Chopin Piano Concerto No.2 op.21 - Cortot - Mengelberg - Orchestre de Radio Paris - Live 1944

[@AfroPoli]

Perfection is not the absence of mistakes. Perfection is wood, metal, blood, sweat, tears, heartbreak cumulated in the artistic expression of a talented soul. That's what's real. Not robot-like executions of notes written in a score, ditigal emptiness and plastic. That's what's fake.

[@michelez3710]

E' il mio pianista preferito. Non sapevo che anche tu sia un ammiratore di quest' artista! Sono completamente d'accordo, credo nella stessa filosofia dell' estetica musicale.

[@AfroPoli]

@@michelez3710 Che bello vederti anche qui. Come tanti altri ho cominciato il mio viaggio anch'io col pianoforte. Ma il mio sogno è sempre stato di diventare direttore. Un sogno tristemente mai realizzato. Ma l'amore non muore - adoro Cortot e Mengelberg, il mio direttore preferito! Musicisti d'altri tempi e una musica piena d'ispirazione, slancio, fascino, virilità, una musica che respira organicamente. Un documento davvero bellissimo.

[@kristianhansen6013]

The poetry of Cortot is to die for, like some rare delicate flower, refined and beautiful, yet full of simplicity and unaffected. TRUE ART.

[@chaussonaph]

Chopin comme il devrait être toujours joué... phrasé, chanté, poétique, dansant, capricieux, passionné et fiévreux, dans les plus belles sonorités du piano. Cet enregistrement est à tomber par terre de la première à la dernière note. Evidemment Mengelberg n'y est pas pour rien... Chopin as it should be always played : phrasing, singing, poetry, dancing, whimsical, passionate and feverish, in the most beautiful sounds of the piano. This recording is to die for from the first to the last note. Obviously, Mengelberg is not for nothing ...

[@annjeanmillikan]

Beautiful performance of both Cortot and the Paris Radio Orchestra. Such intense emotion in Cortot's performance, and great technique. This is a rare and invaluable YOU TUBE. Thank you for posting it!

[@ThePianoFiles]

Cortot made his own orchestration of this concerto, the same one used in his commercial recording with Barbirolli

[@muhchung]

Haskil's studio recording with Markevitch as well (according to the back of first incarnation in CD).

[@RichardHooper-j5k]

That is the best performance

[@RichardHooper-j5k]

The 1935 recording is the absolute best

[@PabloValademan]

I love the 2nd movement of this concerto, and Cortot's is the best I've ever heard! Pure Magic!!!

[@armandogabba2769]

What a poet...don’t give a damn about the mistakes...I leave to you all the Lang Lang,Yuya wang and all the actors of today...

[@goodmanmusica]

I agree

[@RaineriHakkarainen]

The Best Chopin piano concerto no 2 players Are really Artur Rubinstein Grigory Sokolov ( The Best piano sound! The most vital rhythmic vitalness! Sokolov The Titan The Giant of The piano! Vladimir Ashkenazy ( The most beautiful piano sound Ever!)

[@paulcapaccio9905]

None if them could hold a candle to this artistry ! All gimmecky frauds

[@paoloherlitzka5127]

@@RaineriHakkarainen have you listened to Alexander Gadjiev who got the 2nd prize at Chopin competition this year.. he is Cortot’s true heir and definitely the best Chopin interpreter today

[@eytonshalomsandiego]

The two you mention 100% gimmicky can't play a lyrical melody to save their lives but there are exceptions one of them being Alexandra Dovgan another Beatrice berrut I don't think there are any other living pianist that I listen to yes one more Maria PIRES

[@MXDelfos]

This is my favourite channel in the entire KZbin. By far. Count me as your fan. This file is enormously fascinating. I'm not a pianist, I'm a good aficionado. And I love you, Piano Files. Greetings!

[@richardresseguier1]

❤❤❤

[@erickverran653]

It's true. I believe the problem stems from a lack of innovation today. No one is progressing the art of interpreting classical music, so in compensation the musician grows increasing technically proficient.

