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I like many of the Jazz and Classical recommendations that have been listed but for something really different try Lyle Mays last solo piano outing. It's unique and interesting. |
Volados playing Schubert Solo Piano Works, which includes an outstanding version of the Sonata in G major (894). Who would have guessed that Volados could have given such a beautiful rendition - he really dumbed down the showy aspect of his earlier recordings. Excellent recording as well. And on the Sony label no less! Most highly recommended. |
look for Reference Recordings "Nojima Plays Liszt." Not only is it typical of Reference Recordings, as far as recording quality, the piansm is fantastic. I am particularly fond of the "La Campanella." You can get the CD from Amazon. The CD is pretty good, but the out-of-print LP is even better. |
A few nice classical recording.
Beethoven piano sonatas, Fischer Annie, Hungaroton,
Bartók, solo piano works, Kocsis Zoltán, Philips, |
Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack - perhaps overlooked however this is a masterpiece worthy of place in any collection. Enjoy!
Agree with many of the others posted here, great thread! Thanks to all for some inspiring suggestions. |
Best recorded: RDC-4 Direct to Disk from Japan (RCA) 45 rpm LP of Beethoven's Piano Appassionata" or Piano Sonata #23 in F minor, op57..,Ikuyo Kamiya playing.... |
I enjoyed reading all the choices. If you haven't heard it already: Ito Ema - Goldberg Variations on MA Recordings is extraordinary.
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Horowitz Live & Unedited
The Historic 1965 Carnegie Hall Return Concert
Wow! |
Tsuyoshi Yamaoto, Midnight Sugar:
Not "solo", but a amazing sounding record for piano - I have the three blind mice vinyl. Now out on SCAD as well. |
Phineas Newborn - 'Solo Piano' originally released by Atlantic (1672) in 1974, now available from Collectables. Some folks find Newborn too self-indulgent (in contrast to Powell, Tatum or Peterson) but this collection of standards allows Newborn to stretch his creative legs and still deliver the requisite homages...not as enjoyable as 'Harlem Blues' or 'A World of Piano' but a good place to get acquainted with a great pianist. |
Well, since this subject has been revived - here's one:
Gershwin - Fascinating Rhythms - Clive Lythgoe, piano on Tioch Digital 1006 (LP - not sure if this is issued on CD.)
Beautiful recording and very, very nice interpretation - and I am by no means a Gershwin fan. |
I've got 3 or 4 worthy classical candidates for most amazing solo piano recording:
1. Chopin, Etudes, Murray Perahia. Sony CD. Recorded in 2001; engineered by Andreas Neubronner. Dazzling. The best playing I've ever heard from Perahia (and I've heard a lot of him, both live and recorded), the best version of the Chopin Etudes, and the best piano sound ever heard from Sony. (The sound is exceptionally vivid, close-up, and full-range; if you don't like close-up piano sound, you won't like this one.)
2. Piano Transcriptions, various composers, Arcadi Volodos. Sony CD. Recorded in 1996; engineered by Richard King. Simply astonishing playing, and first-rate piano sound. If you like virtuoso piano transcriptions, you'll love this one. Great fun.
3. Nojima Plays Liszt. Reference Recordings CD. Recorded in 1986; engineered by "Profesor" Keith Johnson. This one is already well known to many audiophiles and piano buffs, but it won't hurt to recommend it again. Breathtaking pianism and superb sound. The companion volume, Nojima Plays Ravel, also on RR, is also excellent. (I have reviews of both on Amazon.com.) |
914nut. I have the Norah Jones LP and its definately not your system. The recording of the instruments are great (even though the piano mix is spread across both channels instead of from a particular spot on the soundstage.
Norah's voice however is processed to hell. The sound effects added make it sound like she's singing through a toilet bowl.
I'll have to listen to track 13 again and see if I can figure it out. |
I can think of quite a few that I consider amazing, at least in the classical repertoire. (By "amazing", I mean
giving the sense that the instrument is in the room with me. Perhaps the original premise had more to do with the musicianship of the performer[?]).
Lately I've been trying to broaden my musical horizons, to the extent of buying some bluegrass, primarily AKUS, TBGT, Nickel Creek, etc. At the urging of one of my sons, I also bought a CD by Norah Jones: "Come Away With Me". (Not bad, but AKUS is still my "new favorite", heh heh.)
Back to Amazing Piano: track 14 on the Norah Jones CD, "The Nearness of You", contains some of the most natural piano sound I've heard. (Sure wish I could get used to her voice, with its characteristic hoarse whisper! First time I heard it I thought something in my system had gone south.)
