When I was 16 (45 years ago, lol) and living in Chicago, I had a crush on a girl who liked to play classical music. I heard a "big pianist" was coming to town so bought two "stage" tickets since the rest were sold out, asked her out, but was rejected, so went with my dad. Turns out the "stage" tickets were for seats on the actual stage, and the "big pianist" was none other than Vladimir Horowitz. In the first half he played Clementi and Schumann and for the second half, ended it with his rendition of the Mephisto Waltz. I will never forget it...the last notes, he just ran his hands down the piano in opposite directions and ended up in a crucifix-type position before looking up. The crowd went nuts...we were all on our feet--except for this elderly lady who was sitting next to me, didn't stand, and was kind of scowling. I then asked her what was "wrong" or if she needed a hand to stand up. She replied "No, I'll sit. He plays it much better at home." When Horowitz turned to acknowledge the group of us on stage, he saw me whispering with his wife and sort of threw me a little smile...like "Yeah, I know"...he then went on to play 6 or 7 encores. Anyway, that was my very first taste of "real" classical piano, and though I never learned to play, became a huge classical piano addict ever since that day (and eventually all classical in general). I really don't need to see the whole slew of others playing the Mephisto Waltz to know my absolute favorite (though it is cool to hear different interpretations)...that first time with Horowitz driving the keys was IMO absolutely definitive, and can still hear every note in my mind today (and yes, it was much better than the recording he released of it afterward).
@duartevader2709
8 ай бұрын
Im so jealous, wish i was there, going to a horowitz concert where he plays this, man, i have more than one kidney, its worth it selling
@charliegold3227
7 ай бұрын
Im honest: that’s one of the best stories I’ve ever heard.
@yazuky3453
4 ай бұрын
bro this story was so fun to read, im so jealous but at the same time im happy you got to experience that!
@GrimaceHehe-v9b
2 ай бұрын
Wow
@МаринаЛаричева-ч5ч
19 күн бұрын
Absolutely Alexey Sultanov! Clear, precise, powerful, so frightening that you physically feel the electric charges piercing through.
@umutcandemirpianist
9 ай бұрын
the contrast of Sultanov's playing is just amazing WOW genius
@Neo_867
8 ай бұрын
Yes, I think the piece should be played exactly like that, but unfortunately, apart from Sultanov, there are not many people who adjust the contrast like that
@wip1664
Ай бұрын
Arthur Rubinstein. I don't know if he had captured Lizst's intention, but it sounds heavenly devilish. Very balanced, but not too scary. Alexei Sultanov is outstanding in the "scary" work. Less scary, less loud but more thunderous, crisp and more precise in every way. Predatory in style, well done! Yun Lim is more heavenly devilish, a bit more 'scary' than Rubinstein. Thanks for sharing this video. I wish each pianist had more time in this very enlightening comparison video. Mr Horowitz is always great, and tastefully musical on the piano.
@NN-rn1oz
Жыл бұрын
Lim makes it sound so easy it's just unfair for the rest of the world.
@Fritz_Maisenbacher
Жыл бұрын
For me, Horowitz, Pogorelich and Sultanov. No wonder, three nuts.
@Wosudhehqaxb9169
Жыл бұрын
It’s Vladimir Horowitz.. you just don’t get it
@tannerhenley4067
Жыл бұрын
Lugansky, Sultanov, and Lim 👌
@dwacheopus
Жыл бұрын
Horowitz jumpscare
@Pianoman_B
4 ай бұрын
😅
@peter5.056
Жыл бұрын
it suddenly struck me as extremely amusing - humans love to play the same pieces for piano, millions and millions of times over, but we (succeed or not) mostly all have fun trying to do it, obsessing over it, losing sleep and hair over it, drive ourselves half crazy over it, but we love it.
@dmburke007
Жыл бұрын
When Alexis Sultanov won the Cliburn Competition in 1989, he played this piece and broke a string! he was so powerful!! Like a shooting star he fizzed out because of his terrible Neurological condition!.