[@johnnauman347]

Cortot's hands are unattainable. Beautiful man, beautiful performance.

[@maxreger100]

@goodmanmusica--Nobody plays like this anymore! Everyone today is afraid of making an ugly sound or a scratchy entrance. This orchestra plays like its life depends on it--and Cortot follows suit! I am inclined to believe that this is how this music WAS played in the 19th century--with abandon-- and we today have strayed completely away from it. The wrong notes do not bother me at all. Betters wrong note reaching for the stars, than a bloodless "perfection". Grazie Mille, come sempre.

[@richardresseguier1]

Le meilleur de loin ...

[@rogelsamuel]

thanks!!!! this is the great poetic Cortot... whit the famous Mengelberg!!!

[@extrasalt4595]

Somehow Cortot's playing reminds me of Mme. Schumann-Heink's singing (she was a distant relative of mine). In each case, no one sings or plays that way anymore. Hoomeyow!!

[@berlinzerberus]

Dieses Konzert hätte ich gerne live gehört! Alfred Cortot war einer der fantasiebegabtesten Pianisten, die ich kenne. Wunderbares, freies und agogisches Klavierspiel; es ist nicht immer alles richtig, aber in einem höheren Sinne doch logisch und subjektiv bezaubernd. Mengelberg muss immer rumtüfteln und basteln, dadurch wird die Orchesterpartitur des Konzertes auch nicht üppiger und interessanter!

[@berlinzerberus]

Thanks much Nosh! You are one of these rare persons, which are well educated and who has so incredibly lots of knowledge in the art of music.

[@hannastaszak1684]

Chopin to najpiękniejsza spuścizna dla ludzkości.

[@Tsotne91]

He is 62 years old in this recording. Guys, we'll all have a full-blown arthritis in that age. And he is playing Godly. I am sorry but I think this is the best version of this concerto I've ever heard. Cheers.

[@kaleidoscopio5]

He was 67.

[@kaleidoscopio5]

@@crescenzoverdenavi I just quoted the age. You need to complain to the other guy 🤔

[@Tsotne91]

@@crescenzoverdenavi What is technique? describe it please.

[@yechengLi]

@@crescenzoverdenavi 🤣🤣

[@kaleidoscopio5]

Only Cortot could make a terrible perfomance with such beautiful interpretation. The balance and dialogue between the soloist and the orchestra opens new ways of interpretation, at least in this piece.

[@luisademar8986]

Ja, wirklich, ich habe noch nie so Etwas gehört. Man hört sonst immer Orchester und Solist als so kompakte Gebilde. Aber hier sprechen alle Instrumente miteinander. Sie singen, leiden, ereifern sich. dadurch wird Alles so vielschichtig. Das wären wahrhaftig mögliche neue Wege der Interpretation. Da schläft man nicht ein vor Langeweile, da ist immer was los.

[@_PROCLUS]

Larghetto at 14:40 Allegro at 23:19

[@luisademar8986]

Es ist Alles wahr, wie sie es spielen. Sie leben es. - Im Gegensatz zu Anderen, Heutigen, die die Musik "machen".

[@2ndviolinist]

Good playing all around with one of my favorite pianists and perhaps my favorite conductor (not with his orchestra) but it's not as wonderful as the '30s recording with Barbirolli. Compare Cortot's entrance in the 2nd mvt. The earlier recording is pure magic. Thanks for the upload.

[@ganjamozart1435]

That Barbirolli is my favourite recording of this Chopin concerto bar none!

[@zigeunerlieder]

Great recording. Thank you. After more than four years of Nazi occupation, Paris was liberated by the French in August 1944.

[@onaocn]

More dreamy this execution with Mengelberg, Great musicians.

