Rachmaninov, Prélude Op. 23 No. 5 g-minor (Olga Scheps live)

[@jeffgrigsbyjones]

This Prelude has been played so many times, but never before has Rachmaninoff been so well respected. He was a brilliant composer who has suffered a million thoughtless, clumsy interpretations. We need more sympathetic interpreters like Olga to turn the trend around.

[@sahadeoashman1388]

you have no idea how many times i’ve rewatched this , she played it best

[@jeffreyliu4146]

well technically she didn't play it best rachmaninoff did

[@epicbunnygamer6851]

@@jeffreyliu4146 a lot of people think rachmaninoff played his work like shit

[@jeffreyliu4146]

@@epicbunnygamer6851 oh

[@fairejuste2309]

​@@jeffreyliu4146it depends on what he's playing and no they don't.

[@SA77888]

Dad used to play this on the piano and this is how we would wake up at 8am in the weekends.

[@hansti1]

what a barn it must have been :))

[@gmcollazo1118]

It would be great to wake up to that❤

[@gmcollazo1118]

Lucky!

[@Powerslider]

8 am on sunday morning, i recon u hate piece? JK :P

[@SA77888]

@Billy Boffin Hes still with us but I dont live with him, so I get to choose when I listen nowadays :)

[@richmaster9]

I absolutely love this woman, this artist! Her playings along with her natural beauty are superb! I love her!

[@saptaksoctave8068]

Rich Rodz absolutely agreed!!!!

[@claywarner7048]

I am playing this in a recital in Seattle on Friday, and this is my inspiration. Everyone else plays it so rapidly that the gorgeous nuance is lost and it becomes a sprint.

[@elinoriguidinger9804]

I so agree with you. Others seem to play this like it's a race and sounds rushed

[@elizabethkrage972]

@@elinoriguidinger9804 I played this in the 9th-grade spring recital. It was the last time I would play the piano for anyone other than at home to get even with my mother, who trained her pet Fairy Queen ( chihuahua) to go poop under my bed. I pounded the loud parts full of rage, remembering how she took pleasure in whipping me with a leather belt! I Shed no tears for her when she passed away. Rachmoninoff is my hero!

[@alfredohess6505]

I competely agree whith you! It's a march not a race.

[@r.giuliano]

The camera angles in this video are insane

[@grecofolkesson6924]

To a degree.

[@kennethsullivan4512]

I played this piece my junior year in music school, and I agree this is the best performance on KZbin. Too many listeners are impressed by performers who play too fast a tempo, or bombastically. Olga's nails the tempo, and her technique is flawless. Most of all - her interpretation brings life to the piece I have rarely heard.

[@SpontaneityJD]

Yesss Kenneth

[@RutIssabel]

I would agree with you, but the truth is that she sometimes is playing too tense. You can tell by the way she rises her arm, and besides, in the middle section she doesn’t really make all voices sound connected. The Gilels version is far much better. I’ve played this prelude too many years ago too.

[@phoebeyap5221]

Try to listen Emil Giles

[@gwonk8722]

@@phoebeyap5221 or horowitz

[@Froge4291]

@@gwonk8722 I also like richter's

[@jkgou1]

Thank you very much Our beloved Olga Your masterpiece always our joy

[@Matthewb4375]

She builds the tension up really well after the B section finishes, to many people race off with it. She just plays it superbly, never overdoes it and the lyrical section is all clear.

[@LanziBen]

Right? The build up was so perfect I got goosebumps man

[@vra4432]

@@LanziBen I never knew a piano play can be seen from so many angles . What is ' her ' interpretation mean ?

[@SuperLeonardo40]

wich means the lady is really magnificent, right?

[@matushlavac5054]

Emil Gilels Version👍

[@zygmuntlubomirski5345]

This prelude is extremely hard to play yet it's extremely beautiful. Thanks Olga. You delivered it in a way that the composer would be proud of you. ❤❤❤

[@obinnaoguadinma8031]

This has been the type of interpretation I've been looking all over the internet for. Thanks again Olga.

