The impossible concerto which changed virtuosity forever (feat. Marc-André Hamelin)

[@tonebasePiano]

Thanks for joining us on such wild ride with Busoni and Hamelin! What underrated piano concerto should we investigate next time?

[@imdarealani]

Poulenc.

[@imdarealani]

@@tonebasePiano I don't know if the Barber and late Scriabin "Concertos"/Tone Poems are underrated or not, but I think they are both worth deconstructing!!

[@Chopin1995]

Paderewski's op. 17

[@MrBohuslav]

D'Indy's "Symphonie cévenole" (not exactly a concerto, of course) or Martinu 4 ("Incantations")

[@matthewalexander-thepianist]

Henselt

[@militaryandemergencyservic3286]

Astonishingly, Hamelin also plays tuba in the SAME CONCERTO at 13:01! Check out my channel for more Hamelin-like appearances.

[@feraudyh]

Yes, he should get the Nobel prize for Musical Interpretation.

[@LeanneHolloway-cy2uo]

WHAT THATS INSANE

[@nicksm7980]

I died, lol.

[@Varooooooom]

The noise my mouth made after clicking on this timestamp… ungodly.

[@excelsior999]

Did he also sweep out the Concert Hall after the performance?

[@337336324317313306]

I loved the part where Busoni thought he was just catching music from the ether which is exactly the philosophy I have about composing music when I'm doing it.

[@Ainglish-qj5bb]

EVERYTHING comes from the ether. It's just hubris that we think anything good comes from the conscious mind. Even these words I type now, they are a product of intent, and then the algorithm pushes the words out to my hands.

[@melchestermodelrailway]

Saw it live for the first time this year at the Royal Albert Hall, with Benjamin Grosvenor playing. It was great to hear it.

[@nazarenoorefice2104]

The odd thingh is that althought the piano was invented in Italy , italy has a very scant piano literature compared to most of the european countries France Spain Germany Russia Hungary Norway just to name some. Busoni was one of the few exception in a nation dominated by opera where instrumental music was relegated mostly to opera in the 19th and beginning of 20 th century.

[@yat_ii]

I could tell it's Busoni from the title alone xD

[@classicallpvault]

I could tell from the video still used in the thumbnail.

[@nilskroehl]

Same

[@achat77]

I only guessed it was Busoni when Hamelin was talking about the concerto in the first 30 seconds.

[@ykrgfk]

I knew it was Busoni before I even logged on, so there.

[@kahunaguruguru9809]

Same

[@pianotechlife]

Two main reasons why it is rarely performed is hardly anyone can play it and it is so expensive to produce with the inclusion of a full male chorus. Love it though. First came across it in college, didn't like it at first, but I kept listening to it anyway to try to understand it. I have since loved this concerto for more than 10 years.

[@patrickgomes2213]

Your reasons for it not being played are completely accurate. Aside from it needing a true virtuoso, it's the same reason orchestra management doesn't go out of its way to program Mahler or Bruckner. It's not that the public doesn't or can't appreciate it, it's just expensive to get that many people on stage.

[@BarnieSnyman]

As a pianist, I'd have to ask myself if learning to play this is really worth it. Life is so short...

[@Chopin1995]

Exactly what I'm thinking. Respect to Hamelin, one of the greatest.

[@MrNicks-gn8jc]

Tellef Johnson is close to recording Sorabji's Opus ArchMagicum.....a SIX HOUR PIANO SONATA..... .....and Jonathan Powell released the first full recording of Sorabj's Sequencia Cyclia.......NINE HOURS

[@tonebasePiano]

I totally agree that difficulty itself is not an indicator of quality by any means. When I listen to this piece, though, the difficulty is merely a feature of the musicality, a means by which the ideas are communicated. And indeed to my ear there is something quite incredible about musical ideas which are generally within the late romantic tradition, taken to the utmost extremes of physicality and composition.

[@EElgar1857]

The best things Busoni "wrote" are his sensitive transcriptions of older masterpieces. No original works of his interest me in the slightest.

