Ivo Pogorelich Plays Chopin Sonata No. 3/Op. 58 1st mvt.

[newFranzFerencLiszt]

what can they take those giants hands? a 12th?

[fredericfranc]

..."such-and-such "owns" this or that" shit is definitely out of control on the YT...if you go to the trouble of listening to a reasonable no. of Horowitz doing the Op. 53, and there quite a few of those around here, he blows a number of them like bad...here Ivo is a bit on the precious-mannered side, and actually hits some clinkers...but, fuck, yes...this is kind of irresistible...but "owns"?...try to cut that kind of crap out...if you can manage it...

[SepiaLatimanus]

Ivo owns this sonata as much as Horowitz owns the Polonaise op. 53; namely, totally.

[nOObR3dUct10n]

why oh why......my god why there is almost nobody who understands him?? I am CRYING!! over his every and each lingering note i feel absolutely the same while i play....but yes i will not even TRY to describe this. It is such that there are absolutely no words to express such an ideal of passion,love,music,life...I love this, i love life !

Once upon a time, there was a pianist performing in Japan.... :)

[Garcian]

its great to see such passion but we don't listen with our eyes

[Cancrizans]

I liked very much Ipublica's comment that he may be too sensitive for today's musical establishment. We see more and more the emphasis on a perfect performance rather than the expression of the soul like Pogorelich gives. I would rather hear one mistake per page of written music played with true passion than a thousand pages played to perfection without anything real being said. Unfortunately many who believe they preserve classical music are actually killing it.

[Cancrizans]

He really is one of the most sensitive and imaginative pianists. You never hear the nonsense of the academy in his playing, always the fire.

[silentplummet]

Learn to encode videos please

[falcord]

Does anyone know his hand reach? His hands seem enormous from this angle. 12 notes perhaps?

[theMacvarish]

@falcord ; 12, yes. Quite unfair,that nature equipped him with such prodigious talent and those hands.Still my favourite performer of Chopin.:-)

[BMX90]

@theMacvarish Are you serious? 12? That's almost rachmaninoff's reach!...

[theMacvarish]

@BMX90 : So my little brother, the musician, tells me. He lived next door to Ivo, in Dumfrieshire.

[Shumas100]

Gorgeous tone!!

[lanesakorane]

bio je veliki uzor pokojnoj margiti stefanovic

[lanesakorane]

seljaci iz mog raZreda su ga zvali ivo pregorelic

[103forpeace]

I wonder how much resentment (overt or covert) is there in you that you're trying to pluck out Ivo's nationality of his music. Bother's you that a Croat is so successful, ha?

Well, too bad! We, Croats, keep Ivo dear in our hearts, cherish the recitals he had in Zagreb and wish him all the best! We're so grateful and proud of him.

BTW - hiding antagonistic & malevolent feelings againts a nation under the nick of that very nation doesn't serve its purpose!

[Cancrizans]

@103forpeace honestly what is stranger is the fact that people actually can conceive of a musician as something to "root for", as if art has something whatever to do with being on the German, Italian, Croatian, French or Spanish teams or whatever. Given how many millions of people the "civilized" nations murder every year you'd think people would finally quit trying to appropriate peaceful ideas to some team or another.

[103forpeace]

It's highly indicative that nat'l origin becomes an issue only when it comes to Croatian artists, scientists etc. Havenn't seen you dispute French, Greek or any other nationals... It's just one of the tactics known all too well!

A person w/out a nat'l identity - a rootless plant, a leaf in the wind... Besides, nationality doesn't depend on where you pay taxes or any other silly argument like that.

[rvn10rvn17]

his chopin second sonata mov 1 is much more impressive than this..

[Croat4747]

Part2.

The level of artistic and intellectual integrity of Ivo Pogorelich is incompatible with setting boundaries of any national culture (even if it would be much prominent than the Croatian one). Especially in view of the fact that in Ivo' official biography, as presented by his artistic manager, no national identifier has been set I think that we Croats should not push this point above the level of common sense and good taste.

[Croat4747]

Part1.

I think that uharchristian is basically correct in his/her standpoint that Ivo Pogorelich should not be a subject of any patriotic (or nationalistic) euphoria of us, Croats. While it's clear and understandable that Ivo's decision to identify himself as Croat made many of us happy (he, for sure, had other options as well!) but we also have to be aware that the resources of his remarkable artistry have very little to do with the Croatian cultural herritage.

