Sergei Bortkiewicz - 4 Piano Pieces Op. 10 (audio + sheet music)

Sergei Bortkiewicz (1877-1952) was a Romantic composer and pianist.
Bortkiewicz's piano style was very much based on Liszt and Chopin, nurtured by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, early Scriabin, Wagner and Russian folklore. He was unaffected by the music trends of the 20th century - the composer never saw himself as a "modernist" as can be seen from his Künstlerisches Glaubensbekenntnis, written in 1923. His workmanship is meticulous, his imagination colourful and sensitive, his piano writing idiomatic; a lush instrumentation underlines the essential sentimentality of the melodic invention. But Bortkiewicz was not merely an imitator - he very much had his own style that drew upon all the influences of his life and that can be immediately recognised as a typically Bortkiewicz tone: lyrical and nostalgic.
(Wikipedia)
Please take note that the audio AND sheet music ARE NOT mine. Feel free to change the video quality to a minimum of 480p for the best watching experience.
Performer: Jouni Somero (FC Records, 2012)
Sheet music: imslp.org/wiki/4_Pieces,_Op.1...) (D. Rahter, 1909)

[@JouniSomeroMusic]

Thank You again! 😁

[@thenameisgsarci]

No, my friend, thank YOU. :)

[@steveegallo3384]

@@thenameisgsarci -- What are you thanking HIM for? I don't get it.......

[@thenameisgsarci]

@@steveegallo3384 wow, how ungrateful

[@steveegallo3384]

@@thenameisgsarci -- Why? Your gratitude should be Merited! YOU do all the Heavy Lifting....and yet Thank lazy slackers and parasites like me....for What? For feasting off your bounty? Good works....Charity? That you condescend to share with the unworthy lot of us? [Sorry, I just opened a bottle of Izidro....haven't enjoyed Madeira in years but it's a nice change from the local Papalometl Tobolo....Cheers!]

[@thenameisgsarci]

@@steveegallo3384 bruh, the performers always deserve more of the credit than me.

[@timward276]

Feels like it's halfway between Chopin and Rachmaninoff.

[@gadielvalverde2096]

And Scriabin

[@goldberg72]

Esatto

[@user-lj1sc9bs4t]

後期ロマン派はそんなもんです過去の影響を受けている様に、後期古典のベートーヴェンにもハイドンやモーツァルトと言った先輩方に影響を受けました。

[@cristianoluchetta153]

and Liszt too

[@user-uo8yh9tb8g]

I'd never heard of Bortkiewicz before, shame on me... I can't imagine any fan of Chopin or Scriabin; or romantic era piano music in general, not liking this... thanks for sharing it

[@looney1023]

Number 3 sounds like a fantasy on Debussy's First Arabesque. Absolutely gorgeous!

[@butterflies6538]

No, rather sibelius!!

[@andreassorg7294]

@@butterflies6538 no, Kilpinen mixed with Berwald and a little Halvorsen

[@andresguillermoalvarezlope418]

U can't just say a piece sound like *insert a musical form* of another just cauz of 1 similar motif

[@marinadela1361]

The 3rd piece is just breath-taking beautiful.

[@SCRIABINIST]

The pentatonic playfullness in the 3rd Etude is addictively satisfying

[@duanjeremy1173]

I am getting addicted to the ballade. Not at the same level as Chopin or Liszt’s ballades in terms of composing techniques but it is just so beautiful and I can’t stop listening to it.

[@andreassorg7294]

Be careful...

[@coolcolt2611]

Same. One of the only pieces i find myself listening to the whole song

[@randiey95]

Agreed. Especially on 3:51

[@annulrsolformrkelse4023]

00:07 no. 1 Ballade 07:05 no. 2 Mazurka 10:01 no. 3 Etude (Fontaine Lumineuse) 15:04 no. 4 Etude

[@stefanoferlaino1895]

Thanks bro

[@annulrsolformrkelse4023]

@@stefanoferlaino1895 you're welcome

[@marcovillalobos9059]

You're a hero

[@PieInTheSky9]

With a section at 15:44 that sounds like Liszt's second transcendental etude.

