Islamey, Op. 18 // BALAKIREV

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Islamey (subtitled Oriental Fantasy), Op. 18, is a composition for piano by Russian composer Mily Balakirev, written in September 1869.
The many existing editions have numerous alternative passages (ossias) - most are easier, some are more difficult. This technical difficulty made it a favourite with virtuosos such as Nikolai Rubinstein (who premiered the piece), Franz Liszt, and in modern times, pianists such as Moura Lympany, Martha Argerich and Vladimir Horowitz. Balakirev, considered a virtuoso pianist in his time, once admitted that there were passages in the piece that he "couldn't manage." Also, Alexander Scriabin seriously damaged his right hand fanatically practicing the piece along with Liszt's Réminiscences de Don Juan, though the injury eventually healed.
Islamey has had a lasting impact on piano solo music; Ravel once remarked to a friend that his goal in writing Gaspard de la nuit was to compose a piece that was "more difficult than Balakirev's Islamey." Alexander Borodin included quotations from the piece in his opera Prince Igor, while Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov did the same in Scheherazade. The piece has been twice arranged for orchestra, by Alfredo Casella shortly before Balakirev's death, and by Sergei Lyapunov. Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra recorded the orchestral version in stereo on February 26, 1961, for Columbia Records.
Recent musicological work has shown that the melodies that Balakirev preserved in this work are still present in folk music in the former USSR. For instance, the first theme has been found to be a variety of the Lezginka from Kabardino-Balkaria, which differs notably from Balakirev's work in its time signature. The second theme has been demonstrated to have the origins as related to Balakirev, namely that of a Tatar love song. Balakirev himself indicated in the score that the coda should be played similarly to the Russian Tropak, again a traditional Russian tune.

[@charliegold3227]

You know a piece is hard when you hear a story of Liszt sight reading it

[@FranciescoGallo]

With Rubenstein

[@gjsymphony7178]

6:59 Ouch! I'm glad there's finally a good Synthesia video of this piece. Great job!

[@milybalakirev1954]

I am very proud of this peice!

[@EpreTroll]

Someone damaged their hand? What passage? I wanna read more about this hahah

[@sophiegonzales2615]

Someone no.. show some respect to Scriabin!!!

[@closedlol1757]

Click the bird

[@kareraisu7327]

@Funnee Music God wanted to stop him from writing the Mysterium. But it did not work. So he sent the pimple.

[@Ivan_1791]

@@sophiegonzales2615 Hm, glad to see some furries with good knowledge on music. Also cute OC.

[@jessicaeskebk5945]

As someone has said. Probably Scriabin

[@lukeehrkepiano5061]

7:23 - 7:53 sounds awesome on 1.25 speed

[@leobozkir5425]

Luke Ehrke Piano youre right!

[@samthepianoman]

That’s the tempo it’s supposed to be

[@georges3349]

Listen to berezovsky - his recording is unbeatable and gets to that tempo for the coda

[@randomsunsfan602]

kinda sounds like feux follets

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

Indeed

[@thenameisgsarci]

dat mistake at 7:23... let me guess, you got this from Bernd Krueger, right?

[@PianoCzarX]

Tshh, don't tell anyone

[@kingdmtv1515]

HAH, _CAUGHT YA_

[@plaguedoct0r]

_DAYUUUUUM_ that's a nice catch! Great knowledge! Mad props!

[@research305]

oof

[@LightLucky]

i dont see any mistake :v

[@Justiin_rm]

this is truly the one of the most difficult pieces also the one of the most beautiful pieces. 😍😍

[@yasmine5105]

I like it and thank you. I think it helpful to anyone who may want to learn this piece. I am not sure what Lang Lang would think but I still like it.

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

Yeah it's hard and all but unfortunately no one talks about the beautiful andante espressivo section! 😥

[@Dylonely42]

Indeed

[@nicosuarez6962]

That Left Hand is Impossible! 8:17

[@ayhamshaheed7740]

You arpeggiate them; you don’t play it in one go

[@Dylonely42]

Rachmaninoff can

[@weihern9741]

​@@Dylonely42 lol that's over 3 octave bruh

[@charlesthomas5956]

​@@Dylonely42 Lol

[@charlesthomas5956]

​@@ayhamshaheed7740 Yeah thats what i would do

[@SiluaSky]

My right hand hurts just by watching this

[@J.C.D_1006]

I'm Loving this.

[@misha_pie2995]

6: 58 R.I.P right hand

[@Milo-fh8zl]

You play that with both hands

[@pleasecontactme4274]

@@Milo-fh8zl i don't think so lol that would be harder to make such a huge leap

[@devosiagian9578]

6:58

[@sigmaballz1469]

@@pleasecontactme4274 What are you talking about? Your left thumb is already there there's no need to leap.

[@pleasecontactme4274]

@@sigmaballz1469 idk i was high that time i guess leave me alone XD

[@paolopezzin9395]

A Genius!

