Thomas Yu Rigoletto Paraphrase by Liszt

[ThumperGreentree]

Marry me! ;)

[PhillyB702]

I'm currently learning this piece, and I have to say liszt is a genius when it comes to transcribing (and composing for that matter). I can almost hear the words in my head while looking over the score.

[Kremlin77]

Wow this is amazing! I have listened this same piece played by another pianist, but I was not captivated or drawn to the music and honestly could not appreciate the piece. But hearing this, your playing drawn me in right when you started. Wonderful playing, you make the piece comes alive. Wish you well in your piano career!

[PinaColada4645]

5:26-6:18 my favorite part in this piece.

[Mell9x1x]

He is the best! I love his interpretation!

[JMEnglish]

OMG! Incredible.  My favorite opera piece by far, and I love that Liszt did this. But your performance is unreal. Haha, do you do weddings??? Next May in 2012???? Anyway, thank you for sharing this on Youtube. BRAVO!!!

[JMEnglish]

OMG! Incredible. My favorite opera piece by far, and I love that Liszt did this. But your performance is unreal. Haha, do you do weddings??? Next May in 2012???? Anyway, thank you for sharing this on Youtube. BRAVO!

[dmcII]

I can't decide whats better - Listening to your playing or watching the joy you convey to the audience while you do it. I guess its a tie !

Brava !

[bkctsoi]

I am glad that I found his playing here. His mature and poetic playing is so nice to the ear.

[mkeysou812]

there aren't many pianists, pro or otherwise, who can play this piece like this. i never get tired of hearing thomas yu play, i wish he would go pro and release some recordings!

[Michigirrl]

Wow...you are extremely talented and gifted. Amazing to listen to you. Only wish I could see you live!

[nbalbano]

Listening (and playing) this song is much better when you're familiar with Rigoletto, and it also helps that I love Bella figlia dell'amore.

[EXPLOSIVERAMEN]

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA­AAAY BETTER THAN THAT LANG LANG GUY... seriously though you are one of the only guys that has restored my hope in pianists, and I aspire to be like you, or if it's even possible, then better!!

[tigertolyy]

Sorry. Not very good at all.. Actually pretty bad.

[bb0ysmiley]

@tigertolyy: And the reason for that is? =)

You don't play the piano, and don't like romantic music? Come on, you can't just say that with no argument's. Noone will take you seriously, and just look at you as a troll =)

[HokieMarla]

@tigertolyy then post a video of you playing it better. oh wait you can't...

[HarveyTruffaut]

Very enjoyable, very musical

[music4dude]

Such brilliance here. You are an outstanding pianist!

[BradSD25]

I play this song every morning before I head out to the gym, it's my warm up song.

[sackwhacker]

If you listen carefully, you viewers should heard someone sighing at 3:22

wtf?

[hotbebimauz]

hes hot and plays soooo well

[mscarolstube]

This is incredible. I love seeing the expressions on your face, it shows your passion. Thank you.

[birdlivesforever]

he did a really good job. a few spatters here and there, but excellent interpretation.

[seanmcnally]

not making money for playing = amateur?

[OrangeSodaKing]

Yes. You can be the best pianist in the world, but if you don't make your income from it, you can compete in any "amateur" competition.

[klingsor93]

Today there is a very slight difference between "Amateurs" ( good ones ) and many professional pianists. I have been to several finals of this Competition and have discovered some awsome instrumentalists who can, no doubt, match some excellent Pros. Thomas Yu is most certainly one of them and not the least.......

[akaaka321]

DAHYUM!!!!!!!! You play so beautifully!!!! I will never be able to play this song that wonderfully! But i'm trying to learn it!! Hope that i'll be able to atleast play half as good as you did when I finish learning this song.

