Heinrich Neuhaus plays Chopin Polonaise-Fantasie Op.61 (1/2)

[gerardbedecarter]

The same problem in the E minor etude at the end.

[vstasov]

Really.... overwhelmingly beautiful.  Thank you so much.

[billyguns2]

Richter is the only pianist to get the opening bars "riight," IMO; the small note values are wriitten as quarter notes, thereby giving them a stately, dreamy quality instead of an insounciant, salon-like flippancy. Apart from those opening bars, Neuhaus is very fine indeed but I think his conception lacks depth; there is far more substance to this music than he gives us. I think it is Chopin's greatest work.

[truecrypt]

Very interesting notion! I thought about opening quarters a lot!!!

I also had a chance to work on this piece with several legendary teachers, including Neuhaus' assistant - Lev Naumov.

Neuhaus' idea is/was to keep cords *connected*, i.e. this wonderful overtone slow arpeggio wouldn't "erase" your memory of chord's harmony! Plus Neuhaus wanted this "arpeggio" to fit into one measure plus fermata. It's an incredible task to find this correct and fluid balance!

[billyguns2]

Thank you so much for your respectful, intelligent, and insightful comments; how marvelous that you actually studied with Naumov! Different opinions is what makes art a living, breathing thing.

[truecrypt]

Glad to be of help! I wish everybody would have your attitude, knowledge and respect for artists... "Bad apples" distract me sometimes... but believe me - it's the same joy for me - to share my humble experience with you.

[kempff95]

Heinrich?

Is that you??

[klausknulp]

verrry interesting!!!!!!! my suggestion is play quarters and feel to play sixteenth notes in order to connect harmonies. however, it is more fantasie than polonaise (in my opinion) and the very beginning could also be a sort of warm up, not knowing yet what will follow...

[redrothko]

Yes, they are quarter notes, but as truecrypt says, they are understood to "fit one measure". And mind you, that's one measure of Allegro maestoso, not Lento. So somehow only Neuhaus and Cortot took Chopin seriously here.

[truecrypt]

well... it's even more complicated...

Quarters clearly mean that Chopin wanted those notes not to be played like a passage, -on other hand playing the same notes too slow (quarters) somehow deforms the "time structure". Whatever tempo is used for 2nd or 4th measure the key is to let all those quarters to turn into a single and vibrating "cloud" of fantasy wrapping around "polonaise" cords.

[superbemaison]

Interesting comments you made along with "billyguns2" about those opening quarters.

I noticed Richter-since someone mentioned his playing in this post- played them sometimes very slowly and sometimes -unusual though- fast!!

[flugelmaniac]

beautifully phrased.

[superbemaison]

Superb!

It is poetry as Chazinko said!!!!

[chazinko]

It's amazing how poetry like this makes you forget about sonic limitations and draws you in to just hear the music. So glad to have heard this- thank you truecrypt!

[TomatoBreadOrgasm]

Goddamn I love Chopin, and this version is, I think, far better than the Richter version you posted.

[PhiloNaphta]

I adore this piece.

[weikko79]

Great! More Neuhaus to the Tube, please!