1:29:42 "The first chord is minor, which means - we lost. But the second is major, and it means - but one day we will... win". That's beautiful Mr. Niemczuk. I will remember these words forever.

@gregniemczuk

8 ай бұрын

Thank you and congratulations on watching the whole thing!!!!!

@TheModicaLiszt

7 ай бұрын

@@gregniemczukI agree!

Thank you for such a wonderful analysis of my most favorite Chopin piece. I have always loved this beautiful music so much but did not fully understand it until I watched your video. I now love this masterpiece even more. So grateful for your dedicated work on Chopin music. You are a treasure!

I can't resist psychoanalyzing Chopin's innermost thoughts and feelings conveyed through his compositions, because as much as he tried to be discreet about them, he really thought the emotionally safest and most creative way to express them were through his piano compositions (especially his piano solos which were about 95 to 98 percent of his musical compositions). Any highly intuitive person, especially a highly intuitive individual who always feels passionate about almost every note or passage of most of Chopin's compositions can accurately reflect on what Chopin's innermost secrets and thoughts were. While I was studying Chopin's first ballade as a late teenager, in spite of how incompetent I actually was in advanced music theory, I perfectly assessed all of Chopin's intensive emotions that he had while he was composing it; hence the four years it took for him to complete the composition. All of his advanced piano compositions are incredibly therapeutic for a highly emotional and psychic individual. With regard to Fantasie in F minor, the first three minutes convey so many eloquently expressed moments of fear, and towards the very beginning of the very first quick, yet short fast passage, he was expressing quite a necessary, yet highly unexpected psychological breakthrough with regard to repressed trauma or fear that he had ever since he was very young. None of even the most well versed classically trained pianists have a clue as to what his exact personality was, yet Chopin certainly expressed more of the darker rather than pleasant aspects of his personality in the most subtle yet eloquent aspects through his music. I will love Chopin's music for the rest of my life. Thank you for providing such a descriptive analysis of Chopin's compositions. I have waited to hear an actual analysis of at least one of them from a psychological standpoint rather than just an analysis of the advanced music theory within them.

I like to believe that this piece was written as a tribute to the soldiers who died for their country. Maybe this is why the introduction has a processional character, like a funeral march. And then come the memories of the battles, the memories of what the soldiers truly battled for (the prayer section), leading to the powerful march in the third part, and ending in a triumphant quote of the prayer theme (maybe a victory, but only in the spirit world?). I fully agree about the ending sounding like souls being lifted from the battlefield to heaven. Thank you Grzegorz for your beautiful analysis of this piece.

@gregniemczuk

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the comment and for watching!

Evgeny Kissin's Carnegie hall recording of the Fantasy is my all time favorite. The tempi, the dynamics and the way he builds the tension up to the end is just phenomenal. The story goes that Kissin at age 16 played the Fantasy for Herbert von Karajan and that von Karajan went in tears and said to the young Kissin that his performance of the Fantasy was the most beautiful he ever heard. I couldn't agree more.

@gregniemczuk

Жыл бұрын

Beautiful story. I admire Kissin so much also.

I don't who you are, I'm a pianist learning the fantasy and just discovered your video. I can not stop watching it and taking notes, your talking reminds me to the lessons of the best pedagogues I have met, you have great culture and love for music and I learned so much from you, thank you very very much.

@gregniemczuk

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! I'm a Polish concert pianist, who when the pandemic started, opened this project of Analyses of all Chopin's music. I'm happy you're here and so happy for your feedback! Good luck and stay in touch! www.niemczuk.com

Without doubt the greatest piece Chopin wrote. Someone who does not know the political and historical circumstances of this times can hardly unterstand this piece. And no one can play it better than Polish pianists!! Thanks for this marvelous interpretation.

A dream of peace. Everyone needs to listen to more Chopin.

Greg, this is a lecture of epic proportions! Thank you for your time and effort! You pointed out so many details like the war paintings you showed us during your discourse. The contents of this lecture is rich like a tapestry. It takes a lot of talents to unravel these myriad of details. It takes a lot out of the listener too, but it’s well worth the time

@gregniemczuk

Жыл бұрын

Thank you and congratulations on watching it all!!! Yes, I remember it was very exhausting for me as well

Hi, Greg. Thank you so much for presenting listners the scences behind Chopin`s music. Reflections of historical circumstances he lived under, and how deeply just 20 years young Chopin thought about it, all very fascinating. Admiration to Poland.