[@jonathane2710]

why not learn it? life is so short

[@militaryandemergencyservic3286]

at 20:34 you see the famous six-fingered man. His thumb is behind the score he is holding, so you can't see all 6 of his digits.

[@Stevie-Steele]

Thankyou for spotlighting this Concerto! It's one of the MANY amazing Romantic-era Concertos that has been revived and given a stellar recording by Hyperion - the "Romantic Piano Concerto" series by them is one of the GREATEST jewels in the world of Classical recording. So many outstanding works - the 3 Medtner Concertos are among the greatest - as are the Scharwenka concertos. So many delights in that series for those looking to explore the underrated works that are outside the "standard repertoire". Of the works I'd love to see reach "mainstream status" - I'd include the Medtner 1st and the Scharwenka 4th - outstanding works.

[@hostrauer]

Medtner and Scharwenka are great, as are Sergei Bortkiewicz's concertos.

[@John-se5vc]

Legendary recordings of this piece are perhaps more numerous than one would think. I heard Marc-Andre play it live--I was lucky. I got to know it when Ogdon was making his recording with Revenaugh. I would say, with my hat off to Marc-Andre, that Ogdon's recording may be the most incendiary of them all. I love this concerto, and own the piano score with Petri's orchestral reduction, as well as the orchestral miniature score, which contains the large cadenza.

[@maximilianb.8789]

Excellent production quality (as always)! Great explanation, showing the video and score, with perfect matching. Shows how much effort / perfection goes into it.

[@tinyisnotugly9146]

Always nice seeing Hamelin on the channel. He’s always so insightful and amazing

[@Richard-hv5hh]

I enjoyed your commentary very much. I don't have any technical knowledge of music nor play an instrument, but I know a few of the great piano concertos. I came across the Busoni a couple of years ago and have listened to a few different recordings but the concerto has always been too difficult for me to sit through and appreciate and you referred to this in your talk. But I am going to try it again and listen to the Hamelin version with the hope that I have a breakthrough! I can appreciate through your talk what a brilliant and original mind he had as well as fantastic skills as a pianist. The effect he had on his contemporaries and their respect is very evident. As a Sibelius lover, I was very impressed that his beloved 5th was aided by Busoni. That speaks volumes. So, thank you for taking the time to put the work in context and inspiring me to try and try again to appreciate its wonders.

[@tonebasePiano]

I'm so glad that you are encouraged to give this piece another chance! No matter what, listening to it with a full understanding of Busoni's compositional philosophy makes a huge difference. I also definitely recommend Erinn Knyt's "Ferruccio Busoni and his Legacy" if you are interested in hearing more about his influence on Sibelius and others.

[@Bobbias]

I was not at all aware of Busoni before watching this. That is a wild piece, and it seems incredibly fitting that the most famous recording be of Marc-André Hamelin.

[@RWinkley02124]

Thank you for featuring this work. Its sprawling form and texture are ubiquitously cosmic!

[@tonebasePiano]

Cosmic is exactly the right word!

[@Tenormind]

This is one of the richest and most beautiful masterpieces ever! Both piano, orchester and chorus lines are incredible. I’ve had the chance to sing it last year and Kirill Gerstein was the pianist and he truely shined. While tarantella part is bombastic and gives me life, I find that touch of male chorus at the end of the concerto simply sublime! I wish there were more productions to propose public this immense work! And thanks for this amazing video! 🙌🏼🤩

[@stevenwebb2241]

I LOVE this piece, i've been listening to Hamelin's performance for quite a while.

[@EliasCohen881]

I prefer David Lively's recording.

[@tufsoft1]

I was lucky enough to hear a performance of Busoni's opera "Doktor Faust" may 30 years ago, the most amazing opera I ever heard, some of the choral writing unimaginably beautiful.

[@michaelbrodsky1221]

Thanks very much for this eloquent, lucid and inspiring introduction to the Busoni concerto.

[@tonebasePiano]

Thanks for your kind comment, I'm glad you found it insightful!

