Gregor Piatigorsky plays Chopin Sonata

[@elisenotes]

How could anyone dislike this? Tender, moving, tres musical - all without any schamltz. Bravo.

[@williamgregory1848]

When Piatigorsky first chose to play the cello in 1910, it was not considered a viable solo instrument. Very few people played the cello with competence or beauty. Cellists were rarely employed as soloists with symphony orchestras and almost never performed recitals. Audiences couldn’t imagine listening to the cello for an entire evening! But Piatigorsky developed and expanded the technique of the cello making it as facile and expressive as the violin. He also transcribed, arranged, composed and commissioned countless works for the cello thereby increasing its repertoire. His mission was to show the beauty and nobility of the cello’s voice the world over. It is a testament to Gregor Piatigorsky’s career that perhaps the most famous classical instrumentalist today is a cellist, Yo-Yo Ma.

[@akeller4265]

Best legato, smoothest bow changes I've heard from maybe any string player

[@ThatRedheadedCellist]

Stunning. His control makes the notes on the page come to life. Pianist supports the atmosphere as well.

[@2711939]

Bellissimo questo video..... Il Grande Piatigordky ha suonato questa pagina di Chopin in modo fantastico..... Il suo Violoncello sembra che parli al cuore di chi l'ascolta !!!!!! Pino.

[@scrumhalforegon]

Spectacular.... best largo I have ever heard! Everything's just right - speed, tone, interpretation.

[@BytomGirl]

This was so beautiful.. put me in such nostalgic mood..

[@abdorezamajdi3208]

He is a symbol of faithfulness, evident from his inner intuition.

[@LYTT10I03]

Theres a great book, in wich Gregor Piatigorsky discribes his live by himself. In german it calls: mein Cello und Ich und unsere Begegnungen. This book nmakes real fun ;)

[@murielrezek1481]

The genius and magic of a great man.

[@cellobuko]

It is amazing to compare techniques like this. Piatigorsky, like Rostropovich was very musical in his approach. His teaching also reflected this. He was apparently very philosophical in his approach. I only wish more videos like this were around of him. He was such a passionate man in his music and his teaching.

[@ZaddyGohan]

Greatest lyric cellist of all times, it’s not even close!!

[@TheCourtwick]

Casals remarked: The greatest cellist of all time bar one. At his early death, A huge turnout of top artists attended his funeral including Tossanini, Heifetz and Hubermann and Paul Hindemit.

[@meredith218461]

What an exquisitely beautiful mvt.

[@scrumhalforegon]

Absolutely sublime interpretation. The DVD is a must-have for any classical music lover.

[@bigcity233]

@SCManagement Thank you - I was wondering who the pianist was. I surmise these film clips of Piatigorsky and Berkowitz were made sometime in the 40's (maybe late 40's). The music is beautiful and haunting.

[@fourstrings48]

This video shows us his hands from close up, and...boy, did he ever have cello chops! Just look at the fourth finger (a.k.a. "pinky") of his left hand. It's exceptionally long and strong.

[@TomBarrister]

@SCManagement Mr. Berkowitz was also the frequent accompanist to Eudice Shapiro. Mr. Berkowitz passed on a few weeks ago, a month short of his 101st birthday.

[@munkybrain]

Rostropovich really did enlarge the repertoire by a conscious effort, and urged composers to write pieces for cello. you're quite right that we couldn't have done without casals

[@aimson]

I actually learned the Alexander Technique in high school for my neck and left shoulder. Turned out that my posture was very terrible and when I played the violin I could only stand the pain for about 5 minutes. After about 20 sessions I was completely cured and my posture has been great ever since. Normally it is singers who learn the technique for bigger breath.

[@meredith218461]

Such exquisite poetry.

[@bachshafran508]

지금 곡을 ㆍ수십년전에 한국의 EBS에서 보고 너무도 감동을 했었다 다시 이 영상을 보니 또 감동의 눈물이납니다.

[@aimson]

That's a good attitude to have and I wish more people on KZbin had it. Everybody should be entitled to their own opinion, as long as that opinion is honest and well-formed. And yes, I happen to you agree with you that other cellists besides Piatigorsky have probably been more influential in history. However, I disagree with you about Casals - he was the first cellist to turn the instrument from a novelty into a truly great instrument (much like Andres Segovia for the guitar).

[@buju]

I'm reading his book "Cellist" its great. he is a great muscian.

[@reozen8727]

皮亚提哥尔斯基是第一个让我知道大提琴温柔情感的艺术家。

[@Moegiust]

What a wonderfully interesting document. Thank you for locating and posting it. The only "stupid" thing is to reject an artist at the height of his powers and profession, just because one may admire another of the great ones even more. Can't we simply learn from each and all of them, without quarreling? Besides, you are all mistaken. The greatest cellist was Leonard Rose, followed by Janos Starker. (We can all play that silly comparison game. But let's not.)

[@TheCourtwick]

@TomBarrister Hi, Just noticed your question. I was refering to Piatigorsky and 'bar one' Casals himself. Reference to Toscanini attending the funeral is not correct, sorry about that.

[@TomBarrister]

@bigcity233 If memory serves me, they were shot in 1953.

[@Rephrat]

2'20 wow what an emotion.what a sound,what a styll. THE BEST King Grisha

[@peepsrock21]

unbelievable

[@sofiaclassic91]

Bella.. non l'avevo mai sentita.