Thanks again, I am watching this as an epic movie! : )

SO WONDERFUL AS ALWAYS AND IMPORTANT!!!!! Thank you for one of my favourite Chopin's pieces in an excellent rendition and for your analysis/tutorial, this great video will be helpful for many pianists, again my best regards, have a nice relaxing weekend. Joanna

Wonderful - been waiting for this one!

One of my favourite pieces! Good job!

Thanks for how you played it and for what you say about this magnificent masterpeace, but, considering the current historical moment, thanks even more for what, at the end of the video, you say about the war. Personally, but I'm not alone in thinking it, I think that of all wars there is always and only one big winner: ... the arms manufacturers.

@gregniemczuk

11 ай бұрын

I agree 100%. And this is sad for all the victims

Creo firmemente que eres uno de los mejores pianistas que he visto nunca, me gusta mucho como explicas la pieza y le das tu opinión personal. Enhorabuena maestro!

@gregniemczuk

2 жыл бұрын

Muchísimas gracias!

A magnificent lecture. Thank you for doing the analysing for us and saving us a lot of time :)

@gregniemczuk

Жыл бұрын

My pleasure!

Thank you, it was a very interesting moment

Wow Greg me ha encantado este vídeo!! La fantasía es de mis obras favoritas de Chopin 💗, y ese nocturno lo toco muchas veces pero desconocía la cita de esta canción militar de los soldados polacos en la fantasía, creo que muchos pianistas desconocen este aspecto tan importante 😰🙏!! En nuestra música clásica española tenemos folclorismo y citas populares, como sabes en obras de Albéniz o de Granados pero sin la relaciòn con la guerra o con conflictos bélicos a diferencia de tu país, es tan triste la historia de Polonia!! Este tema es tan actual ahora mismo, un anacronismo!! es una desgracia lo que està ocurriendo entre Ucrania y Rusia. Muchas gracias de nuevo por esta joya en KZread!! Saludos desde Murcia 😃🎶!!

Extremely interesting commentary and you have a really cool accent!

@gregniemczuk

5 ай бұрын

Hey, thanks!!!!!

Amazing video... I love listening to Zimerman's record on Spotify that has the four ballades, barcarole and Op49.

Wow your analysis really made me view this piece in a whole different light. It has become so much darker and important to me. I just love your videos

@gregniemczuk

2 жыл бұрын

I appreciate it! Thank you so much!

@miomarito1453

2 жыл бұрын

Sebi uh

@ludicroussealanimations3643

2 жыл бұрын

@@miomarito1453 heya daisy

I feel like chopin originally wanted this to be part of a sonata, but he knew he couldn't get away with that because it would be too radical so he called it a fantasy. He was so far ahead of his time.

@gregniemczuk

2 жыл бұрын

Wow, interesting point! Well, maybe it's possible....but it might be too long for a movement of the Sonata

Yes 🎉

Watching everything so I'm congratulating you

@gregniemczuk

8 ай бұрын

Thanks so much! I really appreciate it

14:32 i dont know if you noticed but that is one of the only times chopin wrote for the lowest Bb note on the piano and that note wouldnt be there on his piano back then because his pleyel piano only went to the lowest C, maybe he knew modern pianos would have that note in the future

@gregniemczuk

Жыл бұрын

Hi Rhodesy1, sorry for late answer. Actually, in the original sources there are NO lower octaves written. My edition writes about that. Chopin never wrote them because didn't have them on his piano. It's up to us to add them, be sure it makes sense and surely he would have done that if he had had them on his piano.....

@TheModicaLiszt

7 ай бұрын

Liszt was the first to publish the low B in the Sonata in 1853, shortly following low B-flats and As in the third Hungarian Rhapsody.

Thanks Greg. A comment regarding your concluding appeal for art to service peace (understandable though it is): We should heed the fact that if it had not been for war/devastation/defeat/misery we would never have had divine music like this. War and despair are necessary conditions for art. By waging war against war, art wages war against itself.

@gregniemczuk

2 жыл бұрын

Yes! Very, very, very wise words!

Love everything you do Maestro Greg this one is so wonderful but could u tell me which one of the parts were the hardest to memorize thank you so much for your wisdom

@gregniemczuk

Жыл бұрын

The second themes - the beautiful theme in the right hand which appears three times in the piece, each time in a different key... Left hand was hard to memorize!

