Skeptocism

[Noah]

I think what they mean, is that the guy passed off a pro's recording as his own.

If only.
His "ocean etude" is.... how shall I say... a shattering experience.

[Glissando]

If only.
His "ocean etude" is.... how shall I say... a shattering experience.

Absolutely traumatic.

[Ludwig Van Rachabji]

Where can one find this recording?

[mikeyg]

Skepto, still waiting for that recording.
mikeyg10106@yahoo.com

[Bacfokievrahms]

Holy sh*t, i want to listen to that guy's ocean etude.

[SDL]

what's ocean etude? whose got the music?  and who passed a pro's playing as his own - I looked back at the replies but Im not sure who you are talking about

[Bacfokievrahms]

Ocean etude is chopin's etude op. 25 no. 12, the sheetmusic's on sheetmusicarchive.net and the recording that I want to hear is of the guy who played the ocean etude as his first piano piece.

[SDL]

oh I know the etudes.  Just never heard it called that before.

[Glissando]

and who passed a pro's playing as his own - I looked back at the replies but Im not sure who you are talking about

Skepto.

[fred smalls]

Skepto.

It wasn't Skepto.  It was that guy who said the Ocean Etude was his first piece.  And where have you guys heard it.  I wanna hear!

[DMHM]

It wasn't Skepto.  It was that guy who said the Ocean Etude was his first piece.  And where have you guys heard it.  I wanna hear!

He (skepto) passed a rec of a pro as his own as you might have been able to read.
The ocean etude guy did NOT pass another pianist's playing as his own, if you ever get to hear it you'll know.
And by the way, why does everybody immediately assume that if one claims to play something, it's automatically good or anything near good anyway? Doesn't it occur to you it's not, 9 out of 10 times? Seriously, all this fuss about a shitty recording just cuz you're all so naive...

[mikeyg]

Hahahahaha.

This is funny.  At first I thought that there was somewhat of a chance that you were pretty good at the piano, albiet not as good as you claim, but now I am lead to wonder:  Have you ever even touched a piano?

I still look foward to that recording of the solo symphony, be it Hamelin's or someone elses.

[Bacfokievrahms]

He (skepto) passed a rec of a pro as his own as you might have been able to read.
The ocean etude guy did NOT pass another pianist's playing as his own, if you ever get to hear it you'll know.
And by the way, why does everybody immediately assume that if one claims to play something, it's automatically good or anything near good anyway? Doesn't it occur to you it's not, 9 out of 10 times? Seriously, all this fuss about a shitty recording just cuz you're all so naive...

Actually i want to hear the shitty recording because I think it'd be really funny.

[SteinwayTony]

ok.  this is getting REALLY REALLY *** annoying now.

why is it that whenever anyone says they want to play a difficult piece or is not having trouble with something YOU think is difficult you people always waste my time with your stupid comments insinuating that I am lying.  Am i the only one that this *** happens to?  Did ANYONE here think that there MIGHT be some pianists on this board that are better than you???  I know im not the best on here; I dont say i am.  But in all modesty i am *** good and i can play some pretty *** hard pieces and i'm *** sick of people telling ME what I can and can not do.  When you do that it is spam, it lowers moral, it wastes people's time and it is NOT helping anything.  If you dont have something to say that has anything to do with the topic then shut the *** up and go sulk in a corner.  Ludwig van Rachabji plays Sorabji.  I play Alkan and Nancarrow and Ligeti.  I dont want to hear that i cant.  Everyone on here who questions the skills of someone they have never even heard/seen/known is just sad, pathetic and probably jealous.  If you dont believe they can play a piece, then just be quiet.  we dont wanna hear about it.  You're not proving anything except you're rather good at being stupid, childish, mean and stupid again.


so shut up and leave me and other pianists alone if all you have to do is ridicule.  If Mei-Ting Sun was on here telling you the things he has/can do/done and you didnt know who he was, you would do the same to him, and he played Gespard de la Nuit at 14.  If i was 14 and told you i was playing Scarbo i dont even want to think of the crap i would get.  seriously people.  if you think somebody is lying then just stay off their post.  All it does is stroke your own ego, and anyone who needs to do that to make themselves feel good is probably a really crappy pianist, cause if you werent you would feel good about being awesome.


EDIT:  i put this here because this seems to be the board that this happens on.

I get the feeling you're trying to convince yourself, and not us.

[SteinwayTony]

Lang Lang's Rachmaninoff 2nd is by far the worst on record and practically an insult to the composer

SteinwayGuy, I think the bigger insult to the composer is a 16-year-old punk running his mouth on the internet about being a Rachmaninoff expert when he hasn't heard the first and fourth concertos. 

[mikeyg]

SteinwayGuy, I think the bigger insult to the composer is a 16-year-old punk running his mouth on the internet about being a Rachmaninoff expert when he hasn't heard the first and fourth concertos. 

You haven't heard the 1st and 4th?  What is wrong with you? (JK)

Seriously, I don't think you should pass judgement that easily.  Madge's recording of the OC is a insult to the composer, not Lang Lang's.

[Noah]

Madge's recording of the OC is a insult to the composer.

