Who might that be MJ? 

Try this: Levitzki Waltz In A Major, Op 2.mp3

It works OK for me, I'm listening to it now

Hi,  MJ   

You know I have a mischievous streak, but this , for once, isn't an example of it.   You also know, I think, that my knowledge of music is somewhat better than my musical vocabulary (which, in a word, is Poor).  Hence, I have to ask, ''what do you mean by rubato?''  (I had to fall back on my reference books for a clearer view of the term's meaning and, if anything, I am now less wise than before)    Based on my (probably incorrect) concept of what it is, I would have thought that it was the one main area where you can ''argue with the composer'',  -  indeed, one might almost say  ''should.''  Isn't that how some of the all-time great performances came into being? 

  I am a touch hesitant about posting this.  I don't mind in the least looking a fool if that's the consequence; on the other hand, I feel it is perhaps presumptuous of me to put this view to a trained pianist ( 'a' ,  not 'the'    ).


I have listened to the piece via your link several times over (and added it to my library).  It most certainly does deserve to be categorised as Classical/Romantic.  However did I manage to be unaware of this man for so long?     He has a touch to compare with one of my own long-time favourites.   To read about him, try this link.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE2DD143BF932A35750C0A961948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2

I have finally decided that I will post this and take the consequences; if it leads to a loss of face  , it won't be the first time (or the last) and it might even spark off some ideas somewhere for further discussion.

 
Bxxxx

Not so, MJ! These MBs have a thousand eyes and ears and I can certify that at least one of them (er, on reflection make that at least four of them) were very taken with it too. Just been having another listen in fact.

I wonder if anyone has ever written a 'valse' that isn't 'triste' at least to some extent? Perhaps it can't be done? 

I'm not a pianist either and I wouldn't presume to enter into the rubato question. I don't know whether this is right or not but I tend to associate the term with adjusting note lengths within phrases and within bars ('robbing Peter to pay Paul' but in the short term: that business) rather than the sort of larger scale speeding up and slowing down which Levitski is going in for with a vengeance in this recording. In other words you can 'do rubato' within a constant tempo, er, if you were so inclined. But I may have got hold of the wrong end of the stick there. I was really only chipping in to show solidarity