[uhartchristian]

this a very good interpretation . and the melting of his body with the piano is a pleasure to watch... yes this pianist has enourmous potentialities and things to say.... Although with a bad reputation for some extremely choices of tempi he could get famous when not winning the chopin competition. martha Argerich left the jury as a protest that he did not win.....

[ipublica]

@uhartchristian Yes, I fully agree, an incredibly sensitive musician, too sensitive perhaps for the hard world of music today. It's a very tough world for performers today. Look how it was with Michel Béroff, very similar story, a man who was famed as the best Messiaen performer when I was young. And where is he today? His interpretation of Messiaen's Preludes and the Vingt Regards is still today a reference recording (with EMI).

[uhartchristian]

es its a very tough world we are living in at the moment. will not be better soon.... but there are still musicians and composers out there who do good work and don t let go despite the difficulties. I just discovered a composer in america who composes great works in harmonic style not coping messiaen or boulez and so on.... who respects the natural harmonies like bach did and chopin without being an epigone... There are great people out there..... lets be optimistic....

[ipublica]

Yes, you are right, thanks for reply. It's simply that there is constant change. I am optimistic, while it's a fact that pianists today must be very professional to succeed, and this professionalism is not laid away for every artist. But here's where professional coaching and agents come into play to help. So actually it seems to me that a pianist today comes in a crew, not as a single figher as in the olden days of the piano ...

[uhartchristian]

I think it was a magic time after second world war. a period of construction after so much destruction.... where are today the generous people who helped out and were interested in the career of pianists?.. big talents had their chance. music had a high status in society. today no more . where are the people who prepared famous recordings like walter legge or concert agents like hurok or glotz.... gone.... where are the white house recitals... gone... the invitations to buckingham palace....

[ipublica]

I didn't know the White House recitals are gone, do you know which President broke the tradition? Do you really think music as such is losing status, or do you mean classical music? When you see Keith Jarrett's huge success recently (Carnegie Hall), it seems that this kind of creative style music rather gains in importance. But classical music? Could the reason perhaps be a far too rigid attitude of that 'classical music establishment'? Could it be a lack of creative spirit?

[uhartchristian]

well the problem is more that our society killed the nice people, life got very rough and hard and there is less heart and admiration for kind persons, the wicked ones go first now!!!! Yes the tradition was broken there are no more recitals transmitted from the white house since Carter and Reagan. Well the new president put some black singers on the inauguration program, but that was more a political act than interest in music. Tell me which president today is able to play the piano. none.

[ipublica]

@uhartchristian And also, think of Glenn Gould and Friedrich Gulda only, what already years ago they said about the classical music scene. Their critique was not a fancy, while it was put up as a fancy, to downplay their arguments. If classical music is only for the rich and famous, to show their jewels, and to make 'business relations' during concerts and opera festivals, then what is it all about? What is its cultural value, then? But is there not a huge dormant interest of young people in it?

[uhartchristian]

well you are right the young people and also the poor should have acces, today they have wih radio television CD its easy but there is no more space for real sensitive artists !!!!! Look how much he bad stupid music gets money and look how little is left for those who work hard to get at a level of Pogorelich or Kapell Lipatti Horowitz Rubinstein Argerich..... A good career goes only with politics and even with its extremely hard to survive..... No I don t like the actual system !!!!!!!!!

[ipublica]

Me neither, you bet! You can see on iTunes how the prices for classical music constantly drop, and even for the best records, there is hardly ever a review. Then you look pop stars, commercial music, and it's expensive and gets reviewed. We are the Kali Yuga, after all, and it gets worse until 2012, for sure. Yes, sensitivity is no more in, today it's toughness, and a sense for business. Look, Argerich does it, she has built various cliques in France and Switzerland, a mutual support system.

[uhartchristian]

I don t know the argerich career in detail, she was a very talented child and plays very good. Thats interesting me, of course there is no doubt wihout being protected today you are not able to play. I tried to make recordings seriously in poland and was stopped as I don t have protections through friends or a clique as you say. anyway does not matter. I maybe am more free than Martha Argerich.... Its so easy to stop a career and so difficult to build up one which lasts....

