What a privilege to see your 'Eureka moment'😃😃 Which allows us to see how you work! When you had time to think, what did you make of it? Chopin 'signing off' from Scherzi?? I shall never underestimate them again......
Thank you for explaining the 'jokeness" of this piece as opposed to the first 3. That is why it was not a favorite of mine except for the beautiful longing middle section. Now I see how Chopin's genius brought them together in a splendid way. Now I hear it for the first time and I love it.
Wonderful! This is my ultimate goal to change people's minds about certain Chopin's pieces if they deserve it. And usually they do , because most of his music is simply genius.
I just wanted to say a massive massive thank you for doing this series. I've learnt so much and have been steeping in Chopin's music lately, so your videos have really illuminated these pieces for me. Wondering why you decided to do this series? I just can't believe this treasure and your knowledge is free on the internet for me to learn from. THANK YOU!!!
Hello dear Fiona. Thank you for your words! I've started this series in April 2020 as a way to stay active and fight with the depression during the pandemic...First I only wanted to do this series about the Mazurkas but since the pandemic was not over and my project got more and more fans, especially on my Facebook fanpage, I decided to continue this. Than I got the scholarship from the Polish Ministry of Culture for doing this project for the whole year 2021, talking about all Chopin's music... That's why it's free here. And I'm happy for that!
@@gregniemczuk Amazing! Thank you to the Polish government and thank YOU all the way from Canada. I'm watching Seong-Jin Cho perform all 4 Scherzos tonight in Spain and it will be thanks to you that I will be able to appreciate it more! All the best :)
Amazing how the Scherzo themes/techniques intertwined in the last page of the 4th Scherzo! Reminds me of the last movement of Mozart's Jupiter symphony. :)
Your passion and enthusiasm for the music is contagious. This was always my least favorite scherzo because I found it inscrutable, but your breakdown and analysis have given me so many excellent insights. I’ll be practicing this one SLOWLY lol
On music and mathematics min. (21:35 of the video) Personally I have a scientific education (particularly physical-mathematical) and I know music: I think that the link between this and mathematics exists yes but at a very elementary level of mathematics: knowing how to count, using fractions and little else; however, I very much appreciate Greg/Grzegorz's highly scientific, in my opinion, rank approach when analyzing the various pieces: in fact, I recognize in it the same methods of investigation as science: fidelity to the facts (in this case mostly the score) and a great intellectual honesty that always leads him to distinguish explicitly and clearly between documented truths, on which everyone, until proven otherwise, must agree, and his personal opinions, legitimate as such, but not universalizable. 🎼🌿🎶
Following this story of the two kids, I would say that the codetta before the middle 'nocturne' is heartbreaking. I imagine an accident happening and one of them dies. The last hysteric chords may be a parent screaming in despair and shock. Then, all the sorrow of the parent is presented. All the sounds of the children playing when she wasn't paying attention. All the doubt and self-blaming. Now, with all of this, it makes more sense, but it's also one of the most painful pieces I've listened to.
@@gregniemczukwant to know what kind of depression u had during April 2020 , it’s just made curious how u came up with this series bcz the energy i see in u in every piece u analyse is so positive and powerful that nobody can tell u had some stress , as im in a medical school want to know how u feel that time
@@gregniemczuk sad 😢, but I think everything happen for a reason now u got a bigger audience due to tragic events than just giving concert performances
Very moving analysis, Greg! Thank you so much! I am a composer, and as such, I cannot leave to love Chopin. I would like to make a small contribution to your work. The transition from the last bridge to the Coda makes me cry and I'll tell you why (knowing that you can't talk deeply about harmony since it would become too specific): at this moment Chopin condenses his entire tonal plan. He returns to the harmony of the Mendelsohn moment, which is when the dominant of the "Nocturne" section appears surreptitiously but very powerfully. The subdominant (A) of the entire piece also gains strength (when in the Mozart style, before the end it goes through the 4th degree giving space to the tension it needs to create) which is none other than the begining note of the second voice of the Duetto. Now his masterwork can be finished, pregnant, complete, and in unity. Thank you again.
I'm on vacation watching this as I look out over the ocean. For some reason I always associate the A sections of this piece and the Ballade No 1 with the beach. Thanks for the videos!!!
Actually I need to listen my university classes now, but now I'm listening your class cuz it's very interesting T T. I listened this scherzo but I couldn't understand it enough, but after studying with U, could understand and enjoy the music better. much better!! watched ur video full!! from the start to the end hehe. Thank you so much for your projects. :)
I love your videos! They are filled with so much love and passion for Chopin’s music. The three chords at 52:01 always remind me of the opening of the finale of his sonata in B minor, I would love to hear your thoughts on that.
