Stravinsky The Firebird, piano

Francesco Piemontesi

[@Balfour.]

I've never heard a piano sound like that before. I'm completely blown away.

[@m.a.3322]

Ikr, who knows what other sounds the piano is capable of creating? Such a flexible instrument!

[@markhughes7927]

Balfour Marvellous isn’t it? Another one is Ivo Pogorelich as a young man of similar age playing Ravel’s ‘Gaspard de la Nuit’.

[@ruchirrawat8804]

so is that piano

[@AlbertoSegovia.]

He has large hands! We don’t often comment about the physical gifts of some people. Nobody would doubt that Usain Bolt would run faster than a 5’9 person with shorter leg to torso ratio. The same here: the easiness of playing is just otherworldly: see Yuja’s performances for examples, and you will see that this stamina and power at this speed is simply not there; fortes are a little softer and not as effectively drawn. Pianos are more inaudible, etc. Nobody would question this reality with Rachmaninov…

[@hyunjaekim8411]

As pianist, I heard a lot of classical pieces throughout my life, but this arrangement always amazes me of how well this piece resembles original orchestral Firebird.

[@xyzc2]

Because who needs the orchestra when you can do all the themes yourself?

[@jasonhuang6023]

Yes but there is more in the firebird.

[@unnamed_boi]

agosti only transcripted 3 dances from the firebird. but there's a guy that transcripted the whole thing to piano, the sheet is in imslp edit: the guy who transcripted the whole thing is stravinsky himself

[@david2618]

I used to think this comment was about it being a cover of an orchestra. Then I learned it's about the piece requiring you to look at the notes like they are the instruments they are representing. Replicating the timbres with dynamics. Wow.

[@xyzc2]

​@@david2618 I'm gonna be honest I have no idea what the original comment was about.

[@david2618]

@@xyzc2 No problem, it was 4 years ago, I wasn't directly addressing you I was trying to address people passing by who read it.

[@mariaalmeida189]

Oh! God. The MAN and the PIANO playing this Firebird Alone!!!❤❤❤

[@Mike-dk7wj]

The best and most exciting version on KZbin.

[@nadiadesimone8645]

AGREE!!!!

[@Paulofibonelli]

Indeed

[@cowsquidman5679]

I concur.

[@WJfkrhdj]

It just doesn't get any better than this. It is one of those moments where you don't even want to attempt to play this piece because his performance is already perfectly sufficent.

[@militaryandemergencyservic3286]

i would like to play some of it.

[@mydogskips2]

@@militaryandemergencyservic3286 The sheet music can be found online, certainly for purchase if you're willing to pay, I see Scribd has it, it's 25 pages and you can do a free 30-day free trial to download and print it, but I imagine it's a beast to play, far beyond my abilities. Good luck to you though, if you give it a go.

[@Burntshmallow]

Never mess with a pianist with glasses.

[@philosophiaentis5612]

Me.

[@daimondcut2909]

Lesson learned. That first part scared the crap out of me!!

[@Trombosilbo]

Lol

[@emilio-wm9jt]

I never heard a firebird like this before in my whole life

[@celius6421]

I am a piano transcription/arrangement artist, it's what I love to do more than practically anything. I say with confidence, this is the greatest transcription I have ever heard. It has nothing to do with "reducing" or stripping a song down for piano, it's a matter of translating the exact energy and basically all the notes. Superb work by Agosti, what a genius to be able to transcribe without the aid of software. The score for this by the way, is insane. I have it sitting on my piano right now. There are often 3 staves dancing around each other, incredibly hard to read. My favorite is the Finale. I love how Piementossi plays the 7/4 quarter notes rubato. Every other performance, the pianists are strict with the timing of those notes. His interpretation is far more passionate, and relatable in my opinion

[@Capedamon1]

Love the double reverse glissandi at 09:57! Infernal dance fantastic of course...

[@BucurEST1989]

I'm finally working on this. It's a dope piece

[@jeremyellismusic]

I'm having hardcore chills right now. I'm 1 minute in and I already know how this guy is going to rock the ending so perfectly. Completely here for this.

