Pianist Ivan Ilić performs Leopold Godowsky's 'Chopin Study' no. 2 (based on Etude Opus 10 #1)

Order the Godowsky CD: j.mp/God_CD
iTunes: j.mp/God_iTunes
Amazon.co.uk: j.mp/God_UK
====
This is a video of Léopold Godowsky's diabolically difficult transcription of Frédéric Chopin's étude Opus 10 #1, for the left hand alone, performed by pianist Ivan Ilić.
The Composer
Léopold Godowsky was among the most famous performers of his generation, and his technical facility was considered to be unequaled among his peers. As a result, his motives for writing the études are frequently misunderstood: many listeners mistakenly see these pieces as musical vehicles for showing off.
However, there is an overwhelming amount of documentation that suggests that Godowsky was not a showman but a perfectionist who created these works for his own self-improvement.
In one of his letters he laments:
"Music [...] is a life of sacrifice, hardship, struggle, misunderstanding and misery. Sensationalism and charlatanism hold the center of the stage. Idealism, altruism, and self-effacement in art, as in life, result in misunderstanding and inappreciation, in a vain fight against selfishness, ignorance, and brutality."
[Excerpt from "Godowsky - The Pianists' Pianist," an outstanding biography by Jeremy Nicholas]
The most convincing evidence for Godowsky's altruistic, laudable motives is the music itself: its refinement of detail, reminiscent of the writing of Johannes Brahms on the page, is the work of a patient and exacting master.
Just as Godowsky's performing and teaching aesthetics were unequivocally Apollonian, the most effective interpretations of his works are sober and elegant, eschewing all excess and bombast.
Pianist Ivan Ilić has recorded all 22 études for the left hand alone by Léopold Godowsky, to be released in 2011 on Paraty Records.

[@unho126]

Love the way it is composed... How lyrical!
Both the original and Godowsky's version are awesome.

[@johnlovric5896]

Bravo Majstore

[@MrInterestingthings]

Seamless , gorgeous one swims along with the grand line here.This is a feat but also true music making ! Amazing th e beautiful music created.If he had not called these "after Chopin " many would not have known.I know both scores and the melody here is totally Godowsky I believe - even the harmony remains the same .

[@LukeFaulkner]

I really like the editing in this film. One of the best I've seen on RUclips! (Exquisite playing too!)

[@thecatholicchurch]

agreed

[@IvanCDGvideos]

Thank you! Patrick Noël, a wonderful videographer and editor based in France did this, as well as the other Godowsky videos on RUclips. He has an excellent ear for music and a way of making sense of the piece, visually.

[@lczq6737]

What key is this

[@Medtner26]

@@lczq6737 d-flat major

[@susantachowdhury2194]

BRAVO

[@IvanCDGvideos]

THANK YOU! 😁

[@jamriding]

Very well done

[@robertovecchiolkn8030]

Very soulful, beautiful….

[@Serkin76]

Finally I found it!!! Excellent performance, but the director is horrible with that sudden changes of framing, hiding the movement of the hand...

[@carrietide]

WOW

[@MoreThanMidi]

nice performance thank you

[@katiamarin9425]

Le coeur nu

[@miuprada]

siempre se puede complicar la cosa