[@marcovillalobos9059]

@@PieInTheSky9 ok, and?

[@PieInTheSky9]

Listening to Bortkiewicz always makes me feel like I'm constantly being reminded of other piano pieces and composers. His work is so full of references and similarities to other works and composer, it's almost fascinating (this is NOT a criticism, I'm rather a fan of Bortkiewicz's music and no composer is without their musical influences).

[@SvetoslavSlavovPiano]

My thoughts exacty! I'm still trying to adjust to the fact that this composer is an individual and not a mold between Chopin and Rachmaninoff

[@MrMikusha]

Every piece is stunning, brilliant compositor.

[@ryacoli]

The Mazurka is just exquisite!

[@AsrielKujo]

it is indeeeeeeddd

[@ericmo5093]

it kind of sounds like grand valse brilliante

[@robertcohn8858]

One of the most beautiful piano works I've heard in many long months. Thanks so much for posting this gem.

[@Dylonely42]

0:06 I. Ballade (Andante cantabile) 7:04 II. Mazurka (Allegretto scherzando) 10:00 III. Etude (Allegro ma non troppo) 15:03 IV. Etude (Vivace)

[@MrFrapado]

I can hear Albeniz in this music. Beautiful! 🥰🥰🥰🎵🎹🎶

[@InfernalPasquale]

Beautiful pieces, fascinating life

[@jfpary7336]

Charming pieces. Wonderfully played. Perfect.

[@JouniSomeroMusic]

Thank You!

[@kwanryan5914]

Cool ballade

[@emilyhutjes]

So very beautiful. Thank you. 🌷🌷🌷🎹🎵🎶 (Netherlands)

[@JouniSomeroMusic]

😊

[@Benjamin-lq3sf]

wonderful pieces. Thank you

[@nicolettaguglielmo7186]

Fantastic! 💖👏👏👏

[@Jimyblues]

Ty Uploader, always appreciate the score especially when it’s music I haven’t heard before. Well written and enjoyable !

[@monition5655]

Wow. Wonderful works. Thanks for sharing

[@user-bf4zk1vx1h]

impressive work

[@mariaalicevolpe3648]

Belíssima peça musical e belíssima interpretação pianística!

[@pslogge]

Excellent piano works, finely played. Thank you.

[@JouniSomeroMusic]

Thank You!

[@arnoldschoenberg7575]

I especially love the Mazurka

[@none5020]

My WiFi completely died about three times every time I tried to watch this specific video, and yet worked in between all of those times. Talk about some bad timing, finally here to enjoy it.

[@thenameisgsarci]

Are you one of my people with horrible internet?

[@none5020]

@@thenameisgsarci I don't understand what you mean by my people, but I am in a cheap hotel so maybe?

[@thenameisgsarci]

@@none5020 ok, maybe not. i would've assumed you're in the same country as i am. XD

[@none5020]

@@thenameisgsarci Oh, definitely not. I'm in the United States, most populated places have extremely good connection here.

[@worstpianist3985]

@@thenameisgsarci I’m in the U.S but my internet is pretty bad 🥲

[@tainokreb5200]

All pieces are gorgeous, though I enjoy no.3 the most. Pentatonic runs can sound so beautiful sometimes

[@pianist-moko]

Beautiful💕✨🎶💐

[@lacampanellal]

Восхитительно!

[@RaptorT1V]

Amazing!

[@marcela77777]

2.50 👌 Amazing performance! So nice music... 🌹

[@JouniSomeroMusic]

Thank You!

[@rodrigovalenzuelar]

Also a bit of Debussy on 4th mvmnt, romantic vangardism , there's also a slice of flamenco cadenza. Really impressive piece.

[@sibelio]

Man this is Chopin etude :) almost even directly taken

[@TheBroadcastStudio365]

Wonderful

[@ivegotallluck]

Wow... Ballade is magnificent! I need to get a lesson for learning that piece! Thx!!

