The Telegraph 29 Mar. 2015 By Anna van Praagh ..."Alice Sara Ott gets a lot of attention for her looks and her quirks - but it is her unique musical personality that will keep her at the top ... She looks like a supermodel, often takes the stage in a ball gown and bare feet and, she tells me, has a great fondness for neat scotch. ... “The world of classical music is a very hard world and the people who survive are just a few. One minute you are very popular, four years later no one has heard of you. It could all be over tomorrow. That’s what I want to avoid. I want to be around in 20 or 30 years, doing what I love, I don’t want to be a shooting star.” ... With her elfin features, porcelain skin and jet black hair, she is breathtakingly beautiful, and not averse to posing for photo-shoots highlighting that beauty. Does she feel under pressure as a female artist to exploit her sex appeal? ... “I know where my limits are,” she says crisply. “If I do a photo-shoot I must feel comfortable. I know what I will do and I know what I won’t do.” ... She believes that the classical music world is far more egalitarian than it once was. ... Are her love of whisky (she favours Talisker, Laphroaig and Lagavulin ), her habit of warming up her hands before a concert by solving the Rubik’s cube (she can complete it within a minute), and her trademark bare feet simply ways of making sure she stands out in a crowded market? No, nothing so calculated she says. ... “There’s no commercial reason for performing in bare feet. It makes me comfortable and it gets hot under the spotlight so it’s nice to feel the cold pedals on my feet.” ... The Rubik’s cube is practical and the whisky - well, she just happens to like single malts. ... However, such quirks do help make her more - dread word - “accessible” to audiences that might not normally be attracted to classical music and that is something about which she is passionate. ... “I want to remove the notion that classical music is just something for rich educated people,” she says. “It’s not. You don’t have to be educated to enjoy classical music, you get educated by listening to it.” ... “That’s why for me it is so important to be a really good musician rather than someone who just looks good on stage,” she muses, “Because then I am replaceable. If I have a unique musical personality, I hope that people will wait for me.” GIDON KREMER : ...die Tage der "verwegenen Burschen und wunderschönen Mädchen", die das Publikum verführen, sind gezählt. Sie werden schon bald abgelöst werden von ... ihresgleichen! Ein in der Öffentlichkeit zum "Superstar" promovierter Künstler verleiht der vorgetragenen Musik keine zusätzlichen Feinheiten.Sein Name, dekliniert, konjugiert, geschätzt, verkauft, gefeiert, zu Lebzeiten lautstark bejubelt, wird ...in VERGESSENHEIT geraten. ...."In der heutigen Zeit der Massenaufläufe und Vergnügungen wird es als besonders "cool" betrachtet, sich nach dem populären Geschmack zu richten. ...Indessen verführt man uns dazu, die Treue zur Musik zu vergessen und uns im Namen des Erfolges (oder Umsatzes?) "hinzugeben" (das Wort entspricht sogar der Handlung!) - Hauptsache, der "Kunde" (der Hörer!) ist zufrieden. Erinnert so eine Haltung nicht an ein Bordell? ..."
you could’nt have described it better • the pitch is so crystal clear and acts like ‘pin pricks’ i feel it is simply sublime thank you most thrilling the sharing 🪖
If you love a timeless piece of music playing it can bring you enjoyment your whole life. Completely different context but look how many years Ozzy played Iron Man in concert, at least 40 years. Or Dave Mustaine of Megadeth playing In My Darkest Hour since around 1988, or how about Alice Cooper singing I'm 18 since 1971. You just don't understand music or musicians very well.
During her performance, I have felt a lot of beautiful emotions and feelings. Really a great performance. Perfect and also with a lot passion and heart. Bravissima!
please pay attention, that alice was long time in love with listzs untill she read that he was not very tall, so is it no wonder that she plays listzt so good ;-)
@@marioschmitdt6332 Let's talk on a very topical topic: "Equal Rights", equal rights between a man and a woman. Imagine: a male pianist plays this work, in the same hall. To attract the attention of the public, this male pianist followed Alice's example and stepped on the stage barefoot. Nature gave him feet of size 12 (46). Dear ...167, what do you write in your comment? And if a pianist - a man enters the stage with a bare back? THE INDEPENDET (**) Michael Church "...The hall was full - vigorous marketing, plus her trademark bare feet and scarlet ball-dress, had seen to that - but the performance itself was miserably charisma-free."
