F. Chopin - Sonata no. 3 op. 58, Movement 4 - analysis - Greg Niemczuk's lecture.

[@Rose-zg9pu]

4:12 when you played that I was astounded by the sheer power of the music. What a marvelous work Chopin composed. The baseline is wild. To me this is, together with the fourth ballade, the epitome of his work.

[@prokastinatore]

The 4th movement of Chopin op. 58 is self explaining and I appreciate the analysis of Gregg because he kept it simple as it is. Again and again it's quite clear to me how much Chopin must have encountered with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach! Op. 58 is full of elements, motives and ideas of Bach....

[@almamao9210]

I really appreciate your passion for music and your generosity in sharing your insights. Your excellent performance and detailed explanations have helped me truly understand Chopin. I am attending the Zimerman recital tomorrow, and your video has prepared me so well for it. I hope one day you’ll perform in China-I’ll definitely be there to watch!

[@ΜιλτιάδηςΒιτσικουνάκης]

Repeated explosions ( theme b ) in the darkness ( part a ) !!!. I have always been seized, captured and enchanted by the powerful beauty of this movement !!! It recalls to me, all Van Gogh paintings with innumerous flammable stars, pivoting and shining in the dark blue of the sky. An endless constellation of madness until the glorious and imposing coda !!! Your play, Mo Niemczuk, is exquisite !!! Superb !!! EXHAUSTING !!! A GREAT AND HARD TASK PERFORMED AND COMPLETED IN A MOST SUCCESSFUL WAY !!! Your inner power is undoubtedly revealed and acclaimed through this movement! In this aim, your "escort" and "partner", however, is not a melodious Fazioli, as you state, but a powerful Steinway, surpassing its limits under your stocky and accurate touch i!!!

[@gregniemczuk]

Van Gogh !! Yes, exactly!! Thank you so much. It's my beloved Chopin's piece.... Always touches me to tears

[@ΜιλτιάδηςΒιτσικουνάκης]

@@gregniemczuk Dear Maestro, together with the expression of my supreme admiration for your unique contribution to the history of Music, please accept my warmest wishes for a Merry Christmas and a much better New Year. As utopian as my desire may sound, I wish from the bottom of my heart that the music you serve with all your strength, be a real springboard for a humanity free from pettiness and distortion of universal values.

[@gregniemczuk]

@@ΜιλτιάδηςΒιτσικουνάκης How beautiful! I'm really touched by your words which come straight from your heart. Once again happy New Year! I'll never stop creating these videos after seeing how important they became to more and more people

[@stalkerstomper3304]

Excellent! Thank you so much for such detailed information and instruction.

[@brandonbailey8649]

The performance at the end there was phenomenal. Bravo. This Sonata is Chopin's 9th IMHO. I really like the way Katsaris almost drums the end of the coda before the closing chords.

[@kofiLjunggren]

9th?

[@xinyuan127]

I think they are referring to that most composers greatest work (symphony) is their 9th symphony, so this is chopins greatest work

[@rebylau]

Amazing analysis. Thank you so much for the lecture!

[@gregniemczuk]

Thank you! You're welcome Rebecca!

[@smb123211]

Love the runs - crystal clear and that rubato!!! Your final performance was simply astounding! I am learning this now that I have retired. A friend said the second reprise (3 vs 4) gave him trouble but it was the second part of "B" and the sixths that are my Rubicon. I finally found a score with fingering and of course, it was almost exactly what I had already worked out! We still keep hoping for miracles.

[@happy49rfan]

Could you comment on why when section A is first introduced, there is no pedal indications in the music but in both repeats there is. Why do you think he chose to play it first without a pedal? And also, it seems few performers appear to follow this (ie, it seems to be played with pedal by most people). Without the pedal it REALLY sounds like galloping, perhaps this is what he was intending?

[@gregniemczuk]

Yes! And the theme is hidden. It's not emphasized. I think he wanted it very even, all the notes, non pedal, just finger legato. Pianists who don't respect that (even great names) make a mistake. They just don't care.... And it's quite sad

[@corynewman4136]

Unbelievably difficult! Bravo Greg!

[@reimakousei793]

I appreciate your hard work man! Keep it up!

[@gregniemczuk]

Thank you!!! I need these comments!

[@pianist_n7]

I'm practicing this work! Your analysis is interesting and great, also came to know more information about this piece! thank you so much greg

[@landryessono8267]

The Best Chopin piece's part of all repertory

[@CirclesandSounds]

It’s been 17 years since I was a touring concert pianist... I’ve been working in the music industry as an audio engineer, composer, producer, etc. Came back to my piano this year and finally picking up this piece. I enjoyed your analysis and thoughts, your passion. Please keep it up! This is your unique piano, and it should be heard everywhere it can be ❤

[@gregniemczuk]

Thank you so much! It's do touching and special to read your words!! Where are you from? Nice to meet you! It means so much to me!

[@CirclesandSounds]

@@gregniemczuk You’re most welcome, and absolutely! :) I’m from the Midwest and currently in northeastern US. It’s a pleasure to meet you as well!

[@gregniemczuk]

@@CirclesandSounds Wonderful! We're probably coming to Washington for a visit and private concerts in December. We love US

[@mickizurcher8450]

@@gregniemczuk are you going to come to the West Coast? I hope??

[@christian3558]

I absolutely love your Videos!

