It's quite unconvincing to say Scarlatti's pieces are the most demanding of all time. Watts said they're "dangerous" because they require a lot of focus and any mishap could not be masked because of the textural clarity of these pieces. You hit a wrong note in Liszt piece no one really notices; you do the same to a Scarlatti piece people start having facial spasms.
That, and the entire piece is often "strung" together almost note-to-note, and (in my amateur view) keeping the appropriate tension, attention, evenness, and mood is so difficult. His attention to rhythm (in the Iberian way) captivated me. His pieces are like nutritious, musically-healthy cupcakes with nearly all the wholesome ingredients, yet you cannot easily distinguish them.
I first saw Andre perform on Omnibus in the early 1960s; he was 19 years old. He got my attention right away. He plays with such expression and skill, a virtuoso indeed.
So when will the Black Image Awards give this talented man a long overdue award. He is educated, articulate, gifted classical pianist, and from what i hear, a great fellow. Been listening to him since the early 1980s.
He is not black. He is a mulatto, whose father was black, and his mother was white. The poor mulatto community gets totally ignored. It's the epitome of racism and disrespect. But they never protest. From a 77 year old PROFOUND admirer of the immortal Andre Watts, who I hope is now at "🌠🌌🌅THE SOURCE OF ALL LIGHT!🌅🌌🌠
@miltonmoore8369 He was biracial, and certainly would qualify for an Image Award because of his African ancestry, which he had along with his Hungarian ancestry. Unfortunately, he has departed from us. I miss his presence.
@@ccaammiinniiito2 ; Thanks to God we have the technology now to perpetuate such music for humankind. One of the many gifts we enjoy, thanks to the gift of life, and our beautiful planet Earth and the amazing Universe.
I saw this recital when it was broadcast live on PBS back in '85 and recorded it on my old Betamax VCR. I used to watch it over and over and over again. That's when I really fell in love with the piano and started taking lessons as a young teenager. Wish I still had that recording.
@Cloe Scott. I heard him in person twice in the 80s. It was exciting and the memories are still with me. This Scarlatti is exquisite. He was one of the first at thaf time to play Gershwin as encores. I Was surprised.
So did I. In fact, I think I still have the Beta recording somewhere. I was about 19 years old and he introduced me to the world of playing Scarlatti on the piano. As a result, I still play the D minor sonata at private concerts. Very fun to perform! Something very satisfying about performing Scarlatti live in front of an audience.
Magnificent. I only heard him play Schubert, when he played die Winterreise with baritone Bernard Kruysen for Schubert's bicentennial. The first was one of my father's favorite Scarlatti sonatas.
Interesting, comparing his redition to the ( admittedly exemplary ) Pletnev recording, the take very different attitudes - I find Pletnev's a little more rhymthically driven. Watts' performance are sill very good, however
Not only is Andre one of the greatest pianists since Liszt, he is a super nice person and a personal friend. The whole video of this concert is amazing.
But do not be ridicolous! Watts one of the greatest since Liszt...hilarious!! He is just one of the hundreds, at best. His Scarlatti rendition is poor, unimpressive under all respects
Started playing Scarlatti guitar sonatas at age 16 in Princeton Illinois after returning from lessons in Spain, I am now 67 yrs of age retired medical illustrator and wished I never sold my Ibanez guitar but had to pay for my daughter's ballet lessons and well worth the sacrifice. Since then continue to research and relive all of Scarlatti's 550 work on a daily basis along with James Gang and Jethro tull.
What about saying Domenico.. Left out his name.. Who knows it could be by his Father Alessandro Scarlatti! Watts rocked it out! Nice! 2 of 555, impressive!
@zakiahart3919 I had that pleasure numerous times, along with opportunities to speak with him at length about certain pieces and his ideas about being a pianist. These were the highlights of my life to be able to spend some time with this titan of classical piano performance. Andre Watts was courteous, engaging, knowledgeable, and so very kind. I miss his presence with us, but thankful he continues to earn his eternally reward! ❤️❤️💔💔
Andre Watts hasn't received the adulation he deserved. Surprised by the ho hum treatment of his passing...not befitting one of the greatest pianists ever !
