Evgeny Kissin: Exclusive Interview (Bonus-Material from the documentary We want the Light)

[@norahdealmeida5847]

Kissin said: "There's something about Music which makes it go more directly into people's heart than all the other arts". " Music for me is the greatest mystery of life ,the sound and combinations of sounds affect people so deeply". It's beautiful to see how Music goes even more directly into Kissin's heart and affects him so much more deeply!

[@PieInTheSky9]

Kissin always speaks as if he's reciting poetry!

[@rogerlephoque3661]

His prose-style has the surgical precision of a wordsmith than poet

[@rayseva8968]

I'd love to hear him order at McDonald's...

[@laurasosa3694]

Because he Is a Poet... And an artist that He has nothing to do with an a simple mortal.

[@philenealvarado5008]

He is a poet and did recite poetry close to the end of this film

[@elliotrocha8758]

I appreciate Evgeny’s respect for what he does. It says a lot about him as a person, and is another reason that he’s my favorite pianist.

[@danaebeatrice7313]

He thinks so logically. His sentences have such a logic structure. I think that is the key to his genius as a pianist.

[@WCtrainer1]

I was literally going to say the same exact thing. His deep description of human feelings and it's coralation with art and music is pure genius.

[@rogerlephoque3661]

Hello

[@rogerlephoque3661]

There is an acute precision in his thought proccesses that is transmitted into spoken language. Artur Rubinstein was another great exponent of language (he spoke 10 languages) although he was more lyrical than Evgeny. This is most unusual and rare. It has disappeared to a large extent in the English-speaking world none more so on the public stage than the arch mangler-in-chief of the English language who is about to depart the Oval Office. Good to see and hear Evgeny recite his own poetry in Yiddish.

[@heighhom1517]

Lol.

[@dreadrockadrian]

Don't know if I agree with this. Logic has gotten in the way of many a musician. That's why LSD in the 60's, alongside THC, gave us some of the most sublime music to come from the likes of Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, Janis, Beatles, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eagles, Santana etc. etc. To be able to think this logically and STILL produce the quality of spirit he can when he plays is what's truly remarkable.

[@bogotana1990]

He is the best pianist of all world and he is so clever honest and natural a great human being

[@norahdealmeida5847]

How beautiful what you said about him: clever, honest, natural , a great human being. I totally agree!

[@Myogramme]

+Maria Teresa Ribera Ovalle I really don't like when you say he is the "best". What is "being the best" ? Is there really a "best pianist" and a "worst pianist" ? What caracteristics are you using to compare him to other pianists and say he's "the best" ? It's not difficult to understand how Evgeny have all this skills, including when he was younger, after reading his biography... her mom was a piano teacher. At 2 years old, he was already playing piano, growing with discipline and education from her mother. At 6 years old, he was already in a big academy. This has maybe something to see with "a miracle", but mostly something about education, discipline and work to me. Anyway this doesn't explain why there should be a "best" and a "worst" pianist, we can't compare musician, everyone have his own way of playing, his own style.

[@bullie999]

Beethoven is the best and second best is Antonio Vivaldi so no .

[@AVIDEOGAL]

IF YOU HAVE TO ASK, "WHY IS HE THE BEST" PERHAPS GARDENING WOULD BE A BETTER HOBBY, OR MAYBE CROCHET, MUSIC JUST ISN'T YOUR THING......

[@elliotrocha8758]

Raz Colt Liszt: Am I a joke to you?

[@IvanHernandez-gx4rt]

He is a very intellectual artist, sees very deep into the human soul, almost a philosopher of the piano.

[@叫爸爸-u6x]

I completely agree.

[@xlyal8908]

soviet russian jewish upbringing

[@Seleuce]

@@xlyal8908 Most Russians, Jewish or not, pre- and post-soviet, actually have a pretty philosophical vein. Broody people.

[@consueloperez7578]

This man is a gift to Humanity! Genius ! thank you !

[@allegrofilms]

Yes, he is. Have you seen his performance of the pictures at an exhibition? kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHnCg6aibMudpc0

[@consueloperez7578]

I just did ....I was levitating ! ...what an extraordinary man !! what a gift !..I hope he comes to NYC soon and perform again ....

[@norahdealmeida5847]

Oh! How much I agree with your !!!

[@mortenrobinson]

Well he's a great pianist, there's no denying that, no one could take that away from him. But he's no Mozart, he's no Beethoven, he's no Chopin or Rachmaninoff. He merely plays back the compositions of the real artists, which is more of an unreal fingermechanical feat than it is an artistic achievement. The composers are the true gifts to humanity, they are immortalized by their compositions! When Kissin passes away, there will be another great pianist to take his place and he will largely be forgotten.