In my opinion the second scream at 1:06:27 looks like a scream of courage and victory, to go back to fighting, while the first shows pain

I think also that at 1:11:31 we expect yet again the ambush and the scream of pain but surprisingly there isn't and the soldiers can enjoy a moment of calm and even hope! But sadly the war isn't over and later they get attacked in their sleep like you beautifully said! In my opinion the whole piece is also the continuous battle inside of Chopin between suffering and joy (missing his family etc and being acknowledged and famous in paris) and of course also his deadly illness that he fights, like a war, every day ! The last two chords seem to me like a conclusion saying (but I like what you said too) : "This is how it is. I am bound to be sad my whole life and to die a miserable and painful death, but so be it, this is how it is!" As if after all, he accepted bravely his condition. These two chords sound really "resigned" in my opinion : Chopin is ready to face whatever is coming, and I think he also meant : whatever we might face, Poland will never fade (and it's like he knew Poland was bound to face terror again in the future (WW2!!) It's like a premonition ! As if Chopin knew that Poland, like him, will always struggle but that they shall accept their fate !) Thank you for this wonderful explanation and analysis. It might not sound very nice but in a way I am happy that you aren't very famous because I feel like I'm part of a small privileged group who knows you! But I also think you deserve fame for making such interesting analysis. This video inspired me a lot and since I am a pianist and I also draw, I plan to one day make an animation and interpretation of this piece taking inspiration of everything you said :) !

@gregniemczuk

2 жыл бұрын

This comment is incredible. Thank you for that! I understand your point of "not being famous" and you know what? I also like that because I can personally answer to most of the comments! Otherwise it would have been simply impossible! Thank you for watching and enriching this video with you beautiful words!

@vincent-ataramaniko

2 жыл бұрын

@@gregniemczuk I don't know what to say ! I would bow to you if I could see you ! Thank you again for taking your time for us !

非常感谢你的教学，并且是中文字幕！！

@gregniemczuk

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Thanks for your great video’s!! Are you stil going to do the op post. Nocturnes?

Are you going to do his Impromptus anytime soon? I always think that they are one of his most underrated pieces.

@gregniemczuk

2 жыл бұрын

Hi. Yes! After Preludes, at the end of October!

As a ukrainian, I can totally understand the feelings of polish people during that time. I also wish there is no war in the world, but unfortunately, as 200 years ago, we have Russia, who is being aggressive with us(and not only us actually) and trying to ruin our independence

@gregniemczuk

2 жыл бұрын

☹️☹️☹️ yes I feel with you.. I like and respect Russian people but the politicians is a different story.... Thank you for watching and for your comment!

@rusl4nalentiev

2 жыл бұрын

@@gregniemczuk thank you for your passion and hard work!

I think of this as Chopin's "Polish Lives Matter Insurrectionist Piece". I read somewhere that the first page arose from a hide and seek game between Chopin and George Sand. Haven't been able to confirm the source of that in searches or verify this as being true.

@gregniemczuk

2 жыл бұрын

Very interesting!

Tremendous. Greg you've done it again. This is very special and moving. I so appreciate this lecture and will watch it as many times as it takes to take all the notes I wish to save about it. There is an interesting KZread post of several different interpretations of Chopin's Fantaisie Op.49 played by Kissin, Zimerman, Pollini, Rubinstein, Michelangeli here kzread.info/dash/bejne/nXiElbODqdjUYKw.html But I can't wait to hear yours! Perhaps you could tell us how to spell the names of the other pianists whose renditions you recommended so I can look them up and listen to them too? I was so moved to learn that the next thing Chopin wrote after this piece was his heroic Polonaise in A flat major, the piece that inspired me to work on something that was really way above my level (I had only done a couple of waltzes before) but I just couldn't stay away from it, I love it so. Still working on it. Just got the music for this one too. His harmonies are so gorgeous that even if I can just play the right notes slowly, it's rewarding. I learn so much from your lectures. A big thank you from Carolyn C.!

@gregniemczuk

2 жыл бұрын

Maria João Pires, Wilhelm Kempff, Murray Perahia.

@dog2wonder

2 жыл бұрын

@@gregniemczuk Wielkie dzięki!!