Film Footage of Jascha Spivakovsky playing Chopin

A remarkable rarity of great historical importance: film footage of Jascha Spivakovsky playing the final two movements of Chopin's Piano Sonata No.2 in B-Flat Minor Op.35, filmed in an Australian TV studio in 1965.
Spivakovsky was a remarkable pianist who left Europe in 1933 to escape Nazism, emigrating to Australia, where he lived until his death in 1970. Although he continued to tour, he never issued any studio recordings. It is only in the last decade that his name has resurfaced when his son made available a series of privately produced and broadcast performances. The story and some recordings here:
www.thepianofiles.com/jascha-...
This remarkable video comes from the only known existing film broadcast of the pianist. His pupil Rita Reichman had the following to say:
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘴. 𝘗𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢 7-𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘵, 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 - 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘏𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘵𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘰 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘩, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘰, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘰. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘶𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘺, 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 7 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧!
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 (𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴!) 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥 - 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘮.
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴, 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 - 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘶𝘴. 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘳𝘢𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤.
Many thanks to Spivakovsky's son Michael and grandson Eden for making this footage available for the first time, and to the Crystal Mastering studio in Melbourne for their work in improving the sound on the original tape.
If you wish to support The Piano Files, please consider membership at my Patreon page:
/ thepianofiles​

[@lenekretzsch6565]

This is so moving and so beautifully imagined, as if the notes are coming out of Spivakovsky spontaneously as he plays them, new and never heard before. One of the greatest performances of this beloved work that I have ever heard. Thank you Mark, Michael, and Eden for sharing this treasure with us.

[@sulo1039]

This generation of pianists and musicians in general is unrepeatable. They always make music out of the most extreme virtuosity. The musical experience is much more exciting and fulfilling than of any of the AI performers of today. Thank you for bringing them forward again.

[@eytonshalomsandiego]

AI performers! you said it. there are a couple of exceptions, Beatrice Berrut and Alexandra Dovgan...

[@eytonshalomsandiego]

2 other nonAI pianist today, sure you know them, well, 3, are Murray Perahia, Andras Schiff, and Joao Pires....but , true, they are older. What about Eric Liu?

[@Kevin-gr3ov]

Wonderful! He does every note to the bottom of the key, producing a rich and warm tone throughout. Exactly the way I was taught to play by Robert Goldsand. He insisted that every note, whether loud or soft, must be to the bottom of the key, and you never think of "striking" a key, rather coax it to the bottom. The legato that's possible from this approach is obvious. I don't hear this so much from younger pianists today. And unlike pianists of this older generation today they tend to use far too much pedal. This is beautiful and exceptionally fine playing! Thank you for providing this! It should be an example for anyone who cares about great piano playing!

[@pablov1973]

Very intense and emotionally controlled performance. Fantastic dotted rhythm in the march section.

[@claudio7448]

A very physical and emotionally controlled performance. Very interesting Mark. Thank you.

[@pianomaly9]

What a wonderful find.......thank you and the Spivakovsky family for sharing this. As you and others have commented, the artistry here is a goldmine.

[@steveegallo3384]

No gimmics or flamboyance....just the Real Deal.....Sensational archive......BRAVO from Mexico City!

[@alombredeslava2468]

Du grand piano, tout simplement. !

[@bvbwv3]

What defined music-making - tonally, rhythmically, emotionally, and, as Rita Reichman so beautifully described, his earnest building of the Funeral March gave it a rarely-heard dignity. And the last mvt was all about its content, not it's virtuosity. So grateful for this posting. Thank you!

[@eytonshalomsandiego]

how could i have not heard of him before? 1000 Thanks!

[@wildviolinist]

What about his brothers😊

[@Nai61a]

Extraordinary! I am a very bad pianist, not always able to tell the good from the not-quite-so-good. But when I hear playing like this, I realise what GREAT playing sounds like. And I lament ... If only I had spent more time at the piano when I was younger.

[@donaldwright6617]

What remarkable playing! So musical and profound: no artifice, no striving for cheap effect. Should be mandatory viewing among the bumper-crop of "pianists" coming out of the schools today. I hope more clips of his playing turn up!

[@trifyllos65]

Just marvellous!

[@Sofronichrist]

Jascha Spivakovsky was truly a great pianist. His sense of narration is extraordinary (at once very natural, spontaneous and then highlighting contrasts). Thank you so much for this video (for those who don't know it, you should listen to his Waldstein).

[@eduardoguardarramas]

Incredible Tone qualities. Magnificent playing.

[@neilasimon]

Wonderful legato and musicality thank you so much for sharing.

[@Kevin-gr3ov]

For a remarkably similar, old school approach to tone, legato and interpretation listen to Robert Goldsand doing this complete work here on youtube. I studied this piece with him in 1972 and when I listened to Spivakovsky I was reminded of everything Goldsand said. Wonderful!

[@SoranoWorldTV]

A true pianist. Quite possibly the greatest rendition of this piece. Every phrase is perfectly balanced and yet profoundly inspired. Thanks Mark for finding this gem!

[@EmptyVee00000]

Great stuff

[@boobell1921]

Oh my, so exquisite!! Now, I want to go practice…..!

[@Theolonius-ov1ij]

Grandissimo pianista

[@noshirm6285]

Bravooooo!!! 👏🏻

[@fredkilgallin8093]

He was taught by his father first, then by people who studied with Liszt, and by some of the greatest 19th-century technicians of the instrument. He was also shaped by the virulent anti-Semitism that very nearly killed him and his family. All of this is present in his music, supported by what can only be described as an oceanically prodigious natural talent. I mean, at 13 he was already playing better than the best adults of his era, and he'd only been studying with Liszt's students for 3 years. That's just a wealth of talent on his part; his teachers just polished him up.

[@eytonshalomsandiego]

i dont know if its the recording or Jascha, but i just listened to this by another great Soviet era pianist, and i had to stop it, pounding the keys rather than playing them....this seems to have a lot of healthy restraint....? i dont really know music well enough to describe what i mean....