Valentina Lisitsa plays Rachmaninoff Prelude in g minor, Op.23 no.5

Piano genius Valentina Lisitsa playing Rachmaninoff Prelude in g minor, Op.23 no.5, filmed & recorded by me at the Guildhall School of Music in London, 2 April 2009. She played this and four other pieces completely unprepared in the middle of an interview I had with her. So this performance was very spontaneous. Valentina decided on the spot to play Rachmaninoff and Schumann, she did all the pieces 'in one go/in one take'. The interview and the musicrecordings were done while she was in the middle of her 2009-tour with Hilary Hahn, so in this period she literally had her hands all day on rehearsing the recital-material (Ysaye, Ives, Brahms, Bartok) she was doing with Hilary Hahn. Considering this I even more enjoy and admire Valentina's fabulous playing here. I think she truly delivers a wonderful interpretation in a unique and powerful performance.
See also my video-portrait of Valentina, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1VnAdqEjRs and many other videos I produced of her elsewhere on my YT-channel. For more info on the interview I did in London, April 2009, see the following page on my weblog: http://www.tonalties.nl/wordpress/?p=307

Hope you'll enjoy the video and once more I look out for your response.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• piano
• Bösendorfer
• Steinway
• Valentina Lisitsa
• Rachmaninoff
• Preludes
• Ukraine
• United States
• Pieter
• de
• Rooij

[maneatingtoilets]

@halamano Ive never played piano in my life and I can hear that. Dont be so full of yourself. I hate the way the piano community seem to be so arrogant and pedantic about everything. Its fucking music. Not a talent contest.

[ahonda55]

From 03:46 to the end, this is the teenager Valentina, moving her neck and rolling the chair like a little cute girl, how i love you Valentina

Greetings from Egypt

[3732334]

then they do porn afterwards

[3460062628]

Anche i bimbi sanno che il leggio si deve abbassare se si suona a memoria. Un dettaglio che la dice lunga...

[Hobott]

@a6282 I think, there's a misunderstanding of the role and goal of the performing music art. Each performance must be judged not by some imaginary participation in some kind of race, but by its effect. Once it fulfills its role to provide an enjoyment, evoke an admiration and delight, so hence this performance is first class, and there's no matter then who's better - Gilels, Richter, Kisin, Matsuev, Horowitz or Lisitsa. Every true artist has his own personality.

[Hobott]

@Mocka731 I think, this is a very important quality and virtue - not to care about your own mistakes while you're playing, not to pay attention to it - this is stability of the nervous system of the artist during his performance onstage, without which he is doomed. I remember, Richter said about his triumph in America: "I didn't deserve it- I played half notes wrong..."

But anyway he's RICHTER - a genius.

[Hobott]

She's an excellent musician, but she's also so cute- good combination

[a6282]

I think Emil Gilels' interpretation of this piece is much better. You can find his performance of this piece on Youtube also.

[benbisley]

Astonishingly good playing. Beautiful dynamics.

[u229758]

@TheMuffinCITY =)

[TheMuffinCITY]

@u229758 Looks like you have a problem with honesty and it seems like I struck a nerve, I am sorry you have some fetish with her and can't take an honest criticism from the point of view from someone else. So quick to defend yourself when you aren't even being attacked, oh white knight, I commend thee.

[ignis456123]

I love this :)