Claudio Arrau plays Liszt Sonata in B minor (1/4)

[ipublica]

There is also a recording of a violin Sonate by Beethoven that Arrau play with Grumiaux that is something unique in the whole piano literature, as all Beethoven's subtle humor comes out in a way I can only consider as genial. Richter was always very serious, and that is not a reproach, considering that he was a child of the Soviet epoch, as Andrei Gavrilov made it very clear to me in our correspondence. I did not understand before exchanging with him. We do not grow in a vacuum but in a field.

[ipublica]

Don't get me wrong, I do consider Richter as a universal genius just like Leonardo, as I point in one of my books (Do You Love Einstein?) Find it on amazon.com, if you like. There is something unique when comparing Richter with Arrau. It is that Arrau never overdoes tempi, while Richter does that, not regularly, but certainly with this Sonata, of which there is no recording that is not a soup of wrong notes, while some passages come out like God playing with His Angels.

[ipublica]

Sorry, I posted this comment under my wrong identity. I am more known as ipublica here, as that site is so much bigger than authoryourlife. I would like to add this also. Neuhaus, Richter's teacher, was not the type of musician who could play a Liszt in the perfection of Krause, a distant relative of Franz Liszt, via Siloti. Correct me if I am wrong. The whole artistry of Arrau is one of total freedom, there is no heavy touch as you have it with Richter, which is perfect for interpreting Bartók.

[nevskixx]

Arrau's performance of this work is so convincing, that it is hard to believe it can bettered. But bettered it was, and by no less than an older Arrau in a magnificent live performance he gave in 1976, which had me at the edge of seat. It's here on YT

[lfelgueta]

@nevskixx Great!!! Thank for you Comment. I'm Chilean... and love Arrau playing Lizt.

[MrPaevo]

The pianissimo section around 5:00 and new theme at 6:00 are a couple of the reasons why Arrau is unmatched when playing Liszt...

[polymercat]

Amazing! Brendel's version of this music was my favorite; but now I even tend to like Arrau's version a little bit more...

[hadsell1962]

Hamelin is the most boring................he's not even a musician in comparision

[chenyg1119]

Nice interpretation. I prefer Yundi Li's though

[MrPaevo]

@chenyg1119 You're the only one...

[lfelgueta]

04:34 -> es una bendicion ese instante

[lfelgueta]

Liszt es un RockStar!!!!

[lfelgueta]

Este tema es verdaderamente espectacular. Liszt, sabe mezclar sonidos dulces y atroces para llevarnos a realidades inpensadas. Arrau, un gran interprete. ¡¡¡Maravillozo!!!

[ym42ym42]

I just played the piece yesterday, uploaded it here already...

[lalalalambada]

I love this pianist and his interpretations of Liszt's music

[ym42ym42]

After Kissin and Rubinstein he sounds like he is drunk, tempi are all over the place...

[mmoynan]

@ym42ym42 I know what you mean. But I kind of like that in a piece like this... not sure why. Maybe I think it gives it more weightedness or something.

[voyagerlegends]

Stanislav Yovanovitch, on youtube, owns this work, its closer to the composers spirit than this recording. Yovanovitch replaced Claudio Arrau in a solo recital sometime during the eighties and this work was on the program.

Both Arrau and Yovanovitch appear more convincing in Liszt than either Horowitz or Richter.

[GeorgeMaxwellDuPre]

@voyagerlegends And Argerich? I'm just curious about your opinion here.

[cantkeepitin]

@voyagerlegends Arrau is really good on Liszt no doubt, but Yovanovitch is not in the same leage. The real reference for this sonata is Gilels (only with his 1961 Mocow live record). Also great is Zimerman. From Horowitz or Richter or many others I can image they can do it good too, but actually they do not, and never ever beyond Gilels.

