Beethoven: Waldstein Sonata Op 53 in C, last movement

[@julietforrester8661]

My new favourite James Rhodes recording. So full of life. So human. I don't have time to listen to it again but I'm going to listen to it again.

[@dentednj]

Nobody has mentioned the camera. Very nicely done. It's great to see your positioning and finger work and body expression while you play. The slow camera panning and editing is really well done.

[@MatthewWilliamLittle]

A very, very good rendition. This is the best playing I have ever heard from you, bravo, really.

[@SilvertortoisePiano]

Completely superb. A masterful interpretation and performance. Thank you!!!

[@pipertripp]

Brilliant stuff man. One of my all time favourites. Always gives me chills. Thanks for sharing your interpretation of it!

[@SergioValenzuela]

always touched and moved by your interpretations. hope all musicians were like You. Thank You so much.

[@NathanaelXavier]

"Hope all musicians were like you." This defeats the point of being a musician. Every musician has his/her own personal style, approach and flair to a piece of music. Having musical diversity is the very thing that makes a musician successful. There are not two musicians in this world who are the same.

[@SergioValenzuela]

Nathanael, I wasn´t talking about style or personality. My commentary was motivated after seeing his very touching spain ted talk. Taking into account his life story, motivations and great sincerity, my comment has to do with attitude, sensibility, and depth, and desacralization of classical music or musicians.

[@Paisajes_Posibles]

you make me funcking love this extraordinary sonata, man, bless you

[@Erlkonig85]

Bravo! That was absolutely mesmerising :)

[@jbw53191]

Thank you, Mr. Rhodes for this superb performance and interpretation. I have listened to so many recordings of this and YOURS is the one I hope to emulate as I work on this piece. You brought out so many subtleties that many performers neglect. Thank you for your work!

[@FirstGentleman1]

So fresh and full of life and magic. Thank you.

[@topsparky88]

Lovely rendition! It's interesting to see your fingering and hand positions particularly through the presto, trills and arpeggios. Not sure why, but I always think the long pedaling is peculiar in this sonata. Nice touch adding the bit with the glasses inside the Steinway!

[@manfreadmusic]

too beautiful for words....... and performed by a genius too.

[@omitnot]

manfreadmusic i agree....bravo indeed!

[@manfreadmusic]

Great you enjoyed, Amit, :)

[@dotcom97]

This piece portraits a beautiful sunrise in the countryside, warm, happy, joyful feelings as I wake up to see the sun rising over the hills. I open the door to the smell of the spray field... flowers, grass, fruits waiting to be cut and eaten for breakfast. I stop and I sigh to let the complete ecstatic feeling inside my lungs and my whole body. What a great day to be alive!

[@tarikeld11]

Thats true! Beethoven loved the nature!

[@ricardobarmon5123]

Gracias por existir, James Rhodes.

[@pchamney]

There's so much joy here. Wow. I really needed that! Thank you!

[@jamesnitzberg8405]

What a great way to break in a piano, you did FANTASTIC. One of my favorite pieces, well played!!

[@palitook1166]

Absolutely Beautiful! !! It was no matter what others say That was extraordinary. He played it as if it was so easily done But it could not. To you Mr.Rhodes I clap my hands to you For yiur Amazing work *claps hands* Absolutely Mesmerizing~.

[@NathanaelXavier]

Nice performance, and I also love the bits of music history/fun facts you threw in there!

[@robrobbins1565]

Another great video recording. I like the fact that it is played with so much sensitivity - not so stodgy and "purist!"

[@girl920]

You are beyond amazing! We are so enjoying your videos, thank you for sharing your talent/hard work!

[@percpianogal9402]

I am not complaining about your boxer shorts...Believe me! Beautiful playing :)

[@robertmayes5232]

I never saw them. I listen to this a lot and I wouldn't notice anything like that anyway. Why would people when this played so well?

[@mollymaskell960]

oh wow, simply amazing so much passion played into it absolutely breathtaking !!!!!

[@elinroshenriksdotter9018]

Unbelievably beautiful

[@benhoughton8]

My favorite versions of the Waldstein: James Rhodes, Artur Schnabel, and Rudolph Serkin. I've been working and performing this piece for a while and I love it.

[@renysand]

Have you listened to Dubravka Tomšic’s? I highly recommend her interpretation.

[@volkerlinz7214]

This one is for eternity. I used to play Beethoven´s Sonatas for many years, but this last movement always blew my head - and it would always bring me close to the edge. Saw Alfred Brendel at the Philharmonie Berlin performing it. But yours is so much better. Can we have that in Berlin, too? Thanks for your genius, love and peace, Volker

[@Ernesto7608]

Rhodes plays this music very well. But Brendel's masterly interpretation is far ahead, with a SOLID musical excellency that all the tragedies in Rhodes' life cannot make up for.