[@gregniemczuk]

Thank you!!!

[@landryessono8267]

For me the best piece ever

[@mattee682]

Hi greg dont u think the coda reminds of the scherzo no 2 coda?? I find them very similar! What do you think??

[@gregniemczuk]

Yes, there are some similarities indeed!

[@eduardo-v5b2t]

Im hypnitized......

[@peterchan6082]

Hey Greg, 10:28 . . . I would call that 'another part of Part B' as Part C, considering that it is distinctly different from ' the first part of Part B' Thus I would break the Finale down into . . . Introduction - A1 - B1 - C1 - A2 - B2 - C2 - A3 - Coda And C2 is very different from C1. It contains a motif that resembles "Happy Birthday to You" . . .

[@gregniemczuk]

Yes, it is also possible. I wanted to make it as easy for the listener who is not a musician as possible. But you're totally right!

[@peterchan6082]

​@gregniemczuk And yay! I can now play this Finale by heart. It's such a hell to practise it but equally satisfying to be able to play it (and of course, also the Grand Opening Movement). I consider Chopin Op.58 one of the few pinnacles of my achievements as an amateur virtuoso, after Liszt Dante Sonata, Feux Follets, and Chopin Etude in Thirds!

[@ooorenji4641]

6:05

[@YosukeTmr]

This is very useful video for me. I’m looking forward to hear your piano in Japan. 日本であなたのピアノ演奏を聴けるのを楽しみにしています♪

[@gregniemczuk]

I'm so happy to hear that! I'm coming to Japan in October! Tokyo and Nagoya

[@jones2786]

How would u suggest one go about practicing the left hand figurations? Or the memorization of the harmonies? I found it particularly difficult

[@gregniemczuk]

Hi Jones, well, practicing and repeating one bar at a time 100 or 200 times......

[@mickizurcher]

Hi Greg, very much enjoying your thoughts on the Finale. I had been spending a lot of time hands separate on the 3rd iteration of the theme with 16ths in the L.H., thinking it would be the most difficult as I wasn't worried about the 3 against 4 in the 2nd iteration. My teacher had suggested not to try to practice it legato, but practice it staccato, which really helped my L.H. movement not get bogged down. But instead, the 8th notes in the 2nd iteration are giving me more problems...with ACCURACY, (not the 3 against 4), especially always the bottom note of each grouping, as the notes are further apart than the 16ths section. Also there aren't regular patterns, so it's like a constant moving target. Again, I'm still, after a month doing hands separately, occasionally putting hands together with less than hopeful results. And then I see you playing it without even looking at the keyboard! I'm assuming you'd memorized the LH separately? Thanks for any advice.

[@davidchancellor3786]

Bravo Greg! Thanks for the amazing analysis and performance! Just as a matter of interest, how do you practice those devilishly difficult left-hand broken chords in the third A section? I can't seem to play through it without smothering it with pedal

[@gregniemczuk]

Oh.... Try to use a lot of wrist movement!

[@Makankii]

i want to learn this so badly, but this piece is so hard on another levels... someday, i will be able to play this...

[@gregniemczuk]

You will!

[@artirjaj-l3481]

19:55 piękna chwila

[@kakhigiorgadze8487]

I just listened to Glenn Gould perform this masterpiece and I was blown away... on topic of Glenn Gould, I am interested about your opinion on him. do you like his style? as for me I love his playing.

[@gregniemczuk]

I love Gould in Bach!! But in Chopin...not so much.

[@ericrakestraw664]

The finale of this sonata reminds me more of Liszt than Chopin. The chromatic run at 19:42 especially sounds just like a Liszt cadenza.

[@gregniemczuk]

Absolutely

[@PhilHarrison762]

Where is Sonata no 1, Greg?? Maybe the Professors don't like the Sonata form of this work, but its good to listen to and recorded by many, many famous pianists.

[@gregniemczuk]

Yes I know. But this project was only about pieces published during Chopin's life. I will make analyses of this Sonata as well but I need time to learn it! Now I have too many concert tours so I can't prepare it immediately. But I will!!!

[@PhilHarrison762]

@@gregniemczuk I understand and I look forward to it. That was a VERY quick reply 😄😄😄 I write this note, start watching you talk about op10 #4 and the answer comes before the video finishes!!

[@gregniemczuk]

@@PhilHarrison762 I'm trying!

[@molbonoisaekkiya6340]

당신에게 수업 받고싶습니다 I want to learn chopin music with you

[@gregniemczuk]

Thank you! I hope you can!

[@LazlosPlane]

Good video for a very much under-valued work. Points of contention: The "B" section as you call it is in two distinct parts. You are quite wrong when you say there is very little to analyze. I'm shocked. This points to a lack of analysis training in your education. Example; the coda contains those long patterns (first ascending, then descending) which are actuallyDevelopmental-Variations of the "A" theme. Not simple filigree!!! There are other references to the "A" section throughout! Chopin's genius as a craftsman is on full display here. For you to not see it is unfortunate.

[@gregniemczuk]

Thanks for the comment. Yes you're right! I think I decided not to go into such deep details in this video not to make it too complicated. But I'm so happy you pointed it here!

[@LazlosPlane]

@@mickizurcher Oh boo-hoo!!! I was not scolding. I was presenting my opinion and my surprise at what was left out. I did compliment the video. Hellooooooooo?!? Stop crying now.