Lizst was actually commissioned to transcribe the Beethoven Symphonies. when he reached the 9th, he (yes the great Liszt who could sight read ANYTHING perfectly at sight, even a full score) said the 4th mvt was impossible to do for solo piano (he later made a 4 hand transcription) and abandoned it. he later came back and finished the piano solo version.
Hello. This is not really true that he could read anything at sight as he had to study the etudes of his friend Chopin before beeing able to play them, which impressed him a lot as it was usually not the case with other scores ... Cheers.
There are many apocryphal stories circulating around Liszt. One is that an 11-year old Liszt met an old Beethoven. Beethoven pulled out a copy of Bach's WTC and told Liszt to sight-read the Fugue in C-minor. Liszt did so. Beethoven said that many young boys can sight read a Bach fugue, and asked him to sight read it in a different key. With some difficulty, Liszt succeeded. Beethoven replied "I am impressed. This boy will go far." Regardless whether that's true or not, Liszt worked off and on for decades to transcribe Beethoven's symphonies. No one else had the insane energy, undying motivation, incessant drive, utter raw talent, and intimate personal relationship with Beethoven to tackle the task. And yes, he got through all of them until the 9th, 4th movement. After trying 4 times he concluded it was a fool's errand. In the end he was successful, but one wonders if he was ever really happy with the result...
To play a full hour of music like this, with this precision and detail to Beethoven's score, looks almost superhuman. This score is maybe the hardest one Liszt ever wrote. Mr. Cyprien Katsaris did something here to be remembered...
This single recording cements katsaris as one of the greatest pianists in history in my opinion. His phrasing, voicing and technicality here are truly unsurpassed with respect to this transcription, no one really comes close. Moreover, his additions to the original Beethoven/Liszt text are trenchant and ever-more virtuosic. I’m constantly in awe of this man’s musicianship!!
@@carlhopkinson To me, he's the greatest. The GREATEST. Based mostly on this recording, but not this alone. A gargantuan, seemingly limitless technique matched only by 2 or 3 other pianists alive perhaps... the deepest musical understanding... and to top it all off, he improved on Liszt's own transcription of the 9th. Altogether, this recording is an achievement that is so indescribably tremendous that it's a huge shame that so few people seem to even realize its greatness.
And to think, some of Beethoven's self-assured (yet misinformed) musical contemporaries but sometimes teased Beethoven and implied that he was incapable of writing a good fugue
This is amazing. Not only is Katsaris an amazing pianist, the piano transcription brings out lines and details that are not so audible in the orchestral version.
It's near impossible to get the "Froh, wie seine sonnen" tenor solo in the Alla Marcia to sound remotely correct, and of course the ensuing fugue makes the Hammerklavier's look downright ergonomic and near-trivial. The entire fourth movement borders on "unplayable", to use word Liszt lent to his attempts at transcribing the quartets. To be able to pull it together like this, musically and technically, is nothing short of astonishing.
And what's more, Katsaris makes significant changes to the original Liszt score, making the transcription even more full, sonorous, and difficult! He's one of the most underrated piano talents of the last 50 years
I've been listening to these Liszt piano transcriptions of Beethoven's Symphonies and I'm completely mesmerized to be honest- I've never heard the piano being pushed to its limits like in these pieces. It's amazing and terrifying how much Liszt can get out of the piano to be honest, how complex and lush the voices go and how virtuosic yet emotionally deep it can get at the same time.
It’s not just Liszt’s work, it’s also Katsaris’s innovation. It’s like 40% Liszt and 60% Katsaris. Not only did he make his own significant arrangements to what’s notated on the score, but Katsaris’s technique, his piano, and recording setup are able to create a timbre space more expansive than any other piano recording I know.
Where would we be without this man? Only someone like M. Katsaris is able to fully and truly unlock the full potential of this wonderful transcription Liszt made of Beethoven's even more impressive piece. It's like Beethoven/Liszt are the lock to the door of musical bliss only Katsaris is able to open.
Beethoven 9th is my favorite symphony and have always wondered what it would sound like with piano only - I finally did a CZcams search and found this amazing piece. Excuse me for saying so, but this is fucking heavenly! I'm on my 2nd listen and think it's incredible. Thank You to of course Beethoven, the piano player and poster. Unbeilable...
Thomas George: That's O f_ckn K. I'm sure Beethoven dropped the occasional four letter (or 6 letter in German) word himself. Though maybe not for the same reasons.
I always come back to these marvelous recordings of the piano symphonies. Katsaris not only has very clear and precise technique but he manages to evoke the emotions of Beethoven like no other pianist.
