Chopin's 19 Waltzes Played by Kocsis Zoltán 

I got this record when I was around 10 and at the time I thought it was pure wizardry. At 55 I still do. I couldn't imagine how anyone could get to these heights. He sure did set some unsurpassable standards in more ways than one.

Chopin’s 19 waltzes No.1 op.18 0:01 No.2 op.34-1 4:50 No.3 op.34-2 9:54 No.4 op.34-3 15:26 No.5 op.42 17:33 No.6 op.64-1 21:00 No.7 op.64-2 22:35 No.8 op.64-3 25:37 No.9 op.69-1 28:13 No.10 op.69-2 31:46 No.11 op.70-1 34:37 No.12 op.70-2 36:16 No.13 op.70-3 37:50 No.14 op.posth 40:23 No.15 op.posth 43:13 No.16 op.postn 45:14 No.17 op.posth 46:25 No.18 op.posth 49:07 No.19 op.posth 50:19 (自分用)

Who else experienced this: I was all depressed, I had never heard of this brilliant pianist, I started listening and instantly was mesmerized by his agility, clarity and sensitivity, I got all excited and just as I started scrolling through the comments, someone posts he actually passed away. There goes my 5 minutes of happiness, life just ain't fair! :'(

also, this mans rubato is so lovely. the way he just cranks up the speed in some areas and pulls it back in others is great!

If you can play it slowly, you can play it quickly, but not sacrilegiously. This one is perfect

At first I thought "way too fast" but after a while I changed my mind. These waltzes are brilliantly delivered and I love this performance. Call me a heretic. Fine.

42:50: Wow so pretty, so organisned so... 42:56: AAHHHHHH!

Whenever Franzl didn't feel like teaching the piano, Frederic would don a blond wig and stand in for him. To make his friend laugh, Liszt would then play Chopin's waltzes at breakneck speed, and as such this performance is a triumph.

21:00 never seen someone play Minute Valse so freaking fast

Is it just me who sometimes feel slightly guilty that we are able to hear the posthumous waltzes? I've only performed B.150 and I felt like I was not supposed to share this with others, only play it by myself. Knowing that this waltz was supposed to be burnt, but Fontana (I think it was) chose to keep them and then after 100 years they got published... Just my opinion though. I mean Chopin was such a perfectionist, so likely these were not as bad as what he thought they were.

R.I.P. Zoltán Kocsis he passed away today.

Zoltán Kocsis RIP. A great master pianist !

-Grande Valse Brillante Op.34 No.2 My god, what a sound..

This is, for me, the definitive recording of Chopin's waltzes. Sure, he plays some of them quickly, but it is music to dance to.

One of the best interpretation of Chopin's waltzes. This recording haven't many homemade honey-accents, sugar-like melodies... Chopin's music are full of surprises, vigorous harmonical effects, somietimes a weird left-hand sequences, like Kocsis's performance here. Good job!!!

Amazing artist, very sorry to hear about his death :( RIP Kocsis Zoltán!

Kocsis will be missed.

R.I.P Zoltán Kocsis. A great pianist. Two years ago, 2016, 6th November, was the day we pledged to honour his playing once and for all. Goodbye, Zoltán Kocsis!

"L'adieu" is the perfect title for Op. 69 No. 1. It's so melancholy, so longingly beautiful ... the first time I heard it was in the film "The Others" so I can't help but describe it as haunting, too.

Everyone keeps criticizing Kocsis about playing too fast, too loud, with too much impetus and so on. People are so boring. They have listened to Chopin and they just want to keep listening to the same literal interpretations of the oldies. They still steam in their Rubinsteins and square Ashkenazys. This interpretation is fresh, alive and with surprises. Accentuation of hidden melodies here and there. Taking passages in one breath while others would wait, tie their shoelaces and start again. I'm so glad there are pianists like Kocsis and van Oort taking Chopin in different colours.

46:25 Omg I love this waltz, that simple melody is so beautiful

Ugh, his playing his elegant and smooth...I hope to be able to play music so elegantly one day...

Hm, lets watch a movie today. *wants to open Netflix* *stumbels across RU-vid, clicks on this video* One hour later, I’ve spent my entire Saturday evening listing to Chopin...

I love how the uploader has a tf2 meme profile picture. And then uploads sophisticated music. It's just hard to think of the two going like that. ;D

AS confirmed by S.Richter the best performer during his days of enough health. Belongs in the top of Chopins -Walzer performers. Let us never forget Zoltan !!

probably my favorite interpretation of the minute waltz.

