Uploaded August 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Alfred Cortot is undoubtedly one of the most controversial pianists in classical music history. His erroneous notes, his outdated rubato, his approach to music that are too romantic and with different readings associated with other branches of art are quite unacceptable for today's modern academic understanding and listener. But for many famous pianists of the present and the past, the greatest pianist or one of the greatest pianists was Alfred Cortot. Many pianists had a deep admiration for him. What makes Alfred Cortot's art so special? I tried to explain this with the discourse of many important pianists. In this video, I used Cortot recordings from 1902 to 1953.
Pianists talking about or associated with Alfred Cortot in the video: Andras Schiff, Alfred Brendel, Wilhelm Kempff, Vladimir Horowitz, Claudio Arrau, Murray Perahia, Walter Gieseking, Martha Argerich, Alicia de Larrocha, Dinu Lipatti, Vlado Perlemuter, Stephen Hough, Jorge Bolet, Byron Janis, Heinrich Neuhaus, Eric Heidsieck, Philippe Entremont, Paul Badura-Skoda, Daniel Barenboim, Györg Sandor, Gina Bachauer, Yuja Wang, Magda Tagliaferro, İdil Biret, Yvonne Lefebure, Piotr Anderszewski, Angela Hewitt. And Bonus: Pablo Casals and Jed Distler.
If you want to support me: patreon.com/chopinzee
Instagram: instagram.com/ozanfabien
Twitter: twitter.com/chopinzeeblog
00:00 Bach - Cadenza of Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 (1932)
* Orchestre de l'Ecole Normale de Musique, conductor and piano Alfred Cortot.
04:00 Debussy - "La cathédrale engloutie" (1947)
08:31 Chopin - Prelude No. 4, Op. 28 (1933)
10:23 Chopin Etude No. 5 Op. 10 (1923)
11:56 Chopin Etude No. 1 Op. 25 (1934)
14:06 Chopin Sonata No. 3 Mov. III -excerpt- (1933)
16:44 Schumann - "Kind im Einschlummern" from Kinderszenen (1953)
18:24 Schumann - "Der Dichter spricht" from Kinderszenen (1953)
20:34 Schumann - Kreisleriana -excerpt- (1935)
24:00 Franck - Symphonie Variations (1934)
* London Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Landon Ronald
28:18 Wagner - "Hojotoho!" from Die Walküre (1902)
* with Félia Litvinne
30:07 Liszt - Piano Sonata -excerpt- (1929)
Alfred Cortot is undoubtedly one of the most controversial pianists in classical music history. His erroneous notes, his outdated rubato, his approach to music that are too romantic and with different readings associated with other branches of art are quite unacceptable for today's modern academic understanding and listener. But for many famous pianists of the present and the past, the greatest pianist or one of the greatest pianists was Alfred Cortot. Many pianists had a deep admiration for him. What makes Alfred Cortot's art so special? I tried to explain this with the discourse of many important pianists. In this video, I used Cortot recordings from 1902 to 1953.
Pianists talking about or associated with Alfred Cortot in the video: Andras Schiff, Alfred Brendel, Wilhelm Kempff, Vladimir Horowitz, Claudio Arrau, Murray Perahia, Walter Gieseking, Martha Argerich, Alicia de Larrocha, Dinu Lipatti, Vlado Perlemuter, Stephen Hough, Jorge Bolet, Byron Janis, Heinrich Neuhaus, Eric Heidsieck, Philippe Entremont, Paul Badura-Skoda, Daniel Barenboim, Györg Sandor, Gina Bachauer, Yuja Wang, Magda Tagliaferro, İdil Biret, Yvonne Lefebure, Piotr Anderszewski, Angela Hewitt. And Bonus: Pablo Casals and Jed Distler.
If you want to support me: patreon.com/chopinzee
Instagram: instagram.com/ozanfabien
Twitter: twitter.com/chopinzeeblog
00:00 Bach - Cadenza of Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 (1932)
* Orchestre de l'Ecole Normale de Musique, conductor and piano Alfred Cortot.
04:00 Debussy - "La cathédrale engloutie" (1947)
08:31 Chopin - Prelude No. 4, Op. 28 (1933)
10:23 Chopin Etude No. 5 Op. 10 (1923)
11:56 Chopin Etude No. 1 Op. 25 (1934)
14:06 Chopin Sonata No. 3 Mov. III -excerpt- (1933)
16:44 Schumann - "Kind im Einschlummern" from Kinderszenen (1953)
18:24 Schumann - "Der Dichter spricht" from Kinderszenen (1953)
20:34 Schumann - Kreisleriana -excerpt- (1935)
24:00 Franck - Symphonie Variations (1934)
* London Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Landon Ronald
28:18 Wagner - "Hojotoho!" from Die Walküre (1902)
* with Félia Litvinne
30:07 Liszt - Piano Sonata -excerpt- (1929)
