Tchaikovsky: Bestest Piano Pounding Ever!

Ott’s frantic pace sounds like an animal running for its life, terrified, desperately trying to escape its foe.

Young performers have been posted on this site before: Hilary Hahn’s performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, for example (this is the mature version), a performance when Hahn was about Alice Sara Ott’s age here, a time when errors occur and are seen as a learning tool.

Hopefully, no one will take this gem down, though. ¹



For two listeners of this performance, though, the worst error came from the conductor during the second movement. But not to worry, this remarkable performance shows everyone in a decent enough light. The loud, ruckus piano pounding of Tchaikovsky’s concerto has never been more accessible, especially in interpreting what may well be a hunt. Listen to the first movement again. Ott’s frantic pace sounds like an animal running for its life, terrified, desperately trying to escape its foe. A brilliant, interpretive performance by Alice Sara Ott.

In a citation on Wikipedia’s Piano-Concerto-Number-1-(Tchaikovsky) page, editors said that the second movement might be interpreted in many different ways, as in Lang Lang’s performance. But at least one, in the comment section on Ott’s YouTube page, agreed with a blogger, that the conductor was sleeping. Mykola Diadiura did not seem to be seriously coordinating orchestra and pianist at all.

(For a perfect example of the work this takes, visit Mikko Franck and Alice Sara Ott in this performance.)

These are amateur opinions, of course. Still, the overall performance is superb, even when compared to the one considered best for decades, Van Cliburn’s performance with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Kyrill Kondrashin. Listen to it, and the claim becomes folly. Perhaps it is the sound editing in the newer release. Or, the fact Ott’s YouTube post is digital and in color instead of a film shot in black and white. But listen closely. The interpretation is much the same, except for one thing, Ott’s jumps out at listeners. It is engaging, wondrous, and fresh.

Ms. Ott had to, at times be both pianist and conductor. The actual conductor seemed not interested in connecting with his soloist.

Of course, some reviews have not been as glowing. One, for example, shows how some disagree. George Shillaire said it thus: “My (Lord).......she made some bad mistakes....shocking at this level........!!!!!!!!!!”

However, while many found errors, few had this much trouble with the performance. The music enchanted most listeners. And while one saw Ott a “bit nervous,” overall, the reviewer said the performance had a typical Russian flavor, which, Ott had captured perfectly. Here are other comments, including, the one just mentioned:

Reviews from the Ott and Diadiura YouTube Page

One of the best performances of this beautiful concerto I ever heard. I am sure Alice has a fantastic future ahead of her. Good luck to her!!!—Harry de Kok.

Extraordinary concert! "In some movements the hair rises and the chest is pressed, in others the force and harmony combine and invigorate and sensitize the soul—Javiera Videla (Spanish translation via Google).

A nice performance. I thought Ms. Ott did well, as did the orchestra. The tempo seemed a bit hasty in places where I am not so sure the composer intended it to be so. Nonetheless, being young and enthusiastic at the time he wrote this, he might be impressed with the speed maintained throughout. Certainly she was crisp when called for, and gentle in the lyrical portions.... Ms. Ott did good! Thank you for the posting—Ron Crooker.

Harmony and other fundamentals of Russian music ran completely counter to those that governed Western European music.

In this wonderful Tchaikovsky concerto she competes in beauty and talent with Yuja Wang— José Ramón Herrera.

(Yuja Wang performance.)

Ms. Ott had to, at times be both pianist and conductor. The actual conductor seemed not interested in connecting with his soloist. The orchestra appeared under-rehearsed, especially the runaway woodwinds. Most times, the orchestra gave it all they had, and for a smaller group produced some big sound when needed. ...Her playing of the 1st movement cadenza was exciting (and) carried more momentum than many others (I’ve) heard over the years. Those “reverse” octaves can be terrifying, and many a pianist play tempo games to smooth them over, but not Ms Ott. She bullied them, but in a nice way, attacking those passages with relish. ...Again, for one so young, she MUST be congratulated for holding this performance together—Robert Jason.

Alice Sara Ott (17) ... a child prodigy from Munich, Germany; BRAVOOOOOOOOOOOOOO- !!—Francis Osuna.

Fantastic interpretation!—Luís Pereira.

She plays wonderfully; arrogant, those who undervalue her. Are they frustrated pianists?

The principles that governed melody, harmony and other fundamentals of Russian music ran completely counter to those that governed Western European music; this seemed to defeat the potential for using Russian music in large-scale Western composition or from forming a composite style, and it caused personal antipathies that dented Tchaikovsky's self-confidence—Gracie Malan.

A bit nervous, but the performance has a typical Russian flavor. I like!—書靈 (Shu Ling’s translation via Google).

Great performance of Great Music! Bravo! Bravissimo!!—Дмитрий Кадкин (Dmitry Kadkin’s translation via Google).

I’m a violinist, but I can not find any other words to describe how beautiful this piece is!—Angell Gomez-Cervantes.

She plays wonderfully, arrogant those who undervalue her, are they frustrated pianists?—Alexis Neira (Spanish translation vis Google).

’Nuf said!


Footnotes
¹ Like Hilary Hahn, Alice Sara Ott has a “mature version” of Tchaikovsky’s piano concerto, which she did when she was young in this performance. After all, Ott was only seventeen when she performed with the National Philharmonic of Ukraine. Currently, it is impossible to watch Hahn’s performance when she was that age (not on YouTube, anyway), but by far, it was an exciting and superb treat. Raw, and yet profoundly skilled, unlike her more recent performance of Mendelssohn’s violin concerto, which, while finely honed, lacks a teenager’s fire of mastering, or trying to master, a difficult musical score. Will it be the same for Ott? Will her mature version lack the fire of youth? Follow the link here to find out.