[@currawong2011]

You struggled with this piece? I recall hearing a tape of a John Ogden performance (prior to his recording of it) in about @1960...Instantly magnificent....no struggle, no mystery, just awe inspiring.

[@tonebasePiano]

I totally agree with you now. But as you can probably see from the comments here, that feeling is certainly not ubiquitous - this piece is extremely divisive. I'm very happy though that you fell in love right away.

[@excelsior999]

Maestro Hamelin is beyond incredible. I think that any pianist who can just remember all of the notes in this piece should get a Standing Ovation.

[@pghagen]

Thank you for explaining Busoni's pianoconcerto. I have to admit I never heard this concerto before. I think because of the fact that there are a few pianist who have this concerto on their repertoire except Hamelin. So now I'm going to listen to this concerto.

[@tonebasePiano]

Great, let us know what you think once you listen to it!

[@josesolismusic]

I needed to go to the bathroom like 15 minutes ago and I can put this video on pause, but I'm so fascinated by this, I just keep watching until the end. I had no idea about this piano concerto before, and the fact that it has a choir at the end shocked me. Thank you so much for this video and sorry if the first sentence it was TMI, but I think it proves a point. lol

[@pookz3067]

Pleasantly surprised to see Igor Levit. Would love to see more of him on tonebase content!

[@PeterFamiko-lw8ue]

Why igor

[@ccktravis4128]

hamelin should make a tonebase course on this piece… for beginners of course

[@famalex6325]

Scriabin Prometheus is also masterpiece with Orchestra, Piano and a huge Chorus, gr8 vid btw,...

[@trimatch-king6103]

A piece of music deserves attention in proportion of what it brings to humanity.

[@pineapplesareyummy6352]

Find the most difficult work(s) ever written. Chances are Hamelin played it, and he is the only one who can play it well.

[@dorfmanjones]

On the contrary. Half a dozen pianists were/are exceptional in this work. Start w/Gerstein.

[@pmarq32]

Thanks for showcasing this piece. It's possibly the greatest, and probably most insane piano concerto ever written. I recently had the great honor of hearing Kirill Gerstein perform this monstrosity with the London Symphony Orchestra in November. It was the most amazing performance I've ever seen in my whole life, and I've seen many. Garrick Ohlsson's recording of it is legendary.

[@tonebasePiano]

I'm jealous - I can't wait for the opportunity to hear it live!

[@fernandobnoliveira]

And to think that John Ogdon wanted to play it at the 1962 Tchaikovsky Competition. 😂

[@BobJeff-x3u]

what's funny about that?

[@fernandobnoliveira]

@BobJeff-x3u In truth, nothing... except that this piano concerto was not included in the list that the competition presents to the candidates and that it would take a great deal of effort for the event's organizers to provide a male choir for a candidate. Besides, it is very long. In the end, along with Tchaikovsky's 1st concerto, Ogdon played Liszt's 1st, winning the competition tied with Ashkenazy.

[@toothlesstoe]

First time I heard this concerto, I was bored out of my mind for some reason, but maybe I shouldn't have been. I'll have to revisit this work in the near future perhaps.

[@MattSmith-il4tc]

I've loved this concerto ever since I was just getting into classical music. I heard the Ogdon recording included in the Greatest Pianists of the 20th Century set and just limmediately loved it. Never understood why it was considered somewhat controversial. I think it's got wonderful, memorable melodies, and I'm a sucker for anything with Men's chorus.

[@stephenhall3515]

Thank you for giving information and stimulating deeper exploration of Busoni's huge contribution to music's possibilities, many of which happened in the new century.

[@tonebasePiano]

Thanks for your comment! It is pretty incredible to think about how he predicted a lot of the trends of the 20th century.

[@rogerward8047]

This was fascinating, Robert. Thank you. Tonebase is a rich source of information.

[@jerry_moo]

God - that Grosvenor v. Hamelin comparison at 11:42 is just crazy to see. You can't even circumvent the fast arpeggios with rubato, as it has to synchronise with the orchestra as a core component of the passage!

