George Cziffra plays Schumann Faschingsschwank aus Wien Op.26

Very Rare Video - George Cziffra preformed *9. Schumann Faschingsschwank aus Wien Op.26 live in Hungary 1983 03.17. *Georges Cziffra (originally Cziffra György) (Hungarian pronunciation) Born in Budapest Hungary November 5 on 1921 -- January 15, 1994) was a Hungarian virtuoso pianist. He became a French citizen in 1968. Georges Cziffra is most known for his recordings of Franz Liszt's virtuoso works. He also recorded many of Frédéric Chopin's compositions and those of Robert Schumann (his account of Carnaval de Vienne was admired by Alfred Cortot). Cziffra is also well known for his technically demanding transcriptions of several orchestral works for the piano -- among them, one of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee, written in interlocking octaves. He is considered to be one of the greatest technicians on piano of the 20th century.
*Gyorgy Cziffra born in Hungary, Budapest on November 5, 1921, and died: January 15, 1994 - Morsang-sur-Orge (Senlis), France. The noted Hungarian-born French pianist, Georges [originally György] Cziffra, was a son of Hungarian Romas (his father, György Cziffra Sr., was a cimbalom player and played in cabaret halls and restaurants in Paris in the 1910's). He became noted at the age of 5, improvising on popular tunes in bars and circuses. His teachers at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest included Ernő Dohnányi. His education was interrupted by World War II, when he served in the Hungarian army. After the war he continued his studies at the Franz Liszt Academy with Ferenczi, but was once more distracted from music when he was arrested in 1950 for his rebellious political views, and was held under forced labour. He was released from jail in 1953, but was again endangered by the abortive Hungarian revolt in 1956. In 1956, convinced that he could have no peace under Communist rule, on the eve of the Hungarian insurrection and after a stunning account of Béla Bartók's second piano concerto (EMI References), György Cziffra escaped with his wife (Soleilka - of Egyptian origin) and son to Vienna where his recital at the Brahmsaal caused a sensation. News of this event reached The New Yorker. His Paris debut the following year caused a furore - his London debut at the Royal Festival Hall in Franz Liszt's first concerto and Hungarian Fantasy similarly. His meteoric career continued with concerts throughout Europe and debuts at the Ravinia Festival (Grieg and F. Liszt concertos with Carl Schuricht) and Carnegie Hall New York with Thomas Schippers. He always performed with a large leather wristband, as a memento of his years in labour. In 1968 he became a naturalised French citizen. In 1973 he founded the St.-Frambourg Royal Chapel Foundation in Senlis, France to assist young musicians and artists. He died in Senlis, 72 years old, from a heart attack resulting from series of complications from lung cancer. György Cziffra was best known for his interpretations of works of the Romantic repertoire. He is most known for his brilliant and extravagant recordings of Franz Liszt's virtuoso works. He also recorded many of Frédéric Chopin's compositions and those of Robert Schumann (his account of Carnaval de Vienne admired by Alfred Cortot) Cziffra also made a famous transcription of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee, written in interlocking octaves. Many of his recordings are controversial, claimed by some to be showy and unmusical. Others regard these reactions as professional jealousy. In any case there is generally little doubt that Cziffra had a remarkable virtuoso technique and was a master at improvisation. He published Des canons et des fleurs (Paris, 1977). György Cziffra's son, György Cziffra, Jr., was a professional conductor and participated in several concerts and recordings with his father. However, his promising career was cut short due to his death by burning accident in 1981 - said to have been accompanied by a suicide note - an event that sparked a progressively diminishing morale in Cziffra, Sr. Cziffra never again performed or recorded with an orchestra, and some critics have commented that the severe emotional blow had an impact on his playing quality as well. While many thought that his pianism deteriorated after the death of his son, some felt that his playing was deeper than before. **György Cziffra was best known for his interpretations of works of the Romantic repertoire. He is most known for his brilliant and extravagant recordings of Franz Liszt's virtuoso works. that Cziffra had a remarkable virtuoso technique and was a master at improvisation.

[@Abidification]

I think what makes him a truly great pianist is his profound knowledge of the theory of music and improvisation. He is not only a virtuoso but a great musician as well.