[@JohnWeinert]

That is genious. You are on the right way with your skills ...

[@gabriellasan]

Wow, such happy, phenomenal music

[@garfreed]

You are doing important work, Mr. Rhodes. I'd love to hear you do Schumann!! Carnaval, Kreisleriana, Davidsbundlertaenze!!

[@Rix800]

Simply amazing!

[@martha80202]

Pasión y precisión. Muy Bueno. Gracias

[@douglassmith7750]

WOW. ..very good

[@Linitaaamolina]

Beautiful!!! :)

[@Alanzott]

I am truly inspired..

[@josefrancoluzzi3747]

Magnífico, Magistral!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@newonecyclone7846]

Wowwww... It is great job done.

[@topsparky88]

Btw, thanks for this lovely Christmas treat!

[@sato4462]

Great interpretation 👏

[@MegaCatamayo]

I close my eyes.....and let my mind go..............................

[@cristinamaia3195]

Love it S2

[@loy1985loy]

Wow, you are an amazing pianist! :) Congrats! I got your book to play the piano! :)

[@gnnyman]

James, I read your comment about the Steinways... I need to disagree! I took your word and went to the Steinway House in Vienna and tried it out - no problem at all to do those octave glissandi!

[@cucaytoña]

Sublime.

[@kroni1911]

Well...now i see how will I play glisando octaves😀 Nice man

[@jonathanfrank1073]

just awesome, man. mean it.

[@crismiranda_]

Brilliant!!

[@BenSadounJeremie]

Awesome

[@jorgevillagra6400]

Great !

[@kellymathews6615]

This is exactly right for reading Keats and Shelley.

[@alexscott75]

Amazing, but why 4:3 D:

[@esmeraldaal-rebai3333]

magnificent

[@hannrkelley]

Beyond

[@stephengentle2815]

Looks like the audio has been incorrectly copyright claimed by another pianist? Might want to get that fixed!

[@ComtedeMonteC]

If MrJames Rhodes wore white tie and tails, instead of t-shirt and jeans, and had nice stylish haircut then this good performance would sound even better. [For those who don't realise, this comment is sarcastic and this is indeed a good performance.]

[@mariesoullier]

No need to apologise for the boxers I honestly didn't notice them (though I definitely looked after reading that), I was too busy watching your fingers dance.

[@danksamosa3952]

Fingers dance 😙

[@onanonainoyole]

Excelente pianista español.

[@andresbonelli]

5:30 "fuck... where did I left my glasess??"

[@ameliaashton-brooke2454]

Dreamy

[@GeorgeZwierzchowskipianomusic]

excellent power for such a light arm. did you record the first movement? I played this for my graduation exam many years ago. I think I'll blow the dust of it and give it another cycle. Don't be afraid to eat, with more weight in the arms you will work less. serious, I had to stuff myself to get a good shoulder and forearm. Peace.

[@danksamosa3952]

You roasted him and at the same complimented him.

[@laurencesiegel9362]

Skinny people are cool if they can play like that.

[@akelofgren9468]

Think that so much love Beethoven Bach Chopin and by family get it denied

[@Priss2010Oliveira]

Love

[@Elishalevizecchillo]

👌👏

[@meowpurpussypaws5252]

well done with this technically very demanding piece! although at some parts you should stick to the original pedal indications (as written by Beethoven himself) and the initial tempo.

[@hansdekorver7365]

It is better not to stick to the original pedal indications ! The Graf piano sustaining right pedal did hardly work ! So in other words the nowadays piano ''s right pedal has a much better function.

[@RaisinPyramids]

great playing. also i thought you were nicolas cage at first :P

[@johannsebastianbach3411]

I suppose steinway actions are too heavy for the octave glissandos :(

[@Cris-oi6ky]

Amor.

[@SIashHD]

The main theme, for chist's sake....

[@youngpossum]

Great stuff! Quick question though: Is this how the 8ve glissandi are supposed to be played, or is it a cheat? Frankly I can't imagine doing them one-handed, so would do the same, but am curious how you approached the problem.

[@jamesrhodepianist]

total cheat :) Some Steinways you can do them one-handed but rarely. Split the right hand ones to play with both hands (either gliss or fast runs) then 8ve Gs and single scale runs in the left hand (with every G an octave though). Makes more sense to me that way if I want to avoid blood on the keyboard...

[@youngpossum]

***** Haha, thanks for the reply! You're very inspiring for us passionate amateurs who want to approach difficult pieces like this -- and you do pick some very good repertoire. (Any chance of some Scriabin?)

