Stravinsky-Agosti - Three Movements from The Firebird (Rana)
Vložit
- čas přidán 26. 06. 2024
- Agosti’s fearsome transcription of The Firebird is so maniacally colourful that listening to it feels a bit like a Kandinsky painting just punched you in the face. The number of canny decisions that have to made to wrestle all of Stravinsky’s ingenious orchestration into something that coherently fits on a piano is kind of ridiculous, and the fact that this transcription even works, on any level, is a miracle.
The variety of touch, articulation, dynamic control, rhythmic precision, and rubato which Rana brings to bear in just under 12 minutes of music is pretty hard to believe. In the Infernal Dance, for instance, the melodies skittering madly through different registers connect perfectly, and the voicing is never less than inspired (see 0:51, the rubato-laden melody at 1:49). The Lullaby is basically a Ravel-esque study in dynamic tiering, and some of the stuff Rana pulls off at the quieter end of the spectrum is breathtaking (see the top voice at 7:03, the contrast between the light and dark colour at the piano’s top and bottom registers starting at 8:02). The Finale here is the only performance I know of where the tremolos are really played très fondu (meltingly) - you can barely hear the individual notes, and even the scales dissolve into these huge, brilliant ripples of sound. The gradually increasing tempo over the course of this last section is also wonderfully handled (and reminds me a bit of Stravinsky’s own conducting, actually). And that gloriously long last chord - after hearing this one, you’ll think that all the others are too rushed.
0:00 - Infernal Dance
5:05 - Lullaby
8:42 - Finale - Hudba
On a kind of random note: I remember that when I was pretty young (in primary school, I think), for some reason or another our teacher put on Disney’s Fantasia for the entire class. We were watching The Firebird Suite section, and the moment the Infernal Dance entered - with that huuuge orchestral hit and the big scary pitch-black fire/lava/bird/volcanic plug thing suddenly opening its eyes - I more or less fell out of my chair in shock. It was the first time I really fell in love with an orchestral piece of music, I think.
♥️
On a kind of random note: Score video maker discord. I will just try, but maybe links are not allowed in the comments. discord.gg/FnzPee
The finale made me cry as an adult once 😂
It is Fantasia 2000 however, not the original 1940 Fantasia. Still, Fantasia 2000 is a pretty awesome work.
I have some childhood memories with classical music I'll never forget, like vinyls at my grandma's, and when I was studying piano our teacher would have students perform in front of other students, like a mini recital before our ABRSM exams and actual recitals on stage, and one of the advanced students played rimski-kirsokov, I think I fell in love with her lol
I feel like the transcription itself doesn't get much praise yet, that's some bloody good writing right there
Especially the dance.
This sound is out of this world, is almost like if this wasn't a piano, really there were times were i tought how is this possible? The tremolos, the pipipipipipipianisimos, i think it is the firs time i hear a real ppppp like that, the rubatos, the articulations, the use of the pedal, everything! it is even scary to see what a piano is capable to do, thank you for your awesome discoveries Ashish, as always
Another incredibly nuanced pianissimo performance is Steven Osborne's Messiaen: Vingt régards. Stunning control and detail.
I have heard that quote, **"Stravinsky was the greatest composer of the 20th century."** I kind of ignored it. Today I finally hear for the first time.
Beatrice Rana is world class
@@otonanoC lol, this piano transcription was by Agosti. Stravinsky wrote the original orchestral score. I think Agosti deserves the praise :P
Oh boy do I enjoy getting punched in the face by a Kandinsky painting
I don't get it...mind educating a cultural ignoramus?
@@mihaicrisis7899 In the description, Ashish compares the 'color' (musically speaking) of the piece with Kandinsky's paintings.
@@amerrylittlemonarch Thank you Mr. Beethoven.
🤓 i had a painting fall on my foot once
@@evanwolf6618 Did your curses sound like this piece?
Just wanted to thank you for exposing me to a bunch of new music I would have taken a very long time to encounter and appreciate, or otherwise missed altogether. I've already worked on a few new works solely because of your channel (Granados Goyescas, late Beethoven sonatas, Rachmaninov sonata no 2, Rach etudes and preludes).
This is just superhuman playing. I knew Rana was going to be a star when I saw her at the Van Cliburn Competition and she has definitely proved me right.
