What if Chopin sat on the jury of the Chopin Competition?

[@gunce57]

I think that one of the main things that Chopin would wonder about is why no pianist on stage knows how to improvise (or at least shows anything regarding that ability). Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, etc, were all amazing improvisers. In the "competitions" of his time - which typically took the form of piano duels - improvisation was very often the main deciding factor for who was viewed as the winner. Granted, improvisation was rapidly going out of style in the end of Chopin's life, so that by the 1880s it was no longer a part of the new concert-centred (as opposed to soiree-centered) piano tradition. But, there was for instance a piano duel between Mendelssohn and Liszt in the 1830s, and that duel was basically turned in Liszt's favor because of his ability to on the spot improvise a Liszt-version of a Mendelssohn piece. Knowing how to improvise was - in those times - your way of showing your depth of musical knowledge, as well as the magnitude of your musical inspiration. In other words, not knowing how to improvise would probably have been viewed as a non-starter, in terms of viewing a pianist as a great one. They would all have been viewed as sub-par. (Mozart, for instance, only wrote out improvisational details to amateurs, i.e. students - professional pianists were supposed to know how to improvise themselves; there is a highly interesting lecture by Robert Levin illustrating that). WIth all this said, I must add that I do know that some pianists who rank highly in these competitions also are amazing improvisers (e.g. Gabriela Montero who was placed 3rd in 1995, is absolutely incredible as an improviser). However, improvisation has unfortunately completely gone from the tradition as such, and some pianists who are viewed as being among the best in the world today, don't know anything regarding improvisation (they even say so themselves in interviews). And, to bring it again back to the topic of the video: improvisation is not at all a part of today's piano competitions. I think that loss of a whole discipline within piano playing is very sad, and I do believe that it indeed does mean that our depth of musical understanding as pianists has gone way down. I also do think that that change is the perhaps number one thing that would have suprised Chopin the most. (Nevertheless, with all those things said, I also think that he would have been blown away by the sheer technical ability that today's pianists have - now almost any conservatory student can play the most difficult Liszt pieces - at his time only Liszt, and possibly one or a few more, knew how to play them).

[@DelsinM]

I read once that Chopin recommended practicing only a couple of hours per day. That leaves a lot of time for composing, which is really the foundation of improvisation, because you actually know what the hell is going on with the music. Today's pianist, as a rule, have to learn some theory but are not composers; rather, the emphasis is almost solely on technical virtuosity. The many, many, many hours spent polishing technique could be spent (at least many of them) developing genuine musicality.

[@DanyDoublebass]

@@DelsinM The basis of improvisation is knowing your theory and how to apply it to your instrument, and Chopin did know his theory and also how to apply it to his instrument. Composition is related with knowing a ton of theory but both can be done without the other

[@gunce57]

Yes, I completely agree, old pianists had a triumvirate of skills: composition, improvisation, and technical ability. In an old-school piano duel, you typically displayed all of these skills: you played a composition by someone else (e.g. your opponent), you played a composition written by yourself, and you played an improvisation based on a theme given to you by e.g. your opponent. Today's pianists have only one of these three skills. That is, in my mind, a great step backwards. The only thing that has evolved is the purely technical ability. I am afraid that almost all pianists alive today would be unable to successfully compete against the old-school masters in their version of a piano duel. I think that this is sad, not only for the pianistic tradition, but for music as a whole. I think that that non-training of pianists today is one of the main reasons why we nowadays have so few really good composers, who can write music that is on par with the music of Chopin, Mozart, etc. Composition and improvisation have become rare occurances practiced by the select few, instead of a mainstream training that any pianist is expected to develop, just as much as they develop their technical ability.

[@antoniobernardo5064]

I don't know why improvisation became mostly a jazz thing when it used to be so common in classical music

[@LivioPignalosa]

Fortunately, we have some amazing recordings of Raoul Koczalski...

[@philipsmith3084]

I think Chopin would be astounded by the sound of the modern piano.

[@amjan]

Interesting point! Was the sound so much differnet back then?

