Grigory Sokolov - Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No.7 in B-flat major, Op.83 (Paris, 2002)

[Pianist46]

I have never heard anyone come close to playing this so gracefully or passionately.

This is absolutely remarkable.

[iriverivyleague]

I call this a true technique - looking like he's bashing the keys, but actually sounds like he is quite pressing those notes... just, beautiful.

[hayesy316]

Coughing during this should be punishable by death.

[ukdavepianoman]

@hayesy316 The more painful the better...so long as it is quiet.

[warren3936]

Nobody does it better,not even Giles or Richter

[aesthete727]

Sokolov's playing of the toccata is a revelation. My reaction is, "so this is what it's supposed to sound like."

[pictorelle]

Monsieur Sokolov montre, en homme russe, toute la musicalité de cette musique russe, phrasés, nuances, rythmes, puissance, articulation, couleurs, espaces sonores... Une vraie leçon dans un grand plaisir musical. De plus il connaît bien le Steinway, il le fait magistralement sonner. Que demander de plus? L'ouverture d'esprit d'un Lang Lang peut-être, sa joie de vivre et de faire Aimer la Musique, même celle du Grand François Liszt! (you know, grigory, the One who gave shit to the Tzar!)

[jgesselberty]

I think the pace reveals so much of this complex work that gets lost in the "let's see how fast we can play it to show our great artistry" school.

[fredericfranc]

...quite methodical but beautifully delineated and actually melodic(!), made me feel insecure like where does this leave Martha, but in the end I figured Prokofiev wins, there is more to his music than I realized, was he some kind of a crypto-Romantic?...good interpretations will do that to you, confuse you...I should stick to my favorite interpreter, Lang Lang, he never confuses me...

[BlaisePascalDisciple]

@fredericfranc Lang Lang is you favorite interpreter?

[fredericfranc]

@BlaisePascalDisciple ...well, Lang Lang works his face, and when he walks off stage, does not put his hand behind himself like that...

[Grazpop]

@novasd0930 Yes, that was the one. I agree that the methodology wasn't optimal -- asking each for an unordered list of three means that only "titans" will get mentioned -- but I have to disagree regarding Rachmaninoff, who was certainly among the very greatest of pianists. There is a 10-CD set of his entire recorded output, and it's an obligatory acquisition. The control, shading, and soaring imagination were quite unique. Sokolov was on few lists, although I agree with you on his greatness.

[thestratford51]

Thank you very much for this !

[bratzko79]

check out elwisw's channel in order to know about sokolovs immense repertoire..... and try to go to a concert.....

[FredoMadison]

How is it even possible you people are trolling a piano clip?

I always thought listening to semi-complex classical music required a certain level of intelligence and that would automatically hold off the standard stupid YouTube discussion of "who's better than who" which in turn always leads to needless cursing. Apparently this could not be farther away from the truth.

[hymnofashes]

/watch?v=0tk4HPtmtjE

...dick.

[marianomanto]

Absolutely wonderful, all the character of russian composers, put in the instrument by a russian pianist, amazing, simply amazing.

[MultiEitak]

stop comparing ._.

[hymnofashes]

I think Argerich is the greatest living pianist, but whenever I watch Sokolov I really have to think twice.

[honron21]

@hymnofashes What the hell are you talking about? all profesional pianists consider Sokolov to be the best living pianist by FAR, Argerich is nothing compared with Sokolov

[hymnofashes]

@honron21 Sokolov has a handful of pieces of which he is the undisputed master, but his repertoire seems narrow compared to Argerich's, and from what I hear his live performances, although usually amazing, are sometimes inconsistent. This piece in particular, the third movement when you compare it to Argerich's, is slower and chugs a bit more, which is probably consistent with Prokofiev's imagery, but Argerich's version is demonically energetic. It depends on what you're going for.

[honron21]

@hymnofashes You know nothing about piano playing (music), I'm sorry...

[hymnofashes]

@honron21 I apologize. I should defer to the opinion of Russian nationalist trolls on youtube in these matters, who speak for all 'professional pianists.'

[honron21]

@hymnofashes have ever met a profesional pianist?

[novasd0930]

@hymnofashes Sokolov wins specially in Prokofiev sonata No.7 I think. (Art is not a repertoire argument.) hard to find this piece's detail in Argerich's. Like most, she smashed the piano with fire. it's all

[FredoMadison]

thanks for sharing, been looking for the complete sonata for some time

[brstom86]

Merveilleux!!!