I saw this performance when it originally aired on Public Television. I bought the laserdisc of however, it doesn't include the interview by Andre Previn. I wish someone would release this performance in its entirety for the sake of music lovers on DVD. Can you upload the entire performance here at UA-cam, since you recorded it on your VCR? Thanks.
To those critics of pianist’s facial expressions: Artists ‘feel’ music more deeply than most other humans in the general public, which means some like Andre Watts and Glen Gould communicate intensity of feeling by being uninhibitedly moved themselves. Should they have taken drama classes in how to appear more restrained and noble so that culture-vultures can obtain the proper aesthetic experience without being distracted?
+slacker697 So in summary, Longo was first and probably more well known 30 years ago since he died 10 years before KK released his works. "For many years, Scarlatti's keyboard sonatas were conventionally identified by their Longo numbers, but these were later superseded by those found in Ralph Kirkpatrick's catalogue. Longo's Catalogue originated in his landmark full publication of the works of Scarlatti in 11 volumes[2] and implied particular groupings of the sonatas, the chronology of which was later completely revised and differently grouped in Kirkpatrick's 1953 study of the composer.[3] Longo also edited works by Domenico Gallo.[4]"
Watts picked 2 great Sonatas. I dont legato in k.141&Longo345. He gives a lot of color to both and his musicianship communicates all ! in other Sonatas it works but here No. Also his attack sounds hard .I prefer brittle and clipped .It may how he was recorded . As a black pianist I would prefer to say this is perfect Scarlatti but after Pogorelich (it must have been studio perfected because what Ivo does ain't possible :perfect sound:the sound the unpercussive leaps,ideal detache when not staccato ,everything.)Haskil and very few others give us this ideal Scarlatti. Horowitz' disc is supposed to sound like Pogorelich but it doesn't .Weissenberg is a master in Scarlatti .
I've heard Pogorelich play Scarlatti live in the 1990s and it was every sparkly diamond as good as his stunning-amazing-miraculous album. There's live recordings to back up my statement.
You do your art your way, and leave others to their way. Hell with his mouth, when yours is running the way it seems to be. I'd love to hear the breath you put into your playing of this material.
Moreover it's easier, at the beginning of the concert, to feel out the sonority of the full attendance hall with pieces that you can take greater liberty in building up. But in these Scarlatti pieces you can easily paint yourself in a corner regarding the structure of the entire piece when you start/end a phrase without proper volume/texture.
@@spiritualneutralist2597 which part if you're referring to the entire piece Andre plays the whole k141 in just 3:06 minutes whereas she plays it in 3:14 minutes. If you mean the repeated notes I agree but that's the only part she plays faster than Andre Watts.
Andre is indeed a brilliant pianist but his crying and other facial gyrations distract from the music. I can listen to him all day as long as I don't have to watch him hamming it up.
It's quite unconvincing to say Scarlatti's pieces are the most demanding of all time. Watts said they're "dangerous" because they require a lot of focus and any mishap could not be masked because of the textural clarity of these pieces. You hit a wrong note in Liszt piece no one really notices; you do the same to a Scarlatti piece people start having facial spasms.
That, and the entire piece is often "strung" together almost note-to-note, and (in my amateur view) keeping the appropriate tension, attention, evenness, and mood is so difficult. His attention to rhythm (in the Iberian way) captivated me. His pieces are like nutritious, musically-healthy cupcakes with nearly all the wholesome ingredients, yet you cannot easily distinguish them.
Ahh how foolish was I 7 years ago, lol. "Hit a wrong note", gosh the lack of grace in this phrase is what makes my face spasm now.
