Cziffra - Bach/Busoni Prelude and fugue in D major 2/2

[serenus21]

You know.... I have said a lot of rude things about Cziffra in my time. After seeing this, I now reluctantly admit that the man really was a genius; in fact, this performance alone puts him near the top of the list of all-time greatest pianists. I am now officially sitting down and shutting up.

[MJBW77]

@serenus21 I agree entirely! Some of his playing is so tasteless but this is something very special.

[vza77]

such a genius!! perfect performance...nice polyphony great touch and control..wow!

[brozors]

Cziffra looks completely ecstatic while playing this work.

[hjiuhfhrehui]

cziffra..... you are great !

[SymphonyOfTheGods]

Sublime, Grand, Elegant, Enchanting.

[01jemph]

This is the Fugue only.

Gilels has a beautiful recording of this piece (both Prelude and Fugue). One of my faves.

[eribani]

watch?v=0PF2pveQJXQ

[01jemph]

This is the Fugue only.

[stoklund]

@01jemph  2/2 watch?v=0PF2pveQJXQ is 1/2

[danjuan88]

Why oh why oh why have I never heard of this subliminal transcription before!? I'm only just beginning to appreeciate Busoni's original and transcribed works, and even though he's largely regarded as an arranger more than a composer [Bach's Chaccone/Toccata & Fugues, etc] I think it's high time that someone went out and revived the legend. There's good music here and it's just not getting listened to!

[Pischnaholic]

You mean SUBLIME not subliminal, but I know what you feel and I agree with you, although Bach wrote this for pipe organ, and the sound there cannot be matched by any piano no matter how fine.

Whether you play the original organ piece or this magnificent transcription, you've got your hands full. Both are very challenging.

Cziffra was a magnificent artist on every conceivable level. You must have a great brain as well as great technique to play this stuff.

[danjuan88]

I do indeed mean 'sublime' - I wasn't aware that 'subliminal' was a totally unrelated word. My bad! Thanks for bringing that up! =]

[givemetime123]

Excellent..... la perfection à l'état pure (tout comme l'enregistrement live qu'il a réalisé de cette même transcription de Busoni.

[micheldvorsky]

Thanks! I posted a superb video of Gilels playing the same work on my channel if anyone's interested.

[Erikk91]

amazinggggggg

[Bach1Beethoven]

I have only one thing to say: wow!!!!

[templedread]

He is playing a Boesendorfer... You can see the black sub-bass keys...

[blabThebla]

4.12! amazing how he let's the melody come out! and then 4.31! the hand! like as if he says: "here! this is how you play the piano!"

If I could play like that, I wouldn't leave the house anymore. I would play day and night...cziffra is one of my favorites musicians of all times!

[Lassann]

One of the finest pieces of music ever written. Jesus would stand up to honor Bach.

[ame1234567890]

simply brilliant......I have no words.....

[threelegduck]

BMW 532

[shubus]

Much as I love this on the organ, Cziffra's performance of the Busoni arrangment puts Richter's and all others to shame. His total control and terraced dynamics make this a real heroic piano piece. Finally, a performance of this I can live with and never grow tired.

[squishym]

Wow, I had never heard any of these Bach-Busoni transcriptions, and I have to say that this was amazing. Busoni obviously loved Bach - and some say he was also very influenced by Liszt, although I think he's more in the vein of Alkan than Liszt.

[Renshen1957]

Busoni was known in his day as an interpreter of J S Bach music. Many of Busoni's edition of Bach Music are still available.

[chitsevermag301]

which BWV is it?

[KeithWhalen11]

It's a transcription of BWV 532.

[chitsevermag301]

thank you.

[Saurencaerthai]

This wonderfully thumbs it's nose at any purist who insists on separation of period performance practices! Beautifully executed!

[bludub001]

Absolutely Brilliant!!

[givemetime123]

Bravo MR CZIFFRA... Pour moi c'est parfait. 10*

[felix0911176727]

Flawless... Bravo Cziffra!!

[Flatfoot2282]

Very well played

[davids2000]

Bach must have really loved God.

[davids2000]

I am not crazy of Cziffra's playing but this floored me. Fantastic.

[Lassann]

Bach could turn a fugue, couldn't he? Hat's off to Busoni for instilling it with pianism.

[tuberman91kills]

Amazing!

[piano345]

A different side to Cziffra. Magnificent Bach-Busoni dignified and controlled. He can play quietly and spiritually as well as producing a powerfully massive sonority from the piano.

[KeithWhalen11]

I agree, he is so in control during the entire piece. Cziffra is truly one of the few piano players who seems to cast fear into the ivorys, he just completely commands all 88 keys.

[4444matthew4444]

what an amazing subject! so beautiful