Hot New Pianists

[George]

What did you think of that CD? I was disappointed. Much more mechanical than, say, Artis Wodehouse's restorations of the Gershwin piano rolls ... the piano tone kind of bothered me.

Just got it, but the playing on the Prelude blew me away!!

I think as with historical recordings we need to make allowances for sound, with piano rolls we need to make allowances for the way the sound is created.

[George]

Has this guy been mentioned yet?



There has been some buzz about him lately.

[Brian]

Has this guy been mentioned yet?



There has been some buzz about him lately.

Oddly I also have a "Kreisleriana" with another "Hot New Pianist" - Klara Wurtz on Brilliant. Have only listened to it a couple times (see the "what music are you re-evaluating" thread), but she seems to do a fabulous job.

[ragman1970]

Here's my 'One-to-Watch': Yevgeny Sudbin.

no doubt, THE ONE to watch !

[ragman1970]

Paul Lewis's Schubert D.959 and D.960 are quality goods, as well.

Another hot new pianist might be Bavouzet. His Ravel disc on MDG is a resounding success. And he's proved himself a quality accompanist in his Bartok violin sonata recording with Korcia.

Then there's Bavouzet's new Debussy recording. It's generated positive reviews, though I've yet to hear it.

Lewis is as boring as his teacher Brendel!

[Renfield]

Lewis is as boring as his teacher Brendel!

I'd say "slightly less so", if I found either of them boring: which I don't. But I think I can see how someone might.

[sidoze]

Lewis is as boring as his teacher Brendel!

this won't be a popular opinion among some on the board but I would say the same about another Brendel pupil, Till Felner. He achieved the seemingly impossible: a Kreisleriana to cure insomnia 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Lewis is as boring as his teacher Brendel!

Right. I'll just change my opinion, then...

[ragman1970]

Right. I'll just change my opinion, then...

If I can't sleep I should hear again his Schubert recording ......... 

[ragman1970]

this won't be a popular opinion among some on the board but I would say the same about another Brendel pupil, Till Felner. He achieved the seemingly impossible: a Kreisleriana to cure insomnia 

I only know his Bach WTK. Think it was not a bad recording but I don't follow hier carrier.

[ragman1970]

BTW, I totally avoid anything from Mr. Lang Lang! have listen to his Rachmaninov with Gergiev and later to a radio braodcast with Beethoven and and absolutly incredible scriabin. The scriabin was so incredible to identify as music 

[George]

What about this guy?

Listening samples available, they can be downloaded as well.

[pjme]

Belgo - Bulgarian Plamena Mangova won second prize at this year's Queen Elisabeth competition. Tomorrow she will play Richard Strauss ' Burleske with the NOB , the Belgian National Orch, under Walter Weller (their new musicdirector). Nice concert! : the other works : Martinu's 4th symphony and "Estampes"!! Let's hope Weller continues like that.

At Fuga Libera, you can find her Chostakovitch recording

[Don]

Lewis is as boring as his teacher Brendel!

I rate Brendel and his boys most highly.  How anyone can disparage one of the greatest pianists ever is beyond my comprehension (as are most things).  And Fellner's WTC Bk. 1 is a particular favorite of both Brendel and myself.

[sidoze]

How anyone can disparage one of the greatest pianists ever is beyond my comprehension

Well well, I never knew that Brendel is Russian! 

[Don Isler]

Do you really rate Brendel as one of the greatest pianists ever, Don? I respect the man, but never thought of him on that level.

I remember the time Bruce Hungerford, whom I consider a few rungs higher as a great pianist, played an all-Beethoven program at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. Brendel was in the audience. (I saw him there. Wondered what he thought.) Hungerford never had the big-time career or fame that Brendel did, and died relatively young, and I can be accused of prejudice, as his student, but almost every time I hear a Brendel recording I can't help thinking how Hungerford would have played the piece better!

[Don]

Do you really rate Brendel as one of the greatest pianists ever, Don?

From one Don to another - yes.  I've not heard any recordings of his that I didn't consider wonderful.  I love his Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann and just about everything else he's recorded.  For Haydn's piano works, I find him the king of the hill. Performance-wise, he's my soul mate just like Bach is my composer soul mate.

[MichaelRabin]

How about Gabriela Montiero? How is she like?

[mn dave]

I loved Lim's debut CD. I don't know what he's doing, but he's doing it right, to my ears.

I just ordered his Chopin CD from MDT last night.

And yesterday this came out, which I hope to pick up soon!



[Edit: Just ordered it from Caiman]

[Dr. Dread]

DG signs 20-year-old pianist Yuja Wang January 7 2009     

Deutsche Grammophon has signed Yuja Wang to its roster. The 21-year-old, Beijing-born pianist's debut disc will feature sonatas by Chopin, Liszt and Scriabin, and two Etudes by Ligeti.

In 2002 Yuja won the Aspen Music Festival's concerto competition and subsequently studied in Philadelphia with Gary Graffman at the Curtis Institute, graduating last year. In 2006 she received the Gilmore Young Artist Award. She has since worked with conductors including Charles Dutoit, Michael Tilson Thomas, Osmo Vänskä, David Zinman and Sir Neville Marriner.

Commenting on the signing in a statement, DG president Michael Lang said: 'After first hearing Yuja Wang in recitals - and then meeting this remarkable woman and learning that she is not only a fine artist but also will be a terrific spokesperson for the next generation of classical musicians - it was obvious that Deutsche Grammophon and Yuja would be a perfect match.'

Martin Cullingford, Gramophone deputy editor