[@sxzo4258]

Demonwhisper You are simply an imbecile. Nothing more.

[@nicolebattistini7756]

Timeless. An inspired musician and thinker. So diplomatic, bright and good.

[@maryyueil]

Kissin was born to be a musician, ever since he was a baby, he could recite the pieces his sister played on the piano, he is a genius .

[@AnabolicRick915]

Holy shit this guy is on some real shit. He's a goddamn philosopher. I already loved this guy's performances and Chopin interpretations but now he's also an awesome person.

[@norahdealmeida5847]

How fantastic is to hear Evgeny playing here the slow movement of Brahms Sonata op. 5 !

[@baronmeduse]

Not that much. I don't like that sonata.

[@darionbuck8864]

I discovered him from Brahms hungarian dances. He is ridiculous. The precision of each note, and his interpretation is beyond anyone else's.

[@derekpintozzi2498]

@@baronmeduse Brahms is terrible

[@baronmeduse]

@@derekpintozzi2498 Perhaps not terrible, but not the eternal genius some bores make him out to be.

[@derekpintozzi2498]

@@baronmeduse yeah I agree. Just a very boring composer

[@8877jerry]

this is a so great interview

[@kazokuyama457]

Exquisite 😍 Thankyou for the post!

[@TheCaithleen]

Kissin maybe from a certain country maybe from a certain culture yet he has enough music and love for it in his heart for the whole world and his playing is a holy ritual of unconditionally accepting his offerings of humility,love and peace we search for even if it is just for a few moments in time he elevates the goodness in us all. Xoxoxo

[@isabellllee]

I agree with him!! I think there is more to music compared to other arts, and i believe it is a “time” that passes along with the music.

[@alisonchang1268]

i like Kissin a lot! Thank you for uploading this video~ hope to see more about him~

[@pecaitogarcia2923]

I love the way he talks , so quite, clear, deep, slowing down and getting me concentrated in every single word he says. Quite interesting man and great musician.

[@ayhamshaheed7740]

You can tell that every word is well thought out

[@a.stephen9407]

man, if kissin ever did a 'book on tape' i swear, I'd buy every copy..

[@johnvant7984]

How come his grammar and English is more proper and correct than mine and I’ve been speaking the language my whole life

[@baronmeduse]

Because he's actively thinking about it and you aren't. I'm not criticising you. A native speaker is like a jazz musician: able to take the basis he knows so well and improvise creatively; it can sound messy, but also complicated and excellent. An L2 speaker is careful, as correct as possible and more like someone reading a score.

[@ironmantooltime]

Artist, genius. We love you Evgeny!

[@salvatorepaioletti8039]

Grande Musicista!

[@DanielMartinez-nw1pn]

My favorite pianists of all

[@Clark_808]

0:56 ever pianist including myself wonder the same thing when i hear someone plays a piece i know it sounds more beautiful but when we play it we dont know how to "feel" the sounds and "combinations" genuinely in turn we try and try to make it sound beautiful/satifying for ourselves and thats how we learn... atleast thats how i see my way of playing

[@daves5562]

What a poetic soul.

[@789armstrong]

A genius filled with humility and integrity.

[@XplosiveGaming2K15]

I love this man, they way he read the poem in Yiddish damn.

[@afritimm]

XplosiveStudios I don't think he read, was from memory.

[@gpippind]

If you have more interviews with Evgeny please put them on KZbin. This was great to hear him speak and later speak Yiddish

[@allegrofilms]

Thank you for your comment. We plan to publish a film about him in January. Inbetween you can enjoy his talent in the film "We Want the Light" (kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWqwepV-mbqJfNU) and two of his concerts will be published next week. Subscribe to the channel, so you won't miss anything! goo.gl/GLSuto

[@gpippind]

I did subscribe and am looking forward to the two concerts next week. I didn't know about him until last year. His talent is astonishing and I watch for new videos with him on KZbin quite often. Thank you so much for this!

[@Qee7en]

Please do! :D

[@meixingmichael2480]

gpippind he's really like the priest of the piano

[@gpippind]

Yes. His talent astounds me, his touch on the piano and the amount of music he has memorized! He played both of Chopin's concertos (1 and 2) from memory when he was twelve.

