The more I listen to MAH, the more I realize that he is likely to be one of the most capable pianists of all time. The sheer volume of repertoire that he has conquered is absolutely staggering.
Dr. Stegemann in his essential book, Saint-Saens and the French Concerto makes the case that this is Saint-Saens finest concerto- and what a magnificent work it is! Astounding construction and gorgeous to the ear! Hamelin is excellent here. I hope he studies and records all of the Saint-Saens piano concerti. His playing of the 5th, posted on UA-cam was a huge disapointment, nothing like the polished and exciting execution here. Orchestra here is also excellent. thank you!
I love the fire, the speed and precision of Hamelins playing. I haven't heard any other interpretation which has the same drive as this. There is no living person on this planet comparable to Hamelin. I just wish there were an commercial version of this on CD. Does anyone know the date and location for this recording?
I am not very familiar with Saint-Saens and none of the works of him that I've heard have really grabbed me enough to take further notice of Saint-Saens. But this piano concerto is absolutely amazing! There really is quite an abundance of profound and lovely melodies. Maybe it's because I've not heared too much of Saint-Saens, but I don't remember such lovely melodies from the few others works of him I've heard. Nevertheless if he writes pieces like this, I need to listen some more Saint Saens
@KhagarBalugrak: Liszt was "Germanic" too, actually. He could barely speak a word of Hungarian. @sam333: He didn't say he was a world-renowned critic. He said he prefers the performance by Jean-Philippe Collard. What's wrong with that?
ღვთიური სიყვარულით გვიღიმის და გვათრობს თავისი შეუდარებელი პიანიზმით, ვეღარავის ვერ ვუსმენ მარკ-ანდრე ჰამლენის შემდეგ, მან პირველმა შეახო თავისი ჯადოსნური თითები როიალის სიმებს როგორც არფას, კლავიატურას ფლობს იმ დონემდე რომ ჩაქუჩები ისე ეხება სიმებს როგორც რბილი თითები, ეს არის ღვთის მიერ ბოძებული ნიჭი, არავის ძალუძს ააჟღეროს როიალი მისებრ, იგი ერთადერთია ისევე როგორც პაგანინი თავისი ვიოლინოთი, ჰამლენს და პაგანინის მარადიულად დარჩებათ პირველის სახელი!
JWentu, may be Andersen's "Thumbelina" help you to understand why. I mean the episod where Thumbelina dances with Beetle :) watch?v=XLsHXra82y8&t=13m16s
At school I discovered a recording of the 2nd piano concerto played by Rubinstein. I instantly became a can of Saint-Saens. But my piano teacher said Saint-Saens was "just a lot of notes", something I never understood.
@@JWentu My view is that each composer is unique and his own universe. So "too many notes" compared to what? To some other composer's universe? Let's just enjoy each composer for what he/she is.
@@JWentu spot on. My late partner who introduced me to the Saint Saens piano concerti almost 50 years ago was a classical pianist and organist who studied with Boulanger, E. Power Biggs, and Virgil Fox. it's always the second raiders who use the phrase "too many notes" or "a lot of notes." The same poor souls who lack the skill to play anything at other than a scholarly pace.
I think it has something to do with the fact he wasn't Germanic. Really, all anybody takes seriously these days is Germanic music, except for opera people. I'm in conservatory right now, and the teachers will straight up tell students that Germanic music is thousands of times better than any other type of music. Germanic music comprises about 99% of what instrumentalists study. It's Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert, with perhaps a little Debussy, Chopin and Liszt.
Very impressive playing of course, but what a shame so much sounds just too hurried, particularly the finale theme, so dry,lacking breadth or even breathing; finally this speediness becomes monotonous & unexciting. Like modern US movies, all explosions and chases....who cares? Even the several imprecisions pass without meaning anything at all.
+Russell Miller But think of a pianist playing at this speed, getting every octave right, and the orchestra at pinpoint-0precision with the pianist. I don't think it can be done. Only a computer notation program could do that. Such a performance would bring down the house. But MAH is the only pianist I've heard so far who could pull this off....on a good night.
The more I listen to MAH, the more I realize that he is likely to be one of the most capable pianists of all time. The sheer volume of repertoire that he has conquered is absolutely staggering.
One of the very best performances of this concerto; technique abounds and the interpretation is really well brought out.
all his concerti for piano have beautiful moments
parfaite synergie du pianiste et de l'orchestre dans une interprétation toute en couleurs maîtrisées!