[@MrGer2295]

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

[@andantino5558]

Cortot is the best interpreter of this concerto

[@RaineriHakkarainen]

The Best Chopin piano concerto no 2 players Are really Artur Rubinstein Grigory Sokolov ( The Best piano sound! Sokolov The most vital rhythmic vitalness) Vladimir Ashkenazy ( The most beautiful piano sound Ever) The greatest pianists of All Time Are really Artur Rubinstein ( The God) Grigory Sokolov (The Titan The Giant of The piano) Wilhelm Kempff Radu Lupu Mikhail Pletnev Maurizio Pollini Sviatoslav Richter Vladimir Ashkenazy Alexei Lubimov Stanislav Igolinsky ( better than Lipatti and Joseph Hofman) Solomon Cutner Maria Grinberg Natalia Trull Rosa Tamarkina Ekaterina Novitskaya Dimitri Bashkirov Andrei Gavrilov Victor Eresko Lubov Timofeeva

[@elenapetrova77205]

Если хотите услышать Шопена - слушайте Корто.

[@ponderosa1850]

indeed, very interesting. thank you for this great recording!

[@uhartchristian]

whow... thanks for sharing this. what an exciting interpretation. Thanks to youtube we get quite a good impression of the quality of Cortot. Its not so easy to get rid of the bad critics on Cortot from jealous people who did not like his politics during WW 2 or who depends on not good prepared recording in the last years of his life. Cortot was one of the most important figures of musiclife in the first half of the 20th century. His importance as teacher is wellknown in europe including russia.

[@gwedielwch]

+Christian Kircher - I agree with your very high assessment of Cortot as a musician, pianist and teacher. But it is also true that Cortot chose during WW2 to put his great artistic reputation and musical talent at the service of the Nazis. This concert is a good example. It was broadcast by 'Radio Paris', the Nazi propaganda radio station, in January 1944, while Paris was under Nazi military occupation. Most of Europe was still under Nazi control - the Nazis were organising the defence of their 'Fortress Europe' against the expected Allied landings.

[@SuperMegguy]

Merci !

[@sandplus5048]

Being a classical music lover / listener for close to 90 years, this concerto has got to be the most incredible "new" one I have ever heard. It defies what is good, what is trying to be weird, what is Bartok. Sad ?!!

[@Cayres18]

You are alive?

[@DavitMinasyan-rn3fv]

there is no doubt no human will ever get close to this type of playing , with so much soul applied into the music . and no fingers will ever achieve this unique sound. but a very crucial part is missing… that is simplicity , without which Chopin isnt the same as intended. the beauty of Chopin is in how deep yet simple his music is. i prefer Zimerman or Blechacz

[@sanmarinojr]

extraordinary!

[@niklakislakis6557]

Cortot was a poet...maybe the only one.

[@RaineriHakkarainen]

The Best Chopin piano concerto no 2 players Are really Artur Rubinstein Grigory Sokolov ( The Best piano sound Ever! Sokolov The Titan The Giant of The piano) Vladimir Ashkenazy ( The most beautiful piano sound Ever) The greatest pianists of All Time Are really Artur Rubinstein ( The God) Grigory Sokolov ( The Titan The Giant of The piano) Emil Gilels ( The King) Wilhelm Kempff Radu Lupu Mikhail Pletnev Maurizio Pollini Sviatoslav Richter Vladimir Ashkenazy Alexei Lubimov Stanislav Igolinsky ( better than Lipatti and Joseph Hofman) Solomon Cutner Maria Grinberg Natalia Trull Rosa Tamarkina Ekaterina Novitskaya Dimitri Bashkirov Andrei Gavrilov Victor Eresko Lubov Timofeeva

[@robertapilipianist]

I agree!

[@richardresseguier1]

The best

[@uhartchristian]

the interpretation here is very very interesting not only the pianist but also the orchestra. This is so three dimensional and so far away from modern flat interpretations.they understand the emotional context and don t just play notes::: they get out the harmonic and rythmic structure.

[@yusukeundisolde]

wow

[@JozefSterkens]

This must have been recorded in the springtime of 1944.

[@ilderizzetto3570]

Ma davvero è possibile? Prima dell’insurrezione dell’agosto di quell’anno?

[@AllaBreve3]

Exactly !

