Why isn´t Lisitsa more famous?

[sevencircles]

I start to think that Lisitsa would have been a huge star if she arrived in any other timeperiod then the one we are living in.

She got everything it takes to become the most famous classical pianist in the world.

I bet she haven´t got a very good management.

[thalbergmad]

I have only seen a couple of her vids.

I loved her Chopin Etudes, but her Don Juan was an abortion.

Perhaps she is too pretty to be recognised as an artist.

I have suffered from the same problem.

Thal

[walking_encyclopedia]

never even heard of her. what has she recorded besides the chopin etudes and don juan?

[palika dunno]

Why isn´t Lisitsa more famous?

because she sucks.

She got everything it takes to become the most famous classical pianist in the world.

er..? have you taken drugs?

I'm sorry but I think/hope you're kidding.

[Graf Zahl]

Well, most of the videos of her I saw seemed to be heavily edited, especially the chopin-etudes. I once downloaded some live-recordings from her website, many of them were among the worst recordings I ever listened to from a professional player, sorry (Prokofiev op.83  ...) I fear the question should be: "Why is Lisitsa that famous?"

[palika dunno]

Well, most of the videos of her I saw seemed to be heavily edited, especially the chopin-etudes. I once downloaded some live-recordings from her website, many of them were among the worst recordings I ever listened to from a professional player, sorry (Prokofiev op.83 ...) I fear the question should be: "Why is Lisitsa that famous?"

I agree.

[mephisto]

Perhaps she is too pretty to be recognised as an artist.

I have suffered from the same problem.

Thal

Short and precise but just inzanely hilarious. I luv u.

-da meph

[houseofblackleaves]

....


Ehem... you were saying? 

[emmdoubleew]

Like lang lang, her technique is more impressive than her musicality. Unlike lang-lang, she isn't completely insane.

[kaiwin]

Uhh.... i hate her interpretation of the Chopin Revolutionary etudes....

Harsh 

[jre58591]

Like lang lang, her technique is more impressive than her musicality. Unlike lang-lang, she isn't completely insane.

i totally agree. i have a vid of her complete chopin etudes - AWFUL. the only good thing ive seen or heard her play somewhat well is rachmaninoff's etude op 39 no 6. that was somewhat bearable, i guess.

[pianiststrongbad]

I agree that her stuff is edited.  I downloaded her complete Chopin Etudes.  In Op. 25 no. 11 on the the very top of the third page there is an E printed, and I hear an E.  But you can see she clearly plays an F on the keyboard.  This is when the theme comes in E minor. 

[xinox]

I downloaded her complete Chopin Etudes. 

Where??
You can send me pm..
Thank you!

[sevencircles]

Why isn´t Lisitsa more famous?

because she sucks.


Quote
She got everything it takes to become the most famous classical pianist in the world.

er..? have you taken drugs?

I'm sorry but I think/hope you're kidding.

The best classical pianists are often not the best ones.

A sexy woman doesn´t have to be as good as an uggly man to be famous.

Argerich Would hardly be as famous as she is if she was an uggly man.

She has hardly been the most most musically interesting pianist in the world or even the greatest technical player.

[houseofblackleaves]

Me loves Lisitsa.


However, I totally agree that her interpretations are weak and some of her recordings are almost a *waste* of some of the most amazing skill.

But I think that the bottom line is, she doesn't take it UBER-seriously, like Ritcher or somthing.  She's always smiling when she plays, which shows that she's just having fun.  And that to me is more important than being an ultra-uber-virtuoso-serious-pianist.


Not that I don't love Ritcher.


Besides.... she was aiming to be a CHESS champion to begin with??

[emmdoubleew]

Argerich Would hardly be as famous as she is if she was an uggly man.

She has hardly been the most most musically interesting pianist in the world or even the greatest technical player.

Uh... Just no.

[debussy symbolism]

Greetings.

I find it amazing that this forum is very selective. If a flaw, you manage to make invective statements about a pianist. Sometimes we just prevaricate too much and make it seem that those who don't qualify as auspicious are perfidious and should't be trusted. Whilst I got nothing agaisnt criticism(I am fore it), I would just like to point out that this forum is capable of making criticism and does an excellent job at making others feel bad.

[steve jones]

I start to think that Lisitsa would have been a huge star if she arrived in any other timeperiod then the one we are living in.

She got everything it takes to become the most famous classical pianist in the world.

I bet she haven´t got a very good management.

Thats a very good question, as I think she is amazing! Iv watched / listened to quite a few of her vids / recordings and love her style.

She makes the Etudes look so effortless! If only they were that easy...

