This young lady played so beautifully at the start of the video anyway, but with Stephens encouragement she really shone , especially near the end when he said " open up the piano, then away away. " I am a man of 62 and I become very tearful each time I play it. It's so beautiful ! Please don't analyse it too much, ..music is to be enjoyed, not ripped to bits to see why it happens. Enjoy the whole picture .Schubert would have loved to see people playing his music so beautifully !
I totally agree ; music is about opening the ears, not about talking about music. Same problem as you : lots of tears each time I play or even think about this masterpiece :))
Amazing what a good teacher can do. I have played this piece for years - but only now, with the mere comment about the tempo, do I see what Schubert had in mind - a true revelation for me...
And... she's a musical NATURAL... we need many, many more people like her... she must have started listening very seriously from a VERY young age to play with this much depth....
I find it ironic that he talks about tempos taken by Horowitz. Yes, he played some thing quite fast (though not always as fast as Argerich). But in this EXACT work, his recording is one of the slowest; and yet it shows such artistry. I would hate to play this Impromptu in a masterclass. It is so personal. Though I think Kovacevich has great ideas, the same could be said if she played it a completely different manner--that is the nature of masterclasses: one must say something. Great playing!
@Schamschi tempo is judged from pulse notes. If there are half as many pulse notes, obviously it's implied that the individual notes go quicker. Tempo is judged from the rate at which pulse notes go by, not from individual notes. Alla breve only suggests individual notes go by quicker. It doesn't suggest a fast tempo- because tempo is not judged from individual notes. People only think the tempo is fast is they fail to realise which notes set the pulse.
@Schamschi Also, it's perfectly arguable that Schubert indeed means two semibreve beats per bar. His use of two cut common time markings is ambiguous- even if most people assume it means 4/2.
Alla Breve according to people of, for example, Horrowitz's generation, means '2 in the bar', even if that can conflict with the literal translation of taking the half note (minim) as the beat. Its true we don't know if Schubert wanted us to read 2 or 4 in the bar for this piece - possibly he intended a contrapuntal approach where we see it as 2 overall semi breve units each divided into 2 minims. Kovacevich says 'it can be that way' (ie 4 in the bar) but wants her to try 2 in bar for a change.
this has really helped me, she is a fantastic pianist, and he is a genius. and he has been very close to martha argerich, so he would have picked up some of her genius also. really fantastic video.
@Schamschi You nailed it. Alla breve doesn't just mean "two to a bar." It means the breve gets the beat, and a breve is a half note. The half note gets the beat and this piece has 4 of them in a bar. Mr. Kovacevic seems to want this piece to have a swing of two to a bar. That isn't "alla breve." That would be "alla doppio breve" or whatever the heck two breves are. I'd look it up in Grove's, but I don't care. This is just too darned fast and it sounds trivial. I don't like it.
@wayneredhart Well, then tell me how pulse works, if it's even possible to do so in an objective way. Alla breve means that the half notes are the pulse, nothing more. Yes, the part where I wrote that the half notes should be stressed was inaccurate, because pulse does not necessarily have something to do with stressing the pulse notes.
Love the music and read your comments. The message I think Kovacevich is making: There are all sorts of ways to make music. There is no right or wrong. Play with the tune and make it your own. mind you, I'm a folkie, what do I know?
I recently had this discussion with a friend - Horowitz makes everything he plays his own. It might be 'too slow' or 'too fast' or 'too loud' but it is always coherent and wonderful. You are carried along with it. It's not always possible to compare Horowitz to 'mere mortals'!
@wayneredhart Also, I think Kovacevic doesn't understand the meaning "alla breve". The way he conducts at 0:54, it looks like he thinks that alla breve means "in two" instead of the half notes being the pulse.
Also, logical or not, there is a tradition whereby less beats in the bar than one had previously thought in a piece imply either a quicker tempo than previoulsy thought and the general rule of the tempo somehow being in proportion to the number of beats. If Schubert had been privy to this 'recieved wisdom' then it certainly does make sense to increase the tempo for 2 in the bar rather than 4 in the bar. There is no hard logic to this but unfortunately traditions sometimes over-ride logic.
his recording of impromptu 3 is peak, its on spotify, he plays it which such passion and sensitivity omygoodness, and yes its way faster then his live recording in his later years in moscow @@EthanOnTwoWheels
@Schamschi no it doesn;t. You clearly don't understand how pulse works. Pulse is judged from pulse notes- which is why alla breve means something totally different.