[@samueld4vid]

@@amjan they had different tunings

[@NYCBG]

@@samueld4vid and mechanism

[@pianoman1857]

@@amjan the piano he played in Paris were Erard and Pleyel. Some still exist, you can check on youtube how it sounds

[@howard5992]

In my view his music is very well suited for the modern piano. In a sense, he composed for an instrument that hadn't quite come into being yet. I think Chopin would be pleased as much as astounded.

[@marshan1226]

Is there anyone more interesting to listen to than Garrick Ohlsson? Could listen to him for hours what a guy honestly...

[@pianoman551000]

This could have easily been an hour interview. I wanted to hear more of his thoughts on music performance, then and now.

[@marielatarnowska4238]

I wished it had lasted much longer, ......

[@stevebbuk]

Yes but Chopin did not live to be "very old." A slip of the tongue probably.

[@goatmanedits4]

I could listen to Garrick Ohlsson speak all day. What a generous and brilliant artist he is.

[@ice-iu3vv]

two points. he would be honored that so many people wanted to play, interpret, and compete over, his music. second, he was virtually retired from playing for large crowds by the time he was 21. besides the well known physical problems that took him from us at the age of 39, Chopin had immense social anxiety and could only enjoy judging such a competition with strict control over the number of people he would be around.

[@Rose-zg9pu]

I don't think he had immense social anxiety... He liked mingling among aristocrats in paris. How otherwise would he have become so popular. Its rather difficult to market oneself when one has social anxiety.

[@ice-iu3vv]

@@Rose-zg9pu research it. his social anxiety is well documented, not some opinion of mine. liszt helped market him. his wife helped market him. he liked earning a living from aristocrats, which doesnt mean he enjoyed the mingling. he retired from public performance as a 21 year old, as soon as he could possibly afford to, because he didnt handle people well .

[@JoshuaWillis89]

Chopin would most likely be honored, but I don’t think he would approve of the competition itself.

[@xdaniels6665]

He would be shocked to see all those young fantastically talented Asian pianists.

[@gdmoore]

@@xdaniels6665 LMAO

[@robinthenoble6347]

As a classical musician, I hated competitions ever since I've known myself. It's never 100% fair, there is always a clear favorite and unless that's you, you have to do 200% to even be noticed. I think I'm on Bartok's side on this " competitions are for horses, not for men".

[@WesCoastPiano]

"Chopin is the greatest of them all, for with the piano alone he discovered everything." - Claude Debussy

[@BudgetRakan]

My man Debussy aint heard John Field it seems.

[@alecedman1702]

That is not a quote from debussy i assure you

[@toooldtodie]

@@BudgetRakan E. Wolff after Field's stay in Vienna wrote about him: "no proficiency, no elegance and no difficulties is able to play, in short, a very poor player."

[@sandrawilliams9812]

Me thinks that Fryderyk is Chopin at the bit to say he thought Debussy was a real Claude ;-)

[@beatlessteve1010]

I believe Maestro Debussy

[@cimbalok2972]

Chopin had courage when he said "No" to composing operas, oratorios and concertos. He was intelligent enough to recognize what he was good at and kept doing it, peer pressure be damned. I'm an accordionist and I totally respect him. Before I played accordion I played piano, cello and hammer dulcimer, not that I was any good at them, except dulcimer, which I excelled at before I took up accordion. Chopin was my foundation and all my musical successes, lame as they are, are owed to him. Thanks for a thought-provoking video. My favorite Chopin works start around Op. 42 and go to to Op. 65 (although the Tarantella op. 43 is not a great piece, fun as it is). I do acknowledge the innovation and genius of pieces such as Mazurkas op. 6, 7, 17 and 24. In fact, most of his pieces inspired by the folk dances of Poland are the works of a mature artist, regardless of when, during his relatively short life, they were composed.

[@AngelofSin666666]

Are you aware that Chopin actually composed two (piano) concertos?

[@cimbalok2972]

@@AngelofSin666666 you bet! Op. 11 in E-minor was actually composed *after* the op. 21 in F-minor, but published first.

[@thegreenpianist7683]

​​@@cimbalok2972you seem to have a lot of admiration for Chopin. I too share the same passion. This was a pleasant read!