This comment made me laugh! 😂😂😂
it just seems like you've become 10x more pretentious in 8 years lol @@LudwigZhi
For anybody searching, the Kirkpatrick numbers are:
K. 141 1:41
K. 113 4:50
We will certainly miss him!! Thank goodness for the recordings and live performances!! He always played with love for the music.
Rest in peace to one of the greatest ❤️
I first saw Andre perform on Omnibus in the early 1960s; he was 19 years old. He got my attention right away. He plays with such expression and skill, a virtuoso indeed.
What a profoundly decent man we've lost.
Indeed. I am having a hard time dealing with the reality of his passing.
So when will the Black Image Awards give this talented man a long overdue award. He is educated, articulate, gifted classical pianist, and from what i hear, a great fellow. Been listening to him since the early 1980s.
He is not black. He is a mulatto, whose father was black, and his mother was white.
The poor mulatto community gets totally ignored. It's the epitome of racism and disrespect. But they never protest.
From a 77 year old PROFOUND admirer of the immortal Andre Watts, who I hope is now at "🌠🌌🌅THE SOURCE OF ALL LIGHT!🌅🌌🌠
Ive been a fan of Andres since the 1970's. To me, one of the greats. I am sad that when Andres passing, not one mention on any news channel on TV.
@miltonmoore8369 He was biracial, and certainly would qualify for an Image Award because of his African ancestry, which he had along with his Hungarian ancestry. Unfortunately, he has departed from us. I miss his presence.
Someone give Watts an elixir that will perpetuate his life throughout eternity. He's one of God's many gifts to humankind.
Oh, without a doubt!
@@ccaammiinniiito2 ; Thanks to God we have the technology now to perpetuate such music for humankind. One of the many gifts we enjoy, thanks to the gift of life, and our beautiful planet Earth and the amazing Universe.
Unfortunately, the elixir doesn’t exist. RIP Andre.
RIP Watts
Very polished performances with sparkling, clear, beautiful sound and exciting forward momentum.
RIP Andre. You were one of the greats and a gentleman.
Such a wonderful combination of regal refinement and passion. :-)
Bridget--thanks .. the Scarlatti was unbelievable! And unbelievably hard!!! Thanks so much!!! My God!!❤
He was such a gentle soul when you met him backstage. Rest in Peace great artist.....
I saw this recital when it was broadcast live on PBS back in '85 and recorded it on my old Betamax VCR. I used to watch it over and over and over again. That's when I really fell in love with the piano and started taking lessons as a young teenager. Wish I still had that recording.
@Cloe Scott. I heard him in person twice in the 80s. It was exciting and the memories are still with me. This Scarlatti is exquisite. He was one of the first at thaf time to play Gershwin as encores. I Was surprised.
So did I. In fact, I think I still have the Beta recording somewhere. I was about 19 years old and he introduced me to the world of playing Scarlatti on the piano.
As a result, I still play the D minor sonata at private concerts. Very fun to perform!
Something very satisfying about performing Scarlatti live in front of an audience.
MARVELLOUS PIANIST , Really , Musically one of the Best alived !!!!!!
As a pianist nowhere near Andre Watts, I marvel at the strength and agility of his left hand. Just amazing!
I love how he handles those trills! I have never heard someone use that kind of inflection on a trill before
Trills or repeated notes?
@@daltsontakeuti7883 He's talking about the trills in bars 33-36 @ 2:06 & 3:11 in the vid
Much better than Sokolov's helicopter blade sound
Horowitz Maria Grinberg Stanislav Bunin ABM better Scarlatti than Watts!
Simply wonderful - such colour in the playing and utterly fearless. Thank you for posting this and other selections of this recital
What a marvelous performance. Maestro Previn is delightful, too. But why is the camera work so busy?
Incidentally the presenter is Andre Previn, himself a very good pianist.
Scarletti's compositions are the most demanding pieces of all time anyone who
who attempts them is to be most complimented.
