Tchaikovsky - Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50 (Richter, Kagan, Gutman)

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Trio for Piano and Strings in A minor, Op. 50
00:42 - I. Pezzo elegiaco
22:22 - II. Tema con variazioni
Natalia Gutman, cello
Sviatoslav Richter, piano
Oleg Kagan, violin
Date of Recording: 12/1986
Venue: Live Pushkin Museum, Moscow, USSR

[@samehadly]

Just AMAZING , rest in peace Richter and Kagan , long live Gutman . Love the piano thundering under Richter's fingers , no one ever Existed could be able to produce such wide range of colors and dynamic from pppp crystal notes ,to FFFF , the parlando sections was great . Gutman great performance , could produce a clear even trill with fourth finger . Oleg Kagan very blended very musical soul , best performance ever .

[@lidiaarcuri128]

Not repeatable! Unique and overwhelming. I heard it Milan live and at the end we all felt hit by a tsunami. God bless them as we who have had the fortune to know and hear them!

[@vivienmerchant]

The music-making at the variation from 35.17 to 38.22, with the modulation lead by the cellist at 38.12 has to be one of the most sublime moments in any chamber music performance I have heard. Perhaps the work is uneven, but in hands, hearts and minds such as these it is transformed.

[@atheistcable]

"Perhaps the work is uneven" -- well said. Pianist is way too heavy-handed.

[@benjamincuevaseninde]

-- Tchaikovsky c'est la mélancolie, c'est la passion du Romantique, c'est une musique à la fois éternelle et infernale de par sa capacité à nous entrainer dans ses chagrins d'amour où la beauté ne semble pas si éloignée de la mort. Magnifique mélodie soutenue par une interprétation inspirée et terriblement émouvante --

[@amaratlili4632]

bravo

[@user-sd8rs2pk4f]

Прозвучала великая потрясающая музыка в потрясающем, вдохновенном исполнении трёх великих музыкантов. Большое спасибо !

[@rauljorge1969]

THIS trio was written in Rome between December 1881 and late January 1882. It is subtitled In memory of a great artist, in reference to Nikolai Rubinstein , his close friend and mentor, who had died on 23 March 1881. It is scored for the usual combination of piano , violin , and cello .This was the only work Tchaikovsky ever wrote for the combination of piano , violin , and cello .

[@wildejag]

Very exciting, no holds barred performance. Thank you for all of your interesting videos. You have many. It is worthwhile watching because this style no longer exists today. Let alone such a high level of virtuosity.

[@vinnipushka5]

When Richter starts 2nd part , the golden tones of Venetianov's paintings coming to mind. And yes, the interpetation is a heaven!

[@tim200]

I love the slower tempo....almost ten minutes longer than other performances!

[@steveegallo3384]

tim200 -- EXACTLY....and Richter's aggression, too.....Saludos from San Agustinillo !

[@movingonwards]

@@steveegallo3384 I prefer the term intensity than aggression ;)

[@raananeylon4867]

Wow!Until I heard this,I never knew how good this music was.Even with so called stellar perfs.,everything pales in comparison with this.Thanks for posting.

[@Partner885]

So,they treated your ears! Now you are not deaf.Thanks to those superior musicians and Tchaikovsky!!!!

[@filippogady]

There's nothing to say after a performance like this.

[@joaquindalessio]

51:00 - final: the best music for piano trio ever written!

[@steveegallo3384]

Joaquín D'Alessio Amen to that, brother!

[@eduardoguerraavila8329]

I respect your point of view, but, have you heard and analyze the entire "Archduke" Trío Op. 97 of Beethoven? Please hear and digest it and submit your thoughts to me. Regards.

[@steveegallo3384]

Heard AND Analyzed the 'Archduke'? What am I? Writing a doctoral dissertation? I admit to being a musical sentimentalist (I still cry at the end of BOTH 'Madama Butterfly' AND 'La Boheme) and that a lot of Beethoven is just to deep and complex for my pea-brain! By the way, that doesn't stop me from enjoying Bartok and Weinberg......Sorry, I forget what we were talking about......

