Wittgenstein plays Ravel's Piano concerto for the Left Hand (1)

[nigelrugby]

This family, amidst their turmoil, was truly brilliant. Thank you for sharing.

[sofronitzky]

Wittgenstein avait renvoyé à Prokofiev son 4° concerto en disant : "merci beaucoup, mais je n'y comprends rien."

[marian444]

Wonderful!!!

[costep]

Somewhere I read that Wittgenstein did not really like this piano concerto. I am quite surprised listening to this. I have heard this concerto played by contemporary pianists who also used only one hand and I tried some passages myself. It is really not necessary to have this sloppiness in the run. But maybe the whole recording is overshadowed by the technical flaws. However, the technical flaws don't disturb me so much in other recordings.

[Leungy12252]

@costep I think during 20th century the technical skills isn't as demanding as post modern technics, the later the concerto is composed the harder it gets, so back in the day performers might find their "contemporary" music harder than we do; just because the techniques are so newly invented back then. Besides that technology is also growing, so recording will always gets edited, mastered before release.

[jamesaellis]

People HE HAD ONE ARM! Let's see you do better. :P

[PianoDaemon]

@jamesaellis True, Wittgenstein had one arm. However, this concerto is written for left hand only - therefore, the fact that he only had one arm is a moot point. That doesn't change the fact that this is a very sloppy performance.

[paulybarr]

@jamesaellis yes, he didn't have a right arm, but his left one's not very good- it's shockingly played.Posterity is grateful he commissioned it from Ravel- for it's a wonderful work, but he couldn't play it for shit.

[rahrahrain]

damn i wonder how he rubbed his cock and played piano at the same time, when he was done he probably rubbed his fingers in his mothas asshole.

[jmarkmusic]

To the great people of youtube: Paul Wittgenstein the left handed pianist and Ludwig Wittgenstein, the philosopher, are two different people.

[Agliheri]

@jmarkmusic they are brothers



[refuseit]

Allright it's bad, but the guy was a philosopher, give him a break! lol

[QueerOldDean]

@refuseit you're confusing Paul Wittgenstein with Ludwig Wittgenstein. Paul Wittgenstein was the musician, whereas Ludwig Wittgenstein was the philosopher.

[refuseit]

@QueerOldDean do we need to explain every joke on youtube nowadays?

[QueerOldDean]

@refuseit You must have a very bad sense of humor if that's what you consider a joke. Either that or your an obstinate fool who fears exposure of his own ignorance.

[omgtkseth]

@refuseit I didnt knw Paul was a philosopher too, I thought only Ludwig was, because he is so famous with his language ideas and views...

[595o]

@omgtkseth Actually there was also a nephew of Ludwig named Paul who too was a philosopher but much less known.

[omgtkseth]

@refuseit Oh... that isnt a very clear joke... I mean, we know you laughed but not what you thought...

[alejandrocurzio]

Ravel don,t dislike Wittgenstein interpretation. The problem between them was the Wittgenstein reoarchstration for the concerto. When the pianist recognized his error can played under Ravel's baton in 1933

[ssballs]

This is such a Daliesque/Picasso and the whole surrealist 20th century piece.Lovely work/performance.Nice comment too ,heidistevenson

[heidistevenson]

Paul had an attitude akin to that of a jazz musician - he felt the performer had interpretative rights with a piece of music, and thus made his own contribution to a composition. Admittedly, this view was aristocratic and atypical, yet remember we are talking about a mighty Wittgenstein and no ordinary individual (and did not Ludwig likewise take liberty in his work!?!) This annoyed Ravel, who more than any composer desired faithfulness to details in a score. Read the House of Wittgenstein.

[595o]

@heidistevenson Huh? Mighty Wittgenstein, the family might have been famous because of Paul and Ludwig but not THAT famous.

[AD49938]

wowow so many topslot piano players here!!!! So much deep knowledge about music, life and everything!!!! Unluckily I am only human, not a superhero like you all who judge Wittgenstein's level performance. Try to use your head and your heart (if you have one, doubtfully) and think how can it be after surviving a world war, after hunger, cold and fear, returning back to life but without the right arm.

[MrRicksStudio]

@AD49938 I see your point, but it is common knowledge that Wittgenstein was an unpleasant person and something of a sloppy pianist. We are thankful that he had the $ to commission this and other important works, but his reputation as a rich fat-cat amateur pianist who commissioned many scores for left hand alone will always eclipse any reputation he had as a pianist.

[Svokel]

@MrRicksStudio

That's true. Ravel was quite unhappy with the way Wittgenstein played the concerto.

[zigeunerlieder]

Ravel didn´t like at all the way Wittgenstein played the concert. Please read Ravel by Jean Echenoz.

[SidewalkFrequencies]

very sloppy, but hey, Ravel wrote this for him exclusively.

[F1R1NMAHLAZAH]

You see, Wittgenstsein had to play it with one hand... :D

[jafigueroa41]

The director is no more no less than BRUNO WALTER. That is friendship.