[elcaballodecaligula]

@cantkeepitin Do you have Gilel's performance? I've been searching for it many years

[cantkeepitin]

@elcaballodecaligula I have it on black discs and several CDs. It should be no big problem to get it, but look up, I really think this Moscow live version is the best: the older one is good too but worse on wound quality and not so lovely. The younger one from Salzburg is also good but has not so much big passion. And the RCA studio record has not the live atmosphere. Live Gilels takes more risks.

[Gibson29]

@voyagerlegends Indeed: can I ask what you think of Cziffra? Personally he is my favorite Liszt interpreter. His 1968 recording of this work is just magnificent. Over the last few days I've been trying to determine the definitive version of this Sonata; which I've narrowed down this one, and Martha Argerich's recording. I think its too close to call honestly.  When it comes to the rest of Liszt's works though, you cannot beat a Cziffra performance in my opinion. =)

[voyagerlegends]

@Gibson29 Re: Cziffra's Liszt B Minor Sonata which is closer to the spirit of this work than any other, especially Martha Argerich who lacks conviction and fails to articulate the themes. Just superb technique with this woman. Arrau was microphone shy and perhaps "innig" in his recordings. Others have better recorded quality only.

Cziffra characterizes Faust/Mephisto perfectly at every stage of the play, except the Grandioso which is rushed, a victim of his Other Galaxy viruosity.

[RandomMocker]

I heard Marc-Andre Hamelin play this live a year or two ago. It was incredible.

[ouiebeib]

I like the way this music explores all the keyboard

[beethomozart]

excellent performance of this brilliant Liszt´s piece for piano. as is most of the cases this great composer´s music is to be played with energy, inspiration and self conciousness of what´s going on , Arrau knows how

[Ray0X0]

Great performance!!

[koobird]

I think Arrau had big hands. He was able to handle the 10th easily. I wish I had big hands. I can only reach a 9th.

[Ray0X0]

@koobird Between the forefinger and thumb he reached 8 keys. Between the thumb and little finger, 11 keys!

[Cartoonsbystan]

Do you people realise that you are wasting your time typing comments on here? Are you pianists? How are you ever going to match the likes of Arrau doing this all the time? Why am I writing this? Because I am considering setting up a campaign to ban the internet entirely. Watch this space.

[TheWhiteKingOfGod]

@Cartoonsbystan You are clearly a dumb internet troll. Please kill yourself, and any sons and daughters that you may have.

[dukedome]

@Cartoonsbystan kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

[Lebowski53]

@Cartoonsbystan I with you dude. Let's rise together and ban this bullcrap.

[301250]

Only two pianists have scaled the heights and plumbed the deths of this sonata, namely Arrau and Brendel

[boxers7x5]

@301250

You never heard Curzon, I"m guessing.

[snaaptaker]

Oops!

I just read elcaballo's comment below. If this was recorded in 1970, then I've only had it for about 40 years.

[snaaptaker]

For the past 45 or so years, this has been one of my two favorite recordings of the Sonata, along with Curzon's.

But check out Arrau's "live" recording, just posted on YT by Berlinzerberus. It may be even better.

[FranzLisztian]

I prefer Richter but this was neat as well.

[Jakopsohn]

The thing i can feel is so..boring with richter liszt ( i love richter but not in the sonata). i that the whole sonata is just a show off for furiosity and speed..it's just an empty shell compared to Arraus delicate astonishing playing. Richter maybe gives us a glimps of hell, but Arraus shows us all the glory of the lords paradise, and in that case i could enter there right now. What Arrau did with Liszt can never be surpassed by anyone, it's impossible for us and so it was for his colleges

[arturon111]

Arrau plays the sonata better than any other pianist,...technically, musically and spiritually, Richter just plays fast,...

[Jakopsohn]

And i can get really mad on the opinion that he lost his technique when getting older. Nothing could be more wrong, it simply just became more important to him, to bring out the musical details, and sometimes you need to choose a slower tempo for that. He was always faithful to the composer. Still he was an amazing virtuoso in his 80s. His last student tells us about a concert he had before his dead, playing a Mozartsonata, reporting that " you couldn't belive fingers could move that fast!! ;)

[brianCIM]

THANK YOU Jakopsohn! People who claim his rather spacious tempos have no idea what technique really is. they are clueless.

