth contest at the end of the 80s. Very closely knit with Berman's though. Close call.

[busylifemeto]

@danadatz Volodos, Gilels, Horowitz arebut a few of the amazining pianists but for my humble opionion I like Lugansky interpretation of Rachmaninoff best EXCEPT for the Rach 3, Berman OWNES this piece NO ONE can hold a candle to him particularly the Cadenza

[robert982]

@danadatz Hi, be sure to listen to Orozoco's live performance, it too is great.

[dharmaboy1]

@ajeptorres Love Berman, especially his Liszt Sonata in B-minor, but I have to give the cadenza to my main man, Arkadi Volodos! VOLODOS FTW!!!!

[Ellinidara]

In my opinion the best version of this"cadenza" after Martha Argerich'version.Maestro Berman,you're immortal...miss you.

[lisztbest]

@Ellinidara Anche io penso che sia immortale!Le sue interpretazioni sono sempre di una tale intensità difficilmente eguagliabile.

[busylifemeto]

NO ONE beats Lazar Berman on this Cadenza not Horozitz, not Volodos, not Ashkanzy not NOBODY lol. The power and expression here is pure Genius.

[Masmorra84]

@busylifemeto horowitz and Volodos both play the smaller cadenza actually and this is the big one...

[doomownage94]

@busylifemeto How would you even compare Ashkenazy's interpretation to this one? His sounds so unique I couldn't even compare it to Rachmaninov's.

[busylifemeto]

@doomownage94 Yes I do apologise you are right ! Whilst I conceed Horowitz virtuosity there are many pianists I prefer and Berman is one. To be honest, for a lot of Rachmaninoff I prefer Lugansky. He has the power and interpretation with every note accurate to a fault. So many like Gilels use excessive sustain and NOT as in the music.

[TJFNYC212]

@busylifemeto I heard Lugansky play the Rach 3 recently that Hollywood Bowl and I hated it. He overly romanticizes Rachmaninov. Schmaltz! in my opinion.  I prefer the interpretation of the composer himsefl-Horowitz-Byron Janis-Argerich.

[busylifemeto]

@TJFNYC212 Do you know the meaning of Cadneza ? ..........free form, to show individual virtuosity,improvised, ornamental to name a few adjectives. To tell the truth so much in music is personal preference. In conclusion "overly romanticizes" Rachmaninoff has written some of the most powerful dynamic music in history, would you have a pianist play it with Bach interpretation ?

[TJFNYC212]

@busylifemeto I was not speaking of the cadenza I was speaking of the entire work. Just wasn't cup of tea. de gustibus non est disputandem is my way of thinking. As for cadenza, what you say it sort of true but composers started to write their cadenza's because pianist were straying too far away from the spirit of the works.... I think it was Beethoven who started that. That being said some pianists are still writing there own cadenza's or were. Casadesus was an good example

[TJFNYC212]

@busylifemeto I see you are a Gilels fan at least from what I see on your page. Do you have his recordings of the Beethoven Sonata. I think they are almost complete with exception of the Opus 111 , the Opus 78 and the opus 2 in f minor regards

[theDON535]

2 and a half cadenza FTW!!

[mishima1974]

Berman was a giant of the instrument.

[FederSim]

On my vinyl disc it sounds better... however, I love his performance, it is fluent and bereft of mistakes. And it is also the first performance I've ever heard, so I'm really fond of it.

[guitarwizard6]

The orchestra and conductor must have sat there in stunned disbelief. I too own the rare CD--what a treasure. I feel so blessed that I saw him twice in concert. R.I.P. Mr. Berman: you were one of the greatest pianists ever.

[rvn10rvn17]

lazar plays this cadenza so fast, seems impossible..

i start trying the cadenza today and it's freaking hard!!!

no wonder this is rach's most difficult piece ever!

[ozgurunaldi]

Huzur icinde uyu muhtesem piyanist Lazar Berman...

(Rest in piece the magnificent pianist Lazar Berman...)

[iguarni]

None is and was able to play this incredible cadenza in a fantastic way like Lazar. Other words fly away.

[LousyPianist]

I'm lucky to have this on CD.... very rare Japanese release.

[Arm4nd88]

my favourite version of this cadenza =)

a beautiful version is in "shine " too, love it!

[ruslandimov]

This is the first recording I ever heard!... And the one I love the most!

[iguarni]

@ruslandimov For sure!!!

[sackwhacker]

sounds so different to other cadenzas I've heard.

Does any1 know what piano Berman uses?

[Vendetta5246]

Can someone tell me where i can get more songs of the tune from 1:19-1:30 or tell me what kind of tune is it?