[@franklavier]

Piano Concerto No. 2 - Nikolai Medtner ... an underrated masterpiece

[@Pablo-gl9dj]

Thanks for your 2 cents worth. They are discussing Busoni.😂😂

[@f.p.2010]

I prefer the first one, his use of single-form is incredible

[@andrewmiles3378]

@@Pablo-gl9dj Did you see the question posed at the very beginnng of the comments? I think not!

[@richardwattenbarger6424]

This is a nice introduction to the Busoni concerto, a work whose significance many commentators have long failed to appreciate. It's also worthwhile to understand this piece in the context of Liszt's Eine Faust-Symphonie, one of its most important predecessors (albeit in a different genre). The "giveaway" is the trajectory of the last two movements of the Busoni, which, as in the Liszt, traces a path through an outrageous scherzo that culminates (perhaps surprisingly in Busoni's case) in a strange, otherworldly finale incorporating a male chorus. Of course, Busoni's use of the Oehlenschläger text seems to render the finale something of a gentle parody of the Faust conclusion, but that seems only fitting: it would have been unimaginably naive to attempt to top the Goethe its deeply serious connotations.

[@tonebasePiano]

Thank you so much for bringing this connection into the conversation! The idea of the finale being a mild parody makes a lot of sense, given Busoni's humor and overall loving irreverence towards history and "canon".

[@DanielRobertspiano]

I love this concerto!

[@imdarealani]

My favorite piano concerto!!!!

[@picksalot1]

Busoni's transcription of the Bach Chaconne also had a profound impact on the development of the Classical Guitar into a concert instrument: "Segovia's transcription of the Chaconne, heavily influenced by Ferruccio Busoni's piano arrangement, demonstrated the guitar's capacity for profound musical expression and technical virtuosity. This performance cemented the guitar's place as a serious concert instrument, moving it beyond its perceived limitations as a primarily folk or accompaniment instrument. It redefined the instrument's artistic potential, expanded its repertoire, and significantly contributed to its rise as a respected and beloved concert instrument." For those who love the Guitar as well as the Violin, and Piano, there is a wonderful article by Christopher Berg called Bach, Busoni, Segovia, and the Chaconne" worth reading.

[@meyerbeer13]

Busoni's transcription shows this chaconne is not as amazing on piano as on solo violin. I like the c minor organ chaconne better for keyboard.

[@fazliddinerkaboyev6568]

The best piano concerto!! I have been listening to this gem for one month everyday. It took only a week to understand this concerto. ❤️❤️❤️💥💥

[@Pablo-gl9dj]

Yup. 65 minutes of emptiness and 5 minutes of so called inspiration.

[@fazliddinerkaboyev6568]

@Pablo-gl9dj Listen again and again. It's a very easy concerto.

[@tonebasePiano]

Epic!!!

[@richardberkeley4511]

Very well presented. Thanks very much.

[@advikthepianokid4583]

MAH is a treat to have on this channel!

[@thisismoyukhsworld2022]

This is the Hammerklavier Equivalent of All Piano Concertos.

[@gsherlock]

My favorite piano concerto. I have 10 or 11 different recoding's of this concerto including Hamelin's but I love Garrick Ohlssen's performance, it has the scale, weight and extraordinary beauty. Not the best recorded orchestral sound by todays standards but its the Ohlsson's clear lines and dynamics that carry the day for me.

[@zanoryxx4353]

i thought you were going to be talking about alkans concerto for solo piano

[@Jinkaza1882]

I have never listened to this. I am going to wait on this vid till afterwards. See you in a bit.

[@tonebasePiano]

Great approach :)

[@Jinkaza1882]

At 25 minutes I was thinking, "Ok. Where are we going?" At 44 minutes I was on board for the through-composed nature and decided to treat it like a musical lazy river. 56:41 "But Wait!! There's more!" *add choir If the Beatles listened to this, and started rummaging through all the song fragments and boom! A day in the life was made, it would quirky and in the wheelhouse. Buzoni out in front of the rest of us it seems. I have long held that there is a piece by every composer that can speak to you and let you into their world. I am not sure if this was it for me and Buzoni, but i am intrigued.