[@izabellamardo1074]

Belíssima entrevista , amo Evgene Kissin

[@Cantoloco81]

This man is beautiful♥️ I am not sure if he is better as a pianist than as a thinker/ Este hombre es hermoso♥️ no sé si es más genio como pianista o como pensador

[@gardenerkatecarter5911]

Best sermon ever

[@曾亭亭]

respect, so a human ❤

[@diaspiano]

Can you tell me the name of the piece he was playing in the video? That was so beautiful, I was hugely inspired by it and by Kissin words with it, it matches profundly! Thanks

[@JPShippee]

Brahms Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Andante Espressivo

[@joyjoy-mk5ed]

The beauty of this man ❤❤❤

[@claudegray2759]

Great interview

[@ClassicalMusicIsWhatILike]

Very interesting...

[@allegrofilms]

For those who might like to own a permanent copy of our Kissin documentary, we have a great festive deal on DVDs: allegrofilms.com/collections/the-films

[@mistlehoe848]

Why is kissin perfect?!?! Has anyone noticed how anyone who demonstrates genius in art is so wise and philosophical in their thinking?

[@grai]

@Voracious Reader jesus *relax* Kissin is as near to perfection as we will witness get over it

[@kristinabesmansukhova5027]

Beautiful!!!

[@livium9184]

I've often wondered why a music genius and his or her personality are so discrepant. As eloquent as Evgeny's answer is, I still wrestle with this question. Wagner's music still elevates man to the world of the sublime, yet still, he inspired the nazis to commit the worst atrocities in human history. I must accept, much like Evgeny does, that music is the greatest mystery of life.

[@GrotrianSeiler]

Wow, that was some wonderful insight.

[@geniafein5792]

Es ist so bewegend ❤❤❤

[@curtiso779]

Didn't know Evgeny Kissin was so philosophical. Cool, I just bought his book, memoirs and reflections.

[@GeneralHamface]

Didn't know yiddish is so related to german. I understood almost everything without subtitles

[@shlomzion]

Yiddish is mostly German but many Hebrew words mixed in.

[@saboo_tage]

I didn't even realise it was yiddish lol

[@leo32190]

saboo They are joking

[@苏栎悦]

Bc pic has topics and elements to recognize but music is all about how to feel.

[@TheCaithleen]

Bravo mysterious is Gods great stage of natural flow to the world of miracles......

[@juliaflauta1]

❤️❤️❤️

[@whoisthispianist194]

Very moving. What was the music? Brahms Intermezzi? Which one?

[@GTXTi-db5xu]

Second movement of Brahms Sonata No. 3 in F minor

[@AVIDEOGAL]

WOW HE SHOULD DO AN ENTIRE A SERIES OF ALBUMS NARRATING TO HIS PLAYING THE PIANO, I'M INTO THIS BIG TIME, AND I DON'T EVEN SPEAK THE LANGUAGE, JUST ALL THE GREAT SOUNDS MAKING ME COME BACK TO HEAR IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND AGAIN !!! DOES ANYBODY KNOW IF THAT IS ONE OF KISSIN'S OWN POEMS THAT HE WROTE HIMSELF ?????????

[@dreadrockadrian]

He's correct. He doesn't know why but it's good that he has recognized this and is able to primitively convey his observation. Many don't even get near the fact that music is the most "direct to heart" than any other art. That Evgeny THINKS has made him now more attractive a person to me. A painting requires human value judgment before it can affect one's emotions - which is just our automatic response to values. For some unique reason, music requires no such judgement. It either affects you or it doesn't. That's why it is so perfectly poised to accompany a moving picture. Though it is in the background, it tugs at your strings like no other. That being said, over the years I have recognized another art-form that bypasses value-judgements before igniting emotions. Humour. It's either funny or it isn't. You don't even get to think that it's funny before you laugh. You laugh first, THEN you can iterate it's level of humour. Magic is a similar art but is just another form of humour - Surprise!

[@voraciousreader3341]

I think you’ve mixed several metaphors……

[@peter5.056]

Music speaks in the language of consciousness itself.

[@voraciousreader3341]

I don’t mean to be rude, truly, but that statement is absurd. How do you know this, how can you prove it?? What definition are you using for “music”? If your statement is true, then why isn’t everybody affected by music? Because you’ve phrased it as a universal concept, when many people are _not_ interested in or affected positively by music, or they’re tone deaf, for example…..since a universal concept must be universal, the idea that music is the language of the conscious mind cannot be true! Many great musical minds don’t even consider it a universal language, either, because cultures all over the world have music specific to their culture, so therefore by definition, it cannot be a universal language! For me, it’s enough that the music I love speaks to _ME,_ and I’m very grateful for that, that’s enough for me!

