(VIDEO) György Cziffra at the BBC (1962-1963 complete TV broadcasts)

[@ClassicalPianoRarities]

Buy our latest commercial release of recordings never-before available on CD: tinyurl.com/wjsewyg Brailowsky: Liszt Concerto No 1 (live 1945, Mitropoulos) Arrau: Liszt Concerto No 2 (live 1935, Rosbaud - recently discovered) Cziffra: Liszt Totentanz (live 1962, Benzi, from superior source) Magaloff: Liszt Hungarian Fantasy (new to the discography - live 1965, Ansermet)

[@Awairaz]

Today marks the 100th Birthday of the Legend itself. Happy Birthday Cziffra.

[@MichaelKaykov]

Some of the most astonishing piano playing ever recorded. If it was not for me discovering Cziffra when I was 15, I would not be doing piano professionally now.

[@alainspiteri502]

same thing for me if j did' not discover Chopin with Samson Francois in 1957 à Alger with the first concerto j would have known piano later it's sure , j have all my life the two records by S F mostly with Monte Carle Ochestra ( L Fremaux ) . With Listz it's France Clidat j discover a lyrical Listz but later in 1970' . J have transcendental-Cziffra but j prefer a lyrical pianist more than a fabulous technic for me music is not technic but a melody or a story or a music with a soul it's a choice , Cziffra is not the first pianist for me j prefer Cortot Haskil Gieseking Rubinstein of course Cziffra is a pianist mostly with a fabulous technic it's not that music for me a paesonnal choice

[@MichaelKaykov]

Samson Francois is a legend, I remember being truly FLOORED by his glorious Scarborough recording from the 40’s. I listen to many great artists of the past, such a variety of styles. My current favorite is Ignaz Friedman.

[@alainspiteri502]

@@MichaelKaykov I F of course

[@alainspiteri502]

@@MichaelKaykov after many years in piano-recordings j don't if Clara Haskil is a different pianist where her piano is a langage who speaks to you : it's necesary to listen her Schumann with " les Scènes de la Forêt " , the last Schubert-sonata * recording before her death" , all Adagios * concertis sonatas by Haskil are the best Haskil for me above the notes they are a complainte of a woman alone , she was not a Star of beauty pershaps it's here one explanation of her soul ? Alfred Cortot Yves Nat also in Schumann but less good it's seems in Schumann j"m very far From Cziffra-Listz she's in an other world , in last Schubert-sonata an Angel who have lived on our planet . .

[@Hjominbonrun]

I was an enthusiastic pianist, then I discovered his chromatique Galop. After that, I focused on my day job.

[@Highinsight7]

his second to none virtuosity is JUST as impressive as his deep musical abilities...

[@opticalmixing23]

I love Cziffra

[@GouganeBarra-u4t]

I am honoured to share my birthday with Mr Cziffra... the greatest pianist I've ever seen on film.

[@satrialesporkstore7889]

Power + Accuracy + Delicacy + Charisma = Magic

[@VICTOBERN]

Every time l watch this ' run through ' l have to take a deep breath and remember that it is actually happening! How fortunate we are to have such wonderful moments preserved on film.

[@steven21ys]

"I am finished, thank you." Still cracks me up every single time.

[@charlesthomas5956]

Can you give me the timestamp?

[@cziffrathegreat666]

@@charlesthomas5956 6:39

[@charlesthomas5956]

​Wait, DID HE JUST SPEAK ENGLISH?

[@cziffrathegreat666]

@@charlesthomas5956 yep

[@user-wj6bl8oe6t]

"I'm finished, thank you" at the end of the improvisation is so refreshing!!!

[@careylarson119]

36:25--absurd!!! Everybody does that run with two hands because of the difficulty, and he does it with one, faster than I would have imagined is possible. The man is unbelievable.

[@charlesthomas5956]

Rousseau did it too! Check him out! Im trying to practice playing it with one hand also lol

[@careylarson119]

@@charlesthomas5956 Yep. I tried and failed. Just couldn't get fast enough. Definitely not as talented as I need to be 😢😂.

[@charlesthomas5956]

@@careylarson119 Don't worry, you'll get better only if you keep practicing :-D

[@pianisthenics]

@@charlesthomas5956Rousseau is miles away from Cziffra.