[@stacia6678]

How did you feel about the ending after listening 8 months? :)

[@tyler-qr5jn]

​@@stacia6678 we will never know, it's been 2 years 😢😢😢

[@pianisissimo4459]

​@@tyler-qr5jn ahahahs

[@tchaffman]

@@tyler-qr5jn 3 years and bro is still speechless with their jaw on the floor... It's that good!

[@tyler-qr5jn]

@@tchaffman I hope they can get that fixed soon, it's been so long 😪💔

[@natashadryagina6784]

При таком пианисте оркестр модез нервно покурить в сторонке. Браво, МУЗЫКАНТ!!!!!!

[@rhandley1000]

I mean....just the intro....what an intro! This is how you start a piece.. Then there is the Berceuse, what a different world the Berceuse takes you to.

[@999Gunter]

It's very unfortunate the sound quality is glitchy because this performance is unbelievable, he totally got the interpretation right, love it!

[@PianistifiedForYT]

if you heard two other of them, this is the highest quality one in all of YT

[@remsan03]

I've never heard of this guy before but Holy Sweet Baby Jesus... Man, this guy's good. And here I thought Petrushka was a nightmare. Don't get me wrong, La semaine grasse is still monstrously difficult. This just add another title to my 'Impossible Musics' list.

[@amnbvcxz8650]

The metal of classical music!

[@markhall7646]

I'm exhausted, and I just watched this!

[@belartful]

One of the most beautiful piano performance I've ever seen...

[@mikepen3477]

Stravinsky himself may well have been favourably impressed by this performance!

[@therainforest4314]

The power and the glory. Absolutely brilliant! :)

[@lachansondelafolleaubordde8409]

【0:06】Danse infernale du roi Kastchei 【5:02】Berceuse 【8:41】Finale

[@alvexok5523]

Danse Infernale du roi Kastchel and Finale were really intense, and that second half of Danse Infernale was so incredible, it blew me away! It was understandable how he then needed a breather with Berceuse, and to play slow and easy for a few minutes before the magnificent Finale

[@jasonhuang6023]

@@alvexok5523 Yes, I get your point, but the berceuse was hard too.

[@alvexok5523]

@@jasonhuang6023, oh yes, it's still difficult. But it's not as fast which makes it a degree easier. I guess I meant that it was a breather for him. I could never play Danse Infernale.

[@jasonhuang6023]

@@alvexok5523 True

[@bloba6969]

@Schuyler Bacn everywhere you

[@themike97_58]

I love the Berceuse section. Stravinsky hammers that one motif for a solid couple minutes and it never gets old.

[@V1DE0DR0ME]

Me too. Of course the other sections are appropriately bombastic and climatic, but that eerie atmosphere of Berceuse is mysterious and chilling.

[@seheyt]

A sleeping giant that is remembering that one smell

[@Madeth91]

It feels like 10 years ago since I first heard this man's performance on piano playing this part. Every time i come back I am blown away.

[@Madeth91]

@@teacoffee42 welcome

[@thatsteinwaykid]

I cried.....so beautiful

[@personalprivate7647]

Who is this? What a technique melded by musicality...no fancying of shoulders or useless facial expressions...makes it easy to listen to what he is creating within heart and his hands.Awesome, impressed and so so enjoying.

[@tyler-qr5jn]

Francesco Piemontesi

[@grampinator]

I want him to play this at my funeral.

[@lollycopter]

Along with the Rite of Spring.

[@ronwalker4849]

IT´S ABOUT LIFE AND NOT DEATH.

[@pl33]

what genius sounds like..dont ever let anyone convince you perfection isnt real

[@yibodu]

Best recording ever heard on this work.

[@robertvalentinoscolaro7394]

wonderful,,,,,,,,,,,,,brilliant.thank you to the pianist and to the person who posted this video...............the pianist is a brilliant pianist.

[@debussyman88]

YES! Other versions on KZbin lack the sheer power, might, majesty, and exuberance this performance has!!!

[@user-so1qh7dy1l]

Kenneth Perkins music Absolutely yes!!

[@jeremyellismusic]

This is the performance of God quality of a God quality piece of music. It's like witnessing the top of Everest and you get to fly away instead of having to climb down.

