Cyprien Katsaris - Rimsky-Korsakov/Cziffra: The Flight of the Bumble-Bee

[@motgarbob7551]

Playing the piano in front of Cziffra would feel kinda like trying to make Darth Vader laugh

[@adrianopiano5551]

I think he was nice

[@rrrrrr-kb9sb]

Cziffra had great fingers; but he wasn’t a great artist and he wasn’t a deep musician. Vladimir Horowitz was correct when he said “you cannot listen only to fingers.”

[@ronwilsontringue6574]

"THIS PIECE IS NOT EASY" - UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE CENTURY!!

[@2oldfan]

One of the greatest techniques in the world. Superman. I've never been able to understand why he is not better known.

[@rjuttemeijer]

Because he plays anything but the well known pieces.

[@dwacheopus]

​@@rjuttemeijer he played chopin's etudes! They are just not wide-spread for some reason

[@andrewzhang8512]

honestly even if he only recorded the beethoven-liszt symphony transcriptions he should still be regarded as one of the best pianists to ever live imo

[@2oldfan]

@@andrewzhang8512 👍

[@ciararespect4296]

​Agreed, along with Marc Andre Hamelin even less well known

[@marquoire]

I can’t imagine playing this normally. But in front of Cziffra? Katsaris must have had balls of freaking tungsten carbide.

[@Varooooooom]

He’s easily one of the best pianists to have ever lived

[@AsrielKujo]

@@Varooooooom facts

[@joeyblogsy]

More so he practiced it like no tomorrow for months on end

[@zuhairbakdoud1360]

@@joeyblogsy Your English here is not clear.

[@aimilize3518]

@@joeyblogsy and he also is one of the most talented and accomplished virtuosos of the 20th century

[@m.a.3322]

I would be absolutely petrified if I had to play this piece in front of Cziffra himself. I'm getting second hand anxiety just watching this. Can't imagine what he went through.

[@alextheodoridis4075]

To play it in front of Cziffra would be the greatest day of my life bc Cziffra is my favorite pianist Don't worry Mr. Katsaris you are my favorite living pianist

[@Qwerty-hj1ml]

The piece is kinda difficult, but playing it in front of Cziffra is only for mad people.

[@mikec2250]

Indeed.

[@manuelbes]

"Kinda"

[@ymaysernameuay1113]

Cyprien Katsarsis is on record as saying that this is the hardest thing he's ever played. And he's played Liszt's transcriptions of Beethoven's symphonies too.

[@thibomeurkens2296]

@@ymaysernameuay1113 i believe that without a second thought!

[@syxalite]

@Felis Skalkotris Sorabjitus I'd say Liszt transcriptions of Beethoven symphonies remain harder For mainly three reasons: - The variety of technical difficulties is insane, there is way too many different technics involved in that - Each of those technical difficulty has to be trained to top and extreme levels - It has to remain musical and enjoyable to listen, as much as you'd hear it in an orchestra. Mixing both emotional and "Beethoven" musical and professional technical aspects is what makes them extremely hard to play

[@lindamanas6735]

I was just feeling pleased with myself having learnt the Rachmaninov version! This Cziffra version is on another level!

[@rhandley1000]

What a fantastic video! Cziffra and Katsaris, two of my favorites and they don't get enough credit in the US where I am. This took some guts to play in front of Cziffra.

[@mstalcup]

This must be the first recording of this piece since Cziffra recorded it himself. Katsaris could have impressed Cziffra even more at a later date, considering that Katsaris kept getting stronger and more mature for a long long time. Today I am overwhelmed by the musicianship and the virtuosity of Katsaris.

[@accordiontv1]

Same. Katsaris is king. No, Emporer. Yes, Emporer Katsaris sits well

[@accordiontv1]

@Józef Hofmann thank you and yes, I have seen it but will watch it again anyhow. Happy New Year

[@pianosenzanima1]

Józef Hofmann Lang Lang and Volodos are the greatest pianists alive today...by far.

[@nimrodshefer3649]

@@accordiontv1 so Hamlin is god

[@AsrielKujo]

@@pianosenzanima1 aaaaaaagghhh Lang Lang.... He is an average concert pianist, name me EVEN ONE single performance where he does something incredibly new and spectacular. Never, i know right? He is the average concert pianist

[@stefanast1981]

Amazing performance!!! Katsaris is one of the greatest pianists of the centrury!!!!

[@carlhopkinson]

Cziffra is thinking: OK, so now 2 people in the world can play this....LOL.

[@steinwaygrande9736]

I only found Katsaris quite by accident and now I hear this . Never ever seen it played with such enthusiasm and with Cziffra attending.

[@PianoMagno]

This meeting of Ciprien and Georgi, was really a rare alignment of stars that was essential in musical history to mark and transfer the legacy of Cziffra to Katsaris. Perhaps Katsaris has already made some cosmic alignment with another current pianist to inherit his legacy. Cziffra and Katsaris, other giants of piano history! It's a luxury to see them interact!

