Ivo Pogorelich plays Brahms Paganini Variations - live 2014

[@josefsekon164]

A most unique, profound interpretation from this genius keyboard wizard! Magical almost beyond words, a welcome awakening to a spiritual rendition. Bravo Maestro Ivo!

[@JavierSerraltaSanMartin]

+Josef Sekon yes, magical beyond words, if this way of playing does not awake the musical world...and some of its sleepy people... society is just more decadent and rotten than i thought, ivo will be treasured sooner or later, he doesn,t care anyway, he lives with the good company of composers and muses.

[@Yamamoto34410]

@@JavierSerraltaSanMartinhi😅y Ty

[@hyramesshiramess1035]

I loved it. Pogorelich performed this in a ruminative, almost leisurely fashion that gave enough time to reveal many of the wistful, nostalgic, world-weary, implicitly tragic elements in the piece. So often we get a dazzling display of brilliant, death-defying virtuosity that reveals little but the supreme pianistic prowess of the player. Pogorelich certainly does that, but he plumbs greater depths that give us remarkable insight into the character -- and very soul -- of Johannes Brahms. His mastery of phrasing and dynamics is breathtaking. I particularly enjoyed the way Pogorelich boldly outlines with unconventionally heavy accents the melodic-thematic underpinnings of of many of the more brilliant variations. I am so happy to see this great master performing so well again.

[@excelsior999]

Frankly, I have never much cared for this piece - that is, until now. Pogo"s take on it just blew me away. It was like listening to it for the first time. What a deep spirit he is. Quite a remarkable man and an artist without comparison.

[@predrag-peterilich900]

Totally agree. Several pieces I had heard him perform were just "new", a discovery of something hidden that no one else has brought to the surface. But the public today is leaning more toward circus performers on keyboards.

[@excelsior999]

@@predrag-peterilich900 The audience must share in the blame. They especially like to see certain female pianists come onstage dressed like Burlesque Queens and then play a flashy crowd-pleasing piece at a ridiculously fast tempo.

[@thomascooper1242]

Just wonderful! So beautiful! Thank you so much for uploading this!

[@richterkleiber]

This is really fascinating in so many ways--in how he has things and shapes progressions. Glad to hear he is returning to his old form--of course, he has also evolved as an artist and has different aims than before. I think people should also refrain from dismissing him altogether in some of the terms I see below. This is a man and artist with much to share with the world.

[@AlfieTheProducer]

Zsolt Bognar I couldn’t agree more. It’s like he has some deeper understanding of harmony and architecture. Unbelievable.

[@Daniel_Zalman]

Up to about 2001-2002, every Pogorelich performance was an event. He ruled over the instrument. His level of expressivity was unforgettable. His mastery of sound and phrasing was mesmerizing. In my opinion, he is one of the greatest performers of all time. I don’t agree with everything he’s done since, but there are moments of sublime beauty in any Pogorelich performance.

[@ugo957]

Эта интерпретация просто восторг! Душа и сердце трепетно поют! Браво , маэстро! 🎉👍❤️

[@ashribar]

I LOVE this! so refreshing. finally this piece is just chops

[@jimkost2002]

I am grateful to hear new repertoire from Ivo. He is even more profound than the brilliant virtuoso I remember hearing every year in NYC back in the 80s & 90s

[@barbaraholland7630]

Who knew it would be more gorgeous at this tempo? Wonderful !

[@nickk8416]

Yes. So true!! The tempo markings are "non troppo presto" Everybody plays it way too fast. Show off contest I guess.

[@mariasofiavalcheva3099]

He is extraordinary musician! Very nice in this tempo!❤Take my breathing,Bravo Ivo!

[@marksmith3947]

Well he can't play at tempo so you make whatever excuse works for you

[@natzhao3260]

For any real musicians, there is no right or wrong interpretations, but good or bad interpretations. I’ve always been fascinated by pogorelich’s unique take on so many pieces and it’s absolutely refreshing to listen to his interpretations. Not to say his unique interpretations are always doing him a favour. It’s a fine balance between composer intent, musical rigour and personal interpretations

[@xrCtaNd]

Almost all pianists except Pogorelich are busy with playing this piece technically, so cannot express its musical phase in my opinion.