[kiwi7480]

this guy is just amazing, he is not even professional o_O

[doctordrums8]

As a fellow pianist learning this peice, i must say bravo. I have been playing piano for 11 years, and never have i heard a better interpretation of this peice. you took great advantage of the beautiful harmonies liszt employs, which i have seen "proffesionals" blast through. Marvelous, marvelous playing. You will go places with your music career. My highest regards.

[thy306]

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement. I tried to respect the transcription, allowing the phrases to sing as if it were a operatic soloist.

[toflyf]

Thomas, I echo what many say. This is many ways as good as many a professional recording that I have. Great technique, and a true sense of meditative rubato. Also, what a wonderful piano!

[thy306]

Well we have the French television to thank for the professional recording. Although it was live, they seemed to always know where to have the cameras. Thanks for your comment!

[pianopianoman]

this is the finals of the paris amateur competition. so amazing under such pressure!

[LietSayri]

This guy is amazing! Thanks for sharing with us :D

[jackcurtman]

Its him!!!

[HarveyTruffaut]

Thank you for the joy given.

[choletalenda]

plays ok. but lacks expression, and his fingering is sooo uneconomic. look at 6:22, why doesn't he use the forth and fifth finger as well?

[Spartiala]

At 6:22 he's playing a chromatic scale, and you only need to use your first three fingers to do that. Using the fourth and fifth would be superfluous and would also be very unconventional.

[lawbigduck]

this is a good video,it should worths more than 5000s views

[innerswedish]

i dont understand how this is an "outstanding amateur". looks like a pro. why do they even call it an amateur competition

[anferlo]

You become a pro when you work and earn money for what you do....

[innerswedish]

so your saying this guy is an amateur?

[anferlo]

I just mean that he is not a pro because he doesn't earn money for playing the piano. Anyway, I'm sure he could do so.

[chutdigadut]

lol. I was thinking the same thing as you at first when I saw this, but then I understood what anferlo meant. I was thinking that if this guy is an amateur, then I need to quit :-)

[MISSTKD81]

Wow you are so amazing!!! I like your pretty smile!!

[Pushkin62]

Hi Thomas - Congratulations on your superbly masterly rendition of Rigoletto. I have just uploaded my version on Youtube but I have a lot to work on. Good to know that there are medical and dental professionals who are great pianists.

[AngelinaTaylor]

Awesome =)

Did you go to the Glenn Gould School?

[afertyus1000]

amateur??? how much better is a professional then?

[choletalenda]

a professional wouldnt make any mistakes for example. Thomas Yu did some small ones, not saying hes playin bad though. je plays really good. but there's a lot that distinguishes him from a professional

[afertyus1000]

well, i watch many youtube performances from so-called professionals and they make a lot of mistakes?

[jcyl141104]

so Horowitz and Cortot weren't professionals? -__-"

[Hreidur999]

i dont think so. it's the concurrence of today saying that making mistakes is not professional. but i think every professional makes mistakes. i dont think that evem liszt played it without a mistake

[PuresMusic]

It actually is told liszt VERY rarely made a mistake. He once played his Campanella for some of his students, looking at his students sitting behind him.

Eventually he made one mistake doing that and he played that bar extremely slow, and fastening up little by little. He spend 10 minutes doing that.

Read this in a biography of his.

[lacrymosa85]

that was perfect man. I am so envious of your ability!!!!!

[thomaspiano]

excellent

[Masatsu]

i can't believe you are amateur pianist.I have never listened such a rigoletto.Bravo

[archangelz1106]

OMG... SO GOOD!!! This is perfect!

[bananachung]

First saw you on CBC. You made Canada/periodontists proud!

[thy306]

alright! thanks for the encouragement. you can head to my website and the CBC doc can be found in my blog. cheers!

[pianopianoman]

this is the best rendition of rigoletto. lots of character, color and space. and you have technique to burn!

[thy306]

Thank you! Was nervous as ever. There a couple more videos to come, but feel free to check out thomasyu dot ca if you wish to hear more!

[PianoScales]

Clear as a crystal.