[vtn32]

All the tune, not only between 1:19-1:30 constitutes a cadenza,  i.e., a virtuosity passage of the soloist, but not particularly composed by him... The tune, by the way, is 'Rachmaninovesque', look for his works, and you'll find pleasant notes written in this very style.

[KeithWhalen11]

1:18

Aye carumba!

[Vendetta5246]

Sounds like more than one instrument...

[xper2xper]

Wonderful x 5 ...

[mrjlowitz]

I am new to the wonders of U-Tube.

Rach 3 my obsession owning more than 20 cds.with my favorites being Berman and Cliburn. Yes Berman phenomenal along with RICHTER, Gilels and Horowitz as Russian greats. Richter (never recorded this "he couldn't do it justice")

His Beeth, Rach., Chopin, Proko.,Schubert, Schuman,Liszt, Tchai. are urgent , brilliant and glorius. Berman and Gilels sadly somewhat overlooked in the U.S.

Take a look at Bolet's Rach 3 Masterclass. Now he was a class act !

[hellenic300]

such a powerful part of one of the greatest pieces of music every written by one of the best pianists ever to live, Rachmaninoff!

great playing

[shusarik]

Van Cliburn's version of this cadenza and, indeed the entire concerto, is the greatest single performance of this work on record (late 1950s). Of course, Vladimir Horowitz's performance is the best of the original cadenzas, but Cliburn's performance of the "ossia" has all of the oratory, spectacular technique and color that make his a rhetorical masterpiece. Nowhere will you ever hear a recitation of the concept of "love" depicted more accurately than in his live Carnegie Hall performance.

[EdiEllerymissing]

AMAZING! What a wonderful pianist. To engage this cadenza with so much power. A great musician, indeed!

[alexmanzo19]

Perfecta!!!!!!!! Wow

[ipublica]

Incredible energy even when compared to Evgeny Kissin's very authoritative recording! Richter never recorded the 3rd of Rachmaninov, for reasons I ignore (if anybody knows, please tell me).

[Eristhenes]

Mr. Berman's performance is the definitive interpetation of this version of this cadenza, just as his Liszt Transcendental Etudes are the definitive version of that oeuvre. An truly remarkable artist, he was.

[iguarni]

Every time I can listen this incredible performance it's a wonderful plasure for me to recognize a pure genius playing in such a wonderful way!!! Thank you LAZAR WE MISS YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!

[carppeter]

This is by far the most superior performance of this cadenza ... beyond Askenazy, beyond Horowitz, beyond Argerich ... . There is no distortion, no masking of difficulties, no technical shortcomings, no musical disappointments and no bad pedaling. The total clarity and the unlimited musicianship is unsurpassed. Not my opinion. Just listen to it!

[demosj]

@carppeter

Horowitz recorded the ossia cadenza?

[TempterMan]

I would like to know it too, never heard though.

[demosj]

@TempterMan

He never did, in every single one Horowitz played the original. Don't know how carppeter compared this to a cadenza performance that doesn't exist.

[Ellinidara]

Yes,no words to describe his istorical intepretation.The best version ever for me.After Mr Berman'version,there is Martha's version,in my personal opinion.

[TempterMan]

ASTOUNDING, HYPNOTIC, TOPSY-TURVY... hard to find words that could describe this!!!

[Lassann]

THIS is how you play the Ossia Cadenza!

[Sanrus]

I couldn't agree more!

[morvensky]

This is mad Arabic sounding.

[brtherjohn]

Berman's Russian recordings from the 50's and 60's were extraordinary. But by the time he made recordings and concerts in the West, they were largely disapointing. His 1970s DG recordings of Liszt's Years of Pilgrimage set lacked the flair of those earlier years.

[avalanche183]

I don't get why whenever there is a "Top Pianists of the 20th century list" that Lazar Berman is never on there. This Cadenza is by far the BEST I've heard. And his Liszt is unparallel to anyone else. Oh well. 5 stars for this video!!!!!!!!!!!

[71demy]

The gratest performance ever heard!!

[busylifemeto]

Lazar Berman owns this Concerto Horozitz, volodos, Kissin good but not good enough

[eligarf]

he had 3 or 4 hands?!?

[EdiEllerymissing]

6 I think, but in some parts he split a seven one.

[hyperklavier]

This is the BEST version of the 3rd. Period.

[wombat12550]

Listen to Vladimir Feltman's, you'll change your mind. I assure you.

[John11inch]

I'm playing this for the fifth time in a row, now.

And I don't even like this piece. Berman is simply unmatched in power, in my opinion. I can only assume massive editing was required, because I would venture to guess he broke at least seven pianos in this.