[@michelangelomulieri5134]

Cortot molto meglio qui che nella registrazione con Barbirolli

[@goodmanmusica]

not even to me bother the wrong notes, and I like very much the musican from the golden times, but this is not my preferite performance, but certainly an interesting document!

[@liyuhang9259]

Only if the invention of recording could be a few century earlier!

[@2ndviolinist]

The end of great music making may have come much sooner had that happened. Recordings and radio lessened the value of live performance and "dumbed down" audiences. There were other reasons for the demise of quality composition and playing (2 world wars, etc.) but this was an important one. Before recording there were many more very good amateurs and almost everyone played an instrument or sang. The only way composers could make money was by patronage or, in the 19th and early 20th centuries, by the sale of sheet music and their own concerts. After a number of decades of recordings audiences were much less aware of what they were hearing and, as we can see today, style (flair, movement, facial expressions, etc.) trumps content.

[@2ndviolinist]

On the other hand, we would not be able to hear the many great performances between the 1890s and the 1940s.

[@SKNSV]

What is the magic of Cortot? He plays someone else's music in the first person. He tells us: "It's me." This is not nature or paintings. It really is him. Quelle est la magie de Cortot ? Il joue la musique de quelqu'un d'autre à la première personne. Il nous dit : « C'est moi". Ce n'est pas la nature ou les peintures. C'est vraiment lui.

[@niklakislakis6557]

I fu have any information about his life,I'd be pleased to know..Thanx in advance:)

[@ValHeartNDHeartSuqquNoHeartPat]

niklakis lakis en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Cortot

[@fightbacktohealth9625]

Musical page turner

[@chipheo24]

yeah...i don't know either. Who knows? I assume that's not Chopin's one.

[@goodmanmusica]

ther orchestration is changed, maybe by Mengelberg?

[@ulfwernernielsen6708]

goodmanmusica By Cortot. He was also a great conductor.

[@FabioPBarbieri]

A superior performance, no doubt; but I can't forget that these two were, each in his own country, the the two most notorious musical collaborationists in the Second World War, people who not only played merrily on but served the Vichy government and the Nazi authorities in the Netherlands with a will, in official positions - Cortot at least was certainly responsible for sending people to the camps. And here they are together, playing the music of the most famous Polish patriot of all time - and Poland was the country that Mengelberg and Cortot's bosses had destined for destruction

[@andrewsappel]

Very painful reminder that musical genius is no mark of exceptional courage or humanity. The list of artists who have so much to offer in “song” and so little in their values is a warning to us all. Humility. We are light AND darkness.

[@wamexart]

Andrew Appel complex issue indeed, I agree, it is our decision to erect ourselves in judges and bury the ones in the list in oblivion, or else...I wonder then what thumbs up for Cortot and Toscanini mean...

[@josephstef]

What is your source of proof that Cortot was responsible for sending people to the camps?

[@piotrsz2020]

Very true. Strange mixed feeling on that😞

[@otnaug4714]

the click click!!!

[@mlo9944]

Does anyone a cortot vídeo playing 1st concerto?

[@ulfwernernielsen6708]

M Lo Cortot never played the first concerto just like Witold Malcuzynski .

[@pelegrino791]

"Radio Paris ment, Radio Paris ment, Radio Paris est allemand !" (Pierre Dac)

[@JozefSterkens]

Mengelberg came to Paris to gain some 1.000's Francs before his escape to Switserland. He would never come back. Cortot was the collaborateur of Vichy régime under Pétain.

[@ilderizzetto3570]

Com’è possibile che si sia tenuto questo concerto prima del 24 agosto?!?

[@goodmanmusica]

Perché?

[@ilderizzetto3570]

M’ero fatto l’idea che sotto l’occupazione tedesca, soprattutto negli ultimi mesi, il clima politico avesse indotto a sospendere ogni attività che implicasse assembramenti. Ma forse sbagliavo….

[@goodmanmusica]

L’attività musicale e’ proseguita quasi normalmente. Poi Cortot e Mengelberg erano anche dalla parte dei tedeschi

[@ilderizzetto3570]

Una dei miliardi di falle d’ignoranza rabberciata. Grazie!

