A wonderful encounter with Valentina Lisitsa
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Here's my video-portrait of piano genius Valentina Lisitsa, one of today's very best classical pianists.
I interviewed and filmed Valentina on 2 April 2009 in London. I've combined my material from London with dvd-material and pictures of Valentina (all used with permission) and I hope the result shows both Valentina's immense musical powers as well as her friendly, spontaneous, energetic and witty nature... she's such a delightful person.
Apart from this portrait I've published the complete pieces of music Valentina played during the interview (4x Rachmaninoff and 1x Schumann) elsewhere on my UA-cam-channel. Check them out, they're all great performances!
It was so much fun meeting Valentina and producing this video! :)
Hope you'll enjoy this video and look out for your response.
[Pieter de Rooij, 15-6-2009]
I messaged her one time to say that I had tried to see her in Miami and was disappointed not to have made it. She sent me a personal email inviting me to come see her Wigmore Hall rehearsal at the Boca Raton Steinway Gallery. I will never forget her kindness, or her performance for that matter. She's at the top of my A-list !!!!!!
Ohhh, she is a sweetheart. What a wonderful woman and a fantastic pianist. I would love to meet her
freshjive855 oh i dont know about the sweetheart part
?@@skylermccloud78
Wow! If anyone has the right to be a diva, it is her. So it is very refreshing to see that she is so down to earth despite her incredible talent! Brava!
Indeed, a very down - to - earth person, serving music without falling into the trap of the current music-business- trend of appearing half-dressed in concert halls, to attract the spotlights as well as fans of that "style".
Valentina's pianistic talent is matched by her personal magnetism. She is truly a wonderful person to be so forthcoming and friendly with everyone. May God always smile upon her and bless her.
I´ve never imagined that such talented pianist was so humble and so sweet talking. No hermetisms. Lisitsa, I already was a fan, now I´m huge fan of yours.
Her comment about " MUSCLE MEMORY " being at the basis of her technique is very, very interesting, instructive and analytical. This definitely explains a lot about how we learn many different physical skills and implies that it is a type of memory separate from, and equally effective as, let's call it " Mind memory ".
This is a very interesting observation because it could be the way of explaining when someone is doing something very well, IN THE GROOVE, " naturally " , without thinking....it may be because their performance is based mainly on this muscle memory. This is something people should be very aware of and apply it to different activities by saying " don't overthink things...just act by basic instinct or " muscle memory ".
Speaking as a life long keyboard musician who paid his way through LAW school by playing in a wedding band on organ and accordion with no classical training, I only later in life tried to learn some Chopin and was a big big fan of HOROWITZ...and found out how hard it is mentally and physically to play these piano busters. the perfection and virtuosity of Valentina is truly impressive. I have listened to dozens of her videos and her fluidity and seemingly effortless and FLAWLESS performances are unique.
Even HOROWITZ made the odd mistake in numerous of his various videos posted on UA-cam...but I have never heard any kind of error in any of Valentina's performances and videos. Maybe there are some but they are certainly not obvious.
I have listened to performances from virtually ALL the renowned great pianists, and there are many, and Valentina has played her way deservedly into this ELITE group.
Congratulations to this wonderful and beautiful pianist. She certainly deserves to be considered one of the best of all time.
If you've ever watched a really fast typist, an odd thing happens when they get towards a hundred words a minute. The brain cannot process what the eye sees quickly enough and another part of the brain takes over, and there is a flow from the manuscript to the keys with no apparent gap in between. (I used to type at 125 words per minute, and my mind would wander to other things.)
Well said Leon...well said....
She is SUCH a lucky person to have been born a genius with a photographic memory along with prodigious motor skills. And it's so obvious that she appreciates what she has been given and works very hard, yet is so magnanimous with her free street performances. You can see that she enjoys every minute of it and wants to share it. Such a sweet, bubbly, effervescent personality!
Yeah, but mostly her skills come from A LOT of practice
(Sorry for the horrible English, it isn't my native language)
What a fine description of her in your very first sentence of your paragraph.
I don’t know what is going on, I studied in Moscow, I am a conductor living in Australia 🇦🇺 bhh un t I’m in totally love with your music and with you. I adore your universe of sounds and passion. You are just adorable. Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Prachtige ontmoeting Pieter! Haar manier van vertellen over zichzelf is heerlijk naturel, zonder blokkades, dat hoor je ook terug in haar ontwapenende pianospel. Ze krijgt vaak meer emotie uit de muziek dan de componist er dacht in te leggen lijkt het wel, met recht virtuoos heet het. Mijn absolute favoriete klassiek pianiste, door haar ben ik van de ene op de andere dag ineens gevallen voor klassieke piano. Klinkt misschien gek, maar zo ging het.
grtz, Paul
She's a genius, speaking with a music directly with my soul and heart. She can interpret and transfer emotions written in notes like no other person...
