Gaspard de la Nuit

[cliftwood]

This remarkable work has been recorded by many of the great pianists.

I have a few favorites but they are , of course, my choices only and I'm certain there will be many other preferences that have merit.

Mine would be:

Frederich Gulda on Philips (1953)

Walter Gieseking on Philips (1938)

Martha Argerich on DG (1974)

In addition, Ivo Pogorelich's DG recording from 1982 is wildly wonderful, although I'd not pick his interpretation over the above three.

Who do you like?

[George]

Mine would be:

Frederich Gulda on Philips (1953)

I wasn't aware of that one. Is it still in print?

[bhodges]

I have two: Ashkenazy (Decca) and Minoru Nojima (Reference Recordings), and no complaints with either.  The Nojima has particularly terrific sound, if I recall.  But haven't heard them in awhile and wouldn't mind a new version.

--Bruce

[Drasko]

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (London 1959)
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Tokyo 1973)
Ivo Pogorelich
Samson Francois (just Scarbo recorded in 1947 or so)
Marta Argerich (DG)

[springrite]

First movement: Michalengeli
Second movement: Pogorelich
Third movement: Nojima

Overall, Nojima

(That is from about 15 recordings that I own and 40 or so that I have listened to at least once, complete)

[not edward]

For some strange reason, I have none of Michelangeli's recordings of this work.

I do, however, love Gavrilov (1977) to distraction.

[Air]

You all have mentioned some great recordings, but I just wanted to add one I find particularly unique:

Vlado Perlemuter on Nimbus Records (1979)

[MishaK]

Absolutely nothing beats Michelangeli live 1960 Prague. Unbelievable control and a much better dramatic arc than in his other live appearances. Used to be available on a 2CD set from Music & Arts with a killer Bach/Busoni Chaconne and a set of Paganini Variations for the ages.

[Sean]

The Pogorelich is among the most absolutely amazing piano recordings of all time, completely transcending the medium; the original Prok 6 coupling is of the same order. Check out the Ravel Pogorelich video on Youtube.

[Todd]

Pogorelich, Schuch (tentatively), Michelangeli (can't remember the date), and Casadesus for me.

[Peregrine]

I'll throw Naida Cole into the mix.

[Drasko]

The Pogorelich is among the most absolutely amazing piano recordings of all time, completely transcending the medium; the original Prok 6 coupling is of the same order. Check out the Ravel Pogorelich video on Youtube.

Pogorelich slightly bothers me in Le Gibet where he buries those tolling B-flats too much in the texture. Actually not to repeat myself here is my comment on the same matter from last year:
As for Le Gibet, for me that piece generally comes down to those tolling b-flats and particularly to how Michelangeli keeps them clean, clear, monomaniacally persistent and totally inevitable to the point where manages to completely freak me out. Pogorelich (in his studio recording) plays them softer and buries them more into texture.
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,33.msg240955.html#msg240955

[Sean]

Okay Drasko, but the blood-red colours have never been so explicit and weird- it's an amazing achievement.

[MishaK]

Okay Drasko, but the blood-red colours have never been so explicit and weird- it's an amazing achievement.

Have you heard any of the Michelangeli recordings? Pogorelich has some amazing moments, but for me he doesn't hold the whole together nearly as compellingly.

[Sean]

No I haven't but I can imagine, he's usually in the zone and possessed like no pianists today.

[val]

Argerich is my preferred. Then Samson François (because of Scarbo). Perlemuter because the sound of his piano and his wonderful sense of the details.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Absolutely nothing beats Michelangeli live 1960 Prague.

Michelangeli's 1969 Helsinki performance trumps everything.

[Holden]

Absolutely nothing beats Michelangeli live 1960 Prague. Unbelievable control and a much better dramatic arc than in his other live appearances. Used to be available on a 2CD set from Music & Arts with a killer Bach/Busoni Chaconne and a set of Paganini Variations for the ages.

I concur, mine is on a Multisonic CD that also includes Carnaval and Richter playing the C major Fantasie Op 17 - all top performances.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I wasn't aware of that one. Is it still in print?

Last I saw of it George Philips included it in one of their Gulda volumes in the old GPOTC series.

I used to have it and fondly remember its attributes but the recording levels on the set were irritatingly low - too low for me anyway - and I sold it. But this was years ago and perhaps today I'd think differently about the sound.

[MishaK]

Michelangeli's 1969 Helsinki performance trumps everything.

Really? I'm not even aware of that one. On what label was that issued?