SJ

[henrah]

I really, really like this recording. However, I don't like her Horowitz's Carmen Variations. On the chord jumps she slows down noticeably, and it really stands out.

[nicco]

I really, really like this recording. However, I don't like her Horowitz's Carmen Variations. On the chord jumps she slows down noticeably, and it really stands out.

Really? as i remember it felt like the video was speeded up towards the end..oh well

[palika dunno]

I really, really like this recording. However, I don't like her Horowitz's Carmen Variations. On the chord jumps she slows down noticeably, and it really stands out.

you liked the recording? are you sure? did you really listen? did you close your eyes and ONLY listened? I doubt it.

[henrah]

you liked the recording? are you sure? did you really listen? did you close your eyes and ONLY listened? I doubt it.

Well from truly listening to it, I did find parts that I didn't like. But I still like the parts that I did.

[stevie]

her Don Juan was an abortion.

it is interesting to note that when that video was filmed, she had never had a child.
if indeed her don juan WAS an abortion, it is no longer, she has toned it down for her latest video...
yep thats right, toned it down JUST ENOUGH so that she actually gave birth to a child recently.

[kriskicksass]

Towards the end of the video posted, her hands go out of synch with the sound for quite a  bit. Still a good recording, though her percussive sound made me think it was Prokofiev for a while.

EDIT: I just did a little research and am listening to her Rachmaninoff 32/12. It's quite nice. 

[tompilk]

you just can't even begin to compare her... if it was the first time you heard the pieces, tey would sound amazing, but go and lsiten to 10 interps and i can bet you shes in about the bottom 2... any professional pianist can play te things she plays... Koji eserves to be famous way before lisitsa!
Tom

[etudes]

i like her Rach etude op.39 no.6

[demented cow]

I found some of her stuff ok, but check out her Don Juan Fantasy at
www.valentinalisitsa.com
I am more tolerant of wrong notes than many people, but I'm sorry to say that this recording was pretty much unlistenable. Most fast passages were ruined by clusters of wrong notes. She doesn't (yet) have the technical equipment for this piece.
Her fans should send her an email suggesting she take that recording off the website. It will ruin her career if enough important people listen to it.
If she was responsible for uploading this recording, then I would seriously question her musical judgment.

[donjuan]

I found some of her stuff ok, but check out her Don Juan Fantasy at
www.valentinalisitsa.com
I am more tolerant of wrong notes than many people, but I'm sorry to say that this recording was pretty much unlistenable. Most fast passages were ruined by clusters of wrong notes. She doesn't (yet) have the technical equipment for this piece.
Her fans should send her an email suggesting she take that recording off the website. It will ruin her career if enough important people listen to it.
If she was responsible for uploading this recording, then I would seriously question her musical judgment.

her playing is a bit superficial, but she certainly serves the music better than Lang Lang.  I didnt notice any wrong notes in the don juan recording, until the end, when her adrenaline got the best of her.  She tried to play faster than she could, but stumbled a bit on the way.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

I found some of her stuff ok, but check out her Don Juan Fantasy at
www.valentinalisitsa.com
...
If she was responsible for uploading this recording, then I would seriously question her musical judgment.

I'm in 100% agreement. A lot of the last five minutes is reminiscent of a train crash waiting to happen, and it duly does. Prior to the big accident, there's some serious loss of clarity in the playing; just sounds messy. She does produce some nice sonorites at times, but I recall seeing this for the first time a while back and wondering why on earth a professional pianist would want to broadcast something like this.

[kelly_kelly]

Abomination?

[orlandopiano]

Her Chopin is disgusting.

[kelly_kelly]

I didn't think her etudes were bad.

[rimv2]

I'm in 100% agreement. A lot of the last five minutes is reminiscent of a train crash waiting to happen, and it duly does. Prior to the big accident, there's some serious loss of clarity in the playing; just sounds messy. She does produce some nice sonorites at times, but I recall seeing this for the first time a while back and wondering why on earth a professional pianist would want to broadcast something like this.

Cause no one should take pride in a performance of an incredibly difficult piece, even if mistakes were made

[quasimodo]

Me loves Lisitsa.


However, I totally agree that her interpretations are weak and some of her recordings are almost a *waste* of some of the most amazing skill.

But I think that the bottom line is, she doesn't take it UBER-seriously, like Ritcher or somthing.  She's always smiling when she plays, which shows that she's just having fun.  And that to me is more important than being an ultra-uber-virtuoso-serious-pianist.

Cool post!