[@palmaiattila3288]

Még a zongorahúrok is megolvadtak ennyi felforrósodott szenvedélynyilvánítás után... Csodálatos autentikus előadás! Nagybácsim is sokat mesélt nekem Cziffra Györgyről, személyesen ismerték egymást.

[@DanielKurganov]

i don't like how it says "greatest technicians". it is the same as calling heifetz a technician. Cziffra was at the pinnacle of emotive piano playing. A man connected to every single note, showing the ultimate and vast beauty in his heart in 88 keys. His incredible physical capabilities only served his musical Passion. It was never cold and technical.

[@nrosen8794]

Just so. A great artist.

[@elmiramuradova561]

Thank you ,great words! Love him so much.

[@allstarmark12345]

Classical music Admin had to market their stock. Each player has to exude a certain skill and style. Otherwise there’s a market only for cziffra

[@wittekjmusic]

My father Jozsef Wittek and George Cziffra was a very close friends and many times they were preformed together four hands piano pieces and light early American Jazz parafrased piano pieces. My father was a composer as well and he wrote many piano pices: Valses, Etudes, Menuett, Preludes Rhapsodies, Rondo, Capriccios, Gavotte ... I have his own hand written pieces. He preformed his own piano pieces in his concert and recorded before WWII, unfortunately just few recordings survived.

[@whatssolove3798]

thank you for sharing this information, makes a nice connection.

[@andibonnington]

Amazing memories... congratulations.

[@elmiramuradova561]

Let us to listen!

[@goldberg72]

Ma questi erano bis ?

[@wittekjmusic]

3. During the WWII Cziffra and my father had to served the country and joyed the Hungarian Army. Russia Taken my father and Cziffra Russia prisoner camp, my father live saved because he was a brilliant musician and entertained the Russian officers. My father was little bit lucky, unfortunately his friend George wasn`t to lucky, he`d beaten and tortured by Russian. It was a very hard times!! After the WWII for the musicians had a very limited opportunities. They played and preformed in a Bar.

[@wittekjmusic]

Yeh! George Cziffra was a genius, brilliant piano virtuoso!

[@raindrops95]

Thank you thank you thank you soooo much for posting this! Only just found this; It's a dream come true

[@piano345]

Cortot praised Cziffra's playing of this work when he heard a radio broadcast. I understand that Cziffra also returned to Hungary in 1984 and the recital was televised and recorded. It must have been a very emotional time for Cziffra to return to his homeland.

[@robert982]

What an awesome audience with great clapping technique.

[@jeffdavis7233]

If he played this piece as an encore that's incredible in and of itself!! Bravo!!

[@wittekjmusic]

I`m glad you enjoyed. Cziffra had a remarkable virtuoso technique and was a master at improvisation. I remeber when I was young George came over to our place and they played together four hands classical piano pieces. During the 1956 revolution my father decided stay in Hungary because it was to risky to leave the country with his wife (my mother) and four childrens. It was a very difficult time, some people don`t understand. After the 1956 revolution the RSSU took over Hungary.

[@lourak613]

Only Cziffra's genius allows him to have a constantly varying tempo, without appearing to suffer from bad taste. It is difficult to understand why this works for him, but I think it has to do with remarkable sensitivity to Schumann's phrasing and long term harmonic and developmental structure. He knows just how and when to pause - just how and when to come to a near dead-stop. What Cziffra achieves at the piano is more than mere musicianship. He expresses profound humane feelings. This was also evident in his personal life - full of challenge and profound suffering. He chose to not be bitter - but to share his depth of feeling with others. He could not have been in a better profession. Just listen to the Romanze section of this work and you will understand.

[@elmiramuradova561]

❤❤❤❤❤ thank you.

[@steveegallo3384]

@@elmiramuradova561 -- BRAVO from Mexico City!

[@nilskittel2006]

cela me donne presque envie de pleurer tellement l'émotion est présente et l'âme d'une légende de l'art pianistique reste et restera à jamais dans les cordes du piano. Cziffra, ici, paraît au bout de sa vie et garde sa technique unique qui fait de lui un génie de l'instrument, bien que Schumann soit un des compositeurs les plus énigmatiques et représente le piano littéraire. Merci beaucoup wittekjmusic pour cette relique video que je ne me lasserais jamais d'écouter.

