What makes a great pianist?
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- Опубликовано: 1 июл 2019
- We asked concert pianist Simon Tedeschi to break down the playing of some big names.
0:11 Daniel Barenboim
2:30 John Ogdon
4:06 Martha Argerich
6:10 Geoffrey Tozer
8:05 Lang Lang
10:03 Shura Cherkassky
11:37 Friedrich Gulda
13:33 Yuja Wang
16:09 Michel Petrucciani
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How a Piano Works is a series of five videos explaining everything you wanted to know about the piano. Subscribe to watch them all.
11 June: How a piano works
13 June: How to tune a piano
18 June: Why play the piano?
25 June: How to play the piano (in only six weeks)
2 July: What makes a great pianist?
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I've been playing piano, classically trained, for almost 50 years. I believe I have earned the right to have an opinion as to the "greatness" of a pianist. Lang Lang is an incredibly gifted and passionate pianist whose interpretation of Rach 2 is refreshing. People who criticize either do not truly know or understand music from the perspective of the pianist or they are just cruel and jealous of the talent others possess.
Many people may think people are merely born with a gift. Yes it's true there MUST be a certain amount of raw, natural talent involved - this is obvious - but what people don't see are the thousands and thousands of hours one practices to achieve greatness. It's a discipline most are never willing or capable of achieving. So a word to "critics"....once you are honestly able to say you spent your childhood, teen years, and many adult years hovering over a keyboard of other musical instrument, playing until your hands hurt, wanting to stop yet can't stop because the passion that compels you to play exceeds any physical pain or social price you pay for missing out on many things..hen you can have a platform and a right to criticize a true musician.
Until then, you need to be very careful. When one lays their hands on a musical instrument to play in front of others- they are actually laying their soul bare to show the world. It's a vulnerability few can ever understand and certainly something small minded people can not respect.
Well, I can tell you I don't like Lang Lang playing Debussy or Albeniz, but I'll look for his Rachmaninoff because of your recommandation
@@liul his Clair de lune recording for piano book is along the best. Idk why you don’t like him.
@@chickenman9059 eh, I prefer my rendition of Clair de lune. also he kinda messes up Chopin's Ballade no.2. good pianists, but certain pieces he plays so amazingly, yet others he plays with no emotion at all, its a bit hit and miss, but when its a hit, its comparable to the great romantics of the 20th century.
@@liul listen to him play liszt😍
You should get a novel prize for this text. So poetic and beautiful
One great pianist describing great and dexterous pianists... Lovely
You forgot to mention that Gulda was Argerich’s teacher. She wanted to study with him so much that Juan Peron granted her a scholarship to leave Argentina to study with Gulda in Vienna..
she mentions him constantly in many of her interviews and credits him with most of her great success. She considered him one of the most unique geniuses she ever studied with and retained a close friendship with him until his death.
Interesting. Martha is my favorite.
Thank you, Simon. This is eye opening. I appreciate it when you say "there is no one way to play piano. Great talent will surmount all the obstacles put in his way".
Hard work trumps talent any day.
To be a great pianist you have to practice, practice, practice, 8-10 hours a day. I used to hear the expression, "practice like a New York pianist, if you want to be a concert pianist." My piano teacher told me that playing the piano, as a concert pianist, is 90 percent hard work and 10 percent talent.
They are all my favorite pianists. Thank you for this excellent video and good commentaries. Just loved it so much.
Wonderful teacher. Just Fantastic!! You make these artists all the more EXCITING!! Thank you, sir!!
Absolutely loved the RUclips video . You are wonderful to listen too. Your playing is fabulous. Why is it that your name is not available? I found you so fascinating. Your views on pianist is so down to earth. You don't find fault . You simply are in awe of the huge entire thing. Thank you.
Loved your video and your presentation! Thank you.👏🎹
Why am I not on this list? I am passionate for 30 minutes a day!