[@evifnoskcaj]

Wow! Astounding playing and an excellent and very exciting arrangement!

[@chihayable2762]

We can hear its gorgeous, intense sound but at the same time can see his delicate technique as a Virtuoso. Moreover, his original glissandi sound effectively. There will never be another it.

[@icravecheddar7401]

This piano transcription sounds like Marc André-Hamelin, and I absolutely love it!

[@douglasevans316]

Fabulous, fantastic, farfetched, never knew the Firebird could sound almost equally intense on piano as by orchestra.

[@Tiger02051986]

My favorite piano transcription and it's performance!!! BRAVO!!!!!

[@PointyTailofSatan]

This should be the go to encore piece for every piano competition. Except it's probably too difficult. lol

[@dandelion1627]

Amazing performance. I have looked at the score. It seems physically impossible. It is wonderful to actually see a real performance. Thank you for sharing this video in KZbin. Francesco is super talented.

[@thomasramsay8212]

Can't believe Mahler came back to play it, must've been a fan

[@santiagoleonalba3340]

Hhahahahah bro he is literally him

[@grantveebeejay535]

This man lives through music, becomes music in his playing and is music. I am overwhelmed at this performance. Truly an inspirational musician. Bravo Francesco!!!!

[@thebrainnugget]

Met Francesco tonight. He plans to transcribe an extra 2-ish minutes that were left out by Agosti and play it sometime in the near-future. I'm looking forward to seeing another performance.

[@ripinpepperonies9754]

For real? That's amazing I'm excited

[@thebrainnugget]

@@ripinpepperonies9754 That's what he told me! I'll certainly take him for his word after his amazing performance that evening.

[@user-kp9of7re9q]

rip in pepperonies he added some notes

[@Musicrafter12]

In some ways this is even better than the orchestra version, as I've yet to hear any orchestra whose articulation was this sharp and whose tempo felt this exhilarating. Even the pros tend to not quite get it right. It's understandable, of course, Stravinsky's rhythms are stupidly hard sometimes, and a pianist who has practiced this for hundreds of hours knows the piece inside and out and can take liberties whereas an orchestra which has one day to rehearse together before the performance can't do that. Still, this my new reference for how the Infernal Dance *should* sound.

[@brospore7897]

Great comment

[@Kris9kris]

This comment reminds me: even Stravinsky wasn’t quite sure how the Firebird *should* sound. There is the magnificent 1910 original (and the 1911 suite, identical to the ballet), then came the 1919 suite, which was IMO already a sort of castrated version done at the dawn of his neoclassical period. You could say that by downsizing the orchestra, Stravinsky wanted to make it more “performable” (not everyone has 3 harps), but that doesn’t excuse it from all its half-baked, jerry-built orchestration choices, which I could go on about for months how much of a downgrade they are. Then came the cherry on top, the truly execrable, botched 1945 version - which thank God, almost nobody plays - and what I assume only saw the light of day so that Igor could cash in on his royalties in the USA.

[@stanleyshelmire]

Having played the clarinet in the orchestra version, I wish I could play the piano like this genius because like you, I prefer the piano version.

[@davennielsen9856]

Hands down best performance of this I've heard, shame it was recorded with clipping distortion

[@WhiteTiger.X]

This is how you play it. No one else on KZbin matches this tempo

[@BW92116]

The best performance of this.

[@Viraus2]

2:22-2:35 Man, way to cut away from the keys on the best part

[@verslaflamme666]

This is one of my biggest pet peeves of piano professional video recordings 😤

[@angryjalapeno]

They are professional in the sense they know what you want, and they will only give you a little bit of it to lure you to consume more.

[@Zdrange03]

😬😬😬

[@MegaMech]

Dude on the cam controller likely did this live. Post editing means you can look at it all at once and go "hmm, maybe this" unfortunately we're stuck with the guy who did things as best he could at the moment. Also, if something happened to that camera (it moved away, or it was shook or dropped) the controller would switch to a different camera. So there could be a reason for it.

[@unoriginal422]

0:06 When the quiet kid starts playing the piano

[@sesipos]

Explosive performance from a top class pianist!

[@Fanchen]

Wow what an amazing arrangement. It must be fun playing it.