[@gabelonguinhos]

this channel rules and you kick ass as an interviewer

[@MusicalBasics]

One of the best interviews ever. Great job Ben!

[@frédéricchopinFan.9479]

Hello

[@gerardvila4685]

11:00 Chopin wasn't just "a braniac like... Bach even", he was a Bach fanatic who played the Well-Tempered clavier all the time. But well spotted by Ohlsson!

[@Varooooooom]

I even saw a video comparing Chopin’s Op.10 No.1 to that one Prelude in C major from the Well-Tempered Clavier (idk how else to refer to it rn). Very uncanny.

[@sarahdubois2386]

I personally think the first 2 rounds of the competition should be behind a screen and given a number so the judges aren't influenced by what they see.

[@mattmexor2882]

that turns out to be racist and sexist according to our great overlords.

[@julius7539]

​@@mattmexor2882 Nope, that's bullshit because auditions for most orchestras are blind, at least up until the final rounds.

[@mattmexor2882]

@@julius7539 They are, yes, and there is a push to end it. And if history is any guide - see, for example, higher education - such pushes get their ways in the end. I can't paste links here, it seems. So search for new york times "to make orchestras more diverse, end blind auditions".

[@bobomber]

Maybe then they would quit making the ridiculous faces!

[@mattmexor2882]

@@bobomber That's how you know they are trying.

[@ADuchessInside]

Thank you for sharing that! I always love hearing Garrick Ohlsson’s thoughts about all things piano, and about Chopin in particular.

[@geoff7517]

Great interview! He was right on when he talked about these contestants applying themselves to the music. It is worth a shout out!

[@WarinPartita6]

Some​ very​ insightful​ and​ sincere​ comments​ made​ by​ the​ Maestro​ here.​ BIG​ THANKS​ for​ sharing​ this.​

[@betsypar]

Apropos of Chopin’s mastery and appreciation of improvisation, please check out the KZbin channel called Cateen, featuring the immensely creative improvisations of Hayato Sumino, one of this year’s outstanding performers in the Chopin Competition.

[@DrQuizzler]

An insightful and very informative interview. Even his parenthetic asides were inspiring!!

[@barlofski]

Great interview. So glad he's still playing.

[@mkjb8331]

Sublime interview. Greetings from Poland!

[@hurryandleave9680]

The only competition I really like is the Van Cliburn. It allows pianists to show their full range playing different composers instead of just one. It also appears to foster a sense of community and mutual support among the contestants.

[@bhh1988]

Great idea to do this interview in light of the upcoming competition!

[@Istarilight17]

Every one of the contestants are ridiculously great pianists already. It's not that they can't improv, it's that they wont dare to. One that pleases one of the judge might offend the other. My teacher always told me its safer to error on the safe side. Play it with good tempo and not too much rubato. The process is self is often biased as well, just look at what happened to Seong-Jin Cho

[@danielche2349]

What happened to seong jin cho?

[@jyseoh]

@@danielche2349 I saw a comment that "Asians make music sports". I felt like replying that "who made piano playing a competition?". Westerners make a system like Olympics and ridicule Asians participating in that system. If they got the prize over and over again, they would never make this kind of video and comments like this.

[@StephenGrew]

Yeah Chopin has great depth!!

[@brumels1570]

Ohlsson is so well-spoken and full of humanity.

[@classicaloracle]

Great interview style - straight to the point - no wasted words.

[@christopherczajasager9030]

A great profound and kind artist.Wonderful epiloge!

[@InstrumentManiac]

A great interview and a great sentiment to end on. Thanks to both of you!

[@NiPaVou]

Very interesting interview with a beautiful ending.

[@JoshuaWillis89]

Amazing interview! Thank you for bringing one of my heroes into my home.

[@ddgyt50]

It's a shame you don't have more subscribers. This is an excellent channel.

[@cecilefox9136]

I really find this interview fascinating.

[@dorfmanjones]

So smart, observant. and of course, articulate.

[@beatlessteve1010]

I cannot get enough anecdotes about this genius Chopin..!

[@maulcs]

11:13 I agree with all of this. The more I study his music the more I'm amazed by it

[@mschuer100]

A fantastic interview, and very insightful.

