Bolet plays Strauss/Schulz-Evler ''Blue Danube'' 1/2

Recital at Carnegie Hall, on February 25, 1974.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Jorge
• Bolet
• Strauss
• Schulz-Evler
• Blue
• Danube

[paulostroff99]

Stunning! One of history's most underrated pianists. Bravo! TY.

[Etude69]

This is a very difficult work to play, yet Bolet displays excellent technique, control, dynamics, and in general probably the best perfomance of this work on YouTube, and........live no less! :)

[humbertesque]

@davecarlson45 "Only other version that even comes close"? Surely you jest. Lhevinne's performance of this piece constitutes what is easily one of the greatest piano recordings ever made. Bolet's virtuosity cannot be denied, but his rendition of this piece can't even touch Lhevinne's in terms of both musicality and virtuosity. It doesn't sparkle with clarity, it doesn't sweep you away with its fluidity, it doesn't float through the air like Lhevinne's does.

[TomBarrister]

@cziffra11 This particular performance is very bravura, but that's how Mr. Bolet was. Contrast this to Lehvinne or Hamelin, who perform it with less showmanship. None of the three is "the" correct way, as no correct way exists. Which one is liked best is a matter of personal taste.

[Inness54]

@cziffra11 Yes. That's it. No two batches are alike, and you know we don't even have two performances alike- always refining, re-orchestrating, re-voicing, and often improvisationally at the moment. Unfortunately this music brings out the Times Critic in too many, and the result is a snobbery to drive away visitors and pound more nails into the coffin of obscurity into which a great music and musicianship prematurely settles.

[Rastaleus2]

The only thing crass is to profane the memory of Lhevinne, Rachmaninoff, or even Ogden by putting the (arguably) esteemed Mse. Bolet in the same room with them. Mucn as I love Bolet's pianism, there is "great" and thers is IMMORTAL! Think about it, if at first you cannot digest. RE: the inaequacy of the Baldwin, inferior or not, it is a helluva better instrument than Chopin, Liszt, or even Schulz-Evler (for that matter) ever dreamed of playing.

[cziffra11]

Comparing this Bolet performance with Lhevinne's is like comparing two fine wines. Why go without either? Regarding Bolet as being "underrated," there may be a commercial aspect. Bolet was playing with fire and poetry in relative obscurity -- emphasize "relative" -- before he got a long-term recording contract with London. By that time he was a far more thoughtful, some would say turgid, player, especially his Liszt. But he was always elegant and remarkably refined.

[Troybeallad]

A brilliant pianist, saw (and heard) him several times in London.

[uhartchristian]

Its to say a very big thank you to Mr Bolet to have recorded this and saved this interpretation to our time, as at the moment in austria no one is able to play this.... well there was such an enourmous loss of pianists in the thirties and fourties of the 20th century in austria which never was replaced.....

[arturon111]

no way, Bolet was not in the level of Lhevinne, and neither one of them in the level of Arrau,...

[jukarnarius]

I like this performance... thank you very much...

[aardvaark069]

I think that Bolets choice of this Baldwin in this is a weakness here. I've heard better Baldwins and in my opinion this piano is inadequate for Bolets resources. Obviously he didn't think so but I think that the piano has a rather crass, course sound to it..