Tchaikovsky piano concerto, not as good as it used to be

[lisztisforkids]

I remember many years ago when I used to listen with joy and ecstasy to Tchaikovskys ever famouse piano concerto. Now i know better. Yesterday I listened to this piece for the first time in about 2 years... And I thought.. What a piece of garbage. (well maybe thats a little harsh). But neverless, not really very good. Its really quite sad how much music we turn down, merely because we chose to play peices like these over, and over and over, and over again.

[mikey6]

so you dont like it coz it's popular? or you don't like it coz you think it's not a very good work?

[lisztisforkids]

so you dont like it coz it's popular? or you don't like it coz you think it's not a very good work?

both

[sharon_f]

I remember many years ago when I used to listen with joy and ecstasy to Tchaikovskys ever famouse piano concerto. Now i know better. Yesterday I listened to this piece for the first time in about 2 years... And I thought.. What a piece of garbage.

And who knows....two years from now, you may listen to it again and think "You know, I was probably a little harsh. I forgot just how exciting that last movement is!"

Over the years, I've fallen in and out of love (and then back in love) with many, many pieces.

[rohansahai]

1. You see a beautiful girl and fall in love with her.
2. You go to movies, restaurants, concerts ..and have all kinds of fun.
3. Then you marry her.
4. Then slowly the fights begin to crop up and you question your decision of marrying itself.
5. The fights grow...you lose interest in her ...separation.
6. You live separately for a while.
7. 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder': you realise how much you miss her.
8. You get together again.
9. Now you are a much more experienced and mature human being.

Now decide which phase you are in with this piece !!!

[amojoam]

Nooooo!!!!
i disagree.
and to say that about my future piano concerto! Lol!

I can't think of any piece that i have loved, over listened to, and then thought it was "not as good."

For example, the Pathetique Sonata, which everyone is probably sick of listening to. I definitely over listened to that a few years ago, however that still doesn't take away from its overall quality, which somehow changed how good it was. It just got less exciting.

[mcgillcomposer]

I remember many years ago when I used to listen with joy and ecstasy to Tchaikovskys ever famouse piano concerto. Now i know better. Yesterday I listened to this piece for the first time in about 2 years... And I thought.. What a piece of garbage. (well maybe thats a little harsh). But neverless, not really very good. Its really quite sad how much music we turn down, merely because we chose to play peices like these over, and over and over, and over again.

I am not going to agree or disagree at this point, but one cannot make such sweeping statements without qualifying them.  WHY is it a "piece of garbage"?  If you can give me coherent reasons that are both historically profound (the context must always be taken into consideration) and compositionally informed I may consider respecting your remark.

- Andrew

N.B. I am not arguing...I just don't like it when people make such sweeping remarks without saying why.

[apion]

What a piece of garbage. (well maybe thats a little harsh). But neverless, not really very good.

A drastically overrated concerto.

[thalbergmad]

Rubinstein was right with his first opinion. It should have been completely re written.

To me, the popularity of the 1st is almost as strange as the unpopularity of the 2nd.

[pita bread]

1. You see a beautiful girl and fall in love with her.
2. You go to movies, restaurants, concerts ..and have all kinds of fun.
3. Then you marry her.
4. Then slowly the fights begin to crop up and you question your decision of marrying itself.
5. The fights grow...you lose interest in her ...separation.
6. You live separately for a while.
7. 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder': you realise how much you miss her.
8. You get together again.
9. Now you are a much more experienced and mature human being.

Now decide which phase you are in with this piece !!!

I was never attracted to it in the first place.

[rohansahai]

So, in short I'd add a phase 1b) to it ..: You see a girl and hate her!

[superstition2]

It's a great concerto. Perhaps you haven't heard the right performance? Many "virtuoso/diva" pianists don't play it well, because they feel their technical skill vastly exceeds the piece and show it in bad performances. Argerich is a good example.

You may like the original version of the concerto better. It was modified by pianists like Rubinstein and those modifications stuck.

[apion]

It's a great concerto. Perhaps you haven't heard the right performance?

You are correct that an exceptional performace can be captivating; but that still doesn't address the structural weaknesses of the work. 

[musik_man]

I agree with Rubenstein.  The piece certainly has a wonderful opening, but I think if that weren't there, it would be an obscure concerto instead of one of the most popular ones.  The first movement just wanders aimlessly and says nothing all that important.

[apion]

I agree with Rubenstein.  The piece certainly has a wonderful opening, but I think if that weren't there, it would be an obscure concerto instead of one of the most popular ones.  The first movement just wanders aimlessly and says nothing all that important.

Well said.  I agree.

[dbrainiak914]

I used to agree with you, about six months ago.  But three weeks ago I saw John Kimura Parker perform it with Cincinnati... and I was completely blown away!  I had never heard this piece performed this way!  It was so dramatic and breathtaking!  I now like this piano concerto all over again, I just think it depends on who you have playing it (and I will probably consequently get Parker's rec of it).

With Pathetique, same thing was the case, until i saw Zimmerman play it live.  ONCE AGAIN, my entire perception of the piece was changed.  There was something so new and fresh about both of these performances, it made me completely forget about the crappy renditions I had heard of these pieces.  So yeah, I agree that the popularity of these pieces diminishes the emotions we have toward them, but they are still absolute masterpieces in the hands of real artists like above.

[mcgillcomposer]

You are correct that an exceptional performace can be captivating; but that still doesn't address the structural weaknesses of the work. 

How is it structurally weak?

[apion]

How is it structurally weak?

I refer only to the 1st movement (OMG, where to begin?).

[trix]

I have never "gotton" this concerto, or the 1st movement anyway (the 3rd is catchy):  Other than that little Russian dance-like motif (that comes in for about 15 seconds after   like the 2nd hour, then another 15 seconds after the 4th hour ) it is completely lost on me.

I have never understood it's extreme popularity and I have tried (and I generally love Tchaikovsky).

[klavierkonzerte]

the concerto is way overapreciated

i admit it has some nice moments but they only occpy about 5% or less of the concerto.

what i really can't get is that this concerto is popular while litolff outstanding conceti are forgotten

the litolff concerti should be concert standards.