tip-toeing slowly in Piano Music

Started by Papy Oli, September 20, 2009, 11:04:18 AM

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Papy Oli

A quick tip-toeing update :

there are a few of your recommended works that I have sampled but which are still out of my comforting tip-toeing zone for now : Rachmaninov's preludes, Shostakovitch's preludes, Prokofiev's visions fugitives, Scriabin's sonatas - these will be kept for the next tier of piano works for me, or the 3rd  0:)

For Debussy, I really liked Children's corner. His Preludes (Book 2) and Images 1&2 are a bit more hit and miss at the moment  :)

Grieg's lyric pieces i quite liked and have added to my basket on top of the Schubert Sonatas.

I have also finished my first numerical run through the Beethoven Piano sonatas set. this one has been a very enjoyable experience overall  :D  Some of course are a bit more difficult to get into, but some movements have really stood out and justified a few replays :

sonata 1 - 1st mvt
sonata 4 - all of it, my favorite by far of the set, especially mvts 2 & 4
sonata 8 Pathetique - 3rd mvt
sonata 10 - 1st mvt
sonata 13 - 1st mvt
sonata 14 Moonlight - 2nd mvt
sonata 16 - 2nd mvt
sonata 17 Tempest - 3rd mvt - outstanding !!!
sonata 25 - 2nd & 3rd mvt
sonata 27 - 2nd mvt
sonata 30 - 2nd & 3rd mvt


Next : a run through chopin's nocturnes !  ;D

Olivier

Opus106

That's nice progress, Olivier. :) If you ever consider getting more Chopin, don't overlook this set. It's essential Chopin at a great price.
Regards,
Navneeth

jochanaan

Quote from: papy on October 17, 2009, 07:51:12 AM
...For Debussy, I really liked Children's corner. His Preludes (Book 2) and Images 1&2 are a bit more hit and miss at the moment  :)...
Give them time. :) This is not exactly your "average" classical music; in many ways it's pretty radical stuff even by today's standards. 8)
Imagination + discipline = creativity

Papy Oli

#23
Tip-toe Update time :

the works/version that have made the cut by a mile :

- Schubert :  Impromptus (Jando) - D.960 (Richter, Fiorentino) - D.940 (looking for a good modern version of this one - any versions worth considering please ?) - Sonate pour violoncelle et piano Arpeggione D. 821 (Queyras / Tharaud)

- Brahms - Four Ballades (Michelangeli)

- Chopin : Nocturnes (Tipo), mazurkas-ballades-barcarolles (Moravec)

- Rameau : various works (Meyer)

- Liszt : Annees de Pelerinage (Angelich)

- Ravel : Pavane pour une infante défunte (Lortie)

- Scarlatti : Piano sonatas (Sudbin)

- Mozart : Piano concerto No.19 (Staier)


Works in the pipeline :

- Chopin : Waltzes (Tharaud)
- Grieg : Lyric Pieces (not got those yet...)
- More Schubert sonatas and Moments Musicaux

and more stuff i do not know yet about or have discarded previously  ;D
Olivier

Novi

#24
Quote from: papy on December 10, 2009, 12:41:20 PM

- D.940 (looking for a good modern version of this one - any versions worth considering please ?)


This one:



And while you're at it, you may as well sample the rest of Lupu's Schubert: :)



Happy listening! :)
Durch alle Töne tönet
Im bunten Erdentraum
Ein leiser Ton gezogen
Für den der heimlich lauschet.

Papy Oli

Thank you Novi, i'll check those out  :)
Olivier

Brahmsian

Quote from: papy on December 10, 2009, 12:41:20 PM
D.940 (looking for a good modern version of this one - any versions worth considering please ?)

Papy, I really really enjoy the recording the Pekinel twins, Guher and Suher.  May be hard to find.


Holden

Quote from: Novi on December 10, 2009, 03:36:34 PM
This one:



Happy listening! :)

Yes, this is the one. It's the only one I've heard where the opening bars instantly makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck - does it every time. The only one that comes close is:



The Mozart that comes with is excellent.
Cheers

Holden

Timmyb

I'm going to recommend some recordings that I particularly admire and never tire of hearing.
The Gilels Beethoven is available on seperate discs if you don't want the whole lot.

Air

Since nobody likes Schumann on this thread apparently, I'll recommend these:

Kempff: The box set.  It's so freaking cheap, and you won't find a more solid comprehensive set.