And she seems like a very nice person :-)
How talented and charming Valentina is. What a gift she is sharing, and how truly amazing she is! Bravo!!!
Beautiful pianist, and a beautiful person - she deserves all the luck in the world, simply an amazing individual and a pleasure to have discovered her.
Just goes to show some good can come from UA-cam and the internet
How many people love you, your technic, your playing, your charisma, your ukranien accent, your blondie slavian hair.
I am among them Valentina, yes, I certainly am. No conditions. Love you so much. I can not stop listening your performances. Great Valentina. Grande Valentina!!!
Wonderful Valentina!!!!!!
Great artist and great person. She has a beautiful and joyful soul. Thats why she can play that way....
Maybe 10 hours a day practice has something to do with it too. She's a prodigious worker.
I discovered her recently and 1 thing is sure...i cant die till will wont see her in a live concert.(even in a station :) Best piano player ever saw!!!!!Tnx for every single upload,bow before u Valentina!I hope 1 day i can give u a big bouquet of red roses:)
I really hope to see her one day. Such talent!
wow that was awesome. .I have been trying to find an interview with her like this for a long time. .What an unbelievable talent!
One of the best pianist of today.
Not only is she an ultra-talented pianist, she also seems to be a lovely person. I just discovered her today and have been listening to her beautiful playing for the past 3 hours.
КЛАСС ИГРЫ ВАЛЕНТИНЫ ЛИСИЦЫ ФАНТАСТИЧЕСКИЙ. В моем понимании
она лучшая пианистка в мире. Ее игра - это из мира прекрассного!!!
Finaly an enterview with Valentina! A great oportunity to know what we all already knew about his lovely personality. The enterview was given at the date of my birthday, whatta a gift! Valentina, many thanks for sharing your time with us! I'll be back to my lessons....
Valentina, you are such a wonderful person! It sounds in your music but now I can see what kind of soul is behind this beautiful music :)... Wish you all the best :)
wuuoaaw!! ...Valentina is the best classical piano player I've ever heard... I'm from Peru. She came to my country with Hilary Hahn last Saturday and it was wonderful. I'm in love with her.....
I wish she could give a recital as a solouist here....
Thank pieterr for this realease...
Miguel
Thanks for doing this video & putting it out there. Valentina's fans (and there are many) will appreciate this.
Thanks to Valentina for participating :)
pieter, have you seen the interview with argerich and charles groves? valentina reminds me a lot of the sort of innocence, like she is doing nothing special at all. but the range of her repertoire is unreal. watched the rach sonata 1 3rd movement and had tears in my eyes. besides she looks a lot like my cousin (now departed) and her one daughter (a pianist). my family are from eastern europe region also.
i guess i got a little emotional. oh well. men from europe are allowed to cry.
Merci !
What an incredibly lucky person Valentina is!! And that she knows this, yet her sweet personality allows her to be happy, and bubbly, and just full of good humor is so nice. So many people at that level, it seems, are nowhere near as approachable on a personal level, but she's just a sweetheart, no two ways about it. Arguments can and will be made for just who is the greatest pianist of our time, but in the category of most lovable among them, Valentina wins the gold, as far as I'm concerned.
She is as enchanting as her playing. So natural and warm. I love her and her music.
I adore Her accent TOO, I just adore everything She IS...She is like a beautiful , beautiful dream of an angel... God bless You, dear Valentina Lisitsa!
Wonderful download Pieter - thank you. Lovely lady - so talented. I am delighted to know that Valentina is from the Ukraine. An international treasure. We are blessed in being able to see Valentina play on You Tube.
This Incredible Phenomena called 'Valentina Lisitsa' will give me a 'Heart Attack' sometime..!! Because of the Emotional state I get into, and the streaming shots sky high adrenalin, when I listen (and watch) her playing (anything even a C scale), I bought All the Decca records she made,, but they're not enough, comparing to her prolific 'UA-cam records .. Moreover, 'she is a Wonderful Human, a diamond pure soul ... God bless her... I don't think there can be anybody who wouldn't love this Lady... XX.
Thank you Pieter for sharing - What a great opportunity to be able to sit and have a one on one conversation with such a great pianist. She plays with such wonderful expression. I truly enjoy listening to her preform.
What a gem of a posting. Thanks!
Great to hear this, thanks!
America is fortunate to have you as 'our' pianist. Please tour more extensively in the US!
Playing is an extension of her being, more than a physical act.
thankyou to valentina and his interviewer! I hope to see much more contributes, i have no word to say how I appreciate her music. I hope to meet her one day.