[@charlesthomas5956]

@@pianisthenics Ik that!

[@piano345]

How many pianists would allow the TV cameras to film him warming up before a recital. This was a time when Cziffra first appeared in London and caused such a sensation that he had critics searching for their most superlative adjectives to describe his wizardry. His fiery temperament set the Royal Festival Hall and other venues alight with his flame throwing technique.

[@TJ-md5zh]

Thankyou Daddy :)

[@simonmountford1511]

Not Michelangeli, he agreed as long as he could not see the cameras and the light was not bright. Tricky job for the engineers.

[@Varooooooom]

Unfortunate age of pianism we live in. Feels like everyone’s only comfortable putting out their most polished stuff.

[@aceofspades8634]

@@VarooooooomIs that wrong? Isn’t it good that people care enough to want to do justice to the music before performing to the whole world?

[@Varooooooom]

@@aceofspades8634 The problem with that, however, is that many people actually don’t really do justice to the music. Many pianists make recordings with arpeggios/scales that sound hyper-refined and crisp, and all of their technique is indeed very polished. However, when you compare their performance to the score, they are missing textural markings that convey the phrasing that the composer intended (Katsaris has a segment in an interview with Cathy Miller where he talks about how much he admired Cziffra; he wouldn’t just play an ascending scale, he would make the notes louder/play with the dynamics as he ascended the scale too). Staccatos, staccatissimos, crescendos, diminuendos, and even dynamics (among many other things) get ignored very often. So if we’re talking about “doing the music justice,” I’d way rather hear a sloppier performance that attempts to actually convey what’s written on the score than a hyper-technical performance that literally neglects half of the music. I’d be way more forgiving of the latter group btw if they had any of the improvisational qualities of someone like Cziffra or Katsaris, aka people who change the music they play in such a way where it is obvious that they’ve studied the score but clearly decided to inject their personality into the music. I can even admire this about Glenn Gould or Horowitz even though I’m not a fan of their interpretations usually. I recognize right away that they can’t be anyone but themselves, and I take all of their performances as quasi-arrangements, typically.

[@chilrad]

Truly one of the most extraordinary and gifted musicians that has ever lived, and whose legacy is, in itself, a reason to live on.

[@jozsefhalajko6995]

He also was a bar - pianist in Budapest, drinking a lot of shorts. Improvized for themes giving him on the spot. These are all plays parts of his later world fame . ( everything are connected, and influences other things)

[@PeteN75]

Cziffra was an unbelievably talented pianist. Top class, full of emotions. I wish I could have listened to him live...

[@ernokorenyovszky2718]

The only person in the world that would inprovise on the hardest of liszts pieces. Witnessing here the greatest piano player ever to be filmed..

[@moccagriselda]

The one thing that should have been recorded for all the world to hear, was the improvised concert he was asked to give to the visiting german high command on the eastern front in the winter of 1943. He didn't touch the keys for more than 2 years at that time and he was given only a couple of hours to exercise his fingers a bit. He opened it with a paraphrase on a Tschaikowsky melody, so that he could play in silence and to have the undivided attention of those around him... No recording exists, needless to say. Only memoirs.

[@gibsonlavery6978]

Very few people knows the story of his life. They would cry...@@moccagriselda

[@hdholl9696]

Effortless brilliance. There is no-one like Cziffra.

[@bachopinbee5991]

Did you say effortless? It's clear blood and oil at the piano!

[@bloodgrss]

There are a few-but VERY few...

[@elenakun9318]

Да , именно так ! Легкий , сверкающий , непринуждённый блеск

[@Pearfection]

Just discovered Cziffra today. Wow!!!

[@ClassicalPianoRarities]

Enjoy

[@luizfernandg]

These days we listen to so many pianists playing at all the major Piano Competitions around the wolrd, but I ask, do we ever here someone playing like this man? He has it in his blood!

