I see that several have lamented the lack of translation or subtittles. I've given a rough translation/paraphrase. Some expressions are really difficult cos of the use of archaic tenses. Anyone who freaks better Spench than me is welcome to correct it.
@@noshirm7875 Mon plaisir, cher ami! I just regret a little, to have been too "pedantic" in keeping Cortot's archaic style, which sounds odd to modern ears. But, of course, that's part of the expressive charm of Cortot. Coincidentally, the radio-producer/collaborateur from Radio Suisse Romande, named by Cortot, (i had to search on internut, cos the pronunciation is indistinct), Julien-François Zbinden, was mentioned on the musical blog "Slipped Disc" as still playing Bach and jazz aged 102 (in 2019...i think). Follow the line Saint-Saens-Cortot-Zbinden and live a long life!
@@nosehow2liv525 That is simply amazing, to know that Zbinden was still kicking two years ago and still playing the piano. Bravo! I had heard of a French pianist named Colette Maas (sp?) who had made a recording at the age of 103. She said her secret was that she ate 3 fried eggs a day and always had a glass of Bordeaux wine! She also played the piano for at least 3-4 hours a day, walked here and there, exercised, and went to the hairdresser’s - on foot! As for Cortot’s exquisitely elegant French - AH! How I LOVE hearing him speak. I can only pick up bits and pieces of what he’s saying, of course, and I do follow along as I can with the French captions, but your labor of love here is much appreciated. I’ve sent a link to this video to a pianist friend of mine. I know he’ll be charmed - and I know that he’ll also appreciate your translation. 👏🏻
@@noshirm7875 Indeed! Some of these long-lived personnages are truly impressive. i had heard about Colette Maze, but never paid attention; thank you for reminding me. ua-cam.com/video/NytCzNHnRIo/v-deo.html Voilà! There are several more on this theme which you will find linked to this vid. I remember hearing Magda Tagliaferro at Wigmore Hall aged well into her eighties....her Fauré (who she knew and played for), rests in my memory as an indelible souvenir. Another was Madeleine de Valmalète, (played for Saint-Saens!) who i knew in Marseille; aged nearly 100, she played with incredible energy and spirit. Something to do with un bon verre de Rouge quotidien... perhaps...?
@@nosehow2liv525 I envy your having heard Valmalète and Tagliaferro in live recital! 👏🏻 Yes - Mme Maze - her infectious _joie de vivre_ is delightful. I don’t know if in her prime she was on the level of these other _grandes dames_ when it came to playing the piano, because I haven’t heard her earlier performances, but she shares with them that same ZEST! How they were taught and how they lived and thought - and then, of course, their splendid genes! That wine, that food, and even where they lived, the people they knew - it all must have made a positive difference. Somehow I don’t see that in the pianists of today. 😐
There seems to be no end to the incredible things you can find on UA-cam. Thank you for posting this! I wasn't expecting him to talk as academically and measured as this. Somehow expected something more bohemian, lol, But he was a scholar after all. Seems like today's 'scholar pianists' like Schiff, Pollini, Brendel etc. play so dryly. Cortot's speaking seems like a mismatch with his kaleidoscopic playing.
Well, always fascinating to hear the voice of a great artits, but anyone hoping for any revelations on the études might be rather disappunt as Cortot speaks grandly, and in very old-fashioned style, about the history of the conception, (including a couple of doubtful ideas: "never had a piano lesson" -what not even from his mother? ...or "Zwyny....a violinist" -wasn't he an all-rounder who scraped, plonked, conducted....?). The poetic and inspirational aspect is praised, and he ends by implying that pianists "of my generation, increasingly sparse..." don't listen enough to the past greats(!), then recommending Paderewski! Entertaining even so, partly for the archaic style of language.
It's a bit ironic indeed that he recommends Pad here, who wasn't really capable of playing the Etudes very well, at least not when he was already in his 50s, judging from the recs. And Cortot does have a point I think in the sense that it's amazing that Chopin - who learned only very basic pianistic skills from Zwyny and Elsner - could develop a highly sophisticated, original pianism & pianistic language in such a short time at a very young age...(as becomes eminent not only in the Etudes but also in other early opera)
I see that several have lamented the lack of translation or subtittles. I've given a rough translation/paraphrase. Some expressions are really difficult cos of the use of archaic tenses. Anyone who freaks better Spench than me is welcome to correct it.
Thank you so much for this translation!
