Valery Gergiev conducting Vienna Philharmonic at Salzburg Festival 2000 playing Firebird (Finale) by Igor Stravinsky. One of the best version (thanks Gergiev) of one of the most beautiful, intense and stunning musical piece ever composed.
I like to watch Gergiev's finale to the Firebird to remind myself what dedication to one's art is all about. His intensity is always a wake up call: "Don't go easy on yourself just because the world everywhere is easily satisfied with mediocre efforts. To hell with all that." // Thank you, Maestro Gergiev!
@Timmy Tran Your comment is something that a mature music lover would NOT write. I'm struck by your bald-faced misunderstanding about what Gergiev is about. His gestures may be exaggerated, but he has been guiding the musicians in many rehearsals to get them to this point. This is the culmination of countless hours of preparation.
He is a friend of Putin and yet pretends to be an interpreter of Shostakovich. We are experiencing a time when people are dieting because of people like Gergiev. Iris time for him to take responsibility!
@@davidforbes2795 I certainly do not approve of Mister Putin. But how exactly is Gergiev a friend of Putin's? On whose initiation? Putin would certainly like to be legitimized by associating with a famous Russian musician. If Gergiev did not want that association, would it be dangerous for him to keep his distance, or (even more daring) to be critical? Putin does not hesitate to eliminate any perceived criticism.
as a conductor myself i have to say that i think that 4:13 ninja move is epic. I usually tend to think that gergievs gestures must be a pain to follow for the orchestra, but here, o h my, this performance is something else.
I used to think Gergiev made the last chord last too long in this version of The Firebird (considering Stravinsky's own recordings). Bullshit. This finale deserves it
Gergiev's conducting is a strenuous and passionate demonstration of his love for this music! His direction of the strike on the heavy bass drum at 4:14 always gets me.
It's important that the final B -Major chord be played tutti beginning at the EXACT same second, going from pianissimo to fortissimo. Amazingly I've heard orchestras completely disregard the dynamic markings. It's beautifully rendered here...and the chord is even given a fermata, which is longer than I've ever heard. Love it. The hall might not be opulent nor Gergiev polished, but his awareness and passion for "The Firebird" is clearly evident. He is one of my favorites because of his intense passion.
I love ballet, love Firebird and love Maestro Gergiev. What could be better. When I hear this finale I always see the glorious ending to a Russian fairy tale, a marriage of Prince Ivan.
Surely one of the most euphoric finishes in all classical music if Classic FM did a Top 50 of best endings to a classical piece then this would have to be Top 3. It's one of the few pieces that brings a joyful tear to the eye and after a near 45 minute perfomance of the whole suite conductor Valery Gergiev sweated out every last bit of his passion and soul for that climax.
What a wonder, I would like to be a musician to be directed by this poet of magic hands and fingers. He does not conduct the orchestra, he conducts the score because he knows it by heart and memory, and sees it in his mind and his fingers and are writing it in the space and he is only marking them and making them visible to everyone. He is a master of passion and music overflowing beyond words.
I was blessed to see Valery Gergiev conduct the Mariinsky's "Le sacre du printemps" in Paris on the 100th anniversary , May 29, 2013 and concert versions of the "Big Three", "The Firebird" (full), "Petrushka" and also "Le sacre" at Carnegie Hall in New York, October 11, 2013. He is one of the greats, and Igor Stravinsky himself? The greatest of the greats!
@@fatovamingus Sure thank you. :-) I can send you pics that I took there if you want too. Marie is a very good friend of mine. Got to hang out with her, Nico and Alex on 2 different trips to the USA. Love them as family. :-)
@@fatovamingus I have no problem with you however (why would I?) and no, not actually true about “one-upping”. Self-inflated, insecure assholes “one-up” others and I would hope I wouldn’t be described that way by others. In fact, as much as I love many of the same things you do, your boundless enthusiasm itself for “All Things Stravinsky”, ONE-UPS ME. Look at all of the amazing Stravinsky related videos you’ve uploaded as a resource for many, and look at all of the knowledge you have on his various works. Off the top of my head I can barely spell “Pulcinella” let alone talk intelligently about it, without researching it beforehand, Lol. We’re all on the same side and it’s not competing in the least for me. At any rate, have a good weekend and smile. You deserve to. 😎
@@Sheffield6688 LOL I think you (like Marie) are awesome. People with ability to travel and do and see things that others could be lofty about? You ddo not.
This is so good. The way the maestro conducts with passion is simply wonderful, and he really gets a feel for how amazing and inspiring Stravinsky's music is. Good job to Maestro Gergiev and the Vienna Philharmonic!
Bravo!!!! the most intense finale I ever heard of this remarkable Ballet! How woderful...as it should be!..."Gergiev dont want the music to be ended"..he gave full value to the chords including the final one...so passionate! this part is commonly played so fast even by Strawinsky himself...Perfromers are very necessary!!
Actually this isn' the finale of the suite version, but rather that of the full ballet version of the Firebird(which I prefer anyway). How to tell the difference: 1. 0:00-0:17 i.e. Kaschei's(the villiain's) Death is included on the full ballet version, but is cut out in the 1919 suite version. 2. The 2 huge bass drum rolls at the end only appear in the full ballet version, whereas the suite version only includes the big strokes at the end of those 2 rolls.