[@tonebasePiano]

This is awesome, I love reading the play-by-play of your experience. I really appreciate that you approached it with an open mind, even if it did not completely win you over by the end. I think it is important to approach listening in this way!

[@QuocBinh-us7lb]

One indelible experience was watching Rosalyn Tureck playing Busoni's transcription of Bach's Chaconne for solo violin.

[@dorfmanjones]

I discovered the Busoni piano concerto back in 1966, with John Ogdon's pioneer recording. I was 16 and was a devotee of that work even before I had heard Mahler symphonies. By now I'm long familiar with Doktor Faust and Die Brautwahl operas and the Fantasia Contrappuntistica and dozens of other overtures and piano pieces. When one thinks of pianist/composers who specialized in opera, there's Mozart of course.. And then there's Busoni. It's tough to think of another. One piece I would recommend to ambitious Tonebase pianists with superior chops is the Fantasy on Themes of Doktor Faust by Ronald Stevenson. It comes with a prelude and fugue (which I don't play.) But the fantasy was conceived by itself (Ogdon prevailed on Stevenson to precede it with a fugue so as to compare with the Franck prelude, chorale and fugue) but performed alone it makes a repertoire piece on the level of the Liszt Dante Sonata. Also there are already many great live recordings of the Busoni piano concerto: Scarpini (3!), Gerstein, David Lively with the Busonian, Micheal Gielen!, and Peter Donohoe. They're all fabulous. Live is always best.

[@dhamaryder]

Very well done video. Enjoyed the humor too. Great job.

[@tonebasePiano]

So happy you enjoyed, and always glad if I can bring a laugh or two alongside great music.

[@Paulofibonelli]

The last moviment “cântico” is one of the most beautiful music ever composed

[@NimrodTargaryen]

Thank you so much for sharing

[@pyramo3170]

This is my favorite concerto and has been since I saw that legendary recording. Before I saw that specific recording I didn’t really care for it as the energy within that recording doesn’t really exist in the ones I heard prior. As I’m a young g pianist myself my big dream would be to rival that recording in the next decade or so. One can dream….

[@tonebasePiano]

Go for it, and I will look forward to hearing your interpretation someday!

[@SSNewberry]

At 13 I grew addicted to this piece.

[@max22able]

13:54 JMH not looking at the keyboard even once. How does he do that?

[@erybotond]

The keys aren't going anywhere, I guess :P

[@max22able]

​@@erybotond Yes, I know the road leads to Rome but I still need to look where I'm going to get there.

[@stanthonyofpadua1]

During your intro I'm like, "Is it Busoni? Surely it's Busoni. Say Busoni! SAY IT!!!"

[@nb-zk7pt]

I've always loved this piece, ever since encountering, in the mid-70's, the EMI recording with pianist John Ogdon and Daniell Revenaugh conducting the Royal Philharmonic. Back then, is was generally viewed by many as a gross monstrosity and entirely derivative of other composers. Now that it has become much more frequently performed and familiar, as has Busoni's output in general, the individual voice which is strongly present is now more clearly perceived. The original perception, and subsequent modification of that perception, is similar to what happened with Mahler, who also turned obvious detivations into something powerfully, and unmistakenly his own. It's wonderful that the true vastness and limitless variety of the entire available repertoire is now finally coming into focus.

[@dorfmanjones]

I agree. It's 100% Busoni. You just have to become familiar with his other works, especially Doktor Faust. The secret I think is his statement that if the interval is strongly enough felt and closely argued, then regardless of how it might strike the ear, the determinative note is correct. The polarities of consonance and dissonance begin to break down.

[@nb-zk7pt]

@dorfmanjones I had the distinct privilege and pleasure of hearing Hamelin perform the Busoni Concerto some years ago with Litton and the Dallas Symphony.