[@fannyjemwong]

BELLO

[@EtrofOnaip]

I like the pianist - What is his Name ?

[@wolframhertel8041]

The pianist is Mr. Ralph Berkowitz

[@andreadenir7054]

Verdade mesmo!! Dá pra perceber bem no vibrato dele e na expressão...

[@fourstrings48]

Lovely playing! It would have been nice if the post also told us who is at the piano.

[@wolframhertel8041]

The pianist is Mr. Ralph Berkowitz

[@issacbluecoat7597]

CLASS

[@--Artur--]

great quality...all older vid are in better quality

[@TomBarrister]

The "greatest" is a matter of personal preference. I was aware that Mr. Berkowitz was on the staff of Curtis until about 1940, but I didn't know that he was the dean of the institute.

[@randyzeemer9999]

Tom Barrister I

[@johnmirsky8441]

This is the third movement

[@mstevenh1]

this is actually the third movement

[@jeffersonfsoares]

Não sei se é porque ele tocava com Heifetz e gostava de seu som, mais o som dele é muito parecido com o do Heifetz, mais transportado para o violoncelo

[@earshape]

It is not the second movement, but the third movement.

[@theLUCYCOWAN]

This is lovely. Does anyone know who the pianist is ?

[@Seautadasama]

Peaceful...

[@stxer]

Anyone know who is the pianist?

[@jan-christinejohnson5256]

Mr. Ralph Berkowitz

[@perotal]

How does he make the beautiful bass sound on the cello? Excuse my ignorance, I'm a piano player..

[@paulinagaspar9254]

Let me answer this: Leaving aside Piatigorsky is an excellent player who had Anatoliy Brandukov as direct teacher, he is probably playing his "Batta" Stradivarius cello, or more probably his "Baudiot", as well Stradivarius cello (since this footage was originally recorded in 1953, and there's only evidence that he acquired the "Batta" around 1956, and he had played the "Baudiot" at least since 1948). Anyway, both Stradivarius instruments had special sound features, including specially a rich sound in the bass strings, and maybe a great equalization and engineering from the film technicians and the remastering for the DVD. Although all this possibilities, this beautiful bass sound can be produced by a cello in different ways that are combined in this footage: a great technique, a high quality cello and a deep knowledge from the player about his instrument, this special bass sound is characteristic and distinctive in the cello, since the same note in the same pitch would sound VERY different if played by an upright bass, because of the sound quality or "timbre"; as well in this pitch a double bass and a cello have somehow a "similar" timbre, when listening with attention they are not, and there are GREAT differences in the sound quality. Any cellist, bassist or experienced string-music listener or orchestra conductor should note the difference immediatly, as well maybe an unexperienced string-music listener could be cconfused the first time. One thing is for sure: Piatigorsky/Baudiot's bass strings sound is specially beautiful, dark and deep, a delight for cello players and cello lovers!

[@munkybrain]

I don't think Casals did 100 times more for the instrument. i agree he did more, but alot was written for Rostropovich, and he had a lot of students, and he recorded a lot.

[@celloman79]

"A lot" is very relative my friend. Things written for Rostropovich likely would have been dedicated to some other great cellist in his absence. This written for Casals were written because he was really the first great solo cellist that ever existed. Before him, it wasn't really considered a solo instrument. Now it's equal to the violin. Rostropovich built on what Casals started.

[@omnisquebe]

ωραίος

[@welltuned24]

Cool ear yummy(ness), totally and for sure!

[@bobross18]

bill evans???

[@organboi]

change the title. it's the third movement. fix your mistakes when brought to your attention.

[@meredith218461]

Its not Rubinstein!.

[@MasqueradeBall]

Rubinstein

[@TheTradge]

Not a great fan of Piatigorsky myself, much more partial to Du Pré, Gendron and Gutman. I think Piatigorskys vibrato is too fast, it just sounds tight, for my liking anyway. That's just my opinion, others are likely to disagree, but he's not my favourite to listen to. No doubt he was a great cellist, and dynamic contrasts are wonderful!

[@bilstew]

Mi pensas lia muziko estas la plej bona kaj cxiam gxi estos la plej bona.

[@celloman79]

Done more for the instrument? What is that supposed to mean? Sorry, Rostropovich was an incredible artist. Seriously, absolutely incredible. But Casals did 100 times more for the cello than Rostropovich. No exaggeration. Until Casals, they practiced holding up a book in their left arms. That contribution alone was huge. Not to mention rediscovering the Bach Solo Suites, unknown before Casals. THAT was a serious contribution.

[@vlnvlaclogbaerhpno]

Very narrow and fast vibrato...almost looks like it's coming from his wrist, or even fingers (violin/viola) as opposed to his elbow (cello/bass)...

[@munkybrain]

I dunno he was married to a good chess player though

[@iampauleybaby]

Is this the Piatigorsky whose wife the former world chess champion Bobby Fischer had a run in with?

[@violaplayer1995]

the other lady n zelnova or sumthing like that..has a huge vibrato compared to him

[@aimson]

Well, you can't prove what you just wrote any more than RIHARRIS32 can. Therefore, both of you simply voiced your opinions, neither of which are stupid. All you've really done by calling him stupid is start a meaningless pissing contest that will get nowhere. Simply disagree with his opinion, voice your opinion, and move on :)