Ashkenazy Observed (Documentary of 1987 about Vladimir Ashkenazy)

Vladimir Ashkenazy was born in Gorky, in 1937. He has lived in Soviet Union, in England, in Iceland and in Switzerland, but he spent most of his professional life travelling. He is unusually private and all-assuming for his profession and yet he is known and affectionately remembered by millions of people all over the world.
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An Allegro film by Christopher Nupen

[@stuartholder2098]

It was during the late 70's that Vladimir Ashkenazy was giving a concert in Brisbane, Queensland and I had to pay a visit to the old City Hall to collect something and I heard coming from within, the strains of the op 58 sonata in b minor by Chopin. I peeked round the door and it was Vladimir Ashkenazy himself practising on the Steinway at City Hall. There were several of us peering round doors so taken with the sound. Vladimir Ashkenazy stood up and said "please take a seat and listen if you want". Well, what an invitation - I think I was late back to work that lunch hour...it could wait. Upon leaving the hall i felt a tap on the shoulder and it was Ashkenazy asking directions back to his hotel if I remember rightly. I know he is a shy person so did not enter into any conversation, but to my amazement, he didn't mind a quick conversation and I walked with him to the corner where I worked and directed him on from there. What a wonderful few moments. I am eternally grateful Mr Ashkenazy. Thank you for letting us stay in the hall in our lunch hour and hear the last movement to op. 58.

[@thegreenpianist7683]

Stuart Holder what that must be an amazing memory

[@gunterfreitag5562]

Stuart Holder jjj

[@markmiller3713]

What a beautiful story!

[@tomomib8539]

Thanks for sharing your story. I loved it!

[@anneglogowski6187]

One of the "greats" of the musical world who has now stopped at 80. Many other brilliant pianists eg Richard Farrell and William Kapell both were killed in tragic accidents aged 32 and 31!

[@Johannes_Brahms65]

Ashkenazy kind of saved my life throug his Sibelius records. They were my perfect escape during my teenage years in depressing circumstances. At the time i didn't know he was actually a great pianist. These documentaries make it clear that he is a remarkable man, as a musician but maybe even more as a human being. Thank you, everybody who contributed to this document!

[@VladVexler]

Wonderful it had that affect on you.

[@carlosfredericosilveiraesc5354]

For me too, in the Sinphony "Finlandia".

[@carlosfredericosilveiraesc5354]

My heroes was Baremboim, Ashkenazy, Karajan, Previn,....Menuhin/Shankar

[@TINSTAAFL1]

15:25 Etude Op.10 no.1, the best performance ever, by any pianist.

[@nunyabusiness8538]

TINSTAAFL1 goes on stage looking very nervous.....end up playing it flawlessly

[@8beef4u]

He commented afterward that he would never play it so perfectly for the rest of his life.

[@saragrant3667]

Totally agree! No one even from the greatest pianists of our times played it so flawlessly and so musically interesting at the same time! His technical gifts are also 10+!

[@lalahohoable]

a great musician and a great human being....

[@Goldfinger200]

Im Jahr 1994 konnte ich Vladimir Ashkenazy im Audimax Regensburg erleben. Vor dem Konzert traf ich ihn im Foyer. Er hatte ein Glas Tee in der Hand und wir wechselten einige Worte. Ein sehr sympathischer Mensch und wunderbarer Pianist.

[@patriciabretas2872]

Ashkenazy is my preferred pianist. His love for the music he does is perceived in every movement he does. This film also shares clearly the human being Ashkenazy, a husband, a father, a citizen of the world. Indeed. Thank you so much, Allegrofilms and Ashkenazy. I will never forget his Wanderer in Paris, (1985 or 1986, I am not sure). But that Schubert was the best version ever!

[@quaver1239]

Saw this many years ago, and now, aged 80, I at last fully appreciate what a remarkable, warm and true portrait it is is of Vladimir Ashkenazy. He is a great man and great musician who did not ever push himself forward or look for publicity. His family has always been THE priority. I miss him in his retirement although there are a couple of great newer recordings of him accompanying his clarinettist son whose name I will get wrong if I try typing it. Thank you for this wonderful portrait, Allegro Films.

[@marshallman83pfeiffer67]

One of the few living pianists I can think of that performs the piano repitore almost flawlessly, i.e. correct touch, tempo, pedaling. Very much like Sviatoslav Richter, he gives you the distinct impression that his interpretation is the right one.

[@magbag70]

This is true, utill you understand that there is no 'right one' :)

[@meredith218461]

There were many times during his heyday as pianist (1960s, 70s) when I considered him to be on a level with the great Richter. His insights into Chopin and Rachmaninoff were especially memorable, after which of course conducting became his main focus from the 1980s onwards. To this aspect of his career he brought the same intense dedication, imagination and quiet integrity. Given his immense gifts he remains very modest and unassuming human being.

