So, who is yet to let you down from what you have heard from them so far? For me:
Rubinstein
Serkin
and
Bill Evans ;D
Yundi Li, Horowitz, Argerich, Cortot, Ashkenazy, Pollini, Daniel Barenboim
Quote from: Bogey on May 17, 2007, 04:54:19 PM
So, who has yet to let you down from what you have heard from them so far?
Richard Clayderman
Quote from: Bogey on May 17, 2007, 04:54:19 PM
So, who is yet to let you down from what you have heard from them so far? For me:
Rubinstein
Serkin
and
Bill Evans ;D
I'll strongly second all three, plus:
Richter
Gulda
Annie Fischer
Maria Yudina (I've only one disc, but I expect she won't dissappoint)
Emil Gilels
Walter Klien
Glenn Gould
Claudio Arrau
Ivan Moravec
Vladimir Ashkenazy
Cziffra
(nice topic, Bill!) :)
Quote from: George on May 17, 2007, 05:16:05 PM
Emil Gilels
Glenn Gould
I have to hear a bit more from these two George, but I would be surprised to find weak performances or ones that I did not enjoy.
I would also not be surprised if Lipatti or Horszowski make my "never disappointing" list down the road as well.
Quote from: Bogey on May 17, 2007, 05:19:16 PM
I have to hear a bit more from these two George, but I would be surprised to find weak performances or ones that I did not enjoy.
Yes I find them to be remarkably consistent. With Gould, you obviously get some eccentricity, yet I always seem to 'get' or agree with his idiosyncrasies. No one speaks to me in Bach like he does and his wierd Beethoven makes me hear old favorites anew. :)
Quote from: George on May 17, 2007, 05:23:21 PM
Yes I find them to be remarkably consistent. With Gould, you obviously get some eccentricity, yet I always seem to 'get' or agree with his idiosyncrasies....
For me, this might be applied to Rubinstein from time to time....he just has a "personality" about his playing that cuts through any pretentiousness and allows the listener to enjoy the music in the moment.
Not that I'm a pianophile or anything, but Solomon and Moravec spring immediately to mind. Sofronitsky too.
Quote from: Bogey on May 17, 2007, 05:26:30 PM
For me, this might be applied to Rubinstein from time to time....he just has a "personality" about his playing that cuts through any pretentiousness and allows the listener to enjoy the music in the moment.
I know what you mean. At first I didn't much like Rubinstein for this reason. In time I learned that if I went along with him, it would sure be an exciting journey with a knowing, confident guide. In fact, I'd say the same of Richter and Cziffra.
Moravec
Michelangeli
Gilels
Never is such a strong word.
Quote from: Drasko on May 17, 2007, 07:53:01 PM
Never is such a strong word.
Are there any performers on your shelf that have
never missed to this point my friend?
I've never been disappointed with:
Gilels
Sofronitsky
Gilbert (harpsichord)
Schliessmann
Brendel
Hantai (harpsichord)
Rubsam
Anderszewski
Gieseking
Cortot
Tureck
Richter (Karl)
Rousset (harpsichord)
Wilson (harpsichord)
Verlet (harpsichord)
Nikolayeva
Gulda
A. Fischer
Kubalek
Moiseiwitsch
Freire
Katsaris
Zayas
Probably only Serkin. But then again, I have not heard everything he recorded either. ;-)
In terms of never disappointing, as in never heard a performance I disliked, I'd have to nominate Dinu Lipatti, and Solomon.
As great as Michelangeli was, I don't think his Brahms or Schumann is very satisfying. Gould's Bach was mostly good to great IMO, but his Brahms? Mozart? Don't think so.
In terms of other instruments, I'd say my favorite on both harpsichord and organ is the woefully underappreciated Anton Heiller. His Rameau, Bach et al. truly never disappoint and are in a league of their own. I'd also give a vote to Karl Richter and Helmut Walcha.
Quote from: XB-70 Valkyrie on May 18, 2007, 01:06:38 AM
In terms of never disappointing, as in never heard a performance I disliked, I'd have to nominate Dinu Lipatti...
