The Murray Perahia Appreciation Thread

[PerfectWagnerite]

Standing ovations in America are almost a matter of courtesy & can't really be taken as indicators of performance quality or even audience response. Also I've never heard perfect playing from any pianist (or violinist, etc) in concert although I have heard a few who are better in person than on record—Mitsuko Uchida is one.

I would agree, but you can tell when a standing ovation is a matter of courtesy or indicator of performance quality usually, the atmosphere is dramatically different. One of the greatest concerts I have been to is to hear James Galway play. It seems like he never takes a breath with absolute clarity of tone from top to bottom in a volume that you can hear every little nuance even sitting in a corner in the back row. At the end the audience just seems spell-bounded. It was not your garden-variety standing ovation.

[Ras]

His recording of Mendelssohn's piano concertos are my favorite in the repertoire:

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I have warmed up to his Bach recordings after having been initially unimpressed.

His recording of Mozart's piano concertos are not among my favorites.

[Mandryka]

Very much enjoying his Chopin op 58 sonata, a surprise because in the past when I've tried the recording I've appreciated it less. I think it's early, before the paper cut. There's a sense of unforced, expressiveness, and a good piano tone.

[Mandryka]

His recording of Mendelssohn's piano concertos are my favorite in the repertoire:

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I have warmed up to his Bach recordings after having been initially unimpressed.

His recording of Mozart's piano concertos are not among my favorites.

It may be that by the time he came to record Bach, he'd lost the magic. He'd maybe become too decorous. That Mendelssohn is from the early 1970s, I should say  I haven't heard it.  I've started to enjoy these, or at least the Mozart 14 and the preludes, which are also pre-1980

 

In the early recordings of 19th century music that I know,  Chopin and Schumann, there's no lack of virility, passion, commitment in the performances. In the Mozart the style is different I think  -- in a good way.

You can see by the covers he hasn't decided which type of image to project.