Totentanz, Solo Piano (Part 2 of 2)

Christopher Shih, winner of the 2008 Concours des Grands Amateurs de Piano, plays Liszt's Totentanz at the Sorbonne Grand Amphitheatre, Paris, April 2008.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Liszt
• Totentanz
• Christopher
• Shih
• concours
• piano
• amateur
• Paris
• competition
• classical

[tirolerhut79]

This is really fantastic pianism, very imaginative - and what a great understanding of the piece's essence.

the only thing I beg to differ are the G-major chords at 6:04 - which in fact are empty fifths, which Bartok so admired. Adding the third takes away the boldness of Liszt's revolutionary fifth and fourth chords

[endoscoper]

@tirolerhut79 You know what, you're absolutely right. I didn't study the original orchestral score well enough when embellishing that ending.

[jorgeazamora73]

Thanks Christopher for making us remember that the piano can be a complete orchestra!

[donjuan9012]

THANKS so much for putting those glissandi back in the ending where they belong. I don't know why Liszt took those bars out of the solo version; they sound so freaking awesome and to me, the ending just isn't complete without them. This is easily the best recording of the solo version I have ever heard.

[Bojangulz87]

@Pischnaholic typical pseudo intellectual response, I'll admit some of the glissandi are a bit much but this peice is one of the most expressive and exciting peices of music ever written. As for Shihs performance, it was ok but had typical extremes in dynamics and tempo as so many pianists like to add. His performance deviated too far from Liszts intention for my taste. I think in future you should refrain from stating your opinion as fact and accept that you are not the messiah

[Pischnaholic]

I have to say first off that I don't like the work, itself. It's harmonically static, and with the exception of a few lyrical, meditative variations, generally bombastic.

It's expressive content is not to be taken seriously, because it's too exhibitionistic.

Despite that admitted handicap, I think Dr. Shih's PLAYING is some of the very best imaginable. He displays a tremendous broad range of capability. Complete mastery of any difficult work is always a joy to behold, and Dr. Shih's an ACE.

[cdpiano27]

Great playing!!!!