What do you have from him?
I've seen Gilels disappoint (Chopin preludes, but to his credit I doubt if that was an authorized release). Rubinstein also (again preludes)
My list would probably include Sofronitsky, Sokolov, Richter and Michelangeli for now.
Most of the keyboardist mentioned here have disappointed me at one point or another. :-\
Probably the only keyboardist who has disappointed me is Pogorelich who has talent to burn, but has become so eccentric in recent years.
(http://www.jurassicdvd.com/catalog/images/neversayneveragain.jpg)
Quote from: Bogey on May 17, 2007, 08:01:56 PM
Are there any performers on your shelf that have never missed to this point my friend?
Sergei Rachmaninoff, Josef Lhevinne, Marcelle Meyer, Pierre Hantai but former two probably due to pretty limited amount of what is recorded and latter two because I heard them only in one or two discs where they were excellent (Scarlatti, Rameau).
No one.
This is really a question of expectations. No one can be perfect all the time. I don't expect perfection 100% of the time, so most recording musicians, including keyboardists, don't disappoint me. The only thing I find disappointing is when someone with talent squanders it. Thankfully that's very, very, rare.
Apart from some of those already mentioned, Krystian Zimerman is a pianist who has never disappointed me so far. In harpsichordists: Elzbieta Chojnacka. In violinists... oh, sorry, just noticed the thread title... ;D
Cheers,
Maciek
Quote from: MrOsa on May 18, 2007, 02:46:28 PM
Apart from some of those already mentioned, Krystian Zimerman is a pianist who has never disappointed me so far.
I would have to agree!
Quote from: MrOsa on May 18, 2007, 02:46:28 PM
Apart from some of those already mentioned, Krystian Zimerman is a pianist who has never disappointed me so far.
Cheers,
Maciek
Perhaps not now, but you did not pay the $800 for his Brahms CD ;D
John Browning. Peter Donohoe.
Quote from: orbital on May 18, 2007, 02:53:10 PM
Perhaps not now, but you did not pay the $800 for his Brahms CD ;D
$800?!!! :o
I wouldn't pay $800 for any cd, ever.
Quote from: Bunny on May 18, 2007, 06:11:19 PM
$800?!!! :o
I wouldn't pay $800 for any cd, ever.
Might you pay $80?
Quote from: Bunny on May 18, 2007, 06:11:19 PM
$800?!!! :o
I wouldn't pay $800 for any cd, ever.
check this:
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,770.0.html
me neither. Well, unless it was Chopin himself playing ::)
Quote from: Don on May 18, 2007, 06:26:02 PM
Might you pay $80?
Is it gold or silver? Who knows? I tend to doubt that I would want a single cd for even $80. There is usually a good alternative around at a reasonable price. and, I've discovered that the library often has things such as the Hogwood Haydn Creation, which can then be copied with little fuss and no muss.
Well, I think that was 2 CDs.
If that changes anything, lol. ;D
Joyce Hatto
Lang Lang
Although I had Hantai on my list, Bunny pointed out to me that I was critical of his WTC I recording, a fact I had forgotten when I made the list. So Hantai has to go.
Quote from: MrOsa on May 19, 2007, 04:49:51 AM
Well, I think that was 2 CDs.
If that changes anything, lol. ;D
Well I was tempted by the Complete Bach 2000 set at a bit less than $800, but I was outbid there too. ;)
Quote from: Don on May 19, 2007, 07:46:04 AM
Although I had Hantai on my list, Bunny pointed out to me that I was critical of his WTC I recording, a fact I had forgotten when I made the list. So Hantai has to go.