[Jakopsohn]

Libetta I agree! No offense to Horowitz or any other, but there simply was no one that could, or ever will play Liszt like Arrau did. I think that of all the greatest pianist he was the no 1, and he had the best technique of them all, just listen to the chrystalclear virtuoso passages in 2nd movement, no limits for his technique and an amazing sound,tremendous power, and the most hearttouching emotions in 3rd movement, and the furious powerfull octaves in last movement. MAESTRO ARRAU

[danielito1979]

every time I listen to this performance I find something new. Today I was marveled by the philosophical aspect of it.

can't have enough of it

[honron23]

I think this is the greatest work of the Romanticism in every sense of the word, there are so many new and interesting elements regarding issues of form, harmony, etc. even in this work "Messiaen's second mode" appears for first time in the history, and later became Shostakovich's characteristic mode. Liszt recreated the Sonata genre, but it's not only and incredibly innovative work, it's also so full of beauty and deep feelings, that is why I consider it the greatest work of the Romanticism.

[TheLanilsson]

all very different...and all very good...but no one could ever play liszt as arrau could, not depending on if it was the sonata or the etudes...every liszt he took under his great hands became magical

[libetta]

did he not play any of the rhapsodies? i can't find anything here on youtube

[Jakopsohn]

Hi. The only rhapsodies i have found with Arrau, are nr 9, carnaval de pesth, and no 13. They are on a legendary record together with the concertos, new york philharmonia and hans rosbad. from the 50:s somewhere i think. Amazing playing, especially no 9!!..you can find it on spotify

[alfredocortot49]

It´s a magnific perfomance. I think that it´s the best Sonata in B Minor by Liszt recording...

[gerardbedecarter]

*****

[gerardbedecarter]

I don't think Arrau played any Liszt in Sydney. He certainly didn't play the Sonata. This is one of the best, if not the best, of the recordings of the Liszt Sonata.

[Deimosxsz]

i've always loved this interpretation. its one of the best. Arrau was very good at liszt. Listen to those chords, those octaves , and so well played arpeggios.

[ManWithManyShurikens]

Even tho I love Argerichs devil like touch I like Arraus playing more... dunno why :(

[hotty198]

maybe cause he is slightly more manly

[DerAnstifter]

Arrau is one of the best pianists of the 20th century, and the best ever born in America (Chile.) He was disciple of Martin Krause, who was a disciple of Franz Liszt himself. Nobody has ever performed a work by Liszt better than Claudio.

[meredith21846]

A towering performance. One has to admire the unforced grandeur Arrau acheives.

[boxers7x5]

@meredith21846

Well said.

[kajohada]

...the transition to the second theme is played very convincing but than the wonder happens----->such a great and true "g r a n d i o s o" i ve never heard in my life,so tremendous in sound and full of utterly expression,brendel´s grandioso-part is rather puny comparing to this;))

[paulprocopolis]

I agree. This is another definitive Arrau recording - I find it virtually impossible to imagine a better performance. This has everything: passion, intensity, grandeur, generous tone and a virtuosity totally at the service of the music.

[libetta]

love the comment "virtuosity totally at the service of the music" just shows that the music should come first before the accolades

[dmcII]

Indeed. Virtuosity as a goal in itself is nothing but listening to a machine. When used as a way to advance the music, the results can be breathtaking as we see (hear) here.

I wish more people understood this.

[libetta]

i wonder why people mark horowitz' 1930's recording as the benchmark for this work

[davidbaker03]

@libetta MArtha Argerich stands as one of the benchmarks for sure

[boxers7x5]

@davidbaker03

If you like banging.

[davidbaker03]

@boxers7x5 if you don't like banging, don't listen to Liszt

[boxers7x5]

@davidbaker03

That makes no sense whatsoever.