Well some composers just ask for it.
It seems Skepto-phoney has disappeared. How surprising. Or is he too busy practicing Boulez' 3rd sonata and transcribing the Turangalila Symphony as a left-hand piece for piano?

[thierry13]

Well some composers just ask for it.
It seems Skepto-phoney has disappeared. How surprising. Or is he too busy practicing Boulez' 3rd sonata and transcribing the Turangalila Symphony as a left-hand piece for piano?

Sorabji didn't ask for it. He forbade any performance of his works because he didn't want people like Madge ruin his works. When you will be able to analise and understand his works, you will understand his purposes/genius. Speaking of Skepto: maybe is he just tired of posts like your one?

[rebel1ns]

if you were that good you dont need to defend yourself, what good does it make for random internet ppl to know you play well? frankly no one cares...

eBeef is so ridiculous, this post is actually kinda funny

[hodi]

Lying on the internet is so easy.  That's why most forum members are skeptical.  It's very easy to say that you play Ligeti, Alkan, etc  So you shouldn't be shocked that people doubt your truthfullness, especially when you incessantly brag and make statements like 'The Hammerklavier is easy.'

If you want people to stop bugging you, back up your claims.  No one ever questions the skills of Mei-ting or Koji and they play some crazy pieces.  Perhaps you could post a video of some your Ligeti, or tell us what conservatory you go to. (I'm assuming a pianist of your caliber would be at one)  Maybe some competitions you've been in.

And if you think I'm skeptical of people like you and Thierry is a way of boosting my ego, you're wrong.  I'm quite happy being a mediocre pianist.  Playing harder, faster, and louder isn't the only thing to strive for.  I doubt your claims because they set off my BS detector.  If you make stupid claims, don't be surprised to be called on them.

i'm skeptical of thierry.. playing the piano for like.. 1.5 years.. and starting schumann's tocatta, liszt's mazeppa, and he just finished the pathetiqe sonata.. interesting..
 i just don't believe some members of this forum

[thierry13]

i'm skeptical of thierry.. playing the piano for like.. 1.5 years.. and starting schumann's tocatta, liszt's mazeppa, and he just finished the pathetiqe sonata.. interesting..
 i just don't believe some members of this forum

WOWWW HEY EVERYONE I FINISHED THE PATHETIQUE SONATA AFTER 1.5 YEARS OF PLAYING! OMG! I'M A GENIUS!! ...... NO I'm kidding there is nothing of a phenomenom to play the pathetique sonata after 1.5 years, VERY far from one...


Or did you meant there was quite a jump between pathetique sonata and liszt's mazeppa? In this case I apologize for my first reaction and agree with you... BUT I didn't jumped from this pathetique to the pieces you mentioned. I passed by other pieces. And Mazeppa is for fun Not at all to play it in concert. I'm not ready for it. Schumann's toccata also. Just some kind of "etude".

[fred smalls]

Hmmmm...  starting Mazzepa after 1.5 years is absolutly ridiculous..... and really i do find it amazing that you learning the entire pathetique in 1.5 year of playing.  In fact, I think to really completely polish the piece you would either have to  a) practice 8 hours a day or b) it would take any normal pianist playing for a normal amount of time about 1 year to polish it. well, anyway, that would leave you .5 years to get to the pathetique level......

[tds]

i wish i could have played bach's g major minuet after 1.5 year of playing. it was hard back then. tds

[fred smalls]

i wish i could have played bach's g major minuet after 1.5 year of playing. it was hard back then. tds

LOL.  Yup.  Hey tds how long you been playing?

[steinwayguy]

Hmmmm... starting Mazzepa after 1.5 years is absolutly ridiculous..... and really i do find it amazing that you learning the entire pathetique in 1.5 year of playing. In fact, I think to really completely polish the piece you would either have to a) practice 8 hours a day or b) it would take any normal pianist playing for a normal amount of time about 1 year to polish it. well, anyway, that would leave you .5 years to get to the pathetique level......

what? Maybe like three weeks...

[fred smalls]

what? Maybe like three weeks...

Shut up.  No one cares for your comments.

[musik_man]

I started Mvt. 1 of Pathetique after 3.5 years and had a hell of a time with it.  I ended up leaving it for later because I couldn't get the RH melody in the fast section clean enough (I could've cleaned it up, but I thought it would take too long.)  Now, I'm not a great pianist, so I'm certain others could've learned it earlier, but I seriously doubt that even the greatest prodigy could do it justice if he started before year 2.

[fred smalls]

I started Mvt. 1 of Pathetique after 3.5 years and had a hell of a time with it.  I ended up leaving it for later because I couldn't get the RH melody in the fast section clean enough (I could've cleaned it up, but I thought it would take too long.)  Now, I'm not a great pianist, so I'm certain others could've learned it earlier, but I seriously doubt that even the greatest prodigy could do it justice if he started before year 2.

Thank you musik man!  I'm so happy I could kiss you...

[Noah]

Sorabji didn't ask for it. He forbade any performance of his works because he didn't want people like Madge ruin his works. When you will be able to analise and understand his works, you will understand his purposes/genius. Speaking of Skepto: maybe is he just tired of posts like your one?