Just listened to the Piemontesi last week or so. But I really must say, that I think Agosti did one of the best orchestra to piano transcriptions I know.
I listened to the transcription first and liked it even more that the original.
The Piemontesi is another fantastic recording, and the only other one I considered uploading (when I found out it was already online, the choice became much easier). It's an interesting contrast to this one - more outright bravura (iirc Piemontesi avails himself of the lowest A fairly often), but a bit less dynamic/rhythmic precision.
Ashish Xiangyi Kumar what I like about the piemontesi, that he doesn’t give you one breath until the second „movement“
But I will listen to this recording now.
@@AshishXiangyiKumar can you upload islamey performance?
Rana plays a spectacular rendition here, but I swear Piemontesi's performance is literally the definitive version. It like Gilels and the Bach-Siloti B Minor prelude.
They call it the firebird because it sets your fingies on fire.
Piemontesi is more rhythmic and fiery. But Rana's crisp articulation seems to match the orchestral version much better.
Agree re: the fieriness, but not necessarily re the rhythmic precision (see 0:40 here compared with Piemontesi's, where the syncopation is much harder to hear). But yes - Piemontesi's is also a great recording!
@@AshishXiangyiKumar Agree. I think Rana's is also more colorful and has a more orchestral sound. Piemontesi plays it like it's Bartok.
On another note, are you going to do any of Schumann's large-scale suites in the future? Like Carnaval or Humoreske? Currently there is no good sheet music video for Carnaval, which is a great shame.
@@calebhu6383 Yep, quite a bit of Schumann's in the works! Apart from Carnaval and Humoreske, also the Fantasiestucke, Waldszenen, and Kinderszenen (latter two are reuploads, actually). But I gotta say -- doing Schumann videos is really tough, just because of the sheer amount of time it takes to get properly familiar with the pieces and to figure out what even counts as a good recording. Schumann's just got a very personal and idiosyncratic style, and for some reason or another nearly every recording ends up a bit unsatisfying.
@@AshishXiangyiKumar That is so true especially when dealing with such a suite containing such varied sections. Maybe just one section is too fast or too slow, or one section isn't voiced enough, or it's voiced way too much, and it'll ruin the cohesiveness of the entire piece. Schumann is definitely one of the hardest composers to interpret well.
@@AshishXiangyiKumar Pleease, if you do the Fantasiestucke, consider some cello recordings! You always have such great comments, I love it when you go for other instruments too (I didn't necessarily agree with all your choices from the Bach Cello Suites extracts, but your varied choice was really interesting!)
Wow! A wonderful way to recreate the spectacular feeling of listening to the orchestral Firebird for the first time. (especially the Finale)
This truly is a knockout performance! Omg I am shocked into a new gear. Magnificent!!! Thanks for posting this Grand treasure. Love it!!!!
fire
Have never heard tremolos sound like that! So stunning!
Fantastic stuff - keep these videos and commentaries coming :)
Thank you!
11:33 that subito pianissimo chord is like a whisper
Sami Faheem What are you doing here?
i’m...... blown away
thank you
you're back
Rana has some of the best dynamic control in any recording, but Piemontesi is more fiery.
JEEEEEEEEEZUSSSSSSS what a transcription!!!
Mr. Kumar is very hardworking, thank you so much for these recordings and videos.
That's great!!
Igor Sztravinszkij:Három darab a Tűzmadárból
1. Katstchei király intellektuális tánca (Allegro feroce) 00:00
2. Bölcsődal (Andante) 05:05
3. Finálé (Lento maestoso - Allegro non troppo) 08:42
Beatrice Rana-zongora
Köszönöm az értékelést
introduced me to rana; thank you!
Just great..
Great!
Dark. Complex. Exquisite!!! 💞💀🌹
Actually really good performance ! I like !
I want to listen all of your compositions again.
This recording was a journey for me, at a level more intimate than the large ensemble. Maybe the pianist in me empathizes with the experience and passion of the performer, but I feel that ensemble transcriptions for piano are one of the greatest gifts we have as musicians. Rarely do ensembles play transcriptions of piano works. Yet, here is the baton and orchestra at an artist's fingertips. I can think of fewer greater experiences than the passion outpoured from this titanic recording.