[@JohnnyBrook]

It is not well-known but this is the hardest version of this piece. It's harder than the original "improv" of Cziffra in 1957, and harder than the official transcription that circulates nowadays, the one Yuja Wang played (incredibly well). Katsaris is playing the impossible here - Cziffra and his son clearly made this as hard as is humanly possible. Katsaris pulled it off, not as cleanly as he could have, but still an incredible accomplishment. You can see from the video that Cziffra didn't know what to make of Katsaris. He didn't play it as cleanly as Cziffra did himself back in the day, but it's also a harder piece, with harder trills and extra notes all over the place. I would like to see other pianists attempt this version. In any case, this is an amazing video!

[@i.ehrenfest349]

Yes I did think cziffra’s reaction was a bit lukewarm.

[@Iglesiaenfuegorivera]

1:47 DAT FACE

[@marcossidoruk8033]

Ez

[@whaijorhujishkomunyk]

W O W

[@ValzainLumivix]

@@whaijorhujishkomunyk h

[@whaijorhujishkomunyk]

@@ValzainLumivix h

[@MicoAquinoComposer]

@@whaijorhujishkomunyk h

[@MrClassicalMusic1]

Both are superb pianist. I have Cziffra's 40 CD box set that contains all of his studio records from 1956 - 1986. Katsaris is one of the best living pianist.

[@mariapap8962]

What's even more amazing about Katsaris are his improvisatory skills. There's several exceptional pianists out there but very few can improvise like he can.

[@ericg9780]

C'est très touchant de vous voir jouer devant Cziffra cette pièce si difficile... J'imagine sans mal votre émotion !

[@carmirobertcruceru1395]

3:10 "I wrote that, and he did a good job"

[@GDGoodFloof]

Playing Cziffra's own arranged piece in front of Cziffra feels like trying to fight a god.

[@MusicianStuff]

Katsaris : "I can do this all day"

[@mumupipi8414]

I think that's the best rendition .Its not insanely fast and i can hear all the NOTES and actually enjoy it.

[@zongorapiano9659]

Young powerful Katsaris and the great piano master Cziffra! I love both of them!

[@zacharyteibel8580]

Everyone here is likely a pianist and knows this is the ultimate tough piece

[@TinyMaths]

Katsaris: "... this is going really well so far..." Piano: "help, I'm exhausted.."

[@jameshandaja1536]

Having seen this, now I can believe in an anecdote of Liszt playing Chopin etude op.25 no.2 in octaves...

[@Pogouldangeliwitz]

That wasn't Liszt

[@DPNack_]

@@Pogouldangeliwitz yeah, but he just didn't believe in the Liszt anecdote because he thought doing stuff like this in octaves was impossible, but now he saw it and believes the Liszt anecdote

[@ericrouach]

Bravo Maitre! Vous aussi etes une Legende.

[@arno_grnfld455]

Damm madd respect

[@czffg9757]

I love Cziffra !! from Japan !!

[@classicalmusic432hz8]

i lol'd when they showed cziffra there

[@musicmine5680]

Mr. Katsaris, I've had a few of your recordings and went to one of your recitals in New York in the 80s. I've always admired the seriousness and depth of your interpretations, but never realised you had such technique!

[@seangray4512]

Just Wow!

[@Riedel777]

Fantastic virtuosity playing! Unbelievable! 🙏🎹🎶🎵🎶

[@esauponce9759]

Absolute insanity! ❤🔥

[@lindamanas6735]

I thought I had done well learning the Rachmaninov version but this is something else! However I still prefer the Rachmaninov version. It is truer to the original and more tuneful! This rendition of the Cziffra version is however beautifully articulated

[@attiliofisher1094]

Katsaris: do you like? Cziffra: chapeau...

[@edgotsis]

Diabolical! Brilliant playing!!!

[@wagnerbaldin8651]

Bravo! And thank you for share this amazing video! A big hug from Brazil!

[@pianista-mediocre]

Mais um brasileiro por aqui

[@MrGer2295]

Wonderful ! Thank you for posting !

[@VirtuosicFantasies]

Applause!!!

[@LoretofranciscoFigueroa]

I remembered these sounds when i was watching tom and jerry cartoons, when were chasing each other... Run jerry run...

[@garysandiego]

O.M.G.!

[@MARTIN201199]

Legend says Ling Ling plays it in less than one minute using left hand only

[@RusskyVoyennyKorablIdiNakhui]

Very funny. He is a good pianist, though.

[@portalgameplay8471]

Realize that he say : iF yOU CAn pLAy sLoWly , YOu cAN PLay qUiCkly.

[@半中アルナ]

1:48 シフラ「なかなかやるでわないかww」

[@i.ehrenfest349]

Cyprien, to what do you credit your fabulous technique and artistry? Innate talent, or a wonderful teacher?

[@pianista-mediocre]

He is from the lineage of students of Liszt and Sauer.