Dr. Stegemann in his essential book, Saint-Saens and the French Concerto makes the case that this is Saint-Saens finest concerto- and what a magnificent work it is! Astounding construction and gorgeous to the ear! Hamelin is excellent here. I hope he studies and records all of the Saint-Saens piano concerti. His playing of the 5th, posted on UA-cam was a huge disapointment, nothing like the polished and exciting execution here. Orchestra here is also excellent. thank you!
This is so unbelievably phantastic! Wow wow wow!!
I love the fire, the speed and precision of Hamelins playing. I haven't heard any other interpretation which has the same drive as this.
There is no living person on this planet comparable to Hamelin. I just wish there were an commercial version of this on CD. Does anyone know the date and location for this recording?
Finally available
Final movement tempo = ASTONISHING!!!!!!!!!!
stupendous pianism by MAH...arguably SAINT-SAENS' greatest piano concerto!
Thanks for this share!
Incredibly moving from around 9.45 to 10.45 (just before last movement). Thanks.
I am not very familiar with Saint-Saens and none of the works of him that I've heard have really grabbed me enough to take further notice of Saint-Saens. But this piano concerto is absolutely amazing! There really is quite an abundance of profound and lovely melodies. Maybe it's because I've not heared too much of Saint-Saens, but I don't remember such lovely melodies from the few others works of him I've heard.
Nevertheless if he writes pieces like this, I need to listen some more Saint Saens
@KhagarBalugrak: Liszt was "Germanic" too, actually. He could barely speak a word of Hungarian.
@sam333: He didn't say he was a world-renowned critic. He said he prefers the performance by Jean-Philippe Collard. What's wrong with that?
ღვთიური სიყვარულით გვიღიმის და გვათრობს თავისი შეუდარებელი
პიანიზმით, ვეღარავის ვერ
ვუსმენ მარკ-ანდრე ჰამლენის
შემდეგ, მან პირველმა შეახო თავისი ჯადოსნური თითები როიალის სიმებს როგორც
არფას, კლავიატურას ფლობს
იმ დონემდე რომ ჩაქუჩები ისე
ეხება სიმებს როგორც რბილი
თითები, ეს არის ღვთის მიერ
ბოძებული ნიჭი, არავის ძალუძს ააჟღეროს როიალი
მისებრ, იგი ერთადერთია ისევე როგორც პაგანინი თავისი ვიოლინოთი, ჰამლენს
და პაგანინის მარადიულად
დარჩებათ პირველის სახელი!
It sounds a bit jazzy to me. Nice mix.
JWentu, may be Andersen's "Thumbelina" help you to understand why. I mean the episod where Thumbelina dances with Beetle :)
watch?v=XLsHXra82y8&t=13m16s
again, fantstic!
i can't understand people who hate SaintSaens...
At school I discovered a recording of the 2nd piano concerto played by Rubinstein. I instantly became a can of Saint-Saens. But my piano teacher said Saint-Saens was "just a lot of notes", something I never understood.
@@hornerook "too many notes" is the excuse of musicians that can't play fast and tastefully at the same time, I guess
@@JWentu My view is that each composer is unique and his own universe. So "too many notes" compared to what? To some other composer's universe? Let's just enjoy each composer for what he/she is.
@@JWentu spot on. My late partner who introduced me to the Saint Saens piano concerti almost 50 years ago was a classical pianist and organist who studied with Boulanger, E. Power Biggs, and Virgil Fox. it's always the second raiders who use the phrase "too many notes" or "a lot of notes." The same poor souls who lack the skill to play anything at other than a scholarly pace.
I think it has something to do with the fact he wasn't Germanic. Really, all anybody takes seriously these days is Germanic music, except for opera people. I'm in conservatory right now, and the teachers will straight up tell students that Germanic music is thousands of times better than any other type of music. Germanic music comprises about 99% of what instrumentalists study. It's Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert, with perhaps a little Debussy, Chopin and Liszt.
This performance is good, but Jean Phillippe Collard's is better.
Very impressive playing of course, but what a shame so much sounds just too hurried, particularly the finale theme, so dry,lacking breadth or even breathing; finally this speediness becomes monotonous & unexciting. Like modern US movies, all explosions and chases....who cares? Even the several imprecisions pass without meaning anything at all.
Entremont was better.
+Russell Miller But think of a pianist playing at this speed, getting every octave right, and the orchestra at pinpoint-0precision with the pianist. I don't think it can be done. Only a computer notation program could do that. Such a performance would bring down the house. But MAH is the only pianist I've heard so far who could pull this off....on a good night.