5 Minutes 25 Seconds to Heaven: Now close your eyes and follow as within these Final beautiful tranquil passages of breathtaking notes and musical phrases where moments melt from reality and precious life and air itself seems to ever so effortlessly and slowly...ever so lightly ....breath a little slower…..ever so slowly...slower still... and......softly..... transcending into a calmness .....so pure..... so rare a oneness .....a quiet stillness... so soft and precious that you can faintly hear your own heart beat ...with each beat a quietness envelops you that you've never felt or known before of a lifetime filled with pure love - a love in idle dreams of long ago you feel . We found a true love; A perfect match, soulmates, An angel from above. We made each other complete: We made the perfect soul: We made each other feel the world: You and me, cannot be separated: And that’s what we told this world: If time could ease its relentless march when we're together, and hasten its plodding pace .....then: A BRIGHT LIGHT: Like that I'm gone from the race. Only sadness in it's place: Separated and apart, you could spend an eternity in my arms, you believe now to savor love everlasting in your heart but now - You miss so deeply, I miss so deeply, Now -Your heart struggles to beat, You cannot breathe fully, You can’t wait till we again meet, When we're apart, All you can do, As the years slowly pass; Is sit lonely and stare through the looking glass; Each thought of you fills me with sweet emotion; I gave to you my deepest devotion. My fondest wishes you completely fulfill; I love you totally, and I always will. Once more you can't wait -you're sad and blue: When you said I love you, you hear my voice: Please believe it’s true. When you say forever, You here my voice: Know I’ll never leave you. A warm inviting light : Now awake -awake- awake: Eternity is HERE : Eternity is OURS: We're together, We're together: And now we know: Our love was meant : To THRIVE AND GROW: THRIVE AND GROW: THE GATES HAVE OPENED: GOD HAS ANSWERED OUR PRAYERS: FOREVER WE WILL BE: HAND IN HAND: FOREVER WE WILL BE: HAND IN HAND: THROUGH ALL ETERNITY THROUGH ALL ETERNITY MY LOVE THROUGH---ALL---ETERNITY THROUGH---ALL-- ETERNITY MY LOVE THROUGH---ALL-- ETERNITY THROUGH---ALL-- ETERNITY MY LOVE A- MEN A.-MEN A- MEN ...................................................................................................................................................AMEN.
..la verdadera música te hace ser impecable y único...no se puede repetir, se hace eterno mi sentir, en cada nota musical que estalla y oye mi alma juvenil 🙏 🎶💯
Everyone here is rightly talking about the last (B maj) chord, but for my money the peak should be at the 4th to last chord with the F natural (tritone) at the top. I listened to a bunch of recordings and this is the only one (even including Stravinsky himself) that comes close to the total abandon I feel that chord needs. Well played Valery!
A tradegy indeed that such a great conductor playing such great music can support such an evil regime. I have loved Gergiev for many years.........so sad.
How any of these musicians can follow him is beyond me.His conducting technique is all over the place! The very last climatic note is not precisely placed with his hands at all.
Degueulasse qu’une telle pourriture pro Poutine soit encore jouée sur RU-vid: une honte pour le monde musical …. Gloire à nos amis ukrainiens et à ce peuple courageux !
@@user-wt8zw7ic7n l’Oiseau de Feu a été créé par Stravinsky - et non Tchaikovski !!! - en 1909-10 alors qu’il était en Ukraine; ce grand compositeur d’origine russe est devenu un concitoyen américain fuyant le climat politique de son pays d’origine… Toute l’œuvre magistrale de Stravinski - et de Tchaikovski qui plus est - est teintée de sa vie et des opinions personnelles de ce grand génie ( comme le furent aussi celles fabuleuses de Beethoven, Mozart Bach et Wagner aussi ) le grand peuple ukrainien et aussi le grand peuple russe doivent cesser la guerre (WAR IS OVER IF YOU WANT IT). RIEN NE JUSTIFIE LES ACTIONS DE DESTRUCTION ACTUELLES et que Gergiev, ce dégueulasse , les cautionne me lève le coeur : tous ceux qui cautionnent publiquement le pourri de Poutine favorise la mort des ukrainiens et bientôt l’isolement et la fin du peuple russe… Osons dire : Gloire à nos amis ukrainiens et à nos amis russes de bonne volonté…et que tous les dictateurs de cette terre soient renversés quels qu’ils soient… La musique elle demeure quoi qu’il advienne…et triomphera…
@@danielbrunet100 Я понял вас. Хочется надеяться что за пределами России понимают что не все русские поддерживают то,что начал Путин и не все русские заслуживают того,что сейчас происходит с ними. Я имею в виду ненависть всего мира. Можно не любить Путина и так далее. Но зачем ненавидеть ВСЕХ русских. Неважно за Путина или против Путина выступает этот человек.
@@A5ha so you see, if the conductor was… any other conductor atm… my comment wouldn’t make sense. But in this video, a Putin apologist is conducting. So that’s why my comment is on the video. See? Simple! :)
Good music but the conductor might as well be from an insane asylum. He seems to let the concert master keep time for the orchestra so the conductor can be off communing with the universe. "Hm I am sweating so much, I must have forgotten my next batch of meds..."
