Rachmaninoff - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini - Variation 18 (piano solo)

[@jamesdong8179]

I think that the chromatic ending of the 17th evolving into a 5th and then resolving into the 18th is one of the most beautiful moments in the history of classical music

[@eggizgud]

Yeah, the 17th variation is my favourite. Although I also love the 18th, of course.

[@dorisb505]

Could you possibly put that into laymans terms. I would sincerely like to understand. Can you point out the time-frame in the video where this occurs? Thanks

[@samwang5831]

@@dorisb505 Prior to 0.25 is the 17th variation

[@lubosschelepak7032]

Yes it is totally

[@france4me117]

I cant agree more

[@maureenbell6000]

I am 84 years old and this has been my favourite piece of music since I was 15 years old .just love it ❤️

[@ElizabethGrove-p4b]

My late husband’s favourite, he played it every evening. We had it at his funeral, so special!

[@johnkivell2738]

This is the first piece of music I ever remember hearing. It brings back to me an apartment on Bloor Street East in Toronto, in the late 1940's, greenish yellow light streaming into the sunroom through the trees in the Rosedale Ravine, and being played by my mother on a 78 RPM phonograph. It wasn't until many years later that I recognized it when I heard it again. In any case, it is the piece I want played at whatever celebration takes place at the end of my life. It escorted me, in a sense, into my life; I would like it to escort me out. Rachmaninoff was my mother's favourite composer, and either therefore or coincidentally, mine too. She actually saw him perform live in Toronto in the 1930's.

[@beachgirl9304]

I also want this piece played at my funeral. My favorite piece of music.

[@marissussmilch]

Greenish yellow light streaming into the sunroom...beautifully said John

[@roobsrooby6589]

This has to be the most beautiful piece of music that Rachmaninoff ever composed.

[@footingball5566]

It is definitely up there but his second piano concerto is the most beautiful in my opinion.

[@beybladeguru101]

I would say that Rachmaninoff’s piano concerto no. 2 and the adagio to symphony are at least as beautiful as this piece.

[@JustMe-kj1pw]

I fell in love with this piece when I saw the movie somewhere in time. ❤❤

[@donald138]

I recall hearing this song when I was a record librarian at a school of music (long time ago). It remained in the cobwebs of my mind until I saw the movie Somewhere in Time. I was launched back to my early twenties and the good memories from that time. When I get anxious or mildly depressed, I go back to this piece.

[@NinaandDaren]

My mum played this to me when I was in the womb.

[@60hertzproductions64]

Rachmaninoff loved those continuously alternating left and right chords, such a powerful sound.

[@kevinwillis1486]

Just reaches deep down into my soul ....

[@gljm]

Of all the interpretations of this on KZbin, I think yours is the best.

[@andrekawashima]

Best version and best performance on KZbin! Congratulations!

[@rushana1956]

How about Rachmaninoff himself?

[@miguelkhalil5226]

@@rushana1956 😳

[@vladimirhorowitz6646]

@@rushana1956 had Rachmaninoff ever played this solo transcription?

[@rushana1956]

@@vladimirhorowitz6646 not this particular but whole opus - yes

[@vladimirhorowitz6646]

@@rushana1956 we are talking about this exact transcription so your comparison to any other performance of the whole concerto doesn't make sense This one - solo transcription played on a single piano The whole concerto - piano playing with orchestra accompaniment Completely irrelevant

[@nikolaskoskinas7047]

Best “piano only” var 18 on KZbin

[@cariwithani]

Utterly phenomenal piece of music. You play so beautifully, in my next life this is going to be me...🤍

[@johne6081]

You nailed the tempo and dynamics. I can hear the orchestra mentally. Well done!

[@grahamrankin5557]

Why do I cry when listening to this? The emotional response this gorgeous piece of music, not to mention the exquisite playing, evokes in me such a reaction that I simply burst into tears, and I'm not making this up. Just dazzlingly beautiful !