@marksmith3947
Жыл бұрын
He had familial hypertension. His diastolic pressure was insanely high. He knew he would die young
@mariapap8962
Жыл бұрын
His untimely death was such a huge loss for the pianistic world.
@mariapap8962
Жыл бұрын
@@marksmith3947😢
@zestofpiano3509
Жыл бұрын
My favorites are Gryaznov, Lugansky, Sultanov, and Lim
@mantictac
Жыл бұрын
Man, I love Trifonov's playing, but he is the reason why Couperin suggested that keyboard students look at their faces in a mirror while they play.
@SeekingTheLoveThatGodMeans7648
Жыл бұрын
It's not enough that they can tickle the ivories well, they have to project a personal presence to a camera today. Trifonov goes wild with passion in his face and WHO SHOULD CARE? And the overall passion doesn't just come out in a few tricky measures. He is the shark from Jaws, ready to devour the piano. In an earlier concert giving age without that merciless camera, he'd have gotten nothing but salutes. I wonder if Chopin sometimes looked like this? Or where Chopin would be if he had flourished in an age with film, if not video cameras? Lugansky is one of the crispest and cleanest, I believe. He is that way on many pieces. And he does it without a lot of muss or fuss.
@pianoredux7516
Жыл бұрын
For me Trifonov's clownish mugging, nervous tic, pianistic tourette's, whatever it is, unconscious or conscious, is a disgrace. It fatally detracts and distracts from whatever he plays good or bad. There's no excuse for a putative artist making those faces in public, certainly not the excuse of "divine madness". He belongs either in the circus or on a shrink's couch.
@timesfire
Жыл бұрын
😂😂😂
@DomFileoreum
9 ай бұрын
Did he say that in a book?
@mantictac
9 ай бұрын
@@DomFileoreum Yes I believe he said that in L'Art de toucher le clavecin
@islumperisluggo1830
Жыл бұрын
I'm honestly quite disappointed that Cyprien Katsaris' recording of Mephisto Waltz isn't on this list. I'd heard most of these recordings of the piece, and when I heard Cyprien's... I was dumbfounded. He makes this part of the piece sound like it's a warmup. It's flawless, more speed than anyone on this list, has an incredibly clean tone, etc. Cyprien is sadly very underrated in my opinion. He takes what many of these pianists tried to do, and did it with little to no effort.
@ArgerichStan
Жыл бұрын
Correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t think he has a live recording. There is a live video of him performing an arrangement with orchestra and then there his phenomenal studio recording which is what I assume you are talking about. I don’t include studio recordings on these lists for obvious reasons but I’m sure with his abilities he could reproduce it in a live setting
@mariapap8962
Жыл бұрын
I agree that Katsaris is well underrated, but so in the late Nicholas Economou, also a Cypriot pianist, who has a phenomenal performance of the Mephisto on Loft music.Dmitry Shishkin's version is amongst the very top ones, as well.
@remsan03
Жыл бұрын
Lugansky, Matsuev, Debarque, and Yunchan Lim: Jaw drop. Richter and Lewenthal: Bull in a china shop. Just kidding. I adore Richter. :) Trifonov: I'm not his fan, but despite a couple of slips, his leggierissimo was insane. "Leggiero" makes it more difficult. Ashkenazy: Jesus take the wheel. Pogorelich: Very good for his post-retirement era. Also... "I don't know what 'leggiero' means." Horowitz: He's a legend in every way, but this piece was far from ready.
@ArgerichStan
Жыл бұрын
Horowitz’s entire performance of Mephisto to me is pure camp hahaha
@remsan03
Жыл бұрын
@@ArgerichStan Haha. "Pure camp"? Now, I've got to check it out.
@ArgerichStan
Жыл бұрын
@@remsan03 yes it is the kind of performance that is, objectively, really not great but I cannot deny that if I was there in the hall, I absolutely would be entertained!
