Seymour Bernstein & Garrick Ohlsson Teach the Same 16 Bars of Brahms

[@peter5.056]

What a privileged time we live in, where these great thoughts of great minds can be shared instantly to all corners of the globe:)

[@epicemuchilz]

The content on this channel just keeps getting better and better. This video is not just for pianists but a must watch for every musician that cares about phrasing.

[@GrotrianSeiler]

That a funny little man can have so much passion in his playing is truly amazing. Bernstein’s playing is stunning.

[@tomlabooks3263]

My God. Best video I’ve seen in the last few months. So valuable. 🙏🏻

[@simonzhao2154]

Great editing, excellent content from two masters. Awesome job Tonebase.

[@Thelaretus]

I love how Bernstein makes it so soft and tender, and Ohlsson makes it so moving and expressive. It's beautiful.

[@zaineridling]

This is fantastic - two SUPERSTARS cutting it up!

[@RolandHuettmann]

These are two wonderful presentations in a highly musical sense that compliment each-other. I feel delighted to be able to follow. I feel I really understand both and appreciate. There is no comparison between one, or the other, but both are delightful, emphasizng different aspects, but talking about the same.

[@jefolson6989]

Seymore manages to hold a particular mood throughout without onve letting it go slack. At that tempo,a remarkable achievment. Only Pogorelich plays it slower, but he lacks the throughline. Slow for the purpose of being different. Unsupported. I love Bernstein's playing of this!

[@theoboueid6450]

I love listening to seymour teaching

[@RYK05130]

Thank you Tonebase. Absolutely one of my top favorite pieces of all time. I could listen to it over and over and never get tired of it. What an amazing interview of the 2 talented musicians sharing their thoughts and dissecting the music and techniques. Great work. Great video! Thank you for featuring this piece, one of the most beautiful and expressive pieces ever existed. ❤

[@juditherwinneville7797]

Love this discussion. I have been playing this piece since 1977, and I'm learning new things!

[@NataliaCantillanoRojas]

Maravilloso❤❤❤❤ Muchas gracias a ambos Grandes músicos❤❤❤

[@taswinkarnadi1760]

Appreciate interpretations by younger pianists like George Harliono as well

[@austinbradley9864]

Yeah Mr Seymour is wow!!!! However I like Mr.Ohlsson too!!! Both men have their own interpretation of this piece. I just started working on this piece,,,Pray for me!!😎😎

[@JD-jv5pp]

I play by my feelings. Thanks for this video which proved me right❤

[@Jack-hy1zq]

I do wish you would have a technician fix the blocking hammer strike mid range, Seymour. Fixable in 10 seconds.

[@alessandralombardini-parks1936]

I wonder if anyone knows what piano is Mr. Ohlsson's piano. The light in the video is too dim over the keyboard, I cannot see. It does not sound to me as typical Steinway piano , though it is beautiful sound, it sounds to me richer and more "round" than what I normally hear from a Steinway. (forgive my lack of words, English is not my first language). Is is perhaps a Boesendorfer? I am asking as I havent seen a lot of Boesendorfers here in the States over the years, so my ears are really curious now 🙂. Thank you Tonebase Piano for sharing this videos, wonderful as all your videos; though I no longer play, not in many years, I love to learn deeper aspects of the music I so much love.

[@Monitschka]

@alessandralombardini-parks1936 It`s a Bösendorfer. There is a moment when some of the golden letters shine enough to conclude it. 🎹

[@donaldallen1771]

