Valentina Lisitsa

[quasimodo]

Folks, I couldn't help starting this special thread about this amazing pianist.

I discovered her recordings these last days, and,  this might sounds very laudatory, but actually I don't remember having had such a musical crush since I heard Horowitz or Samson François. I am really in adoration with her musical attitude "Never mind the wrong notes, con bravura all the way". Though she is absolutely musical and she can bring something out of any style of composer, from Bach, Mozart, Beethoven to Rachmaninov or Prokofiev (her Liszt and Chopin are quite effective as well).

IMO the lady deserves a lot more notoriety than she actually has. She really "has something", a very communicative "something". It's a very instinctive play and maybe that is what some people don't like: seemingly, the most praised pianists are more "intellectual".

To me she is the most interesting pianist of her generation and I appoint myself "President of the Lisitsa Fan-Club on Piano Forum", lol 

[musicsdarkangel]

I agree, she is excellent.


She goes balls to the wall.

[amanfang]

I heard she and her husband in concert last year - an all duo program.  It was great.  She certainly has the more distinguished career though.

[JP]

I also like her very much..
But her playing lacks depth. For what bravura is concerned, she's got it.. But in the sensitive, especially slower passages, I'm not feeling her interpretation.

[quasimodo]

Aahhh... depth !!! Well I wouldn't know, I'm not even sure to know what is "depth" and I often suspect any judgement on that to be prejudiced by what one is used to hear. I wouldn't agree with the statement about slow-pieces, she can be very efficient on these (for example on "Gute Nacht" by Schubert/Liszt or on Chopin Op.10 N.3).

Anyway, the thing I would reproach her is maybe to rely a little bit too much on her technique and then not polish some of her pieces enough.

Then, yes, she is not the kind of pianist who is going to "intellectualize" her interpretations, she rather plays with her guts (anyway that's my perception), and sometimes it doesn't work. But is there any musician who never failed on any interpretation ? And actually, there are plenty of "brain" pianists out there that it ends up boring. For once here is a young artist with some more "carnal" approach.

Last thing, she's yet rather young, 30-ish or less, with age, she will tone down, for sure and hopefully then, she will get more recognition.

[musicsdarkangel]

I would agree that her strength is in the more bombastic passages.


I don't feel for her slow playing much either.

[JP]

Aahhh... depth !!! Well I wouldn't know, I'm not even sure to know what is "depth" and I often suspect any judgement on that to be prejudiced by what one is used to hear. I wouldn't agree with the statement about slow-pieces, she can be very efficient on these (for example on "Gute Nacht" by Schubert/Liszt or on Chopin Op.10 N.3).

It might be prejudiced by what one is used to hearing, but it should be characterized by what one feels it should be, using the composers idea as a basis.  I think you know what depth is, you just don't know that you know.       

Regarding slow pieces, she definitely can be efficient (or properly said, effective), she is a fantastic pianist after all.  But I have a heard very few slower pieces/passages played effectively.  And since I'm a fan of hers, I've heard pretty much everything she had offer.     
 

Anyway, the thing I would reproach her is maybe to rely a little bit too much on her technique and then not polish some of her pieces enough.

That has been known to happen.. Tisk Tisk.

Then, yes, she is not the kind of pianist who is going to "intellectualize" her interpretations, she rather plays with her guts (anyway that's my perception), and sometimes it doesn't work. But is there any musician who never failed on any interpretation ? And actually, there are plenty of "brain" pianists out there that it ends up boring. For once here is a young artist with some more "carnal" approach.

Last thing, she's yet rather young, 30-ish or less, with age, she will tone down, for sure and hopefully then, she will get more recognition.

In the end all that matters is the resulting sound.  A psychoanalysis of the composer won’t necessarily lead the pianist to having a better interpretation, though it might.  Many have failed multiple times, but my reply is the same as the previous paragraph's..  The concept of boring is too vague.  Also in certain pieces where her interpretation was close to hopeless, the music was far from boring.  She will mature.. But into what?  All we can do is keep our fingers crossed.   

[i_m_robot]

 


Valentina Lisitsa

[pion]

I bought her DVD of Chopin Etudes and was appalled that the whole DVD is fake: she's not actually playing, but only miming. Although she's (hopefully) miming her own prerecorded playing, which by the way is exremely good, the very fact that she needed to fake it on the DVD has put me right off her.

[JP]

I bought her DVD of Chopin Etudes and was appalled that the whole DVD is fake: she's not actually playing, but only miming. Although she's (hopefully) miming her own prerecorded playing, which by the way is exremely good, the very fact that she needed to fake it on the DVD has put me right off her.

I was told that it was only an audio/video sync problem.. I hight doubt the dvd is fake as you say it is.

[quasimodo]

As well as JP, I don't really believe it is fake, though everything is possible, but actually it doesn't correspond her artistic personality as far as it shows through her music in general.

[pion]

Well I invite all to watch this DVD very closely, and report your opinion on whether she is miming a prerecorded take, or whether she is actually playing live. In my opinion it cannot be just an "audio/video sync problem" because, if you watch closely, you can see she completely misses certain notes, but they ring loud and clear just the same. On top of this, one can tell from the "body language", or "physicality" of the piano-artist interaction (don't know how to put it into words) if it's miming or not.