Ain't it Amazing that One Person on a Piano can even Cover the Great 9th Symphony of Beethoven? SOUNDS MAGNIFICENT! HAIL BEETHOVEN! HAIL LISZT! HAIL KATSARIS!
This recording was my introduction to Liszt's transcriptions, and now I'm spoiled. I've heard other great pianists attempt it. None but Katsaris make it sound like a symphony. Incredible. I think I actually prefer it to the greatest orchestral productions. It's missing only the vocal, which a piano can't manage. Maybe someday, if we're very very lucky.
Take a listen to Yury Martynov's recording on a period piano. He is splendid and the piano, such as one Liszt would have played, sheds a whole new light on the transcription.
I thought that, too. Then, I found out that Liszt made the two-piano version first, and after a bit of pressure from the editor, he came out with the one-piano version. How did he pull it off? I still have no idea. However, it took him many years to work out an acceptable one-piano transcription.
Well, Beethoven changed the history of Music as nobody else had done before or has done after him. It's hard to explain: imagine a being from an alien civilization that comes to our planet and brings us revolutionary concepts in music that nobody had ever imagined before him, also in terms of the social and professional aspects of music making. And, he manages to influence every musician in his time, starting a new era of music. Ok, turns out Beethoven did exactly that. Liszt was a genius. Beethoven is probably the greatest genius, artist, and musician that ever existed. Someone wrote that Beethoven is the greatest human being that ever walked this planet...
@@andrewzhang8512 Geniuses like Newton, Leibniz, Einstein, Bach, Mozart, Lao-Tzu, the builders of the Pyramids of Giza and Shakespeare would definitely agree Beethoven achieved the highest and most extraordinary levels of Beauty a human being can create. Yes, Bach achieved the most superhuman levels of Perfection with his musical writing, but Beethoven wrote music as beautiful as Nature itself. Beethoven's creative powers are monstruous and unsurpassed.
@@daniandres3211, I agree with you. Beethoven is the greatest of them all because he was one of the most remarkably flawed human specimens, who wrung a monumental level of greatness out of every fibre of his being through sheer force and will. His struggle to find the legend within is why his music stands above the rest. As the saying goes, Bach is the universe and Beethoven is the light.
Air, air! I can't breathe! Simply sublime! Here we have Beethoven, our precious precious symbol, plus the great Liszt, plus the splendid Katsaris. Incredible!
I hate it when people feel the need to say something like "this is even better than the actual symphony" or "all the sounds only come out in the piano version." Show some respect to the greatest symphonic composer of all time in Beethoven. I agree these transcriptions are incredible but that's because the original symphonies are incredible.
noone says this is better than the actual symphony, that would be silly. though one could like it better, that's up to taste. Secondly, saying some details come out better in the piano version has nothing to do with disrespect, it's just a technical matter of sound. The viola voice also comes out better if you play the viola voice only, which doesn't mean the viola voice solo would be a better piece than the symphony. You can hate other people's comments as much as you want, but to criticize someone you should use good arguments.
Not only there cannot be a better piano transcription than the incredible original as Beethoven wrote it, but for me this one is particularly disappointing.. I was only interested in the Adagio, i already know the other movements cannot be nearly interesting for piano only.. but the Adagio could... but apparently not - I find some extra notes that diminish the musicality of the piece, or perhaps if they are not 'extra' it's just wrong emphasis - sounds like 'fat fingers' at times. If somebody cannot hear something in the original that is supposed to be there, perhaps they need different audio gear or ear piece.
I think that the beautify of an orchestra is that not all of the voices can be heard. You can think of it being that way as a design. For example, when the entire orchestra is playing FFF, there is no way the strings should be equal to the brass. The expectation is for the brass to override the strings and the strings serve as a filler when the orchestra plays FFF. If the whole orchestra is playing FFF and the strings are covering the brass, then you need to fire the brass players and get new ones. But then take a beautiful legato section the the strings play and then the woodwinds or brass repeat. (or the other way around). The expectation is that the strings will be able to play with so much more nuance and flowing phrases just because of the design of there instruments. A woodwind is never going to out express a string player. A piano erases all of this and everything now is essentially equal. Which is good for hearing everything but that is without the complexity of an orchestra.
The greatest piano accomplishment of all-time(Liszt, thank you!)by the greatest piano player of all-time - Cyprien Katsaris!(thank you!!). I never heard the Ninth until I heard Cyprien play it. It's like being Ludwig's neighbor.
@@lovetosteer Do you know the story of Beethoven's landlords? The husband and wife who rented a room to Ludwig were transported by his improvisations and naturally applauded them. Beethoven never played again at that rental. They pleaded with him to continue, promising NOT to listen, but he would not play again, having been KNOWINGLY eavesdropped on.