Magnificent. I only heard him play Schubert, when he played die Winterreise with baritone Bernard Kruysen for Schubert's bicentennial. The first was one of my father's favorite Scarlatti sonatas.
Andre is the best person--very good memories of this man and his smile and charm...
Avery Fisher Hall in New York City, in case you were wondering. Amazing work, amazing performance!
We saw him in Honolulu and he was a good as it gets.
Interesting, comparing his redition to the ( admittedly exemplary ) Pletnev recording, the take very different attitudes - I find Pletnev's a little more rhymthically driven. Watts' performance are sill very good, however
What a great artist!
Not only is Andre one of the greatest pianists since Liszt, he is a super nice person and a personal friend. The whole video of this concert is amazing.
I spoke with him only once but I found him to be a very gracious person. He is also very gifted.
But do not be ridicolous! Watts one of the greatest since Liszt...hilarious!! He is just one of the hundreds, at best. His Scarlatti rendition is poor, unimpressive under all respects
@@luigig8656 this says a lot about society
🙌🏾🙌🏾
Indeed, BRAVO. Rest in Power Andre
Started playing Scarlatti guitar sonatas at age 16 in Princeton
Illinois after returning from lessons in Spain, I am now 67
yrs of age retired medical illustrator and wished I never sold
my Ibanez guitar but had to pay for my daughter's ballet lessons
and well worth the sacrifice. Since then continue to research
and relive all of Scarlatti's 550 work on a daily basis along
with James Gang and Jethro tull.
Argerichs interpretation of the first sonata is absolutely unreal...
CziffraTheThird and that’s why this one is better because it’s real! Argerich doesn’t behave well on the piano
@@Eliascmd agreed. She is a great pianist, but I couldn't tell what she was doing.
Even Cziffra I can understand, but Argerich, ...not.
simply perfect
Superb.
Good tempo on the d minor, far better than Martha's overly fast bullshit.
what's funny is who is introducing him-- Andre Previn wasn't so bad himself--too bad they didn't sit and play 4 handst together--would have been fun
What about saying Domenico.. Left out his name.. Who knows it could be by his Father Alessandro Scarlatti! Watts rocked it out! Nice! 2 of 555, impressive!
No one will confuse father for son when it comes to keyboard pieces.
Watts is a great pianist and has a sort of "disarming charm" meaning that he is a geniune person. He does look like a Cuban Marlon Brando.
Sharp and clear. Wonderful!!
Inimitable Andre Watts. Always personable. Seems a real gentleman. Loved his appearance on Mr. Roberts’. Fun
Do you mean Mr. Rogers?
Mr. Watts has extraordinary technique!! A great musician! Bravissimo!!
I can appreciate more at this speed. Check Martha Argerich's version of Scarlatti K. 141
A Martha no hay pianista que la supere.
Do you have the complete broadcast on PBS?
The King of rotation!
That A Major Scarlatti is so fun to play!
I would've loved to have seen him live!
Saw him live in 1970 dorothy chandler pavilian LA; got to shake his hand backstage
@zakiahart3919 I had that pleasure numerous times, along with opportunities to speak with him at length about certain pieces and his ideas about being a pianist. These were the highlights of my life to be able to spend some time with this titan of classical piano performance. Andre Watts was courteous, engaging, knowledgeable, and so very kind. I miss his presence with us, but thankful he continues to earn his eternally reward! ❤️❤️💔💔
great,especially L345 / K113. I looked around on youtube and everyone else plays it like they scared of it, and don't play into the keys.
He was born to play piano
fascinating - such speed and precision - wonderful man.....
Andre Watts hasn't received the adulation he deserved. Surprised by the ho hum treatment of his passing...not befitting one of the greatest pianists ever !
Are you sure that this concert took place on February 20? I am pretty sure
it was Feb 22 - I taped it then! The reviewcame out on Feb. 24.