If I were her teacher, I'd order her to step away from the piano for a second, and have her sing the melody line, slowly. Just the melody. Or: just play the right hand, single-note melody. What does it mean to her? Her technique is wonderful, but is she aware that she is telling a story with her right hand? It doesnt matter how fast or how slow it's played, it doesn't. But she needs to start telling a story instead of playing 88 keys on a wonderful instrument with her wonderful technique.
Damn, I'm so tired of "Alla Breve" being used as an excuse for playing something faster than you normally would. Alla breve only means that the half notes should be stressed instead of the the quarter notes, or that the pulse beats are half notes, and not that something should be played faster than feels natural.
I agree. This movement shouldn't be played so fast. People argue that Cantibile should be at the tempo where one can sing it... I think it can be sung slowly as well.
Pianist is Lilit Grigoryan.
my sister))))))
She is amazing. Wow. Beautifully played.
This young lady played so beautifully at the start of the video anyway, but with Stephens encouragement she really shone , especially near the end when he said " open up the piano, then away away. "
I am a man of 62 and I become very tearful each time I play it. It's so beautiful !
Please don't analyse it too much, ..music is to be enjoyed, not ripped to bits to see why it happens. Enjoy the whole picture .Schubert would have loved to see people playing his music so beautifully !
I totally agree ; music is about opening the ears, not about talking about music. Same problem as you : lots of tears each time I play or even think about this masterpiece :))
@@pianiste1000 I've just read your reply Marc. Thank you. I'm now 69 I haven't seen it since. I will watch it again !
Amazing what a good teacher can do. I have played this piece for years - but only now, with the mere comment about the tempo, do I see what Schubert had in mind - a true revelation for me...
I had the same insights here...
I like the way he teaches. Superb.
And... she's a musical NATURAL... we need many, many more people like her... she must have started listening very seriously from a VERY young age to play with this much depth....
Beautiful videography appreciate the sound recording as well
who is this graceful & talented young woman? I would very much like to hear her play in concert! Best of luck to you - whoever you are!!!
I find it ironic that he talks about tempos taken by Horowitz. Yes, he played some thing quite fast (though not always as fast as Argerich). But in this EXACT work, his recording is one of the slowest; and yet it shows such artistry. I would hate to play this Impromptu in a masterclass. It is so personal. Though I think Kovacevich has great ideas, the same could be said if she played it a completely different manner--that is the nature of masterclasses: one must say something. Great playing!
horowitz has a fast recording of this too, in his early years!
@Schamschi tempo is judged from pulse notes. If there are half as many pulse notes, obviously it's implied that the individual notes go quicker. Tempo is judged from the rate at which pulse notes go by, not from individual notes. Alla breve only suggests individual notes go by quicker. It doesn't suggest a fast tempo- because tempo is not judged from individual notes. People only think the tempo is fast is they fail to realise which notes set the pulse.
He made her sing at the end. Good teacher he is,
@Schamschi Also, it's perfectly arguable that Schubert indeed means two semibreve beats per bar. His use of two cut common time markings is ambiguous- even if most people assume it means 4/2.
Such a wonderful musician.
Wow!
Great teacher!
Beautiful....the last word as the first word.
I totally AGREE... very educational...
Alla Breve according to people of, for example, Horrowitz's generation, means '2 in the bar', even if that can conflict with the literal translation of taking the half note (minim) as the beat. Its true we don't know if Schubert wanted us to read 2 or 4 in the bar for this piece - possibly he intended a contrapuntal approach where we see it as 2 overall semi breve units each divided into 2 minims. Kovacevich says 'it can be that way' (ie 4 in the bar) but wants her to try 2 in bar for a change.
Your sister plays VERY, VERY beautifully... WOW!!!
