@danieldumanescu The lady sitting next to Ravel is the Canadian mezzo-soprano Eva Gauthier (see bio on Wikipedia). The photo was taken in New York City, March 8, 1928, at a birthday party honoring Ravel.
Ridiculously amazing playing by Hamelin, utterly unbelievable control, imagination, voicing, pedal. Stupendous. Where do you think the mic was placed in this bootleg? It's a priceless document of this performance!
Just finished a fascinating book - The House of Wittgenstein by Alexander Waugh. It charts the fortunes of the Wittgenstein family over the 20th Century. Paul Wittgenstein was the concert pianist who commissioned this piece. He actually fell out with Ravel over the scoring. Highly recommended read.
Who doesn't see it as the G major's equal? Of course it is (at least) regarded as such by musicians, musicologists and those who know both concertos well anyway. The only reasons why it is not quite so popular are (i) its genuine, tremendous technical difficulty, and (ii) perhaps the concert organisers' idea that a concerto for one hand is not quite as much 'value for money' as the standard, two-hands ones... By the way, who ever plays Ravel's 'Sites auriculaires', which are scored for piano THREE hands?!....
@madlovba3 What about the others? I admit I don't recognize anyone apart from Ravel and Gershwin. Maybe Marguerite Long? I've only seen photos of the old her.
@danieldumanescu Sorry, I can't recognise anybody else either. Contact youtuber Musique3579, he colourized it - I guess he has a lot more information, he's a great fan of Ravel.
Entremont and Boulez gave a studio performance for a TV programme about Ravel, around the same time they recorded it with the Cleveland Orchestra. I rushed out and bought the LP. That was exactly fifty years ago, and I still listen to it today. It's the performance against which I judge all the others.
The absolute GREATEST performance of the piece I have ever heard. Including the orchestra. Unbelievable.
@danieldumanescu The lady sitting next to Ravel is the Canadian mezzo-soprano Eva Gauthier (see bio on Wikipedia). The photo was taken in New York City, March 8, 1928, at a birthday party honoring Ravel.
Ridiculously amazing playing by Hamelin, utterly unbelievable control, imagination, voicing, pedal. Stupendous. Where do you think the mic was placed in this bootleg? It's a priceless document of this performance!
Amazing post. And the NJSO sounds fantastic. The players, mainly. Couldn't care less about the conductor. Hamelin playing like a god yet again.
Wow that really is an amazing "touch up" on that photo! And the music is, of course, astounding!
Just finished a fascinating book - The House of Wittgenstein by Alexander Waugh. It charts the fortunes of the Wittgenstein family over the 20th Century. Paul Wittgenstein was the concert pianist who commissioned this piece. He actually fell out with Ravel over the scoring. Highly recommended read.
Thanks for posting this, it's my first time hearing it.
Awesome!
I LOVE THIS!!! THANKS FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fantastique
Absolutely riveting! Other than its technical difficulty I see no reason this work isn't seen as the G major Concerto's equal.
Who doesn't see it as the G major's equal? Of course it is (at least) regarded as such by musicians, musicologists and those who know both concertos well anyway. The only reasons why it is not quite so popular are (i) its genuine, tremendous technical difficulty, and (ii) perhaps the concert organisers' idea that a concerto for one hand is not quite as much 'value for money' as the standard, two-hands ones... By the way, who ever plays Ravel's 'Sites auriculaires', which are scored for piano THREE hands?!....
@danieldumanescu It is indeed him. The photo was originally faded and yellowed, but a friend of mine coloured it, very well :)
i love very much concerto.......
@madlovba3 I see. Thank you anyway for this post :) And, of course, tell your friend he did a nice job with the photo :)
In the photo that appears at 9:52 is that by any chance Gershwin on the right?
Yes.
@madlovba3 What about the others? I admit I don't recognize anyone apart from Ravel and Gershwin. Maybe Marguerite Long? I've only seen photos of the old her.
@danieldumanescu Sorry, I can't recognise anybody else either. Contact youtuber Musique3579, he colourized it - I guess he has a lot more information, he's a great fan of Ravel.
Plays Ravel concerto for the left hand.
Thumbnail a picture of using 2 hands 😂
de Larrocha and Entremont were the best.
Gotta love Larrocha...
Entremont and Boulez gave a studio performance for a TV programme about Ravel, around the same time they recorded it with the Cleveland Orchestra. I rushed out and bought the LP. That was exactly fifty years ago, and I still listen to it today. It's the performance against which I judge all the others.
lol 9:52 onwards: and who is the only one smoking ;)
The conducting is rather bad (instruments are not synced a lot of the time) but Hamelin is amazing as always