I never knew the Liszt transcriptions existed until by chance I came across a recent NY Times article (7/2019) on the recent resurgence in interest on these pieces. The article went on to say that no less a pianist than Vladimir Horowitz regretted never playing them in public because he loved them and played them all the time in private. Tremendous!
Opera Symphony & Classical - Gustavo Monastra tenor no.. This is a solo piece It was firstly wrote for two pianos, and then wrote for one pianos (2 hands). This one is the 2 hands version
@@jasonhurd4379 They are right, you are wrong. This piece would be nothing in Organ. Piano is the instrument that can play from the Ninth to the Nineties with ease and splendid result.
@@XenophonSoulis They are just different instruments But the organ is a more complete one for sure And yes, this symphony sounds better on the piano because it was written for the piano Playing Bach organ pieces on the organ for example sound way better in the organ They are different instruments with different sounds that pass different feelings And yes, the guy above is an idiot
I needed something relaxing tonight, and didn't feel like locating this CD (from the set that I acquired in 1997) so I found this. I absolutely love Cyprien's work on this piece. Everyone who is a LVB fan should get the remastered version of the complete set of these symphony transcriptions (called reductions, but I don't like that term). They are all pieces of beautiful music. Beethoven and Liszt were geniuses....
As a pianist i tried to play this transcription... it's very hard technicaly but maybe more to give a rendition close to the orchestra one. Katsaris is able to do both and for one hour last ; amazing performance. You easily imagine the original one but only with a piano. I particularly appreciate those attacks on the left hand which sound like a thunder stroke...fascinating ! Congratulations to this orchestra man !
@Qafar Quluzade Some of them but honestly, a lot of the key harmonies was kind of missing in his performance. But sure there were good moments there as well, just this is my favorite part
Yes and I downloaded Write on CZcams: beethoven symphony no.9 wagner The title's language is Spanish. There are chorus and soloists here. + Found in Mahler's re-orchestrated too.
0:55:00 the choir explosion Freude, schöner Götterfunken Tochter aus Elysium, Wir betreten feuertrunken, Himmlische, dein Heiligtum. Deine Zauber binden wieder, Was die Mode streng geteilt; Alle Menschen werden Brüder, Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt
This is so fucking phenomenal, I am ............mesmerized, Liszt did achieve the full orchestral color, this is so amazing I am so diminished, this is totally amazing amazing
Just ask any musicians for the melody and he will get it for you, if u have a classical melody that got stuck in your head you can sing it for me and i can tell you the name of it
Charles Valentin Alkan is often hailed as having composed more difficult music than even Liszt. However, I believe this one is an exception; it is possibly more demanding than even Alkan's Solo Concerto. This is likely the most demanding solo piece written by Franz Liszt!
Alkan was one of the only people (if not the only) that Liszt feared and/or thought he could not out play. The downside to Alkan is that he was not the showman that Liszt was. Liszt could rile an audience up and knock them down. Alkan could not get this same type of energy.
Love how Liszt picked up on a lot of the melodies and through-lines that kind of got buried in the harmony of the orchestra in the original work. Listen to the sections that develop after around 4:30 and you'll know what I'm talking about, especially if you listen to the left hand.
At some day, I will play this piece and even if it needs a lifetime I will play it, not for me not for anyone else just for my grandma, she loved this piece with so much heart, but unfortunately she died 3 years ago.
Nefceh, I am dearly sorry for your loss, but I hope you will not and have not already given up your goal of playing this piece, because once you’ve done so, get a picture of your grandma, and place it in your piano. Now, every time you play that piece, know that she will be listening to you, every time you play that piece, loving you for how you are as not just a grandchild, but as a person who cares and loves.
I am sorry for your loss. Out of sheer curiosity, have you started studying it? I'm enamoured of this version's fantastic musicality, but at the same time a bit intimidated by its complexity.
@William Taittinger Well, not the exact piece but I'm further studying piano so it will probably actually take at least half a life time but at some point I'll play it
I had lisening now from 3 to 9, all of them, I thougt Liszt transcriptions were done for his own satisfaction, in those days he coul'nt lisen the works as often as he wanted, but this are monumental transcriptions, Rubinstein played the 9 too, great job Mr. Dr. Katsaris
I listen to those recordings since teenages, must be 30 years more or less they are part of my musical life and I prefere them to the orchestra originals. M. Katsaris has the ability of getting into a state of mind clear as a diamond- a thing you usually only get when living like an hermit or monk in nature, being very askethic. Maybe he has a big garden where he spends all his time to keep it up like this.