[@Poof57]

Sounded like an oldschool game boss theme lol

[@pulsar2049]

How many flats do you want? balakirev: yes

[@NBUU1]

6:45

[@chata354]

You know you're piece is hard when someone injures their hand trying to play it

[@nightmarekingprimalaspid6133]

2:13 how you play that?

[@Irydion]

Using the sustain pedal.

[@xevivr]

Same question , if left hand is on 2 c# then what about right hand

[@nightmarekingprimalaspid6133]

@@xevivr dude this comment is way too old lmao

[@xevivr]

@@nightmarekingprimalaspid6133 doesn't matter actually really wanted to know coz I'm come here after traum piano

[@charlesthomas5956]

You eat the piano lol

[@lukeehrkepiano5061]

5:51 - 5:57 Sounds straight like it came straight from Scarbo

[@evanottervanger5394]

EpicDragon Studios Scarbo was written by Ravel in an attempt to beat Islamey in terms of technical difficulty, so it could be modeled somewhat after this

[@lukeehrkepiano5061]

Yeah I had already figured that when I wrote the comment... I prefer Islamey much more though, what about you? (Edit: my tastes have developed a lot since I made this comment, I appreciate Scarbo and Islamey equally :)

[@evanottervanger5394]

EpicDragon Studios I like Islamey more, it's clearer and has more emotion, however Scarbo has some shining moments that equal Islamey

[@lukeehrkepiano5061]

Yeah, I agree. Scarbo's Climaxes are astonishing.

[@lukeehrkepiano5061]

A SEVENTH? NO? It can sound like both pieces, neither comparison is correct or wrong :)

[@codecentral3916]

*~```Who came here because of Rousseau```~*

[@aayushjariwala6256]

I was just searching for this commnet!!!

[@sajivfx6313]

100th like

[@only4wotbhwqcb569]

Plz stop

[@neutral_puma845]

What happened with Rousseau

[@achille-claudedebussy8548]

@Dio Brando he nailed scarbo, i'm pretty sure he could do it.

[@zz.anicomics7786]

This is so difficult that the composer who composed this (Balakriev) can't even play it...

[@crazysel4475]

Really?

[@closedlol1757]

Thanks Bach

[@kareraisu7327]

and somehow Liszt's 14 year old student managed to play it..

[@Jack-ji2kz]

@@kareraisu7327 Well they were Liszt’s Student

[@fredericfrancoischopin6971]

@@crazysel4475 It's alike Ravel can't play Scarbo

[@buildasnowman4601]

This is a hard piece, definitely, but I don't understand how it is called one of the hardest pieces of all time. I could probably play this with some practice - yet most of Franz Liszt's repertoire remains out of my reach.

[@AoSCow]

perhaps this one is one of those that looks easier than it actually is

[@buildasnowman4601]

Perhaps - I am trying to learn this piece right now. So far, I have memorized up to 1:08, but the notes before that are far from perfect. I will report back when I am finished the piece.

[@AoSCow]

+BuildA Snowman you memorized 1:08 already? how long have you been going at it for?

[@buildasnowman4601]

About since this video was uploaded. As I said, I know all the notes up to 1:08 and can play them at a slower tempo - but they aren't good. I can't do that in a day XD

[@AoSCow]

+BuildA Snowman Still impressive! How much experience do you have in piano?

[@Someonece]

Would it be possible for you to do Chopin's Allegro de Concert? There aren't any synthesia vids or midis I can find, and it doesn't seem to be that well known. It is certainly one of Chopin's most epic compositions though.

[@PianoCzarX]

I like this

[@PianoCzarX]

Unfortunately I couldn't find a good midi

[@PianoCzarX]

TacTundra I've actually started working on it soon after I said I couldn't find a midi. It was by far the most painful video I've ever worked on, and it will be up in 2 hours.

[@Someonece]

PianoCzarX What goes into making the videos if you don't mind me asking?

[@PianoCzarX]

+TacTundra Thank you for the question, here's what goes into it most of the time: 1) Finding a recording I can use (usually from musopen.org) *~10 min* 2) Finding a midi file which suits the recording best. *~10 min* 3) Adjusting the tempo of the midi file to the recording. This is the longest one, since you have to make sure that 99% of the notes match the recording exactly. The piano videos are especially bad, because the rubato is insane sometimes, so there can be 8-10 tempo changes per bar. *~piece length x 25* 4) Adding little quirks that performers do. *~piece length x 2* 5) Recording. *~piece length* The rest, like exporting and uploading is automatic, but takes hours just as well :-) For the videos without a live recording (like this Islamey one) I don't have to do steps 1, 3 and 4, but sometimes have to split hands.

[@otisplatypus8578]

It's Ironic that they have a flow key link in the description because nobody is gonna be learning this piece

[@wrurw2989]

Reminiscences de Norma (Liszt) and Scarbo (From Gaspard de la Nuit, by Ravel) are hardest than this

[@fortissimom.440]

WRURW I agree

[@rheakinn3196]

El contrabandista is harder,but gaspard dela nuit is also hard cuz of the length,but liszt paganini etude 4 s.138 is also hard,not to mention mazeppa /137/138 or hamelin etude 3,all of them were hard in common,and not mostly played cuz of the difficulty also etude 45 meereaux,and alkan pieces.