[@paullanfear]

***** Yes, remember that the pianos in Beethoven's time would have been a lighter action and in many cases the keys narrower, making this particular glissando not quite so fiendish as on a modern grand.

[@johannsebastianbach3411]

you are right, on some concert pianos it is easier to do 8ve Gs because they have lighter actions, but even if the piano has a heavier action it is possible. I personally take my thumb and little finger as close to the ending point of the black keys and perform the 8ve Gs. When you are closer to the end of the keys, the difference between the p and the down position of the keys is huge, making it harder to perform glissandos. But if you do the same by just moving your hand one inch forward in the keyboard, the difference in the vertical position of the keys decrease linearly. I figured this technique on my own and maybe it has been around there for a while I dont honestly know. But you could give it a try if you havent so. Very nice performance :D

[@SilvertortoisePiano]

Well Bach would know of course, thank you sir! : )

[@paulzarvisMusicProducer]

Beautiful job on this James and nice to meet you here. I'm working on this sonata myself. I've already released the first movement. This third is a tough one! I play the 1st movement a bit slower than most do but I like the tempo because it doesn't feel like the music is 'running' Anyway love your work. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2rZemBraZeIedE

[@dabidentero8784]

2 spiders on piano..2 walkers dancing black and withe ...

[@이환규-y2b]

The pianists valentine lisitsa and kun woo paik

[@thewizardii1638]

quite gd. accent maybe. but no pauses on the stretto. strict time. maybe dont move ur hands to the chords untill right when ur gonna play them?.:)..

[@professordeportugadoyt113]

A mime playing piano. lol

[@benvolio1987]

Omg - did you write this??

[@MassimilianoGrotto]

This is Beethoven!!!

[@benvolio1987]

awh man, can't wait to hear what he writes next

[@samirraheb7623]

Benvolio Foster you seem to be ignorant my friend didnt catch what did grotto told you ?

[@manfreadmusic]

Beethoven. Ludwig.

[@monikad5758]

Benvolio Foster just a few useless diddlies here and there

[@Ludwig142]

3:29

[@AB-vd8rt]

What’s the silly need to refer to your boxer shorts when you perform one of the best piano sonatas ever? In a few centuries the Waldstein will still be played; nobody will (hopefully) check out your knickers’ allusion. Let your interpretation stand out by itself. And yes, for your ego’s sake it’s very well played (vs, say, Richter’s).

[@originunknown3209]

Too slow for me James.

[@pawedoronowski2673]

I admire Your hard work, but i don't like You playing => delicatissimo/aggresive/delicatissimo/.../etc. you're losing what's most important in this sonata. Listen to performances of Friedrich Gulda, Alfred Brendel, Emil Gilels, You'll know what i mean.

[@benhoughton8]

Paweł Doronowski a lot of recordings I've heard of the Waldstein seem to be blurry, especially James Rhodes. I still like it though.

[@pawedoronowski2673]

Well, Waldstein sonata is NOT an easy one, i respect everyone who can play this masterpiece, just... its hard for me to tell, this performance misses something... Not notes of course :) But still - Great work is done here, no one can deny it!

[@benhoughton8]

Paweł Doronowski hard to disagree. Mr. Rhodes obviously knows what he's doing. I think I like Rudolph Serkin's interpretation better, even though that's "really" blurry as well but one of my influences when I started learning it. Schnabel's version is pretty amazing too.

[@pawedoronowski2673]

I haven't heard Serkin playing Waldstein. YET. But i will today. By the way: if i rememner correctly, first time i heard Waldstein, it was M. Pletniev's performance, and now, years later i still like his playing. Kempff and Gulda are amazing too.

[@ComtedeMonteC]

@Pawel Doronwski Well I do not know what you mean. I dont think this performance is losing anything important. It is an "interpretation" and so is bound to be different from other's performances.

[@222mozart]

i could buy you some dresses, also i have hair shampoon and a comb in my fundus i tell you when i will arrive

[@MrFartyman44]

I'm so cool for wearing a stripped shirt, having tattoos and leaving my sunglasses on the inside of the piano

[@samshepherd1279]

if you wore a striped t and had tats you'd still be a loser

[@danksamosa3952]

I am so cool for thinking that wearing a stripped shirt, having tattoos and leaving sunglasses on the side of the piano is not cool.

[@alejandrocalvo1015]

Damn cameraman. They always move too much. We don't care about his hair or the furniture behind. And btw you forgot left hand view.. change job

[@cristinamaiapm]

hippie

[@ryanyesman7664]

And a hipster, and a damn good pianist too.

[@kroni1911]

Well...now i see how will I play glisando octaves😀 Nice man

[@PlanetmusicFmax]

Great!!