[@jordannelson7911]

Busoni, while challenging, is usually very pianistic. He had a near-perfect understanding of technique.

[@Snuggelbubs1]

You're videoing from Finland?? That was unexpected...

[@stefanbernhard2710]

Fantastic concerto under the right pianist and orchestra. Hamelin and Grosvenor are the best imo. Took about 5 listening until it "clicked."

[@Qorable]

I want to hear about Busoni’s Fantasia Contrappuntistica too! The texture of this piece is very dense and interesting.

[@nicholasoberling6653]

Suffers from the same symptoms Scrabin exhibited in his Preparations for the Final Mystery, in my opinion.

[@paulhermansen6196]

Awesome video! Any idea where one could find the original german text to the Oehlenschläger play?

[@RichardThyme-x5e]

I was amazed that little tiny Clara Haskik recorded the Busonis violin sonata with Szeryng. He was impressed w/her. Busoni's six Sonatinas say a lot about him but not maybe so much musical. I got the Busonis when I first sawOgdon recording. Der. Busoni they called him in Berlin. Big personality but he worked hard since Italy was full of operacomposers practically s burlesque traveling show in 19th century. A 1904 audience awed by a reputation he actually wrote the BachVheconne in Boston. Truly he got Bach and his treatment is the greatest music imaginable. It makes one wonder why Bach orLiszt didn't write it out further.Op.39 is incredible but not musically so because HerrB was a Searcher,a dreamer and in the 2nd mov. a lot of comic cosmic virtuosity!

[@andrewanderson6121]

A big, sadly neglected concerto that deserves attention is that of Arthur Bliss, beautifully recorded by Solomon.

[@roberttendl8592]

Ok. I 'm going to transcribe this for solo guitar. The chorus passages will have to be sung by the guitarist as well! Just you wait! ;)

[@tonebasePiano]

I can't wait. I'm sure Busoni would have loved it.

[@IanKnight40]

I love Hamlins recording of it on Hyperion. My first recording of it was Garrick Ohlsson.. thats ace too! Lets hope Ben Grosvenor records it.

[@petychka2]

So many notes? So many words!

[@deutekom2004]

The concerto presents an intriguing challenge; too often, pianists turn it into a series of isolated high points, losing the cohesive beauty of the whole. This piece transcends mere showpieces-it's a rich tapestry of emotion and artistry that demands a deeper connection to truly shine.

[@tonebasePiano]

Extremely well said.

[@JWentu]

thumbs up also for the good pronounciation of italian words

[@jppitman1]

I know the woman who, along with her husband, ran Pro Musica Hebraica at the Kennedy Center. The series engaged Hamelin to perform one evening. Mrs. K. said that when the pianist arrived, after a while he wanted to head into Georgetown to buy some new shoes. So, he left. Time passed and no Hamelin. More time passed and no Hamelin. The concert start time was getting very, very close and Mrs. K. was wondering what had happened to him and was getting a bit nervous. FINALLY Mr. Hamelin arrived……....with his new shoes.

[@rilesbronson7990]

The great Charles Krauthammer!

[@peteacher52]

I'm thinking Alkan! It has to be Alkan, the composer who at a certain point in a piece, instructed the pianist to cross himself then play as fast as possible. Did Busoni leave metronome markings? Perhaps he had whole beat timing in mind which would make the concerto more achievable.

[@thisismoyukhsworld2022]

How much more difficult this concerto, compared to Rach 3????

[@epthopper]

it’s just as technically difficult, twice as long, and much weirder and difficult to interpret

[@gojewla]

Please…This piece might receive some popularity nowadays since people seem to value pieces with empty virtuosity and very little musical value. How many “this is harder than la Campanella” videos are there now? How many 2nd and 3rd rate “forgotten masterpieces” posted on here have comments sections filled with comments praising their value?

[@dennisdeez123]

Ppl can have opinions though /:

[@infopiano]

Check for pianist Christopher Falzone‘s solo version on the subject ( he played with orchestra as well). Thanks!

