Olli Mustonen plays Balakirev's Islamey live

Olli Mustonen playing Balakirev's Islamey live in recital in 1986, Newport, USA.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Olli
• Mustonen
• Balakirev
• Islamey
• piano
• classical

[alec234tar]

You guys are weird, this is a perfectly good performance! The overall tone he creates is delicate, warm, exciting. So what he makes a few technical errors? MUSIC IS NOT ABOUT TECHNICALITY! It's about the sound he creates, and he does that really well. Stop being nit-picky hawks over him, he played this song VERY well, considering he is only 19 years old in this performance. Give him the credit that he deserves! Let's see HALF of you guys play any better than him!

[MayadaJeffery]

Actually, he is just moving faster than the eye can see.

:))

[federricoilgrande]

mi fanno ridere queste disquisizioni, provate voi a suonare Islamey, uno dei pezzi più difficili del repertorio....bravissimo Mustonen, e ...coraggioso!

[ATNickMellor]

This is a fabulous performance, someone with technical yards to spare making music rather than just hitting the right notes. Highly recommended.

[Stoneyridger]

@freeqwerqwer Nice...do I detect a note of jealousy?

[classicalalways]

For a piece most noted for the gymnastics required from its performers, Mustonen plays this very well - and no pianist can play this work well publicly without wrong notes. For those who so despise wrong notes, enjoy your Pollini and never listen to Horowitz. There's only one Horowitz Islamey and of course he changes the ending. Too bad Mustonen does not perform with this type of aggressiveness too often.

[AllegroDemolish]

this is by far the best interpretation.

so precise. so exciting.

[wsp67326]

umm, this is a bit of a mess, unfortunately. Stick to Kissin; far superior.

[peters0dad]

I thought it was a revalation. I have heard both of the Horowitz versions, but prefer his speed over Horowitz's more polished version. I think that this music has to have that "dash" about it to be played successfully, and at 19 years old he is truly incredible!

[dajohnthomas69]

Mustonen is an remarkable pianist and musician. Have you ever listend to his performance of Pictures at an Exhibition. I thought it a revelation. He treats music as though it has been played for the first time and thus adds a freshness to it which makes you attentive to what is played in a suprising fashion. How he controls the eb and flow of the music is particularly noteworthy. I like that kind of variation and nuance in dynamic. Therefore one not only gets nuance and layering but also depth.

[freeqwerqwer]

why doesn't he just join a rock band and slam his untalented energy there?