[jafigueroa41]

The interest in this work is that the brother of Ludwig Wittgenstein (Tractatus Logico-Philosophic) is the pianist to whom Ravel specially composed this piece of music. Paul , brother of Ludwig Wittgenstein, lost his right arm during a war and, in his honor Ravel composed the concerto.

[WOWdato]

he plays with a lot of DIRT. everyone plays this concert better then he. just funny.

[mephaz85]

This performance is, actually, incomparable! Wittgenstein conveyed such great emotions through the whole century and I can't stop listening to his version again and again.

And those counting wrong notes would rather stop being snobs and begin listening to music! One must be deaf not to be impressed by this astounding performance.

[merapi06]

@mephaz85 I completely agree with you.

[mountainharry]

Very Very bad,my dog could do better,if I had one.

[bighairybaby]

Julius Katchen recorded the best performance of this piece I've ever heard. I'm going to hear Nicholas Angelich play it this Friday. I hope he's better than Wittgenstein.

[stickwagger]

@bighairybaby

I agree, LSO with Kertesz

[1Lisztener1]

You people must know that he only had one arm... his left... after WW1. Trying to play a piece this difficult without having any balance from your right arm I can imagine is difficult. Please don't criticise him. Paul's passion was music and the piano. After he lost his arm in WW1, how could he play? Then Ravel came along and wrote a Concerto for left hand. Don't hate!

[MeineKatzeTotet]

@1Lisztener1 I agree. So many are quick to judge. Losing an arm in a war seriously affects someone psychologically and perhaps a tic or something beyond his natural control may have caused him to miss a note...It makes about as much difference to me as Tony Hawk landing a 900° and then wobbling a little on the flat...still an inspiring feat, and I feel that difficulty trumps the minor flaw, especially in the case of Wittgenstein.

[kboss2011]

because the original playing isn't so hot.. 

[kboss2011]

it's interesting how there are several videos on youtube of various pianists playing this solo with only their left hand and make it sound much much better than Wittgensten actually playing it.

[sagevsal]

@kboss2011

why is that interesting?!!

[sagevsal]

@kboss2011 why is that interesting?!!

[MrJefferson1997]

many faults and errors..

[vvsivakumar]

Thank you for posting this. I had no idea that Walter had recorded this concerto . May not be a particularly good performance but still.... a treasure.

[magnus264]

Una delle peggiori versioni che abbia mai sentito...

[AhimSaah]

This must be technically the worst performance of any piece of music on youtube. Oh sweet Jesus!

[mewantspocky]

its beautiful but scares me D:

[sms06216]

This is shit, can't believe this pianist was a pro, it's the worst version I have ever heard of

[amyouma]

@sms06216 Did you know, that Wittgenstein did only have one arm. He lost the right one in WW1.

[walterdn90]

That Wittgenstein guy had to have been drunk or something during this performance. From the very first note of the piano solo its like "..what the fuck?"

[NickjamesC]

there's too much about his musical performance that doesn't make any sense, aside from there being too many wrong notes played.

[PrestoPossibile]

i had been reading about wittgenstein playing ravels left in so many books, but never occured to me that a recording existed. great document. thanks for uploading

[billythedingo]

not the nicest of people another painist lost his arm in WW2 and this git refused to let him play any of his LH music he had a shedful of money and used it to buy works which is fine but how selfish!

[tasteism]

I don't understand what you mean, could you explain, please?

[vkaminsky]

He commissioned the works and they belonged to him per the contracts. He specifically responded that others were free to perform them upon his death or retirement. His reputation was that of a frustrated but kind person, and one may see his disinclination at having them performed late in his life as perhaps an effort at maintaining some control over his diminishing legacy; not necessarily selfishness.

[billythedingo]

He should have retired earlier!

[Hachechulo]

@billythedingo Had he we wouldn't have this glorious piece of music he commissioned. Others have gone on to do it justice. This can always be ignored; there is a recording of Ritcher playing it, forgodsakes.

[Necronizer]

@billythedingo this guy lost his hand on the first war, he ordered concertos to the very best pro on the time

[EuriskoLontano]

I suppose being a concert pianist and having one's right arm removed in war WOULD be frustrating - he had wealth and came from a remarkable family - his brother Ludwig was one of the greatest philosophical geniuses of the 20th century - full of music as well as misery. That he held so tightly to the music he commishoned probably belies a basic insecurity from all the turmoil in his family life.

[ariastoteles]

Wonderful!

[haruyoi5]

素晴らしい

Wonderful

[Gidselgrisen]

Too bad Wittgenstein had to add his own notes here and there.

[PrestoPossibile]

@Gidselgrisen Actually Ravel was very furious about that...

[Necronizer]

@PrestoPossibile about what?

[ThePhilton88]

Yes, thank you for this. Where is it archived?

[fmatpeter]

I was looking for this recording now for weeks. Thank you so much for sharing it!

Unfortunately, one or two minutes are missing between part 1 and 2.

Any idea why?