Robert Levin: Improvising Mozart

Humanitas Visiting Professor in Chamber Music 2012

[@stagedoro9560]

A young composer asked Mozart:- Maestro Mozart, how to compose a symphony?- Oh no! - said Mozart - first try a simple minuet.- But ... you wrote symphonies early in life...And Mozart:- Yes, but I didn't ask anyone how to compose a symphony!

[@mihawkdrakule3869]

He did asked his father about that

[@genomos90]

lol what are u even saying

[@simonkawasaki4229]

God, he was genius.

[@OsGamersdoBrasil]

It's impossible that he didn't ask how to compose a symphony - his father helped him with absolutely everything in his early compositions, even writing some for him based on themes that he made just to show the composition process. He was most likely showing off.

[@joel1470]

@@genomos90 AHHAHAHA

[@UmbertoRonco]

One of the best video lessons on youtube from a true genius master

[@geoffstockton]

I've seen a lot of classical players who really turn up their nose at improvising as a creative art. I've heard them call it unprepared music. When these same people finally share the same living, breathing space with a skilled improviser, they're typically really impressed. They begin to realize that improvised music (educatedly improvised) is the most prepared music of all. It takes someone ten times the practice to be able to truly improvise over the harmonic structure of a given tune than it would take them to learn even a complicated written melody over that same structure.

[@avocatdenis]

The ultimate test in musicianship. There are pianists…then, there are musicians.

[@ghostzart]

Disdain for improvisation is a late 19th/20th century phenomenon that came about with composers who wanted control over every microsecond of the performance. Before then it was completely normal for a virtuoso to show his chops during a solo. Nowadays they'd suffocate if the sheet music didn't remind them when to breathe with a luftpause.

[@geoffstockton]

ghostzart Yeah, classical music has been in the stronghold of control-freak musical dictators for at least a century. So sad.

[@stefanspeyer8126]

Very rightly written !

[@JohnCasteel1333]

I agree, you must have a far better understanding of the pieces of music at hand to improvise it then to just note for note memorize it. Its like drawing Spongebob in the same pose, you may master it, but if you can draw Spongebob well in any position, you have a better understanding of the character.

[@RaIAm]

The idea that any great musician wouldn't improvise is absurd. Show me a real musician who plays a song live and doesn't improvise! Its wonderful watching Robert Levin play Mozart. One of those intro parts he played sounded exactly like a scene in Amadius but it was a different song.

[@plexiseagull]

Robert Levin is a true master! Great in depth journey into the mind of our hero; the one of a kind Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

[@ronwalker4849]

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY INTERESTING LESSON IN AWARNESS AND OBSERVATION OF MUSICAL VARIETY AND DEPARTURE FROM A CENTRAL THEME´ WHICH I NEVER HAD BEEN AWARE OF BEFORE. I HAVE HEARD THIS PIECE BUT MY AWARNESS IS NOW EXTENDED MUCH BEYOND WHAT IT WAS REVIOUSLY. ROBERT IS AN EXCELENT MUSIC EDUCATIORA AND HE GETS RIGHT TO THE POINT WITHOUT WASTING A MOMENT OF TIME. HE COMMUNICATES WITH GREAT ACCURACY AND ARTICULATIN. I REALLY ENJOYED THIS LESSON IN LISTENING.

[@annp9595]

WHY ARE YOU YELLING

[@DanielFahimi]

@@finngape8503 LOL

[@QHarefield]

Fascinating. Absolutely fascinating! Very many thanks.

[@urbinamdm]

Prof. Levin is amazingly insightful... What a delight! Thanks for posting!

[@jhonwask]

That was a very interesting commentary. Thank you for showing it to us. Oh, and I love your piano.

Love it, extraordinary insight and interpretation; followed by a magnificent improvisation. Bravissimo!

[@jckmdcn]

Incredible. Robert Levin is amazing!

[@subplantant]

American musicologists only come to lecture in the UK because they get to say "hemidemisemiquaver" in public and no one bats an eyelid..

[@channelnameintentionallyle1557]

If Levin's claims hold (and I think he more than makes his case), we not only haven't heard Mozart's music as he intended for more than a century at least, but the necessary skills to play them-those required for improvisation-were denigrated for at least that long, while musics that not only featured but required improvisation were pointlessly declared unserious, ephemeral, trashy, etc. for not having the authority of a written score when there was a real, objective musical sensitivity and skill they shared. The historical separation is (at least!) regrettable, but I am grateful for the deep scholarship and open mindedness (a redundancy, I know, for any true committed scholarship follows where the evidence leads, the prior commitments and sentiments of the individual scholar be damned) that Levin displays, as well as his generosity and clarity.

