Hot New Pianists

[Dr. Dread]

Are most of the newer pianists Asian, or just the ones that get promoted?

You don't have to be Asian, but it can't hurt! 

[Coopmv]

You don't have to be Asian, but it can't hurt! 

It is a geo-political game.  That is where the future prosperity and population growth are.  Lang Lang, aka as Bang Bang (according to George) may be the key for DG to sell to a market of 1.3B people who clearly prefer one of their own than some artist from the west ...

[Coopmv]

France always produces these very attractive pianists ...

[Coopmv]

I have a Chopin recording by Olga Kern ...

[Josquin des Prez]

France always produces these very attractive pianists ...

There was time when they produced good pianists. Alas....

[orbital]

I've heard a few pieces by Francesco Libetta on a compilation CD along with Gekic and others. He was playing some Godowsky Etudes and the first movement from Alkan's sonata. His technique is out of this world, but I have not heard anything else from him. Perhaps he is off my radar, but if you have a chance to hear his Alkan, don't miss the opportunity 

[Brian]

There was time when they produced good pianists. Alas....

Clearly you have never heard of Alexandre Tharaud.

[Dr. Dread]

Clearly you have never heard of Alexandre Tharaud.

Yes!! *pounds head* Ouch!

[Bulldog]

Clearly you have never heard of Alexandre Tharaud.

I've had his Ravel set for many moons; should give it another spin.

[Dr. Dread]

I've had his Ravel set for many moons; should give it another spin.

How do you like his Bach?

[Bulldog]

How do you like his Bach?

If it's the one Bach disc on Harmonia Mundi, I never acquired it; the program was definitely not to my liking.

I do have his Chopin Preludes disc which I consider very special.

[Dr. Dread]

If it's the one Bach disc on Harmonia Mundi, I never acquired it; the program was definitely not to my liking.

I just wish-listed most of the CDs I don't have. Thanks for the reminder about this great pianist, Brian.

[Gabriel]

I just wish-listed most of the CDs I don't have. Thanks for the reminder about this great pianist, Brian.

You will not regret Tharaud's Bach. It's splendid. (And if you don't know his Rameau, try to get it too).

[Dr. Dread]

You will not regret Tharaud's Bach. It's splendid. (And if you don't know his Rameau, try to get it too).

I have his Bach, and it is indeed splendid. Rameau is on the list.

[ezodisy]

I have his Bach, and it is indeed splendid. Rameau is on the list.

that's a great avatar you've got there

[Dr. Dread]

that's a great avatar you've got there

[B_cereus]

It is a geo-political game.  That is where the future prosperity and population growth are.  Lang Lang, aka as Bang Bang (according to George) may be the key for DG to sell to a market of 1.3B people who clearly prefer one of their own than some artist from the west ...

i am sure that's right. Western classical music is hugely popular in China, with a growing middle class keen to enjoy bourgeoise decadence 

i was in Hong Kong recently and the classical music department in the big CD shops had whole shelves devoted to Lang Lang and Yundi Li. LL's autobiography was also heavily promoted.

There were also a lot of interesting boxsets of Arrau, Oistrakh and other CDs for the Chinese/Japanese market that don't seem to be available here. (The writing on the CD spine is often in Chinese, but the label is DG, Decca, etc, so it's worth pulling it out to have a look. 

[B_cereus]

The guy was 26 when the autobiography was published. How much could he possibly have to say at 26? 

it was in Chinese but i flicked through it and it was illustrated with cute childhood photos of LL - as a toddler playing the piano, the boy wonder winning Chinese state piano competitions, etc.

[Herman]

Clearly you have never heard of Alexandre Tharaud.

If it's the one Bach disc on Harmonia Mundi, I never acquired it; the program was definitely not to my liking.

I do have his Chopin Preludes disc which I consider very special.

Last night I attended a Concertgebouw recital by Alexandre Tharaud, playing Couprin before the intermission and Chopin's Op 28.

It was largely a very enjoyable recital. Was this one of the better Op. 28s I ever heard? I'm not sure. It took a while for Tharaud (who wears a black shirt and pants, and uses a score) to settle; he started rather fast, but by nr 5 he gave hmself more breathing space. By nr 7 I started to notice that Tharaud's closest approximation of piano is really mezzoforte. And his double fortes are huge crashes. I also got the feeling he wanted the cycle to keep moving; episodes like the gentle and (sometimes kitschy) nr 17 started with a startling sforzando, anf I couldn't help but think he deliberately played this piece not too pretty. The last prelude is obviously very powerful, but was the baritone melody really a mesmerizing demonic chant, or just piano playing? I think it was the latter.

So for me this was a very good recital but not an great one. Other people were, perhaps, more enthusiastic. You never can tell.

[B_cereus]

i was surprised to discover old(ish) news that i had missed: Yundi Li has been dropped by DG. 

in a rather sycophantic article on Lang Lang in today's London Times:

Lang Lang is a thoughtful interviewee, frank yet calm. But one subject fires him up like a rocket: Yundi Li, the Chinese pianist. Yundi was recently dropped by Deutsche Grammophon, the record label he shared with Lang Lang, fuelling rumours of "him or me" tantrums. Lang Lang had barred orchestras from performing with Yundi in the same season, the gossips claimed; he had forced DG's hand. "No! This is a very bad thing to do and totally not true," Lang Lang exclaims, those priceless hands flapping wildly. "This is not allowed in the real world; I have no rights to say anything about other artists. It's his career."

he doth protest too much?