[@grigorpetrov8006]

This is why I maintain that no living pianist today of any stature has this grand romantic pianism in their blood. It is simply extinct

[@GuidoTondo]

00:21 Improvisation (includes Chopin Etude Op.10/1) BBC Studio, 7/22/62 07:04 Bach-Busoni: Prelude and Fuga in D major 19:00 Scarlatti Sonatas K.101, K. 96 27:24 Schumann: Toccata 32:10 Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No.6 BBC Studio, 5/16/62 38:50 Liszt: Polonaise No.2 BBC Studio, 1963 47:54 Liszt: Grand Galop Chromatique 51:59 Chopin: Polonaise No.6 "Heroique"

[@zuhairbakdoud1360]

This is not music… This is just saying “look at me, am I not a great player of technical exercises. He also steals some of the Chopin etude no. 1 opus 10.

[@Mori_Sann]

4:56 〜 is based on "17 Polish songs Nr.1" composed by Chopin

[@magdalenatalik870]

@@Mori_Sann More like 5:10 and it's improvisation on song "Życzenie" (A Wish)

[@123eldest]

@@zuhairbakdoud1360 you must be stupid if you think playing someone's music is stealing

[@woojae2001]

@@zuhairbakdoud1360 lol you’re hilarious

[@wittekjmusic]

Cziffra is a Genius Piano Virtuoso

[@paulburke3247]

A genius of the highest order!

[@keybawd4023]

The bach-busoni is nothing short of miraculaous

[@davisatdavis1]

Seriously, that improvisation was insane. I feel like he already knew what he was going to play once he played those first few notes and that rolled chords

[@luizfernandg]

I just love when he says "Ive finished"...and just walks out after all that! Amazing!

[@r.i.p.volodya]

HAPPY 102nd BIRTHDAY, Cziffra! Nov. 5th, 2023.

[@lorenzley1324]

Without any discussion Cziffra was one of the finest musicians with an extraordinary piano technic that has impress the world around him.

[@etiennedelaunois1737]

Cziffra virtuosity was very "natural". Dont get me wrong, there are a very big amounts of hours of practice behind this but it wasn't just a showman virtuosity. He was following his instinct behind that virtuosity. Today, we have so many copycats, playing what he was playing but lacking of that spontaneity. My teacher when he was a boy, met him and had lessons with him a few times and he was extremely humble. He told him once that if a musician was trying to play as fast or like an other one, you will probably become a pale imitation of that person. Your ambition as a musician is to explore your own musicality and expression then the rest will follow.

[@hz3701]

Thanks for sharing this! ☺️

[@Marinavalerevna]

Драгоценные воспоминания! Как это трогает душу. Благодарю Вас.

[@thedrinkerful]

Cziffra was the pianist that really got me into classical piano music, every note he plays has a certain emotion and meaning behind it, his playing is the most colorful withouth loosing that flow/line of the piece hes playing. Love his studio recordings for those reasons and live ones for the reason he never plays a piece the same twice always something new. An amazing pianist and person

[@brydon10]

He's really having a great time playing, you can tell.

[@Marinavalerevna]

Да, стоит посмотреть на его лицо. Вдохновение и наслаждение. Люблю его!

[@keybawd4023]

There are a hundred ways of interpretting this tocata; Each one is valid, This is one of the most transcendental of all

[@jackcurley1591]

I especially love the Chopin Polonaise… Cziffra is so controlled and measured, as if respectful, it’s great!

[@trevjr]

I was only going to stay for the Bach/Busoni but the Scarlatti was so mesmerizing then the Schumann, I cannot stop just staring at his hands.

[@Marinavalerevna]

... И на его лицо.

[@jeffsmith1798]

Hofmann and Cziffra are in a class all their own. They make the performance of these great masterpieces sound effortless.

[@davidcotuit]

Virtuosity, in and of itself, is a wonderful thing. But we must always remind ourselves that great musicianship involves much more than virtuosity, essential though that may be.

[@orsolyafrank573]

@@davidcotuit And what is astonishing about Cziffra is precisely this - that he always goes way beyond the technique and brings the MUSIC to life. That is the true purpose of virtuoso, and that is why he is unsurpassable.