[@excelsior999]

Very well said. When someoe like, say, Yuja Wang plays this piece, it seems like they're just showing off their technical chops. Ivo turned the music inside out for me.

[@JavierSerraltaSanMartin]

thank you for this recording, at 17,03 sweet and sour dance in heaven, ivo´s unique poetic sound, i love the angel child in him

[@dune0613]

He is an artist, not only a pianist.

[@DariusMo]

I agree, although I think every pianist is an artist.

[@chrish12345]

very interesting, daring, thoughtful and provocative - its hard to remain on the fence about Pogorelich

[@emilgilels]

"it's hard to remain on the fence about Pogorelich" - a comment I can unhesitatingly agree with! :-)

[@AlfonsoDeGrassaAramendia]

Ivo Pogo, un gran, inmenso, extraordinario, pianista que se ha perfeccionado día a día. Gran persona y artista. Bravo Maestro !!!

[@Diabellical]

Putting away all preconceptions of Brahms and this piece: while only hints of his past virtuosity shine through, occasionally we still see a beautiful and creative mind reinterpreting the piece. At times beautifully melancholic, at times tragic. I'm glad he is playing and still improving (case in point listen to his 2018 Liszt transcendental etude in fm)

[@sYwOnKLAVIER]

Extraordinary

[@querrebrigitte5376]

merci pour ces "moments" d'émotion où quand la grande musique est interprétée par un très grand pianiste avec une personnalité et une sensibilité qui ne peuvent laisser indifférent...quelle destinée et quelle carrière!...

[@ЛюдмилаОвчинникова-г6я]

Ивушку очень люблю...музыка под его руками оживает и дышит...Браво, мастер, Вы гениальны !

[@variszarins]

Just saw him in London. Amazing

[@НадеждаБогданова-р7э]

Будте благословенны,Иво, За,Ваш, дар музыканта и великую любовь! 04.11.2020.

[@xrCtaNd]

Book 1 Thema 0:00 Var1 0:36 Var2 1:08 Var3 1:41 Var4 2:17 Var5 3:13 Var6 4:07 Var7 4:36 Var8 5:10 Var9 5:44 Var10 6:53 Var11 8:41 Var12 10:07 Var13 10:48 Var14 11:25

[@stephenwilberrealtor6902]

Simple principle I’ve decided upon. If the music moves someone then the performer did his job. Regardless of wether the “elite and snobby brass of the musical underworld” say otherwise. Clearly he is a fabulous musician. Perhaps not to everyone’s taste. Of course I don’t love it all but he is thinking and making decisions on everything. He’s a real artist. Just eccentric and unique. Finally !!!!

[@simaraft7373]

This is pure genius. Period.

[@giancitton2604]

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) VARIAZIONI PAGANINI Fascicolo I Tema: Non troppo presto (la minore) Variazione I. (la minore) Variazione II. (la minore) Variazione III. (la minore) 1:41 Variazione IV. (la minore) Variazione V. Espressivo (la minore) 3:12 Variazione VI. (la minore) Variazione VII. (la minore) Variazione VIII. (la minore) Variazione IX. (la minore) 5:44 Variazione X. (la minore) 6:52 Variazione XI. Andante (la maggiore) 8:40 Variazione XII. (la maggiore) 10:06 Variazione XIII. Vivace e scherzando (la minore) Variazione XIV. Allegro (la minore). Con fuoco. Fascicolo II Variazione I. (la minore) 14:01 Variazione II. Poco animato (la minore) Variazione III. Piano et leggiero (la minore) 15:29 Variazione IV. Poco allegretto (la maggiore) Variazione V. Dolce (la minore) 17:03 Variazione VI. Poco piu vivace (la minore) Variazione VII. Leggiero e ben marcato (la minore) 18:45 Variazione VIII. Allegro (la minore) Variazione IX. (la minore) Variazione X. Feroce, energico (la minore) Variazione XI. Vivace (la minore) Variazione XII. Poco andante (la maggiore) 23:02 Variazione XIII. Un poco piu andante (la minore) 24:57 Variazione XIV. (la minore)

[@xrCtaNd]

Book 2 Thema 14:02 Var1 14:38 Var2 15:29 Var3 16:28 Var4 17:03 Var5 18:14 Var6 18:46 Var7 19:15 Var8 19:41 Var9 20:44 Var10 21:24 Var11 22:30 Var12 23:03 Var13 24:58 Var14 26:04