[@DanMusceac]

If the piano could speak it would cry for HELP.

[@JamesCaserta-e8c]

The harder the piece, the easier for Hamelin to play.

[@dwdei8815]

Many years ago I read or heard that Busoni had created a "perfect" scale - I think it was 18 "semitones" from octave to octave. And the notes of the major scale fell into a completely even relationship with each other. Is there any material out there that evokes the sort of tonal architecture he was driving at? I've never heard so much as a second's worth and a burning curiosity to has niggled at me ever since.

[@dorfmanjones]

He wanted the whole step to be divided into thirds rather than semitones. But then you'd lose the half step. The solution? Another keyboard also divided into thirds but tuned a semitone up from the 1st instrument. That way you could preserve conventional harmony within a far larger whole. You could still include a simple triad.

[@peterirons9773]

I've heard it but it didn't greatly move me

[@splinky45]

Way way too long of an introduction

[@levimatheri7682]

Agreed

[@IvarsBezdechi]

At least we could be warned to pack a lunch...

[@diogenes2550]

Yeah, blah, blah, blah.

[@cescllopis]

Superflously witty, superfl. intelligent,..i.e. bla-bla!

[@stevenqirkle]

Thought this was going to be about Rush E

[@luoboeguy]

I was going to guess Prokofiev 2. I see we're in Busoni-town.

[@MrNicks-gn8jc]

Busoni: This is what a proper piece should have in terms of complexity ! Alkan: ....say less...... Sorabji: Teacher, I got something for you to consider Wychenagrasky: Missing notes ! Finnessey: BORING TIME !

[@kingconcerto5860]

The Busoni piano concerto features one of the most incredible introductions ever written, but ultimately seems to go nowhere. I play the Ogdon recording occasionally, but for whatever reason the work fails to hold my attention for long after that glorious introduction and the entrance of the piano. I generally enjoy bombastic works, but this concerto seems to be overly bombastic and doesn't contain enough interesting musical ideas to hold the listeners' attention- it's just never clicked for me.

[@jppitman1]

The National Symphony Orchestra in DC performed this about a decade ago, but I do not remember who the pianist was who played it. I don’t remember much from the piece but that it was extremely virtuosic and that my wife said that it seemed, to her ears, as just a constant supply of arpeggios and she kind of lost interest in it, especially after more than an hour. She didn’t find a hook to hang her coat upon. I, however, intend to buy a copy to try it out again and spend some time with it.

[@kingconcerto5860]

@@jppitman1 The Ogdon recording is the one to get, without question.

[@HodGabriel]

tl;dr - Busoni Piano Concerto in C major

[@gersoncoelho]

1:47 do you have permission for these images? :)

[@classicallpvault]

I'm sure I'll learn to appreciate this at times purposely grotesque work to the full extent someday, I'll have another few listens next couple of weeks. See if it grows on me like the Reger concerto did.

[@tonebasePiano]

I have to admit I don't know the Reger, I will give it a listen! I think "grotesque" is a great word though. While preparing the script for this video I was thinking of mentioning Symphonie Fantastique, which comes to mind when listening to the Busoni. Indeed they both are grotesque in their excess in a way that is quite effective.

[@conork325]

It's frustrating that recorded orchestral performances have not received the detail, precision, and creativity of multi microphone recordings (beyond the stereo mic tree and handful of spot and audience mics) - to be mixed in post, to conjure up a magic that an engineer and mixer being directed by a conductor could bring to our ears.

[@patrickgomes2213]

I shrug. The notion that audiences in 2025 would have difficulties listening to or figuring out this concerto and its reasons for being is beyond me. I understand why people of the past would have such troubles, but our sound world includes a symphony with chorus - Beethoven's 9th - not to mention (which you did) his Choral Fantasy, but all of the other logical extensions of the form of symphony and concerto and opera that were done by composers like Wagner and Mahler and Brahms (among others) people who took music into grand territories that are part of our sound world. Some of their works shocked audiences because of how they challenged the form. These pieces are, if not outright beloved, certainly recognized as masterpieces today. That Busoni isn't recognized yet except among the cognoscenti is troubling, but we hope this will pass.