Greetings to all from Italy - Firenze
It is just amazing what UA-cam has done for artists like this and for us in the general public...the chance to discover huge, previously unknown talents like Valentina who otherwise would have had a difficult time to find an audience or a recording label. Unparalleled exposure for her unique, understated "virtuosity"....she makes it all look almost too easy and yet the sound coming from the fingers, which HOROWITZ would say, is the most important thing, is full of passion and emotion without the theatrics.
I have listened to all the great pianists hundreds of times and they are all pretty amazing, with HOROWITZ naturally topping my list. But when I finally came across VALENTINA'S video performances I was amazed at the consistency of her virtuosity throughout the entire range of musical compositions and composers and the apparent ease with which she navigates through these difficult pieces. This is rare quality even at the top.
I know that to most people who do not play piano, and who therefore do not realize the difficulty of the key signatures and fingering involved in executing these pieces so flawlessly, she may as well be running her fingers across a flat table for all they know...TOO BAD. But for those of us who know a little about the piano, and even for those piano students who can probably all play these same pieces with some degree of proficiency, it must still be impressive to see this consistency and flawless performance.
This is all without the extra energy created by the presence and response of a live audience to inspire the performer.
Hopefully some label will sign her and she will get a string of concerts around the world...she is special.
Leon, thanks for your comment. I agree wholeheartedly with your observations, except for your final remark. Perhaps you missed a few latest developments in Valentina's career? Decca signed her almost 2 years ago, there's been the Royal Albert Hall-concert & Rachmaninov concerti-releases, a Liszt cd is out, a Chopin cd coming up, she has bookings all over the world and performs in the most prestigious venues etc. Didn't you notice? ;) Anyway, these minor details aside, thanks once more for your beautiful statement. :)
Yes...I did notice later on. After my comment I realized that those ETUDE videos were old and that she had subsequently embarked on a significant concert and recording career. She really deserves it because I have never seen such fluidity and ease of execution technique in ANY pianist...even the greats like HOROWITZ. Even he made the odd mistake and his playing did not seem as effortless as Valentina.
Marvelous long overdue portrait of a great artist!! I hope she one day gets the worldwide recognition she deserves!! Thanks for this! She's very charming and brilliant!
I don't care about her accent. She speaks in music. The global language.
Thank you for sharing your great good fortune at having this time with her. She is a wonder.
A great video....would love to hear more about her technique...!
An Amazing Lady with a Beautiful God Given talent. All I can say is Thank you for sharing this beautiful sound and gift.
i had been wondering what kind of person a complete genius like her would be, someone who spends so much time behind her piano.. i think it must feel like she is the piano sometimes, telling her feelings through the keys. and now i see she's also a very nice person. what a nice video, thank you :)
Many thanks for sharing. It's very rare indeed to see such talent!
Valentina is clearly very special in every sense: Truly lovely!
I saw her on tour last year with Hilary Hahn. It was a stupendous display of musicianship from two of the greatest musicians. Both were vaery nice and stayed after the concert to sign autographs late into the evening.
she feels the music!
Thanks for doing the interview and posting it up here. She's made a really good move making herself accessible on UA-cam. I'd not've been exposed to her otherwise and am rapidly becoming a fan.
Fully agre with "one of the very best classical pianists the world has ever witnessed". She is, in my opinion, the one who has best joined perfect techinique with tons of emotion.
Thank you for sharing. I would not have know about Valentina and I am in love with her playing now !
Pieter, thank you for creating this! What a wonderful look into this incredible woman! Love how she found her own path into the music.
Pieter. Thank you for posting. I had the opportunity to attend a concert then have a master's class with her last year. It was one of the most wonderful experiences I've ever had. She truly is a wonderful pianist I, if not the best we have today.
My lesson may not of looked it like it went well because I was so nervous playing with her, but I didn't forget anything either. I went home and much later her teaching clicked! I would love to get with her again someday.
please do an updated interview she is one of the best
What an amazing musician!!!
Pieter, thanks so much for your sharing this wonderful, warm hearted, talented artist.
My Mac Pro never had it so good!
After watching this, I liked Valentina Lisitsa even more, which is kind of impossible since I already liked her so much. She deserves the best and I love her accent!!!
Thank you for posting this.
I hope you post encounters with other great pianists.
Amo Valentina,i love Valentina..como muitos brasileiros.
WONDERFUL ! One of the best pianist of our time :)
I am also Ukranian but can't write it or read it. My Ukranian grandmother who came to America in 1907, never taught me. Now i am too old to learn and she passed away about 40 years ago. But she would have loved your piano playing even more than i do. You are the most talented pianist i have ever heard!