[danadatz]

it's funny... but you seem to be right.

[JanaFaukner]

Just curious, but why do you dislike it?

[John11inch]

I find it harmonically repetitious and I don't feel it was well-written as a piano concerto, i.e. I don't think the interaction between the orchestra and the piano is particularly dramatic or dynamic.

[polymath7]

I'm not a musician, and I know you don't like dumb questions, but was this a hyperbolic joke, or do you really mean he must have somehow damaged several pianos in course of this recording?

[danadatz]

certainly joke! but many a true word is spoken in jest.

[hyperklavier]

This is the best version EVER.

[eltachimetro]

he doesnt make any pause or something :B

anyway i liked how he played it :DD!!

[paulostroff99]

A wonderfully patient and measured performance.  Berman was always up there withg the very best. Bravo!.

[Gillesma89]

Absolutely fantastic!!

[kinghikonghi]

maestro....lei era un genio....e credeva in me....questa è la cadenza + bella ke io abbia mai ascoltato...!!! cercherò di non deluderla e di utilizzare i suoi insegnamenti di vita al meglio!!!

[iguarni]

Sottoscrivo in pieno. Conosco venti interpretazioni di questo concerto fatte dai più grandi pianisti ma una cadenza Ossia di questa bellezza non si trova da nessuna parte!! W Firenze!!! W Lazar Berman, un pianista meraviglioso, purtroppo sottostimato nonostante il talento immenso ma sempre nei nostri cuori!!!!!!!

[lokopiano]

Dàccordo.

lui aveva del suono gigante......

Non ostante mi pare che Chopin ed i classici non ci sono stati lo migliori che suonava.

Tecnica perfetta e razionale.

lokopiano

[EdiEllerymissing]

Este cabrón sí sabía como tocar piano... Un verdadero monstruo!!!

[lokopiano]

Así que hablabas Castellano. Que bien ¡¡

Soy bilingüe, ya que nací en Italia. De padre italiano y madre española y desde niño mi padre insistió en que aprendiera paralelamente el Castellano. Por ello hablo los dos.

El inglés..... :-) ya vez como lo escribo. Co muchos errores y también en parte a que escribo extremadamnte rápido. No dispmgo de muchpo tiempo , así que ni reviso mnis erores tipográficos. El ingñes lo aprendí en "La calle" cuando estudié en New York .

[lokopiano]

Nunca me interesó estudiarlo ¡¡¡ ppor eso lo hablo primitivamente.

Bueno, Berman técnicamente era algo indescriptible y el volumen de sus Fortissimos hacía sentir que el Carnegie Hall se venia abajo ¡¡

Saludos.

Lokopiano

[EdiEllerymissing]

Pues el español es mi lengua materna. El inglés, que es bastante malo, lo aprendí en videojuegos y series de televisión XD. A la mejor conoces a mi maestra de piano, María Teresa Rodríguez. Ya no es lo que era, ni como pianista ni como maestra, pero fue una gran pianista mexicana... y conoció a Lazar Berman. Yo hubiera querido conocerlo... Un monstruo del teclado, realmente me encanta su Rachmaninoff.

[lokopiano]

Que gusto. Entonces eres mexicano ..supongo. La verdad es que no conozco a tu profesora. Como sabrás, son tantas.. :-)

Yo conocí a Berman hace ya varios años, pues era amigo muy cercano de uno de mis maestros, una profesora y una tremenda pianista Rusa que estudió también con uno de los profesores de Berman: Goldenwaiser. Ella enseñó varios años en el COnservatorio Tchaikowsky y sucedió en su clase a Tatian Nikolaieva con la que hizo el equivalnete a un doctorado.

Bueno

Continua

[lokopiano]

continuando con Berman, SU mejor repertorio es Rachn¡maninoff, Liszt, Scriabin. Los clásicos no los toca muy bine para mi gusto personal ( cosa rara sobretodo siendo alumno de Goldenwaiser¡¡) . Técnicamente es alucinante. Es perfecto . toca de lo mas tranquilo y en sus fortissimos el piano parece que le pidiera : PIEDAD ¡¡¡¡ jajja.

Bueno.

Saludos.

lokopiano

[frederickfrederikfre]

Che fortuna averlo conosciuto e studiato con lui.Complimenti!!!

[frederickfrederikfre]

Bella,come quella di Ashkenazy,ma a me piace più quella di Van Cliburn

[lokopiano]

Io ho ascoltato tutte due dal vivo. Ashkenazy e fantastico, ma Berman ti faceba dei brividi . Qualche cosa di eccezionalle. Dei souni piu giganteschi chi ho mai ascoltato.