Here's a perfect description of what Sorabji's "music" is (Andrew Clements in The Guardian, Sept. 2003) :

"Since Sorabji gave the premiere in Glasgow in 1930, there have been just eight further performances of Opus Clavicembalisticum, or OC as it is, apparently, affectionately known. Now there has been a ninth, for Jonathan Powell has spent the past six months getting to grips with this monstrous piece and presented the results at the Purcell Room. The concert lasted five hours, with just one interval. While it would be good to report that it was a worthwhile experience, in which Powell's extraordinary powers of stamina, concentration and technique were properly rewarded, that, sadly, would not be true.

For Sorabji's music is devoid of anything except its delusions of grandeur. His musical idol was Busoni and OC (if I may be so bold) was modelled on Busoni's Fantasia Contrappuntistica.

The 12-movement structure is anchored on four massive fugues and two equally sprawling sets of variations, but none of it has any point or purpose. Everything is note-spinning, the tonal architecture is unconvincing, the counterpoint specious, the harmony dysfunctional. No theme is memorable or potent; the climaxes are emptily rhetorical and batter the listener into acquiescence. "

(For the full review, see https://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/reviews/story/0,11712,1044257,00.html)


If Skepto is tired of posts "like my one" as you say, maybe he could just stop sending recordings of other people's playing and passing them as his own.

[tds]

LOL.  Yup.  Hey tds how long you been playing?

years, freddy. i hate counting,... so its gotta be more than 10. freddy is so cool!! tds

[thierry13]

I agree with Steinwayguy. Noah, if you really think THIS describe Sorabji, you trully are wrong. I knew this review, and it is a proof you didn't analise his composition. I think Ludwig Van Rachabji would be the best to try to make a description of Sorabji's music, so I'll leave it to you to go see posts of him. And if you want to begin to understand Sorabji, listen to the interview of Michael Haberman where he analise it really deeply and he explain all. I don't particularly like Sorabji's music, but this review SUCK, and is, by FARRRR FARRR FARRR a perfect description of Sorabji. It is the first reflection of an idiot, tough.  And skepto didn't pass others records as his own. He recorded for me a lot of modern pieces, like the rzewsky north american ballad no.4 . So if because someone who has been playing for 15 years is better than you, I don't think you have to be THAT jealous and skeptical. You are SOO closen-minded... just your opinion on Sorabji is a proof.

[Noah]

Oh yeah, what about this?

Yeah, you'll send recordings on MSN- but unless you're Gregory Brown, that Bowen Toccata wasn't yours. And you never would send me any genuine (or otherwise) recordings of yourself after that.

Anyway I've listened to enough Sorabji and know enough about him to make up my mind and I certainly don't need you to tell me what to think.
I'm not jealous of a moron who spends his time bragging about "his" recordings on piano forums; in fact I only feel sorry for him. Even if they were his own recordings, the fact that he feels the need to constantly remind everyone of how amazing he is is pretty pathetic.

[DMHM]

I guess some people have problems with reading  Spoonfeeding can be so tiring.

WOWWW HEY EVERYONE I FINISHED THE PATHETIQUE SONATA AFTER 1.5 YEARS OF PLAYING! OMG! I'M A GENIUS!! ...... NO I'm kidding there is nothing of a phenomenom to play the pathetique sonata after 1.5 years, VERY far from one...


Or did you meant there was quite a jump between pathetique sonata and liszt's mazeppa? In this case I apologize for my first reaction and agree with you... BUT I didn't jumped from this pathetique to the pieces you mentioned. I passed by other pieces. And Mazeppa is for fun Not at all to play it in concert. I'm not ready for it. Schumann's toccata also. Just some kind of "etude".

It seems we have a second commie in our midst. Congrats.

On topic; I doubt you could even tell the difference between a recording of skepto himself and a recording of someone like Brown.
And the people that posted here are skeptical of skepto because they're so jealous and narrowminded? You've got it.

[thierry13]

narrowminded, that's the word i was looking for  lol. What's a commie?

[Steve T]

I'm not taking any sides in this fascinating debate. I would, however, never discount the possibility of someone achieving extraordinary things in a shorter time frame than is normal. Life is full of such people.
This is my favourite quote. I hope it acts as inspiration to some, and a wake up call to others. You can decide which side of the fence you want be 

Here it is:

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

-- Theodore Roosevelt, 1910

How about that for a quote? Inspires me daily 

[i_m_robot]

BLAH BLAH BLAH

BLAHBLAHBLAH

BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH

BLLAAAAHHHHHHH

Who cares if someone is skeptical?

self can play rach3, prokofiev 1, and both books of the paganini variations by brahms and self is only 12 years old

IS THE THIS TRUE!?

Who cares?

All you have to do is realize that your opinion is the only one that matters!!!

Stop Whining

Be cool

When someone doubts your claims just quote his or her post

and place a nice shiny link to video of your performance

then sit back and enjoy knowing that their face is a little bit tighter

dont have the equipment - get it

it's not as expensive as it was five years ago

Oh yeah and self plays feux follet too