[@tamasneszarka9251]

Fantasztikus, ahogy az ujjai mozognak, erintik a billentyukeet!Magyar volt,szegyelem,hogyitthon nem erteken meltattak,a kozonseg igen.❤

[@christophdoelz6758]

I quote Volodja Horowitz who exclaimed: "I want to be Cziffra!" What a most wonderful, wonderful musician. Clearly one of THE great pianists of the 20th.

[@Highinsight7]

Cziffra... simply put... is CERTAINLY one of the greatest of all time... Richer... and others come close... I even think Liszt would be amazed...

[@maksimryslyaev4794]

Он реально так сказал? Можете указать источник, доказывающий это.

[@josephbarbarie692]

"Time", in the metered, or marked, sense, does not exist for this man. He will fit the oddest groupings of rhythmic values into whatever box he chooses. For Cziffra, a piece is a single open-bar phrase, and he declaims it all in a breath.

[@melbapatti]

What truly EFFORTLESS, gorgeous playing. And I’ve never heard the melody over the rumbling octaves in the Polonaise played so beautifully.

[@lorettaslovak7735]

He’s not playing the piano but rather a whole orchestra! Superhuman technique not of this world God bless him

[@vova47]

I can't get enough of this tremendous video. Cziffra must have pre-warmed up before this warm-up. Look how fearlessly he attacks octaves right from the start! Incredible power!

[@flambr]

sometimes I wonder if he ever cooled down

[@Marinavalerevna]

​@@flambr Какой красивый цыган!

[@BKlett]

Ein echter Musiker auch, nicht nur Virtuose!!!

[@tarakb7606]

Merci Monsieur Cziffra.

[@Vandraren1000]

Hard to tell how this recording came out in KZbin. I my selfe work as music producer at SR, Swedish Radio Classical Chanel, and may, after 22 years in office have some good moments to share. But in 1962 there was no way to record a broadcast. This must be put on net by someone inside. And of cause, I want to thank that person. No profit involved, just the joy to bring some extraordinary moments in time, caught, to the rest of the world to experience. Thank you, however you are, I would probably do the same after have gone to retire. Skrovaczewskis last live Bruckner symphonies.. :-)

[@vova47]

Have seen this dozens of times but it never gets old. Cziffra was one of a kind. Thank you for sharing!

[@suzyflorida1193]

God said, "I want a human to play the piano like I can." Ladies and Gentlemen, here is that human!

[@safrane95]

Gods "style" is design & order ~ the sublime gravitational physics of orbiting galaxies, the periodic table of elements, the perfection of DNA & atoms, miracle of biology, the mathematics & physics of light & tones & frequency of real music from popular to classic ~ not self indulgent discordant chaos like this. Think Satan rather than God may be the analogy that fits these purposeless rambling abstract clashing sounds ~ however each to their own Suzy ~ enjoy if you can !😩

[@SeigneurReefShark]

@@AlexAlcyone no

[@jeffreybryan8377]

Couldn't agree more 😁💓♥️💗

[@fire22233]

@@safrane95 Except none of those things are god's making since he doesn't exist.

[@ClassicalPianoRarities]

This is a piano channel

[@pianosenzanima1]

More Cziffra please!!...and thank you!!

[@ClassicalPianoRarities]

More to come!

[@pianosenzanima1]

Classical Piano Rarities can’t wait!!!

[@annah.1927]

Beautiful ! 🌹 Thank you. / Köszönöm szépen./

[@davidhencshel5969]

His Chopin Etude beginning at 3:40 is simply blistering, while each note is clear as a bell. Superhuman right hand technique that appears effortless. Jeez.

[@jungwirthmartin]

Bunch of mistakes and slips as well as too much pedal

[@celsosantana7844]

Capacidade musical excepcional. GÊNIO

[@thecozytrader00]

Not that clear but still awesome

[@emmerentiagroenewald3694]

Remember:this is WARMING UP!! Recital starts at 7.00........

[@fiokomjutub972]

@@jungwirthmartin I think you just do not even deserve to listen Cziffra at all. Better for you to listen Michelangeli and Yuja Wang They are for your taste I think.

[@andre.vaz.pereira]

At 5:09 he improvised on "6 Polish songs" nº 1 "Madchens Wunsch" by Chopin that was also transcribed by F. Liszt. He played Liszt's transcription in his last recital too.