@remsan03
Жыл бұрын
@@ArgerichStan Interesting. A lot of people did say that watching Horowitz live was thrilling to say the least. In his prime up to his 60s, he pushed beyond what is seemingly the limit of himself. Case in point is his Carmen Variations, or Scriabin etude, or Prok's Toccata performance. It was full of pyrotechnics. It may not be as pristine and as clean as Kissin's, but boy, it took your breath away. He was so charismatic.
@danielwilkins6302
Жыл бұрын
So tired of boomers making apologies for Horowitz. Yes, at a time he was legendary. But people refuse to acknowledge that he went way downhill in the end.
@PastukhSkota
Жыл бұрын
Yunchan Lim... wow! The speed, accuracy, and articulation!! I also vote, Stephen Hough. (Though not sure there is a Live video. His early recording... and seeing him live playing a 'Halloween' concert. (In the late 90s)
@nickcy27
Жыл бұрын
Only Nicolas Economou nails that piece in every detail.
@Pianoman_B
4 ай бұрын
Was looking for this comment.
@jewgienij131
Жыл бұрын
Sultanov!!!!
@BenSadounJeremie
Жыл бұрын
My choice: Horowitz , Pogorelich, Sultanov, Cziffra. With 1 st prize for Vladimir Horowitz meaning it ain’t necessary to play faster to create urgency 😅
@marcellomarianetti1770
Жыл бұрын
I have never heard of Gryaznov but his playing here was one of the best in my opinion, same goes for mr Nojima
@bloba6969
Жыл бұрын
he has a great italian polka arrangement
@mariapap8962
Жыл бұрын
He makes brilliant piano transcriptions,(apart from being an amazing pianist)
@benharmonics
Жыл бұрын
All of them are very impressive. To me, the ones that stand out are Trifonov, Lugansky, Nojima, Horowitz, and Sultanov. Trifonov, Lugansky, and Nojima because they play in such a dry way, which is refreshing after hearing lots of heavily pedaled versions. Horowitz is interesting because he plays so slowly, which completely changes the vibe from thrilling to menacing. And I’m a bit biased toward Sultanov, because he’s my teacher’s favorite pianist, but I still think his version is the most powerful and exciting of the lot-especially the rinforzandos!
@donna25871
Жыл бұрын
Teifonov has obvious incorrect notes all over the place.
@benharmonics
Жыл бұрын
@@donna25871 That's true. Lugansky is much cleaner.
@mstalcup
Жыл бұрын
Best overall I feel was Yunchan Lim, followed by Lucas Debargue and Sergio Tiempo.
@김현민-i6q
Жыл бұрын
Tiempo, Lugansky, Richter, Ashkenazy, Matsuez, Nojima & Yunchan’s performances are outstanding. Especially Ashkenazy makes my jar drop.
@eddydelrio1303
7 ай бұрын
But don't forget the leaps in the LEFT HAND, some of which are greater than an octave!
@alexandrosavdeliodis751
Жыл бұрын
Junchan Lim wins. Flawless victory 😎
@joeyblogsy
Жыл бұрын
Was that the last guy? Yeah it was very clean and convincing
@epicaunleashed8764
Жыл бұрын
Sultanov beats him by a mile
@Algorox
Жыл бұрын
@@epicaunleashed8764 Sultanov's clarity is unparalleled.
@joshsima97
Жыл бұрын
@@Algorox also a lot slower though
@nss4472
Жыл бұрын
Malofeev not bad, eh!
@LukeFaulkner
Жыл бұрын
John Ogdon's 1976 Moscow recital is the best Mephisto 1 I've ever heard - it's online somewhere. There's also an amusing bit where his glasses are slipping off so he promptly pushes them back on before the double glissando.
@igwilo421
Жыл бұрын
I think Horowitz embodies the spirit of Mephistopheles the best
@thegreenpianist7683
Жыл бұрын
For my money Sultanov, Gryaznov and Hough (not on this list) play this passage the best. The leaps themselves are not even the main difficulty, it's executing the intended effect of light/dark contrast within the leaps, and the aforementioned pianists did it best in my opinion.