Alice Sara Ott - PR product, money making machine! Der weltberühmte Geiger Gidon Kremer schreibt in einem neuen Buch ,,Briefe an eine junge Pianistin": ...,,Kaum zu glauben: Es gibt im Handel mit Musikern erstaunliche Begriffe wie ,,das neue französische/ englische/ deutsche Talent", ,,new face of the next generation" oder einfach ,,rising star" usw. Heute schrieb mir ein Kollege von einer jungen Begabung, die man der Welt gleichzeitig als Model und Geigerin ,,in einem Flacon" anbietet. Egal ob es sich um Pianisten oder Geiger handelt, das riecht stark nach Kosmetikprodukten. Da erhebt sich die Frage: Wollen wir bei diesem Wettbewerb mitmachen? ...Warum bemühen sich viele Künstler, besonders vorteilhaft auszusehen? Woher kommt deise Krankheit? Liegt es an unserer Zeit? Am demokratisierten Geschmack und in der Folge am Diktat des Marktes? Sind Künstler,die sich auf diesen Ausverkauf einlassen, total unschuldig? Ich habe da meine Zweifel...Auf diesem Markt ist nämlich viel Falschgeld im Umlauf. ..."
Absolutely breathtaking - I listened to and watched this and kept saying to myself "That's not possible!" . I watched it over and over again and still cannot believe what I am hearing or seeing. JUST INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL.
please pay attention, that alice was long time in love with listzs untill she read that he was not very tall, so is it no wonder that she plays listzt so good ;-) ...
please pay attention, that alice was long time in love with listzs untill she read that he was not very tall, so is it no wonder that she plays listzt so good ;-)
please... pay attention, that alice was long time in love with listzs untill she read that he was not very tall, so is it no wonder that she plays listzt so good ;-)
Clarity is perfect. I love this performance. Every passage is clear and the base notes speak in the heavier chordal sections. She has so many colors in her fingertips.
please pay attention, that alice was long.. time in love with listzs untill she read that he was not very tall, so is it no wonder that she plays listzt so good ;-)
I enjoyed this more than Yundi Li's or Evgeny Kissin's version. It's quite different in the interpretation, but it's a breath of fresh air in a place where everyone is just competing to play the piece as fast as possible (Kissin so fast that he actually makes a substantial number of mistakes). The rubato is quite beautiful here, and you show in the finale that it's definitely not to make up for insecure playing. Well done.
@@Zauriooo Kissin is a legendary pianist. I would expect him to be able to give a live performance at tempo with minimal mistakes. I don't dislike his version or anything but nevertheless. Taking one's time with La Campanella is a nice change of pace.
An amazingly masterful performance. I wonder how many people appreciate just how incredibly difficult this piece is to play, let alone play with such control. Put it in perspective, I'm a grade 8 pianist and have been playing for some 12 years. I can only play the first line...
please pay attention, that alice,. was long time in love with listzs untill she read that he was not very tall, so is it no wonder that she plays listzt so good ;-)
A really different interpretation of this piece... but I really like how she smiles while she plays:) It looks like she's having a really good time playing the piece and that's great:)
Interesting pacing and phrasing, and it's got that signature light and delightful playing from her which stands out in this piece more than others. Not to mention the clarity throughout the whole piece. That was really good! :)
a lot of feeling not as wild as many play the piece very nice dynamics and a very pearly brilliant sound so for me one of the most beautiful versions that have been played on our planet you can't play it better absolute respect very difficult piece
please pay attention, that alice was long time in love with listzs untill she read that he was not very tall, so is it no wonder that she plays listzt so good ;-)
It's like the lightest breath of an angel dancing on those keys. The right instrument, the best artist, and one of the greatest composers for piano...all brought together in this magic moment.
La Campanella probably is one of the most "personal" song to judge by a critic or by the audience and this because of the enourmous different interpretations we could have. This is is surely one of the most brillant I ever heard. Besides Alice shows a such control on the technique as well as a great skill to slow down the rythm when necessary, without looking too much cheese. In the end is a top five interpretation ever.
I love listening to interpretations. This is extremely technique and difficult so bravo. I say bravo Liszt for writing such genius works for us pianist to play !
The first impression is that of a pianist whose technique is yet to mature. However, Miss Ott does not fail to shine. Her interpretation is delightful and at times dexterously witty, conveying rich emotions at ease. There is no sense of restrained mechanism here; one hears only the congenial resonance of a ringing bell in the air.
Probably one of the best performance I ever heard for that piece. This performer has taken a huge (successful) risk by using very few times the pedal. One thing that moved me is the way she plays the variation starting at 2:46 : it reminds me old music boxes and I personally think this is a great and smart idea this performer had. So in one word : congratulations
I like this performance a lot. I think Liszt wanted it to be at a consistant tempo, but your interpretation... It's probably better this way. Just amazing.
Georges Cancan a bit odd that you’ve chosen to verbatim copy an entire review as presumably your say on the matter. You’re entitled to that I suppose, however lacking in originality it may be. Personally, I’m not sure why Mr Church feels the need to bring sexist views nor a convoluted way of saying he just doesn’t enjoy their style. Perhaps he knows his own work is lacking in magic? Regardless I don’t subscribe to that and while I’m not claiming Ms Sara is the all time greatest, I can very much still enjoy her performances for what they were, and that I do.