That's the problem with a thread like this. Expectations of perfection can never be met, so Pierre who is a magnificent harpsichordist gets eliminated. :(
The only keyboardist (pianist - not typist) I ever heard of who was always perfect was Joyce Hatto. ::)
Quote from: Bunny on May 19, 2007, 08:00:54 AM
That's the problem with a thread like this. Expectations of perfection can never be met, so Pierre who is a magnificent harpsichordist gets eliminated. :(
The only keyboardist (pianist - not typist) I ever heard of who was always perfect was Joyce Hatto. ::)
Bunny and others,
I guess I should have stated my objective up front when starting this thread, as a few posters indicate that they are having a bit of an issue with its dogmatic nature, of which I can see their point. So here it is:
The point of the thread was to assist me when I am looking through hundreds/thousands(?) of cds in the used shops I haunt. What I plan on doing is making a hard copy list of those keyboardists members here find to be their creme de la creme. Sometimes I have limited time to sample these used cds, so I have to make a quick decision to buy or leave for the next peruser. This list that is being generated will assist me greatly when limited time to sample is an issue....if I see a recording from one that was recommended, but do not have time to sample, I will probably buy it. So Hantai is not necessarily eliminated because Don has posted that with the one exception noted, he highly values his performances. Hope this clears things up a bit and please keep posting.
Quote from: Bogey on May 19, 2007, 08:19:07 AM
Bunny and others,
I guess I should have stated my objective up front when starting this thread, as a few posters indicate that they are having a bit of an issue with its dogmatic nature, of which I can see their point. So here it is:
The point of the thread was to assist me when I am looking through hundreds/thousands(?) of cds in the used shops I haunt. What I plan on doing is making a hard copy list of those keyboardists members here find to be their creme de la creme. Sometimes I have limited time to sample these used cds, so I have to make a quick decision to buy or leave for the next peruser. This list that is being generated will assist me greatly when limited time to sample is an issue....if I see a recording from one that was recommended, but do not have time to sample, I will probably buy it. So Hantai is not necessarily eliminated because Don has posted that with the one exception noted, he highly values his performances. Hope this clears things up a bit and please keep posting.
You are going to get a lot of names, my friend. :) Maybe all of them. :-[
Quote from: dtwilbanks on May 19, 2007, 08:20:54 AM
You are going to get a lot of names, my friend. :) Maybe all of them. :-[
Also a good point....scratch my last post....
Hantai....he gone! ;D
Quote from: Bogey on May 19, 2007, 08:29:02 AM
Also a good point....scratch my last post....
Hantai....he gone! ;D
Except that you'll miss both of his wonderful Goldbergs (Naive and Mirare).
Quote from: Bogey on May 19, 2007, 08:19:07 AM
Bunny and others,
I guess I should have stated my objective up front when starting this thread, as a few posters indicate that they are having a bit of an issue with its dogmatic nature, of which I can see their point. So here it is:
The point of the thread was to assist me when I am looking through hundreds/thousands(?) of cds in the used shops I haunt. What I plan on doing is making a hard copy list of those keyboardists members here find to be their creme de la creme. Sometimes I have limited time to sample these used cds, so I have to make a quick decision to buy or leave for the next peruser. This list that is being generated will assist me greatly when limited time to sample is an issue....if I see a recording from one that was recommended, but do not have time to sample, I will probably buy it. So Hantai is not necessarily eliminated because Don has posted that with the one exception noted, he highly values his performances. Hope this clears things up a bit and please keep posting.
Strangely, someone like me, who tends to take everything far to literally (I would have made a great lawyer) understood fully what you meant at the beginning. :)
I'd say if you get 5 rec's (or more) for a particular pianist, then that's a name to put on the list.
I'd also say that sometimes a pianist who disappoint isn't the best person for the job.
So, the way I have approached (may not work for you) this issue is to keep a running list of recordings that I am after. I bring this list to the store and use it to guide me. By following other people's recommendations, I have found a few (as I am aware you have) pianists/conductors that I value so highly that I will buy without seeing a review or even sampling. As I continue to follow recommendations, this list grows and grows and my taste becomes clearer and clearer with sucessive years. These days I am rarely dissapointed with things that I buy, but then I really don't take any risks either. As I think I have told you before, guidebooks (plus online reviews) have been very helpful as well. I now have 4 or 5 different ones. When 2 or 3 of them agree on a recording, then it goes on my list. However, I've noticed that if I take this process too far, I end up taking the fun out of it.