I'm just curious and I love what I found, I even don't know the meaning but it gave me a best feeling.
Hey Ashish! Amazing video and analysis as always. I recently started learning Sicilienne by Faure, and I think it would be a perfect fit for your channel. It has quickly become one of my favourite pieces :)
I found your channel, searching for sight reading..and woowwwww..your work is really fantastic for those selftaught music lovers like myself. thanks so very much indeed..it's a priceless useful practical ear and sight reading training. keep it up.
Totally agree!
Bravooooooooooooooo!!!!!! Hello from Russia!)
Hi! As always, I am incredibly grateful for the things you do for the classical music community here on CZcams. You're great!
If you find the time, maybe you could upload some more of Scriabin's sonatas? Would love to hear the 4th!
Once again, thank you. Keep it up!
It’s great! I would like to hear you play it though
@@detectivehome3318 In due time, I'm currently studying it as a part of my academy entrance exam program.
Thanks....
8:43 (onwards) epic voicing over there! Leaves me dumbfolded (so does Piemontesi's interpretation over there)
I have no problem matching his astounding performance with the mastery of Stravinsky's orchestration; it brings back this wonderful memory:
In the 60s when WGKA, Atlanta's classical AM station (later became a conservative talk station) signed off every night at midnight, they played the Finale as its sign off music, and did a voice-over reciting the opening verse of Grey's Elegy. So imagine this after the first phrase before the full orchestra comes in after the French horn opening: "'The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea, The ploughman homeward plods his weary way,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me.' WGKA ends another broadcast day. Broadcasting at 1490 kilohertz...something, something,... good night," and then the final chords beginning with the long, loud half notes melody would complete the end of transmission.
At age 70, I'm still a night owl (still composing and performing music!), and it no doubt is due in part to my going to sleep at midnight listening to the Finale on my parent's transistor radio!
Even better live, believe me.
Geezus!
highly recommend listening to Alexandre Kantorow play this piece as well. Both Rana and Kantorow perform the suite exceptionally in their respective styles. Fell in love with this piece so much that I need to play it myself :)
Kantorow's performance of the Berceuse during the Tchaikovsky competition was something out of this world!
I could not be more happy about these videos...
... except if they included the Java Suite and Perahia's Goldberg 😍
Only just realised that at 11:19 there's a 'drum roll' added by Rana, what a nice touch!
it’s called a tremolo, btw, and that helps to sustain the note for longer.
@@stacia6678 I am aware, I just found this particular tremolo sounded like a drum roll.
Rana means frog in italian
And in spanish lmao
@@GUILLOM woa u are here
4 of us are here.
@@ilikeplayingffftonecluster851 waiting for 2pie
@@2piee epic
Игорь Стравинский, сколько мне нравится!!
Thanks for another great upload! I think I might’ve asked this before but are you still intending to do those videos based on themes (‘grief in the major keys’ etc.) you mentioned a while ago?
Piemontesi's grace notes are crisp and the chords are kinda more fiery and energetic, so IMO I find it better. BTW, this has always been one of my favourite transcriptions of all time. But this is also an amazing rendition.
Ashish, how do you go about selecting recordings? Do you listen to them back to back, or can you immediately tell if you like a recording in, say, the first 10 measures?
Wow...I have the Daniil Trifonov recording of this, and while I generally love anything he does, I must say that Rana does a much better job in the Infernal Dance of actually bringing the melodies out, especially in the lyrical section at 1:49. Her performance is so clean and straightforward, whereas Trifonov's is so dense and tangled sounding.
What software do you use? its so clean
Good question!
The finale ruined my fingers. Those glissandi are ruthless. I recommend sticking with the Stravinsky piano version if you want to keep that skin over your nails
Glissandos are not that dangerous to play if you have good technique
@@GUILLOM There's like 6 or 7 in the finale alone though. Incredibly diffucult with "good technique", especially at the speed Agosti wants you to play.
10:35 - What the heck? She completely disregards both the ottava (which is more defensible I admit) and the mano destra as a part of the melody/motif and thrashes the left hand. At least she doesn't neglect the ending signs like Piemontesi.
Are you only going to do premieres for the truly special pieces/recordings? Because I really like ed the Beethoven PC premieres.
