This masterpiece changed my perception of symphonic music forever...

Recorded on January 31st, 2025.
I did consider straight-up not sharing or posting this, because it's just such an unbelievably brilliant movement of a brilliant symphony. It undergoes so many degrees of profound spiritual depth, grandeur, transcendence, serenity, and moments of resignation. It is of the same scale of many entire piano sonatas in classical music, yet with the right phrasing, pacing, and brute stamina at some points, it can still hold itself together and function as only one movement. However, I decided that I'll just let the KZbin algorithm decide whether or not to reward subscribers of this channel and the rest of the platform: if this only reaches a small number of people (because of the really long video duration and likely low average retention), then they are the lucky ones and that's completely fine; otherwise, I think everyone benefits immensely from acquainting with this work.
Over the past few weeks of January, I learned through all the movements of the 4th and 8th symphonies (and some of the 7th), which adds up to over 2.5 hours of music, all comprising of some of the greatest symphonic movements ever conceived. There is a chance I will record all of it.
[NOTE]
I changed many notes, melodic lines, and chord compositions to more closely imitate the original orchestral rendition. This, in addition, includes dynamics, in which the score I referenced from suppresses the annotation of some of them. Also, I know the piano is out of tune. I do not and cannot afford to have the luxury of always recording on a perfectly in-tune piano, and that is the truth.
All piano works I've recorded: • All Full Recordings
My goal through this channel is to bring vitality, spiritual depth, emotional evocation, and captivating narrative to underappreciated and unconventional music that captures the human experience to its fullest potential.
@musicforever60_official on IG: / musicforever60_official
#piano #music #classicalmusic
Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Rameau, Gluck, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Berlioz, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Chopin, Liszt, Wagner, Verdi, Brahms, Saint-Saëns, Tchaikovsky, Bruckner, Grieg, Rimsky-Korsakov, Dvořák, Puccini, Mahler, Strauss, Debussy, Sibelius, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Vaughan Williams, Stravinsky, Bartók, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Hindemith, Orff, Britten, Messiaen, Copland, Bernstein, Barber, Cage, Penderecki, Pärt, Glass, Reich, Adams.

[@Musicforever60]

This is the 3rd movement from Bruckner's 8th symphony. Recap: 14:37

[@Lircking]

that part kind of sounds like that famous scriabin etude op 42 no 5, esp with harmony

[@JohnBowen-z2e]

WOW. I was trying to place this at first - "Damn, that sounds familiar..." Could not have imagined it on solo piano. Fantastic job, beautifully realized.

[@nickgoldring1446]

All of you(with some exceptions): The original of the composer's wishes is that you appreciate the entirety of the symphony, not just a single movement. Got it?

[@josesolismusic]

Well, thank you for finally saying what the heck it is somewhere.

[@SuonoReale]

Thank you for playing and recording piano transcriptions of the great masterpieces.

[@loganm2924]

I may have never heard a pianist have such fine control over the details of pianistic texture as to accurately represent timbre. Especially in tremolos such as some of these, a completely different effect to the tremolos you use elsewhere.

[@loganm2924]

The complete independence of phrasing and voicing at 16:39 sells the symphonic texture so well while maintaining the beauty of the melody.

[@Musicforever60]

That's because I very subtly pulled antiparticle vibrational kinetic energy from the ether of the cosmos to decorate the tremolos this time around. (This is mostly a joke, if you cannot tell lol)

[@loganm2924]

@@Musicforever60 Wow, I never thought I'd see a pianist controlling the very movements of elements at the lowest levels of subatomic cosmology in their technique!

[@Musique_Splat]

I know a Bruckner symphony when I hear it. Such a great movement that I believe deserves more attention.

[@dhackj]

I was sceptical when I saw this but your performance is profound and moving. It brings new insights to the master. Thank you. ❤

[@ik6non712]

I’ve been waiting for someone to play these transcriptions for so long

[@frederikkok9284]

This coming Thursday, Friday and Sunday The Concertgebouw Orchestra will be playing the unfinished "Finale" of this composers 9th symphony! (in Amsterdam).

[@cziffra-eg9st]

Truly beautiful playing, on par with Furtwangler's rendition in my humble opinion. Can't wait to hear your take on the other movements as well as on the 4th symphony (the current available transcriptions, especially the one by Hynais, is not very effective).

[@Kyujar.png49]

Thank you for uploading, You might be the first person to actually play this Arrangement by Stradal :) (Liszt's Epic insane virtuoso student) , I wish the other Symphony Arrangements would be Recorded sometime soon by others and you maybe

[@Musicforever60]

I *am* a big fan of symphonic arrangements for piano

[@mtolympus-worstplayerever7924]

It's because he records it via multi tracks.