I'm sorry, but I completely disagree with Bernstein -- with his tempo and with his persistent backing away from the downbeat in the first full bar and then the rolled downbeat in the second full bar and the time he takes in each case. And I completely agree with Ohlsson's far more straight-forward approach, which I find much more beautiful and consistent with what Brahms wrote. Tempo first: Brahms tells us "Andante teneramente". So this is a walking tempo in 3. Bernstein is much too slow. "Teneramente" to me is Brahms giving us an indication of the character of the piece and is not so much a tempo marking. It's still a walk in 3. As for backing away from the downbeats, Bernstein justifies this by talking about the difficulty of achieving legato on the piano because notes decay after being struck. He says they "disappear immediately", which is simply untrue. I think he meant "*begins* to disappear or decay immediately", which is the obvious truth. So he is trying to match the dynamic of each tone in the "phrase" c#-b-d to the decayed state of the previous tone, here talking about the soprano voice of the first four beats of the piece. But notice that Brahms wrote a slur over the first two notes, not the first three; he did not intend c#-b-d to be heard as one phrase, but rather the downbeat, the half-note d, is separate from the previous legato c#-b. Furthermore, the first 8 bar phrase is marked 'p', piano. It is then repeated, with important harmonic variation, but 'pp', pianissimo. If you play those downbeats as quietly and taking as much time as Bernstein does the first time, how can they be different, quieter, the second time, as Brahms requests of the whole 8 bar phrase? If you listen to great pianists, and we have Garrick Ohlsson here as an example, but listen further to Andras Schiff, Radu Lupu and Artur Rubinstein, you will hear nothing like what Bernstein advocates, either as far as tempo or dynamics.

[@dlalfa]

great

[@donstoner4725]

So....if you had to choose to study with one of these musicians who would you pick and why? I will answer my own question: Garrick Ohlsson's style or his method of communication does not seem so "surgical". This is art, not a heart transplant.

[@pacifist1360]

I am a classically trained pianist and I took a lesson once with Seymour Bernstein. He is a gold mine of info and a true inspiration but his teaching on technique didn't fit me. He always told me that "if you want to relax your arm and play with utmost control, you must play with the tips of your fingertips caressing the keys and use the weight of your arm but always resisting gravity, instead of how the other teachers taught you about the dead weight of the arm, where you just let gravity do the works. Instead, you play from your palm inward". It was painful for me to play this way for a couple of days. I am so used to the "dead weight" or transfered weight from arm to the fingers allowing fingers to do the work but they don't really do anything because they already are moved downward from the arm from gravity. Subsequently, the fingers curl in naturally such as putting the fingers on the keys, but all done from arm motion and utmost subtleness and relaxation from the arm, "just hanging". I feel this is the most natural way of playing that I learned from German Diez (a pupil of Arrau), and also form taking a lesson from Jeffrey Biegel and Charles Asche. That's quite the opposite from Seymour Bernstein.

[@JohnSmith-oe5kx]

Once again, Bernstein is full of nonsense. “According to physics, anything that is set into motion has to have a preliminary swing stroke of the opposite direction.” 😂😂😂

[@bifeldman]

Caviar.

[@firebearva]

Seymour Bernstein is economical in his technique. His hands do not leave the keyboard, but they glide as he repositions.

[@marekvollach7831]

BERNSTEIN's pedaling is ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS muddy with left-overs of sonorities (in the new chord change) that absolutely DO NOT belong there. ...always ,always. and always is the playing as passionate-less as is the poor man's verbal speech, elocution and delivery.

[@rebekahlevy4562]

If you look closely at Garrick's hands, he's doing exactly what Seymour says to do, in terms of how he achieves legato and articulation. ! He just doesn't start with talking about that, the way Seymour does--he already does it as a matter of course. Not a movement wasted, and the technique comes organically from thinking and feeling the music out while learning it.

[@michaelrogers5495]

I love Bernstein's tempo. You'd have to be a really great musician to pull off that tempo

[@Marklar3]

5:22 Garrick loves the use of the second inversion of the IV chord more than he wants to admit. He doesn't want learners to give too much value to the technical aspects, but the inversions in this piece really give it a special sound compared to the music from a few decades earlier.

[@stevehinnenkamp5625]

A great lesson! Thanks Seymour and Mr. Garrick 😮

[@HawthorneHillNaturePreserve]

I love listening to both of these guys! However, listening to Seymour is like attending a master class every time. His knowledge and insight and instinct are unmatched.

[@matttondr9282]

Seymour really helps you “see more” of the composer’s intentions.

[@김현민-i6q]

Sir Bernstein really makes the music alive in our deepest part of heart.

[@serwoolsley]

YES MORE SEYMOUR AND BRAHMS

[@davidpagan8559]

It's almost intimidating that Mr. Bernstein is 96 and sharp as a needle tip when he talks and conveys ideas about Brahms. I can only hope I'm as sharp when I'm at his age.