[@philmaloney264]

I feel the same thing when I hear this! ❤

[@NinaandDaren]

this brings a tear to my eye. this year i've got to get back into the piano after all of these years away from it.

[@16785801]

This is the music of my childhood. It is my memory of my mother who played it often. My friends think I play piano; they just don't know how crappy I am. Thanks for the inspiration. I'll keep at it.

[@jamespowers9827]

Just marvelous...thank you so much. It is my favorite piece, and the one I hope to be able to play for my darling wife...someday.

[@Iamdivine1306]

Is it weird that I want this to be played in my funeral 🤷🏻‍♀️😃

[@lubosschelepak7032]

@@Iamdivine1306 yes this music is like back to a cosmos true

[@despaiirx5487]

I’m glad you started with the 17th. Not that it’s the version I’m used to but it just has a different feel when the Rhapsody is started off. It’s like “get ready for a rollercoaster of emotion” especially when it resolves into the 18th Rhapsody. It just makes it even more beautiful and elegant but sentimental

[@ErikCPianoman]

Wow. Your piano and vst sound amazing. Nice playing!

[@craftmarne]

I wasn't expecting to find you here :p

[@Taka-Musics-Labo]

To Mr. Eric, I agree with you, entirely😃

[@bryansoto6355]

This performance was absolutely stunning. Thank you for sharing.

[@timetravel14]

Somewhere in time...Thank you for the perfect performance!

[@KBizzy]

Perfect performance of a timeless piece of beautiful music.🎶

[@EARLESTOBART]

The most beautiful music

[@alexgray2398]

Eine fantastische Komposition und Interpretation!!! 🎹👏👏💪

[@jorgerivas1424]

I've played this piece at weddings with a solo violinist and also with a piano trio. It's one of my favorites!

[@martaberrios1215]

Beautiful !!! This piece reach my emotions ! I'm crying. You play it beautifully. 🥰

[@TanNguyen-re2fm]

just simply beautiful: playing and the piano itself

[@happybabblingbrooks]

Beyond my comprehension how well you play. Thank you.

[@sadudas11]

Wow this transcription and performance are amazing! Brb going to learn this, thanks for the inspiration!

[@stou3672]

Progress update?

[@sadudas11]

Stou, I learned it a couple of weeks after posting that comment. It was pretty easy for me to learn and play (I’m self taught and I consider that to be the root of my many issues), and the only difficulty I had was banging out big chords with my relatively small hands. It was a significant part of my repertoire for about three months before I started learning new pieces and I have since forgotten how to play the piece in its entirety. It’s one of those pieces that I will always go back and relearn, and next time I think I’m going to include variation 17 because I really like the sound, and the transition between the two variations is remarkable.

[@jeanlilymanwaring7125]

STUNNING !

[@Cam-hh5mt]

Absolutely beautiful!!!!!!!!

[@TheGreatPerahia]

I cannot tell you how moving a performance this is. I am awe struck at the technical command and romantic and poetic insight you give to this piece. It reminds me of Cecile Ousset's beautiful rendition of the 18th variation with the CBSO under the direction of Sir Simon Rattle.

[@Taka-Musics-Labo]

Your digital grand piano has amazing high quality sounds. It sounds just like a real concert full grand piano!!🎵🎹🌹

[@Taka-Musics-Labo]

@Allan Ren Yes, that's right. Evidence that, you should watch carefully the top board of this piano. There is the speaker, isn't it? Does have real grand piano such speaker? This is clearly a digital piano. Are you a blind or something?

[@knightley5896]

@@Taka-Musics-Labo that last part was not called for. dafuq lmao

[@JPDC624]

@Allan Ren yes, he’s using the Garritan CFX piano library on a computer. Oddly enough, the keyboard he’s playing is just to drive the library in the computer, no sounds are being generated in the keyboard itself.

[@lukest292]

@@knightley5896 shit went from 0 to 100 real quick

[@ológun-tube]

@@lukest292 I wasn't sure where he/she was going for a minute. Got relaxed and comfortable and then BAM! Right out of left field.