I think Lisitsa would have no difficulty to get a contract with a major record company if she really wanted to. Yet she doesn't release anymore CD's since her Audiofon Sessions in the late 90's - by the way these too rare recordings are absolutely stunning, totally unedited, full of wrong notes and deliciously insane.

On the other hand, when you have a look at her scene schedule, you find out she's qute a busy pianist. Not so mediatic but quite wanted by concert organizers.

[Teddybear]

Oh dear, I watched some of her videos. It's such a shame! She's got magnificent hands and the technique for anything, but her playing is unmusical and uninteresting. Why, why...

I also listened to Chopin op. 25 no. 12 because I just started learning that one. Made me think Pollini is actually not so bad.

[bachapprentice]

She has a lot of talent.  I recently purchased the Chopin video and was very impressed. I regret not seeing her performance last month at Bosendorfer in NYC.

[rimv2]

Oh dear, I watched some of her videos. It's such a shame! She's got magnificent hands and the technique for anything, but her playing is unmusical and uninteresting. Why, why...

I also listened to Chopin op. 25 no. 12 because I just started learning that one. Made me think Pollini is actually not so bad.

Wow......

[tds]

Oh dear, I watched some of her videos. It's such a shame! She's got magnificent hands and the technique for anything, but her playing is unmusical and uninteresting. Why, why...

i agree. now i wonder what superb technicians with weak(er) personality should do to improve their performance or musicianship? this is rather off topic, but i am genuinely curious. if anyone care to response...

[Teddybear]

i agree. now i wonder what superb technicians with weak(er) personality should do to improve their performance or musicianship? this is rather off topic, but i am genuinely curious. if anyone care to response...

Maybe they should improve their personality as in explore it outside piano playing. At least I find people with several interests more fascinating than the ones who spend all their time on one activity. Plus I should like to think most compositions are inspired by life, not by piano playing. So I'm kind of thinking that in order to become a good musician you have to find out what else is in you.

[Motrax]

And they could read this:

https://www.arbiterrecords.com/musicresourcecenter/moiseiwitsch.html

 

[tds]

And they could read this:

https://www.arbiterrecords.com/musicresourcecenter/moiseiwitsch.html

 

good article. thanks, motrax

[brewtality]

She doesn't deserve to be famous.

[stevie]

She doesn't deserve to be famous.

jaaahahah da BRU cummah

this pic seems to have been harshly removed :

https://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://www.festivalcervantino.gob.mx/Fic04/sala_prensa/OCT%252007/Conferencia%2520de%2520Prensa%2520Haendel%2520-%2520Lisitsa/lisitsa.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.festivalcervantino.gob.mx/Fic04/sala_prensa/OCT%252007/Conferencia%2520de%2520Prensa%2520Haendel%2520-%2520Lisitsa/&h=2628&w=1588&sz=453&tbnid=g5DaKCd8yqK3RM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=90&hl=en&start=40&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlisitsa%26start%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff%26rls%3DDVXA,DVXA:2005-19,DVXA:en%26sa%3DN

[quasimodo]

Just found out she posted new mp3's on her site, including Rach's moments musicaux and Chopin's Fantasy in F minor and a lot of other pieces.

[sevencircles]

Lang Lang isn´t the most tastefull pianist in the world and he is a lot more famous then Lisitsa.

I don´t know any  another female pianist as good as her and with that much sex-appeal.

She has the potential to make it big there is no question about that.

[jas]

and with that much sex-appeal.

Why is this relevant?

[stevie]

Why is this relevant?

because sex sells

witness my fortune for proof...

[ahinton]

because sex sells

witness my fortune for proof...

Well, we might some of us do just that if you provide the evidence (or we might not, of course)...

Best,

Alistair

[jas]

because sex sells

witness my fortune for proof...

Send some my way and I might believe you! (And to nip the inevitable dirty joke in the bud, I mean fortune )

[quasimodo]

Although I'm a huge fan of hers, I have to admit that I see the flaws of her pianism. It is neither technique nor musicality, it's her annoying dilletantism. Too often, I have the impression her performances are nurtured with adrenaline rather than artistic emotions, her appropriation of the pieces is sometimes lacking. Like one day she wakes up, thinks about a random challenging piece and decides "Yeah, that one seems fun to play" and she goes for it but not enough in depth.
When she's forced to do things seriously on a concerto, a piano duo or a chamber music format, she does quite great, otherwise, a superstar like Hillary Hahn wouldn't pick her as a partner. When she's alone, she doesn't give a damn, but then on a given day, there is the random thundering, awesome execution of some piece(s) and I'm just like "Wow  ".