What a lovely video ❤️🎶 thank you so much
I would have loved to see the expert's take on Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli. I guess i'll have to wait!
That was a very, very insightful video. 👏 👏👏👏👏👏👏
You're wonderful and funny and very insightful. Love your stories. I'll be keeping an eye on you. Blessings Simon.
Just got his Gershwin & Me from iTunes -- the transcriptions and his piano playing are exquisite! Maestro Tedeschi is also an awesome arranger!
Fascinating list - particularly nice to see John Ogdon, Shura and Petrucciani together! Makes me want to hear more from Mr Tedeschi.
Tozer was also a gifted improviser. I remember hearing him on radio at a live performance improvising on suggestions from the audience. One of these was to play the Hammerklavier (op.106) in the style of AMEB 6th Grade - it was very funny, brilliant and flawless on the spot.
I just love Lang Lang. He has so much energy. You either love him or hate him but he is so honest in his playing and pours his emotions and expression into whatever he does.
Energizer batteries havea lot of energy too.
@@RichardRichardVC95 If I knew your depth and knowledge I would be laughing louder. LOL.
Pull the other one. Even if you are close to Kissin level, another pianist genius would have the class to not make that remark. Checkmate! And yes, I love you too. Peace and Love bro! But you are a funny guy anyway and made my day with your kiddie remarks. My 2 year old son would have a field day with you. lol. If I knew your level haha, I certainly know now. haha!
@@RichardRichardVC95 1.4 Billion people like him so that can't be wrong. Anyway, Peace and Love!
You must be the kind of person who can eat a big massive cotton candy in one sitting and not get deathly sick
Emotion and expression???? Theatricality and showing off is NOT EMOTION AND EXPRESSION except perhaps of the lowest order
The ability to tell us something deeply felt, authentic and informative through the performance of great piano literature.
thank you so much! I really enjoyed your explanations
A great pianist has NOTHING to do with being famous. There are very great artists that are completely unknown.
Do you know any?
@@legamature is that a question? And how is even possible to be a professional musician and doesn't even know this fact and reality in the music world? Are you serious!? Or you think you are a musician but you are not?
To deny what I said is like saying that a baby is not a human until is born, eventhough it has all the atributes of a born person but still in the womb.
Sorry you are clueless or I don't know what... That question is nuts. So you think if I give you the names, you would know them!? Maybe I really don't understand you, but sorry that it's a crazy question for me...
@@salvationbygracealone5111 hope you're feeling better now babe x
The greatest pianists of All Time Are really Artur Rubinstein ( The God) Grigory Sokolov ( The Titan The Giant of The piano) Emil Gilels ( The King) Wilhelm Kempff Radu Lupu Mikhail Pletnev Maurizio Pollini Sviatoslav Richter Vladimir Ashkenazy Alexei Lubimov Stanislav Igolinsky ( better than Lipatti) Solomon Cutner Maria Grinberg Natalia Trull Rosa Tamarkina Ekaterina Novitskaya Dimitri Bashkirov ( Mendelssohn piano concerto no 1 by Bashkirov a class of his own playing Mendelssohn!) Andrei Gavrilov Victor Eresko!
@@bigscoops4537 lol!!
Well presented. Thank you 😁🎹
Great information around piano players and their skills! Liked and subscribed!
Thanks for the great video! You had my full attention right up to the struggle of getting a home loan. Enjoyed every moment!
Un grand pianiste a une technique infaillible une sensibilité un toucher et une immense humilité! Il n'y a pas que le paraître et le côté ostentatoire de certains nommés ci-dessous... L'humilité devant son art est la marque des GRANDS...
totalement d'accord avec vous !
@@marinegrasselli2779 Merci!
