Grigory Sokolov plays Brahms, three Intermezzi op. 117

Grigory Sokolov plays Brahms, three Intermezzi op. 117
Concert in Tonhalle Zürich, Switzerland (30.03.2012)

[@ziegunerweiser]

Like a bird floating through the open sky with such eloquence beauty and charm. Recorded on a Sony Walkman and I couldn't be happier or more greatful.

[@TheWorldTeacher]

That explains the atrocious sound quality.

[@fslubin]

The best. Sokolov is someone who can bring out more subtle, deep and dramatic meanings of a piece than most others.

[@humamghassib2685]

Truly marvelous! Both Brahms' music and Sokolov's playing.

[@MichelDuPaul]

Finesse, intelligence, sensibilité et grandeur quel plaisir d'écouter ces pièces profondément intimistes. Un Sokolov et un Brahms à leur meilleur. Merci !

[@MartinSmithMFM]

Il y trouve combien de choses qui depassent entierement Angela Hewitt, le fait que la deuxieme theme du seconde est tout a fait en contraste, par exemple, et qui gronde comme les houles de Robbe-Grillet... Sokolov y trouve tout un drame humain...je trouve, Michel...

[@claudemanfre]

Sokolov is such a joy to listen to!

[@delphinnet1]

De toute beauté, profondeur et transparence. MERCI beaucoup pour cet enregistrement.

[@rubestuh]

Just lovely. I particularly like no. 2, which is probably my favourite romantic piece.

[@hyramesshiramess1035]

This extraordinarily eloquent, expressive reading of these exquisite pieces is, -- as my father used to say when confronted with something truly wonderful --, "way too good for the common people." ;-)

[@CLASSICALFAN100]

When NY Time theater critic Vincent Canby first saw mime Marcel Marceau perform, he wrote, "We do not deserve such perfection." Just like you said...

[@visitingworld8800]

Very nice dynamics and well played!!

[@JoeCembalo]

Op. 117: n1 0:07; n2 5:26; n3 11:18. Enjoy.

[@georgeboeck1298]

I make it a duty to thank who ever gives us the time marks. Thanks JoeCembalo!

[@A199MR199]

GREATEST EVER !!!!!!!!!! SOKOLOV IS GOD !!!!!

[@rubestuh]

Very beautiful. You know, if I give my list of great pianists, Sokolov won't as a rule be on it. But why? Makes no sense. So often, when I listen to him, I'm ambushed by his taste and perfection. The 2nd Op. 117 intermezzo is probably my favourite Brahms piece and I don't think I've ever heard it played better.

[@wnaenni]

'm speechless!

[@НатальяКоркина-д2р]

Великолепное исполнение,браво!

[@LuneticMusic]

thanks for the upload!

[@TomBombadil1991]

'Heavy Cough Inoming :D but its still very great!!!!

[@ЛюдмилаГорячкина-о8к]

Каждая пьеса И. Брамса имеет свой характер, рисующий картину. Одна из них: "Августовский звездопад".

[@LuneticMusic]

every great pianist records in the studio, not just Glenn Gould, and this is obviously a private recording.

[@natalyamark]

Unique genius…..

[@supermasterpip]

its wonderful to hear these "Studenty" pieces played so well,and with such contrasts..i remember murdering them as a teenager.His playing makes the pieces emerge from silence..a meditative quality..and what wonderful pieces they are!

[@CLASSICALFAN100]

Well said! Just be grateful that you had a chance to "murder" them in the 1st place. Lots of teens don't, and have to wait 'til they reach adulthood to even OWN a piano...

[@oscarsnr]

Couldn’t agree more. Astonishingly intimate renditions of pieces I wouldn’t have understood as a young man. Thought recording was great - felt like I was in the audience. I’m preparing #1 as an encore currently and it is giving me more grief getting it right than the concerto. Such fine detail in the writing.

[@РиммаСкороходова-п3ч]

Гениально...

[@photo161]

He has an incredibly wide dynamic range which he employs to it's fullest here, n spite of these pieces being often regarded as miniatures. His massive approach is while being deeply musical may strike some as overstated...certainly not the only way to play them The old Gould version is a good comparative version.

[@jackbaran1578]

Overstated is an understatement. No. 2 is way overdone, too much dynamics, too slow. Doesn't flow. Try Nelson Freire's 117 no. 2 for some soul. I still like Sokolov very much, but not here.