[@eduardoguerraavila8329]

There is no problem about that, Stevee Gallo, you don´t need a PhD in musicology or be a composer in order to be able to digest and understand masterpieces such like these. My comment was focus just only to let you know that other gem piece that is the "Archduke" trio. Please try it, enjoy it slowly by a month and please submit to me your thoughs and feelings. Even Beethoven is complex, anybody can reach its supreme art by just merely dedication and patient. Best regards my friend.

[@stacelandicus8679]

I can do it. Who is your favorite recording, so we're on the same page

[@relg007]

I am impressed with Richter's night vision since I know he preferred to play with very little light. This is such a great piece and when it is played well it is amazing, as is here.

[@jianhong1251]

This one and the one by the Borodin Trio are my favorites. Thanks for posting.

[@elementsedition]

Three giants of Music together in one performance ! How lucky we are !

[@ThePianoenergy]

Hard to imagine anything equally overwhelming than this! So deeply touching...

[@srothbardt]

You can't find much better than this.

[@meredith218461]

Oh yes you can! - The Spiegel Trio with the wonderful Zlata Chochieva as pianist.

[@jackj959]

Absolutely love Richter's tempo and superpower here.

[@user-nw1bt5qb7r]

Браво!Большое спасибо за доставленное наслаждение.

[@steveegallo3384]

Huge performance. All others, though masterful, pale by comparison. Richter galvanizes. Hear 30:00, the build-up at 49:12, then...ah!....50:49! BRAVI !!!!

[@joaquindalessio]

+Stevee GALLO Hahaha... Richter galvanizes... Absolutely!!!

[@ComposerInUK]

Oh yes! You're absolutely right. Even near the start, where the piano plays the main theme for the first time, he has such power. Amazing performance. Thank you for posting it here. Wow.

[@MrGer2295]

Beautiful ! Thank you so much :)

[@berlinzerberus]

Grandioso, as always! Bravo!!

[@JLevant1]

Beautiful performance, deeply spiritual. Thanks for sharing.

[@wildejag]

I am listening to it, but it doesn't have the same energy that this performance has. THis one is great. The violonist has a spectacular sound, and the celist is doing the job without getting too sentimental. It's very natural. Supernatural ;) This video doesn't have the views of the others, but this is a magnificent production. Thanks for posting this.

[@roccan19]

Extraordinary performance for intensity and depth, without decadent sentimentalism.

[@adagiocgn18]

Великий Рихтер

[@Metrofin1]

What a memorable work this is and the emphatic way Richter plays the great opening melody is a joy.

[@steveegallo3384]

Peter Lambert Not even to mention his Finale starting around 49:12....50:49.....

[@steveegallo3384]

Still the Greatest....5 years later.....in San Agustinillo.......

[@fredscott7712]

Stunning music, overwhelming performance

[@rkentburke]

MASSIVE. It's not often one can call a trio by that term. This performance is MASSIVE.

[@JJTownley_Classical-Composer]

Very dark and somber ending, definitely a foreshadowing of the Pathetique.

[@ralphberney7768]

Never mind what the cellist was wearing, the cello is the star of the show, both in quality of instrument, and play, and no less the violin; the piano -the pianist- often strident to the point of brutal, harsh at the very least, on a rickety piano, spoiled the subtle and delicate layers of this fabulous piece of music: passionate, profound and lyrical beyond words.

[@JohnEBPiano]

While I agree that Richter's tone here is sometimes harsh, be careful in criticizing masters. Sviatoslav Richter was one of the greatest pianists of the entire 20th century

[@franciscoespinozagamboa6490]

JohnEBPiano Richter, Horowitz y Gilels Los tres mas grandes de los últimos 100 años. On my humble avis.

[@steveegallo3384]

Ralph Berney No, actually, Richter permitted Tchaikovsky to vent his violent angry impulses (30:00, 49:12, 50:49), making a galvanizing performance

[@Nikita47005]

Лучшее!

[@magaloff1]

Profound!

[@flamindigo]

Heer Richter has a page turner. You gotta love that. He earned that.

[@cassianodurandpinheiro]

This is an original, rare complete version!