@@ghislainecasaburi5537 :)
Good vid, with many interesting points. Lucky for us listeners, many Genius Composers offer up many different sound worlds to experience. And there are so many truly gifted Artists to open the windows for us to enjoy. As an amateur pianist, I practice hundreds of times, some Rachmaninov or Scriabin or Brahms or Beethoven or Chopin, hoping for that infrequent solid performance of a short Masterpiece, just to briefly experience a touch of that World. Music is perhaps the greatest of the Great Escapes, the human experience allows. All genres of Music….from the Heart & Mind & Soul. It’s fantastic to watch and listen to youngsters ,many from Asia, but also many other countries, working so hard to excel. Music will endure.
I also love Gulda's Mozart. He is not as effete about the music as many others tend to be, I find it refreshing.
Actually, Barenboim doesn't feel pressure in the way you put it. I just saw a bunch of interviews with him. Wonderful person!
What an excellent video Thanks
Wonderful pianists! I was ready for Petrucciani's jazz, by the end!
There's a pianist named Cecil Licad who is the last Leventritt gold medal awardee. Not as popular as the ones here, but just as good, if not better. Listen to her 12 etudes Chopin. She's amazing.
Always a pleasure to hear you play and speak Simon; your sense of humour really shone through when you play the Simpsons theme (comments were disabled). Thank you!
Really loved this thank you Simon, I enjoyed every second!! You show many of the world's great pianists, past and present. So if I may, what's your take on MAH ?
This was a great video. I have seen many great pianists perform including Simon, but I must say my favourite hands down was Garrick Ohlsson.
This was a great, great show. Great examples!
This s trash list! The second-rated players like Gulda Lang Lang Yuja Wang Cherkassy! Almost as Bad as BBC music magazine and The Gramophone they 50 greatest Recordings lists! These were not in The top 50 greatest Recordings! No Artur Rubinstein No Grigory Sokolov No Lipatti No Wilhelm Kempff No Sviatoslav Richter No Wilhelm Kempff No Solomon Cutner and so on! Aleksander Melnikov 5th place prize in The Queen Elizabeth piano competition was in that list! The greatest pianists of All Time Are really Artur Rubinstein Grigory Sokolov Emil Gilels Radu Lupu Mikhail Pletnev Maurizio Pollini Vladimir Ashkenazy Sviatoslav Richter Wilhelm Kempff Alexei Lubimov Stanislav Igolinsky ( better than Lipatti) Solomon Cutner Maria Grinberg Natalia Trull Rosa Tamarkina Ekaterina Novitskaya Dimitri Bashkirov ( Mendelssohn piano concerto no 1 by Bashkirov a class of his own playing Mendelssohn!) Andrei Gavrilov Victor Eresko! Just listen Yuja Wang a student playing Mendelssohn piano concerto no 1! Yuja Wang The cold RAW rough restless! Bashkirov Mendelssohn piano concerto no 1 playing The Best piano sound! The melodies Are rolling! The Best tempos!
@@RaineriHakkarainen Haha, Don't worry - I agree with you on the comparative excellence of the legendary figures you cited vs. the folks in the video. I simply think his presentation or "show" was a great one and the examples he uses of contemporary folks, inferior though they areto the greats, to illustrate his points was well executed. For Dinu Lipatti and Artur Rubinstein and all the others you cite are exquisite and the last word in piano. For piano Bach I also love Angela Hewitt, these day!
I love that you obviously know your British pianists...but I have become absolutely fascinated with classical piano ..the problem is that I just became aware of that at the age of 50 and I am now 53 ..furthermore I grew up with a piano in the house but was not interested in it at all..Lang Lang is great ..no struggle whatsoever which I accredit to him starting from such a young age with very little distraction..My favorite pianist although my list grows as I age and become more informed is Vladimir Horowitz just because of his great musical life and performances but also that he had kind of forced his ability onto the world public so long ago and therefore I know more of his interpretations and love them... obviously there are great pianist who I do not even know ..I suspect that this video's narrator is such a person...whoever can play at that level is tops in my book...Valentina Lisitsa's piano is also one of my favorites!
I would love to have lessons from Simon!
Nice steinway it sounds soooo good
Such a sweet sound!
