Balakirev - Islamey

[franz_]

How difficult is this piece? Somebody who played it? To what can you compare it?
I adore this piece.

[verywellmister]

Paul Wee (e60m5 on this forum) has recorded it.  its on pianosociety.com  his islamey is imo the best there is (at least better than Langlang).

[mephisto]

Listen to Fiorentino. Paul Wee is of course amazing.

[thierry13]

Berezovosky is one of the best at it. Barere is amazing too.

[dnephi]

Harder  (arguably) than TE's.  pretty sick.

[thierry13]

Harder  (arguably) than TE's.  pretty sick.

No, not even arguable Islamey is completly out of the league of the TEs.

[lau]

When I heard this peice I couldn't imagine it being this difficult. I wouldn't want to play something that's harder than it sounds

[dnephi]

No, not even arguable Islamey is completly out of the league of the TEs.

   K.  Thanks for the heads up.  I'm not dumb enought to try for at least a few years.

Daniel

[nanabush]

Also the fact that it's 18 pages doesn't help 

[allchopin]

Paul Wee (e60m5 on this forum) has recorded it.  its on pianosociety.com  his islamey is imo the best there is (at least better than Langlang).

[mephisto]

What do you mean?

[thierry13]

What do you mean?

I think he meant that Paul Wee is an amazing young pianist, but his record is far from being the best there is. Excellent record, tough.

[allchopin]

What do you mean?

I mean subtle disagreement.

[JP]

No, not even arguable Islamey is completly out of the league of the TEs.

Judging from the TEs I have played, they are comparabe IMO.

[burstroman]

The musical value of this work is wanting.  It's not bad for an occasional encore.

[ralessi]

I agree with you JP.  You cant really say "Is islamey more difficult than any of the TE's?" you would really have to ask "Is islamey more difficult than ALL of the TE's?" Just like any other set of etudes, they all have different focuses.  And after looking through all of the TE's and performing a few, I would rather learn Islamey.  I'm not saying that Islamey isn't hard, it definately has contributed to my tendonitis....  I would say that islamey is damn hard and the transcendental etudes are damn hard. 

cheers!
Rick

[ce nedra]

Listen to Kissin's Islamey.... amazing

[nakedape]

arrau's early recording is the pwnage. at least i think so.

[nitrocan]

Listen to Kissin's Islamey.... amazing

Agree

[franzliszt2]

Kissin has recorded Islamey?

Julius Katchen's is good, not as fast as the others mentioned, but some of it is very special.

[ce nedra]

Kissin's Islamey live attached

[hodi]

Kissin's Islamey live attached

  A-W-E-S-O-M-E  ! ! !

[tompilk]

piers lane has to be the best and most sought after recording - it was in print for about a week and no one has it!
Tom

[thierry13]

Listen to Kissin's Islamey.... amazing

Bleh ... how can you all think it's that amazing ... it SUCKS ! Okay he plays fast and it can sound clean, but his sound his ugly ! And he plays with poor musicality. To me it sounds like an amateur with an amazing technique trying to do great pieces ... The only point of this record is virtuosity , and others play it way better with as much if not more virtuosity.