[ipublica]

I was so foolishly in love with her photo when I was twenty that I wanted to marry her - had I known her. I was still a big child at that time. But my wish to write her remained, and I wrote her a long letter recently, that was positively acclaimed by her best friend in Bruxelles, where she lives. He handed it over to her. And he was frustrated over both ears that she didn't reply to me, and commented 'You see, Pierre, this is how Martha is, she loves to receive letters, but never replies'.

[ipublica]

C'était toute une autre histoire quand j'ai écris à Svjatoslav Richter, en 1982, et donnais la lettre à Nina Dorliac, lors d'un récital à la Salle Gaveau, Paris, quand Richter jouait du Szymanowski avec Oleg Kagaan. Comme Dorliac m'avait promis une réponse à ma longue lettre, j'ai attendu toute une année, et le fait qu'il ne m'a pas répondu, m'a réellement traumatisé, car son agent à Munich, Metaxas, m'a tout au plus insulté au téléphone et me reprocha mon insistance.

[uhartchristian]

Richter se comportait d une facon erange avec son public. cela ne lui faisait pas plaisir de l approcher. son dernier recital a Paris il se cachai derriere une colonne au foyer e son agent demandait que ou le monde part aurement il ne sera jamais sorti du baiment. un moment triste a voir mais il avai des ennemis (c etait politique evidemment et il semble avoir trop souffert de trop des choses. il n eai pas fou mais il avait tres peur, pas sans raison a mon avis...).

[ipublica]

Je ne connais pas cette anecdote, mais après une correspondance avec Andrei Gavrilov, je sais pourquoi Richter avait cette peur. Mais l'information est confidentielle et je ne peux la révéler ici. La vie intime de Richter était tenue secrete et je ne vais pas rompre le silence qu'il a imposé. Mon admiration pour son art, et pour lui personnellement n'a point souffert de tout cela. Je serais mesquin de juger un tel génie, un si grand personnage si je faisais grande cause de cette lettre.

[uhartchristian]

j ai assistè de mes propres yeux et oreilles...

par contre vous avez raison la vie privèe de S.Richter concerne que lui et ses proches. De tout facon cela est plus ou moins connu d ailleurs. Comme la vie de Horowitz egalement.... Mais sans ce detail il n aurait pas etè un artiste d une si grande sensibilitè ce qui fait partie de son jeux de piano. Je pense il etait aussi genial que Kapell ou Lipatti mais il avait plus de temps pour faire beaucoup et aller au bout du possible..

[ipublica]

Oui, mais Horowitz était moins 'judgmental' dans cette question, peut-être avait-il simplement plus d'humour? Richter a souffert beaucoup aussi du meurtre de son père, et le remariage de sa mère avec un homme 'trouble'. Je suis d'accord avec vous en ce qui concerne son génie, et plus que cela, je trouve aussi en lui un grand pédagogue, dans le sens que son choix de répertoire était extraordinairement lucide. J'ai écrit sur son génie dans mon récent livre 'Do You Love Einstein?'

[uhartchristian]

Richters mother did not even allow herself to see her son, as she had the fear to disturb his career. It was a very delicate situation politically for them all.... You have it in her interview she gave where even then she was very careful what to say and what not . Richter was the"property" of the russian regime like Gilels was. His ilnesses are legendary....

His career was stopped brutally in later years.... although there was much left worth to hear...

[donnakristina]

his hands are magic!

[103forpeace]

Oh yes, it DOES matter where this brilliant pianist comes from. He is a Croat and we, other Croats, are so very proud of him.

However, some still don't like this fact, but hey, too bad for them!

[uhartchristian]

well he did not learn the croat tradition of piano music but the european tradition of romantic and classical music. In that sense he is not croat but a brilliant international musician!!!

Come on let your nationalist proudness away when speaking about music. Music every child in the world understands. You don t need to be croat to understand Mozart or Chopin....

But be proud that your country did let him study and let him get where he is today..... a musician admired by the whole world.

[103forpeace]

Ha, ha, haaa!!!

Seems you, too, have a problem with Ivo being a Croat. Well, too bad!