[@tangomz7070]

His Rach 3 is a definitive interpretation just as Du Pre's Elgar is a definitive interpretation.

[@saragrant3667]

@@meredith218461/ Absolutely true! He's a wonderful profound man so deeply committed to anything He's touching: his performances, approachment to many composers , to his life and family and any human being. Ashkenazy has that certain kind of reverence (being himself rather shy and modest) to music and everything around that it changes entirely colours of the world we live in. I experienced this feeling what I am so greatly thankful for! Amazing man and artist, so extraordinary gifted to touch other humans life!💞👍🏻👏

[@milesdockendorff]

My ultimate dream would be to use a time machine to attend one of Chopins concerts, but since that isn't possible I believe that seing Ashkenazy in concert is probably the next closest thing. I would love to see this wonderful musician/man perform just one last time.

[@gracecheng9091]

I like the way he walks.

[@susy9896]

I like the way he play and feel the music ♥️♥️♥️

[@GUSTAVOMARZANO]

Muchas gracias por compartir este video de unos de mis pianistas predilectos

[@simonbailey8814]

Sad that he has retired today. Will be greatly missed.

[@Sultanetta]

who can dislike such a beautiful film??? this film is same class as the "Gift of Music" for Evgeny Kissin.. human and brilliant..

[@octaviamymuse]

Wonderful!!! Thank you for showing such extensive concert footage of this great man. Many, I should say most, documentaries only include severely edited performance clips...you gave us long and meaty chunks of Ashkenazy's brilliance. Thank you.

[@davidmcnulty3618]

I love this documentary. Have done ever since seeing it on a VHS about 20 years... Kitty Nupen’s quaint pronunciation of AsHkKeEnaZZy.... still makes me smile. A broadcasting style long gone.

[@MichaelAlexander1967]

That is awesome footage of Ashkenazy & Barenboim practicing Mozart in 1966 & the other one that appears to be some time in the 70's playing that contemporary piece. Wow! He & his wife are a beautiful couple. This is my first time getting insight into his role as husband. I did have the great fortune of hearing their son play clarinet on a KZbin video, so seeing the entire family is also a great treat. It's also great to watch him conduct! Especially that Sibelius piece.

[@livb6945]

You know you can see the whole film of Ashkenazy and Barenboim from 1966 here on KZbin?? I love it, keep watching it!

[@saragrant3667]

This piece by Sibelius you mentioned (excerpt from the whole composition) we have in UK as a Christian religious hymn " Be still my soul", wonderful and very loved. You can find it sung by many singers I.e Kathrine Jenkins.

[@juneshuffett8830]

Superb, a very profound musician and human being, so deep in his thinking and performance. What a priveledge to see this document. Thank you so much for making this film available for the public. He is truly a gift from above.

[@elizabethclemens7037]

This is a most enjoyable Documentary .

[@ellenqian3179]

omg....Barenboim + Ashkenazy !!!

[@allaneby6559]

I heard him play In Toronto in the early 1970’s. Amazing economy of motion and musicality. Allan Eby

[@searchers3225]

I heard him in Toronto in 1967, and went backstage to meet him and shake his hand. I never saw such a muscular hand-even the muscles on his fingers were well developed. I also saw him a few times in the 1970's. A very solid style of playing with no weaknesses.

[@dafnimbus]

Allegro films is a jewel.

[@salernomaria77]

Very interesting documentary, he's a marvelous pianist! Thanks for sharing!

[@nakedmambo]

Affectionately remembered? He's not dead!

[@kuroi8589]

nakedmambo LOL

[@James_Bowie]

... by the documentary team.

[@mckavitt13]

nakedmambo I bought the same thing.

[@livb6945]

"who's going to buy a new piano for this concert hall" I love Daniel Barenboim!! As well as Ashkenazy 😊

[@James_Bowie]

My all time favorite recording of the Emperor Concerto is Ashkenazy with the Chicago SO in 1972 on Decca.

[@heekyungkim8147]

How i love to see him play live at least once in my life.

[@pianoplaying-kblee1262]

When i was twenty ,i admire pianist Ashkenazy so much,still i do. When i see his mrs. i see the practical movie 👒🎩

[@rozalinapiano]

Thank you for this artful and informative tribute to the legacy of one of the most prolific musicians of our time.

[@301250]

I cherish his recording (on Decca) of Rachmaninov Songs with Elizabeth Soderstrom, indeed, regard it as one of my Desert Island discs.

[@xvi1921]

Wow... did he just have a video camera taking footage all the time? This is astonishing. It's like he knew that he would need it some day.

