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The Music Room => Great Recordings and Reviews => Topic started by: Philoctetes on August 10, 2010, 03:59:18 PM

Title: Pianists
Post by: Philoctetes on August 10, 2010, 03:59:18 PM
I'm looking for some recommendations for pianists, in general. You can be specific if you want. You can also list a work in which you think they excel.

Also, what are some good test pieces, like I seem to recall Todd saying that Beethoven's Op. 31 was his test work, if I'm recalling that correctly.

I'll start it out.

Sofronitsky: Scriabin, Chopin, Schumann
Backhaus: Beethoven
Gilels: Brahms, Grieg
Richter: Prokfiev, Ravel

etc.


Thanks in advace for any assistance.
Title: Re: Pianists
Post by: George on August 10, 2010, 05:26:36 PM
Satie - Thibaudet, Roge
Chopin - Moravec, Cortot, Rosenthal, Tipo
Beethoven - Annie Fischer, Rudolf Serkin, Schnabel, Gulda
Rachmaninoff - Ashkenazy, Janis, Richter
Schubert - Richter, Sokolov, Brendel
Mozart - Kraus
Haydn - Brendel
Bach - Feinberg, Gould, Tureck
Debussy - Michelangeli, Zimerman, Gieseking, Richter
Scriabin - Ashkenazy, Sofronitsky, Horowitz
Scarlatti - Horowitz, Pletnev
Liszt - Gekic, Cziffra, Lazar Berman, Szidon
Poulenc - Tacchino
Prokofiev - Richter
Brahms - Lupu, Backhaus
Ligeti - Aimard

Good overall - Richter, Hofmann, Friedman, Gekic, Rudolf Serkin
Title: Re: Pianists
Post by: Philoctetes on August 10, 2010, 07:27:14 PM
Thanks George.

Some more....

Lortie: Chopin, Mozart
Weissenberg: Bach
Pogorelich: Scarlatti, Chopin
Title: Re: Pianists
Post by: George on August 10, 2010, 07:37:40 PM
Quote from: Philoctetes on August 10, 2010, 07:27:14 PM
Thanks George.

Your welcome!  :)
Title: Re: Pianists
Post by: Holden on August 11, 2010, 01:37:56 AM
I'll list the pianists first.

Gilels - just about anything but the Grieg Lyric Pieces and all of  his Brahms are very special

Rubinstein - All of his Chopin and Spanish composers

Richter - his LvB, Debussy and Schumann are exceptional but try his Schubert Wanderer Fantasy

Haskil - Schubert D960

Horowitz - Scarlatti sonatas and Schumann Kinderszenen

Fiorentino - Schumann Op 17

Arrau - Liszt; Transcendental Etudes

Schepkin - Bach Partitas

Sokolov - Chopin Op 25

Rudolf Serkin - LvB Waldstein Op 53

I'll stop here but could add much more


Title: Re: Pianists
Post by: Philoctetes on August 11, 2010, 05:55:04 AM
Thanks for the list, Holden.

If you have more, please do post them. Although, I understand if you don't want to, typing is an annoyance.
Title: Re: Pianists
Post by: Sergeant Rock on August 11, 2010, 06:16:58 AM
I'm sure you need no recommendation for Gould's Bach but don't overlook these:

Gould - Strauss
Gould -Sibelius, Grieg
Gould - Byrd, Gibbons
Gould - Wagner transcriptions


Grimaud - late Brahms (op.116, 117, 118, 119)

de Leeuw - for a completely different take on Satie

Pollini - Schumann, the orginal versions of Davidsbündlertänze, Kreisleriana, and Concert sans Orchestre F minor (the original Third Piano Sonata)

Sarge
Title: Re: Pianists
Post by: Philoctetes on August 11, 2010, 06:25:19 AM
Thanks Sarge.
Title: Re: Pianists
Post by: Todd on August 11, 2010, 07:05:08 AM
I'll go by pianist.  This is an off the top of my head list, so obviously there are omissions.

