Piano or Orchestral?

[marvinbrown]

Yes.  Since I'm a very good boy, I choose piano (although I would have preferred "keyboard").

  Gotta have those glorious Goldberg Variations right Don? 

  marvin

[Don]

Gotta have those glorious Goldberg Variations right Don? 

marvin

That's right on target.  I can't imagine living without Bach on harpsichord.

[Keemun]

The choice was easy for me: Orchestral. 

[Kullervo]

Neither. String quartets!

[BachQ]

I'll take a virginal in substitution for a piano .......

[Don]

I'll take a virginal in substitution for a piano .......

And I'll take a virgin instead of piano.  It's great to have alternatives.

[Ten thumbs]

I'd have to have the orchestra. The piano would give me itchy thumbs.

[MishaK]

I'd have to have the orchestra. The piano would give me itchy thumbs.

All ten of them?

[Symphonien]

Tough choice, but orchestral.

Although I was thinking that if piano allows me to have any large orchestral work that contains a symphonic piano, well...

But I think Don's on the right track. Change it to keyboard. Then I can have anything with a celesta, organ, or any early classical symphonies or baroque works with continuo! Ha!

Actually don't worry. I'll just bring a whole bunch of orchestrations of all the piano works I have.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Whichever is best as a bug/rodent repellent...

[val]

The piano. The 32 Sonatas, the Diabelli Variations, some Debussy, Schubert, Brahms and Schumann. And Bach's WTC by Gulda.

[marvinbrown]

The piano. The 32 Sonatas, the Diabelli Variations, some Debussy, Schubert, Brahms and Schumann. And Bach's WTC by Gulda.

  Wait a minute...Gulda recorded Bach's WTC??  This I must look into. 

  marvin

[jwinter]

  Wait a minute...Gulda recorded Bach's WTC??  This I must look into. 

  marvin

He did, and it's superb -- I picked it up based on Val's frequent recommendations long ago, and it's my favorite version by far.  It's available on 2 Philips Duos.  To my ear Gulda marries the clarity of a harpsichord with the deeper sonority of a piano, without some of the speed demon tendencies and other quirks that Gould brings to the table.    When I want to hear the WTC I generally reach for the Gulda, or Richter for a change of pace, whose slow, romantic way with Bach is as complete a contrast as you could want. 

As for the survey, I'm leaning orchestral, but the keyboard continuo argument has me wavering.  I've heard Mozart and some Haydn symphonies done with harpsichord continuo -- if I could dig up some HIP Beethoven symphonies with continuo, I might bite, but alas that seems unlikely.  I could get Prokofiev's 5th, there's a piano in there somewhere.  Hmmm...

[gmstudio]

No contest here. Orchestral all the way.

For me, being stranded on a deserted island w/ only piano music would be the definition of "living hell." 

Sorry. 

[Drasko]

As for the survey, I'm leaning orchestral, but the keyboard continuo argument has me wavering.  I've heard Mozart and some Haydn symphonies done with harpsichord continuo -- if I could dig up some HIP Beethoven symphonies with continuo, I might bite, but alas that seems unlikely.  I could get Prokofiev's 5th, there's a piano in there somewhere.  Hmmm...

There actually is Beethoven cycle with fortepiano continuo, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra / David Porcelijn on ABC Classics. I wasn't curious enough but it is not too expensive:

http://www.buywell.com/cgi-bin/buywellic2/01977.html

[Wanderer]

Not to mention the existence of the Liszt transcriptions of Beethoven's symphonies for one as well as for two pianos...

[George]

Current Vote:

Piano 5

Orchestral 14

Wow! I wouldn't have guessed this to be so lopsided! 

[bhodges]

I voted orchestral, mostly because of the huge range of timbres in the ensemble (and hey, many orchestras have pianos), much as I adore solo piano music.  (Of course, nothing preventing me from sneaking along a copy of "Piano-Building for Dummies" and asking a retired Steinway employee to join me.  )

--Bruce

[Sergeant Rock]

Current Vote:

Piano 5

Orchestral 14

Wow! I wouldn't have guessed this to be so lopsided! 

Sorry, George. Another vote for orchestral. The inclusion of opera was a big factor, but even if you'd disallowed that, I'd still have chosen the way I did. Of course I'd sorely miss the 32, 48 and Schubert & Schumann especially.

Sarge

[George]

Sorry, George. Another vote for orchestral. The inclusion of opera was a big factor, but even if you'd disallowed that, I'd still have chosen the way I did. Of course I'd sorely miss the 32, 48 and Schubert & Schumann especially.

Sarge

No need to apologize. More room for the piano freaks on their island.