Not a commission but his own dedicated project. Just as with his virtual invention of the solo recital, his aim was always to make the music available to a wide and popular audience. Many might only get to hear these masterworks once in a lifetime in the original- pre sound recording, trained pianists could open up the music to wide audiences. At first he transcribed the ninth for four hands because he wasn't sure that it could be done in two. The two handed version was later. Brahms and Clara Schumann used to play the 4 hand regularly. Liszt may well have played the extra orchestration in concerts, but he was concerned to make it accessible to less agile players.
Lizst was actually commissioned to transcribe the Beethoven Symphonies. when he reached the 9th, he (yes the great Liszt who could sight read ANYTHING perfectly at sight, even a full score) said the 4th mvt was impossible to do for solo piano (he later made a 4 hand transcription) and abandoned it. he later came back and finished the piano solo version.
Hello. This is not really true that he could read anything at sight as he had to study the etudes of his friend Chopin before beeing able to play them, which impressed him a lot as it was usually not the case with other scores ... Cheers.
@@FougarouBe He sight read Brahms' Op. 4 at first sight FROM BRAHMS' HANDWRITING and gave onrunning commentary throughout.
There are many apocryphal stories circulating around Liszt. One is that an 11-year old Liszt met an old Beethoven. Beethoven pulled out a copy of Bach's WTC and told Liszt to sight-read the Fugue in C-minor. Liszt did so. Beethoven said that many young boys can sight read a Bach fugue, and asked him to sight read it in a different key. With some difficulty, Liszt succeeded. Beethoven replied "I am impressed. This boy will go far."
Regardless whether that's true or not, Liszt worked off and on for decades to transcribe Beethoven's symphonies. No one else had the insane energy, undying motivation, incessant drive, utter raw talent, and intimate personal relationship with Beethoven to tackle the task. And yes, he got through all of them until the 9th, 4th movement. After trying 4 times he concluded it was a fool's errand. In the end he was successful, but one wonders if he was ever really happy with the result...
True
@@FougarouBe No, he sightread the Op.10 from Chopin's manuscript bearing his handwriting.
To play a full hour of music like this, with this precision and detail to Beethoven's score, looks almost superhuman. This score is maybe the hardest one Liszt ever wrote. Mr. Cyprien Katsaris did something here to be remembered...
This single recording cements katsaris as one of the greatest pianists in history in my opinion. His phrasing, voicing and technicality here are truly unsurpassed with respect to this transcription, no one really comes close. Moreover, his additions to the original Beethoven/Liszt text are trenchant and ever-more virtuosic. I’m constantly in awe of this man’s musicianship!!
yes !
I agree 100 percent. Katsaris is a one in a billion type musician.
@@carlhopkinson Agreed! When I listen to him, I think: "Man, I need to go practice!"
@@carlhopkinson To me, he's the greatest. The GREATEST. Based mostly on this recording, but not this alone. A gargantuan, seemingly limitless technique matched only by 2 or 3 other pianists alive perhaps... the deepest musical understanding... and to top it all off, he improved on Liszt's own transcription of the 9th. Altogether, this recording is an achievement that is so indescribably tremendous that it's a huge shame that so few people seem to even realize its greatness.
how would you compare this to leslie howards?
53:58 that fugue is the best section of any of Beethoven's works.
always thought the same
Played a little too fast though
This fugue as played here by Katsaris is a treasure of Mankind. It belongs to Heaven - "uber Sternen muss Er wohnen"
And to think, some of Beethoven's self-assured (yet misinformed) musical contemporaries but sometimes teased Beethoven and implied that he was incapable of writing a good fugue
This is amazing. Not only is Katsaris an amazing pianist, the piano transcription brings out lines and details that are not so audible in the orchestral version.
Liszt literally make this piece better than Beethoven ever did
Haha
Liszt would surely be in love with Katsaris's playing here
Fun fact: Cyprien Katsaris was born with four hands of 8 finger each, for a grand total of 32 fingers...
and Two brains to manage it xD
I did not know that, but it makes sense!
Hahaha~! listening this makes me to think like what you have wrote~:) I wish he made a video performance of this WOW performance~:D
he is a BAD man )
are you crazy guys ??! are you sure about this ?
It's near impossible to get the "Froh, wie seine sonnen" tenor solo in the Alla Marcia to sound remotely correct, and of course the ensuing fugue makes the Hammerklavier's look downright ergonomic and near-trivial. The entire fourth movement borders on "unplayable", to use word Liszt lent to his attempts at transcribing the quartets. To be able to pull it together like this, musically and technically, is nothing short of astonishing.
And what's more, Katsaris makes significant changes to the original Liszt score, making the transcription even more full, sonorous, and difficult! He's one of the most underrated piano talents of the last 50 years
Andrew Wiemken 2
@@jackcurley1591 Why is he underrated?
