The guitarist's Safety Manual - Relax your hands completely and often.

A beautiful performance.

Didn't realize what a hulk of a man Andre was. Look at the hands!

For my Debbie RIP - Don’t want to be all by myself. Until we meet again - I Love You 💔

❤❤❤

What an amazing personality and performer. Gone too young. Way too young.

In addition to his incomparable skill at the piano, Andre was a kind and caring person, whose warmth and thoughtfulness made the world a better place. We were lucky to have him with us for a while.

We saw Andre Watts at Tanglewood with the BSO many years ago. We were seated on the lawn and my little son, now 50, was determined to get closer where some adults lifted him up and brought him into the shed. I'll have to be sure to share this with him. Bravo!

I saw him perform twice. Once playing Liszt's Totentanz with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the other was either Brahms piano concerto #2 or Saint Sans Piano Concerto #2, with the San Francisco Symphony. So long ago I cannot remember

Victor Danchenko is the concert master.

Prostate cancer took his life.

His hands move more elegantly than perhaps any other pianist I have ever seen. Remarkable.

Lopez Deborah Anderson Cynthia Rodriguez Jessica

While my son was in college at IU, he worked at an upscale restaurant in Bloomington. Andre Watts was a regular customer and the staff used to race to be the one to wait on his table. Not only was he the best tipper, he was an extraordinary human being - kind, genuine, and brilliant. My 21-year old son suddenly became an avid listener to classical music and was so saddened when he passed away last year. A truly great man with boundless talent and genius.

I continue to come back to this video, and after nearly a year since his passing. I still struggle with the knowledge that he's gone. This video is a comfort. ❤

A great conductor, Zubin Mehta, a great orchestra New York Philharmonic, and of course the great Andre Watts. Their likes will never be seen again.

Yes, Watts favorite my generation.. words fail, it is all masterful and ego free...to be so exquisite and humble

One cannot get enough of this concert.

Genio Andre Watts!!! 🎉🎉❤❤❤

So beautiful

Muy, muy grande Andre Watts!!! ❤😢

I have never seen this performance and yet I knew each and every note of it. I recorded this very performance as it was broadcast on WETA-FM back in 1988. That cassette tape was played hundreds and hundreds of times such that, listening today some 30+ years later, I knew that the French Horn player around 9 minutes in was going to hit a sour note.

This is THE version of the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto # 2 that I first fell in love with. Thank you so much for posting it.

beyond reality!!

this is if your close your eyes you cries inside or outside, both is good, exposiere of the innerhunan

Amazing pianist

May Anfre Watts rest in peace. In his time he was a phenomemon.

I commented several months ago upon Andre's transition. In the intervening time, I've revisted the 2 occasions I had to talk to and interview him. The first time was in 1981 and he spoke to me about the two Brahms piano concerti. His insights were then and remain very revelatory about his approach to piano playing, Brahms, and the concerti. The 2nd time was in 2006, when he addressed some of my piano students after a performance of Brahms Op. 83 in Indianapolis. During that interview (he was 60 at the time), he gave us a glimpse of how he conceived piano sounds and notes coming together to make an entity of a piece. My students may not have not gotten it, but I did. Andre also shared very practical advice on the performer's role. To hear his thoughts and then observe and hear his performances gives me added joy, like he let me in on his thoughts. I come back to this performance often now. I still have trouble accepting that Andre Watts now rests from his labors. Thank you for providing this memory.❤❤

Every time I watch Andre play, it renews my faith in the human race. God bless you, Andre. RIP.

The way he looks longingly at the orchestra, he is making love to them

I was born in 1943, the same year of Rachmaninoff’s Death. I am thankful that I didn’t have to live on this Earth before this piece of Music existed!

When André Watts was 20 years old, my Grandmother, who was a concert pianist in Germany circa 1927, was so affected by Andre’s talent that she cried all through his performance! Such was the affect of this pianist who Leonard Bernstein referred to as “A Musical Prince.” Horowitz said flatly that “he has fabulous fingers… horrible musically!” Andre retorted “Horowitz is almost out of control!” My impression of both Horowitz and Watts, two great pianists in their own right, is that André Watts “painted” his music in broad strokes while Horowitz attended to every shade and nuance that he performed. Rubinstein said he never could understand Horowitz’s fascination with detail. Well, André Watts has died. Rest in Peace, Musical Prince…💗

A TRUY GREAT SUPERSTAR OF STARS..
SUBLIMEVIRTUOSO OF VIRTUOSOS
ANDRE,' WATTS..
THE MAN WITH TRULY ..
THE PERFECT TOUCH OF PASSION &
POWER..OF GOD'S MUSIC!!
CLASSICAL POWER!!
SOO BLESSED TOO HAVE SEEN YOU TWICE PERFORM
RIVELING HOROWITZ..IN MY OPINION..
YOU WERE NEVER BORING TO WATCH!!
YOUR EXPRESSION.NIMBLENESS
OF SPEED.. WAS A UNREAL REVELATION.. TO WITNESS & YOU HAVE EARDRUMS TOO HEAR!!
YOU WERE MY FAVORITE..
VIRTUOSO!!!
NOW YOU PERFORM FOR A GLORIOUS GOD..
WITH
TRILLIONS OF BRAVOS
OF
ARCHANGELS RESOUNDING
IN
APPLAUSE
"ENTER IN.. THY GOOD & FAITHFUL SERVANT"
JOB WELL DONE
. ON EARTH.. EXCELLENCE IN BRINGING BEAUTY TO A DARK WORLD!!..
ANDRE WATTS.. WAS UNFORGETABLE!!
REST IN BEAUTY..ANDRE'
I WILL MISS YOU
ETERALLY!!!
SUZZAN C. WILSON

Thank you thank you thank you

One of the most beautiful concertos ever written. I love to watch A. Watts' hands on the keyboard! Powerful, but graceful. 🎶 How can he make playing Rachmaninoff look so effortless?😮😌

We miss you so much. It was an honor to meet you several times over the years. Rest well.

Two giants Mehta and Watts. I am saddened by Andre Watts death. Truly one of the greatest pianists of all time. RIP Andre.

Rest In Peace 🙏🏻

We celebrate you! We love you! Thank you for the beautiful music. We will never forget...

Impeccable d'élégance et de lyrisme...

Rest in Peace, Master...

So few pianists have that big romantic sound these days. His hands are huge; maybe the reaches not difficult for him. No stretching, tension in hand.

I saw him at Severance Hall, twice I think, and I have many of his recordings. His playing the Liszt Paganini etudes is for the ages. He left us much too soon, RIP.

We will surely miss this great pianist!! What a wonderful talent!!

🎼🎹🎼☘️☘️☘️

Rest in Power Andre Watts. FANTASTIC PERFORMANCE. Andre, you remain THE most influential and important Black classical musician in the 20th century. You are to Black classical instrumentalists what Leontyne Price is for singers INCOMPARABLE and A LEGEND IN OUR TIMES

Goose bumps performance! Amazingly well played! I see a pianist who has forgotten himself, at the service of and given himself fully to the music! This is great art. Thank you.

Watching in 2023.

Today I read that Andre Watts has died - Thank You - R.I.P. ❤❤❤