[@siegfriedhorner4436]

Mostly, this is a virtuosic showpiece, far beyond what Rimsky-Korsakoff imagined. Impressively, there ARE several pianists who can (of could have) play at about this speed; A speed which is probably at the limit of human possibility. But none have surpassed Cziffra. But for a fair comparison, we need to consider more than just the metronome. Fortunately, there is much more to music than just burning speed. We listen to performances like this to be amazed, not emotionally or intellectually stimulated. We should also acknowledge that Katsaris, in his old age, has said that he considered Cziffra to be the greatest pianist of the 20th century. Among his criteria for that judgment must first be virtuosity.

[@arlettehellemans2117]

Katsaris is made for virtuosity and virtuosity seems to be made for Katsaris

[@carmirobert.cruceru]

3:47 “but he chose to play it”… wasn’t Mr. Cziffra’s daring him to play it?

[@reinhardschleining]

this maybe one of the key videos in piano history ...?

[@mr.k5865]

After this, the piano smoked a cigarette.

[@petersnell3128]

Could the ensuing conversation be translated into English for non- French speakers? Thanks in advance

[@thenotsookayguy]

There are already subtitles in the video. You may not have noticed them as they could've been cropped out whilst you were scrolling through comments on your phone.

[@petersnell3128]

Thank you. I just noticed that.

[@larchmontmark1]

Anyone know who's the guy talking with Cziffra? (sitting next to him) Looks like it could be Eric Heidsieck. except I think Eric would have looked younger in 1975 (age 39) and I think his voice isn't like that.

[@Frohicky1]

I can never decipher Cziffra's face.

[@nosojdjos]

3:10 "Not bad, uh. I can spare him the execution".

[@opticalmixing23]

Is the piano ok

[@MaScalo4508]

György Cziffra becomes uncanny...

[@davisatdavis1]

Playing this in front of Cziffra is like trying to discuss US politics with Putin.

[@firewall5189]

funny analogy

[@EranM]

this piece is impossible.. only alien robots can play it like this.

[@luargambino]

bumblebee fight.

[@wurzelausc]

You didn't choose to play it, as Cziffra claims. You had to.

[@josephlaredo5272]

How extraordinary ... that Cziffra had been living in Paris for almost 20 years by this time and his French is still minimal. I thought pianists were also gifted linguists? As for Katsaris's playing, it is of course mind-boggling technically, but musically? It's a pure stunt. If you like that sort of thing ...

[@mariapap8962]

What level of musicality do you expect at that speed and with those technical challenges?! I mean REALLY! Some pieces are show pieces and this is one of them.

[@i.ehrenfest349]

Listen to Horowitz speaking English after living in the US for decades…

[@anastasiaaurelia7601]

0.75

[@robertsimpson9403]

Yaju perfected this, big difference

[@pianista-mediocre]

Yuja's version is easier (Reduced) Additionally, Yuja's recording is of much higher quality. Probably Katsaris' live performance was of the same level

[@lofigamestudio]

Cziffra : 그거 그렇게 하는 거 아닌데

[@Halolaloo]

playing that piece with only octaves is really hard

[@batuozer7179]

Really, looking at the video, it looks very easy

[@Doobsama]

Honesty, it makes your whole arms sore, especially when you play it fast like that

[@mariapap8962]

​@@batuozer7179 right! Every beginner starts with this piece (🙄)

[@sneddypie]

that look on cziffras face, hes like "oh shit, im about to lose my job"

[@pianosenzanima1]

Not even in the slightest minimum closest way possible

[@stefanbernhard2710]

He was dying on the inside

[@pavlosgermanidis2754]

@@stefanbernhard2710 you mean katsaris ;)

[@stefanbernhard2710]

@@pavlosgermanidis2754 turn your speakers up ;)

[@Damian_Theodoridis]

@@pavlosgermanidis2754 no he means cziffra the face at 1:47 he means

[@paulmetdebbie447]

I prefer Volodos version. Much cleaner. But this setting is great!

[@mr.k5865]

Liszt II

[@SilvertortoisePiano]

Incredibly, yuja wang’s version is a lot better than this, shows how high standards can go!

[@GAMLAPATTE]

Honestly, my guess is Cziffra wasn't impressed. How could he be? 😂

[@claudegilh1472]

Sans voix ....!!!!!!

[@worldcitizen9202]

This sounds messy. Yuja Wang's version is superior ......

[@thedesolatemusic]

I’ve heard the version Yuja Wang played is easier. Her playing is cleaner, yes, but it’s hard to compare

[@pianista-mediocre]

Yuja wang's version is easier

[@thenotsookayguy]

It's harder, he was younger, he had way less time to learn it, and his nerves were crazy.

[@serenesiewhm9408]

The worst piece

[@frankromano9064]

Pathetic little troll

[@sadisticpsychofox]

I think she meant by the piece's difficulty.

[@alextheodoridis4075]

You're the worst piece

[@Medtszkowski]

Kid

[@ValzainLumivix]

Kid