[@arsantiqua8741]

@Dapdoi Ardon I dunno. I think that Jazz isn't for everyone, in the same way not every genre is for everyone. In my own opinion, Jazz doesn't real touch me. It seems quite alien, and those weird 'colored' chords ruin everything for me.

[@IgnacioClerici-mp5cy]

@@arsantiqua8741 who does jazz have to do with classical improvisation? Which is what Mozart did

[@danielharris9403]

​@@IgnacioClerici-mp5cy Music is music - an arrangement of tones and silence. Both classical and jazz improvisation are either over cadential moments of tension and resolution or in the ornamentation of melodies. Nonetheless, different composers at different times have their own dialect of musical language.

[@robertlevin611]

You will find it in both the Bärenreiter and WUE editions of the Mozart piano pieces.

[@javierliebanaimpro]

Inspiring for all of us who try to return the importance of improvisation in classical music and great ideas for my improvisations.

[@davisoneill]

Most inspiring and profound.

[@anthonygarciaguitar]

Revealing. It seems to me to highlight a potential connect to the 'Lost Art of Partimento' - an improvisational art built on the extensive scoring of material over a figured bass. Given the pervasive influence of Italian music teachers throughout Europe at this time there might be more magic to uncover. I have found this particularly pertinent in the field of classical guitar improvisation. Bravo Robert inspiring research.

[@IvanYanakiev]

Heartfelt greetings! God be with you!

[@tracydeanmccallum351]

Might have to look at this again tomorrow When I'm sober So much fun and done so well

[@gravypatron]

I don't understand the material, but I'm somehow still here, listening.

[@oscarbasza]

This was great and super helpful when I had to improvise some Mozart on my performance :)

[@Rickriquinho]

Robert Levin is the man!

[@gabrielmagister6072]

Magnificent!

[@Vikingvideos50]

I wish I'd had a class in conservatory about how to read manuscripts. How editors get from manuscripts, first editions, corrections, etc to critical editions.

[@Signifer82]

Yes, it is the manuscript of the sonata in C minor K 457, from which Mr. Levin shows in the video several pages of the second movement. Thank you very much.

[@elaineblackhurst1509]

A wonderful, enlightening and fascinating lecture delivered with great skill, profound insight and a deep knowledge of the subject matter. The use of an authentic fortepiano rather than a modern instrument was essential to understanding properly the idea of improvisation, and why it was necessary in the late eighteenth century. The mentions of CPE Bach (the Versuch and varied reprises) was important in that it showed, correctly that Mozart did not work in a vacuum. Both Mozart and Haydn (and therefore Beethoven later) were profoundly influenced by CPE’s works and writing and were so far ahead of almost all their contemporaries in varying their music that it is difficult to listen to many of these contemporaries today because of the expectations and standards set by Mozart and Haydn. Ditto the comments about key relationships in Mozart’s music, this is something in which both he and Haydn were profoundly concerned and nothing is random (in Haydn’s operas, the chain finales follow a carefully planned journey through a series of third-related keys), it helps explain the deep friendship between the two composers and their mutual respect. A very accessible lecture, it has enhanced my understanding of Mozart enormously; thank you.

[@DanielFahimi]

It's funny how you can't make up your mind.

[@ZhouXiLing]

I don’t like it at all It’s boring

[@smguy7]

This would have totally schooled poor old Glenn Gould!

[@jimwells3279]

Wonderful!

[@williamkay2725]

An utterly wonderful lecture which has clarified the whole subject of decoration and improvisation in Mozart piano pieces. However, I do not wholly subscribe to the argument from 21.30 about the 'trading of tunes' between soloist and orchestra in favour of the soloist always having to have the upper hand. It seems to me entirely plausible that just sometimes the adoption of the soloist in a lesser role is purposeful. Remember, as a child Mozart reigned over an imaginary kingdom of 'Rücken' where expectations of normality are thrown into reverse. This playfulness of character, an aspect of his personality, must necessarily find expression in music. If we think of the D minor concerto example cited, it seems to me that there is a flirtation between the soloist and orchestra in the passage ( in much the same way that in relationships we humans use 'mirroring' activity) and that once having made a somewhat coy overture the piano is answered by the orchestra blurting out like an over-enthusiastic suitor detecting encouragement.

[@likefugue]

I turn the auto-subtitles on. And it's funny that even the sound of piano have its own subtitles,as it is narratored.

[@otnaug4714]

+之間倏 hahahahha thanks for pointing that out it's hilarious

[@MethylOrange42]

yeah

[@stevemsteven6103]

58:05 This should be a meme

[@stagedoro9560]

Robert explains a lot, GOOD !!! after Mozar made, it is easy to dissect and explain that way.

