vitalij kuprij

[pianistimo]

i'm excited now!  going to hear the reading symphony play liszt's first piano concerto with vitalij kuprij.  has anyone heard him play?  i don't really know who he is. 

another question:  why is this first concerto of liszt's called 'the triangle' concerto?  does it use triangles?  i vaguely remember something like that from class.

[sevencircles]

has anyone heard him play?

Indeed

He is mostly famous as a prog/metal keyboardist.

He used to be very good but the rocklifestyle was propably a disaster for his playing.

Can propably still be good every now and then, though.

[arensky]

There is a prominent triangle part in the 3rd movement, and Liszt's detractors derisively referred to this piece as "the triangle concerto".

One of my favorite classical music funnies....


"When fate visits Beethoven he knocks on the door. When he visits Liszt, he rings the doorbell."  

[pianistimo]

hmmm.  well, perhaps he'll put some spunk into the liszt.  i tend to either love a performer or really dislike their playing.  i don't think i've ever heard anything inbetween.  of course, it's not too nice to tell people - so i wait until i get into the car and then 'discuss.'  my husband ususally agrees with my assessments, which makes things fairly easy.   i like your joke, arensky! 

[arensky]

Let us know how the performance is pianistimo.

[pianistimo]

sure!  if it is good, i'll rave.  if it is not - i won't say a lot. 

btw, this wasn't the case with ricardo muti's stand-in neeme jarvi.  i didn't say a lot - but i liked his relaxed and yet very precise conducting.  he is a master of the orchestra - without overdoing movement.  and, he's always on top of things.  cuing really well.  he's amazing to watch.  i think he should definately be teaching conductors - so we won't lose his expertise. 

i was disappointed not to get to see ricardo muti, too.  they are both different conductors - but never in a million years would i compare them.  they are apples and oranges.  both really great.

[pianistimo]

well.  this is going to be short.  i hear a lot of vitalij kuprij  and not much liszt.  in places it was quite stunningly beautiful - only to be shocked by abrupt turns here and there like a car through a speedway.  it was like he was only slowing down for the turns, and you never knew where the next turn was going to be.  surprisingly, the conductor and he stayed together - despite awful liberties with the tempo and with rhythm.  i was feeling kinda sick at one point.  should i say any more?  i think the guy has technique.  don't get me wrong.  it's just that i can tell the dif between 'flashy - get applause'  and 'serious - take some time - do the runs the right way - give a bit more - and don't rush.'  this was definately a disney version.

[sevencircles]

He often screws up  unisonlines when he plays rock so it surprised me that you found his technique impressive.

The guy is rumoured to have lost a lot of technique (and musical taste) during recent years due to his alcoholproblems.

[pianistimo]

to play a complete liszt concerto takes at least some kind of technique.  i'm not putting him down entirely.  i think it is a matter of taste.  i'm sort of 'old school' and like stokowski conducting, tremendously loved richter - etc.  a lot of young people must be 'new school' because the guy got a standing ovation.  i wouldn't want to take it away from him either.  it's just that when you study music and you decide 'who you are' and what you want to be - you make a decision.  i'd rather have a less impressive show (but, of course, i've never even played the liszt concerto - so who am i to criticize). 

one thing i will give the guy credit for - is that he had an 'idea' in his head of what he wanted the concerto to sound like - and had a knack for 'improvisation' and 'evolution' of the piece.  i don't think it was the same conception liszt had in mind -- but what i think is happening nowdays is a revolt against 'old school' (play it the same as dick and jane).  he did take an interesting approach to the notes he wanted to bring out - and highlighted very well the melody lines.  some places were absolutely stunning and sounded heavenly - but then he'd get onto the speedway suddenly.  the transitions bothered me. 

now, in schubert - you have much smaller little transitive periods - so if you lighten up a lot on them and speed through them - it sounds ok.  but, in liszt they are much much longer - so , imo, you have to almost weave them in as important links to the next passage and not speed through them.  it's like they are wafting you up and down between 'important' passages. 

if you want to be really detailed about technique...i think he's playing with more energy than he needs to.  but then, he had a pretty good teacher 'gary graffman' for a while - so i think he could easily keep improving if he would take himself seriously.   he has a likeable personality as far as i can see.

[sevencircles]

"i think he's playing with more energy than he needs to"

Many people said that about Richter to. Richter overspeeded often to.

[pianistimo]

playing what?  perhaps he did - but i never heard a piece that he did.  i'm  not saying richter is my only hero.  a contemporary love of mine is barry douglas.  pogorelich (esp with scarlatti).  i'm not anti-modern totally - but i don't appreciate 'blasphemy' to the text.  it's like you're reading a play and suddenly start speaking too softly or too loudly and too fast.  noone can really distinguish those parts.  with richter - i always heard every part (whether fast or slow) with precision and clarity.

[sevencircles]

 

playing what?

Check out the clip below for an example of Richter overspeeding

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty-kVEQVeog

[opus10no2]

Check out the clip below for an example of Richter overspeeding

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty-kVEQVeog

that's a completely appropriate tempo

[sevencircles]

that's a completely appropriate tempo

Maybe, if he played cleaner.