[@darbymckilkannoncaid3279]

What a great interview

[@primusnocturn]

I liked this interview. Greetings from Warsaw.

[@RicardoCorona]

Very interesting interview. What a great pianist and person!

[@StephenGrew]

Really interesting, it is imperative to do what is right for you and we all, even if you have to dig a bit deeper! The music is the music and doesn't have to be endorsed by grandeur or anyone or anything. I prefer to play to a smaller audience.

[@stevenhaff7973]

Wonderful interview with a wonderful musician and obviously generous and sensitive soul.

[@TheSeekingIsOver]

Hear Hear!! to Mr. Ohlsson’s last statement in this interview!!

[@monikarosca1513]

It would be interesting to know Mr.Ohlsson's view on the 2021 Chopin Competition, and why he wasnt in the Jury at that one, he is a wonderful pianist and very interesting person, it is a pleasure to listen to him, many many thanks to "tonebase Piano" to give me a chance to meet a great interpreter revealing his thoughts....

[@loveispatient0808]

Yes and also why Martha Argerich wasn’t on the jury as well!!

[@andrewolewine8271]

Thank you for this! What a wonderful mind and heart! I've never encountered the Chopin Competition, though, of course, I knew about it through the music history of Martha Argerich. I'm listening to the various contestants and its making me want to really dig deep into the music of Chopin.

[@ShiningBulbasaur]

Awesome video! It is a pleasure to hear mr Garrick's opinions and about his past!

[@kentst8956]

Wonderful interview! So full of interesting information and good will!

[@melindaschwenk-borrell9374]

Nice to meet you!!

[@michaeleaster1815]

I just discovered this channel: it's fabulous! Thank you for the interview

[@eclips2112]

Fantastic interview, thank you.

[@sk8rjer]

Awesome to be able to watch/listen to this video/interview...

[@xdaniels6665]

Thank you,maestro.

[@ralphmiller2265]

Music is NOT a competition sport. Expression, interpretation. emotion are just not judgeable.

[@markus7894]

Great interview! Fantastic! Thank you!

[@EcceHumanitatis]

Marvelous interview!

[@demetrios3232]

It's interesting to note that in the world of contemporary classical piano music, which includes concerts, recordings, recitals and competitions, we are listening to gifted virtuosos who are technicians and interpreters of the great composers of the past. But why do we not have contemporary classical players who can compose their own music rather than just interpret? Chopin,. Lizst , Brahms, Ravel, Stravinsky, on and on ... They were composers. They created music. Does any of the pianists in the International Chopin Competitions past and present write his or her own classical pieces?

[@georgechronas]

hi demetrios Im not a competitor of course but I kinda felt you wanna hear something new

[@Quotenwagnerianer]

Daniil Trifonov composes as well.

[@LambentOrt]

It's harder to get noticed for original compositions than it is to perform works from the canon. Even for the composers you mention, only a small number of their works are regularly performed. Aside from Rite Of Spring, Firebird and Pulcinella, Stravinsky's other works are hardly performed at all. And remember also that JS Bach was almost forgotten for 200 years before he was rediscovered by Mendelssohn and Schumann. Occasionally though there are composers whose works gain popularity in their lifetime. Ludovico Einaudi is very much loved at the moment, but who knows if his works will still be performed a century from now? Only time will tell.

[@hman1801]

I love Chopin and Ohlsson always gives wonderful descriptive interviews about him. I would counter one statement in that I believe Schumann also matched Chopin's ability to write beautifully melodic pieces. Schumann certainly had that "sweetness" in his compositions.

[@mx19idlewilder]

Fantastic interview with great, great pianist. Also questions were very good and nicely picked.

[@beatlessteve1010]

Garrick's closing statement ( not to sound like it's a court) was very well said

[@h.p.734]

Ah the ending was so wholesome! Thank you for the interview!

[@jonathanlim7091]

I know these guys can play fast and play correct... but so what seriously? I still like people like Jorge Bolet and Claudio Arrau more - they don't play so fast but they give me poetry, beautiful phrasing and know how to make the piano sing.