[@ClassicalPianoRarities]

Check out the CDs available in our store, all first releases tinyurl.com/ugj5pye

[@bifeldman]

Heaven

[@marktabla5434]

30 years ago, I could only read about recitals like this in the Penguin Guide to Classical Compact Discs or pay $30 to special-order a European label import CD from Tower Records that would take weeks to ship. Now I can watch / listen to such material on demand on KZbin for free. How times have changed.

[@jonrosemann3292]

Only a few people in history have had this type of technique on their own preferred instruments. The piano has been blessed with Cziffra, Rachmaninoff, Busoni, Godowsky, and only a few other kings of their era for this type of virtuosity showcased to the world. Everyone else can dream of this raw skill. Remember we wouldn't be here without Bach.

[@franzliszt975]

Me ! Rachmaninoff is dumb ! I am the best !

[@jonrosemann3292]

@@franzliszt975 I forgot to mention how Franz Liszt is all of theirs father.

[@bachopinbee5991]

You forgot the most effortless of them all, Josef Hofman

[@SlyIfrit]

@@jonrosemann3292 Supposedly Liszt had said that Charles Alkan had the best technique of anyone he had known.

[@backloop1527]

THE BEST !!!!!

[@ClassicalPianoRarities]

If you choose to support Classical Piano Rarities, you may do so through PayPal: www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=JV487WEJLAPHC&source=url Or Patreon: www.patreon.com/join/classicalpianorarities

[@valerieheinderyckx4506]

Quelle merveille...Merci infiniment. ❤

[@rtxa]

Love this part from the Liszt polonaise 44:42

[@ernokorenyovszky2718]

Thanks god this was filmed.. if just heard nowadays peiple would say its not a human playing this.. than you for showing us the piece piano player ,playing the best peice of music and improvising on it..

[@bernabela5003]

Brilliant!

[@ajodahseenarine9209]

the scarlatti is just pure so pure scarlatti.!!!

[@alainspiteri502]

hum on piano-forte ? J don't known

[@ubiestinsula]

Thank you for this incredible document!

[@ClassicalPianoRarities]

You are very welcome!

[@Marinavalerevna]

Как ему идёт фрак! Красивая посадка за инструментом. Цыффра умел быть элегантным. Люблю его. И вальяжный галстук. Как в стихах "А ваш изящный бант развязан так красиво..." А теперь слушаем. ❤

[@othonduenas1274]

Cziffra Eres un Grande!

[@klasszikuszene7434]

csodálatos, fantasztikus - köszönjük a feltöltést, hogy még most is csodálattal hallgathatjuk és láthatjuk

[@blackandwhiterag1117]

What a tremendous thing you have done. We could never have imagined this back in 1962. Many, many thanks indeed ""

[@marcoplayzsolo3904]

Gifted and Amazing....One of my influences. You guys should hear his own arrangement "flight of the Bumblebee"

[@bachopinbee5991]

Those octaves in the Toccata are just next level crazy! What z way he had with octaves!

[@pianowithspencer88]

Thanks for this. Loved it. Great channel thank you!

[@Faina1612]

Brilliant Cziffra! Thank you for this upload!

[@ClassicalPianoRarities]

More to come! Happy listening

[@davisatdavis1]

10 year old: Look! I can play piano! Cziffra: Me too

[@nataliebagdonas5759]

God’s gift to us! Thank you ❤

[@josepalomogomez9865]

Una maravilla. Gracias.

[@guadalupepadillatorres6157]

Extraordinaro

[@seongtaek84]

Gold!!

[@leomiller2291]

Most astonishing Schumann toccata ever.

[@perreperre2884]

I answer him : thank you God for so much love .

[@MichaelAlexander1967]

I find it absolutely amazing to have access to early recordings that were recorded before color filming was prevalent, especially of this caliber of talent. After hearing Georges Cziffra's Chopin Op. 25 no. 1, I wanted to see live recordings, so I'm extremely grateful to have this footage.

[@СветланаКоломыйченко-ц1ж]

Галоп - это что-то из области фантастики!!!

[@patricknyman727]

He’s like the 20th century Liszt! Born in Hungary too.