[davidbaker03]

@boxers7x5 you must not be a very serious musician. Liszts music is very bangy. He writes tons of octaves at a "FFF" dynamic, which will not be executed any way but "bangy" - - Also he uses "strepitoso" more than I've seen any other composer, which is defined in some dictionaries as "bangy, noisy, clangy" - - - -Martha Argerich is certainly one of the best performers of Liszt Sonata.

[boxers7x5]

@davidbaker03

Arrau learnt from Krause that a pianist should be ready to play “any moment’and that he should always give the impression that he could play 10 times faster or louder. Triple forte is just that and nothing more, and strepitoso means noisy/forceful. One should be playing with elasticity, never banging.

[davidbaker03]

@boxers7x5 Good points, however you must know that in order to play with a high level of technical quality, such as martha argerich, one could never "bang". Her playing is one of the most precise, and meticulously practiced in all pianists. the word banging implies a very hap hazard, and careless way of playing, with no thought. That is absolutely not the way to play with such precision. To achieve her quality of playing, the body is perfectly relaxed, therefore never "forced"

[VivaRenata]

@libetta Because they don't know better.

[boxers7x5]

@libetta

This is the great recording.

[authoryourlife]

@libetta Very good remark, indeed. Look at how Arrau plays it, a pupil of Krause, one of the best Liszt plays the world has known. Even Richter, through I am a real Richer fan, as many on this site know, cannot keep up. Why? For playing Liszt, you cannot use effort and emotion, as Richter does, thereby playing more wrong than right notes, but an, excuse me, if you find this offending, German teacher who teaches lightness of touch and total freedom, and a never-ending detachment.

[snaaptaker]

@paulprocopolis Julian, have you heard Curzon's recording of this?

[paulprocopolis]

@snaaptaker I'm aware of it but haven't heard it. From the tone of your question I assume that it's good!? Arrau's live performance from 1970 of this work (on Berlinzerberus's channel) is if anything even more amazing than his Philips studio recording.

[elcaballodecaligula]

Wow it's amazing! I would have loved to see Arrau in person play, but I'm too young hehe. As you say he was one of the greatest.

This recording is from 1970, in Steinway studios on NY.

You should also listen Alfred Brendel's performance!

[paulprocopolis]

I heard Arrau play this work live on several occasions but, oddly enough, I didn't appreciate the true stature of the performance until I heard this recording. There is a fine live recording from around the same period - details later as I don't have it in front of me at the moment!

[paulprocopolis]

The live recording I mentioned was recorded by Radiotelevisione della Swizzera Italiana in 1971. The recital also included Beethoven op. 27/1 and works by Chopin.

[shallaby]

@elcaballodecaligula yes, he is one of the greatest pianists in the 20th century. I always prefer listening to Beethoven and Liszt performed by Arrau. I wish I had seen him playing in person, but I am young too. anyway, if you want to see someone who is perhaps like Arrau and young, I Say Evgeny Kissin. he is perfect. Arthur Rubinstein said about him" he was born to play piano".

[hadsell1962]

@elcaballodecaligula Saw him 3 times!!

[arturon111]

@elcaballodecaligula Brendel sounds like a student compared to Arrau. He does NOT have the technical refinement to play this piece appropriately,...

[boxers7x5]

@arturon111

He didn't have the understanding that Arrau had of his piece.

[boxers7x5]

@elcaballodecaligula

Brendel had nothing to compare with this performance.

[hsoenario]

Thank you. From when is this recording?

Arrau is such a great musicians and seems to understand deeply the music he plays, whether it is Beethoven, Chopin or Liszt etc. I heard him once in Amsterdam in the fifties. He made such an impression, even amongst the other greats of his time. To understand the Sonata more I am also listening to Horowitz, Richter, Argerich, Pogorolich, Zimerman, Kissin and more I can find on Youtube. They are all very different.

Herman, Australia