J'aime Kocsis Zoltan, il interprète si bien Chopin. C'est une mélodie qui me berce, en même temps me passionne. Cette mélodie est aussi mélancolique. J'aime tout simplement 💟

The interpration is breathtaking...I think that it is the best. Bravo Maestro Kocsis!

Ah......perfect music for a lazy Monday afternoon here in LA. Thank you for uploading this delight.

Thanks for the synchronized score!

Breaking: Zoltán Kocsis is dead. Tremendous loss.

My favourite performance of minute waltz

This was always my favourite interpretation of all and every single one of Chopin's Waltzes. Absolute masterpiece. I had that on vinyl and played it so much that the needle went to the other side.

A perfect recording, probably even better than those of Chopin specialists like Rubinstein or Horowitz. All accents, tempos, microtimes, touches as it has to be, not more, not less.

Életem egyik zenei meghatározója fogta magát és elment... Most mihez kezdjek, amikor olyan jó "haverságban" voltunk? Remélem, Glenn Gould- dal most már együtt játszanak valami Bach kétzongorás versenyművet... Nagyon, nagyon szomorú vagyok. Isten Veled, Zoli!

Nobody plays Chopin's waltzes better. When Kocsis is your first introduction to them and you listen to the others, there is no comparison.

Poland is an amazing and special country blessed with the genius of its many artists. Much respect. Will always have a special place in my heart.

Waltz in E min B.56...the best interpretation I have heard yet! It is not payed enough and is my favourite Chopin waltz! I'm trying to learn it but I can only dream of playing it like that!

Such a beautiful composition.....and with what magnificence,dexterity,rawness and exquisiteness kocsis zoltan played....RIP K.Zoltan.

R.I.P. Kocsis Zoltán

I love these songs forever and ever and ever. Anyone just learning how to play piano, stick with Chopin. He will be good to you forever and always!

Like those waltzes, Kocsis lived his life so fast...I still miss him.

Some of Waltzes are too fast I think but it's Kocsis Zoltán's interpretation !! I love !

My condolences for the passing of this great pianist. Such delicacy and brilliance in these Waltzes.

Love the ending of Op. 34 No. 1, it gives such a playful vibe, amazing job!

I just admired Zoltan Kocsis.s performance, I think he was a great one.

Chopin to najpiękniejsza spuścizna dla ludzkości. Dziękuję.

17:33 very difficulte but very beautiful

I think i just found the best video on RU-vid ever

I'm reading the Chopin biography now by Jeremy Nicholas. A great composer and a great teacher. His music teaches from beyond the grave.

Worth listening to just to get to: Grand Valse Brilliante Op 34, No.2!!! So hauntingly beautiful!💔 And: Waltz, Op 69, No.2!!! So thrillingly poignant💔 Both are deeply moving! Thank you for posting this! ☺️❤️

Chopins waltzes are some of my favorite music

I love his interpretation of op 64 no 2 ! So beautiful !

prob best interpretation of op 18 ive heard

Thanks to posting it. Very good. I love so much Chopin's Piano Pieces.

sublime, gentle yet energetic,,, rich in texture and subtexture,,

The speed he is using is ungodly. I think I kind of like it.

I'm a great admirer of the late Zoltan Kocsis mainly because he pretty much owned Bartok's highly demanding music. Whether he was a great Chopin waltzes interpreter I am less sure. These performances are brilliant, original, and sometimes provoking, but I can't help finding him impossibly rushed, to the point of being indifferent, in many places. His idiosyncrasies sometimes work well and sometimes don't. To be fair there are many great moments also. It's a mixed bag in my humble opinion. He doesn't seem to have recorded any Chopin apart from the Waltzes, which I find surprising. I had thought the Etudes would have been a more likely candidate.

Elbűvölő. Koszönöm ezt a csodálatos előadást.

Ever since I heard Valentina Listisa play Op 64 No 2 too fast I thought I would never enjoy this piece unless it were slow. But this guy plays it fast and perfectly.

¡Qué preciosura de interpretación de la esencia noble del vals! Regocijo con el nº 3 en concreto. Disfruten del legado de este gran artista.

I have known these so superficial treasures for ages and I can't decide forget them to listen to deeper pièces. Dear master, who learns me everything.

This is pure gold dude, thanks.

Beautiful performance. Thanks

welcome back this is not your first time here

Awesome really full of energy huge round of applause

Amazing performance some of them its like a hear them first time.