[@Adagio2009]

This is my favorite version of this prelude on YT. The march like qualities followed by the more lyrical midsection where Olga does such an excellent job of phrasing and bringing out all the voice lines. Just wonderful!

[@jornspirit]

dear Olga, its 2025 now, and I've followed you quite a bit... I'm very enchanted by your performances... you completely merge with the pieces you play, and with their composers... a rare gift, and at the same time you stay grounded (you also recently became a mother)... that combination is so charismatic... I love you, because I feel your soul in what you do, and I love classical music, and very much the piano - I feel so enriched by having found you... you are a gift to us humans, as our souls get uplifted by your presence and passion for keeping those classical treasures alive... May you be blessed, protected and feel loved... is all that I can say... I wished I could give something more back to you, than just my humble words... 💖🌟🌈

[@isabelruiz6446]

Bellísimo preludio de Rachmaninov ..Genial interpretación de Olga Scheps ..

[@simontangmusic7076]

Olga Scheps is amazing! A stunning performance every time! 👏👏👏🎼🎶🎹

[@NozarMortazavi]

Her calm and focused approach brought up many details that composer wanted us to hear.

[@geoffreyfossard8663]

very well played olga scheps is a great master of the piano❤

[@ktd9]

Left hand beautiful…every note clearly articulated …A supremely gifted artist💥😇😍🙏

[@chabibibi]

Best interpretation of this masterpiece EVER ! 😍😍😍 her tempo is just perfect and her voicing so powerful !

[@danielmcmeen3167]

I've listened to at least 15 or 20 different pianists perform this amazing piece and I like this the best.

[@cruzmanuelsalomon6221]

the truth is that Evgeny Kissin plays the prelude better than anyone

[@Sunny-we7uv]

Nah Gilels plays better

[@zainebhidoussi4026]

Watch Valentina Lisitsa's perform then judge

[@LanziBen]

cruz manuel salomon ignacio Kissin is a god but I think he plays it too fast

[@soho3d]

valentina is the best

[@luisfelipe8662]

Finally, a rendition with the PERFECT TEMPO! Bravo 👏👏👏

[@gavinhammond3137]

Amazing!!! Olga, Thank you. The amount of feeling and expression you put into your playing is inspirational and astounding.

[@imaofsky7304]

I loved how you were able to play very softly when needed then rise to forceful strength again when needed. Amazing dynamics. Thank you i enjoyed the recording very much

[@s_patzz8212]

I cannot remember how many times i've watched this. Simply brilliant. As a 17/18 year old (20+ years ago) i made it through this from start to finish maybe twice - and that represented several months of combined pain, frustration, joy, and wonder... But i just couldn't deal with those left hand arpeggios... Pretty sure if any part of it ever sounded like this, it's was purely accidental. Bravo!

[@ascientist5495]

1:19 Heart melts. OMG. That is truely one the great melodies of our times, and played so beautifully. Magical.

[@timothysiemers6461]

You are stunningly amazing my dear. I've listened to hundreds of pianists over the years in countless concert halls all over the world. You are the best of them all.

[@LidiaKotlovaPianoStudio]

I love that she is not a speedy pianist, very thoughtful playing

[@flintlong2937]

I love that too. I think her version is one of the best, including versions from the greats, from many years back. Also this is a great sounding piano. I think many of today's top pianists strive for speed over expression. I've heard some versions of La Campanella that are so fast that they obscure the intricate details that make the piece so delightful (and difficult). I disagree with Greenred above. I think this is way better than just pretty good I think it's really, really excellent.

[@randymeas3235]

i concur. her chopin concerto no.1 is perfect pace and dynamics.

[@oooodaxteroooo]

I understood that her dad told her to always tell a story when you play. frankly, I think that's some of the best advice you can get. Many players can easily go down the anxious road (yes, i watched inside out 2 just now haha) and play as quickly as possible to impress a gullible audience. you don't have to like her interpretation, but every bit of this feels... lyrics. rachmaninov meant it to be similar, i'm sure. the depth and quality is just great. thank you!