[@javelynkryeziu8601]

❤️

[@mosaicclassics]

His diction in the poem reminds me of Yevteshnko's.

[@melissat9120]

What is that beautiful piece in D-flat that he is playing?!?!?!

[@lucapop3571]

Sonata 3 Brahms, second movement

[@Lillars]

De qui est la poésie qu'il déclame à la fin de l'interview ?

[@chopin65]

He looks like a Mozart, a child for eternity. : )

[@alicechan6523]

David Henson how do you know how he looks like?

[@ayhamshaheed7740]

And nowadays he looks like Beethoven

[@ayhamshaheed7740]

Alice Chan paintings

[@lorddaver5729]

Why have they added sub titles? His English is perfectly clear.

[@voraciousreader3341]

Have you watched the whole documentary, or only the extras? In other words, do you typically ask questions without first trying to find answers?

[@lorddaver5729]

@@voraciousreader3341 I was referring to the first 10 minutes of this 11 minutes and 20 seconds long video, during which subtitles appeared on screen even though he was speaking perfectly clear English. The subtitles were entirely unnecessary. Yes, I know that subtitles were necessary for the last minute and a half of the video during which he spoke Yiddish. But for the first 10 minutes why were subtitles used? That's the point I was making.

[@ladybug7967]

A Blessed descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob... genius.

[@ajarnwordsmith628]

B"H

[@korlock3000]

What is the piece??

[@antoniobanda9404]

Brahms sonata no 3

[@giordanobruno7943]

Cool cat

[@screambeyond]

Very true. The ancient jewish chants were about invading, killing and defeating the enemies of the Jewish people, and about how supreme the Jewish "nation" and race is over the rest of people in the world. So, yes, that is another probe that music doesn't make people better...

[@beatlessteve1010]

Evgeny Kissin.and I.have a couple things in common. 1)I believe he was born on Oct 10 71' and I was born Oct 10 68' 2)Russian Jewish decent and although I am an American I also have Russian Jewish roots. I just thought it was cool to at least have something in common with a great pianist because my piano skills are probably at a kindergarten level...even though I have been playing on and off for 40 years..the guitar I am much better at.

[@boredom5132]

steve w I’m in a similar position, my parents are both descendants Russian jews who came to the United States just before the revolution. I play classical guitar professionally and can attest that music is very much a part of our shared culture not only as jews but as human beings.

[@grai]

I'm fascinated by how many genius level people are Jews Do you have any theories as to why that is? Kissin is a perfect example

[@MUSICOFCHENLE]

Young kissin looks like young sheldon

[@alfalfafalafelmafia]

Because he is a perfectionist, he is slow when speaking in order to pronounce the words correctly and compose appropriate sentences. He would've benefited a lot from some rehearsing.

[@ajarnwordsmith628]

With respect, I think you've missed the point. No rehearsal is needed. We hang on his every word for he speaks in fully formed, verbally modulated sentances that are precise, grammatically perfect and communicative. Few people have the ability to do so in their own mother tongue. If someone was to transcribe the words of his conversation and file the text with the news desk of a great newspaper, there would no need for a sub-editor to knock his news copy into shape.

[@supernovawalker]

You guys do realize this ain’t Yiddish just old German

[@essialc9907]

It was not the Jews who made Mozart a man of god, he was, and all the nations who could cross him have found it, I do not understand why make a constant connection between music and Jews? all peoples have their music, and that of Mozart did not belong to the Jews

[@mariusfelixlange6709]

Brahms...bigger and deeper than one can imagine...

[@voraciousreader3341]

To you! Setting my preferences as boundaries for everyone is something I never do, because I don’t expect that the music which moves me will move everyone else in the same way, to the same degree, or at all. In fact, much of Brahms’ music _doesn’t_ tremendously move me, though I’ve studied it and performed it. I’m incredibly moved by Bach’s fugues for organ and especially his “Art of Fugue,” but most musicians have never listened to them or could even sit through the work I named. Can’t it be enough that the music you love moves _YOU??__

[@mcbgermanrapper2359]

"Musical race" [04:00] ??? ... ah, "we" means "we" ... ok!

[@Johannes_Brahms65]

I'm not so shure about Brahms'ideas about jewish culture either! (remember his encounter with Bruch)

[@voraciousreader3341]

As many great classical musicians have said, some in this very documentary, if people blocked every composer who was antisemitic/racist from their repertoire (or interest), there would be very little music left to play or to listen to. German composers into the 20th century who were raised in the Lutheran faith had to consciously or subconsciously content with the fact that Martin Luther was a devout hater of Jewish people. Racism is the constant companion of every race known to humankind, of every generation, of every religion. There are intellectuals who assert that people who say they aren’t racist are in denial….it’s a deeply embedded human characteristic which each of us must fight overtly and within ourselves.

