Beautiful performance. I was looking for an explanation for the double cut time. Thanks. I was also glad to hear that Schubert could not play some of his compositions. I have the same issue, for which I always felt bad.
Exquisite playing. I first learned this piece in 1990. That’s probably before you were born. Anyway, hearing you play it so beautifully has inspired me to play it again. Love this channel! 😊
The American music critic, Donal Henahan, when writing in The New York Times about “The dark side of Schubert” in 1989, noted how: “Art is an insoluble enigma, an unsolicited gift of the gods mysteriously funnelled through its nominal author”. Schubert was undoubtedly gifted by the gods with musical genius. It is amazing to think that in his final year, having suffered from cyclothymia for most of his adult life (a mental illness resulting in severe mood swings), and knowing that his incurable syphilis (and more to the point, the mercury treatment he was receiving that was poisoning him) was killing him, Schubert could contemplate composing a piece of piano music as beautiful as this third G-flat major Impromptu. The piece is a perfect example of Schubert’s outstanding lyrical facility, evoking a particular mood or a moment of personal reflection that was spontaneously experienced and communicated in this composition. The Third Impromptu is, quite rightly, one of the most beloved pieces of Romantic piano music in the whole repertoire - a mysterious reverie in pianissimo where the long, languid, serene melody hovers over a murmuring, harp-like accompaniment of a broken triad of triplets, with gently changing harmonies. As there are no repeats, we experience the melody developing into a shadowy and frequently modulating middle section before returning to the more relaxed flow of the opening. For me, the effortlessness of the melody and the tension and pain in the harmonies and the peacefully flowing accompaniment all suggest a man who finally understood life and who, in this music, had found some peace, even in his declining health. And what of your performance, Cole? As ever, your playing is both exquisite and magnificent. You achieve a remarkably delicate balance between the melody and the accompaniment, which is the real challenge of the piece for any performer, as well as ensuring your phrasing and dynamics give the music soul, as well as beauty. Your introductory comments were also most enlightening . . . and I for one would have welcomed hearing the performance in G-flat Major on a ‘well tempered’ (rather than equal tempered!) piano to hear the colour that particular key will have had when first played by Schubert himself. Thank you so much for another near fifteen minutes of heaven: bravo!
Graham, I enjoy reading your comments almost as much as listening to Cole's analysis - you always add interesting thoughts and information! Thank you for that!
@@nsk5282 I hope my comments are not intrusive with regard to what Cole uploads: I am always so impressed with his teaching and playing that I want to show my appreciation by making a fuller response than just saying 'well done' and 'thank you'. I am honoured that you enjoy reading my comments, Nella . . . though there will be those who are probably equally irritated by my opinions!
@@grahamtwist I doubt that anyone who subscribes to this channel and enjoys Cole's videos would be irritated by getting more knowledge of the subject matter. Your enthusiasm is greatly appreciated and shared, at least by me - thank you!
Every time I hear this masterpiece I feel like Salieri in Amadeus getting lost in Mozart's sheet music. It's just beautiful beyond words, like the voice of god. It makes me feel so many feelings. Excellent performance!
One of my favorite piano pieces - no surprise, it's so exquisite! Very interesting points regarding the unusual time signature (it makes sense with phrasing) and the key, if you think of keys as a color that the artist choses for the composition. Your performance is sublime, I'd put it on the level of Brendel's and Kissin's! Thank you for this wonderful video!
Este es mi impromptu preferido. La forma que los tocas hace que suene como un todo incorporando perfectamente su melodía y arpegios como si estuvieran abrasándose. Me encantó.
I don't care what style of music you study/prefer, but if you are a music scholar, then I guarantee that the harmonies in this piece will take your breath away, even if it's only for the first time that you hear it.
Commenting again just to say how impressed I (still) am with the performance and explanation. As I learn to poorly play this, the explanations (both your words and the notes during the performance) are very helpful. At the moment, I feel so much emotion from the left hand bass around 12:10, the note choice, the punctuation of the phrase....is there a name for this technique?
Kudos to you, Cole. I find all of your analysis of works truly inspiring. I was wondering if you could comment on the Horowitz performance from Vienna where in measure number 5 on the last beat he substitutes F natural in the bass as a passing tone down to E flat in the following measure. I find it quite nice and wonder if this is something which appeared in early editions of the work.
Ah, I think I see what you mean. The G-flat is what’s known as a cautionary accidental (because of the G natural earlier in the measure). It would have to be written as a double flat (bb) to be the same as an F.
