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Have you done the impromptus or any of the rare pieces like any of the rondos the fantasie in f minor or the allegro de concert?

Sorry but I find this extremely shallow analysis. Hofmann crazy colors, the way he builds a whole world from every piece he plays, the amazing rythms, singing tone, layers of melodies. Not only Rach but most ot the pianists of his time referred to him as the greatest among his generation.

I agree. Always enjoyed Arrau's playing of Liszt. His version of the 8th Transcendental Etude is a favourite. Not to mention the 11th. Wonderful sound.

Hey Cole when are you going to record Prokofiev?

Absolutely love your understanding of Ravel. Talk about the need for clarity in playing his music -- same is needed in explaining it as best one can -- you do a really fabulous job, Ever Many Thanks! I would love to know which 'neo-classical' pieces of Stravinsky you are referring to. And I for one would love for you to do a video on his 4 Poems of Mallarmé (even though it is of course not a work for piano.)

Incidentally, also some of the scariest repeated notes in the French horn and trumpet standard orchestral repertoire.

Around 4:00, I think you forgot to mention Dinu Lipatti...but probably other great pianists as well.

What a misconceived video. The text is the text. I do resent the addition of fingering recommendations etc, if one can't evolve one's own one doesn't have the equipment to play these sonatas.

Thank you for an enjoyable post. I agree that the Margulis interpretation is technically stunning with note emphasis being incredibly difficult to control while so much is happening with the 3rd, 4th and 5th fingers of the right hand. The tempo variations, however, are especially beguiling and create an ever-moving ambience that is irresistable. They somewhat reflect the 19th century practice of accelerating slightly during crescendos, and retarding equally during dimenuendos. This technique can breath wonderful sensitivity into pieces such the Grande Polonaise Brillante of Chopin. Just as with the A minor etude, playing the polonaise below the metronome marking and deliberately using velocity dynamics "in concert" with loudness changes makes the softer middle sections of the piece come alive .... most noticeably after the chromatic double octaves and before the main theme returns. Best wishes. Cass Alexander. Victoria. Australia

My feeling about the sempre animando section at the end is that you have to feel as though you've earned it; you've climbed the mountain, now you can see the horizon. But then, after the moment of exultation, the nagging doubts return - hence the strange, precipitous ending. One of Liszt's most inspired works.

Long time teacher here. I am pretty familiar with this piece. If I was teaching this piece, I teach it first as a normal chromatic scale. Simple fingering, I then when the student felt confident - change the fingering and add the chords. But that’s just me

Fingering is really weird in spots...

Thank you for this! I’ve been working on this piece and am about to do a recording. Your video has given me much more insight into the story and has inspired me to explore more deeply how I would like to express it, especially the various forms of Hero’s theme.

How about Dohnányi's essential finger excersizes?

No arrogance at all. There are a few bars in Liszt's second piano concerto in A major that I would change to stop an exquisite moment being corny! As Rae Charles once said, 'I don't wanna play Chopin the Chopin plays Chopin. I wanna play Chopin the way I wanna play Chopin.' Such high excellence in your playing, too.

my least favourite etude. nice video as usual. ( I think he was inspired by Schubert's d899 / 3 for this one (as he was for the first etude of op 25 imo).

Bolet Chopin Ballades live quite compelling and amazing Wagner/Liszt Tanhauser

Pls do peace of the woods by Grieg. It’s one of my favourite pieces

Also,he died quite young of colon cancer.

My father was fascinated by him.There went many recordings.He was more discreet& didn't " sell himself" whereas Rubenstein was more of an extrovert,I was told.

Outstanding video!

As ever, a fascinating commentary and a fabulous, virtuoso performance. Perfection! Bravo, Cole!

You elucidated my struggling with the Chopin etudes all these years . Thx a lot. Your lectures are all delivered with such clarity that really help those who wants to master Chopin's repertoire.

The correct answer is arrau. Not enough people give Emanuel ax credit though

A smart, knowing presentation and beautiful performance, with an intelligent appreciation of the opera original. It should perhaps be pointed out that Rose Grainger's increasing mental instability toward the end of her life was physiological in origin: the syphilis that her philandering husband John had infected her with in the 1880s had by 1920 reached the tertiary stage where the brain itself is infected and disordered behavior is the result. If it's not irreverent to ask, what piano are you playing, and is it acoustic or digital? I ask because the sostenuto pedaled notes here are unusually sonorous and prolonged in ring duration.

Philharmonia orchestra, not the London Phil. Two different orchestras. But yes, Dennis Brain was on that recording.

How interesting!

this guy is hot as fuck

Lovely

I watch this video weekly. Thank you. But, how do we know when we have learned a piece to "a high enough level" before moving to the next one? Can't we get stuck trying to master a piece too perfectly and not be on the level we think we are,? To put it simply, is there a small checklist you have that says "ok, enough of this piece, time to move on"? Thanks

"Cadenza at the end.." It's only arpeggio's he played. Cadenza definition: an opportunity for a soloist to display his or her virtuosity while the orchestra pauses.. Arpeggio's are not a sign of virtuosity. It's a sign of basic skill. Something that is needed in comprehension to any musician.

Whew! Great! For whatever reason I found myself thinking about one of my favorites, Op. 10 #10 in A-flat. Hope you get to that one sometime soon. Do you have any interest in Debussy's etudes? I would follow a series on those avidly.

Wonderful!!!

Furtwangler’s articles (all available online) are really interesting too. He really aimed for integration through finesse.

The last 6-7 minutes of the the last movement of the Brahms 4th is like nothing I’ve ever heard before. A totally different piece!

The Mendelssohn d-minor trio would suit you very well

I seem to remember that Moriz Rosenthal played the final octave passage glissando.

Ohmygod that's STUNNING! The one around 126. You get to hear the emotion in the piece!

I'm too wimpy for black key glissandi. Find them quite uncomfortable.

wow. speechless otherwise. thanks.

thank you very much for your lesson

Super virtuoso level

Great advice. Regarding what my teacher taught me the problem was that it was too advanced for me so I went back to the basics - scales, Hanon, proper hand position and some easy music. I do work a little on some pieces that are too advanced for me but just a little and one section at a time. I also have several things from the The Library of Easy Piano Classics I spend time learning. Basically I try to do things that I enjoy rather than things that frustrate me.

Thank you very much. I am learning that piece and I learned a lot with you.

Hello! I'm learning this etude right now, and I'm wondering, why do most pianists play the ending octaves (bar 83) in a straight way, losing the feeling of triplets? I feel like the rythm should be more pronounced, but I'm only a student so I'm not sure. On a side note, I love your videos, incredibly informative and thought invoking!

Great video 👍

This should be interesting. Here's a piece that's often thought of as easier, but I find it pretty rough to really master. Really wonderful performance. There's a wonderful lack of restraint that I don't generally associate with you.

Hi Cole, I produced this, ( Chopinistic - A Major Resurrection Etude ), maybe you will enjoy it, let me know🎶🎹

Hi! Brillant stuff as always, just wondering would you be able to Rachmanioff Etude Tableux in particular op.33 No.7 and No.8? Though I know some editions have different numbers for them, no. 8 in D minor, no. 7 E flat major. I love all your analysis and you are a great role model. ❤

I'm obsessed about this etude. Chopin really was a genius. Thanks for doing this. My favourite recording is by Aleksander Woronicki. It's on his YT channel and only has just above 5000 views. I would be interested in hearing someone else's opinion about that performance.