You can keep your redundant lecture to yourself :)

[uhartchristian]

have no problen with the fact ivo pogorelich was born in croatie. He then went away to live in scotland where he bought a castle, I think thats right.... i just don t like the nationalism on the wrong place.... pogorelich is european and world citicen. thats a fact !!!! do you know where he pays his financial taxes ? in croatie? would be interesting to know if he is that much croat....

[103forpeace]

Once and for all - Ivo Pogorelić is a CROAT!

LOL He happened not to be born in Croatia - so much for your knowledge about this great artist!

We're all citizens of the world! You have a problem with Croat identity , so you can't stand it being mentioned. But, that's your own problem.

My advice to you - keep your misconceptions & negative feelings to yourself & out of this clip!

[uhartchristian]

would like to know what pogorelich thinks about your nationalism.... by the way croatia has gay rights? because he is gay...

[Croat4747]

Pogorelich was playing this Sonata recently at the concert in Porec/Croatia (28 July 2009) demonstrating the same level of delicacy and imagination as 25 years ago!

[billyguns2]

I'm certainly glad to hear that; for me he is the greatest living pianist and one of the greatest pianists and musicians in history. A truly great artist and human being.

[winkandrun]

He's alive?

[Croat4747]

Very much alive and in the top form! On 28 August 2009, a month after the concert in Croatia, he gave a concert in Edinburgh, Usher Hall, followed by very positive reviews in major UK newspapers. One ends with the remark 'breathtaking'! Some reviewers remain confused, though.

[uhartchristian]

there is no reason why it shouldn t be as good as 25 ears ago, its like bicycle, once you learned it you can do it. except if the body does not work any more. Its all in the brain.... He had alot of chance to have had such a good teacher and guide.

[kempff95]

phenomenal!

[chacoteris]

Absolutely astounding!

[FranzofL]

I've decided that this is certainly my favorite piece by Chopin... I've listened to just about every professional performance on youtube and most positivity, this is the best.

[FranzofL]

Whoops... I mean this is most "positively"...

Typo... Sorry... =]

[Deimosxsz]

well, thats your opinion. Mine is ballade No.4

Nevertheless this is a wonderfull sonata.

[billyguns2]

Too bad about the fuzzy sound, but it bears listening through it because of the great performance here.

[fr3d420]

too bad about the fuzz in the background.

[billyguns2]

Pgorelich in his prime had that rare quality among musicians, i.e., the ability to make one think that he is creating the music on the spot, so fresh and imaginative is his playing. I LOVE his performance here, which now joinms my select list oif William Kapell and Dinu Lipatti in this music; in many ways, Pogorelich is more spontaneous sounding thasn they,.

[lokopiano]

Incredible...........it sounds very nice despite his unbelievable and extremely stiff way to play technically.

Lokopiano

[FranzofL]

This IS beautiful! Really, one of the most beautiful pieces by Chopin.

[mdoub]

i keep coming back to this video

[johnshopin]

NICE! IVO IS A GOD...

[srplaysbachtb]

AGREEEED!!!!

[mdoub]

my soul has been rinsed, purified, and restored

[Bajnoka]

I admit I have heard very few from him until now, but this recording proves to me that he is one of the greatest chopin interpretator who ever lived. I find it one of the biggest problems of pianists the too overexaggerated and grandioso approaches of chopin for which I cannot appretiate interpretations like richters, whom I admire in every other aspect. This is one of the very few recordings which I agree with entirely, and is definately the direction I will try to follow in my chopin playing.

[mdoub]

the piano looks stoic

[srplaysbachtb]

this is fantastic.

really genius stuff.

amazing.

i love him.

[mdoub]

couldn't agree more

[Haydenbrooks83]

But what about his legato?

[srplaysbachtb]

what do you mean what about his legato?

he's a god...don't diss!!!!

[Selecter8]

If he don't have legato,who does?!

[Haydenbrooks83]

Evgeny Kissin

[jewgienij13]

IMO, He can't play legato.

[phoenixshade3]

Well, this is the pianist who, when eliminated in the 3rd round of the Int'l Frederic Chopin Piano Competition in 1980, precipitated Martha Argerich (1st place 1965) quitting the jury, proclaiming him as a "genius."

I think I'll hold her opinion in higher regard than yours, if that's OK with you.

[Haydenbrooks83]

Did she comment on his legato?

[Haydenbrooks83]

I have decided I agree with you.