@@EntelSidious_gamzeylmz he's literally almost unknown
@@f.p.2010 I mean just because he doesn't have a strong presence on the internet doesn't mean he's unknown
類を見ない超絶曲を神業で弾いていますが、ベートヴェンならではの勢いやパンチまで効いているので、腰をぬかします。聴いていると、リストの編曲の中に別途にまた音符入れていますよ。
この人はピアノのケンシロウです。こうなると後発隊が苦しくなるものですが、本当に誰も彼の後発には弾いてませんね。おそらく、彼の威力が相当効いているようです。
I've been listening to these Liszt piano transcriptions of Beethoven's Symphonies and I'm completely mesmerized to be honest- I've never heard the piano being pushed to its limits like in these pieces. It's amazing and terrifying how much Liszt can get out of the piano to be honest, how complex and lush the voices go and how virtuosic yet emotionally deep it can get at the same time.
Well he did take a sabbatical for 18 months to be able to do them, after all.
@@Keithustus Wow, that's new.
@@Keithustus in 18 months i might be able to learn parts of the easiest movement of this piece, and never even close to be as well played as this.
It’s not just Liszt’s work, it’s also Katsaris’s innovation. It’s like 40% Liszt and 60% Katsaris. Not only did he make his own significant arrangements to what’s notated on the score, but Katsaris’s technique, his piano, and recording setup are able to create a timbre space more expansive than any other piano recording I know.
Where would we be without this man? Only someone like M. Katsaris is able to fully and truly unlock the full potential of this wonderful transcription Liszt made of Beethoven's even more impressive piece. It's like Beethoven/Liszt are the lock to the door of musical bliss only Katsaris is able to open.
This is one of the hardest liszt transcriptions to play and he did it. Absolutely amazing playing
Yes. Hardest *
One of?
54:24 that slight modulation always gives me chills for some reason
Reminds me of Alkan Quasi Faust tbh
Beethoven 9th is my favorite symphony and have always wondered what it would sound like with piano only - I finally did a CZcams search and found this amazing piece. Excuse me for saying so, but this is fucking heavenly! I'm on my 2nd listen and think it's incredible. Thank You to of course Beethoven, the piano player and poster. Unbeilable...
+Thomas George It's only available on CD, but IMHO I feel that Ashkenazy did a superior job on this piece. Now if only Glenn Gould had recorded it...
And thank you Liszt for the transcription ;)
Thomas George: That's O f_ckn K. I'm sure Beethoven dropped the occasional four letter (or 6 letter in German) word himself. Though maybe not for the same reasons.
Try listening it on midi. It's even more amazing
@@kipkleimenhagen8434 There is NO recording of Ashkenazy playing this transcription that I'm aware of. Can you enlighten us?
Liszt would have been astounded and delighted to hear this powerful and poetic interpretation of Beethoven's 9th by Cyprien Katsaris
I always come back to these marvelous recordings of the piano symphonies. Katsaris not only has very clear and precise technique but he manages to evoke the emotions of Beethoven like no other pianist.
This is truly a treasure chest. We are SO fortunate to have access to these recordings.
Thank you!!!
Ain't it Amazing that One Person on a Piano can even Cover the Great 9th Symphony of Beethoven? SOUNDS MAGNIFICENT! HAIL BEETHOVEN! HAIL LISZT! HAIL KATSARIS!
And all hail Britannia of course
Hail hitl...
This recording was my introduction to Liszt's transcriptions, and now I'm spoiled. I've heard other great pianists attempt it. None but Katsaris make it sound like a symphony. Incredible. I think I actually prefer it to the greatest orchestral productions. It's missing only the vocal, which a piano can't manage. Maybe someday, if we're very very lucky.
Take a listen to Yury Martynov's recording on a period piano. He is splendid and the piano, such as one Liszt would have played, sheds a whole new light on the transcription.
@@Facconti Yes, indeed. Same piece but completely different impression when played on a present-day piano compared to one from that period.
I´m glad Beethoven orchestrated this :)
........
Me too, man
newgeorge 😂😂👍👍
Bravo.
You mean you didn't like my monster transcription for piano?!
@@franzliszt4883 Nah mate, he's saying yours came first, which it obviously did.
This is so incredible, Beethoven and Liszt, two geniuses.
Liszt is a master for piano transcriptions. He had great reworks for Schubert, Bach, Verdi and more...
Namekuseijin Br Liszt is unquestionably the greatest transcriber in all of the piano literature!!
Thanks
@@ValzainLumivix and you too
@@qalaphyll stfu
I still find it difficult to believe that it is just one pair of hands. Wow! Amazing.
I always thought this was for four hands...
