Konstantin Igumnov plays Chopin Sonata No. 3 in B minor

[MrGer2295]

KONSTANTIN NICOLAYEVICH IGUMNOV (Russian: Константи́н Никола́евич Игу́мнов; May 1 [O.S. April 19], 1873, Lebedyan – March 24, 1948) was a Russian virtuoso pianist and the teacher of many famous Russian pianists.

Molto Bello!!! Thank you for sharing this video.

[MrGer2295]

Igumnov studied under Nikolai Zverev, and at Moscow Conservatory under Alexander Siloti and Pavel Pabst. He took theory and composition courses from Sergei Taneyev, Anton Arensky and Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov. In 1898-9 he was pianoforte teacher at the Tiflis music-school of the Russian Music Society. From 1899 he was Professor at the Moscow Conservatory, where his life's work was carried out.

Molto Bello!!! Thank you for sharing this video.

[MrGer2295]

Among his many students were Bolesław Kon, Naum Shtarkman, Elena Beckman-Scherbina, Yakov Flier, Lev Oborin, Maria Grinberg, Andrzej Wasowski, Ryszard Bakst, Anatoly Nikolayevich Alexandrov, Natalia Satina (wife of Rachmaninoff), Aleksandr Iokheles, Bella Davidovich, and the conductor Issay Dobrowen.

Molto Bello!!! Thank you for sharing this video.

[MrGer2295]

* HONOURS AND AWARDS *

* Order of the Red Banner of Labour

* People's Artist of USSR, 1946

* Stalin Prize, 1946

Molto Bello!!! Thank you for sharing this video.

[gerardbedecarter]

Thanks for uploading this historic recording. [One reason for leaving out the repeat of the exposition is that thisbypasses an ugly harmonic progression.] I agree that Igumnov's recorded performance has a wonderful "flow".

[martinadler73]

I don't understand the discussion (one part of it). This playing is just fantastic!!! Everybody who does not hear this must be hard of hearing. The music is flowing, speaking and living under Igumnov's hands.

[darkone131]

Russian piano school

[mdoub]

people played piano different back then...

[GeorgeMaxwellDuPre]

How you mean? With lots of wrong notes??

[truecrypt]

Dear GeorgeMaxwellDuPre;

"Wrong notes" is the argument for imbeciles and jurors of the piano competitions.

According to your logic photography would have priority over the painting and coca-cola tastes better than Veuve Clicquot.

When MASTERS plays, - even "wrong notes" sound great.

[GeorgeMaxwellDuPre]

hey mister, i'm a musician too, i have nothing against wrong notes per se, but i don't understand what mdoub means by people played different back then...i hear many modern masters (who play wrong notes, such as Argerich and Kissin) play this equal or better. This is a good performance, but I don't see what merits the "people played different back then". I'm not one for note perfect at all.

[GeorgeMaxwellDuPre]

But having said that, the right notes ARE important

[truecrypt]

hey there,

Nobody said right notes are not important...

Since you don't understand "how people played before", I'd suggest you to listen to Rachmaninoff, Hofmann, Rosenthal, Friedman, Cortot... hopefully you'll get a grip...

[GeorgeMaxwellDuPre]

Listen, I'm a pianist. I play Liszt, Chopin sonatas, the Schumman & Grieg concertos, currently learning the Rachmaninov 1st concerto, to name a few. I know he greats, modern and ancient. I listen to Pletnev, Perlemuter, Argerich, Rubinstein, Watts, Hamelin, Benedetti, Rachmaninov, Cortot, Voskresensky, Petukoff, Fischer etc. This performance is good but the only thing sticking out to me above the others is the number of wrong notes. His interpretation (here) is not better than others mentioned.

[truecrypt]

If you consider yourself a "pianist" and through around names... may be you should know better who Igumnov was before posting disrespectful comments.

[GeorgeMaxwellDuPre]

I have heard of and listened to Igumnov before. I am not particularly impressed by this performance.

Who the hell are you? Are you even a musician are one of those trigger happy follow fashion amateurs? I bet you don't know anything about music from a performance standpoint. I have often found the amateurs the most easy to impress. They don't know the difference between good and excellent.

[GeorgeMaxwellDuPre]

What I most like about the work is that it is very connected. But to me, I have not heard anything that many of our good modern performers don't do in the first movement.

The second is very well done, without undue sentimentality in the middle section.

[MarshalGZhukov]

Epic. Fail. Listen to truecrypt's own recordings. That is not amateur playing.

[GeorgeMaxwellDuPre]

I'm listening.

[GeorgeMaxwellDuPre]

For instance truecrypt, why does he lose the high upper notes ä and b-flat on the LH chromatic part? Why does he rush into the contrapuntal part with the quavers in the L.H.? Why omit the repeat mark? Does that enhance the structure of the work? I like the development that leads to the second section. It was well done. and the mvt., is well connected overall, an effect he achieves by not pausing too much before new ideas.

[truecrypt]

Dear GeorgeMaxwellDuPre;

Your questions and assumptions are idiotic, but I will try to address your "concerns".

This is one the last live performances by old and sick Igumnov - as I recall around 1941, just before the war. So, the simple answer to all your "whys" - because he was a MASTER and had a right to do so. As for my amateurism, I would gladly meet you at the keyboard but I'm afraid you might be embarrassed... You are not the only one who can press the keys... ;)

[GeorgeMaxwellDuPre]

Once you admit that age and illness affected the performance I can leave the conversation there. Because this performance, for all its virtues is NOT first rate. We can all learn from it, but....

[truecrypt]

You are more than welcome to leave the conversation... For those who can learn it IS the first rate but you definitely belong to another category. Enjoy well edited digital recordings - no "wrong notes" there...

[GeorgeMaxwellDuPre]

hahah!! Now you have me laughing