[sousique]

Rafał Blechacz

[HwangMyungShin]

Peut nous le ecouter en Youtube? Tu est francais? Je suis tres desolee que tout les choses d'ici est en Anglais. J'habite en Anglettere, donc je ne peux pas utiliser  les accents.

[ftballfrk]

i think my teacher told me his hands could reach a 13th

[WigridXD]

:D:D:D:D:D

[jaywbe]

i've been addicted to this recording :|

is that a tree on the stage?! WTF?

[belis9]

celestial!!!

[trschaefer]

His hands are ENORMOUS!  I'll bet he can easily handle a 10th.

[georgecziffra]

10th?? I heard a 12th.

[jonorulz]

well, i can reach an 11th....? lol

[jaywbe]

they are actually quite big

[jsthorne24]

nice chords, but I wouldn't call him the greates. not with this piece at least...

[4444matthew4444]

his hands......crippled mass....actually i bet if you slow it down like they did with Horowitz they would awkardly the same but yet still so different....

[19700612]

Ivo Pogorelich is not simply the best pianist of our time but the greatest artist on Earth. He goes through catharsis each time he gives a concert, which is the essence of art. Though almost no one knows, Pogorelich is Rachmaninov's living reincarnation.

Balázs Kuti

[jelenka1]

?!?

[bisbigliandosciolto]

Just exactly who d'you think you are to talk with such 'authority' about catharsis in performance??? As for reincarnation, Pogorelich's style is closer to Hofmann than Rachmaninov. A little less arrogance please.

[jaywbe]

now now

[tamarahisk]

19700612

I wouldn't go so far giving Pogorelich such a grand title as a best pianist of our time but he is definitely one of the greatest pianists of our time. I love and admire him enormously and particulary this sonata - I have listened to many performances but it is my favourite. And not by a chance Martha Argerich called him a genius - because he is.

As for your comparison with Rachmaninov - I hardly hear any similarity. They are two very different geniuses.

[jewgienij13]

He's super-pianist, anyway, but his legato...

[Haydenbrooks83]

I agree.

[uhartchristian]

you make me lough....

[sviatoslavberezovsky]

i remember i heard him live about 10 years ago, with Mussorgsky Pictures and Chopin 4 Scherzi. It was an evening i will never forget in my live. I saw people around me crying, so beautiful it was

[gggose]

I am proud to be from Croatia, Ivo is one of the best there is

[gggose]

no one choses where he will be born, he lives in Croatia and teaches in Opatija-Croatia, and he is actualy from pag-croatian island, like his brother and his whole family. He is Croatian artist, not serbian.

[aleksgrujic]

Makes no difference where this outstanding artist coming from, still he is one of the best pianists ever.

Personaly favorite one for good and all !

[ibclappin]

not as pure and innocent as it should be but i must admit it's good and that makes this very exceptional. just make sure you listen to other pianists also.

[ibclappin]

NOT Katsaris!!! for righteousness' sake... others, like Lipatti for example. there's a posting.

[jpedrocp]

He is a real artist: his music tells us things.

[PhillipLWilcher]

Very true! I remember attending one of his recitals many years ago and as his sound enveloped the hall with it's many wonders, two loved ones sitting rows ahead sat arm in arm and took his playing to them like a blanket of warm sounds. I adore his playing...

Phillip Wilcher (composer)

[donnakristina]

i messed up with voting on your comment... very well said!!! THAT'S Pogorelić!

[PhillipLWilcher]

Thank you for bringing me back here to hear this great Artist. :)

[PhillipLWilcher]

There are two pianists who speak to my condition : Cortot and Pogorelich. Between them both there's little else to be said. What a joy to hear this extraordinary Sonata by Chopin interpretetd by him. The sonority projected by the opening four semiquavers is enough to move mountains! What I love most is how Pogorelich approaches music from the inside out - like a composer - and how blessed I feel for the sharing!

Phillip Wilcher

[marcelmombeekeigen]

with this performance, you can only laugh with rubinstein!

[PhillipLWilcher]

Ah Rubinstein! Yes! His performance of the Brahms A major Intermezzo and then his Last Concert For Israel - those cavalric octaves in the Chopin Polonaise - incredible!