[@camerongairns188]

Don't know a lot about the classics - but that was well worth 4 minutes 25 seconds of my life ....big thumbs up from me !!!

[@megasonics5297]

Восхитительное исполнение и эмоции красивой девушки, просто прелестно!) Спасибо, прям кайф) Я влюбился в это исполнение, и в девушку) Одолжу пожалуй эту манеру исполнения себе!) Спасибо Ольга, вдохновляете!)

[@chrisjennings7014]

Super . Both pianist and music are matched in perfection !

[@sam82637]

1:19 gave me goosebumps. The most beautiful interpretation of Rachmaninoffs I have heard. I wish i knew about this earlier

[@RiderPilot]

I dont know how many times i listened this... Maybe it is not be correct that Mrs Scheps performance is the best but it is the one I like the most... Congrats...

[@andibonnington]

She can't deny her roots with this superb russian technique, the way she plays this prelude remindes me of Richter's performance, and yet, her special touch, excellent articulation, precise accentuation and phrasing, combined with the perfect tempo in my opinion, makes this interpretation really outstanding, unmatched certainly. ¡I am sorry 'Slava'! Olga will give us much more in the future, I am eager to listen at her when she is more mature, pianistically speaking, than she is already now. Can you imagine? ¡Brava Olga, maestro!

[@marcorotondi7613]

andibonnington Brava , anzi BRAVISSIMA MAESTRO OLGA Marco Rotondi

[@AlexS-oj8qf]

She's German lol

[@Petermaguire3684]

How so if she was born in Moscow? Moscow is in Germany?

[@markchavez738]

peter maguire German does she speak Russian too?

[@didierleroy6348]

Exceptionnel dans la rythmique, le toucher subtil, et la musicalité en plus. Tout y est. Félicitations!

[@katherinegrace4065]

She is fantastic!!!! This piece is so dear to me...takes me right back to when I was playing it myself....

[@jackvinh1676]

No doubt about it. Olga in full bloom. Her version is very high pie in the sky. Just imagine all the sequels... Thank you with all my heart.

[@erberlon]

After listening to dozens and more of renditions of this piece, Olga's still is the best I've ever heard

[@zeeraboom]

I never heard such a fantastic performance of my fav Rachmaninov's op23N5 . I would say its hard work to play that opus in the right way and not every even virtuoso can play it without little fails. Brava Olga !! You're pretty amazing!

[@1510Ronald]

am 4.12.2019 in der Münchener Philharmonie live erlebt, ein Wahnsinns-Konzert.....danke, Olga

[@mortondark7067]

Dearest Olga,. A superb interpretation of a Romantic Classic which you bring new vibrancy to. Bravo, Morton Dark

[@edwarddejong8025]

A magnificent rendition of one of my favorite pieces. Rocky, Freddy and Frankie are my 3 favorite composers, and i always get chills from good Rachmaninov. Wonderful pacing control. Just phenomenal.

[@pianoroom3522]

It is wonderful how Olga can play rough and elegant at the same time. Always in control. Such a marvelous young pianist. :)

[@stephenarmiger8343]

Thank you Olga! You bring joy to our lives!

[@sergeirachmaninov5917]

This is actually a really good interpretation of my work. Bravo!

[@cnegrea]

I'm your only subscriber, greetings to Tatiana and Irina!

[@mingxiao5423]

Sergei Rachmaninov yeah totally I thought Rachmaninov is dead

[@jacquieviegas6082]

That's creepy!

[@user-pq7mr5rl1g]

M9 r u dizzy

[@vharni61]

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff was a Russian pianist, composer, and conductor of the late Romantic period, some of whose works are among the most popular in the Romantic repertoire. Born into a musical family, Rachmaninoff took up the piano at age four. Wikipedia Born: April 1, 1873, Starorussky Uyezd Died: March 28, 1943, Beverly Hills, California, United States

[@Shventastic]

This is singlehandedly the most beautiful piece of music I've ever heard.