@@jamesgreen8777 Let's talk on a very topical topic: "Equal Rights", equal rights between a man and a woman. Imagine: a male pianist plays this work, in the same hall. To attract the attention of the public, this male pianist followed Alice's example and stepped on the stage barefoot. Nature gave him feet of size 12 (46). Dear ...167, what do you write in your comment? And if a pianist - a man enters the stage with a bare back? THE INDEPENDET (**) Michael Church "...The hall was full - vigorous marketing, plus her trademark bare feet and scarlet ball-dress, had seen to that - but the performance itself was miserably charisma-free."
Own Meu Deus, me apaixonei... essa musica é maravilhosa, ela expressou maravilhosamente os sentimentos da musica e a melhor interpretação que ja vi desta musica, Liszt concerteza ficaria orgulhoso de vc, Linda Sara...
please pay attention, that alice was long time in love with listzs untill she read that he was not very tall, so is it no wonder that she plays listzt so good ;-) ,.
Her performance is hypnotizing , incomparable and stupendous . I am immersed in pleasure while listening to her exquisite performance . From Tokyo in Japan .
Alice... I have cry listening your "la campanella". Thanks for this big emotion! God bless your hands but expecially your clean and lovable soul. (from italy with love and admiration).
please pay attention, that alice was long time in love with listzs,. untill she read that he was not very tall, so is it no wonder that she plays listzt so good ;-)
I really enjoyed this performance. I thought she had a lot of beautiful phrasing which is sometimes lacking in the more athletic performances. Wonderful.
Amazing control is an understatement. Liszt wrote this with a strong emphasis on the piano being a *percussive* instrument in an orchestra and I don't think this pianist could have done a better job conveying that. Well done!
This is my favorite interpretation, the best about the rythm, really fast... really mastered, neither Aya Nagatomy nor Valentina Lisitsa had this faster... Trust me this is the best version, especially near the ned of the music
flipping goosebumps!!!!!! best version I've heard so far, the bell sounds are so clean and pristine. even if she's very gentle with the notes, she's not short of passion at all for all the other intense segments. amazing!!
There is in this marvellous play all the ability to manage tow hands playing with a so expressive way that the pecular rytmic became a dancing movement . Alice Sara Ott once again integrate a so easy virtuosity it's simply unbelievable
This is probably one of the most difficult in the standard classical piano repertoire and she did well, but as previously pointed out she does slightly slow on occasions, at least compared to Yundi Li and Evgeny Kissin versions. But still a tremendously talented young star nonetheless.
I think everyone plays this a little too fast to be honest. People seem intent on showing off speed with this piece and there is no need. Personally, I like to play this a little slower and there's plenty of opportunity to show off towards the end where Liszt actually marks a faster tempo.
(the performances are still amazing, pls dont kill me) the piece isn’t actually that hard compared to a lot of liszt pieces, though in terms of more popular pieces, other than the hungarian rhapsodies this is definitely up there as one of the harder ones
Ariana ; I play La Campanella and I have to agree with you. It is probably easier than infamous Chopin op10no2, op25no6 and op25no11, and the Transcendentals. However, La Campanella is not walk in the park and should be played as variations. Many pianists start too fast and then slow down due to more difficult later variations before the animato octave section, which is the only part to be played faster. Variations should be played steadily.
I don't know why Adam Gyorgy's interpretation on La Campanella touches my heart though it's a bit slower. Maybe it's kind of connection between the performer & audiences.
Bravo! Done her own special way and it seems as she almost owns the piece. It's sometimes places as a personal mantra fetish, that some artist walk away with the score played as no others can. Approach is indicated by intent and the product of expression through effort, so christens the nature of the performance. Very well done.
Well, despite the fluctuations in tempo that so disturb Whoc ares below (it is Romantic, after all!--just imagine what Liszt would have done!), this is the cleanest performance I've found on RU-vid to date, shaming the Kissin & Lang Lang performances available. Of course they're all geniuses and I'd give my eyeteeth (and probably several other treasured body parts!) to have their technique!
Personally, my favourite is Evgeny Kissin's performance because my playing style relates to his almost perfectly. Not that I can play this, but that his use of staccato is absolutely perfect (I love staccato notes when I see music sheets with them), and the tempo is very controlled, unlike this one. All opinions man, don't take this as an argument. I'm just comparing.
walter728 Too fast for my liking, but she has so much skill. What places her apart from everyone else is that she records in a studio rather than in front of an audience, meaning she can play better, which improves her look on youtube. You have to see people like Kissin in real life to really appreciate how hard they try
Alvin Loh I've seen them. I still think it's much easier to play on your own, just like the one she uploaded in the studio. Remember, I'm not just talking about this piece, but most of her pieces on RU-vid.