Auguri

lokopiano

[iguarni]

E' vero quando era in serata faceva venire la pelle d'oca. Talento allo stato puro!!!!!!

Grande Lazar. Firenze non ti ha dimenticato nè lo farà mai!!!!!

[lokopiano]

Firenze ed stata la cittá piú opportuna ..................quelle cose del destino, ed e stata la cittá piú gradita per dirle adío.

lokopiano

[busylifemeto]

Agree totally re Horowitz, Nurotic is a great description. I am a great fan of Volodos & Giles and many pianists. The GREATEST mark to all these guys I believe is Lugansky ? AMAZING pianist what do you people think ??

[paulostroff99]

busylifemeto-Who is Giles? Who too is Lugansky? Volodos is pretty good.

[busylifemeto]

Paul, sorry I spelt Gilels incorrectly. He is up there with Volodos, I would not like to compare. Nicolai Lugansky is another Russian Pianist and in my view on of the greatest pianists alive. At this level of virtuosity so much of it comes down to personal preference, this is not a lot of :right" or "wrong" in my view only for the small minds to nit pick

[deprerach]

you should listen from Idil Biret one time

watch?v=3TbGumaYf-8

[lisztbest]

era un grande!!

[calflyboy]

This is what I call  M-U-S-I-C ! ! !

No words can describe how beautifully he plays this./ I stilllove Horowitz's version very much but compared to this, Horowits borders on the neurotic in this piece.

[uTubeTerror]

The best rendition of the ever-changing cadenza.We can all agree it's the best.

[regiear1991]

I just love it when pianists play the cadenza slowly, especially the part after the falling transition.

[Lassann]

Superlative.

[memorioso]

Thank you danadatz. Let us hope the recording will be reissued some day. Also check out Berman's other Rachmanivov interpretations on Youtube -to say nothing of his wonderful, wonderful Liszt. The man was truly "God-given."

[classicalPiano1]

For what it is worth anecdotally, I met Lazar Berman in New Jersey back in the Seventies (forget the year 76,77?). I had the chance to listen to him warm-up before a Concert. Fantastic pianist. I remember him repeatedly playing the 1st mvt scale of the Liszt piano concerto #1 (just before the Orchestra plays the main theme a second time).

It had nothing to do with what he was playing that day. At the time he didn't speak much english (or that was my recollection). But a very pleasant man.

[Hervinbalfour]

This is the best playing of this cadenza that I have ever heard. His clarity, power and strength are amazing. Perfect!

[iguarni]

to this day, he's never been born a pianist who is able to play this cadenza best of Lazar!!!!

[busylifemeto]

I agree entirely !!!! many rave about Horowitz and he he without question supurb BUT you know lazar, Volodos Czirffra are still my preference. Today I believeNicolai Lugansky will be the man

[otto6891]

It's too bad that the 78 rpm format was too short for Rachmaninoff to have recorded this cadenza himself; this was his own preferred version.

[canaantzi]

Esta es la mejor interpretacion del Concierto 3ro de Rachmaninoff que he escuchado, Lazar Berman no tiene comparacion al tocar esta obra monumental. Es un ejemplo de un verdadero artista, comprometido con su trabajo en cuerpo y alma. Hay otros pianistas que lo hacen muy bien, pero Berman es el maestro de maestros. Lastima que se haya ido, lo bueno es que podemos aprender de el con ayuda de este legado y disfrutar de su extraordinaria capacidad expresiva combinado con una tecnica perfecta. Bravo!

[iguarni]

in 1:20 I can recognize a fantastic pianist who loved my hometown Florence where he decided to live. Lazar, thanks a lot!! We'll never forget your genius!!!!

[hrspwr69fstbck]

1:50 to 2:00 is the most powerful performance i have ever heard

[vaslav4ever]

Si è assolutamente perfetta, GRANDIOSA, come deve essere. Solo lui la sa suonare così.

Assolutamente inarrivabile. Sembra non finire mai........SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII­IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII­IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII­II

[Ellinidara]

E...l'hai mai sentito fare didattica..?Anche lì incredibile,straordinario.Non ha avuto il successo che meritava..

[iguarni]

Lazar we miss you!!!

[vlad432]

No one can bit Berman on this...it's just perfect! Kissin, Volodos, Ashkenazy are close but not enough.

[pagaopodrera]

BEEEEEEEERMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[vladimirgligoric]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAAAAAAAAAAAAmazing

[elhijo234]

100 adrenalin powerfull like a storm

[argerich68]

La cadenza è ancora più bella suonata da Berman....paradisiaca!!!

[Piacevole]

Hahah, I can´t believe the power he puts down in this cadenza. Unbelieveable.