I would also include Glenn Gould and Ivo Pogorelich as two fantastic pianists. In particular, Gould’s playing of Bach and Strauss and Pogorelich’s Chopin. Although both interpret whatever they play amazingly.
🎯
Very much was surprised no mention of Gould and his Bach playing, especially when care was given to discuss odd posture and unorthodox technique. His passion of Bach and ability to make it effortless and soar is truly up there with the greats
Gould could be one of the greatest, but just cannot make my heart and soul singing,,,
I wonder what Bach would say when he listens to Gould. May be like this? “Hay, lighten up! My Music is not supposed to be that serious or dark,,”
You sir, are a great pianist yourself!
Thank you ABC Classic and Simon Tedeschi for this wonderful video. But oh my, why did you forget Alexander Malofeev (21)? Please watch his Rach. 3 played in Frankfurt (Germ.) Sept. 15th 2022 (on RUclips) cond. Alain Altinoglu. I met him after his brilliant recital in Amsterdam Oct. 1st. 2022.
Thanks, very informative.
I'm self taught on piano. But I'm finally going to take it seriously. By the way my hands are beautiful..
Interesting to hear Simon’s favourites but there have been so many great pianists that any short list will leave many out. But for me any list that doesn’t include Sviatoslav Richter, Claudio Arrau, Arthur Rubinstein, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Emil Gilels, to name a few, is lacking in substance.
Couldn't agree more. I'd add Horowitz. Love him or hate him, he's one of the greats. And Kempff!
I can't believe he added Lang Lang but not Richter 😳😳😵💫🤢🤮
I'm very glad that Gulda is on your list. He taught Martha Argerich who considered him very great indeed.
Daniel Barenboim is ARGENTINEAN, not Isreali. Although he added, besides his Argentinean nationality, Isreali, Palestani and Spanish nationality later on, he is Argentinean.. So, eiher he is an Argentinean-Israeli-Palestinean-Spanish or he is Argentinean.
very strange presentation, so say daniel is isreali
Indeed! He was born in Buenos Aires and so was his father. So there’s no doubt he is more Argentinian than any other country he has citizenship of.
I truly think he is too modest. He is a great pianist!
I also love to look at hands 😅 every persone I meet I look eat their hands feo I am a pianist too. My hand are complicated, they are long and thin. But octavas are hard to reach perfectly on my right. I am stretching them out carefully. So it is a little hard to handle case they are little long.
i have never in my life seen anyone play the Beethoven piano concertos and Chopin better than Zimmerman , for me he is hands down the best pianist ever
8.00 "I look at hands a lot..." Yeah man, as a guitarist I'm the same
The way he pronounced the word "pianist"...
If you don't agree with his choice make a list of your own and publish it. This is HIS opinion.
What piece is that at the beginning of the video?
Hi Jean - it's the Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5.
0:04. "its so weird talking about pianists" - I'm dying.
You CAN, of course have problems like Rotator-Cuff Syndrome, which demands some of the bone-mass in the shoulders to be removed in order to be able to rotate the for-arms.
Who is this gentleman to decide on good pianists?
I was glad to see Yuja in the mix, but equally disappointed that you chose her rendition of Flight of the Bumblebee. There's so many performances you could have picked that demonstrated her command And her love and emotion (not Just her command). Sorry Tiffany- not this time. Thanks for the great presentation, I learned something.
Listen to the Music
compare Ashkenazy's Pathetique at Leeds university (on yt) - that is a good opening: not so much this, in my view...why dont you include Volodos? Or my teacher Rubacyte?
No mention of Glenn Gould?
If lang lang is Anglo Saxon he will have 101% audience approval. If you play his music in a double blind trial , results amazes
2:20 Trifonov enters....Do not think I argue that he is great.
Heinrich Neuhaus was right, when he mentioned Stanislavskij (father of method acting) in his book: "The Art of Pianoplaying". What happens in the musician and the actor is more or less the same. Music translates itself to something verbal. When I read Stanislavskis books, i thought: "MY GOD!" Never in my life have I learned this much about music.