[@everymanfromscratch4188]

Yeah norma fantasy by liszt is one of the hardest pieces i played

[@charlesthomas5956]

6:59: Looks like im in for a delicious treat *Eats the piano* There. now i played this

[@leobozkir5425]

I like the soft piano sound

[@sikroboskop3121]

2:43 hol up

[@aakarshitsingh1535]

ok

[@toucc9638]

ok

[@tranminhtu8339]

what

[@sikroboskop3121]

The licc

[@snorefest1621]

glad the audience did not clap in the middle

[@TNP1031]

Fun Fact: Did you know Liszt once heard this once and then played the whole thing from memory.

[@username_62kcs9el0]

That's impossible.

[@TNP1031]

@@username_62kcs9el0 Nope it's true, crazy indeed. I did some research that Liszt was known for going beyond the limits at the piano, and was good with sight reading and playing on time and even remembering themes, for an example, back in his youth the audience would request a piece and Liszt would play it perfectly and amazed the audience.

[@lisztomaniac2593]

@@TNP1031 I’ll agree with James here. It’s impossible for any human brain to memorize 8 minutes of a piece in one hearing only -w/o seeing the score- and then playing it.

[@KaasIsLekker]

@@lisztomaniac2593 impossible bc the guys are living 200 yrs apart from each other but he could sight read without knowing the pieces for the first time perfect Chopin was quite mad abt that

[@lisztomaniac2593]

@@KaasIsLekker i know he could sightread very easily but still, just listening to a piece once? it’s simply impossible to memorize all that. and when i say impossible i mean it

[@kaboomatar]

All four notes at 0:17 should be a left hand roll

[@X-TL]

Thank u so much!!!

[@robertrunyan2511]

Soooo many notes. I wonder just how many in this piece...

[@JSSison]

2:15 ? how do you even do that.

[@yxc_x2673]

With the Pedal

[@sv4793]

Harder than Ron Jeremy

[@RohrDC]

sv why do you have 100 subs

[@Montu-pc5gp]

The Finale is 7:23

[@TheDude_Perfect]

What sound of piano is used here?

[@finnstyles]

2:14 illuminati confirmed look at the right hand

[@jemapelleanthony6305]

and the left hand

[@closedlol1757]

ikr what are those hands

[@jaydenraynor4679]

2:16 How the hell are you supposed to reach that chord with only two hands? That's well more than an octave+ on either hand, how?

[@dunkleosteus430]

Pedal.

[@jaydenraynor4679]

@@dunkleosteus430 Right but you have to play the notes at the same time, so how would the pedal help here? Hell, even if you could reach that far, there are more notes than fingers in the right chord.

[@jaydenraynor4679]

Nevermind, I see now. The left and right notes are just incorrectly labeled here it seems.

[@dunkleosteus430]

@@jaydenraynor4679 they're not exactly at the same time, it would just be a quick jump. Synthesia videos sometimes keep notes in that are being held by the pedal, so it looks like it's a piece written for 4+ hands

[@jaydenraynor4679]

@@dunkleosteus430I see now, it looks like the left and right aren't labeled 100% properly at certain parts. Although 8:17 still looks impossible, considering there is what looks to be an 18th in the left and the right is occupied at the time of it. Unless I'm missing something again.

[@ammystery1]

wow you really dropped one of the hardest pieces o.O Wanna do Rachmaninovs Elegie Op 3 no 1 next?

[@Mereaux]

Ba

[@johannsebastianbach3774]

¡Yeah! I am your suscripber 600. I have a special request I think some of Heitor Villa -lobos for piano. Maybe the choro nº 5. Thanks Greetings for México.

[@todokagekook8967]

i kinda wanna see kousei arima try this ;) imagine it happening *screaming intensifies*

[@microworldbunny8049]

Serenade for strings dvorak plz

[@alexandernikolayevichscria7563]

Scriabin seriously damaged his hands practicing this...

[@chike9063]

How do you play 2:14?

[@leobozkir5425]

yoshi_drinks_tea how? And why is it marked with a color like a finger?

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

@Johann Sebastian yep, use the sustain pedal.

[@user-fu6rc2hs1c]

普通にアルペジオでもキツいのあって草

[@sergeirachmaninoff4516]

is it harde than el contrabandista

[@charles-valentinalkan5681]

Sergei Rachmaninoff yes

[@zorm_]

lmao

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

@@charles-valentinalkan5681 but nothing compared to your SPC lol

[@dominationyt7834]

Sos

[@stefannmarolicaru2281]

Its a hard piece but i dont like it

[@c7z131]

This doesn't even sound good

[@patrickwhiting4831]

Shite on synthesia

[@NBUU1]

6:48

[@denizmuzaffer6351]

6:58

[@15c4ndy]

6:09

[@15c4ndy]

6:14

[@medvevaros1051]

6:58