[@alvarojosetasconospina3583]

FASCINANTE..GRAXIEE!!!!¡¡¡¡¡

[@JavierSerraltaSanMartin]

aqui y como siempre ivo es angel y demonio, mas angel, como en sus sublimes intermezzos de brahms, como canta en 17.03...que dulce melancolia....ivo es un angel niño, bailando triste y dulcemente, en un paraiso de formas y colores, junto a picasso y a el greco, ningun interprete mostro tanto sus entrañas y su alma como ivo...horowitz y maria callas quizas,,, gracias

[@geraldmoore2681]

horowitz took a sabbatical for over a decade and came back even betterPogorlich was just doing likewise what I heard over 30 years ago was no flash in the pan he is in the top league

[@розамимоза-у9ш]

Браво !

[@francescoboneri]

Sounds to me as if Ivo P is back on form, which is to say, completely outclassing every other living pianist. Come on, Deutsche Grammophon, do the decent thing and invite him into the recording studio . . . The world is waiting.

[@HermanIngram]

LOL He plays like a student.

[@Qwerty-hj1ml]

I am waiting!

[@JaredRedmondPianist]

+Herman Ingram please provide a YT link of any student, anywhere, who plays anything like this.

[@Highinsight7]

@@JaredRedmondPianist Ivo... is really one of the greats... we both know that... I've taught MANY great students... I'm a half way decent pianist myself... THIS is way beyond any of the most talented students I've ever seen... up there with the true greats... and you know it!

[@SeigneurReefShark]

@@HermanIngram stfu re-

[@JavierSerraltaSanMartin]

at 8:40 and at 17:03 ....most beautiful lullaby...love...resurrection...eternity...life after death...

[@haoyangwu6173]

Just saw some comments here and places about him playing concerts with scores. Well to me is that he brings incredible unique music. So it doesn’t really matter 😅

[@manueladevilliers5301]

He is a musical genius

[@wandahelenagorecka-fichten9258]

Ivo Pogorelic gra Wariacje Brahmsa na temat Paganiniego interpretacja tego utworu jest niezwykle trudna a nawet karkołomna Ivo zrobił to genialnie

[@singtatsucgc3247]

Genius

[@Davideberti]

Al di là dell' interpretazione interessante, Cosa è successo alla tecnica di Pogorelic?

[@michelleclerc3857]

How utterly pretentious, self-aggrandising, hateful are almost all negative comments here. I hear in this alas, but understandably, poorly recorded concert, dozens, countless intentions which other pianists had not even suspected. Would one really think that Brahms took the trouble of inventing all these variations if he did not wish to salute the demonic virtuoso and visionary composer that Paganini was? Brahms is at his core the composer of the Ballads, whose dark romantic impulse he confronted with the idealist light shining from Beethovenian constructivism. This struggle he rarely managed to transcend (and with what results!), as in the Clarinet Quintet. But in this work the demonic temptation is fully palpable. His Variations do not smother it with virtuosity but extol it, expand on it, make it obsessive to the extreme (far more than Rachmaninov will do, later). Pogorelich, who is not afraid of those depths, brings them to the fore - into the light play of burning fire.

[@excelsior999]

I agree completely (especially with your remark about how the great Rachmaninoff handled the task).

[@brkahn]

Magnifique et stupéfiant... Totalement différente de l'interprétation classique de Julius Katchen, celle-ci ouvre des perspectives inattendues sur ces variations. Je ne peux pas mieux dire que Hyramess Hiramess, qui exprime exactement ce que je ressens.

[@alvarojosetasconospina3583]

CELESTE..Arquitectura i Orquestación dl Fortepiano..Brahms -Liszt - Rachmaninov Tradición..graxieee Foreever ..

[@kopiwav]

I was at this beautiful concert (but the hall was almost empty). During this performance Ivo Pogorelich was NOT happy with the slow (and perhaps confused) page turner boy and, visibly irritated, turned some of the pages himself, which caused some (enjoyable) awkward moments.

[@pianodionisíaco]

That explains much.

[@Paroles_et_Musique]

He became too lazy to learn by heart.