Barenboim, like Argerich, his good friend, is Argentine, but did grow up in Israel.
It's actually why Simon Tedeschi likes a selection of pianists, he is not answering the question.
Sorry but Yuja Wang has it all, and not just virtuosity. Her musical judgment is always accurate, she uses her tecnique for great interpretations. And unlike others on the list, i cant find a single extravagant, sloppy or pathetic performance on RUclips. (I never heard her in concert though)
Agree. The comments in the video were a bit negative. She is not only a virtuoso but a great musician
I don't agree, Yuja Wang is musically not interesting. Listen to her interpretation of Cziffra's Flight of the Bumblebee then listen to the master of all time - Arcadi Volodos playing it and you will see.
@@raphaelkhan3222 Cziffras flight of the bumblebee is not exactly the most musical piece ever written.
Bad example
The one with literally nothing but virtuosity is Lang lang.
Disagree. Many of her performances are not my cup of tea. Often sacrifices musicality for showiness
How on earth can Krystian Zimerman and Mikhail Pletnev not be mentioned here?!
I was just thinking about them!
I think Michel is the most unique badass ever exist in music. He was getting fractures while playing piano many times
"They only move when they need to"
- proceed to show Lang Lang 💀😂
Derry Gurl? Derigour?
HAHAHAHA! But I want a home loan too!!!!
When Beethoven played this sonata on his clavichord he didn't play the second chord until the sound of the first chord had died away. If a pianist can pull that off then the intended drama emerges. It's the sense of empty space being suddenly attacked that is the show stopper. So, how long does it take for the sound of the clavichord to disappear? I don't hear that drama in Barenboim's interpretation; no hunger, no lust. For obvious reasons some pianists steer away from highlighting the true extent of the theatrics in music unless they are playing Liszt. Beethoven was a wild and crazy guy but I don't hear any of that is this video. Just sayin.
The presetator.......vin ordinaire!
Two other great pianists were Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum. Both were giants in the jazz field.
id take errol garner over both of them but i do love oscar
I thought Lang Lang had pretty small hands?
Lang Lang is like Rachmaninov, he has BIIG hands ,lol
What's small on Lang Lang is any sense of sincerity nobility and artistry. He is pretty big on ego and virtuosity and belongs in Vegas
Also Rubinstein, the most no.1 ever
A.Rubinstein Grigory Sokolov Radu Lupu M.Perahia D.Lipatti M.Pletnev S.Igolinsky W.Kempff M.Pollini S.Richter E.Gilels
Rachmaninoff, Hofman Busoni, Schnabel, Gieseking, Lhevinne, Scriabine, Cortot, Solomon, Hess. Nova'es, Casadesus, Feinberg, Kitain, Horowitz, Rubinstein, tCherkassky., Barere, Shure, Curzon,, Landowska, Steuermann, Backhaus, Curzon, Firkusny,Petri, Barenboim, Argerich, Janis, Kapell,, Cliburn, Friedman, Moiseiwitsch, Brendel, Wild, Tatum, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans,,Brad Mehldau, Wang, Lang, Li, Nehring, Villa, Grosvenor, Volodos, Trifonov
Fats Waller,
@@christopherczajasager9030 Tatum number one.
Only pianist who banged and clubbed Boesendorfer...the presentator's favorite. Hmmmmm....Brendel and I escaped at the intermission at F.G's Beetthoven cycle recital in 1970 in Wien..atrocious sound and stunt . Chacon a son gout...,.ou..sans gout
Yuja is the Naomi Osaka of piano playing
Wuja has much more skill in piano than Naomi at tennis. Coming from a tennis player.
Brendel?! Schiff?! and yet Langlang is in the list lol!
Lang Lang is not just a great pianist, he's a genius.
He is just a Show man...But Genius?? Whyy?