[@dashing4u1]

Superb, superb! No other words, especially her expression during the transition piano part

[@maxla9691]

This is the best version of this piece I've ever heard so far (I've heard dozens or hundreds of these by the way). She does not play too fast as a lot of other pianists. I think this piece is played too fast by many other aritst which make it really less hunderstandable. The way she use pedale is also very interesting because she use it longer than other ones which chop the song too often. She makes the song smoother and more enjoyable for me at least. For me, it is like this that this piece should be played by Rachmaninov itself because it touches me way better this way.

[@recklesswhisper]

I agree... ^..^~~

[@joanhammond1217]

max - it's not a song. It's a piano piece... A song is, by definition, SUNG! Yes, it's a great rendition. But it's not a song.

[@chestersnap]

Joan Hammond - there are songs without words though admittedly this is not one of them

[@王玢玢]

Andrei Brănescu thats what i want to say！！👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@王玢玢]

she is great，but Gilels is suuuppperrrrrrr！Please listen to Emil Gilels's,the middle part is soooooo beautiful ❤️❤️

[@Reuben-ny3]

Thank you so much for this arrangement. Very well done. Thank you!

[@Mrsjuniify]

Absolutely glorious ! Thank you , Olga Scheps !

[@timothyalan34]

This piece is a intricate and fragile blend of chaos and calm. It wants to shout sometimes and whisper others. It requires care, respect and patience to approach correctly. Olga does so perfectly. Bravo.

[@nonyafukingbusiness6309]

Fantastic. Ms. Scheps is the perfect age and skill to play this piece. I don't know what Rachmaninoff was thinking when he composed this, but I feel like I know exactly what Ms. Schep was feeling. She is so transparent. The ending is perfect, and she seems to need a few seconds to come back to reality. I love how she was lost in this piece.

[@GreenredProductions]

Better than most pianists, pretty good job on the middle part. Talking about middle part... I still prefer RIchter - that's absolute perfection. Most players absolutely fail on multi voiced middle part, you did a great job!

[@magusl9628]

I prefer Gilels, both for the middle part and the rest of the piece! Such a contrast of rough and sweet with a proper conversation between the voices in the middle bit

[@oleflogger6828]

Richter? Absolutely! Gilels? Alzo Absolutely! And, their differences prove the genius of Rachmaninoff's composing. Both are terrific performances. Gilels may be a tad more expressive. But, so what?

[@soup7776]

@@oleflogger6828 just fun to talk about I guess. No doubt this is a spectacular performance, amongst the best even.

[@392023001]

@@oleflogger6828 what about kissin, yuja, lang lang, etc? I think their performances of this piece is definitely up there as well.

[@mercuryli3872]

Wow this is so different from Yuja Wang's interpretation, and yet just equally stunningly amazing. I almost stopped breathing...so much life

[@davidrekrut8749]

Yes just awesome

[@jacqueslahondere4649]

vous venez nous donner une magnifique interprétation; merci madame.

[@TomBarrister]

It's refreshing to hear a performance in which the pianist understands that not every note is written staccato, where the performer doesn't feel the need to dive-bomb the lower register, and also where the performer doesn't play the work as though the last train of the evening is leaving in a few minutes. To many who have listened to the more bravura interpretations of others, this may sound plodding and overly deliberate. It's not; it's another way to interpret the work, and it's actually harder for an accomplished pianist such as Ms. Scheps to play this in a more controlled way than it is to try to win the "Fastest Performance of Day Award" or make the instrument heard ten blocks away. There are nuances and subtleties of tempo and dynamics that aren't found in most other performances of this piece. In the reintroduction, the tempo and sound increase smoothly and gradually, instead of doing so choppily and/or in stages. Sometimes it's good to be different, and this is one of those times. This is an intelligent, well-performed interpretation of this Prelude, and easily in the top ten of the 300 or so I've listened to.

[@gligachaz5047]

Tom Barrister It's the only version of this I've heard that I've enjoyed listening to.

[@nnymus-kq8tj]

Who’s no1?

[@SpontaneityJD]

Wonderfully articulated.