[@lesgoe8908]

I applaud your skill and artistry in reimagining Bruckner's 8's 3rd movement in piano form. Thank you for your dedication to such profound beauty which your fine playing fully communicates. Congrats!

[@sshuck]

You evoked the orchestral sound of this piece to such a degree that I'm not sure how you did it. This coming from someone who's spent many hours with Iain Farrington's Mahler uploads and who loves orchestral rep as much or more than that of his own instrument, the piano. It's so immersive.

[@babadada-de5wx]

honestly dude, you can play every piano piece at this point tbh.

[@JeanPaul-Hol65]

Grande lavoro di resa pianistica di uno tra i movimenti più belli di tutta la letteratura sinfonica mondiale. Grazie e complimenti di cuore! ♥️🙏

[@mckernan603]

I know the feeling. Liszt's Hungaria and anything symphonic by Scriabin, and piano concertos in general opened my mind to it.

[@tymenryk]

Wow! The climax is masterfully done!

[@GordonMGreen]

Bruckner is amazing! Such subtle uses of dissonance.

[@ban9nas177]

Your playing is beautiful!! Just so organic!

[@skylarlimex]

Oh you just played one of my favourite symphonic movements ever. Didn't know there was a piano solo version of this though Richter played the four hand version often apparently!

[@skylarlimex]

I would love to hear the rest of the 8th symphony if you ever do that someday

[@romanmakarevych4483]

Damn, one of my (if not the only one) favourite symphonies of my favourite symphonic composer of all time (and one of my favorites in general), what a pleasant surprise (also a really brave move to transcribe this on piano). There's really nothing else like Bruckner symphonies not only in orchestral oeuvre but in music in general - at the very least in aspects of spiritual depth, catharsis, this almost magic nirvana-like quality that makes you reflect on everything like you've never done before and like nothing else does

[@Musicforever60]

This score can be found on IMSLP... it's not mine. What I was referring to in the video is that I further altered this piano transcription to my liking :)

[@AnatoArchives]

so beautiful !

[@keithtomlinson1280]

Magnificent performance of this incredible movement. For a long time as a student I was completely obsessed with this piece (listening sometimes several times in a day) It was almost like an addiction, with acute withdrawal symptoms after the sounds faded into silence. How do you manage to make the various glorious countermelodies sing so clearly within all that rich complexity? Total respect. Really could actually hear the sound of the orchestra in your playing. Please tell me honesty how many arms, hands, and fingers do you really have? 😜 I think my Kurt Masur set is going to be quite busy again in the coming days. Thank you for bringing back some very cherished memories.

[@efun1234]

Thats me with ferneyhough

[@Musicforever60]

Currently am obsessed with this piece (listening sometimes several times in a day)

[@jjgghhjk]

One of the best symphonies ever made.

[@seheyt]

Very very nice. I adore the collaborative-pianist approach to the instrument. I'm totally here for it. And hoping you own a tuning hammer to fix that d'' :) Gonna listen the rest from now going to bed

[@seheyt]

Apropos of nothing, are you aware of Glenn Gould's piano transcriptions of Wagner? Same vibe (though much more Glenn interpretation of course)

[@hastingscutoff1304]

More of this please. A lot more.

[@NitricNotes94]

Amazing❤❤❤❤

[@trevjr]

When I was younger I listened to the 4th and 7th constantly. As I got older I went to the 5th and 8th. This is my favorite movement. It is so static and serene, like time slows down. You are brave to attempt this on piano, I still hear the brass and strings as you play it. I love the Passacaglia and Fugue and finally got the D'Albert transcription, I played through it so many times, there is nothing like having the music in your fingers, such a different feeling from listening or even playing the viola part in an orchestra. Bruckner was an organist, I wonder what a good organ transcription of this would sound like. Have you heard of Cameron Carpenter? I bet he would do a great job on the organ with this. I found him because he recorded Scriabin's 4th sonata for organ, a truly fascinating sound.

[@Musicforever60]

Hmm, ya, organ seems like a slightly more appropriate instrument for some cases since it can sustain sounds but I really cannot imagine Scriabin 4 on organ... would the response delay of the organ really do it any good or justice?

[@Wellce]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aajCq2N_bpikn7M

[@Musicforever60]

Hmm that does not sound great on organ, tbh. Sound is lacking edge and clarity (not the performer's fault) and ironically lacking sufficient timbre

[@poncione]

Dio! Che bellezza... Mai avrei pensato di udire questa musica al pianoforte... So che la suonava Glenn Gould, ma non la registrò mai. Comunque interpretazione davvero meravigliosa! ❤

[@massawax]

Esiste qualche testimonianza su Gould / Bruckner?