Keyboardists (not typists) who have rarely disappointed me:
Andreas Staier
Ronald Brautigam
Leon Fleisher
Krystian Zimerman
Vladimir Horowitz
Earl Wild
Arthur Rubenstein
Artur Schnabel
Pierre Hantaï
Christophe Rousset
Alexandre Tharaud
Roslyn Tureck
Wanda Landowska
Annie Fischer
Ivan Moravec
Maurizio Pollini
Edwin Fischer
Bill Evans
Martha Argerich (a bit of a gamble, but when she's good she's beyond great)
Leif Ove Andsnes
Yefim Bronfman
Christine Schornsheim
Trudeliese Leonhardt
Gustav Leonhardt
Bob van Asperen
Scott Ross
Celine Frisch
Jos van Immerseel
Malcolm Bilson
Ottavio Dantone
Diego Fasolis (great work on Brandenburg 5th Cto.)
Charlotte Nediger
Maggie Cole
This is more than you need, and not all of them are going to show up in the used cd stores, but these are some of the names that would catch my attention.
Edit: A few more names have come to mind:
Richard Goode
Stephen Hough (For solo piano music, he rarely puts a finger wrong)
Alicia de Larrocha
Blandine Rannou
Quote from: Bogey on May 19, 2007, 08:19:07 AM
The point of the thread was to assist me when I am looking through hundreds/thousands(?) of cds in the used shops I haunt. What I plan on doing is making a hard copy list of those keyboardists members here find to be their creme de la creme. Sometimes I have limited time to sample these used cds, so I have to make a quick decision to buy or leave for the next peruser. This list that is being generated will assist me greatly when limited time to sample is an issue....
Yeah, I had no problems understanding you, either, Bogey!
It isn't necessary to always graft one's
mis preconceptions onto a thread. Sometimes a thread is just a thread! ;D
Anyway, the one pianist I would nominate is Youri Egorov, with the disclaimer that his discography is small and hence less prone to clunkers.
What I've heard of him on EMI (Schumann/Debussy) is a winner. Ditto his very rare Channel Classics (Canal Grande) discs of live recitals (Bach, Bartok, Chopin, Shostakovich, Prokofiev).
A rare talent, Egorov died very young of Aids (in the mid-80's) after a meteoric rise following quality results in the competition circuit.
(http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/32/3b/8e164310fca0fb1b4c546010.L.jpg) (http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/41NWYCH1YZL._SS500_.jpg)
NEVER is a big word so from what I've actually heard I'd like to nominate:
Solomon - peerless in everything I've heard
Rubinstein - can't think of a single bad recording and I've got plenty of 'Ruby". Also:
Bruce Hungerford
Emil Gilels
Cziffra
Dubravka Tomsic
Sergio Fiorentino
I'd like to have nominated Richter but someof his Chopin doesn't appeal. The same goes for Moravec, despite the wonderful Nocturnes. Other close also-rans include ABM, Ashkenazy, Horowitz, Sokolov, Sofronitsky and Dino Ciani.
Quote from: Holden on May 20, 2007, 01:37:58 PM
Dubravka Tomsic
Have you heard a lot from her? I've only heard a little but it was very uneven - some recordings great, some really, really uninteresting. Don't remember the details but that was my overall impression: a very uneven pianist... Wonder if I'm alone here or have others had a similar experience?
Quote from: Holden on May 20, 2007, 01:37:58 PM
Other close also-rans include ABM, Ashkenazy, Horowitz, Sokolov, Sofronitsky and Dino Ciani.
It also has to do with how specialized the pianist is. It is normal for Horowitz to disappoint in some music (rather than recordings) as much as a great all-over pianist he was. We can't expect him to be uniformly good in all those different composer genres. He will eventually be suited to some music more than others.
But with others like Rubinstein, Sofronitsky who tend to specialize and pianists like Sokolov whose recordings are very few the chances are that their output will attest to a high(er) level.
Then there is ABM who is neither of these, and I just can't think of him disappointing ::)