[@JMallinsonBird]

Does anyone know what piece he is playing here?

[@AlbertoCobo]

Qué manía tanto con politizar la música clásica como sacralizarla en forma de religión partidista. Yo dudo que los músicos compongan por ser partícipes de una religión determinada sino porque nacieron músicos, por algo divino, seguramente sí, pero no podemos dedicarnos por solo puro interés personal, en vender a los demás como tipo de demagogia que la música pertenece a una religión determinada. ¿Y ustedes qué saben? Tampoco saben lo que Mozart quiso decir, y lo digo después de haberlo estudiado mucho.

[@rhandley1000]

They cut the last stanza in the poem by Jacob Glatstein that Kissin recites; How poor and stingy - compared with Mozart's legacy - is the Sermon on the Mount. its a bit controversial, so probably a good idea.

[@grai]

true though! lol

[@Forestier1]

I thought the whole poem was in bad taste.

[@rhandley1000]

@@Forestier1 I don't disagree

[@Forestier1]

The poem at the end seems to be divisive. At the very least in bad taste. Mozart himself was a Christian and the Jews have no particular claim over him or Western classical music. Christians, gentiles, none have crucified Mozart figuratively or otherwise. Feel free to enlighten me.

[@inkipapin4798]

B

[@ethanmiller1143]

Playing pianos esay

[@ethanmiller1143]

Yes it's really not that hard

[@omega7377]

Ok post a video of you playing Mazeppa then.

[@ethanmiller1143]

No, Mazeppa is to hard

[@ayhamshaheed7740]

Ethan Miller bruh u literally just said piano isn’t hard. So mazeppa should be a piece of cake

[@lorenzo6906]

This is what happens when you cant decide what to choose to say in the Walking Dead, and the sentences are all spaced apart.

[@ИванИван-в3н]

Оф кос итс бай нэйчр 🤔😃🤣😃😔🤢

[@Johannes_Brahms65]

Kissin has more control over pianostrings than over his vocal chords. I.e. the piano strings are his vocal chords!

[@voraciousreader3341]

You do realize he’s a native Russian speaker, right?? And that he is expressing his deep feelings and thoughts by translating Russian into English as he’s speaking?? *Are people so ignorant that they can’t understand how eloquent he manages to be in a language so incredibly different from his own??* I DO know that his English is light years better than your Russian, without mentioning his musical eloquence! Think about that for a minute.

[@Johannes_Brahms65]

@@voraciousreader3341 I thought about it and you are right. I apologize for my short sightedness. Although I didn't mean to be nasty, I should have been more considered. Anyway, in my opinion Kissin is a true hero. Thank you. By the way, I'm not a native English speaker.

[@ThePianoPlayer4Ever]

I didn't know he was on the spectrum

[@voraciousreader3341]

How silly....he’s not! We’re watching him translate Russian to English in his head! He’s got an incredible grasp of English grammar and vocabulary, but to express himself so wonderfully in English is obviously a big effort, which I’m sure you could understand if you tried to speak about any subject in Russian. And I’m a psychologist, so I know just a bit about the autism spectrum. So I will enlighten you: There is a world of difference between the musical child prodigy and what used to be called the “idiot savant,” and the difference is, the child prodigy plays with great emotion, while the savant plays note perfectly like a robot, without a shred of emotion. I don’t believe anyone can say with any credibility that Evgeny Kissin plays like a robot, and he never has! So I’d not try to psychologically diagnose anyone, since you could not recognize this basic and very obvious difference.

[@АлексейМаксимов-ы2м]

Что-то он больше говорит, чем играет. Тем более излагает бред и льет грязь на свою Родину. Хотя едва ли - он давно ее предал.

[@adrianwright8685]

Never ceases to amaze me how much Bullshit people can make up on KZbin. Kissin is a very good pianist - can't we just leave it at that without the overblown, nonsensical, rubbish which some seem to take such delight in inventing.

[@gjeacocke]

Just like the rivalry of Beethoven and Steibelt improvisation. I would of rivalled EvgnnyvKissin. If Kissin is going to say jews are a musical nation then i will do something similar. Sviatoslav richter was a great sight reader as was franz Liszt. Beethoven competed to be great. I wold have been great against you. But relax i have not the finger independence. You have escaped an awesome defeat like Steibelt.

[@johannesholm1989]

What?