[@SpontaneityJD]

dontzenyourselfout - It's just a comment, guy, chill. I don't know how he allegedly listened to 300 though lmao, pretty ridiculous.

[@jacquieviegas6082]

I completely agree with you, in general many performances, in my humble opinion, are ruined because I am left feeling e hausted by the sooed in which a piece has been played by some of the many well-known pianists of today. We all know how talented they are so as you said, it doesn't always have to be a competition for who can play the fastest with the fewest nistakes.

[@chucksterjoey4927]

Best interpretation I've seen. Perfect tempo, beautiful voicing and dynamics. Rachmaninov would have been proud 👍

[@quanluu1061]

she really felt rachmaninoff's piece. Love it!

[@user-ff3ke4sq6m]

Quân Lưu her Name is OLGA

[@vra4432]

I never knew a piano play can be seen from so many angles . What is ' her ' interpretation mean ?

[@r.zimmerman3838]

I love the look you give the piano when you complete the piece.

[@f4fblackhawk]

She performed it so beautifully! She is living Music, understanding the moods, transfering the moods. Great!

[@josephk7946]

This is the piece I broke my only ever piano string on when I was in my teens. I was hammering the keys unnecessarily I still remember the anger & judgement on the face of the piano tuner who replaced the string for me. This is a controlled & musical interpretation very different to the Andrei Gavrilov version I once tried to emulate. Sometimes less virtuosity is for the better

[@MichaelConwayBaker]

Bravo! One of the very few pianists to perform this wonderful prelude without missing a trick. Most impressive was the slow build up near the end which starts pp and accelerandos to FF.

[@ssl.5825]

Goose bumps at 2:30!!! I love this piece.. on my list of "must plays". Great great emotion and interpretation!!!

[@jhonnylijeron2246]

fantastic ... I admire you Olga ... you are talented with exquisite technique and very beautiful

[@Littlepeter1]

I really love the way Olga constructed the dynamics in this rendition. Beautifully build crescendo from ppp after finishing the middle section. Controlled and balanced performance 👏

[@Astro8Buddy]

My personal favourite video from Olga. And easily, at least for me, best video performance of this title

[@kerenduque6619]

I find her voicing to be exquisitely nuanced compared to others' renditions.

[@poorlittlesheep4098]

Has a lot to do with the audio quality though. This recording plainly contains more information of the sound.

[@lp9931]

I agree

[@LinaMariaArtista]

@@poorlittlesheep4098 Her version 2010 is not good for me, but this one yes!

[@paulmayerpiano]

Yeah, tons of finesse all over it. So, so musical. Nice bright, clear tone, always, never harsh. Middle section is a tad slow for my taste, but still definitely one of my favourite versions out there.

[@MrDarko1704]

Liebe Olga! Wie gut, dass es KZbin gibt!

[@4givenbyJesus]

Surely the best version of this song in KZbin. Congratulations Young lady

[@easyreader8859]

Wonderful interpretation of Rachmaninov. Thank you so much for this emotions.

[@fridgeron1641]

This piece of music is part of my life since I was a young teenager. This is one of the best versions I know.

[@ginagiannini7871]

This is my favorite interpretation of this magnificent piece. I played it (not so well) as a teenager. I stopped playing piano as an adult, and just recently took it up again. My dream is to relearn this piece, one of my very favorites, but notoriously difficult.

[@s_patzz8212]

I am in exactly the same situation! I'm finding i am amazed at both how much i have forgotten, and how much i remember. The very best of luck to both of us.

[@therainforest4314]

Beautifully performed, and the dynamics are right out of this world, Olga Scheps. Thank you so much for sharing and for the inspiration in my own piano studies. :-)

[@10reubenl]

I TOTALLY agree with you! :) I play this at a slower tempo because I think it sounds even better a little slower, however this is one of the best I have heard. Everyone else seems to he obsessed with playing the piece as fast as possible. It is then just a fast piece of music with no expression. She really brings out the story in this performance :)

[@staffanolofsson8201]

Olga is so good in playing Rachmaninov that I never loose the grip of her playing. She is always there to make Rachmaninovs piano the best.