[@nevskixx]

That is an unfair comment. It's quite clear from this performance that he knows the work. It is the over self indulgence and his efforts to try to make it too individual, that the music suffers. It is Brahms we should be focussed on when listening, and not just the performer. It's a pity, because Ivo Pogorelich has been a burning talent and for a number of personal reasons has suffered a great deal to find a musical voice. I wish him well. There is still some magic in his playing and touch.It however fails to add up to a deeply musically satisfying whole - at least for me that is.

[@craigresnianky6909]

There is no way he doesn't know this from memory, but I am encouraged to hear that he is using the music. Richter did the same in his later years. Recently, Yuja Wang has been playing some of her concerti repertoire with the sheet music on the stand. The idea of playing everything by memory is a carryover from the time of Liszt, who would often play by memory as a way to show off. And I say that as a big Liszt fan. Thereafter it became compulsory for pianists to play everything by memory. But it's not always been that way. Indeed, even in chamber music, the pianist almost always with the music. When a pianist is accompanying a singer, he/she will almost always use music. So why not in concerto repertoire? If you can give a better performance with the music, than doesn't behoove you to do what is necessary to do justice to the music?

[@Paroles_et_Musique]

There is a reason actors don't just read their text in public but tell it by heart, and it applies to musicians too: the truth is beyond the text and if you read it, it is very difficult to see, feel and communicate the essence of what goes by. Moreover, some musics need your full body free movements, and when you have to read, you just can't do it. Now, your examples are not so good, as Richter played by heart for about 40 years and only when his memory started to fail, after memorizing hundreds of works, he started to play by sight. Yuja Wang always plays by heart, she used music only when her schedule didn't allow her enough time to learn. I would not be so radical about playing by heart, but what we increasingly see today is young artists who did not use their memory to some extent, then choose the easy way. For instance, Pogorelich has a very tiny repertory so I see no reason he would not play by heart. My guess is that he has a such chaotic vision (now) of the music that he is unable to make the effort of putting all this in order and learn it properly.

[@radovanlorkovic3562]

Vielleicht spielte es Brahms selbst im Pogorelich‘s Alter so ähnlich. Inspirierend ist es.

[@carlhopkinson]

At this tempo, even I could play Variation 14. LOL.

[@zenchopin]

Così si comincia a ragionare... e a scoprire il vero volto degli autori. Complimenti!www.nonmanualeperilpianista.it/?p=66

[@LaurentPingaultLyon]

Like often, there is a lineage between great pianists. He received all tricks and secret tips from his teacher-wife. May be she disappeared so he can live on his own... or maybe she is always leading him from heaven?

[@MrInterestingthings]

Few are as interesting as this virtuoso. Libetta too can do more than fascinate I Godowsky . It's a mean bitchy world. Many, many pianists. Those who know pick their own. I know very little but his pedaling and fire I would crawl to see 8n concert!!!

[@marcelloc.3827]

Pogorelich fell in love with himself.

[@rudbeckie1]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Děkuji !

[@MortishASkejs]

SP., Normal., end., Quit! ..oi Punkheadsis! .y.

[@MortishASkejs]

PS., ODZHACHAR!

[@moritzsredenscheck9018]

Katchen is way better

[@Rudel23]

One of the worst performance of this piece ever heard

[@SeigneurReefShark]

One of the worst comment I've seen on this video.

[@mustysheep3977]

@@SeigneurReefShark Different = Bad i guess.

[@variszarins]

You’re A moron

[@kpokpojiji]

We can give you something entirely predictable if you like. Many pianists never color outside the lines.

[@aidentheabsurd]

I'd love to see you try to attempt even just half a permille of this entire work, then we'll talk about "the worst performance of this piece ever heard". Go listen to Michelangeli, Katchen, and Kissin instead of bitching around here, if you're so convinced.

[@hansulrichbehner1017]

No that is crap! Either he is unable or does it with intention! Please listen to Yuja Wang or Kissin to hear it how it ought to played! What a nerve for the audience! I was his fan in the 1980s but this is simply weak!

[@variszarins]

Or your level of IQ is insufficient to comprehend his brilliance?

[@kpokpojiji]

Kissin or Wang are excellent pianists, but totally predictable. Pogorelich here is creating a marvelous structure of pure sound, which opens up an emotional realm inaccessible to most pianists.