Again, I agree that the (pre)recorded performance is of the highest standard, both musically and technically, but this doesn't mean that you should ignore what your eyes are seeing...

[i_m_robot]

perhaps the video is of her first play through while the audio is of her edited performance

[MattL]

First of all its not an audio video sync problem or whatever you called it is the piano.
That particular Bosendorfer grand is probably one of the best pianos out there and is said to have a delayed reaction, i personally love the DVD and hope she makes many more. But to make all of you skeptics happy maybe she should sit down on another stock Steinway so that what you see is exactly what you want.

Anyway i personally thinks shes an excellent pianist with excellent technique. yes she hits the wrong notes sometimes but i dont notice, plus she is one of the few pianists who gives "one-take" recordings. How many others pianists can say that about their CDs.

I agree with whoever said that intelligence is praised above musicality look at Lang Lang- Worldwide fame Deutsche Grammophon Contract
valentina Lisitsa- know widely but not as much as Lang Lang and has no fancy contract.
(If your wondering why i put Lang Lang as an "intelligence" pianists is because he's one of the people with flawless technique who reads extensively about each piece he plays thusly an intelligence pianist)

Who would you rather listen to?

[thierry13]

Personally, as long as the audio records are from her, I don't really see what's the problem to put a different video. While creating a DVD, full, of only her playing, it is normal she wanted to add nice body motions ( she has a nice body  ), and that while playing the real pieces, they would be inapropriate. So she did bad-looking very good audi records, then filmed the pieces with great body motions, but didn't care much for the interpretation, just to "press the good keys". I know this is a most basic analisys, and that is not what she did EXACTLY. But this is the base of what she did, if she ever did a fake DVD.

[alkanite]

The frequent dubbing and late action of the instrument combine to make this visually frustrating at times.  Still very enjoyable.  See my review 'Joshua Janvrin' of this DVD at Amazon.  I go into more detail.  Note:  Fear not, this is not an embedded link.

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002KZXAU/qid=1116540699/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/104-8038279-6925500?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846

Josh

[chopinetta]

doesn't she have an official website? does anyone know the link?

[quasimodo]

doesn't she have an official website? does anyone know the link?

Simply :

www.valentinalisitsa.com

Lots of stuff in there, including the integral Chopin Etudes Op.10 and Op.25 recorded live at Carnegie Hall in mp3.

[JP]

First of all its not an audio video sync problem or whatever you called it is the piano.
That particular Bosendorfer grand is probably one of the best pianos out there and is said to have a delayed reaction, i personally love the DVD and hope she makes many more. But to make all of you skeptics happy maybe she should sit down on another stock Steinway so that what you see is exactly what you want.

umm, I think you dont get it.. The audio precedes the video.. So it's not the piano.
Pion is absolutely right, the recorded video and audio are from different sequences.  Basically she's miming..  I viewed it in slow motion, and some of the audible notes arent played.   

Also a 45ms delay of the audio track allows for better synchro.

[bwv]

I was disappointed whenI first played my copy, thinking it was my DVD player.  I'm 'happy' to see it's not.  However, I am very disappointed to hear that she mimics was was previously recorded.  A turn off.

I'm putting it up on eBay.

[quasimodo]

As I told before there are live recordings of the Etudes on her website and she just rocks !  She plays them without interruption (well just a few anyway), both sets in a recital. So if the DVD is partly dubbed, I wouldn't really care as far as she actually masters them at such level.

[quasimodo]

An update : Valentina L. posted a few new vids and some cool mp3 stuff on her website, including mp3's of Rach 2 and 4 concerti.

I'm not really good at listening to concerti. Could anybody give a summary appreciation of these performance ?

[goansongo]

She's super sexified.

[quasimodo]

She's super sexified.

Hugh 

Would you mind to elaborate  ?

[BoliverAllmon]

She's super sexified.

disagree

[perfect_pitch]

She's super sexified.

Hate to break it to you but SHE'S MARRIED!!!!   

[BoliverAllmon]

Hate to break it to you but SHE'S MARRIED!!!!   

unfortunately that doesn't always stop people.

[stevie]

unfortunately that doesn't always stop people.

whats so wrong with a lil nookie on the side?

[BoliverAllmon]

whats so wrong with a lil nookie on the side?

lots of things. Really disrespectful to your mate. You are saying she isn't good enough for you. I would never do that.

[leahcim]

There's even a bit where she tries to stab Sigourney Weaver! Oh, wrong film...

What's this delayed reaction? My midi experience says a delay that you'd notice on film would make it unplayable - are there really "Intel 8086" response pianos?

[practicingnow]

yeah she is great - actually I like her the most out of any pianist out there these days

[quasimodo]

I need a drooling smiley 

[BoliverAllmon]

lol

[stevie]

lol, i recognise that pic from browsing daSDC

https://dasdc.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3556

they seem to treat her as a sex object, its degrading really 

[quasimodo]

lol, i recognise that pic from browsing daSDC

https://dasdc.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3556

they seem to treat her as a sex object, its degrading really 

Oh well  ...
It's quite a coincidence, the pic is from her site. Anyway She's quite stunning on that one.

[BoliverAllmon]

lol, i recognise that pic from browsing daSDC

https://dasdc.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3556

they seem to treat her as a sex object, its degrading really 

agree