[@goodmanmusica]

prego. certo tra le note sbagliate di Cortot, la direzione eccentrica di Mengelberg, l'orchestrazione modificata, non è proprio un'esecuzione forse ideale, ma ha il suo fascino.

[@michelangelomulieri5134]

Il massimo dell'eccentricita orchestrale e della genialità pianistica io l'ho trovata in Novaes/Szell

[@liliaaliciaduhaldebruz6712]

Por eso lo escuchamos...

[@traceyjones7941]

Most definitely NOT this artist at his best. Still worth hearing. By the way, Arrau loved being accompanied by Mengelberg. 'He'd follow you anywhere.'- geoff dorfman

[@bourbakis]

Prefer the 1935 version conducted by Barbirolli

[@Johannes_Brahms65]

It's so different! More emotional, more contrast in expression, change of tempo, all in all more playful. Mr. Mengelberg was appointment scapegoat after the war and forced to resign. Typical the result from good old Dutch black and white thinking. But unavoidable. Stupid war!

[@RusskyVoyennyKorablIdiNakhui]

Well, scapegoat? He was awfully chummy with some nazis during the war . . .

[@Johannes_Brahms65]

@@RusskyVoyennyKorablIdiNakhui He was. He also saved some Jews. But he was a scapegoat because lots of Dutch were chummy with nazi's, but they were'nt great famous artists.

[@michsturge671]

Damn...I knew Cortot didn't have time to practice much, but this is possibly the sloppiest run through of this work I've ever heard. If I were him, I'd be ashamed to play so badly in public.

[@ruoyuhuang1183]

Are you out of your mind? This is so touching, can't you feel? You are some one so special to exclude from beauty!

[@qikong2729]

+Ruoyu Huang You are right! This is so touching!!! The best Chopin 2nd piano concerto ever!

[@arqweryon]

You shouldn't mistake music with technique for the latter is merely a mean of transportation and not the end in itself. A perfectly played song with no soul is as good as construction noise.

[@luisademar8986]

Sie sind in der Tat nicht Alfred Cortot! Und Sie möchte ich schon mal gar nicht dieses Konzert spielen hören. Sie haben wirklich nichts verstanden. Jeder Ton ist so wahr, so erschütternd, so sprechend. Wer das nicht versteht, dem ist wahrlich nicht zu helfen.

[@inraid]

This is without question the ugliest of all of Cortot's recorded performances. He must have been drunk!

[@pelegrino791]

He began to make false notes with the second world war. Too much politics !! But the interpretative genius remained the same.

[@classic4ever780]

J'imagine la salle...Quelques " feldgrau" aux premiers rangs et tout le gratin de la collaboration.....Bon, il reste la musique...et ses fausses notes.

[@gwedielwch]

Very well described. Cortot gave this concert in January 1944 in Occupied Paris - broadcast to the whole of Occupied and Vichy France. He knew exactly the propaganda importance to the Nazis of concerts like this. He was not a political innocent. He was not a believer in 'art for art's sake'. He believed that music could and should be a means of political and social action - in WW1 he had founded the Matinées nationales. In WW2 he gave concerts like this one in Occupied France, and served as Vichy's High Commissioner of the Fine Arts.

[@b1i2l336]

A compelling but bizarre performance by two prominent Nazi collaborators and defenders. Mengelberg's career was destroyed after the Allies won the war, Cortot's was not. All that being said, and politics aside, I don't really care for this performance overall: too many capricious tempo changes and lack of overall structure. My opinion, to which I am entitled, and you are entitled to yours. Listen to Malcuzynski/Süsskind, Pletnev, Haskil, and a host of others for more cogent interpretations.

[@RaineriHakkarainen]

The best Chopin piano concerto no 2 players are Really=Artur Rubinstein( golden piano sound!) Vladimir Ashkenazy( volcano colorful sound!) Grigory Sokolov( the best piano sound! Sokolov the most Titanic! Sokolov unbeatable rhythmic vitalness!

[@rcorale]

Wow