I thought that, too. Then, I found out that Liszt made the two-piano version first, and after a bit of pressure from the editor, he came out with the one-piano version. How did he pull it off? I still have no idea. However, it took him many years to work out an acceptable one-piano transcription.
Well spotted! There at least 3 hands at work in part of this recording.
Gary Preston Nope, just katsaris’ two
Absolutely one of the greatest compositions in all of music!!! And a remarkable rendition, as well!
I just...I don't know who is more of a genius. Liszt or Beethoven.
Simply overwhelming.
Well, Beethoven changed the history of Music as nobody else had done before or has done after him.
It's hard to explain: imagine a being from an alien civilization that comes to our planet and brings us revolutionary concepts in music that nobody had ever imagined before him, also in terms of the social and professional aspects of music making. And, he manages to influence every musician in his time, starting a new era of music. Ok, turns out Beethoven did exactly that.
Liszt was a genius. Beethoven is probably the greatest genius, artist, and musician that ever existed. Someone wrote that Beethoven is the greatest human being that ever walked this planet...
@@daniandres3211 Newton, Leibniz, Bach, and Mozart may want to disagree.
@@andrewzhang8512 Geniuses like Newton, Leibniz, Einstein, Bach, Mozart, Lao-Tzu, the builders of the Pyramids of Giza and Shakespeare would definitely agree Beethoven achieved the highest and most extraordinary levels of Beauty a human being can create. Yes, Bach achieved the most superhuman levels of Perfection with his musical writing, but Beethoven wrote music as beautiful as Nature itself. Beethoven's creative powers are monstruous and unsurpassed.
@@daniandres3211, I agree with you. Beethoven is the greatest of them all because he was one of the most remarkably flawed human specimens, who wrung a monumental level of greatness out of every fibre of his being through sheer force and will. His struggle to find the legend within is why his music stands above the rest.
As the saying goes, Bach is the universe and Beethoven is the light.
@@daniandres3211 no they wouldn't. Bach is the greatest and if you think anything else you are wrong.
Air, air! I can't breathe! Simply sublime! Here we have Beethoven, our precious precious symbol, plus the great Liszt, plus the splendid Katsaris. Incredible!
Put Katsaris first.
I hate it when people feel the need to say something like "this is even better than the actual symphony" or "all the sounds only come out in the piano version." Show some respect to the greatest symphonic composer of all time in Beethoven. I agree these transcriptions are incredible but that's because the original symphonies are incredible.
noone says this is better than the actual symphony, that would be silly. though one could like it better, that's up to taste.
Secondly, saying some details come out better in the piano version has nothing to do with disrespect, it's just a technical matter of sound. The viola voice also comes out better if you play the viola voice only, which doesn't mean the viola voice solo would be a better piece than the symphony.
You can hate other people's comments as much as you want, but to criticize someone you should use good arguments.
Not only there cannot be a better piano transcription than the incredible original as Beethoven wrote it, but for me this one is particularly disappointing.. I was only interested in the Adagio, i already know the other movements cannot be nearly interesting for piano only.. but the Adagio could... but apparently not - I find some extra notes that diminish the musicality of the piece, or perhaps if they are not 'extra' it's just wrong emphasis - sounds like 'fat fingers' at times. If somebody cannot hear something in the original that is supposed to be there, perhaps they need different audio gear or ear piece.
Lol chill out bro it's just their opinion.
It is enough to show that a piano can do anything that an orchestra can.
I think that the beautify of an orchestra is that not all of the voices can be heard. You can think of it being that way as a design.
For example, when the entire orchestra is playing FFF, there is no way the strings should be equal to the brass. The expectation is for the brass to override the strings and the strings serve as a filler when the orchestra plays FFF. If the whole orchestra is playing FFF and the strings are covering the brass, then you need to fire the brass players and get new ones.
But then take a beautiful legato section the the strings play and then the woodwinds or brass repeat. (or the other way around). The expectation is that the strings will be able to play with so much more nuance and flowing phrases just because of the design of there instruments. A woodwind is never going to out express a string player.
A piano erases all of this and everything now is essentially equal. Which is good for hearing everything but that is without the complexity of an orchestra.
Dés la première minute on sent que l'on à affaire à un très grand musicien. Quel profondeur de touché. Puissance sans dureté
I was actually wondering how the actual sequence starting at 13:19 could be transcripted into piano. Ingenious
Astonishing!!! Thank you Emperor Cyprien!!!!
This is pure perfection, I don't know why would anyone dislike this!
Oh my gosh … He plays so well!
The greatest piano accomplishment of all-time(Liszt, thank you!)by the greatest piano player of all-time - Cyprien Katsaris!(thank you!!). I never heard the Ninth until I heard Cyprien play it. It's like being Ludwig's neighbor.