[@aeroslothy]

Now its ur turn to record this arrangement

[@ortholol]

Fanchen!

[@Fanchen]

@@aeroslothyworking on it rn. Will probably take a few months

[@anic131313]

Beautiful hands.

[@oscarlaredo5035]

This is out of this world!

[@zzomar]

4:30-6:15 i love this part so much

[@emilyhutjes]

Sensational performance. ( I saw the ivory flying around ☺) 2024 Holland. 👍🌷🌷🌷

[@jms7805]

Who is this marvelous performer? It is perfect, tempo, accuracy et.al. This has to be one of the most difficult pieces to perform. Orchestra is still my favorite--guess I've always heard it that way. The video photographer needs some piano lessons, why cut away from the keyboard on the best parts?

[@ripinpepperonies9754]

Francesco Piemontesi

[@jackcurley1591]

Mike Surratt it’s tough but nowhere near the most difficult pieces in the piano repertoire.

[@bartwatts1921]

+Jack Curley wrong! It is considered one of the most technically challenging pieces in the repertoire. You’ve clearly not seen this in print.

[@jackcurley1591]

Bart Watts I have seen the score many times. Here are some pieces that are considerably more difficult: Alkan Le Preux, Alkan solo concerto, Liszt 1838 Paganini etudes, Liszt’s 2nd version of the transcendental etudes (not the 1851 version performed today), Liszt’ La Clochette fantasy, Liszt/Beethoven 9, Godowsky’s Passacaglia, Godowsky’s piano sonata, the majority of the Mereaux etudes, etc. you get my point

[@SpaghettiToaster]

@@jackcurley1591 1) You have mentioned so few pieced that the claim "one of the most difficult" remains undisputed and your entire comment is pointless. 2) Le Preux is an excercise in very fast octaves, nothing more. 3) Alkan's solo concerto is 5 times as long as this piece and is mostly difficult because of its length. Not comparable. 4) Both the 1838 paganini etudes and transcendental etudes aren't "more difficult" than the revised versions-they're just written much worse and are awkward and uncomfortable to play. This is why Liszt fixed them and nobody plays them anymore. Bart was talking about pieces in the repertoire; these arent. Obviously, any idiot can write a piece that consists of repeated chords or octaves at unplayable speeds, 12ths spreads or just physiologically impossible intervals without any effort whatsoever. This is absolutely meaningless, however. If there's no musical merit to it and nobody performs it, it's irrelevant. Incidentally, this applies to the Meraux etudes as well, of which only 3 or 4 are that difficult at any rate, and only if you choose to play them fast, which again, is irrelevant as there's absolutely no musical merit to playing them fast (or slow). You might as well argue that the chopin etudes are harder stil, provided you play them at double speed. Not repertoire. Not relevant. 5) Godowsky passacaglia could arguably have some variations that are as or more technically difficult than this one, but again, it's a much longer piece and not comparable at all. 6) Godowsky's sonata is technically easier than the variations, even longer, and its difficulty is so utterly different from this piece that it wouldn't even be comparable if it wasn't 5 times as long. 7) The Beethoven/Liszt transcription is literally over an hour longer than this piece. The most technically difficult parts are in the fourth movement, which only exists transcribed for two pianos.

[@thepianocornertpc]

What a formidable pianist!

[@marcorotondi7613]

Grandissimo Francesco Piemontesi...hai dato all'Uccello di Fuoco la predominanza Ritmica che merita, fuori da ogni mediazione melodica o sinfonica. Emerge la Danza Primitiva da cui origina la Vita stessa. E con essa la Musica. Bravissimo, Maestro. Biologia musicale.... Marco Rotondi

[@Wandelbart]

Wahnsinn!! Yes, he's an orchestra!!

[@db7sib7m]

Astonishing!!

[@douglasevans316]

Marvelous, stupendous, well executed, who'd have thought this orchestral work could have been rendered on piano, and so inspirationally?

[@user-bi9ey1nq1i]

Hes performance is so perfect!!!!! 💗 💗 💗 💗 💗 💗

[@smigump]

Absolutely sublime

[@johnrobertson7381]

Sublime. . . . phenomenal performance. Thanks.