[@kernelstudios8996]

bel video. grazie

[@CRASSHCambridge]

The manuscripts were collected by Robert Levin over a lifetime's work! I imagine most of them aren't online, but are archived in libraries across Europe. If it's one that appears in the video though let me know and we should have a page of it from the presentation file.

[@martinlewis1583]

What a wonderful video! Robert Levin has that rare gift of deep scholarship combined with true musicality. On the subject of decoration, though, while convinced by his reasoning, I do think it a shame that there are recordings now where musicians without the skill of a Levin (or of course a Mozart) add their own embellishments to Mozart's music. Whatever the historical evidence for this, I would prefer an inauthentic simplicity. Furthermore I can't help feeling that Mozart, like other artists of the same stature, such as Shakespeare, has less need than a lesser talent to be constantly virtuosic. Perhaps sometimes simplicity can also be authentic. In any case I certainly trust Mr. Levin's judgement - in his improvisation I had an uncanny feeling of being transported back in time to 18th century Vienna to hear the master himself. Bravo!

[@BruhChickenTho]

This is awesome

[@comic4relief]

Interesting to see Mozart pieces demonstrated musicologically, rather than just leaving the depiction of Mozart up to conductors, music publishers and record companies.

[@abu61sen]

4:21 this is like chopin Piano Concerto No.2 the movement 1. In the middle I hope someone understands me

[@timrathbone1321]

Does anyone know whether the document at c3.30 is available anywhere?

[@CRASSHCambridge]

Not sure this helps that much but the note I have against it is 'Modulating prelude F-e-C, autograph'.

[@beth_levin_piano]

Bravo!

[@MozartianObsessor]

Does anyone know which prelude is played at 51:47? I really like it :)

[@StevenOBrien]

Hey Signifer. I'm not sure if this helps, but if you do a little research for each piece and find the library which the autograph is located in (for instance, Don Giovanni is in the BnF), some of these libraries have digitized versions of manuscripts which are viewable online through each library's website. You can also find some of these on sites like IMSLP.

[@azoriusherald]

Haha what a showoff! He not only used the tunes the audience suggested, but he sneaked in other ideas from those pieces as well. We get it man, you know your Mozart :P

[@patriciayeiser6405]

He is wired differently than most pianists. And he is a scholar as well. This is a wonderful and rare combination. He is also emminently approachable and doesn't talk down to people.

[@skellez83]

Any transcription of the Fantasia circulating on the internet?

[@jhonwask]

It sounds like C.P.E. Bach. Maybe Salieri, who was in fact quite accomplished too. Quite a common thing at the time, and it still is, re-working other composers' music. I love Mozart, though, and have most of his works in recordings and even play a few on my harpsichord.

[@Ekvitarius]

Sounded Italian to me

[@lievenseys1073]

Mozart was een show man en kon improviseren als de beste.Hij gaf geen concert zonder een "stand alone" improviseerde. Hij overklaste iedereen. Robert Levin geeft uitleg.

[@Wake_Up_and_Smell_the_Coffee]

Does anyone know where to find the manuscript he references?

[@iwanabana]

Good place to check would be the NMA website!

[@drewbuckweed1397]

Brilliant but a question. At 10:02 the comment about Beethoven getting the idea for his Pathetique - but how? How were these ideas communicated? By performance? thanks

[@galanis38]

They were communicated because scores existed, published ones, which circulated -- as well as of course by performances. Beethoven after all was a student of Haydn and had met Mozart -- and played their music from scores.

[@elaineblackhurst1509]

@@galanis38 Beethoven took counterpoint lessons from Haydn from his arrival in Vienna in November 1792 until January 1794 when Haydn left for his second trip to England. Beethoven never met Mozart, though it is just possible he heard Mozart play whilst on his brief visit to Vienna in 1787.

[@galanis38]

@@elaineblackhurst1509 Yes, Beethoven took composition lessons from Haydn during the years you cite -- this is well documented; we well know also that Haydn was a great admirer of Mozart, something which it seems unlikely he would not have imparted to Beethoven. By all readings I've come across it remains a question mark whether Beethoven heard Mozart perform or actually met Mozart if briefly on that visit to Vienna. What is for sure, though, is that he was familiar with Mozart the composer and at least some substantial number of Mozart works. And that was my main point in response to a query in an earlier comment -- that there were many ways and venues apart from direct personal contact by which Beethoven or for that matter any composer of his time could have and would have been familiarized with and influenced by other composers, and especially in Beethoven's case, by i.e. Mozart who was a close and prominent predecessor and with whom he had many common associations.