I ❤ the last line of this comment. It feels sooo true.
@@lovetosteer Do you know the story of Beethoven's landlords? The husband and wife who rented a room to Ludwig were transported by his improvisations and naturally applauded them. Beethoven never played again at that rental. They pleaded with him to continue, promising NOT to listen, but he would not play again, having been KNOWINGLY eavesdropped on.
@@rineric3214 no I did not know that. Thank you now I'm appreciating the original comment even more.
I never knew the Liszt transcriptions existed until by chance I came across a recent NY Times article (7/2019) on the recent resurgence in interest on these pieces. The article went on to say that no less a pianist than Vladimir Horowitz regretted never playing them in public because he loved them and played them all the time in private. Tremendous!
This is the link: www.nytimes.com/2019/07/04/arts/music/piano-transcriptions.html
Amazing performance. Just awesome. The transcription is gorgeous as well (and extremely difficult!).
6:57 one of my favotie parts❤
Brilliant! -it sounds so modern.
Sencillamente, genial, gracias, maestro.
Speechless... I cannot believe this is possible
That was an exceptional Performance .. I enjoyed it
What a joy the Recitative is!
The stand-out part for me was the sheer joy I can hear in the playing. Here is an artist, clearly at the top of his game, enjoying himself hugely.
Meraviglioso... Wonderful...
I love it!
Thank you for uploading it!
Very powerful first movement!
Estoy encantado con estas transcripciones de Liszt que no conocía.
Absolutely brilliant!
Liszt was a one-man Orchestra
This is so interesting. Thank you for uploading!
Is this really only two hands? Increadible...
no....
two hands and brain
Is a two pianos trascription, recorded for the same pianist: superposition recording.
Opera Symphony & Classical - Gustavo Monastra tenor no..
This is a solo piece
It was firstly wrote for two pianos, and then wrote for one pianos (2 hands).
This one is the 2 hands version
Ok, the piano is the one instrument that played by only one person can give us the same sensations or feelings that an orchest.
Sorry, wrong. The organ is the instrument which has that ability, not the piano. Compared to the organ, the piano is a clumsy, clunky box of wire.
@@jasonhurd4379 They are right, you are wrong. This piece would be nothing in Organ. Piano is the instrument that can play from the Ninth to the Nineties with ease and splendid result.
@@XenophonSoulis They are just different instruments
But the organ is a more complete one for sure
And yes, this symphony sounds better on the piano because it was written for the piano
Playing Bach organ pieces on the organ for example sound way better in the organ
They are different instruments with different sounds that pass different feelings
And yes, the guy above is an idiot
This transcription shows that the piano is one of the most outstanding machine invented by man, if not the most.
again - astounding performance !
I agree - stunning stuff.
Imagine how proud you'd feel holding Franz's beer. Probably a full time job.
I tried. Then I drank it and got promptly fired.
Impressionante!
This is beyond great
1. 0:00
2. 14:21
3. 29:03
4. 42:42
55:27 Ode to Joy
Absolutely astounding! 3rd movement at 28:59
Exceptional version with great technical resources to service of musicality.
Impresionante
Magnifique !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Liszt was out of this world!
I needed something relaxing tonight, and didn't feel like locating this CD (from the set that I acquired in 1997) so I found this. I absolutely love Cyprien's work on this piece. Everyone who is a LVB fan should get the remastered version of the complete set of these symphony transcriptions (called reductions, but I don't like that term). They are all pieces of beautiful music. Beethoven and Liszt were geniuses....
Simply amazing
16:59 Wilde Jagd moment
ok
@@qalaphyll no
yes
Indeed
Sounds awfully similar to Wilde jagd
As a pianist i tried to play this transcription... it's very hard technicaly but maybe more to give a rendition close to the orchestra one. Katsaris is able to do both and for one hour last ; amazing performance. You easily imagine the original one but only with a piano. I particularly appreciate those attacks on the left hand which sound like a thunder stroke...fascinating ! Congratulations to this orchestra man !
56:32 My favourite part of this entire piece, such beautiful longing and recapitulation
@Qafar Quluzade Some of them but honestly, a lot of the key harmonies was kind of missing in his performance. But sure there were good moments there as well, just this is my favorite part
he play sooo well!!!
16:10 Absolutely genius Katsaris!
It's a pity that Teldec didn't make the video of this magical moment~ Alas~~!
Amazing transcription ...
Sad brain attack in 2012 for Katsaris !
GOOD RECOVER MAESTRO
it seemed that I was listening to the orchestra itself!
Liszt trancription...wonderful
Yes and I downloaded
Write on CZcams: beethoven symphony no.9 wagner
The title's language is Spanish. There are chorus and soloists here.