Beautiful performance. I was looking for an explanation for the double cut time. Thanks. I was also glad to hear that Schubert could not play some of his compositions. I have the same issue, for which I always felt bad.
magnificent playing. i am in my late 40s, learning piano, and your video helped me a lot. i'll probably come back to it many times :)
Exquisite playing. I first learned this piece in 1990. That’s probably before you were born. Anyway, hearing you play it so beautifully has inspired me to play it again. Love this channel! 😊
The American music critic, Donal Henahan, when writing in The New York Times about “The dark side of Schubert” in 1989, noted how: “Art is an insoluble enigma, an unsolicited gift of the gods mysteriously funnelled through its nominal author”. Schubert was undoubtedly gifted by the gods with musical genius. It is amazing to think that in his final year, having suffered from cyclothymia for most of his adult life (a mental illness resulting in severe mood swings), and knowing that his incurable syphilis (and more to the point, the mercury treatment he was receiving that was poisoning him) was killing him, Schubert could contemplate composing a piece of piano music as beautiful as this third G-flat major Impromptu. The piece is a perfect example of Schubert’s outstanding lyrical facility, evoking a particular mood or a moment of personal reflection that was spontaneously experienced and communicated in this composition.
The Third Impromptu is, quite rightly, one of the most beloved pieces of Romantic piano music in the whole repertoire - a mysterious reverie in pianissimo where the long, languid, serene melody hovers over a murmuring, harp-like accompaniment of a broken triad of triplets, with gently changing harmonies. As there are no repeats, we experience the melody developing into a shadowy and frequently modulating middle section before returning to the more relaxed flow of the opening. For me, the effortlessness of the melody and the tension and pain in the harmonies and the peacefully flowing accompaniment all suggest a man who finally understood life and who, in this music, had found some peace, even in his declining health.
And what of your performance, Cole? As ever, your playing is both exquisite and magnificent. You achieve a remarkably delicate balance between the melody and the accompaniment, which is the real challenge of the piece for any performer, as well as ensuring your phrasing and dynamics give the music soul, as well as beauty. Your introductory comments were also most enlightening . . . and I for one would have welcomed hearing the performance in G-flat Major on a ‘well tempered’ (rather than equal tempered!) piano to hear the colour that particular key will have had when first played by Schubert himself. Thank you so much for another near fifteen minutes of heaven: bravo!
Graham, I enjoy reading your comments almost as much as listening to Cole's analysis - you always add interesting thoughts and information! Thank you for that!
@@nsk5282 I hope my comments are not intrusive with regard to what Cole uploads: I am always so impressed with his teaching and playing that I want to show my appreciation by making a fuller response than just saying 'well done' and 'thank you'. I am honoured that you enjoy reading my comments, Nella . . . though there will be those who are probably equally irritated by my opinions!
@@grahamtwist I doubt that anyone who subscribes to this channel and enjoys Cole's videos would be irritated by getting more knowledge of the subject matter. Your enthusiasm is greatly appreciated and shared, at least by me - thank you!
Every time I hear this masterpiece I feel like Salieri in Amadeus getting lost in Mozart's sheet music. It's just beautiful beyond words, like the voice of god. It makes me feel so many feelings. Excellent performance!
One of my favorite piano pieces - no surprise, it's so exquisite! Very interesting points regarding the unusual time signature (it makes sense with phrasing) and the key, if you think of keys as a color that the artist choses for the composition. Your performance is sublime, I'd put it on the level of Brendel's and Kissin's! Thank you for this wonderful video!
Este es mi impromptu preferido. La forma que los tocas hace que suene como un todo incorporando perfectamente su melodía y arpegios como si estuvieran abrasándose. Me encantó.
Excellent execution, Cole. 🎩 🎩 off 👏👏👏 I am inspired to learn this piece.
I clicked on the bell, love the way you play this.
Your voicing is so nice! The texture(?) of the flowing lines is also great. 👏👏
I don't care what style of music you study/prefer, but if you are a music scholar, then I guarantee that the harmonies in this piece will take your breath away, even if it's only for the first time that you hear it.
Well said!
Great analysis!
What a treat Thank you
Hi, I would like to know how I have to touch right pedal in this piece. Could you help me? Amazing work! 🙌
Commenting again just to say how impressed I (still) am with the performance and explanation. As I learn to poorly play this, the explanations (both your words and the notes during the performance) are very helpful. At the moment, I feel so much emotion from the left hand bass around 12:10, the note choice, the punctuation of the phrase....is there a name for this technique?
Kudos to you, Cole. I find all of your analysis of works truly inspiring. I was wondering if you could comment on the Horowitz performance from Vienna where in measure number 5 on the last beat he substitutes F natural in the bass as a passing tone down to E flat in the following measure. I find it quite nice and wonder if this is something which appeared in early editions of the work.
Jede wache Seele spürt:
Ein Gott hat seine Hand geführt.
what piano are you using? excellent performance by the way
great!
The title of this video seems to be wrong. This piece is no. 3 instead of no. 2.
Fixed, thank you!
I don't really understand why is g flat + flat is still a g flat still i thought it will be a F but not a g flat lol, at the part of 9:56
Ah, I think I see what you mean. The G-flat is what’s known as a cautionary accidental (because of the G natural earlier in the measure). It would have to be written as a double flat (bb) to be the same as an F.