[@wittekjmusic]

2. and also recorded on LP`s. Unfortunately during the 1956 revolution our house burn down and my father music collection and recordings burned in a fire. Only few music books and records survived, after my father passed away inherited his remaining music collections. The WWII and the 1956 revolution was a very hard times for every family any musicians in Hungary. Between the two Wars it was very hard, my father and Cziffra had a very limited live performances. First they have to rebuild HU.

[@silver71orologi29]

Grazie Maestro Cziffra,per sempre

[@lorenschifman4772]

humanized and sincere

[@anouchkakhatchadourian8606]

GREAT THANK' S ! A so great gift .... *** Only one Georgy CZIFFRA par millénaire ! **** Avec grande émotion, une " ancienne" de Senlis ..Anouchka Khatchadourian

[@piano345]

One of my favourite piansts. Cortot was very impressed with Cziffra's playing of this Schumann work. I also like his recording of Schumann's Carnaval, Etudes Symphoniques and Toccata in C.

[@geertdehoux]

Thanks for the interesting information! I knew Cziffra personally, too. Regards from cold again Belgium, Geert Dehoux.

[@gregorioussardi1498]

Unique artist in the world!!!!

[@wittekjmusic]

Georges Cziffra was brilliant, had a remarkable virtuoso technique and master at improvisation. My Favorite piano virtuoso and my father best friend. Many times they`re plays fourhands piano pieces and Jazz improvisations together in 50`s. Thank you very much a nice feedback.

[@loboris1995]

If this was an encore , it would be epic .

[@lsbrother]

Great playing. He has a curious way of frequently looking at the audience e.g; (some of many) at 7:32 7:49 7:56 8:36 8:43 8:45. Almost as though he wants to confirm he's communicating.

[@georgesandchopin]

lsbrother Busoni did the same! Maybe a way to better connect with the audience.

[@lucassmith3787]

Friedrich Gulda did the same in Chopin pour ma douce. He was literally staring at a beautiful woman while playing of course this helped with the communication of his work. Quite interesting!

[@mikepen3477]

and 1:47

[@lourak613]

He does not look at the audience - He understood that one cannot force ones expression on others - but, he did turn his face to the audience, giving them the opportunity to connect with what he has to say. That is the best one can do if genuine communication is to happen.

[@steveegallo3384]

@@lourak613 -- I agree....he is just Looking....that's all.....WONDROUS! BRAVO from Mexico!

[@wittekjmusic]

4. They worked like a companion and preformed together like brothers in a Bar. They preformed some chamber music with other musicians friends also classical and light jazz Parafrases and improvisations. Check out my father short biography on my You tube and you will see some very early program posters and documents from the 30`s-40`s. Check out my father early LP recordings. He plays Dohnanyi: Canzonetta and Dohnanyi Albumblatt.

[@GUSTAVOMARZANO]

Muchas gracias

[@davidpack5902]

Hello. Others have said that after the death of his son, in 1981, he never again played in public, but in the beginning here it says the video is from 1983.

[@kajedholm327]

After the death of his son, who was a conductor, he would never again perform with an orchestra.

[@wittekjmusic]

Thank you very much, please check out my other George Cziffra performances.

[@lorenzamarelli8363]

Emozionante!!

[@wittekjmusic]

Thank you very much your help, I hope you enjoyed the video.

[@LiselotteSels]

Brilliant... I also think he played the whole piece as an encore... The piano is so out out tune already by then... Great

[@wittekjmusic]

I do not have a picture from my father with Cziffra. I was a witness early 50`s before the 1956 revolution George came over to our place and worked on different classical and light Jazz piano pieces together with my father. My father was a composer also and he wrote many classical piano pieces (Waltzes, Etudes, Rhapsodies, Nocturnes, Preludes, Rondo, Cappriccio, Gavotte, Menuetts and many more. I have his own hand written piano pieces. He preformed his own compositions in Hungary early 40`s

[@elias7748]

Did your father ever publish his pieces. I’m quite interested how they sounded like.

[@geertdehoux]

Marcel, speelde Cziffra heel de Fasching als bis ?!