Thank you for that video (and the others too) I just finished this piece (and the 3rd) and your advices are very helpfull - because i have no teacher. Now I go for 1+2.... many thanks!! .....especially for your Mendelssohn comparison. this helped a lot. regarding the form, you suggested a Rondeau form. What do you think about Sonata form? (exposition, elaboration in a flat, reprise, coda) the b part could perhaps also be a kind of a barcarolle because of the ostinato left hand waves and your very helpull suggestion not playing too slow. (the one voice passage exactly in the middle of the b part reminds me to a certain part in the Barcarolle) but this is part of Chopins genius: his music is clear on the first view but a miracle on the second. At the beginning during slow practizing i couldn't believe, that the chord chains are that difficult. I thougth, that the 1/8 passages are much more difficult. but at the very end, you are completely rigth: the small 1/4 chord chains are much more difficult to bring in a proper shape at 100 - 104 bars / min You talked about some issues at the end of the piece regarding relations between the Scherzi. that's really amazing. there is perhaps another small detail: In bar 273-276 i have the strong impression, that the 4th Scherzo says "hi" to the 3rd in the inner voice. What do you think about? I' looking forward to all your Videos. It is difficult to find analytical stuff regarding Chopin. Again: Thank You. All the best for you!
Wow! Yes! There is this "hi" to the 3rd Scherzo. But, was it consciously made? We don't know. Yes, your way of seeing the construction also makes sense! But I just thought it will be easier for amateurs and not musicians to catch the Rondo structure. Thanks for the comments!!!
Thank you Maestro! i look forward to your analysis of the 2nd sonata, I love the first three movements but have never come around to understand the 4th, and have always found it unconvicing, but I admit that I have a preference against final movements of pieces in general. It is rare that I like them much, hopefully you can change my mind.
Greg, thank you so much for your inspiring analysis! Because I’m currently attempting to learn this scherzo, your insights are especially valuable, even though I may never get the passagework part of my toolkit sufficiently up to speed for performance. I’m curious about which edition of Chopin’s works you use for learning and analysis (perhaps you mentioned this in a previous video, but I have not yet heard it).
Hello! Good luck with this demanding piece!!! It takes time.... I'm using Jan Ekier National Polish Edition, which is also recommend by the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw
what an interesting observation abut things from the prior three scherzi coming at the end of this one. A bit like Winter Wind has elements from many prior etudes in it, would you say?
You forgot to mention that one can also recognize Chopin's Sonata #3, the final movement, closer to the end. You can its initial chords twice in the same key as the original Sonata. It looks like Frederic Chopin wanted to include flavors from his other pieces into this Scherzo.
I just discovered your channel. You are a brilliant pianist and teacher and the fact that these videos are available fot free is absolutely incredible. Are you planning to do the 24 (27) etudes?
@@gregniemczuk I think you can go deeper and talk more about technique for the etudes. I've been enjoying learning about the history and form but I honestly wish you could include more technique / theory (I absolutely understand why you don't). You could probably dedicate a few minutes to talk about technique for the more advanced viewers. (This is just a suggestion) Once again, thank you for these amazing videos.
Hello - Had to view over five sessions. The ``scream'' in the berceuse/nocturno would be ``a plaintive cry''. Just a few face touches and fingers through the hair there, maybe somewhat boisterous and over-enthusiastic, but captivating presentation making the salient points clear to the student. I would also take all that stuff off the piano to respect the instrument. Thank you. Best wishes for the recordings. - DrD
Thanks! I agree with you. The problem was the acoustic. I try different things, in later videos (Nocturnes, Preludes) there is nothing on the piano any more. I know now that it was a mistake. But...too late 🙂 thanks for watching and for your comment!
Gadaj po polsku.!! .myślisz, że jak będziesz gadał po angielsku, to będziesz światowcem? Bądź sobą. A nie właź do dupy światu. Nie produkuj się światu, bo ten angielski twój, to o dupe roztrzaść. Gadaj po polskiemu, a będziesz bardziej szanowany a jak będą chcieli inni, to se przetłumaczą
To nieporozumienie. Każdy film jest zrobiony PRZEDE WSZYSTKIM po polsku, wersja angielska jest dla obcokrajowców. Tutaj zapraszam do posłuchania wersji polskiej: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DSOdPEJnhag.html I nie trzeba tak wulgarnie pisać. Ale rozumiem, że mogłeś nie wiedzieć, że zrobiłem też polskie wersje. Nagrałem ponad 320 odcinków, 160 po polsku i 160 po angielsku. Dziękuję....