[@stefanoferlaino1895]

The first reminds me a lot of impromptu op 12 n 2 by Scriabin

[@kwanryan5914]

Nah it's only the beginning left hand configurations. But the whole piece does sound like an early stage scriabin

[@RaptorT1V]

Шедевральные пьесы!

[@AlbertoSegovia.]

Luminous fountain: allegro ma non troppo… maybe the “not too much” part was eschewed in favor of agile showmanship. Amazing Bort, the ending at the third; so magical. And the pianist is top rate! (Hand size helps - Ballade’s humongous span at 10th measure, anyone?)

[@AlbertoSegovia.]

Maybe if he had not chosen a high speed, there would be less problems of control in the coda.

[@ivankuligovskii5046]

The fontain etude is Chopin Andante Spianato mixed with Debussy Arabesque

[@xMarkerz]

No. 3 is like an Andante Spianato/Arabesque love child.

[@AlbertoSegovia.]

Yes! Bad choice of tempo, though. It sounds troppo allegro to me.

[@menacer42]

4th one reminds me of chopin etude 10-10

[@almogbenchen6282]

it's almost like a combination of that and 25-9

[@bozzigmupp510]

@@almogbenchen6282 that is so right lol

[@wadstropl7985]

Even sheet music looks similar

[@skiskiskis]

It has the same melody and 2 against 3 rhythm

[@PieInTheSky9]

15:44 sounds like Liszt's second transcendental etude

[@RaptorT1V]

No.1 Ballade reminds me of Resident Evil 7 Save room OST

[@braydonjackson7184]

Why did I not expect threes to be as good as they were 😭

[@kuang-licheng402]

nice

[@LudwigvanBeethoven2]

Underrated composer. Maybe because his last name is hard to read?

[@cristianoluchetta153]

you're right! 😂

[@martathequenn3835]

For me between Debussy and Rachmaninoff :) genial pianist. It it impossible to be such a virtuoso wow :)

[@JouniSomeroMusic]

Thank You!

[@dzordzszs]

​@@JouniSomeroMusicThank you very much for recording all these wonderful and often undeservedly neglected works!

[@JouniSomeroMusic]

😊@@dzordzszs

[@wuoltersiano1006]

Last etude is similar to Chopin etude op. 10 n 10.

[@masanft]

✨✨✨✨

[@almogbenchen6282]

The start of number 3 sounds like something very famous but I can't put my finger on it... any help?

[@PWgtaftw]

Debussy Arabesque No. 1?

[@joshscores3360]

@@PWgtaftw Yeah probably

[@turtlellamacow]

If you mean that pentatonic melody in the right hand maybe Chopin's "black key" etude? Or less likely, the little cadenza about a minute into Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody #6 (which is nearly identical)? If you mean the arpeggiated left hand, it could be a lot of things -- Rachmaninoff, Liszt, Debussy, Ravel, do any of those jog your memory?

[@grady1347]

It reminds me a whole lot of Chopin’s Andante Spianato from Op. 22

[@blahkayonaFriday]

it's like a combination of Jeux Deau, Une barque sur l'ocean, and minute waltz

[@ayushrudra8600]

the 4th one seems modeled off chopins op10 no 10

[@SOM0109]

Actually wiki says: “Bortkiewicz's piano style was very much based on Liszt and Chopin, nurtured by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, early Scriabin, Wagner and Ukrainian folklore.” Where did you get Russian folklore?

[@r0mmm]

I'm half ukraine and half russian. The two cultures and music styles are pretty similar. Actually the ukraine Tradition originated from the russian (or better preslavistic) tradition

[@SOM0109]

@@r0mmm well, I’m a Ukrainian). Reading statements like “actually Ukrainian tradition originated from russian” it’s a big myth, and it proves that you don’t know the subject at all.

[@r0mmm]

@@SOM0109 What? I'm studing slavic history in uni this semester. And i'm literally both

[@SOM0109]

@@r0mmm it depends on the uni. Anyway, if you are objective and not biased than you’ll get my point if you analyze all historic facts, datas, learn folk song and so on. Good luck!