[@GouganeBarra-u4t]

Though Yunchan Lim and Daniil Trifonov are great, Cziffra is the only pianist I could listen to for 24 hours. His magnificence is only matched by his greatness... a true electric virtuoso !

[@gabchaim8232]

Incredibly captivating

[@jozsefhalajko6995]

He was a Hungarian half gypsy man. The gypsy blod in him a big part why he had an extreme temperament, more intense musicality, passion etc. I am a professional Hungarian classical guitarist knowing the characters of gypsies. Cziffra born into an extremely poor family. That is part of the reason why he was practicing diligently when he was a child to escape of that circumtences.Gypsies are famous all over the world for their extremely passionat musical talents. Like the intensity passionet flamenco players in South Spain who's aren't also mostly gypsies. He lived in France. His son ( who's was a conductor) with his wife and son burned and died in theirs house. Cziffra music after this extreme tragedy become extremely deep. Spiritually more painfully deep to express the horrible suffering, that is also part of our life, as we have to face our loved ones pass away. After loosing his only son, and his wife and grandson, his LP record of Chopin f - minor Fantasy is a realistic account of his extreme deep spiritual suffering. So this particular recording of him, put him far the best performer of this piece. So dreamily deep, that is beyond words. Also he have a section in this piece where he is producing flasolett, harmonic tones, that's only string instrumentalists do. But he is doing that on piano. That is an impossible magic. Since than I still wondering how he could do that. I did not hear that from any other pianists. For me, he is the best of all others. ( also as gipsy, he may had the instinct to get out from the discriminative treatment of gypsies in his childhood...?)

[@kpokpojiji]

"I am finished, thank you." Yes. Gyorgy, and the rest of us are just beginning....

[@mona1976able]

Thanks a lot for sharing!

[@ClassicalPianoRarities]

More to come! Welcome!

[@laslasman564]

Loved Bach Busoni in this... probably the piece of the recital...clarity musicianship and control...

[@T65XJ]

I hit the like button but there should really be a “Kneel down cause I’m not worthy” button

[@Marinavalerevna]

... И кнопка ЛЮБЛЮ.

[@canman5060]

Insane piano technique. I have a lot to catch up with after my Czerny Op 740.

[@andibonnington]

Improvisation was amazing though it sounded to me more Liszt alike than Chopin... "I have finished" Wonderful!!!

[@robertobaroffio2391]

Grande virtuoso

[@cristiandone5749]

Gracias por compartir amigo

[@barakjoe]

WOW

[@soussankobari1509]

J aime bien .il est adorable.

[@afrofinka]

Interesting detail : of the two stools at his disposal first time he arrived in to the studio, he preferred the regular one over the piano stool. Isn’t the man shown from 47:20 Sir Richard Attenborough ?

[@martinu6]

Astonishing..

[@MrInterestingthings]

Czifra could be as imaginative and exciting as Horowitz ! His Schumann Toccata on film Legendary ! HIs Liszt 2nd Polonaise!

[@satrialesporkstore7889]

After hearing Liszt playing in heaven, God thought it was wonderful but also a shame that no other human could hear his playing ever again, so he gave us Cziffra. Thank you God!

[@zsubaille]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@alainspiteri502]

Improvisation of op10-1 is spectacular , in fact it's that Cziffra not Frédérick Chopin

[@Hjominbonrun]

those 10 finger fists of leaps at the end of the polonaise. well ya. Madness.

[@doloresrodriguez9402]

😮😮😳wooooooo!!!

[@Felix_Li_En]

I recently find out that the piano Cziffra played at the beginning warm-up has more than 88 keys!!!

[@ClassicalPianoRarities]

Sure looks like a Bosendorfer.

[@adrianoauguadri9373]

sì... vorrei vedere tante altre cose di cziffra

[@fakeaccount5888]

Imp😮ssible

[@palmerplantagenet]

When Cziffra was advertised as coming to Los Angeles to perform a recital, it was also mentioned that Mr. Cziffra might include some improvising. I especially wished to hear him doing the latter, but apparently, at the last minute, he changed his mind. However, the recital 'proper' was certainly impressive. Would like to have heard him "live" many more times!

[@ClassicalPianoRarities]

What year was that??