There is no word to descibe how fearsome, pretty, and brilliante this masterpeice is. If you do not mind can you send a link in the comments so I can print it out for I have been looking for a reliable free copy of this transcripion for years.
If I am correct you created a elegy that you took down a few months ago. I was wondering if I could get a download of the sheet music. It was really creative and I enjoyed it a lot. I apologize if I have the wrong person.
Those 3 clefts..... Even crazier than most of Liszt's pieces....
Классный конец
Do you take analysis suggestions?
finale 8:41
Was this played by beatrice rana?
For the past two years, I have been studying an area of math known as googology. Googology is basically the study of very large numbers and the notations that is used to express them. When you study googology in depth, you can see that the so-called scientific notation which we usually use to express large numbers is actually incredibly weak in comparison to many of the commonly used notations in googology such as Knuth's up-arrow notation, fast-growing hierarchy, Bird's Array Notation and Bashicu Matrix System, although it may not seems weak at all to an average person. This is mainly because we don't need numbers much larger than those that can be made using exponents in real life. For example, the mass of Sun is approximately 2*10^30 kg and the number of subatomic particles in the universe is approimately 10^80.
Below I will show you the formal definition and some examples of expression in Knuth's up-arrow notation:
a^^^^...^^^b with n uparrows = a^^^...^a^^^...^^a^^^...^^a... ...a^^^..^^a with (n-1) uparrows between each successive a's
Where a^b is the same as a raised to the power tower of b
First, we will take a review of addition, multiplication and exponentiation. We had all studied in school that addition is repeated counting, multiplication is repeated addition and exponentiation is repeated multiplication, mathematically:
a+b = a+1+1+1...+1 (repeated b times)
a*b = a+a+a...+a (repeated b times), and
a^b = a*a*a*a...*a (repeated b times)
Now, we will start with the double up-arrow operator, which is better known as tetration.
a^^b (read this as "a tetrated to b") = a^a^a^a^...^a (b times) (a power tower of a's b terms high)
Keep in mind that exponents are always right-associative, so a^b^c^d is the same as a^(b^(c^d))
For example, 2^^3 = 2^2^2 = 2^4 = 16
2^^4 = 2^2^2^2 = 2^2^4 = 2^16 = 65536
2^^5 = 2^2^2^2^2 = 2^2^2^4 = 2^2^16 = 2^65536 = 10^(log10(2)*65536) using rules of logarithm = approx. 2*10^19728 (a number WITH 19729 DIGITS!!!!!!)
3^^3 = 3^3^3 = 3^27 = 7,625,597,484,987 (approximately 7.6 trillion for short)
10^^^3 = 10^10^10 = 10^(10 billion) = 1 followed by ten billion zeroes
Now do you see how powerful tetration is in comparison to scientific notation?
But that's not the end of the story. Just like how tetration is repeated exponentiation, pentation is repeated tetration, which is normally denoted as triple up arrows (^^^) In summary, the n arrow operator is repeated (n-1) arrow operator
After that, I suggest you to learn the definition of fast-growing hierarchy, which is basically like this:
f_n(a) = (f_(n-1))^a(a), when n is a successor ordinal, or in other words,
f_(n-1)(f_(n-1)(...(f_(n-1)(a))...)) (nested n times)
When n is a limit ordinal, f_n(a) is defined as f_(n[a])(a), where n[a] is the n-th element of the fundamental sequence of the ordinal n
For the definition of successor and limit ordinals, you can search it yourself in Googology Wiki
Now, here's an equation for you. Given that 1/f_x(100) is the amount of DNA I inherit from my mom, try to find the ordinal x. The ordinal x here is known as my DNA ordinal