Robert Casadesus – Ravel, Mozart, Beethoven
Clara Haskil – Mozart, Beethoven
Michael Endres – Mozart, Schubert, Weber, Bax
Michel Block – Albeniz, Granados, Schumann
Herbert Schuch – Ravel, Schumann, Schubert
Rudolf Firkusny – Janacek, Martinu, Dvorak
Jean Efflam Bavouzet – Ravel, Haydn, Debussy
Michel Beroff – Debussy, Messiaen, Prokofiev
Esteban Sanchez – Albeniz, Falla, Turina, Faure
Ivan Moravec – Chopin, Debussy, Beethoven, Janacek
Byron Janis – Liszt, Prokofiev, Mussorgsky, Rachmaninoff
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli – Debussy, Chopin, Beethoven, Grieg, Chopin
Vladimir Ashkenazy – Chopin, Schumann, Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich
Peter Serkin – Messiaen
Rudolf Serkin – Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Mendelssohn
Edwin Fischer – Bach, Beethoven
Youri Egorov – Schumann, Debussy, Chopin
Annie Fischer – Beethoven, Schumann
Emil Gilels – Brahms, Beethoven, Grieg
Piotr Anderszewki – Bach, Mozart, Szymanowski
Sviatoslav Richter – Yes
Wilhelm Kempff – Schubert, Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms
Yukio Yokoyama – Liszt, Chopin
Andrea Lucchesini – Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert
Christian Zacharias – Schubert, Mozart, Scarlatti
Walter Gieseking – Debussy, Schumann, Beethoven
Krystian Zimerman – Chopin, Lizst, Mozart
Leif Ove Andsnes – Grieg, Mozart, Schubert
Maurizio Pollini – Beethoven, Schumann, Schubert, Boulez, Stravinsky, Brahms, Schoenberg
Zoltan Kocsis – Bartok, Rachmaninoff, Haydn
Walter Klien – Mozart, Schubert
Takahiro Sonoda – Beethoven, Bach
Artur Schnabel – Beethoven, Mozart
Andras Schiff – Smetana, Bach (especially on ECM), Schumann, Bartok, Mozart
Arcadi Volodos – Liszt, Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, Schubert
Daniel Barenboim – Beethoven, Mozart
Sinae Lee - Szymanowski
Abbey Simon – Ravel, Chopin
Alfred Cortot – Chopin, Schumann
Title: Re: Pianists
Post by: Philoctetes on August 11, 2010, 07:30:06 AM
Thanks a ton Todd.

:)
Title: Re: Pianists
Post by: Mandryka on August 11, 2010, 10:03:41 AM
Quote from: Philoctetes on August 10, 2010, 03:59:18 PM
You can also list a work in which you think they excel.

This is a nonsensical  ownership list


Moiseiwitsch -- Schumann Romance, Brahms Handel Variations
Cortot -- Chopin Nocturne Op 27/1; Chopin Op 28/15 (Munich recording)  Davidsbundlertanze; Symphonic Etudes (1955) . . .
Gilels -- Beethoven Op 26 (DVD from Moscow Conservatory); Chopin Sonata 3; Mozart K533/494; Beethoven C minor Variations
Livia Rev -- Jeux d'Eau
Steven Osborne -- Vingt Regardes; Beethoven Op 53
Natan Brand -- Kreisleriana
Rachmaninov -- Schubert Op 90/4
Gould -- Mozart K491, Mozart K475;  Beethoven Op 27/2
Horszowski -- Mozart K570 (BBC)
Weissenberg -- Scriabin Nocturne for the left Hand Op. 9 No. 2
Madeleine de Valmalète -- Tombeau de Couperin
Gieseking -- Ravel's Pavane
Arrau -- Beethoven Op 111 (VAI DVD); Op 109, Paganini Variations, Schubert D946 . . .
Sofronitsky -- Beethoven Op 57; Schumann Op 11
Richter -- Chopin Waltz Op 34 (Orfeo);  Liszt's Harmonies du Soir (RCA); B minor prelude and Fugue from WTC Bk 1. . .
Orozco -- Albeniz's  Fête-dieu à Seville
Heidsieck -- Faure Nocturne 13
Edwin Fischer -- Beethoven Op 110 . . .
Gulda -- Beethoven Op 10/2
Yudina -- Brahms Intermezzi; Well Tempered Clavier
Deszo Ranki -- All Haydn sonatas
Michelangeli -- Chopin Op 45; Schubert D537; Bach/Busoni Chaconne
Wirsaldze: Waldzenen
Elly Ney -- Beethoven Op 73, Brahms Op 83 (Fiedler)
Schiff -- Schubert 12 German Dances, D.790







Title: Re: Pianists
Post by: Philoctetes on August 11, 2010, 10:14:16 AM
Mandryka, I could kiss you.

:-*
Title: Re: Pianists
Post by: BMW on August 11, 2010, 12:07:41 PM
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on August 11, 2010, 06:16:58 AM
I'm sure you need no recommendation for Gould's Bach but don't overlook these:

Gould - Strauss
Gould -Sibelius, Grieg
Gould - Byrd, Gibbons
Gould - Wagner transcriptions

Seconded


I would also reccomend Gerald Moore and Geoffrey Parsons who excelled in just about everything they touched.  Their ability to collaborate so successfullwith some of the greats demonstrated not only fine piano playing, but also excellent musicianship.
Title: Re: Pianists
Post by: Philoctetes on August 11, 2010, 12:59:18 PM
Argerich - Chopin and Prokofiev (she really knows how to smash shit)
Kuerti - Scriabin, Glazunov, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven  (knows where all the keys are)
Afanassiev - Schubert (you don't even know what the sustain pedal is for)
Feltsman - Bach, Beethoven (strangely satisfying)

Title: Re: Pianists
Post by: George on August 11, 2010, 01:06:43 PM
Quote from: Philoctetes on August 11, 2010, 10:14:16 AM
Mandryka, I could kiss you.

:-*

I can vouch for his taste, too.  :)

What, no kisses for me?  :-[
Title: Re: Pianists
Post by: Philoctetes on August 11, 2010, 01:07:59 PM
Quote from: George on August 11, 2010, 01:06:43 PM
I can vouch for his taste, too.  :)

What, no kisses for me?  :-[

Maybe one.  :-*

Thanks to everyone for the recommendations so far.  ;D