Mystery Pianist !

[sidoze]

choose some obscure pianists please.

[Black Knight]

I'm gonna say Kissin.

[M forever]

A little slower, please! I had just listened to #1 when I discovered you are already on #3! I just downloaded that, can we have some time to listen to it, please?

[M forever]

I like it! Very nice, very noble sound, reat phrasing, some slight mannerisms here and there, but overall really long expressive arches. A great balance between sonority and clarity. I don't know much about that kind of repertorie and the people who play it, but very spontaneously after just one listen, based on the general style and sound, I would guess ABM.

[Drasko]

Pollini

based on the general style and sound, I would guess ABM.

Pollini perhaps have some traits similar to his teacher, technical perfection and certain understating which detractors assert as coldness, but ABM guess would be equivalent of Mravinsky for Mystery Orchestra 15 (any clip).

[Bonehelm]

I like it! Very nice, very noble sound, reat phrasing, some slight mannerisms here and there, but overall really long expressive arches. A great balance between sonority and clarity. I don't know much about that kind of repertorie and the people who play it, but very spontaneously after just one listen, based on the general style and sound, I would guess ABM.

Sorry for not giving you enough time, M! The answer for #1 is already revealed in case you want to know who it was. Now start guessing #3!

#1: Yundi Li
#2: Van Cliburn
#3: ?

[orbital]

It might be Pollini, but certainly not the Pollini of the GROC cd.
Me, I don't like it. The technical perfection and understating Drasko mentions should not warrant for an almost absence of rubato and clear cut runs/trills.

[Drasko]

It might be Pollini, but certainly not the Pollini of the GROC cd.

And has there been no changes in your playing during, let's say, last 38 years?

The technical perfection and understating Drasko mentions should not warrant for an almost absence of rubato and clear cut runs/trills.

Of course not, those are interpretative decisions (which you and I may like or not), technical prowess is there just to realise them.

[orbital]

And has there been no changes in your playing during, let's say, last 38 years?

Certainly not as much as I would have liked to 

Of course not, those are interpretative decisions (which you and I may like or not), technical prowess is there just to realise them.

Agreed, but I think that technical abilities are better manifested in else-music. When your technical accuracy dictate your interpretative decisions [particularly in certain music], the outcome generally puts me off.

-That being said, I have not listened to Pollini's nocturnes set, furthermore we may be talking about someone else here, of course. 
One thing  employed here that I like with regards to this piece is the increase in tempo whenever the dynamics are increasing.

[m_gigena]

technical perfection and certain understating which detractors assert as coldness,

I vote for Pollini  too.
With the exception of his Brahms concerti, he never souds dry or cold to me. His control is the perfect alternative to those abusers of rubato and separate-hand continuing the old school of... lets say young Backhaus. Have you ever the latter's Wanderer Fantasy? Notes are so separate that they sound like a constant tremolando.

[Bonehelm]

Good to see more people participating!  I'll update the first page frequently with the entries, and the answer. Keep an eye on the original post.

[Black Knight]

The Entries:

Holden: Maurizio Pollini
Black Knight: Evgeny Kissin
Drasko: Maurizio Pollini
Manuel: Maurizio Pollini
orbital: Maurizio Pollini

I'm glad to see I stand out 

[MishaK]

Good to see more people participating!  I'll update the first page frequently with the entries, and the answer. Keep an eye on the original post.

Can you please not do that and instead put the answers and any subsequent samples where they belong in the thread? It would make things a lot simpler to follow.

[Black Knight]

Can you please not do that and instead put the answers and any subsequent samples where they belong in the thread? It would make things a lot simpler to follow.

Or do both!

[sidoze]

It's my turn next.

[Bonehelm]

Or do both!

Yes, I'll post up the answer on both the first page and on a new post.

[Brian]

Whoever it is, it's a beautiful performance.

[Bonehelm]

Whoever it is, it's a beautiful performance.

Care to make a guess? Failing to do so will not earn you the chance of winning an e-cookie.   

[Brian]

Care to make a guess? Failing to do so will not earn you the chance of winning an e-cookie.   

Well, seeing all the people who have put their names down for Pollini, I think I'll be different and say ... Fazil Say. 

[Bonehelm]

Well, seeing all the people who have put their names down for Pollini, I think I'll be different and say ... Fazil Say. 

Interesting choice.