[@ValseMelancolique]

I gotta muster up the courage to try one of his pieces one day!! (probably No.1 or No.4)

[@kamint2258]

３曲目はリストのため息に似てる🤗✨✨

[@randiey95]

3:51

[@conman0414]

when i heard the mazurka I thought "oh that sounds nice, might as well give that a go" and it wasn't until I pulled the sheet off IMSLP that I saw it was in C major ;_;

[@cyrelluss]

i think i misunderstand. what's wrong with it being in c major? (or did you mistype wasn't?)

[@conman0414]

@@cyrelluss It's the most difficult key to play in because of how the keys fit to your hand

[@cyrelluss]

​@@conman0414 that's interesting. I don't think I've had any trouble playing pieces in C major, which is why I didn't understand. you should still give the mazurka a try though :)

[@user-yl6ib6xs8h]

1 пьеса-отголоски Брамса ,Рахманинова.

[@caelislilia]

Á la ,,Chopin,,. Lovely. Or á la ,,Rachmaninov. ,,🙏🎹👏

[@jameshandaja1536]

He sounds better than Medtner, I think...

[@r0mmm]

No 3. sounds like Debussy arabesque No. 1 in steroids

[@SvetoslavSlavovPiano]

That Etude sounds like debussy melody on top of liszt bass :D

[@EmanuelGaldr]

The interpretation is really good. The music is ok. It draws too many comparisons to much better treatments of similar ideas.

[@steveegallo3384]

Emanuel Fernández -- If you mean Schumann, Chopin, Rakhmaninov....Why not just say so??

[@wilhelmberger9925]

i think its the other way around...

[@catessenkrupp240]

-Sergei Prokofiev -Sergei Rachmaninoff -Sergei Bortkiewicz Can the names be more creative at least...

[@thenameisgsarci]

It's practically a family reunion at this point. XD

[@Rickiller_]

Don't forget Sergei Lyapunov

[@catessenkrupp240]

@@Rickiller_ Yea, but there are way too many composers named Sergei so the famous ones should be enough

[@dzordzszs]

Sergei my uncle

[@Emilien-hy3sy]

Beautiful pieces! It's a pity that the pianist had frozen fingers during the 3rd piece 😅

[@user-vz4fy8uw9y]

1-я пьеса - не слишком ли замедленньій темп? Если "кантабиле", то певец просто задохнётся при таком темпе!

[@ukuleleukulele2059]

Позвольте спросить, а при чем тут певец?

[@user-vz4fy8uw9y]

@@ukuleleukulele2059 Объясняю: для того, чтобы помочь исполнителю правильно понять текст, композитор использует общепонятные итальянские термины. Здесь это слово "кантабиле", то есть "напевно". Музыкант должен мысленно напеть это произведение. И остановиться на том темпе, который позволит ему чувствовать себя при мысленном напевании наиболее комфортно. Вы попробуйте напеть, и тогда поймёте меня.

[@ukuleleukulele2059]

@@user-vz4fy8uw9y о,боже))) у меня высшее музыкальное образование

[@ukuleleukulele2059]

Как Вас там и чему на Украине учат...

[@user-vz4fy8uw9y]

@@ukuleleukulele2059 Извините, если я невольно задел Ваши чувства; я ведь высказал всего лишь свои соображения относительно темпа. Кроме того, я профессор, у меня дурная привычка всё поправлять и объяснять. Кроме того, моя первая диссертация (в МГУ) была по Р.Вагнеру. А это дополнительное клеймо...

[@andreassorg7294]

Mr. Somero... as a live recording it would be average student level, but not bad. But it's a studio recording with the possibility to correct faults. Why didn't you do it?

[@TheShinee000]

쇼팽꺼 따라했네 ㅋ

[@Whatismusic123]

The "mazurka" is a waltz lmao

[@arielorthmann4061]

"The composer never saw himself as a modernist" Euphemism when you mean "the composer was 50 years behind his time"