A little music to lighten the spirit.
From Youtube comments which I've verified:
I wonder if people have any idea at all how difficult this piece is to play on the piano, especially with such pristine articulation as Sokolov demonstrates? The piece was actually written for a two-manual harpsichord where the hands don't run into each other since they're on separate keyboards. This performance is nothing short of astounding.
If you would like to hear the composition played on a double harpsichord, as the composer intended, you can hear it below. Isn't music wonderful?
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20 comments:
The Sokolov is brilliant.Thanks for posting this!
Thanks Rosie
Now, thanks to the marvel of modern technology:-
Click the lower harpiscord solo in at 37 seconds; then click the piano solo.
Hey presto - a Duet!!
Sokolov doesn't get much publicity in this country Caedmon's Cat, so I thought it was time to give him some. Also I think he's wonderful.
Joe, super! I hadn't tried that but I have now.
Harpsichord reminds me of Rick Wakeman and his one man shows. :)
Astonishingly Sokolov's performance sounds more fluent than the 2 manual effort . . . .
I was never a Rcik Wakeman fan SH, but he's improved with age - like good wine.
Ah George. Now, if you hear both at some distance you may think quite the opposite. I did, but then perhaps it's the acoustics in the house that causes the difference.
I had the sublime pleasure of hearing the great man playing Brahms(?memory a bit hazy!) in Edinburgh many years ago.
I recall at least 7 standing ovations in the Usher Hall, amazing in itself!
Ah John yes, memories. The only time I ever saw him was at a recital at the Music Academy in Vienna and that too was many moons ago. Until then I hadn't heard of him but a couple of times a year I would have a long weekend in Vienna and full myself with music. His recital I stumbled upon by accident or maybe divine intervention. :)
I'm pretty sure now he played the Tchaikovsky's stupendous Piano Concerto No.1 in Bb minor after asking a friend who also heard the performance.
I think everyone in the hall knew they were hearing something historical.
A wonderful musician indeed.
Regards,
John
How wonderful John. I have a feeling some of his performance I saw involved Schumann but I've nobody to ask now.
Fantastic musicianship, and thanks for posting it. Made my evening.
Now, I'll see your Solokov and raise you this (Dmitrev playing Bach's Toccata and Fugue on the accordion). Astonishing.
Oops, sorry Rose, that was me. Forgot to sign in :)
You were signed in from this end Richard. Ah, now, that would be hard to beat as I'm a devoted fan of the accordion. In fact I have an old one which I occasionally attempt to get a sound out of.
A button box too he's playing. Masterful.
I think I should post this for weekend listening don't you? I could also post an organ version then people could decide.
What amazed me when I first heard him was how like a proper church organ it sounded - if you didn't know it was a squeeze-box, could you tell without looking? If you search YouTube for Dmitriev (proper spelling this time), there's one or two more. The 'Flight of the Bumblebee' is also quite remarkable,
As to posting, be my guest!
Yes, I was signed in, but from a different account. All to do with YouTube. If I go there, it automagically logs me out of my blogging account.
Only the acoustics would tell me it was a smallish instrument Richard, but that's being pedantic.
We'll see at the weekend whether readers prefer the squeeze box or organ. Will be interesting.
Comment lost?
Are you having problems too Richard? It's ok here.
I left a comment in answer to your last one, but it hasn't appeared. I wondered if it might have been spam-trapped at your end, but my reader sends me a copy of all posts including my own, and it's not there either, so it must have been lost in the ether. No worries - I look forward to the reaction when you post them at the weekend.
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