[@hcab8118]

As soon as Gutman played I lost it... what a wonderful human being she was

[@steveegallo3384]

HCAB -- True...but...Me? I "lost" it when Richter soared in with a virile approach unlike the dainty renditions of Rubenstein, Kissin.....with Greetings from San Agustinillo, Oaxaca !

[@marshallartz395]

HCAB: Fortunately, as I write this (December 31, 2020), Natalia Gutman is very much alive. Her husband-the violinist in this performance-Oleg Kagan, died in 1990.

[@steveegallo3384]

@@marshallartz395 -- He died THIRTY years ago? Oh my!

[@mdlmdl6438]

سبحان الله وقدرته ع خلق الجمال..speechless..

[@steveegallo3384]

Il-Hamd-il-Allah!

[@jorgealfredogonzalezgonzalez]

... un clamor apasionante, enervante; ronda por la nostalgia y la angustia. Impresionante & conmovedor, dado el sentimiento de soledad que trasmite ...

[@fiske7]

Fantastic!! M. Fiske

[@th3wing3dpaint3r]

If Richter's name hadn't been on this video, people would have tore the pianist apart. It's amazing what prejudices can do.

[@rudolfgolezpianist4322]

No words!!

[@luoluo8283]

Whom we love best to them we can say least.

[@juanmartin8753]

maravilloso

[@francescoguarrasi8069]

è musica che si spande fra le particelle atomiche dell'Universo

[@jcbeiroa]

Writen "To de memory of grate artistit": Nikolay Rubinstein, Tchaikovsky dixit. Tchaikovsky subtituló esta obra "A la memoria de un gran artista su profesor y amigo Nicolay Rubinstein.

[@tharabuhaija4782]

رائع

[@chpnlzt]

"EASTMAN TRIO" IS THE BEST ON THIS !!!

[@uldisviesturssprudzs2991]

FANYASTIK!!!!!!

[@alexkoo114]

42:48 B. Variazione finale e coda

[@peterpontius9244]

Kagan only had 4 years to live. I don't think Richter dominates. They were close friends. He would have been upset by that view.

[@francescoguarrasi8069]

dialoga con l'Esistenza, la Conoscenza

[@akkmjm]

indeed

[@meredith218461]

What an odd comment you make. Speaking as a musician it is not difficult to detect poor tuning in an instrument - is that a problem?. I otherwise appreciate this superb ensemble In answer to your question ''why are you listening to music on the internet?'' I'll simply say - and why are you?

[@bennettmarkel7724]

Bennett Markel Richter, one of the greats, over-powered the other two, knocked them right out. I don't think Tchaikovsky meant for the piano to knock out the violin and particularly the cello.

[@steveegallo3384]

Bennett Markel My sense is that the Cello suffered from error by the recording engineer. The violin was better-miked. You know from 50:49 onward (if not before) that Tchaikovsky was not seeking a diminuative piano here. Whatever....Breath-taking performance

[@norahdealmeida5847]

+Bennett Markel I agree. All of us, we know how wonderful Richter was. But here he really over-powered the other two. But we must understand that he was 72, much more fat and heavy than before, Maybe that's was the reason

[@steveegallo3384]

No, I fault the Sound Engineer who understated the strings, mainly the cello. Looks to me that Tchaikovsky meant to write a POWERFUL PIANO part here. Richter was up to the task but audio technicians failed to balance the action

[@consueloperdomo3048]

Un ensueño

[@tim200]

I was listening to this again and it sound like a section was added to the fugue that I haven't heard in other performances, hence the longer length. I am also finding that several issues of this performance on CD are totally unavailable. Boo-hoo.

[@OCARALLODENITO]

siiii queda algo por añadir es COJONUDO!!!!!

[@75Chopin]

For those c/o piano overpowering, this could be a balance issue (really bad recording, with brutal piano sound and thin string tone) and many RIchter Russian recordings are quite poorly done. There are also some wrong notes. And also the fact that when Tchaikovsky wrote the piece, the piano then had a thinner tone even if already much richer than that of Beethoven's time. Probably needs a period performance to get the best balance.

[@evewong3221]

14:20

[@Tyranitar66501]

4:20 Pallet Town?