Fantastic!!! I like soo much Velentina and her music.I await the day when she can come to Montevideo or Buenos Aires with much hope.
thansk you very much 4 the video!! valentina ... the best !
I've heard her several times in concert. Nothing pianistic seems to be beyond her. She's also very charming.
She can really interpret the music the right way, as the original composers meant their music to be played. Her playing will renew interest among young people who listen to her lively interpretations!
Dear Valentina, I find it amazing the Ukraine has produced some of my favorite musicians. For example Mr. Brodsky. My grandparents were born in your country, my parents first generation American.You are so talented and you play so beautifully!
Enchanting. From the top of her head, (and her beautiful hands) to the tip of her Bosendorfer!
Besides brilliant pianist, she is a lovely person and fun!
Valentina 👏👏👏
I was merely a decent drummer in H.S. and college, but I don't need a doctorate in music to recognize the 'once in a hunded years'
phenomenon named Lisatsa. I don't need to listen to any other pianist.
Thank you! That's how I feel as well. Some people feel the every day person can't recognize the beauty in classical music that is well performed. Music is for the people and I appreciate how she is open to people and not on huge ego tips.
That's quite how I feel. Despite I'm in love for this artist, being open to the beauty that also other outstanding colleagues of her may offer. For example, take a look at Wuja Wang, Helene Grimaud, Daniil Trifonoff, Lang Lang, Anastasia Huppmann, Nikolai Lugansky and Marta Argerich.
Alles is goed hier Pieter (in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen kijkt men zelden vooruit en toch is het er continu genieten van eindeloze vergezichten ;)
Dank ook voor de tips! Wel een beetje balen dat Valentina hier uitgerekend komend weekend speelt, had ik dit eerder geweten dan had ik mij hierop kunnen voorbereiden, ik zit nu reeds vast aan afspraken. grtz, Paul
Pieter (and Valentina) - thank you .. based on her playing, I figured she is super, super smart - but also very playful and fun-loving .. this seems to confirm this bias .. she is very charming .. interesting comment about photo. memory and page turns and different editions! Funny.. Valentina had a video of Schumann Symph. Etudes out on UA-cam .. but I think it went "away" because I cannot find it - it was wonderful music-making.. again, thank you ..
She's wonderful. A really beautiful person.
I like your accent !
and of course your playing !
Thanks Pieter !
Well done. I've been hoping that someone would interview her. Hope she comes to Houston one day.
Im sad i missed your tour in California!!! Please come back so i can hear you play!
Que hermosura eres tu Valentina, bella flor del campo llena de gracias e increíble talento, preciosa joya de diamante eres tu.
I am so glad I discovered her she is amazing
She's officially my piano idol.
Thank you very much! I think I had heard it before but didn't recognize it by the name. :)
My favorite!
Hoi Paul! Alles goed in 't Zeeuws-Vlaamse? Dank voor je reactie. Te gek dat 't zo is gegaan :) Valentina treedt trouwens op in Nederland deze week, woensdag 9 januari in Zwolle en zaterdag 12 januari in Rotterdam, op vrijdag 11 januari ook nog 'n masterclass in Rotterdam. Valentina's Rachmaninoff Piano Concerti&Paganini Variaties met het LSO mag je ook niet niet missen, fabelachtig goed! PC2&PC3 zijn al uit op het web, PC1&PC4&PV volgen nu en rond maart a.s. alles bij elkaar op CD. Grts, Pieter
Ik bedoel natuurlijk Pieter de Rooij. And this is a very sympathic portrait ! Thanks a lot
She is gifted and lovely !
You can tell she is a very nice person, I would love the opportunity to meet her personally.
What a nice lady, she would always be good company. Her talents require no comment from me. She has given me some nice daydreams.
Grande, grande, grande!
Beauty and talent. Congratulations.
Haaah, super! Morgen kaartjes bestellen. Echt bedankt voor deze mooie tip Pieter!
grtz, Paul
Another big idol of mine.She is fantastic.
great video, she must be a very lovely person !
Charming woman, playful, with humour and 500% profi
Simply amazing... r!
Dear Valentina, Dear Peter, Exactly here I discovered the best Pianiste of the world ....many years ago . Val is still excellent butshe producin less Videos than before . Anyway! I remain fidele to Val .....for ever !
a genius with the nicest personality !!!
she's such a charming person. love to watch her play the piano. thanks for posting all the wonderful music on youtube.
Just the premises, told me about how cool would have been this interview, and I guessed she may have a nostalgic bias toward her lands.. Valentina says that she will explore more Beethoven, and I make her my deepest congratulations.
Nice work Pieter..Im so jealous you got to meet her!
Valentina... we LOVE you!!!!!!
She is great....more any pianist on earth.....the greatest perfectionolist of her timw
You're right man,she is wonderful!