[@leonardo.labrada]

[7:30] best meme ever on a piano video

[@HakoréPiano906]

anyone taking a 5 second glance at this piece would know its hard by any pianists standards. there need be no explanation on why it is difficult honestly. anything an hour long is difficult enough but mix it with impossible technique, it creates a nightmare to perform

[@maximilianb.8789]

I know the outro piece from hearing, but what is it?

[@canibanoglu9643]

Featuring Marc-Andre Hamelin means they're using his famous recording, not that he's actually in the video.

[@dennisdeez123]

Yeah he is. Clips from his tone base lessons are in here

[@canibanoglu9643]

@@dennisdeez123 For 2 seconds at 0:09. Garrick Ohlsson and Igor Levit are both featured more. Don't really care what you say, this was just baiting.

[@dennisdeez123]

@@canibanoglu9643 lol tell me you didn’t watch the video without telling me

[@canibanoglu9643]

@@dennisdeez123 Waiting for you to send me a timestamp where Hamelin is *talking* for longer than Ohlsson or Levit.

[@ronl7131]

MAH: great guy….Highest Artistry

[@jannis11]

Nice

[@IrishGoat2828]

For the first 2 mins I thought it was one of meters piano concertos

[@imdarealani]

Medtner's concertos are fantastic as well!!

[@tonebasePiano]

Oooh, great idea for a future video! Medtner is a fascinating topic, and his concertos are incredible!

[@ConcordMass]

Sorabji enters the chat:

[@charlesbernard3042]

So there's nothing musically written too impossibly/impassably difficult to perform. But perfectly by all stage presence musicians on that momentums event where not one note is miss-played, miss-represented/expressed/nuanced ever? All musicians never displayed anything at all. They never dissed the playance of notes anywhere. They simply/easily played the sounds as the magic they are. What planet is this from?

[@VTownGregory]

I've tried for decades to enjoy this piece but have yet to get to that point. It makes me antsy and uncomfortable. I play many of his transcriptions and have always admired Doktor Faustus. I give up before I get to the men's chorus. I enjoyed this analysis, but doubt if I'll ever listen to it again. It's too long and I've had a long life.

[@tonebasePiano]

Thanks for your comment! It is certainly not for everyone, and I appreciate that you have approached it with an open mind.

[@stephenfleschler9682]

Thank you for your analysis. It is not one of my pieces that I prefer (although I like other Busoni works). I have 61,300 LPs/CDs/78s/R2Rs. I am 69 and have at least 10,000 piano recordings, solo, concerto, chamber. Give me Mozart/Beethoven/Brahms/Alkan/Lizst/Schumann/Schubert/Prokofiev/Scriabin/Rachmaninoff over most Busoni. I prefer listening to Moscheles Etudes any day to this work (not same at all). Besides the Hamelin performance which is magnificent, I have the Ogden and Ohlsson recordings, heard once only and shelved. Parts of the concerto are nice but as a gargantuan, grandiose work, just not great.

[@jedrzejsteszewski6694]

Moscheles Etudes. Good for you. Let us stick to Busoni.

[@stephenfleschler9682]

@@jedrzejsteszewski6694 I also prefer his Indian Fantasy (love that one), Fantasia Contrapuntistica (wherein much of it reminds me of Bartok) but it just seems too long (unlike Bartok). My favorite Busoni works are Turandot and Arlecchino. I've also experienced Doktor Faust (really enjoy the orchestral cortege) but I prefer less severe operas (choreography was great), I have all the recordings mentioned as well. The problem with the Hamlin (who is great) but the somber and extra long version of the orchestra is stressful and tedious. Pick the Ohlssen for a better overall performance but in parts only for my taste. Busoni's Bach arrangements are like new compositions and those I really like (such as several Chaconnes).