[@solangedesantis5515]

Best recording is Rubenstein, Heifetz, Piatigorsky.

[@steveegallo3384]

Solange De Santis Great performers all.....but their rendering is yawningly milquetoast vapid compared to this one

[@solangedesantis5515]

What? Rubenstein milquetoast? I beg to differ.

[@Partner885]

WHEN WAS IT RECORDED?

[@almistmu]

Date of Recording: 12/1986 Venue: Live Pushkin Museum, Moscow, USSR

[@flamindigo]

If you can hear that, which I doubt, why are you listening to things on the internet? Very few humans can detect that kind of balance.

[@gordonackerman2770]

Could you kindly direct your "Fs" to another comments area? Thank you.

[@meredith218461]

Richters piano sounds in need of a tuner, especially in the high treble. Thats my only quibble in an otherwise great performance.

[@takakazumori9631]

この演奏は聞き始めたばかりだけど、凄そう😅 はっきり言って、リヒテルのピアノは重すぎて好きではないのだけれど……

[@logikylearguments6852]

Anybody know Kagan's cause of death? All I can tell from the Google is he became seriously ill.

[@javiervivanco919]

Nada que añadir a richter

[@bartoklover9884]

No answer.....

[@JamesBarraletMusic]

Shame the recording engineer was completely high when he set this up.

[@steveegallo3384]

James Barralet Yes, I think he punished the cellist

[@Efim216]

Are you saying this level of virtousity doesn't exist today? Quite a f****** statement...

[@최현순-u9w]

ㄷ

[@NOSEhow2LIV]

Not one of Richter's finest. The few really musical moments here and there are sabotaged by thumping one of the worst pianos, (did he oblige the Pushkin Museum to accept one his hopelessly tinny Yamahahas, or is it just badly out of tune and regulation?). Possibly because of this he sounds impossibly brutal at times. The best moments (IMO) come from Kagan, especially when his sensitive tone makes itself heard above the clangour. Gutman is slightly lost in all this, unable to impose her sound convincingly. If we were not told this was Richter, what would we say... a mediocre local music-club performance, with admittedly an exceptional violinist.

[@jean-xm8sc]

I appreciate this version for it's "brutality" in some parts, the pianists "heavy hands". Could be that it also sounds a bit "uneven" because of the bad quality of the record...

[@Pitborn]

"I don't think Tchaikovsky meant for the piano to knock out the violin and particularly the cello." Where did I read this? LOL - This is not Richter (=judge), this is Scharfrichter (=executioner)! A merciless butcher is after a whimpering cat and a whining dog...

[@steveegallo3384]

NOSEhow2LIV Unfortunately, it falls upon me to tell you that you're wrong: This is a riveting performance, making all others seem vapid and pedestrian by comparison. The superb strings galvanized by Richter....the excitement!

[@NOSEhow2LIV]

Stevee GALLO Normally this sort of comment is not worth replying to, but here goes: There's no "right" or "wrong" here; many people enjoy watching boxing, football, snuff movies....... for them it's "right" but doesn't interest me. For you, this is "right"(your implication), for me... well i've given my specific reasons why i don't enjoy this; i've heard dozens of Tch trios, live and recorded. Stay with what you like and understand, i'll prefer to stay "wrong!"

[@steveegallo3384]

NOSEhow2LIV You're certainly entitled to speak for YOURSELF. But you are WRONG to speak for OTHERS (notice the "we," twice, in your statement: "If we were not told this was Richter, what would we say... a mediocre local music-club performance, with admittedly an exceptional violinist."

[@gordonackerman2770]

Richter's playing has a reputation among some critics and authorities of being "dry." That may be what you interpret as poor tuning at the upper end..

[@yuriichernenko794]

strange perfomace... for me

[@PianoLover377]

確かにピアノの音が変ですね。調律師と喧嘩でもしたのかな？

[@marcoesquandolez]

Richter is a bit aggressive here! Not a very romantic sound

[@444thealis]

Were they drunk? Sorry, but some pieces are a massacre!

[@steveegallo3384]

444thealis Oh no.....HUGE performance, actually....The Gold Standard for this work

[@wildejag]

Are you saying you're an expert f*****?