[@elaineblackhurst1509]

@@galanis38 I don’t think we’ve said much different really, and Beethoven clearly admired Mozart very much, probably above all others.* During Mozart’s lifetime, only two of his symphonies for example were published in Vienna compared to dozens of Haydn’s symphonies, so your point about Beethoven reading Mozart scores has probably been back-dated a little too far. The Haydn/Beethoven teacher/student relationship is often over-stated which was my point; though Beethoven learned much from his studies *of* Haydn, the actual lessons *with* Haydn were not successful, and anyway, they focussed almost entirely on studying counterpoint from the standard 18th century bible on the subject - Fux’s Gradus ad Parnassum. Beethoven was unequivocal about how much he learned from these lessons - ‘…nothing’. I don’t think Beethoven did ever meet Mozart - it’s wishful thinking on the part of admirers of both composers who really did wish they had met; the older biographies of both composers often recount this 1787 story based of very dubious evidence and doubtful sources that were rarely questioned properly, thus the legend was perpetuated. More recent biographies are more critical and questioning, and thus more accurate; Jan Swafford for example in his brilliant modern biography ‘Beethoven: Anguish and Triumph’ (2014) pretty much reflects the opinion of modern scholarship…and comes down on the side of no meeting. * Again, we often hear that Beethoven put Handel above all others, but I do not think he did, and the relevant quotation when put into context of what Beethoven was doing and to whom he was speaking is essential to a proper understanding. (I don’t think he disliked Rossini either as much as it’s sometimes said - he was simply jealous as the Italian had replaced Haydn in Vienna as the composer stealing what he thought should he *his* limelight).

[@uritibon17]

200 years later - "We have recently discovered rather shockingly that Mozart would often write the thematic materials for improvised concerts in the 21st century 200 years in advance of his time!" ;)

[@kellnola]

Improvisation was a large part of performance in the 18th century. It wasn't until the late 19th century that improvisation was no longer taught in "classical" context and disappeared from "classical" music.

[@Ekvitarius]

ke.ux Indeed. In fact, Baroque music almost reminds me of Jazz. Improvisations and melodic alterations were EXPECTED to be made by performers, and it was quite common for there to be a murmur in the audience as the music was being played.

[@remon563]

which prelude is he playing around 48:-52 minutes ? slide number 51.

[@ComposersbyNumbers]

+Remo Van de sande It's the modulating prelude in F-C, K 624/626b (Entry I (letter i) in the long list of Mozart's 64 cadenzas for his own concertos and another dozen for piano concertos of other composers).

[@user-mg1ve5so9w]

Good

[@hifijohn]

needs more reverb on the voice

[@Signifer82]

Does anyone know how to get Mozart's manuscripts? I've been searching fruitlessly on the internet for those of the C minor sonata. I'm a professional pianist, and I would be glad to have this. Thank you.

[@lazarus_alonsius]

imslp

[@hallgeirpedersen4331]

Ingenious.

[@ZhouXiLing]

I like it ❤❤❤❤❤

[@vonditters856]

Don Giovanni begins in d minor and ends in D major, would that be considered the same (just "D") or does he think it ended in d minor?

[@dibaldgyfm9933]

I think it is considered simply D. But they knew as we do today that a long multi-aria-opera can-not stay in same tonality all the way. Also sometimes the orchestra need to transpose to suit a singer (the orchestral caretakers wrote a lot of notes!)

[@davidgleba3832]

Structurally, such a procedure is considered a large-scale Picardy third, such as when a movement in the minor mode ends with a major triad. The slow introduction to the overture to Don Giovanni is in D-minor, but the main part of the overture, the Allegro section, is in D-major. Many symphonies and other large cyclical works from the Classical Period begin in the minor mode and end in the tonic major, e.g. Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 in D-minor, KV 466; his Quartet for Piano and Strings in G-minor, KV 478; inter alia.

[@elmerovero7528]

Some people un the comments must pick up a improvisation book, there is a method to improvising it cannot be done properly if one hasn't profound knowledge of harmony (most importantly). No one studies improvising for the sake of improvising, if one knows the techniques, structures and harmony, changing keys then it can be a breeze and one does get better with more practice. Pick up a book by John Mehegan, he has several about improvisation skills, some of the best yet.