[@vrixphillips]

[and now for you to do your own masterful transcription of the finale of gotterdammerrung for solo piano~ lol] yay a fellow brucknerite

[@tobiaspeter6555]

At the beginning, the d flat '' sounds so strong, even though is is not played. Fascinating!

[@marsaeolus9248]

What do you mean? The d flat is actually played at the beginning.

[@tobiaspeter6555]

@@marsaeolus9248 Is it? It certainly sounds like it. It's not in the score, though.

[@Musicforever60]

At the beginning, the first chord I play with the LH is actually D-flat octave (lowest D's) with omitted A-flat and I keep that up, since I didn't like how the appoggiatura created an additional pulse which disturbed the tranquility and solemnness.

[@tobiaspeter6555]

@@Musicforever60 So is the d flat'' actually being played or not?

[@c05.63]

I didnt like Symphonic music that much until i heard Bruckner and Mahler, then Nielsen, Dvorak, Strauss etc, now i like Symphonic music a Good deal more than Piano or vocal music.

[@rearedevening9283]

Whats the piece though?

[@seheyt]

Brucker symphonies. Starts with 8th, 3rd mvt

[@Kjt853]

Yeah, it would be kind of helpful to mention the composer and the work somewhere in the description. (Or are we all somehow supposed to know?)

[@seheyt]

@ I suspect it *is* kind of a challenge indeed. I like it, because it makes you listen closely. Of course, you need the help of others (I do, when it turns out to be some esoteric composer).

[@caginn]

Man! @4:55 how on earth did you achieve that tusche at the beginning of the entry of the clarinet? Kudos for the entire thing!

[@exequielchuaqui5968]

I was here

[@boombeet678]

I kind of see what you're talking about here, at least for 11:20 to 19:10 to my untrained ears there was a bunch of textures and patterns alongside melodic directions it took that were quite new to me, well thought out too. Sheet music wise and additionally due to your performance I found those 7 minutes pretty interesting. The rest felt normal in my opinion but hinting at those degrees you've mentioned in the description still, likely part of why the later section has that much impact. Do tell us the piece name/composer if possible, seeing similar would be nice.

[@richardt583]

Is this the Stradal transcription?

[@richardt583]

Great job btw. This is such an sublime piece of music. I've always wanted to hear the Adagio played on the piano.

[@Lircking]

Thank you mr return of christ to give us this god given gift Blessed forever with this Bach symphony!

[@ezekielthiessen7080]

I don't know how you did it, but you played this piece as though it were written for the piano.

[@CheekyFest]

You dont say ANYwhere in the Description that it's BRUCKNER?!

[@agent8698]

That's right. He should correct that oversight (don't make the audience GUESS what this is). I believe it won't even show up in a search for Bruckner piano arrangements. That said, this is amazing work. After a few minutes, I no longer hear a piano, I only hear Bruckner.

[@tobiedavis8841]

What is it

[@seheyt]

Brucker symphonies. Starts with 8th, 3rd mvt

[@Imademyselfasandwich]

Time to skip to bruckner

[@tomfuller5585]

"Solemnly slow but not sluggish". Haha.

[@AlbertoSegovia.]

Excellent!

[@benschroth7717]

What is it?

[@alejandrosantiagocuberosua9375]

It's the 3rd movement from Bruckner's 8th symphonie.

[@scottgilesmusic]

It's an amazing work. Unfortunately in the performance the dynamics only range from mezzo forte to fortissimo.

[@loganm2924]

If you call everything in the passages from 16:39 mezzo forte at least then I think you need to turn your volume down

[@ultimateredstone]

I think the piano has a very bright sound, even when played softly, which makes it seem louder. I don't like these sorts of pianos... still a great performance

[@davidramos4707]

Bruckner is not that good. Fight me

[@Musicforever60]

Nobody cares

[@jean-david8043]

And everyone let's clap for the guy that wanna share a beautiful symphony but don't even say the name of the composer nor the name/number of the symphony 😐

[@dominicfiacco]

He shared it in the pinned comment

[@djysmallman2183]

Boring Bruckner I’m sorry! Anti climax’s in every movement, and just a noise. Never a fun for decades. Don’t get him?

[@musicfriendly12]

Disrespectful to talk like that about symphonic music and show a mere piano transcription of such work.

[@gilbertortega8912]

careful, you'll break your pearls if you clutch them any tighter

[@geoycs]

Disrespectful to whom? To you? Maybe it’s better to ask yourself why he would show a piano transcription that is meant to elucidate a symphonic work.

[@karllieck9064]

This doesn't work for me; besides, I don't like Bruckner; he's tedious. But a good effort on your part.