If there is a Marc-Andre Hamelin CD to recommend.

[Iota]

The following comment below a you tube vid of Hamelin playing one of his mind-bendingly difficult etudes made me laugh -

"Honestly, Hamelin's etudes really aren't all that difficult if you just close the score and sob quietly at the piano."

[Karl Henning]

The following comment below a you tube vid of Hamelin playing one of his mind-bendingly difficult etudes made me laugh -

"Honestly, Hamelin's etudes really aren't all that difficult if you just close the score and sob quietly at the piano."

(* chortle *)

[bhodges]

The following comment below a you tube vid of Hamelin playing one of his mind-bendingly difficult etudes made me laugh -

"Honestly, Hamelin's etudes really aren't all that difficult if you just close the score and sob quietly at the piano."

Hahaha, thanks for the spotlight -- this is excellent, and hilarious. 

--Bruce

[bhodges]

PS, though not a commercial recording, here's a live performance from 2010 (just uploaded last September) of Hamelin's own 12 Études in All the Minor Keys (1986/2009). Recorded 23 August 2010, at the Raritäten der Klaviermusik, Husum, Germany.

I listened yesterday, and it's a magnificent 45 minutes or so.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaSOrgFGBsk

--Bruce

[staxomega]

What do people think of him playing Schumann's Fantasie? I think he nailed the fantasy aspect and it sounds so effortless (I think a little struggle in playing the work can add some charm). My gut feeling is this is one that would do very well in a blind test.

[Karl Henning]

Tangentially, I just enjoyed this:

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Tangentially, I just enjoyed this:

Thanks for sharing this!  Even though I can't read music, I found it to be interesting; it's also given me ideas for other piano works which I want to explore.   

PD

[Brian]

I just watched too! Loved the advocacy for Alkan and the sheer professionalism of his mindset. (Those were interesting comments about memorizing "Concord" as a young student but now no longer believing in memorization of complex scores.)

[Atriod]

That channel has lots of good stuff. My favorite video is a piano professor analyzing the playing of several 20th century pianists going back to Hofmann.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Just enjoyed watching this one.  Norman Krieger (Chair of the Piano Department at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music) did a fascinating one comparing the piano techniques of 16 of the greatest pianists of all time.

PD

p.s.  Sorry, I'll go back on topic now. 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

That channel has lots of good stuff. My favorite video is a piano professor analyzing the playing of several 20th century pianists going back to Hofmann.

Ah, I had missed your posting!  I suspect that the one that I had embedded here is the same one to which you were referring. 

PD