A Pretentious Interlude

YouTube has been great for my appreciation of classical music. Being able to see performances really helps me to distinguish among and remember them in ways that just listening to them doesn't. Perhaps it's because I can instantly visually connect with a specific performer, whereas it takes me multiple hearings to differentiate subtly unique versions of the same song.

True, the "video snacking" habit promulgated by YouTube isn't ideal for works with multiple movements, and perhaps I'm consuming Concertos and Etudes like bite-sized pieces of decontextualized candy, but for me that's better than nothing, and anyway YouTube makes concessions for longer works. Just check out Karajan conducting Beethoven.

Without further ado:



Those hands! That face! What more could you ask for from a performance of Rachmaninoff's "Little Red Riding Hood" than a woman who could herself be straight out of a fairy tale?

I have watched a few of Valentina Lisitsa's videos before; the first was when I sought out different versions of Chopin's "Ocean" Etude, Op 25 No. 12. Hers wasn't my favorite because of its choices in emphasis, but she was a compelling person to watch, and I discovered that she has a whole channel of herself playing songs to empty auditoriums.

To be clear: she is a professional concert pianist - she just also uploads these very intimate, very electrifying recordings that are almost terrifying in their intensity. I love them.

And no, I hadn't watched this particular one. I hadn't watched any of her videos in quite a while. This was almost certainly recommended because I was recently watching Evgeny Kissin perform Rachmaninoff through the years.

But I'm glad for this recommendation. One of my secret life goals is to look as brilliant and crazed doing anything as Ms. Lisitsa looks playing "Little Red Hiding Hood." One of Ms. Lisistsa's life goals is to record all 32 of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas. Here's to both of our success.