Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Horowitz: The Stars & Stripes Forever - or, is it?

Here is something I just stumbled across:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77oauAJa29w

Any thoughts on this?

Extra note:

At the very end of the video you will see this:

"Finis an Underzog production"

"G-d bless our troops"

That was awful

How about his interpretation of Clair de Lune? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YotZsRbfdWU

Any thoughts, you ask? Yes. What's the point of posting this? If we posted every bad performance we looked for and came across, there would be no room for anything else on Piano World.

Well, I sense anger.

If you look at some of underzog's other videos, and also notice the date that this video was uploaded, you might get the idea that there is a political statement being made here.

My thought is: it isn't just another bad YouTube performance. OTOH, apart from an expression of anger with, possibly, an intent to demoralize, it's not all that effective. I'd be surprised if most people would stay with it until the end to catch the dig.

Tokyo Rose? Hanoi Hannah? Others?

What are your thoughts, pv88? What prompted you to post this as you did?

--Andy

Besides that I agree with what everyone else said.....

I thought I'd skim through it (that's all I could bear, and just barely) to see if there's any resemblance to the Horowitz -- and there is (barely). Some of the figures and musical gestures suggest that there's a familiarity with the Horowitz and some takeoff from it going on. But as for 99% of what he's doing, I have no idea.

Umm, is this guy serious? Looks like he's literally smacking the keys with an open hand.

Whether it was intended in all serious, in jest, or in politics, it was poorly done. Based on other videos in his portfolio, I have to believe it was performed in earnest, but like others have said, I don't see the point in commenting negatively on performances for the sake of commenting negatively. I'd like to take some time to sit down with the guy and honestly talk about the piano, but to brazenly attack a performance is, in my opinion, poor taste. So, I'm not sure what we're supposed to be commenting on, really...

Really??
I don't think I would, and I suspect you wouldn't care for it too much either.

I think that pv88 is simply too shocked that something like this exist! guess what: It does.

Now we all need to get over this and find something useful to do with our time!

Probably depends on how willing the guy was to openly and honestly discuss the topic... if he thinks he's great, then you're right; probably not.

It reminds me of this video titled "My incredible playing of Liszt legend no. 2":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlMux_TVKdw

M.

He did this Chopin one as well!

The description reads "This is my first recording of my performance on YouTube, many more great performances to come from such composers as Mendelssohns, Schumann, Liszt, Grieg, Rachmaninov etc."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f_BBRQehGE

M.

Chopin is turning in his grave. This is an insult to the composer and the work. He should be shot.





well, maybe that's a bit harsh. Just a bit though.

I would erase that comment.

I agree, but I think it's almost closer than wanting to talk to him.

P.S. I think we can safely assume Poly wasn't being literal.

Why do we need this "trash" here?

But what matters is what the NSA thinks. Similar comments under similar circumstances have had people charged with "making terroristic threats" and sent to prison. Obviously the chances of Poly's comment being seen by anyone important and then having it deemed terroristic is slim to nothing, but I don't take my chances with that kind of thing.

Well, I can't really erase it now that it's been quoted so many times, can I?

I would guess from the context that it means "shot on film" . . . still a bit nebulous, and yet I can't think of any verbs "shot" could plausibly have been a mistyping of . . . if anything comes of it Polyphonist you can counter with psychological damage caused by having heard the particular Chopin recording, and claim insanity defence if applicable, et c.

M.