[@christinek4375]

What a coincidence! I am playing this piece this evening. Mr. Seymour has really helped me to understand the piece especially hairpins. They both shared most important aspects of making music. Anyways I will play according to my interpretation and feeling since there is no right answer. Another credit to Mr. Rosenbaum for this piece. Thanks tonebase!

[@smurf902]

We were born exactly 1 year apart

[@MusicaAngela]

So wonderful! I would love to hear them discuss the rest of the piece.

[@gasparocelloman9852]

Immensely grateful for this video.

[@ThomasOgrodnik]

I haven't even started to watch the video but I'm learning another intermezzo and have recently been feeling inadequate as a pianist because of my sound and composition issues but I'm so excited to understand Brahms better. Thank you for this help.

[@salzdt]

I love your tempo Seymour!

[@navabenyamini]

Thank you so much. I just realized that my teachers never gave me this piece to play, although it is technically not difficult. I played some of Brahms's intermezzi, but never got to this one. I just sat down and played it, and it is indeed so terribly beautiful... 🥲 Looking back (from my 62 years of age) I can understand that some teachers would ‘save’ such a piece for the riper student, Well here I am. 👵

[@Roberto_Rufino]

Great idea of both speaking about the same piece! That is a marvelous video! Thank's a lot, Tonebase!

[@donkgated8074]

This is a piece that is much more satisfying to play for yourself than to listen to other people's playing. Having said that, I liked Bernstein's sincerity very much even though I thought the rit is too much. My all-time favourite recording is Heinrich Neuhaus'. But although Ohlsson encapsulated his tempo much more than Bernstein, I liked Bernstein's more. Isn't music just beautiful?!

[@josephgiuseppedegregorio4553]

Both great masters. Seymour is magic

[@joseluishernandezseptien]

I much prefer Seymour Bernstein’s version 🎹🎶✨

[@Asi1939]

It seems more Dreamy to me

[@joseluishernandezseptien]

@@Asi1939 yes! I think it could be used as a soundtrack for a movie.

[@gchang916]

What amazing teachers!!! Thank you!!!

[@adrianwright8685]

1:35, Major obvious difference in playing the first 8 bars is that Ohlsohn takes 21 secs to Bernsteins 29. Eight secs is 38% quicker which is really a lot - like playing a Symphony in 21 mins instead of 29. But they both sound good to me!

[@angelamurnane2334]

Yes, I really noticed that but preferred Bernstein.

[@sebastian-benedictflore]

I had the pleasure of meeting Garrick recently after one of his concerts. Lovely man.

[@88_AC]

What do we know about Garrick Ohlsson's chair?

[@adrianwright8685]

I would guess most know very little.

[@maxjohn6012]

That was so informative and reassuring. I taught myself this piece a few years ago, and am preparing to play it in a concert in the autumn. I made a recording some time ago (kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqSommpngNyKapI), but as usual after watching Seymour I feel that I need to rethink everything... and that's actually a really nice feeling! Thank you.

[@leohcheung]

Seymour for the win!👏🏽👏🏽

[@smurf902]

Not even a hairdresser and dealing with all these hairpins

[@MrKadillak]

I prefer Glenn Gould’s approach to these Brahms pieces. Not overly busy and thus more flowing. All of this Twisting and turning on each and every note becomes too syrupy very quickly.

[@anonymousl5150]

This is what a lot of interpreters don't understand. It sounds good maybe to the performer but the constant rubato doesn't always add emotions, it can detract from it.

[@TheLifeisgood72]

Listen to Grieg’s playing if you want to hear an example of rubato that doesn’t detract from the music but instead adds to it in the most wonderful way. I got videos on my channel.

[@lukeharrison8753]

garrick and seymour are quickly becoming my favourite pianists, maybe even humans!

[@charlesscheips6839]

Oh My god ! SO Fantastic. I;ve been studying it for two years. SO great! Thanks! Bravo~

[@ROBERT-ml7ml]

The kawai piano wins, hands down!!

[@adhdlama2403]

Seymoyrs natural sense of direction as it appears when he's playing, is unrivaled. He is playing like he knows why nothing else would come next, other than what's in the score. Truly like if he had composed it himself.

[@Bailey2006a]

Capital idea…more of this, please!