[@GRANDPIANOSERIES]

Che grandissimo pianista!

[@rfyl]

Stravinsky was one of the great orchestrators, and the orchestral version of this is of course as beautiful as can be. But a piano transcription like this shows how much of the beauty does depend just on the actual notes. He was also famous for the distinctive spacing of the notes in the chords, which also changes the character of the harmony. But that shows up more in later works than this. (Think of the unmistakable E Minor chord that opens Symphony of Psalms -- different from any other E Minor chord you have ever heard, and instantly recognizable.)

[@RINCO65]

Amazing performance! Bravo!

[@Haazza]

Ive finally found proof that this is possible to play

[@antoniocoppola7644]

questo ragazzo non solo non fa rimpiangere l'orchestra ma strega l'ascoltatore fermando il tempo per l'intera performance.

[@PianoDreams]

he's kind of good isn't he...

[@EmdrGreg]

; - ) Yeah, kinda. Who knows where he'll go if he keeps practicing... ; - )

[@pleasecontactme4274]

imo better than 'kind of', to me he's quite decent

[@BluePiano1]

Pro QBr not sure whether to r/woosh you or not...

[@pleasecontactme4274]

@@BluePiano1 he definitely meant 'kind of'. Also it's whoooosh dude not whoosh

[@BluePiano1]

Pro QBr first of all, there’s no h 😂 and second, it doesn’t matter how long it is lmao

[@joepattersontheartguy]

Love this!

[@cowsquidman5679]

0:06 and 8:39 are my happiness buttons.

[@sirdicaudore]

Amazing performance!!!

[@ripinpepperonies9754]

Love the extra glissandi he added!

[@bonifaciomusso]

stunning - ...all of it but the last 4 minutes - wowza !!

[@grantveebeejay535]

A tremendous arrangement and the most wonderful pianist. Go go go Francesco!

[@RLS666]

I was waiting for one hell of an applause. :(

[@bobjones4562]

This is what I play when my mom tells go clean my room and I want to express how I feel

[@oliverthomson3843]

Bob Jones hahahahahahahahaa same

[@luciayay]

Hahahhahahaha

[@alexdimitrov1960]

Блестяще!!!

[@gillespoilvet7088]

Really impressive and at same level as the Petrouchka transcription for piano written by Stravinsky himself.

[@siostra-bratem]

Just marvellous !

[@jordanrazowskymusician8178]

BEAUTIFUL!!!! And now that I'm done listening, I'm going to listen to it again and again, and again....

[@JAdamsEden]

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 bravo !

[@IloveCochereau]

This must be very difficult to play. And a magnificent interpretation ... Thumbs up and thanks for posting !

[@kilimanjarno]

3:25-4:25 mad skills.

[@joaomonteiro9619]

Arno Lowi Guess we'll never know, we can only assume... He would probably play it differently though...

[@ebn7722]

Arno Lowi Wouldn't be the first time he'd do so tho

[@user-uz1yn2cf8w]

BRAVO!!!!!!!!😭

[@pinoangelini3644]

una bravura trascendentale, trascinante

[@josecalderonlopez8573]

speachless........amazingly done!! ♡♡

[@dgo9303]

Wonderful ❤❤❤

[@martimtavares3692]

This is absolutely overwhelming. My hat is off

[@baranyaigyorgy1952]

Piemontesi is fantastic!

[@dianalopszyc5356]

Bravo!!! The best!!

[@manuelsoler1132]

God of Piano.

[@vanjavanja3905]

SUPER SUPER SUPERPIANIST!!! BRAVO MAESTRO!!!!

[@Areostyl]

absolute perfection

[@CarbonPhysics]

I just stumbled onto this performance... WOW. Completely blown away. What an amazing talent and performance!

[@mseksich]

Magnifico

[@malcolmnicoll1165]

Igor would be impressed. C’est très formidable.

[@LudwigvanBeethoven2]

This is the final boss theme

[@miguswede-2557]

Bravo!!👍👏

[@NANCYLITTENsalonpiano]

Magnificent! So exciting! And with wonderful orchestral, idiomatic textures. A delight!

[@therainforest4314]

What a beautiful performance! Thank you! :)