[uhartchristian]

the brahms concerto in israel rubinstein played when 91 years old is an astonishing document.... he was already blind....

if Kapell would have lived longer he would have been more important than rubinstein. Lipatti was good but not that good to say he would have done more and better than rubinstein. argerich did a good career also. Yes the souvenirs of rubinstein are very interesting to read....

[PhillipLWilcher]

Rubinstein arrived in Sydney the same day as The Beatles in 1964 and stayed in a hotel across from theirs. Rubinstein's fans outdid The Beatles parading signs reading: "We love you Arthur" and "Arthur is smarter!". Rubinstein said he was glad The Beatles didn't play Chopin! What a wonderful spirit he had!

[lourak]

Seldom have I heard such emotional depth in the performance of this sonata, as is here presented. Pogorelich is certainly out of sync with main-stream pianism here, but it is exhilarating none-the-less.

[jackdebook]

his Scriabin is really good too - fluid - (the lyrical ones i mean) sonata in g minor I think

[jacek9291]

Yeah... Ivo is the master of Chopin's slow, romantic, passages. Even though his overall interpretation is not to everybody's liking, I am yet to find a better version of Chopin's Scherzi. I think they are brilliant as performed by Ivo.

[uhartchristian]

Horowitz did some good work in the scherzi of chopin, don t you think so?.....

[orpheus63]

from another star: the genius more and more becomes a poet

best interpretation of the piece I've ever heard: even better than Gilels

[jeanphilipperameau81]

interpretazione lirica, sofferta... meravigliosa

[aGfayayg1]

güzel çalmış.Ama şu şeytansı havayı göremedim

[marcelmombeekeigen]

very interesting performance, not like I want to hear it, but he is very creative at the piano...

[tooursuccess]

Yeah. When was the last time you were on stage? How many CDs of yours are in stores? Anyone can shoot their mouth off. Where's your playing reponse to this?

[ralkramralkram]

I'm better than Pogo and you know it. You are just mad because I slandered fat and bald people.

[tooursuccess]

Like I said. Put your fingers where your mouth is. Show us what you got.

[bookguy12000]

hahahahahaha

[vokshumana]

Some musicians are more and rightfully respected by plain music lovers than by other musicians, because of envy, conservatism, etc.

[tontoeman]

theres no one that can play this well and be a disgrace to music, its quite an achievement and he plays very well though not necessarily to my liking

[OnGuardForPeace]

Zee feengers! Zay arr so beeg! How duz zeece men play wiz soch beeg feengers? He has zee courazhe to walk on stej and just pleh wiz see beeg feengers! He also has a small bimp on his fivehead!

[tommyIglesias]

the master himself

gracias por postiar tanta belleza

saludos desde buenos aires, argentina

[aeonsonance]

It's fine to have an opinion, but please explain.

[srplaysbachtb]

no he's not. you're just jealous because he's a god.

[gibbs609]

Perfect!!

[tawtsai]

Pogorelich is one of my favorite pianist (both living and dead), no matter people agree with his interpretation or not, he never stop doing what he wants.

[uhartchristian]

exact there is the problem, Pogorelich never stops doing what he wants.... is not an example to give for the next generation of musicians. But an interesting pianist of course I agree to this. when you have listened to all richter recordings on youtube you will change mind Lipatti and Kapell were there also...

[MusicaAntiqua71]

wow. you added such a great Pogorelich stuffs here!! and...what a great old VHS tape & its owner!!! :-) thanks a million from korea...

[netoben]

doesn't matter what the chopin contest's judges said. he is a genius.

[sumcrzymofo]

Oh, one more thing. Do you have the other mvts?

[spokoinoi2000]

Of, course I have them all. When I have some spare time, I will upload them.

[JohnSuChristine]

Pogorelich's been my most favorite pianist since I heard the music from him.

Thanks so much to share them with us! How can you have them? It's really hard to find!

[JohnSuChristine]

I'd posted a video reponse to you. As a truly fan of Pogorelich, I guess you would be very interested it!

[leondelarosa]

sorry,what  video? i'm interested. thanks.

[sumcrzymofo]

Hey! Thanks so much for posting this! Pogostick is my absolute fav pianist of all time! I guess this is from a VHS tape eh? ;)

[spokoinoi2000]

Yes, this is from a VHS tape recorded 23 years ago.