[@srennyegaard8991]

He is quite good

[@richardstark5569]

Wie stark ist nicht dein Zauberton, Herr Brahms!

[@Bravissimo-dyu]

Гений

[@mmcrosbie]

Is this a private recording, rather than a professional one? It's a shame that there are noises in the audience interfering with the performance. Glenn Gould was very smart to record in the studio.

[@jennifergray5478]

Yes,sadly the noises are distracting in a great performance

[@jordifuentesandres226]

Además Brahms tiene para piano obra integral para dos y cuatro manos,obra integral para dos manos.tes sonatas para piano.

[@adamchan6296]

十九世紀浪漫派鋼琴音樂之演奏神髓幾已失傳，人人皆能識譜，然不知意在言外，不知彈琴技術是為琴曲之意境服務的，此謂之物化，為技術而技術，聽之以耳，不以心，聽之以心，不以氣。索科洛夫不然。布拉姆斯晚年之蕭索，淒涼，寂寞不能自已，全盤托出。唯寂寞者識寂寞，此君殆亦十九世紀心靈之孤臣孽子，來到二十一世紀人人欲作AI，高舉技術，放棄靈魂，大約唯有皮耶斯乃同道之朋，聽其布拉姆斯三首小提琴奏鳴曲可知。十里悲憤無處宣，化做樂音供人咸,若得知己同感慨，落寞此生非等閒。庸俗二字，怎生了得。紀念一個逝去的時代。

[@Francescomedardo]

What about Brahms?

[@Johannes_Brahms65]

Isn't this an illegal recording?

[@chrisczajasager]

costly... here it sounds more like Sascha Brahmski than ole JB.....

[@madraven07]

Very affected.

[@lesrichesheures9603]

sincerement, cette execution me semble surestimée par ces commentaires... Allez écouter comment joue merveilleusement et en toute simplicité Carl Friedberg, élève de Clara Schumann et qui avait travaillé avec Brahms nombreuses de ses pièces et vous verrez que Sokolov fait simplement des fausses phrasés et...s'invente des choses que ne sont pas dans la pièce, sans réaliser d'abord beaucoup de ceux qui y se trouvent, et avec trop de rallentissements sans sens, trop de main droite et chant de la voix supérieure, bien loin de la texture poliphonique et contrapuntique émouvante de Friedberg (et tous pianists/es de celle vieille, noble école pleine de savoir fair, charme, vérité d'expression et intelligeance profonde de la composition).

[@modlinger32]

Yes I agree, his Brahms sounds like Scriabin (even then, too much rubato!). But at the same time, there are certain moments in his playing that are very beautiful.

[@astrasfo]

Way too slow... Gets bogged down. I prefer Brahms played with more passion

[@hyramesshiramess1035]

+Andrew Strasfogel You have much to learn about the immense beauty and depth of feeling to be found in serenely contemplative, autumnal, elegiac music,-- and I suspect poetry and literature as well. These are wonderfully mature, insightful, absolutely exquisite performances, as close to perfection as any I've heard. I think what you say you'd prefer to hear would be found in earlier works of Brahms such as the Sonata in F- Minor, the Rhapsodies, the "fast" movements of the two concerti, and much of Brahm's chamber works.

[@astrasfo]

I listened again and my comment stands. His interpretation of no. 1 is overplayed, in my opinion. Try listening to Schnabel and you will hear the difference a great interpreter can make...

[@denisehay1151]

I agree it's too slow

[@abbottklavier1]

Passion is not always translated into faster tempi. Slower yes but 'stiller waters run deep". If you carefully listen to his rubati, he NEVER plays slowly over many consecutive bars, rather there is a remarkable give and take that from my view of the score and I've played this music MANY times, is always dictated by the harmony. I can't think of another classically inclined composer (including Beethoven) whose musical structure is so predicated on the harmonic structure than Beethoven. In this case, Brahms' later 19th C style is quite appropriately able to handle if not thrive on this flexible pacing whereas Beethoven, another "free and improvisational pianist in terms of time" according to his student Czerny, still suffers if his music is subjected to the same degree of rubato as Brahms!

[@josephmashburn4451]

Where's your recording? I agree...

[@frankz4900]

To slow,it’s not how Brahms envisioned tempos.