[@ethanbrowncomposer]

I totally agree. Technicality isn’t everything. Especially with Chopin.

[@GimbalLocksOnly]

Exactly. Its why I CANNOT get away from playing anything from the romantics onwards.

[@adamblock5141]

This channel is tremendous! Thank you ❤🎶

[@KnifeLegends124]

Always been a big Garrick Ohlsson fan! Heard him several times in Boston Symphony Hall

[@stefanufer608]

What a nice man

[@not2tees]

Garrick Ohlsson should be interviewed more often!

[@sheilanovitz8578]

Thank you so much for this! Enjoyed it very much indeed.

[@tanjanovicic2926]

I love compositions by Chopin 🌸💞🕊

[@judynelson5038]

Looking at Garrett’s 2015 scoresheet, he gave the highest scores to Cho, Kate Liu and Hamelin. So I’m guessing he agrees the top 3 winners are: Bruce Liu, Alexander Gadjiev and Sorita…

[@8beef4u]

I think Garrick Ohlsson really thought Kate Liu should have won the 2015 Chopin Competition based on his comments about her playing and his score cards. I thought she was the clear winner too. It's sad that the jury seems to be more interested in technical perfection than emotional depth. One small mistake shouldn't cost you the competition.

[@Tweeteketje]

Garrick Ohlsson gave both Kate Liu and Seong-Jin Cho a 9. The individually given scores are published. Only 3 out of 17 jury members gave Cho a score lower than a 9 (with Philippe Entremont being a real outlier, with a score of 1). I love Cho's playing, it's absolutely not merely technical, but poetical.

[@speeddemon2901]

Just my opinion ... Seong-Jin Cho was better ... But liu is incredible too.

[@chester6343]

Cho's heroic is probably the best I've heard on KZbin, so good I really liked his playing

[@sue2968]

Have you ever listened two playing in competition? He killed two birds with two hands.

[@animalsarebeautifulpeople3094]

Cho was a clear winner. Kate Liu was good but went a tad too deep into the wrong end if you know what I mean. 😅

[@sundancer7381]

I felt the same way about the Chopin competition.....but....Liu is a very good - perhaps great - pianist - in time. Liu has remarkable control I liked Jakub Kuszlik's playing - thought it was close to Chopin.

[@MARTIN201199]

Imagine Chopin watching Lang Lang playing his compositions in Liszt’s manner of improvisation.

[@amusicment4829]

Love this interview

[@QueensWino]

Great interview! I just learned about your channel and immediately subbed. I would love to hear more perspective from Garrick Ohlsson - and others for that matter - about the differences between the playing of today and Chopin's era. I get the feeling that much soulfulness in interpretation has been lost over time in favor of technical wizardry.

[@Amphitera]

indeed! I'd rather listen to a "subpar" pianist who can play with emotion, than any of those keyboard lions who were trained to play the fastest and the loudest, and sound like machines in the end. I'd also like to see pianists who can improvise and play their own compositions, rather than just interpret the classics for the billionth time, but apparently only songwriters and jazz pianists do that these days :(

[@wny1162]

This is a great interview....

[@AFGautonompunk]

great answers and it's always astonishing to learn from someone with cultural interest and a thoughtful mindfulness. thanks for the interview (i surely would like more of the quality)!

[@JadenSeales]

0:23 dude was CLEARY enjoying himself🔥

[@tombennettband1485]

great interview! Enjoyed it a ton.

[@carolleenkelmann4751]

I don't like beards either, on myself or others but when it's gray it is easier to tollerate, especially when one is looking at the pianists's hands and concentrating on the (this) gorgeous piano playing.

[@zlauriault]

It's nice to hear from a laureate during the second day of the 1st round happening right now.

[@arekkrolak6320]

amazing performance!

[@veraluciarochapedronperes5039]

A meu ver, Hayato Sumino foi o melhor intérprete de Chopin e com amplas possibilidades para improvisar. Foi vítima de um pai rígido e do preconceito por ter se tornado um youtuber.

