Ashkenazy is one of few pianists who doesn't appear to have any ego when he performs. No nervousness, no cockiness; he doesn't seem concerned with himself so much as with the music. Even with something as difficult as this piece, he just plays it. No acting in his body, no exaggeration in the sound.
Students of the Moscow Conservatory in the mid 20'th century all seem to me to have this serious focus on the music as you describe. Have you ever seen a video of Richter or Gilels putting on a silly show on his face while playing? I haven't, nor any of the other artists from that school.
One of my favorite piece; this guy is one of my favorites, there is literally no composer he does not know how to play and he plays them all well. a Big Bravo Maesto Ashkenazy!!!!!!!!!!!
As always with this diminutive giant among pianists he displays outstanding technical mastery, yet always at the service of the music. Nowadays an outstanding conductor of course, however I'm sure he is greatly missed by many as the recitalist he was during his early years.
I got to know a tiny bit about Vladimir Ashkenazy from Christopher Nupen’s documentaries about the pianist as a newcomer to the West and his wife and oldest 2 children, then in his portraits with other musicians (the one with Daniel Barenboim is outstanding, playing Mozart’s double concerto with the English Chamber Orchestra is wonderful!), then about Ashkenazy talking about composers and playing or conducting their music. They are all here on RU-vid on the Allegro Films channel. I absolutely fell in love with his shy confidence, his amazing technique, his modesty, and his obvious love of his wife and children. I would encourage everybody to watch these films to experience this wonderful musician more closely....Ashkenazy is truly an amazing man!
Wow... Such passion, he really has a way of drawing you in, both as a listener and a viewer. And yet, he doesn't limit himself by playing safe(to keep the control), absolutely brilliant, genius. Damn I wish he could visit South Africa!
I agree with pianopera, but I think I know why A plays those opening notes so cleanly. As the performance progresses, A does a magnificent job of clarifying the ferociously complex textures and making sense of the cross rhythms. His chord voicing is so good that even close dissonances (tone, semitone) never sound like maybe he hit a wrong note. He never sacrifices the music to big gestures and broad strokes. In fact, in terms of revealing the music of the music itself, this is the best performance ever. In that context, the very clean opening notes make sense. What's missing from the performance--and I hate to say it because I love A--is a sheen of magic. A particularly French sheen. You don't have to be French; Michelangeli achieves it. In fact, if you could cross Michelangeli with Ashkenazy, I think you'd wind up with the definitive Scarbo.
He does not appear to be very pleased with his performance here. Do not know how the Ondine and Le gibet went, but he did miss one of the two double notes in the rapid section. It was probably enough for him to be dissatisfied. Another first for Ashkenazy, to freely use rubato... his idea of French music.
Listen to all the other versions, then..... this one is best -- As virtuosic as Ashkenazy's version is, you still have the sense that something is held back (vs. the all-out, no holds-barred versions by others). This "something in reserve" creates the mystery and suspense which brings the piece to life. It's like how the restraint of a corraled horse, pawing at the walls, is more powerful than a horse running free. Again, if this doesn't quicken your pulse, you're dead.
If this doesn't quicken your pulse, you're dead. Full of suspense, mystery and rapture. Ashkenazy "explains" this piece perfectly!! No one carries off a melodic line like he does. My favorite pianist ever!
A strong conception allied with technical brilliance and the ability to communicate with conviction the dark poetic content. This is the performance of a deeply committed musician. Love the brilliance at 7:15-7:33
I would like to say a word to those who think that someone who plays Gaspard de la Nuit would need to show more facial expressions. Gaspard de la Nuit and particularly Scarbo, is one of the hardest compositions for piano. Ever. Now print out the notes of Scarbo and try to smile while playing it. In this very record, Ashkenazy is playing amazingly. He has really mastered it and plays it with true emotions. Thanks for posting this! :)
Highly artistic,well thought-out,cleanly executed.For me,this goblin is played(almost "applied")by much too nice a man.Having lived thru the demons of certain others(Martha,Pogo,Samson......)....!
@azormage Classical music? They are tame here... That's because the Internet is the homeland of the drama queen. Suddenly anyone can say anything, pour out the bile, diss, etc. without getting slapped around...
My dear fellow, there are in fact only so many notes the ear can hear in the course of an evening. I think I'm right in saying that, aren't I, Court Composer?
Wonderful performance from a fantastic,legendary pianist! Three criticisms-(1)never liked the polo-necked sweater(!),(2)he got up and walked off far too abruptly at the end and,most importantly(3)WHY did he ever give up playing concerts to conduct?!! We've been sadly denied these past thirty years or so...
The point to me is, your criticisms are absolutely nothing compared to the way Ashkenazy devoured this piece....nitpicking blather, that’s all it is. If you don’t like a performer’s clothes or demeanor, close your eyes! I do when I listen to Yuja Wang play live, bc _HER_ clothing choices are terrible, but her playing surely isn’t! You really have the nerve to question these tiny tiny things after such a brilliant performance??? And he stopped playing as much bc it wasn’t enough for him any more, he’s very open and honest about it. Besides, Ashkenazy is the most recorded pianist of the 20th century, so we have a vast record of his interpretations and collaborations. There aren’t many artists with an unappeased appetite for music as we have with Ashkenazy, and there are very few-his close friend Daniel Barenboim is another-who has accomplished what he has accomplished, yet remains one of the best loved apex musicians in the world. To me, _that_ consideration is much more important than the shirts he wears or how fast he exits the stage after playing.
@azormage Snobbishness nothing more nothing less. They think they have the monopoly on what is the right and wrong way to play a piece. To a certain extent this may be correct from a technical standpoint but from an interpretative one it is a matter of personal judgement and taste. Problem is they probably can't play to save their life!!.
do u kno why IMPRESSIONISM is called impressionism? obviously not... ravels music paints a surrealistic painting in your mind which many other composers fail to do... sublime melodies do sound good to the ears.... but whats the point if those beautiful melodic lines do not tell a story.... unlike scarbo or ondine... truly hard pieces to interpret
i used be big chopin fan, but now i no like he as much as prokofiev, ravel and other composers 20th century- five year ago, this, scarbo, sound me like trash, but i come to appreciate this more modern music- i no blame you not like this- you no have to either- you opinion- you have own music background and taste
And you can't sort between beautiful music and poorly composed tone poems. You can't just anoint everything with your blessings JUST BECAUSE it's played by a noted artist and JUST BECAUSE the composer did other good work. We all need to develop some critical thinking to distinguish the great work from the merely mundane (like this!).
Lisag6 can carry on (and on, and ON, apparently!) about how this "restrained" version conveys meaning and insight and all that pseudo-intellectual DRIVEL. This sounds like Kohler played by an inebriate!. This is the problem with "classical" music in the last century -- it's all this crap played (in-) elegantly and we're all supposed to swoon. This is a mere tone poem with bad rhyme. If this is supposed to quicken my pulse, I prefer the solitude of death!
Well, I'll listen to you when you learn how to spell, and don't, like, like, adopt popular speech/writing parlance. Check out my response to the other lost soul (below) who makes the bad mistake of agreeing with you! Learn to distinguish great music from the mundane!