Wow! 🎉
I saw this performance when it originally aired on Public Television. I bought the laserdisc of however, it doesn't include the interview by Andre Previn. I wish someone would release this performance in its entirety for the sake of music lovers on DVD. Can you upload the entire performance here at UA-cam, since you recorded it on your VCR? Thanks.
To those critics of pianist’s facial expressions: Artists ‘feel’ music more deeply than most other humans in the general public, which means some like Andre Watts and Glen Gould communicate intensity of feeling by being uninhibitedly moved themselves. Should they have taken drama classes in how to appear more restrained and noble so that culture-vultures can obtain the proper aesthetic experience without being distracted?
why use longo numbers instead of kirkpatrick?
+slacker697 So in summary, Longo was first and probably more well known 30 years ago since he died 10 years before KK released his works.
"For many years, Scarlatti's keyboard sonatas were conventionally identified by their Longo numbers, but these were later superseded by those found in Ralph Kirkpatrick's catalogue. Longo's Catalogue originated in his landmark full publication of the works of Scarlatti in 11 volumes[2] and implied particular groupings of the sonatas, the chronology of which was later completely revised and differently grouped in Kirkpatrick's 1953 study of the composer.[3] Longo also edited works by Domenico Gallo.[4]"
fucking confusing
Not so.
www.ne.jp/asahi/music/marinkyo/scarlatti/referenco.html.en
Very well.
Poise! Command!
love his phrasing in the first sonata.
This is my chemistry teacher's grandpa...or was, I doubt he's still alive. Anyway impressive...
he still teaches at Indiana university
Watts picked 2 great Sonatas. I dont legato in k.141&Longo345. He gives a lot of color to both and his musicianship communicates all ! in other Sonatas it works but here No. Also his attack sounds hard .I prefer brittle and clipped .It may how he was recorded . As a black pianist I would prefer to say this is perfect Scarlatti but after Pogorelich (it must have been studio perfected because what Ivo does ain't possible :perfect sound:the sound the unpercussive leaps,ideal detache when not staccato ,everything.)Haskil and very few others give us this ideal Scarlatti. Horowitz' disc is supposed to sound like Pogorelich but it doesn't .Weissenberg is a master in Scarlatti .
I've heard Pogorelich play Scarlatti live in the 1990s and it was every sparkly diamond as good as his stunning-amazing-miraculous album. There's live recordings to back up my statement.
You do your art your way, and leave others to their way. Hell with his mouth, when yours is running the way it seems to be. I'd love to hear the breath you put into your playing of this material.
Moreover it's easier, at the beginning of the concert, to feel out the sonority of the full attendance hall with pieces that you can take greater liberty in building up. But in these Scarlatti pieces you can easily paint yourself in a corner regarding the structure of the entire piece when you start/end a phrase without proper volume/texture.
Richard could you upload the interview that occured during the intermission ? that would be really nice of you.
im new to scarlatti and i like this theme at 1:56. a bit of Bachs charm there at 1:59
Poetry, pure and simple. Exquisite. Thank you.
hipster host, wearing hipster glasses before they were cool
I'm pretty sure that's left up to interpretation, not a "right" or rule.
Beautiful playing.
You all should listen to Marta Argerich play that scarlatti. It's K 141. Your head will explode!
violatione It's just faster
@@spiritualneutralist2597 which part if you're referring to the entire piece Andre plays the whole k141 in just 3:06 minutes whereas she plays it in 3:14 minutes. If you mean the repeated notes I agree but that's the only part she plays faster than Andre Watts.
Analyze carefully before judging.
Phenomenal.
very well
fantastic interpretation
beautiful sounds
Beautiful! Beautiful!
so light, so lovely, cheerful playing, marvelous as always!
hahaha I found it hilarious to watch :D dont think it is a bad thing tho ^^ didnt get distracted but maybe thats just me :D
Andre is indeed a brilliant pianist but his crying and other facial gyrations distract from the music. I can listen to him all day as long as I don't have to watch him hamming it up.
Это откровенно плохо.
Potchemou ?
To slow......