[@AL-pu7ux]

Gold

[@jaygatz4335]

Wonderful analysis from two masters. This piece reminds me a little of Vincent Youman's 'Through The years'. I'm sure Broadway composers borrowed from the classics.

[@Dodecatone]

I like Ohlsson's interpretation more.

[@somasabul3883]

I think it’s ok to say 6-4 to an audience that knows basic musicianship; it’s the language we use.

[@joshuabeadles3104]

Beautiful playing by masters. I find these kinds of slow teaching rather slow, but the joy the two find in the music is peering through their words. Reminds me that music education must be a great part of the joy of music

[@jackmooradian2858]

It’s not a two note phrase at the beginning. It’s a three note slur. The piece plays with the various uses of both three and two note slurs. Also, thank you Seymour Bernstein for teaching me a master class on this piece at St John’s College in Santa Fe. I have kept it with me ever since.

[@danielwaitzman2118]

Wonderful!

[@brianwolle2509]

i love listening to seymour

[@itsjudystube7439]

Brilliantly explained

[@TheWillobe]

Thank you !

[@LMan-by6mb]

Love this beautiful piece!

[@josephinebrown6631]

Thank you kindly🤍

[@JohnPaul-cl1cr]

When you start playing a piece, the first thing you should take into account is the choice of the tempo, here 'Andante', walking not resting nor running. Personnally Seymour's tempo seems too slow to me and Garrick's too fast. Radu Lupu's version is still my favourite one.

[@mikebozik]

Brilliant and inspirational! Thank you! 😊

[@supasayajinsongoku4464]

What is the most beautiful piece of music youve heard this month, or hell even this year (you can name more then one)

[@Nonononono213]

Can someone tell me where to find the documents Seymour was referring too?

[@davidschestenger3366]

Music is jot wherever is written, is the magic is been done with it

[@gleeb1282]

anyone know the recording for that horrowitz mazurka garrick mentioned?

[@smurf902]

The miking and piano was brighter on Bernstein

[@victorsaldivar9576]

Thanks!

[@victorsaldivar9576]

I ve loved Garrick ‘s playing for a long time, but it is my first exposure to Seymour.I’m not a musician (my parents were!), but without modesty I’ll say I’ve listened tons of music of all types and that I’m good at it. Seymour explanations, technique and sentiment shoots the listener straight to heaven!!😊

[@Margaret-of8sm]

Thanks amazing videos

[@dbeidesign]

Question and Answer

[@BenSadounJeremie]

Thanks tonebase for this precious share

[@Johnwilkinsonofficial]

fight fight fight ✊🏻

[@SlayPlenty]

i love life

[@twinblades-thewilltokeeplo6084]

Both of them play the F# - A arpeggiation differently. I play the way Garrick plays.

[@lloydlim]

Very helpful. I had just played this piece and came across this video. The various dynamics applied to the leap to A helps. I’ve been doing it too much the same way.

[@MrOlogramma]

Brahms il primo uomo moderno

[@mr.classicalmusic5607]

Seymour is 95 and much sharper than Joe Biden.

[@militaryandemergencyservic3286]

No offence but I don't like Brahms much. Not enough sustained melodies for my liking. I love Bernstein's inimitable and MAGNIFICENT Chopin Nocturne number 1 (on youtube - it sounds like Rachmaninoff himself or Hoffman or some such golden age pianist is playing the piece). My theory is that the only people who like Brahms have some personal romantic memory that link to it.

[@matthewbbenton]

They simply have different musical tastes.

[@RolandHuettmann]

Taste is not really something to argue about. But I would still disagree for the quality of what Brahms wrote, starting from beautiful children songs, and extending romantic music above the standard. Just the concerto no. 1 is a revelation. I think Brahms is highly underestimated in some circles. Never mind... many things I only started to appreciate after really going into depth. With Brahms you will find depth. It is worthwhile.

[@collinm.4652]

Why do u have to make “theories” about why someone likes their music lol. I think they just like the music

[@militaryandemergencyservic3286]

@@RolandHuettmann de gustibus non disputandem est.

[@peter5.056]

@@militaryandemergencyservic3286 yep. I totally understand. i love brahms' music, but I feel very much the same way as you do when it comes to alkan.