Passei a adolescência ouvindo Chopin por Guiomar Novaes, todos os dias. Toquei algumas peças.

Bass Aufstieg/Abstieg: (10:24) (21:12) Minute Waltz Op.64 No.1 (40:29) (40:40) walzer e moll staccato tonrepition: 43:48 45:52 Nachschlagnoten: 44:09 Idee verziert: 50:36 23:11 (typisch Chopin)

I never thought of playing it so fast, but in my opinion it doesn't lose quality after all. However, the tempo changes make them kinda interesting.

I love the Grande Valse Brilliante Opus 18 ♥♥♥

i love this so much, every time i write papers for college i listen to this first

Kocsis Zoltan is the best in waltz ..

it's really nice to hear pianist play the warsaw autograph of op 69 -1

Didn’t expect to see the Heavy having uploaded the Chopin’s Waltzes

The E-major posth., 5th from last in this video, at around 43:13 - I have the Schirmer edition of Chopin waltzes (©1894, 1915; renewed 1922, 1943). It has 15, fingered by Rafael Joseffy. This is the final one of the 15, and Joseffy, doubting its authenticity, declined to edit it; editing was done by Carl Mikuli. A note in a box at the top left states: "This Valse, the authenticity of which is questioned, is inserted by the publisher, however, without Mr. Joseffy's editorial revision." And at upper right, it is attributed: F. Chopin (1829). My own impression, on playing it as written, was that it sounded too simplistic to be Chopin; or perhaps it was an idea he had sketched out, intending to return later to flesh out, but never got around to doing. Later collections of Chopin waltzes, both sheet music and recordings, contain this one without singling it out in any way, and seem to comprise typically 19 to 21 waltzes. Anyone have any idea how this set of circumstances came about? Was this E major waltz questioned by anyone besides Rafael Joseffy? What was the basis of his doubt? How & when did its authenticity become established? And why the varying number of "complete Chopin waltzes"? Were there some pieces being switched between being labeled Waltz vs Mazurka (both being 3/4)? [The 15 in the Schirmer collection are the first 15 of these 19.] I'm aware that there are 6 lost waltzes, for which we have only the first 4 bars, due to a fire at his sister's house, where she had kept his effects after his death. I've seen those "thematic index" type entries, and none match any complete waltzes (as expected). Fred .

Chopin is absolutely unrivaled in the romantic period.

Woah. Fresh takes on the score. Some tempos are very quick, but adds liveliness to the piece.

41:07 Wut

I do love his opus 64, No. 3 in A flat Major. It's light and whimsical.....very nice!

24:09 so beautiful.

! nagyON jó verzió / very good versiON :) szép dal / nice sONg ! Meggyőző / cONvincing

I love how both Zoltan and Rubenstein bring out the bottom voice in the right hand during the Piu Mosso in 07-Waltz Op.64 No.2 (C# Minor). Zoltan chooses to do it immediately after the Piu Lento (24:10) whereas Rubenstein chooses to do it on the very last time. Interesting choice that doesn't appear to be notated - I wonder if one took it from the other, if it's a coincidence, or if it is in fact notated in certain publications.

Magnifico.

No. 1 is the best interpretation I've ever heard.

one of my favorite waltzes.

I love this sound so much

C'est tellement beau ♡.♡

I think I just broke an eyeball trying to follow these...👀

Do the tempi Zoltan plays at seem too fast to anyone else? I feel like a lot of important notes are getting cut off too prematurely because of it.

Halhatatlan Kocsis Zoltán ❤️🌹

Beautiful :-) ♥♫

thaks a lot this is wonderful

Amazing for ever

The excessive speed of some of these waltzes remind me of the Kentucky Derby race...... And ........They're .........OFF!!! Even Secretariat wouldn't have been able to keep up the speed that I hear in the Minute Waltz!! ;)

Waltz Op.64 No.2 my whole childhood! cry...

Amo los valses de Chopin, y después de escuchar ésta interpretación más !

Waltz Op.posth. B.46 is heavenly, never heard it before!

Superb rendition!

My favourite one, first, played too fast. I respect great technique, but it looks almost looks like he wanted to show off. Don't get me wrong - there's nothing wrong with that in many cases. For just pure listeners it's probably more suitable, for someone who actually plays this - even Chopin wanted it to play different- you have clues in notes ;)) Someone will prefere this version to any others - nothing wrong with that. There's no need to argue about best version, it's purely subjective, just try at least few others ;)