[@beachgirl9304]

My absolutely favorite piece of music.

[@juanfelixguzman5427]

Just lovely! It stirred up deep feelings believed forgotten. Thank you!

[@vsgdrd]

Очень профессиональное исполнение! Браво!

[@SILHN]

Me casei há 33 anos ao som desta música, que continua me emocionando até hoje. A sutileza, romantismo e criatividade de Rachmaninoff, o tornaram atemporal . 🥰

[@BeverlyZurman-bi9bu]

Loved playing it. It's beautiful

[@ológun-tube]

I can't find words for this... Beautiful. Simply beautiful.

[@georgetunstill2341]

Far as I know, Rachmaninoff never added lyrics to this piece of music nor did anyone else. If someone did, I don't think anyone would know. Far as I'm concerned, the music speaks for itself. It's perfect as it is. This wonderful piece of music would be ruined if lyrics were added.

[@cristianpopa3866]

Amazing Performance

[@PaulieDC]

Ack!! I thought I lost this! Your performance is my FAVORITE to this day, and one day your channel was gone. I just searched again today and you're back! Several music channels had gotten hacked, was yours one of those? SO glad you are back. Have premium now, and I'm downloading this. Yay, Rach is back! 😊

[@godowskidream2820]

This is the way how R. Schulz transcription should be played. Absolutely fantastic. Thank you for this performance. You are teaching me how to play it.

[@zAndrePlayer-ll]

this is my favorite piece... i always loved racing games, and Gran Turismo 6 Ayrton Senna tribute, had this song, i love this piece

[@ms.annthrope415]

Very good. Soft in the right times, stronger in the right places, you gave it life.

[@MartiMontoya-d9d]

Magical Piano Mastery♥️

[@mariobeja]

how humans can be inspire to reach for the sublime and beautiful melodies to forget at least for a moment the ugliness we all carry inside the way GOD meant for us to BE how BEAUTIFUL.

[@ethanjsc]

Well said

[@ElmoIsBold]

So glad to hear something - but especially this - played on the N1. Nice interpretation.

[@LouisTranquille]

This is one of my favourite piano pieces.

[@wardropper]

Very much like your CFX settings. I’m working on about 50 of my arrangements for two pianos of classical orchestral favourites, and am trying to get closer to your sound for playback purposes - just to give pianists a rough idea of what these arrangements sound like in live performance. I am a concert pianist myself, but I don’t have time to organize concerts with another pianist that would include them all… The videos I currently have on my channel use primitive CFX settings that make the virtual piano sound rather ‘tinny’, but I intend to replace them all soon with the much more natural settings I have learned from experimenting with some of your ideas. Thank you so much for putting them out there. Very inspiring.

[@chaliceguard4575]

Love the richness of the sound. Thanks for sharing.

[@mononoaware1960]

Absolutely amazing! Superb playing, this is one of my favorite pieces. Your interpretation is sublime. I recently got back into playing after an 8 year hiatus, used to be really good but quit when I started playing the guitar. My dream is to one day play this.

[@simonbertsch2571]

That was a nice little dopamine boost for me thanks dude!

[@scottgius]

A Truly beautiful performance. I'm working on this one and you inspire me with the natural romantic arch of this performance. I can't believe I've never really listened to and embraced the amazing harmonic colors towards the end of this variation. I just recently worked up the C# mi Prelude and this is the one I'm working on now. Thank you for sharing your obvious love for this timeless music. Rachmaninoff has left a genius body of work for the ages.

[@alexsimper4153]

this is he best version of the variation I found, amazing

[@lardyify]

Excellent - well played. And that Yamaha produced a near-perfect Rachmaninoff tone.

[@razzerraw1108]

Perfect! Exactly what I was looking for!

[@robertatkinson58]

i first heard this in the movie his majesty okeef which the the movie i saw with my first love 63 years ago. i didn’t know what the piece was until many years later but every time i hear this i am transited back to the arms of my first love in 1961

[@nielskjr5432]

How sweet❤❤❤

[@art0van0derlay]

Incredible performance. Thank you for bringing this joy into the world

[@maryannebagala9109]

Just lovely..! Love this..! One of the most melodic pieces of music..!