@Shost7
Жыл бұрын
Lim = Legend ! Malofeev is ver elegant also
@AhimSaah
Жыл бұрын
It's interesting to listen back to back like this. Sadly, I have to say my favourite is Horowitz, he's original, his version is the embodiment of Mephisto. Most people play at a speed at which you don't actually hear the leap anymore, it just sounds as appoggiaturas. I respect how much Horowitz doesn't give a f*uck and just plays the way he wants.
@timesfire
Жыл бұрын
Good ol’ Khatia. You can always count on her to blast her way through at maximum speed. Don’t understand why that always seems to be her focus. 😂
@TheRealChopin
8 ай бұрын
Has to be for the entertainment hm?
@joshtwae72
Жыл бұрын
why is no one mentioning buniatishvili's playing
@mariapap8962
Жыл бұрын
Because it definitely isn't on the top of the list. There are pianists not even mentioned here that play this particular piece much better than Khatia.
@sneezy484
3 ай бұрын
Because it’s awful
@khurshid_piano
Жыл бұрын
Yunchan Lim wins i guess🎉 But definitely there is amazing performance of Katsaris.
@andrecastro2609
Жыл бұрын
I believe Nicolas Economou has a live recording in video... and it is one hell of a recording, I dare to say.
@hisukserjeant5204
Жыл бұрын
S Richter, D matzueve, G ohlsson, Y Lim. Stand out! I must admit Y c Lim has unbelievable clarity!!!
@sovietunion4875
Жыл бұрын
Ashkenazy practically slowed down time to play those leaps that fast O_O
@NN-rn1oz
Жыл бұрын
Speaking of leaps, I'm thinking of the coda of a certain Schumann piece.
@ArgerichStan
Жыл бұрын
I also have a video on this!!
@NN-rn1oz
Жыл бұрын
@@ArgerichStan Ok I'll watch it. Thanks!
@grampinator
Жыл бұрын
I absolutely love this !!!!!!!!
@VladimirLim-bq5qk
Жыл бұрын
Should be said, that Yunchan was 16 in this recording. But also that it’s not a live recording of him.
@ArgerichStan
Жыл бұрын
It is a single camera take which for me counts as live.
@aapshh
Жыл бұрын
Nikolay Lugansky’s live in Japan 1991 is incredible
@sunnyy...
13 күн бұрын
pogorelich woooow
@falkeprophet
Жыл бұрын
Horowitz scared the shit out of me 😭
@user-qp1zx2kl5r
11 ай бұрын
Gryaznov's devilish sound is my favorite
@mkryu
Жыл бұрын
You should check out Valentina Lisista’s leaps! Among these you have here, my favorite is Sultanov.
@joeyblogsy
Жыл бұрын
3:55, who tf was that? Why’s he thumping out the bass like that?? 😂
@ArgerichStan
Жыл бұрын
It’s bizarre af but I kind of love it
@GingerIndiana
Жыл бұрын
I love Claudio Arrau's version! So stylish. Lazar Berman is my second choice.
@jedrzejsteszewski6694
Жыл бұрын
Richter ❤
@dgspindoctor
Жыл бұрын
John Ogdon in Moscow is the best Mephisto ever captured live.
@WilliamWoll-xd8cc
Жыл бұрын
Cziffra 1958 is missing...
@ArgerichStan
Жыл бұрын
Is that recording live?
@Matt-hw2lo
9 ай бұрын
Im really surprised that Dmitry Shishkin isn't on this list, imo he has the best Mephisto watlz, but other than him I'd have to say I like how clean Sultanov because of his more full sound.
@tobiaspeter6555
6 ай бұрын
How can Horowitz sound like he is practicing at slow speed?