+ Found in Mahler's re-orchestrated too.
31:03 so so so so so lovely!
0:55:00 the choir explosion
Freude, schöner Götterfunken
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum.
Deine Zauber binden wieder,
Was die Mode streng geteilt;
Alle Menschen werden Brüder,
Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt
This guy is a genious.
This is so fucking phenomenal, I am ............mesmerized, Liszt did achieve the full orchestral color, this is so amazing I am so diminished, this is totally amazing amazing
love it!
55:27 this was the melody I've been trying to find.
Just ask any musicians for the melody and he will get it for you, if u have a classical melody that got stuck in your head you can sing it for me and i can tell you the name of it
WTF ME TOO
You're missing out on the other stuff!
Probably the most popular melody ever bruh
Charles Valentin Alkan is often hailed as having composed more difficult music than even Liszt. However, I believe this one is an exception; it is possibly more demanding than even Alkan's Solo Concerto. This is likely the most demanding solo piece written by Franz Liszt!
Alkan was one of the only people (if not the only) that Liszt feared and/or thought he could not out play. The downside to Alkan is that he was not the showman that Liszt was. Liszt could rile an audience up and knock them down. Alkan could not get this same type of energy.
Did someone speak my name?
My favorite recording of the 9th! They call the solitary artist a myth
52:35
This. Best part of the entire symphony/piece
55:22
Niels Liljedahl Christensen yes...just yes
No, the best part start from 0:00
GRATA POR TANTA BELEZA. (Malu - Brasil)
Love how Liszt picked up on a lot of the melodies and through-lines that kind of got buried in the harmony of the orchestra in the original work. Listen to the sections that develop after around 4:30 and you'll know what I'm talking about, especially if you listen to the left hand.
I've heard the Wagner transcription which I also like very much.
THE ABSOLUTE FUCKING MADMAN
HE WENT AND DID IT
HE PUT BEETHOVEN'S SYMPHONIES ON A PIANO
Katsaris is a genius !
At some day, I will play this piece and even if it needs a lifetime I will play it, not for me not for anyone else just for my grandma, she loved this piece with so much heart, but unfortunately she died 3 years ago.
Nefceh, I am dearly sorry for your loss, but I hope you will not and have not already given up your goal of playing this piece, because once you’ve done so, get a picture of your grandma, and place it in your piano. Now, every time you play that piece, know that she will be listening to you, every time you play that piece, loving you for how you are as not just a grandchild, but as a person who cares and loves.
I am sorry for your loss. Out of sheer curiosity, have you started studying it? I'm enamoured of this version's fantastic musicality, but at the same time a bit intimidated by its complexity.
Thank you. On my current level I wouldn't be able to actually play it but I am going little by little to eventually play it one day.
@William Taittinger Well, not the exact piece but I'm further studying piano so it will probably actually take at least half a life time but at some point I'll play it
Your story makes me think that Liszt is so evil for making this piece so hard
amazing!
i love it, he only needs the horns to start then the symphony is HIS
They all tried it but they never did it like him. Great!
Bravo!
55:27
For me one of the most crazy piano pieces. I like it :)
You need a pact with Satan so you can play it. lol
No, a pact with Satan won't cut it here. You need a pact with God!!! :)
David Spencer No, Satan
Absolutely not. A deal with Satan is for blues and lame ass pop music....
David Spencer what about Paganini?
I had lisening now from 3 to 9, all of them, I thougt Liszt transcriptions were done for his own satisfaction, in those days he coul'nt lisen the works as often as he wanted, but this are monumental transcriptions, Rubinstein played the 9 too, great job Mr. Dr. Katsaris
Anton or Arthur? It certainly wasn't Arthur.
@@holden4th You are right, Anton worked together with Lizst in his transcription from the 9th
I read that Clara Schumann and Brahms workwd in a transcription too
Don't try this at home
Fair enough.
Fantástico,
I listen to those recordings since teenages, must be 30 years more or less they are part of my musical life and I prefere them to the orchestra originals.
M. Katsaris has the ability of getting into a state of mind clear as a diamond-
a thing you usually only get when living like an hermit or monk in nature,
being very askethic. Maybe he has a big garden where he spends all his time to keep it up like this.
Not a commission but his own dedicated project. Just as with his virtual invention of the solo recital, his aim was always to make the music available to a wide and popular audience. Many might only get to hear these masterworks once in a lifetime in the original- pre sound recording, trained pianists could open up the music to wide audiences. At first he transcribed the ninth for four hands because he wasn't sure that it could be done in two. The two handed version was later. Brahms and Clara Schumann used to play the 4 hand regularly. Liszt may well have played the extra orchestration in concerts, but he was concerned to make it accessible to less agile players.
Thank you!