[@LukeSchneiderEWI]

Great beginning to this song. ! Very well done !!

[@jpadicecoffee9812]

very nice, I like this piece played with just the piano

[@keithjb100]

breathtaking.

[@rosapearce2059]

Beautifully played just perfect bravo

[@FrozenVodka1]

beautiful piece!

[@philburton7803]

Just beautiful, I've got to the bottom of the first page, only another couple of months of hard slog then

[@lucasmax37]

Beautifully played x

[@exs1803]

Lovely rendition of this romantic classical music....... so beautiful.

[@raymatthews7624]

Great clear rendition of this music.

[@Alien--eh2yh]

This is absolutely beautiful. Bravo. I’ll be learning this piece next for sure. I hope to see more from you sir!

[@JohnDavis-zo4xl]

Nailed it.

[@pianoman0609]

Beautifully performed!

[@andrzejgorajski9957]

Przepiękne wykonanie! Dzięki.

[@TheHeinzrolf]

thank you for your music and for your other uploads. There are so many talented musicians here on KZbin that it is always a surprise to discover a new outstanding pianist. You play beautifully! I wish you many visits and likes you deserve it. Please work on your marketing, people also want to read something about you, your biography where you studied, a photo of you, etc. etc......

[@FrankCGraves]

Very nice performance. I also use the Garritan CFX Full. Really like it and have used it on the last 5 or 6 videos on my channel. I use the default grand and set the reverb to a medium concert hall, string resonance to 30 and dynamic range about 85. Sometimes I will switch to "performer" instead of "audience"

[@ThePianoMan1953]

I'll have to try your setting. I also like to boost the reverb. I've been enjoying the "Mellow Gold" preset. Nice to play ballads in my entryway late at night. It's a very live room. Mello Gold is a very dark grand sound with a lot of depth IMO .

[@avcbisu]

Amazing and sounds so beautiful

[@lluisrafalessole-classical5068]

Wow Absolutely wonderfoul music 🎹👏

[@KelvinDominick-p9m]

Beautiful love it.

[@jgiles2016]

Breathtaking. Awesome playing. Huge fan since i’ve seen the Nier covers like peaceful sleep. Keep it up!

[@donnagilligan2905]

Magnificent playing and love Yamaha. Thank you so much for your wonderful talent.

[@cristianpopa3866]

Perfection in Sound

[@ameliamarbablanco6998]

Preciosa siempre

[@PeterHontaru]

Wow - you're insanely good! A rach master indeed

[@alex-plays8407]

Bravo. Thank you for the inspiration.

[@erikachristenson9244]

Superb 🎹 arrangement.. Kudos! 🎼

[@Iamdivine1306]

Beautiful 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💓

[@helenareis9012]

Belíssima interpretação ! B r a v o ! 👏👏👏👏👏👏🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷 Maria Helena ( Florianópolis/ SC/ BRASIL. 🇧🇷 🇧🇷 🇧🇷 🇧🇷 🇧🇷 🇧🇷 🇧🇷 )

[@alexfernandosouza7962]

Lindo, bela interpretação. Bravíssimo

[@leepelonero9508]

Incredible job

[@Mokhrotaim]

Beautifully played and nice piano 😊

[@draster2101]

Excellent

[@josephinecheong1776]

So beauty ❤

[@markbrandus]

Wonderful

[@AP_82]

Love it!

[@jeffm9227]

Very nice touch my friend.

[@JeffRyan_88keys]

Beautiful playing. Pretty spot on.

[@zelphx]

So emotional...

[@zerosuit3188]

Wonderful!

[@jim374]

Barely 2 years in...for me...this would be a wet dream...bravo!

[@TheMelopeus]

Did you give it a try? Doesn't seem imposible

[@HammyHamster-c2r]

Very well played. 👏👏👏

[@crankycat2901]

Sounds absolutely amazing 😍