Here's the approximate value of x in Bashicu Matrix System: (0,0,0)(1,1,1)(2,2,2)(3,3,3)(3,3,0)(4,4,1)(5,5,2)(6,6,2)(7,7,0)(8,8,1)(9,9,2)(10,9,2)(11,9,0)(12,10,1)(13,11,2)(13,11,2)(13,11,1)(14,12,2)(14,11,1)(15,12,2)(15,11,1)(16,12,0)(17,13,1)(18,14,2)(18,14,2)(18,14,1)(19,15,2)(19,14,1)(20,15,2)(20,14,1)(21,15,0)(22,16,1)(23,17,2)(23,17,2)(23,17,1)(24,18,2)(24,17,1)(25,18,2)(25,17,0)(26,18,1)(27,19,2)(27,19,2)(27,19,1)(28,20,2)(28,19,1)(29,20,2)(29,19,0)(30,20,1)(31,21,2)(31,21,2)(31,21,1)(32,22,2)(32,21,1)(33,22,2)(33,21,0)(34,22,1)(35,23,2)(35,23,2)(35,23,1)(36,24,2)(36,23,1)(37,24,2)(37,23,0)(38,24,1)(39,25,2)(40,25,2)(40,25,1)(41,26,2)(41,22,1)(42,23,2)(42,23,2)(42,23,1)(43,24,2)(43,23,1)(44,24,2)(44,23,0)(45,24,1)(46,25,2)(47,25,2)(47,25,1)(48,26,1)(49,27,0)(50,28,1)(51,29,2)(52,29,2)(52,29,1)(53,30,0)(54,31,1)(55,32,2)(56,32,2)(56,32,0)(57,33,1)(58,34,2)(59,34,2)(59,34,0)(60,35,1)(61,36,2)(62,36,2)(62,36,0)(63,37,1)(64,38,2)(65,38,2)(65,38,0)(66,39,1)(67,40,2)(68,40,2)(68,40,0)(69,41,1)(70,42,2)(71,42,2)(71,42,0)(72,43,1)(73,44,0)(74,45,1)(75,44,0)... ...
For the definition of Bashicu Matrix System, you can search it up yourself in google
So can you please help me to analyze my DNA ordinal?
ok
9:18
But you used Piemontesi's recording lmao
How many hands do you need to play this?
Could anybody please tell me why where are 3 bars?
How difficult is the Danse Infernale considered? Is it more difficult that Rach 3 or Feux Follets?
Rach 3 > the other two
imo, the entire Firebird suite is harder than Rach 3, but just the first mvt is still easier
Where did you get the score? it’s not on IMSLP.
Hello Ashish! There was a recording of Pictures of an Exhibition on your channel which has sunk into oblivion (I reckon copyright problems?) I was wondering who the two pianists were - maybe I can find their recordings of the piece elsewhere... Thank you!
It was Mikhail Pletnev and Leif Ove Andsnes, i think
Can you please do Scherzo op. 4 by Johannes Brahms? It's my favourite piece of him and I played it myself ten years ago. I'm very interested in your commentary on that piece and the selection of the interpretations.
Love that piece as well :)
I think, the score is for two pianos, or?
Just one.
As played by an octopus.
Honestly you should do Bach fantasias soon
Hey Ashish Xiangyi Kumar. Can you put a video of Charles Valtain Alkan all 12 etude op 38. Plz
Ummm.... op 39.
Schroender did it
Stupid idea, its too much to analyze and
Does that name at the top really say STRAWINSKY? 0:02
that’s how russians write their v’s, like rachmaninow :)
@@stacia6678o
Straw in the sky
When are u gonna upload more music vids? It's been a long time.Over 3 months of waiting
Never noticed before but the berceuse sounds like Gershwin.
Так много рекламы😢
10:53
a little bit to fast for my taste
Piemontesi really brings out the grandiosity and sonority of those chords. Nevertheless, this interpretation by Rana is a good second.
The
Berceuse zounds likd copy of Gnomus from Muzsorgski. No wonder Stra insky didn't transcribe his piece fof piano, like Agosti did...
Is Ashish still writing short stories?
Did he write stories before?
Hmmm, this is pretty good but Die Lit by Playboi Carti is leagues better. Good effort though!
Ia this even music?
?
No, just random abstract sounds at this point.
Yes you're right, you should listen to nowadays "real" music - czcams.com/video/ZH4j70KU-RQ/video.htmlsi=RVAE8FFxeMh_ld3O
@@dd8436Lol
Brilliant piano playing, but Stravinsky's music sounds a bit noisy and lacking in substance...the opening theme is the only memorable thing from the entire piece...
No
Kudos to the pianist playing the piece, but the composition is absolutely terrible. The only part in the video description that I can agree on is the miracle....it certainly takes a miracle for anyone to like it.
It needs to grow on you.
Have you even listened to the Finale?
I respect that you don’t like some music but that doesn’t mean you have to go and put your negativity out into the world.