[@roberthanff4354]

One of my favourite pianists ever. I wish he'd recorded Liszt b minor, completed the recording of the 12 etudes d'execution transcendante and recorded more Brahms.

[@willemboone7912]

I once asked him whether there was any chance of him recording the Liszt sonata and he just answered (smiling): 'I leave it to others...' ;-)

[@francoriva55]

Great man and fantastic pianist

[@charleslyall5857]

A great talent.

[@joycepenn3830]

Listening to him, sometimes I forget to breathe.

[@saragrant3667]

Yes! We were forgetting to breathe meanwhile accompanying his performces too!

[@hkginger]

He is a great classical pianist!

[@ednaquintana6201]

Beautiful.

[@RobertOrgRobert]

His Rachmaninoff / Paganini variations is the best even today !

[@sebastian-benedictflore]

Brilliant

[@ednaquintana6201]

Wonderful.

[@ednaquintana6201]

Great.

[@mytake3692]

12:45 OMG Barenboim and Ashkenazi as young men. It sounds as if they are playing Stravinsky's Firebird Suite for 2 pianos?

[@miriamallemand2343]

Thorunn and Vladimir Ashkenazy were married on 25 February 1961.

[@andrecarron4270]

Mon pianiste préfère, il a une âme.

[@velvetpaws999]

Oui, pour moi, c'est pareil! Un esprit pur, rayonnant comme le soleil!

[@arianahmadnezhad4786]

Can anyone say what piece the background music is at 7:20

[@johnhayden1059]

3rd movement from Chopin Sonata no. 3 op. 58

[@erinmakefood]

Can anyone tell me the name of the piece at 7:10?

[@markmcmillan4233]

B section of Chopin's second movement of his B minor sonata Op. 58

[@erinmakefood]

@@markmcmillan4233 Thanks!

[@alejandroespianist]

@@markmcmillan4233 it's third movement

[@gijsschubert7901]

Rotterdam 1968 :) 4:12

[@scafatiguitars6894]

What is the name of the very first piece?

[@kkp784]

Beethoven piano sonata no.30 2nd mov.

[@karlmaddd]

What is the first piece in the opening?

[@Vilebrequin69]

It's the beautifully languid second movement of Beethoven's late Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109

[@marisaurruti4053]

Podrían haber repetido la última escena, para que no aparezca el perrito...

[@velvetpaws999]

Oh, come on... is that all you noticed and feel worthy of mentioning, when you could have paid attention, and get to know one of the greatest pianists and deeply soulful human beings who ever walked the earth? Sad and sorry you!

[@namn.2466]

33:38

[@rprytz0]

What´s the name of the last piece? 1:04:30

[@cantkeepitin]

Ricardo It is one of Beethovens Bagatelle.

[@rprytz0]

Thank you very much Stephan

[@Trowa71]

9:04 too much violin. "No" Shrug * Curb your Enthusiasm *

[@cihant5438]

he is a short, piano version (rather than chess) of vladimir kramnik

[@christinestill5002]

I learned one thing from this excellent film.....I hate Stravinsky and I do not know why that noise is even called MUSIC. But, what do I know? Same thing about the mystery Etude 10.

[@trhacprdeli6733]

op 10. no 1 by Chopin. Check his other etudes (Winterwind, Revolutionary, Ocean...) they are great. Also Stravinsky is difficult to grasp :)

[@oucutie1]

Trhač Prdeli You are gentle in your criticism of Stravinsky. I, on the other hand, find his music (?) to be intolerable. A matter of taste I know! 😔

[@brianrussel6012]

(guest) Dear Christine Still, I hate " the Rite of Spring" : ,a savage idea, and imho, a nasty noise ! ( And the ballet doesn't help !) But try " The Soldier's Tale" : not so difficult. 😊🎼🇬🇧🌈🎹🇬🇧

[@lsjt8924]

Aren’t we high and mighty about Chopin. Wow.

[@velvetpaws999]

I love Stravinsky. Always have and always will.

[@oucutie1]

Ashkenazy. World class pianist. Stravinsky? No thank you!!!! 🤢

[@k.tasaki5477]

Dustin Hoffman,~!!

[@voraciousreader3341]

Oh, God, no!! Ashkenazy is gorgeous, Dustin Hoffman, not.

[@saragrant3667]

Big mistake comparing two of them! Vladimir Ashkenazy is a man with very beautiful face, eyes, wonderful smile and profound soul so kind to everyone! Rather shy and modest than anything else! No "red carpet" syndrome at all!

[@christinestill5002]

oh fine....Etude .....by whom? I am sure this is not the only number 10 but whoever wrote it, it sounds like finger exercises......