Very expressive pianist. I like it.
perfect understanding
this has really helped me, she is a fantastic pianist, and he is a genius. and he has been very close to martha argerich, so he would have picked up some of her genius also. really fantastic video.
@Schamschi You nailed it. Alla breve doesn't just mean "two to a bar." It means the breve gets the beat, and a breve is a half note. The half note gets the beat and this piece has 4 of them in a bar. Mr. Kovacevic seems to want this piece to have a swing of two to a bar. That isn't "alla breve." That would be "alla doppio breve" or whatever the heck two breves are. I'd look it up in Grove's, but I don't care. This is just too darned fast and it sounds trivial. I don't like it.
@lola020202 What!? Then what measure is it there?
@wayneredhart Well, then tell me how pulse works, if it's even possible to do so in an objective way. Alla breve means that the half notes are the pulse, nothing more. Yes, the part where I wrote that the half notes should be stressed was inaccurate, because pulse does not necessarily have something to do with stressing the pulse notes.
Love the music and read your comments. The message I think Kovacevich is making: There are all sorts of ways to make music. There is no right or wrong. Play with the tune and make it your own. mind you, I'm a folkie, what do I know?
Wow :))) need I say more
Cuál es el nombre completo de esta pieza?
Impromptu n.3 opus 90.
do you use the left pedal when u play that?
Up to you,I do.
I agree, but if you listen to Horowitz interpretation is pretty slow, compared to her... so?
I recently had this discussion with a friend - Horowitz makes everything he plays his own. It might be 'too slow' or 'too fast' or 'too loud' but it is always coherent and wonderful. You are carried along with it. It's not always possible to compare Horowitz to 'mere mortals'!
@XCelloVG Absolutely. Marvel cartoon heros and geniuses wear purple-coloured pants.
@wayneredhart Also, I think Kovacevic doesn't understand the meaning "alla breve". The way he conducts at 0:54, it looks like he thinks that alla breve means "in two" instead of the half notes being the pulse.
Also, logical or not, there is a tradition whereby less beats in the bar than one had previously thought in a piece imply either a quicker tempo than previoulsy thought and the general rule of the tempo somehow being in proportion to the number of beats. If Schubert had been privy to this 'recieved wisdom' then it certainly does make sense to increase the tempo for 2 in the bar rather than 4 in the bar. There is no hard logic to this but unfortunately traditions sometimes over-ride logic.
I like Horowitz version, much slower!
Horowitz earlier recording of this piece is fast. Only in his later years that he slowed down.
his recording of impromptu 3 is peak, its on spotify, he plays it which such passion and sensitivity omygoodness, and yes its way faster then his live recording in his later years in moscow @@EthanOnTwoWheels
@Schamschi no it doesn;t. You clearly don't understand how pulse works. Pulse is judged from pulse notes- which is why alla breve means something totally different.
Strange, I have been a professional classical musician for over 40 years and I have never heard anyone talking about pulse notes.
If I were her teacher, I'd order her to step away from the piano for a second, and have her sing the melody line, slowly. Just the melody. Or: just play the right hand, single-note melody. What does it mean to her? Her technique is wonderful, but is she aware that she is telling a story with her right hand? It doesnt matter how fast or how slow it's played, it doesn't. But she needs to start telling a story instead of playing 88 keys on a wonderful instrument with her wonderful technique.
A deceptively difficult piece.
Easy one
I think Martha left him because of those fuschia pants.
Damn, I'm so tired of "Alla Breve" being used as an excuse for playing something faster than you normally would. Alla breve only means that the half notes should be stressed instead of the the quarter notes, or that the pulse beats are half notes, and not that something should be played faster than feels natural.
I agree. This movement shouldn't be played so fast. People argue that Cantibile should be at the tempo where one can sing it... I think it can be sung slowly as well.
Sounds like Schumanns Humoresque
I respect, but dont like or agree with her interpretation... it´s a taste thing.
This is more about him, than her...........
Too fast.
Everytime it got worse!
horrible, pathetic. Pathetic gestures. She doesnt have it
That's so unnecessarily harsh. Just, thumbs down dude.
ur mom too men