[@papagen00]

'surface sweetness...underlying power'... that's also how I feel about the operas of Vincenzo Bellini, and Chopin was a Bellin fan. The sweet, melancholy (and powerful) long long melodies of Bellini are quite evident in Chopin's music. Speaking of which, I find music fans either prefer instrumental or vocal, some even have snobbish attitude toward opera, but in reality a lot of great compositions were inspired by opera. I always judge an instrumentalist by how well they 'sing' on their instrument.

[@sanfordpress8943]

The art of bel Canto. Maria callas did it best

[@papagen00]

@@sanfordpress8943 and Edita Gruberova, RIP

[@alpha_omega10000]

Wonderfully well spoken, great interview!

[@bromanultra6364]

The problem with being judged by jury, on a musical grounds, is that the jury represents the “ceiling,” which is usually the bounds of what is currently known. This leaves no space for innovation. Even if a panel allows space in their scoring for “interpretation” or “emotion” this isn’t the same as allowing this to naturally occur. Thus things stagnate. Music isn’t about being the best in the eyes of others, it’s about being the best in the eyes of Mother Music.

[@bobsteiner9209]

This is a terrific interview. Kudos to Ben Laude. (Garrick Ohlsson also did okay.) 😊

[@youtubecommenter2]

Could anyone give me examples of why Chopin would dislike the modern style of playing? He said it in the beginning of the video but he didn't elaborate on it and I'm very curious...

[@dextertay461]

Such alacrity, wisdom, humility and humour!

[@NorsePJ]

I think one of the reasons for Chopin not performing as much on the big stage was probably also due to his ongoing TB issues. It would have been hard and maybe somewhat embarrassing for him if he had a coughing episode while performing. At a private gathering he could more easily have excused himself and then returned. Just food for thought.

[@WalyB01]

Still my favorite op 10 no1

[@KnifeLegends124]

Chopin would first have to become accustomed to modern pianos and modern performance styles.

[@RModillo]

Before Ben Zander was sacked from the Boston Civic Symphony, one of the board members complained that he programmed too much Mahler and ought to focus more on Chopin symphonies.

[@BrassicaRappa]

I hate the idea of piano competition altogether. How many pianists today are "shaving the beards" off their playing because the goal is pleasing the judges instead of doing what's exciting to themselves personally? We have so much access to so many pianists these days, I want more like Rachmaninoff and Horowitz and Hofmann and Scriabin!

[@superdupersanik]

And Cziffra 😎

[@dkinney1000]

Here here!

[@curaticac5391]

Very interesting!

[@chicklyall8128]

M. Chopin was concerned with poetry and feeling. I wonder if he would have remotely approved of the idea of music as a competition . I doubt it but we’ll never know.

[@levim.3505]

Ahhh, I would really love to know which ones of the competitors he has an eye on :)

[@nadia4985]

Impro with Hayato

[@garretkaplan]

Where’s the tape of the Cavett interview?

[@barbaralawrence1545]

Oooh. Yeess. Crushing

[@serenedarkness6257]

Lol I’m across the Mississippi from Davenport

[@basharborhan106]

Man! at least I get to hear a rational pianist who speaks the, should be obvious, truth, that is pianists two centuries ago had an inferior style and technique compared to today. The old dudes were not legends, but they were geniuses who composed music that can be interpreted in different ways and still sound wonderful.

[@dextertay461]

How dashing he looked in his youth with some dry humour to boot!

[@ericastier1646]

Chopin was half Polish and importantly he was half French. His father was French, and that legally gave Frédéric the French nationality officially based on the rules of the day. He spoke and wrote in French not only to his father but with everyone when outside Poland. The poles have always been desperate and quite aggressive frankly to claim him as theirs but he truly is the son of a French expatriate who raised him in the French language and culture praised in Poland. Yes he grew up in the Polish culture surrounding him but his father spoke French to his son. Chopin wanted to live in France, not Poland which he did. No, he did not escape Poland because of the Russian invasion as the Poles want us to think. He could have returned to Poland later in life but he chose not to. Chopin is a French-Polish composer. Also, some of his best works were composed in France. If he had stayed in Poland he would have remained a national polish pianist of secondary importance and probably would not have reached his artistic compositional peak and his most mature beloved piece would not exist like his ballades.