[@lailyzia8367]

Really good interpretation. Not too fast and very expressive, but the tempo keeps it going. Bravo

[@roberrrisk177]

Absolutely wonderful, awesome pianist, awesome composer!

[@JamesDore-ez7qg]

Fantastic, she's absolutely inspirational.

[@pierredumonchau8684]

Quelle classe ! Et surtout quelle compréhension d'une partition devenue ultra célèbre ( trop, peut-être ...? ) et qui incite à la surenchère technique ! Dire qu'une interprétation est "la meilleure" n'a aucun sens : cela relève du "non mesurable", mais au cas présent cette jeune et talentueuse pianiste a su éviter tous les pièges tendus consciemment ou non par Rachmaninoff, et rendre à ce prélude, que l'immense S.Richter qualifiait de génial, sa grandeur, si souvent occultée par un excès de virtuosité : elle est une des rares à trouver le tempo idéal, notamment lors de la vénéneuse accélération que requiert la reprise du thème initial...Merci, belle Olga, le grand Serge a du se réjouir de vous entendre..;

[@evievincent6588]

Absolutely beautiful. Olga is my favorite modern pianist, she has such passion & skill.

[@SuperLeonardo40]

So brilliant that I could not resist at the end.I fainted.

[@SpontaneityJD]

woahh. did you?

[@SuperLeonardo40]

@@SpontaneityJD almost

[@rumperol]

OMG I'm so glad I by mistake found this. She's supernaturally good, what a talent. I have a new favorite amongst pianists.

[@robertoa.m.3984]

Olga: Sie sind eine großartige Künstlerin und eine wunderschöne Frau! Gott segne Sie heute und immer!

[@AffirmToManifest]

Best interpretation I have ever experienced on this part. Exquisit!

[@RoseWilson]

Perfection, absolutely beautiful ❤

[@Kraegy]

such a broad and expansive performance - thank you

[@sangit-drum]

Оля, вы суперская, оч музыкально! Благодарю! ❤

[@tbrkfjtnl]

강약조절 미쳤다. 지금까지 들은 것 중 가장 원곡에 가깝네 멋지다

[@Smilthy]

Wow! That left hand! The accurate definition of each voice is mesmerizing! Maravillosa Maestra! Bravissimo.

[@elizabethkrage972]

Absolutely the best I have heard this prelude!

[@barakderfarber]

Definitely in love with her... !!! Meravigliosa

[@mziqbal2003]

Olga it's an impressive performance. Thank you. 🌠💒💠

[@larmkaart2414]

truly astounding performance! I'm currently working on this piece right now, and I'm sure i can use your performance as a good example!

[@willk7184]

Excellent, really enjoyed every note of this. Thank you.

[@ИльяАнтипов-й8п]

Браво, Оленька! Сама красавица и исполнение блестящее! :)

[@Bilytkid]

One of my favorites. Thank you for the great performance.

[@qpianist]

The best I’ve ever heard this piece. Gorgeous. Bravo.

[@bilguunchinzorig9532]

4:02 that facial expression after practicing your craft thousands of times before and performs perfect execution just as you have planned and prepared hundreds of times before followed by... explosion of applause as expected

[@inequil1026]

One of the best interpretations of the Prelude I have heard. Technical perfect. You have studied the original recordings from Rachmaninov well.

[@10reubenl]

The only thing I didn't like about her interpretation is how much she slowed down at the end of the slow section. Building back up should be at a faster tempo, as when she played it, the music nearly stopped. However, all the rest of it was awesome :)

[@skijumperwannabe]

gotta love these comments. I realy admire people who understand the music they're listening to. I love music, listen to it almost 24/7 but to me all these performances are exquisit and awsome.

[@justrosen5349]

Ah, the pristine memories this rendition brings me... Such pure bliss... Time flies indeed. Cherish this moment

[@markokojo1858]

I do not know yet much about Rachmaninoff. Have listened, though, to piano concertos no. 1 and 2. For the time being, I enjoy most of this composition of his. And this version, OMG! I just love Olga's playing here. ❤