[@RanBlakePiano]

John was a wonderful teacher. He and others such as Gunther ,mary Lou Williams. My teaching style are mentioned in Primacy of the ear

[@sir9integra9jr]

say how you really feel about nannerl omg

[@PlagiarismeInc]

in praise of improvisation. Very elegant. Hints verging on the truth ... the necessary plagiarisme which this latter "crime" ignores ... how can we know the dancer from the dance ... or imagine the divine dance of Mozart's fingers .. do they dance to his mind at the moent of creation? Iimprovisation is trance music ... or it worthless. peter lorrimer whitehead . .

[@buckylove6918]

So im a little conflicted after watching this. Some of mozarts sonatas dont have recurring themes like he was showing. does this still mean he intended free embellishment? i know you can obviously add embellishment when taking a second ending

[@johnyringo6890]

No. He was talking about the translations of some scores where they were interpreted differently between scholars. This is why people like Levin are pointing out what Mozart intended which is entirely evidence based & not assumed by anyone. What he was showing was the writing style of Mozart in the originals, in some sections of his music that were 'abbreviated', or in short hand, to save time writing it out note for note. Unfortunately in some Mozarts music that has been published was either not translated correctly due to either ignorance or lack of knowledge. But you never ever assume, & you never add or take away anything in any of Mozarts pieces - this is what Levin is trying to fix, he was giving examples of what Mozart truly intended, not what someone incorrectly assumes.

[@charlescxgo7629]

His sonatas are mostly teaching pieces, embellishments were common, but in good taste of course. It'll def get you banned from Ivey music schools though.. lol

[@comic4relief]

...and on a period instrument :D

[@Ekvitarius]

So dramatic at 59:11

[@gjeacocke]

maybe mr levin would like to look at my improvisations if he has the time. i'm just a beginner. longest improvisation is 3 hours straight. i have over 100 hours here on KZbin within 6 months. I hope to do a 6 hour improv and upload a years worth if improvised music to understand a note and thus a chord. I truly like Beethoven...

[@classicgameplay10]

51:47

[@CRASSHCambridge]

Can you drop me an email to enquiries @ crassh.cam.ac.uk and I'll check which archive it's from?

[@sir9integra9jr]

hemidemisemiquaver

[@nessunoanomino4506]

bello!?

[@elmerovero7528]

Troppo

[@krPeter2010]

mozart had pedals on his piano...how is your pedal technique lol

[@dibaldgyfm9933]

Some pedals were knee "pedals", right? Let's hear how Levin plays, are there any traces of pedal? The instrument is interesting, is it really a piano, kind of "Silberman" piano? I should say "Christofori" p. I looked it up, though, this is intriguing! : Fortepiano by Johann Andreas Stein (Augsburg, 1775) - Berlin, Musikinstrumentenmuseum (wikipedia/wikimedia) is a fortepiano without pedals for the foot! :) Will my link be accepted by YT? upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/FortepianoJAStein.JPG/250px-FortepianoJAStein.JPG

[@dibaldgyfm9933]

Fortepianos from the start often had devices similar to the pedals of modern pianos, but these were not always pedals; sometimes hand stops or knee levers were used instead. says the wikipedia article: "Fortepiano".

[@Ekvitarius]

Mozart’s piano had 2 pedals on it- one for the sustain and the other for the moderator. However, we have no reason to believe that pedaling was something to be done all the time.

[@srothbardt]

Interesting once you get past the bla.

[@ZhouXiLing]

😮

[@PiroozAzDirooz]

Minute 4:30 I disagree! It sounds VERY MUCH like Mozar's music!

[@Ekvitarius]

Nah. Sounds way too Italian.

[@garrysmodsketches]

That's because you have bad ear and no expertise in 18th century music, and Mozart in particular

[@GrumpyOldMan9]

Too complex for me

[@rockguitarshred]

cuz you stoopid

[@elmerovero7528]

@@rockguitarshred haha says someone who uses foul language..

[@devlinbearra8897]

Levin isn't fair to Nannerl. He doesn't understand what she was doing.

[@AlessandroSistiMusic]

I'd love to hear more about this! Is there a place I can read more about what Nannerl was doing?

[@DanielFahimi]

He perfectly understands.

[@alexvojdani5475]

oof

[@bobsmith-ov3kn]

This guy sure can say a whole lot of words without actually explaining what he's trying to explain

[@cihant5438]

just skip to the music at the end..

[@lookoutforchris]

He’s saying Mozart improvised a shit ton and didn’t always write it all down, bro.

[@karenistalking5774]

That man is full of academic pedantry and a boring speaker. When he finally plays his attempt at Mozart it comes out as a tumbling confusing odd chord progressions, with no melodic development. The man is full of hot air.

[@LachlanTyrrell2003]

that's not very nice... let's see you improvise some Mozart with less confusing chord progressions and better melodic development!