@pan3511
Жыл бұрын
Lubyantsev is missing!! He has the best performance of this part
@pianoman551000
Жыл бұрын
I was really surprised at Horowitz's much slower and deliberate playing of this passage. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable to hear ALL the notes in the section. Too many of pianists overused the damper to cover their inability to play the correct notes at a much faster tempo.
@snorefest1621
Жыл бұрын
I realized these 20th-century masters (ie. Horowitz, Rubinstein, Wild) didn't play them the cleanest or the fastest, probably like how the composers would have played them. These new pianists are just so good (technically speaking)
@imagod4796
Жыл бұрын
but they played it better than the "new" pianists
@snorefest1621
Жыл бұрын
better is subjective@@imagod4796
@markfowlermusic
Жыл бұрын
Can hear mistakes is quite a few of the recordings shown here, how ridiculously difficult to have to try to play it flawlessly though, especially if you were recording it in a studio for a new album or something, unless they can edit out mistakes of course, but live you’d expect some slips etc… yuja wang is very accurate with that speed though and I don’t hear any mistakes so she’s not human!
@mariapap8962
Жыл бұрын
Is there a recording of Yuja playing Mephisto?
@私の高木神社はどこ
Жыл бұрын
Not including Andre Laplante is a criminal offence
@randompianistis4670
Жыл бұрын
Laplante’s version is not live
@Justin-ou6gq
11 ай бұрын
Sultanov best interpretation
@aam9265
18 күн бұрын
Yes!!!
@gabrieleferrari9383
Жыл бұрын
My god Pogorelich makes it sound like ragtime
@elioperezcolina
Ай бұрын
Ya lo dije Williams Kapell Allí no esta Oiganlo
@elioperezcolina
Ай бұрын
El mejor? Kapeell
@inraid
Жыл бұрын
John Ogdon ?!?!?
@ArgerichStan
Жыл бұрын
I forgot about him! He played it in that famous Moscow recital live. It's quite stunning.
@jamesbigfan364
Жыл бұрын
Andrè Laplante is the finest out of all these and for the whole piece in general. Should have been included in my opinion
@thibomeurkens2296
Жыл бұрын
Of this video I like ashkenazy the best, my favorite is Cziffra but the recording in the video is quite mediocre
@eddydelrio1303
Жыл бұрын
Lim!!!!
@damienheemskerk
Жыл бұрын
Malofeev wins this one by a landslide for me
@mariapap8962
Жыл бұрын
Katsaris's version. Starts slower but the leaps (8'26) are super fast and clear. kzitem.info/news/bejne/r4p9mWWsj5OVaaA
@ВукМиловановић
Жыл бұрын
My vote goes to Gryaznov
@jamesbigfan364
Жыл бұрын
waldstein third mvt. octave glissando different pianists next?
@pocoapoco2
Жыл бұрын
The only two I heard get all the notes correct were Ugansky and Malofeev.
@JeffKwak221
3 ай бұрын
say waht you will about musicality and interpretation but in terms of technique, speed, accuracy, and dynamic, I'd say yunchan lim beat them (I thnk he's 16 lol).
@JeffKwak221
3 ай бұрын
I listened to horowitz again and I think I feel liszt's silly mephisto prank symphonic poem transcription vibe from him the most
@SavannahPianoGuys
Жыл бұрын
Andre Laplante's recording of the Mephisto Waltz without doubt is the greatest rendition of this piece... Even the Leap section holds substance, it's fast but not extremely fast where you can hear pianists rush.
@leonardmartin6048
Жыл бұрын
Lugansky was great, he sounds very precise, crisp and leggiero, slightly more impressive than Trifonov. Nojima sounds great too. And Yunchan is amazing as well.
@pianoredux7516
Жыл бұрын
It may be of historical interest to note that in the early 1960s the peerless and short-lived piano connoisseur Jan Holcman, who had heard absolutely every performance up till then, was awed by Ashkenazy's traversal of this passage. Since then many pianists have adopted Ashkenazy's prestissimo approach. Before him, though, few if any attempted it. However, this approach can be overdone, as is the case with the Olympic gymnast Ms. Khatia B, who here as usual plays presto possibile ma non con musicalita.