@@noshirm7875 Mon plaisir, cher ami! I just regret a little, to have been too "pedantic" in keeping Cortot's archaic style, which sounds odd to modern ears. But, of course, that's part of the expressive charm of Cortot.
Coincidentally, the radio-producer/collaborateur from Radio Suisse Romande, named by Cortot, (i had to search on internut, cos the pronunciation is indistinct), Julien-François Zbinden, was mentioned on the musical blog "Slipped Disc" as still playing Bach and jazz aged 102 (in 2019...i think). Follow the line Saint-Saens-Cortot-Zbinden and live a long life!
@@nosehow2liv525 That is simply amazing, to know that Zbinden was still kicking two years ago and still playing the piano. Bravo! I had heard of a French pianist named Colette Maas (sp?) who had made a recording at the age of 103. She said her secret was that she ate 3 fried eggs a day and always had a glass of Bordeaux wine! She also played the piano for at least 3-4 hours a day, walked here and there, exercised, and went to the hairdresser’s - on foot! As for Cortot’s exquisitely elegant French - AH! How I LOVE hearing him speak. I can only pick up bits and pieces of what he’s saying, of course, and I do follow along as I can with the French captions, but your labor of love here is much appreciated. I’ve sent a link to this video to a pianist friend of mine. I know he’ll be charmed - and I know that he’ll also appreciate your translation. 👏🏻
@@noshirm7875 Indeed! Some of these long-lived personnages are truly impressive. i had heard about Colette Maze, but never paid attention; thank you for reminding me.
ua-cam.com/video/NytCzNHnRIo/v-deo.html
Voilà! There are several more on this theme which you will find linked to this vid.
I remember hearing Magda Tagliaferro at Wigmore Hall aged well into her eighties....her Fauré (who she knew and played for), rests in my memory as an indelible souvenir.
Another was Madeleine de Valmalète, (played for Saint-Saens!) who i knew in Marseille; aged nearly 100, she played with incredible energy and spirit. Something to do with un bon verre de Rouge quotidien... perhaps...?
@@nosehow2liv525 I envy your having heard Valmalète and Tagliaferro in live recital! 👏🏻 Yes - Mme Maze - her infectious _joie de vivre_ is delightful. I don’t know if in her prime she was on the level of these other _grandes dames_ when it came to playing the piano, because I haven’t heard her earlier performances, but she shares with them that same ZEST! How they were taught and how they lived and thought - and then, of course, their splendid genes! That wine, that food, and even where they lived, the people they knew - it all must have made a positive difference. Somehow I don’t see that in the pianists of today. 😐
His french is so musical as his playing.
There seems to be no end to the incredible things you can find on UA-cam. Thank you for posting this! I wasn't expecting him to talk as academically and measured as this. Somehow expected something more bohemian, lol, But he was a scholar after all. Seems like today's 'scholar pianists' like Schiff, Pollini, Brendel etc. play so dryly. Cortot's speaking seems like a mismatch with his kaleidoscopic playing.
Il était un musicien très élégant et très profonde! Il était le pianiste ultime de Chopin!
Well, always fascinating to hear the voice of a great artits, but anyone hoping for any revelations on the études might be rather disappunt as Cortot speaks grandly, and in very old-fashioned style, about the history of the conception, (including a couple of doubtful ideas: "never had a piano lesson" -what not even from his mother? ...or "Zwyny....a violinist" -wasn't he an all-rounder who scraped, plonked, conducted....?). The poetic and inspirational aspect is praised, and he ends by implying that pianists "of my generation, increasingly sparse..." don't listen enough to the past greats(!), then recommending Paderewski! Entertaining even so, partly for the archaic style of language.
Mille mercis pour your translation, which, I'm quite sure, is adequately enough!
It's a bit ironic indeed that he recommends Pad here, who wasn't really capable of playing the Etudes very well, at least not when he was already in his 50s, judging from the recs.
And Cortot does have a point I think in the sense that it's amazing that Chopin - who learned only very basic pianistic skills from Zwyny and Elsner - could develop a highly sophisticated, original pianism & pianistic language in such a short time at a very young age...(as becomes eminent not only in the Etudes but also in other early opera)
Cortot speaks French with exemplary clarity but sadly I'm not fluent enough to provide a résumé! A fascinating document.
You should be ashome, sir! I'd've thunk your fool Scrench was well à l'hauteur. You should get your derrière into gear, (if not into the back seat!).
Peut-être, mais rappelle-toi qu'il me faut neuf heures pour aller de Coventry à Luton ...
C'est vrai merci beacoup
English subtitles please!
Wonderful execution!