Arrau: Anything, seriously.  Get Kreisleriana first.

Richter: You will want to get everything by him eventually.  ;)   His Schumann is just that good.   But I'll just suggest you 2 Richter CDs to start off with: One on EMI with the Papillons, Faschingsschwank aus Wien, and Fantasia in C (very good price, I think) and the other on DG with Novelletten, Waldszenen, Fantasiestucke, Abegg, and the Toccata...

I believe many of these recordings can be sampled on youtube as well.  Truecrypt and co., thank you.

A good alternative to Richter's Piano concerto is....

Lipatti's.  Prob my favorite recording of the Klavierkonzert.  Also available on youtube.

Sofronitsky: try it.  Some people don't like his style, but if you want something unique, more challenging, and satisfying in the long run, be sure to pick up some V.Sofronitsky.

Here are some other favorite works of mine, that I have only heard a few recordings of:


  • Davidsbündlertänze.
  • All 3 piano sonatas!  If you take only the second, you will be missing out on A LOT.
  • And I won't forget the Symphonic Etudes.

That's it, and one more thing.  Get Prokofiev / Scriabin ASAP.  8)
"Summit or death, either way, I win." ~ Robert Schumann


Papy Oli

Quote from: Timmyb on December 14, 2009, 03:09:52 PM
I'm going to recommend some recordings that I particularly admire and never tire of hearing.

Quote from: RexRichter on December 14, 2009, 07:37:24 PM
Since nobody likes Schumann on this thread apparently, I'll recommend these:

Thanks both for the recs - i'll look them up.
Olivier

Ciel_Rouge

Hi papy, I'm on a similar quest for piano pieces as I have been mainly a string person so far ;-) Some of the pieces by Bach definitely go beyond the prevalent style, try for instance his Italian Concerto (BWV 971) and its andante:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBdqpuaHq4I

Opus106

Quote from: Ciel_Rouge on December 30, 2009, 02:09:49 PM
Hi papy, I'm on a similar quest for piano pieces as I have been mainly a string person so far ;-) Some of the pieces by Bach definitely go beyond the prevalent style, try for instance his Italian Concerto (BWV 971) and its andante:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBdqpuaHq4I

Thanks for the video link, Ciel; I enjoyed that. If, in general, the sound quality of Tureck's recordings are this good, then I ought to consider listening to more of them -- especially her highly-touted WTC.
Regards,
Navneeth

Papy Oli

Olivier

abidoful

I'd almost sa that instead of considering particular piano works, start with great pianists.
Like,
Cortot- Chopin etudes and preludes
Rubinstein- any Chopin
Gieseking- Debussy complete solo piano works
etc etc etc
I yhink that way it's most enjoyable- a lot depends on the performances!!! ;)

Papy Oli

Time for an update I guess  0:)

More works that have very successfully passed the test since then :

- Chopin / Waltzes (Tharaud)
- Grieg / Lyric Pieces (Gilels)
- More Moravec !! (Mozart, Beethoven, Nocturnes)
- Kempff's Schumann - loved this boxset from start to finish

and in a different format

- Chopin's PCs (Zimerman)
- Schumann's PC (Serkin)

Outstanding works. period.

Currently on trial :

- Kempff's Schubert Sonatas... very promising again
- Scriabin (Ogdon set) ...likewise
- Alkan (Gibbons set)... bit more radical but some enjoyable parts nonetheless.

In the pipeline for further exploration :

- Mendelssohn's Lieder Ohne Worte
- Haydn's sonatas (Brendel set)
- Couperin Tic Toc Choc (tharaud)
- WTC (R. Woodward)

and for variation again :

- Schubert's Piano Trios (the Philips twofer that has been highly praised).
- Mozart's PCs (Moravec) - just purchased.
- Brahms' PC (Gilels)

Onwards and upwards as they say  ;D
Olivier

Ciel_Rouge

Quote from: papy on June 02, 2010, 11:04:28 AM
In the pipeline for further exploration :

- Mendelssohn's Lieder Ohne Worte

From Lieder Ohne Worte I happen to like:

Op. 19 No. 6 G Minor Venetian Gondola Song andante sostenuto
Op. 53 No. 5 A Minor Folk Song allegro con fuoco

Just get a good one for this because in piano music the same piece may sound just reasonably lovely or absolutely brilliant depending on who is striking the keys.