[@Felix_Li_En]

This is Schumann's Faschingsschwank aus Wien Op.26, not Carnaval Op.9 :)

[@geertdehoux]

Aah!

[@XPKpianist]

wait, he gave the whole Faschingsschwank aus Wien as bis (encore)?

[@tommasomarino1575]

Yes!!!!

[@geertdehoux]

Marcel, wat vond Michelangeli van Cziffra ?

[@mstalcup]

Brilliant piece of music! The section beginning at 7:29 sounds like a Beethoven variation on a theme.

[@matteogenerani5097]

Which piece are you thinking? I'm curious

[@calebhu6383]

@@matteogenerani5097 It sounds a part from the the third movement of Beethoven's Sonata No.18

[@MrInterestingthings]

A musician. More pianists should study his Schumann. There is nightshade and Sentiment players are foolishly now since Rubinstein time play romantic music too coldly . VanCliburn had the nerve to give some of this back thanks to MmeLhevinne.

[@wittekjmusic]

I agree Georges Cziffra is fantastic piano virtuoso!! I know George and his family very well. My father Id. Jozsef Wittek and George Cziffra was a very good friend and many times preformed together in a late 30`s-40`s and Early 50`s. My Father studied in a Franz Liszt Music Academia Budapest from 1935 his teacher was Erno Dohnanyi and Elemer Polomyi professzor. My father uncle Nemes Podhardy Podradszky professzor of music was also a great pianist and he wrote Erno Dohnanyi Biography.

[@johnlovric5896]

Haha ....you agree?? Well ...then he is a virtuoso..bit certanly you know better then him..right?

[@geertdehoux]

't Is te zeggen: 't janneke had ongetwijfeld 'iets' tegen Cziffra en Weissenberg en Gilels reageerden vies toen ik de Cziffra liet ontvallen. Vergeet niet dat er tussen die 'groten' ook nen hoop jaloezie speelt, he! Voor de grote Bernard Lemmens daarentegen is Cziffra een Legendarische Pianist/Musicus.

[@wittekjmusic]

My Father studied in a Franz Liszt Music Akademia, his teacher was Erno Dohnanyi and Elemet Polonyi Liszt pupils. He wrote and preformed his own composed Etudes, waltzes, preludes, Rhapsodies and many more. I have my father handwritten script from 30`s-40`s. Please check out the documents on my father you Tube video.

[@user-yc5oy4vj1m]

1:04

[@geertdehoux]

de naam Cziffra, excuus.

[@wittekjmusic]

My father Jozsef Wittek and Georges Cziffra was very close Friends also many times they played and preformed together in many times during the 40`s and 50`s. Unfortunately during the 1956 revolution my father 98% 78` LP`s recordings perished by the Russian. Please check out my father Id.Wittek Jozsef early two Dohnanyi recordings on my You Tube- Chanel. My father was a Piano virtuoso, composer born in 1918-2003. Studied with Cziffra on the 30`s-40`s in a Ferenc Liszt music Academia.

[@yorforger6223]

16:14 intermezzo

[@philorgue]

le PIANISTE POETE avant Tout ... Son Piano de Gaveau de Concert GAVEAU de 1960 est a Aix en Provence ...

[@geertdehoux]

Seh...

[@MrClassicalMusic1]

Cziffra is one of my favorites. What a shame the piano was out of tune. Especially in the treble notes.

[@shermansmart4369]

I'm wondering if he was playing his own piano. Horowitz would only play his own piano and brought the piano everywhere he went by truck. This piano may have already been out of tune. (A piano probably cringed when the great Cziffra sat down in front of it.) Also it might have been in tune at the start of the concert.

[@edwardlobb931]

It's actually, more than likely that the particular tonal point to which you refer is the one found in so many analog conversions to digital. It's annoying and is present in many very fine recordings. The entire video is a treasure of remembrance.

[@geertdehoux]

It's all a dream. Meher Baba called it "The Existing None Existing". Master Gerardus calls it: "The None Existing Existing."

[@steveegallo3384]

You mean like Sartre's "Being and Nothingness"? BRAVO from Mexico!

[@cziffrathegreat666]

This is new to me... are you referring to Meher baba's comments on cziffra or schumann?

[@robertoarriaga559]

Composer: a genius....Pianist: really great....piano: terrible