This is one of the most remarkable performances on piano ever put on record, right up there with Fleisher's Brahms Concertos with Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra. This is Pollini at the height of his powers in the mid 70's. His control over color and dynamic shadings is truly amazing.
This Pollini recording, and Richter's version, both leave me in amazement every time I hear them. Schubert himself would tremble at the power and control.
Well, Schubert couldn't play it. When he tried it out in one of his friends' meetings, he stopped half way through, and said in exasperation, "Well, the Devil can play the rest of it!"
@@fabiopaolobarbieri2286 Шуберт тогда, вероятно, читал с листа, без предварительных занятий. Думаю, если бы он хотел исполнить эту фантазию публично в концерте, то хорошенько бы позанимался и преодолел бы техническую трудность, на которой споткнулся в тот вечер. И остановился он не на полпути, а лишь в четвëртой части. То, что он преодолел трудности первых трëх частей, говорит о нëм как об опытном пианисте
Pollini's performance of the allegro in particular inspired me to play. It was, moronically, the first piano piece I attempted to learn. I've heard many performances. This is the one that compels me.
The Adagio second section of the Wanderer Fantasie is the part of this piece that moves me the most. Adagios are always where Schubert displays his deeply haunting and profound sublimity. Maurizio Pollini's calm mastery is what makes this my favorite performance of Schubert's Wanderer Fantasie.
It takes a really high grade of creativity to perform with such a perfect technique, as you said. Could you imagine Cortot worrying about how not to false a tone, if not miss completely some keys, while performing arpeggios from the 3rd tempo? Pollini could. This is creativity, in my opinion, since he could decide exactly how he wanted to play every note. Real musicians are every one who can play music at this level!! Your favorite musician, it's another affair...
I admit to know a little about Trifonov's, only some video on tube, and he didn't impress me. You know, tastes are tastes. I actually think that Pollini's rendition of Chopin's Etude is widely considered top level (it's not for ever, but it's a long time since), his Prokofiev 7th and Boulez 2nd sonata, some of Beethoven's sonatas... I don't have problems with different tastes, but one cannot pretend that Pollini will not be considered for his influence in the history of interpretation.
Thank you VERY much for that comment, because I discovered Katchen through it...heard his first notes of the "Wanderer" and think this is how Schubert should be played...