@@mistermozartx9414 I guess that means something. I've no idea what that's though.
@@ddlcp it means he DESTROYS everything noble and great about any music he plays and turns them onto a Vegas jingle
@@mistermozartx9414 I'm flabbergasted that anyone would think highly of his bombastic showmanship and skin deep artistry or lack thereof. Is this because of POLITICAL CORRECTNESS? we need to add some non whites into the mix??? I can't believe any serious musician taking that overrated Vegas performer seriously... 😳🧐😕😖😣
Van Clyburn, you forgot him
And why, for Gods's sake, am I, in spite of all those great pianists, always listening to. . . Simon Tedeschi?
Good question! I won't be listening to him again.
Rip zimerman
Weight of a wrist watch or rings tell that to Liberace LOL
Lang Lang IS Liberace with better technique
Yes, people look at me funny when I talk about peenists.
2:22 really? what about Lang Lang?
Didn't you watch the whole clip?
@@livb6945 yes, but the "justification" he gave is not true, and he's contradicting himself.
Lang Lang has small hands lol
Lang Lang's music is only skin deep. He is just a Las Vegas performer with better technique.
Watching him makes me vomit.
Lang lang the best
lol
17:45 SUS
Interesting that you seem to judge pianistic 'greatness' by their techniques, speed or the shape of their hands! When you do this, you totally miss the importance of musical expression! For example, Tozer is flashy and 'tosses off' the notes of the de Schlözer etude (quite a boring work, unless you like 'flash'), but to me, he lacks any depth of feeling for the music and its structure. Yes, if 'economy of hand'' is important to you, then listen to Tozer. To me, Glenn Gould's Bach is far more interesting, meaningful and beautiful than Tozer's example you've cited here.
Of course, different musicians have different techniques and use of their arms; I think I would have difficulty playing with stiff wrists - and my music would probably sound like Tozer's, too! Argerich's flexible wrist action help to give her phrasing and playing a fluidity that I don't hear in many others' performances. She plays with attention to the music, its form, harmonic progression, and what it's saying, rather than how fast her fingers are flying. And at 4.30, you frowned and said, " I forgot how slow it was," as if the speed was not OK and that maybe you shouldn't have chosen this excerpt.
And choosing Yuja's Flight of the Bumblebee because of her 'athleticism' does not, at all, represent the depth of her musicality!
Sorry, but enough of this.
I was also expecting more of a music making perspective... the only things close to that would be voicing and balance (which is quite basic imo) and tone (Pathetique making a declaration?), and the rest are all about technique or playing in spite of handicaps. Or superficial stuff like how much they move or whether they are infectious/ having fun or not.
The sole is Ultimately what makes the worlds No1
No Piano teachers. Instead, I show my sole.
To not mention Evgeny Kissn or Anna Fedorova Why not?
JAJAJAJAJAJA
At least 80% of talent + 100% of discipline and study but if you have more than that better.
Barenboim as a reference pianist? Well.. let me see... Busoni, Rachmaninov, Lipatti, Richter, Schnabel, Rubinstein, Horowitz, Gilels, Solomon, Arrau, Michelangeli, Kempff, Hoffman, Cortot... died too early to have some master classes from Barenboim. We are very lucky because they missed the opportunity. Simon my dear, please get some sense of reality.
Rachmaninoff was NEVER a "pop star". He was just, with Sviatoslav Richter, the greatest pianist ever on record.
give it up. What you are saying is amateur city.....
I think Lang is generally underated, but he's not a good role model for technique. He manages to play very hard pieces very well, but he's often out of action due to injury.
Improvise a 5 part fugue on organ then talk.
Why do you say: "the ISRAELI musician Daniel Baremboim, when you know perfectly well that he is an ARGENTINIAN by birth and therefore an integral part of the ARGENTINIAN MUSICAL HISTORY!!!!
Anyone who dislikes Lang Lang, just close eyes & then listen.