@alexnewson6013
Жыл бұрын
Some of these might have needed to reconsider having this in their repertoire?
@carlosguaymas6507
Жыл бұрын
A la mayoría le falta claridad...la versión de Horowitz es la única que tiene claridad, velocidad y explosión tonal
@A2363-i2k
4 ай бұрын
I really like Pogorelich here
@stephenarnold6359
Жыл бұрын
You would never guess from some of these that this passage is marked p to begin with
@ritabustamante8447
11 ай бұрын
When you play something as difficult as Mephisto Valts at such a fast speed it usually ends up dirty. It is better to go a little slower and make what you are playing understandable.
@RetroRonin-nf1qg
Жыл бұрын
BRUH- WHERE IS GIUSEPPE ANDALORO... HIS INTERPRETATION AND PERFORMANCE IS SO SATISFYING!
@yagiz885
Жыл бұрын
6:05 its both interesting and enjoyable that cziffra "plays" with the rhythmic phrasing in this excrept
@aeroslothy
Жыл бұрын
Shishkin did this best
@Piflaser
23 күн бұрын
Best version known is by Ludwig Hoffmann.
@nicolasgoulet4091
7 ай бұрын
When I hear this I feel really good about my take on thèse leaps
@David-mq5sl
10 ай бұрын
Ashkenazy hands down, truly DEVILISH
@giannigimondi1234
Жыл бұрын
You can't put together live with studio recording performances.
@central9823
8 ай бұрын
Pletnev’s live performances is hands down the best I’ve heard
@ArgoBeats
9 ай бұрын
The best is Nicolas Economou, here not present.
@aam9265
18 күн бұрын
Sultanov the best
@kk-ht6uw
Жыл бұрын
1 Ashkenazy 2 Lewenthal 3 Gryaznov
@markandrews4797
2 ай бұрын
Everyone listens to the octave leaps in the right hand but ignores the left hand! Pianists (including me) tend to get paranoid about audible fluffs in the right hand, but then end up fluffing the left hand instead (or as well).
@СергейЛагутин-с4ж
Жыл бұрын
Где Плетнёв?
@pianista-mediocre
Жыл бұрын
Katsaris+orchestra>>>>>>>
@ottomaier7127
Жыл бұрын
I really like this piece, and was excited to find this video. But IMHO the audio track of this video has a problem, a kind of echo or some mixed up parts or something. Not during the full length, only at some parts, like at Horowtz. Or am I wrong?
@ArgerichStan
Жыл бұрын
Because it is only live recordings many of the original videos are very low quality to begin with!
@r.i.p.volodya
8 ай бұрын
This comparison doesn't seem to show Horowitz in a good light. May I put it to you, gentlemen of the jury that, in that choice of tempo, Horowitz was the only one who remembered the piece is a waltz?
@russian-canadianfamily6895
Жыл бұрын
too bad valentina lisitsa wasnt here
@alexandrebeauharnais6849
Жыл бұрын
There seems to be an arbitrary error in the selection of recordings. Matsuev is misspelled in the commentary.
@tobiaspeter6555
6 ай бұрын
I love how Lugansky makes it sound like Mendelssohn in seizure.
@joaomonteiro9619
4 ай бұрын
Great list, but I think it's a crime not to include Katsaris's and Grynyuk's interpretations. The way they both play the leaps is just wild!...
@GTXTi-db5xu
Жыл бұрын
evgeni kissin
@matt-chan3489
5 ай бұрын
Tiempo is my OG for this piece.
@elioperezcolina
Ай бұрын
El mejor? Williams Kapell Allí no esta
@SoundRoshi
2 ай бұрын
Lazar Berman was probably my favorite out of all of these clips. I think most of the younger pianists just take it really fast and fake most of it... it doesn't hit quite the same.
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