Speaking of which:
Question for anyone familiar with this particular CD: What in hell is the noise 16 seconds into track 13,"The Long Day Is Over"? I can't determine if it's a cymbal, dubbed guitar distortion, or perhaps someone knocked the trap set over! Doesn't sound to me that it should be there.
Your thoughts, please? |
Really? A MAC truck? Hmmm... I've found him (in live performance, at least) to be rather sensitive and humble. However, I can imagine the MAC truck analogy being applied to his "Pictures from and Exhibition," although I might also call it "magisterial." His Scarlatti is a little strong, I would say, but you might like the Liszt. Not sure if it's still in print. |
In general, I like Pletnev, he's a great pianist, and an excellent all around musician, a huge sound, a solid and individual approach to things, but I'm not totally sold. There's an underlying MAC truck thing going on that I find taints everything he does a little. But... that is why he is having a thriving and successful career in this current "marketplace/environment".
And I haven't heard his Liszt. I'll look for it. |
Thanks, Buxter, for the DG/Schumman comments. Very helpful. As for your second post regarding Kissin, I'm not a huge fan of his, either, but will give him a listen. What do you think of Pletnev's Liszt? |
Kissin playing Liszt Transcendental Etudes. He really captures the magic, fire and poetry of this fantastical composer. And I'm not a Kissin fan either. Incredible virtuosity in the truest sense of the word. |
Hello Cpdunn,
for DG it isn't bad at all. very balanced and enjoyable. yes... tape hiss is slightly audible, but the performances and recordings in general are very listenable. I can't say that I know of a more enjoyable schumann set- of course there are the Gieseking records (his davidsbundlertanze and kinderscenen in particular are arguably more lucid and have more sweep) and then there is the Cortot footage from the "great pianists" dvd playing "the Prophet" from kinderscenen which is probably for me the most transcendental, ultimate piano art example IMHO, in a masterclass of all places.
You won't regret getting the Kempff set. |
For some contemporary artists, try Windham Hills Piano Sampler II. Awesome. |
Who can play Chopin like Rubinstein? |
I'd like to second (or third) the recommendations of Nojima Plays Liszt and Nojima Plays Ravel on Reference Recordings, and add one more: Claudio Arrau playing the Liszt Transcendental Etudes on Philips. These are analog recordings (made 1974-76), very close up, exceptionally vivid and immediate. You feel like your head is about three feet away from the piano's sounding board. The first item, Prelude, only 1:05 long, is quite spectacular and wide-ranging and will tell you right away whether or not you like this kind of very close up piano sound. I do. |
I have the Beethoven & Schuberet sonatas by Kempff on DG and I am happy with both. (the Beethoven is the stereo version) |
Welcome back, Buxter! How is the sound quality of this Kempff DG set? I've not always been happy with DG engineers, nor their transfers from vinyl masters to CD. |
Wilhelm Kempff playing the solo piano music of Schumann on DG, 4 disc set. |
Radu Lupu, Brahms late piano music, plus ballades, on London.
RNM |
McCoy Tyner "Echoes of a Friend" |
I recommend Murray Perahia playing Mozart sonatas
k.310,331,& 533. A excellent recording as the review in the
Penguin Guide states. It is on Sony classical #SK 48233. |
Another amazing solo piano performance is Jim Bajor's "Somewhere in Time".
Jim is a Detroit area concert pianist whose repertoire includes jazz, contemporary, and original works. On this album, he performs renditions of Gershwin, Porter, Ellington, and Rogers & Hart.
The quality of the accoustic piano is outstanding. This is a must in any piano lover's collection, in my opinion. |
The Reference Recordings LP, "Nojima Plays Lizst," is absolutely dazzling, not only sonically, but as a musical performance. Nojima's breath taking technique is purely in the service of the music, and the recording is without peer. |
Warren,
Try Dick Hyman's "Great American Songbook", a 2 CD set. Every bit as good as his Fats Waller edition. |
baroque, Glen Gould,Martin Galling,and Ralph Kirkpatrick playing Bach
classic,Horowitz playing Mozart. Pollini playing Beethoven
romantic,Rubinstein playing Chopin.
swing jazz, Art Tatum
modern jazz,Bill Evans |
Tireguy, the pianist there was arguably the greatest of all time--my dad was a piano major in college, heard Rachmaninoff in concert and decided if he had to compete with that, he'd become a lawyer instead... An excellent recommendation, particularly the transcriptions. |
Just read this whole thread and am shocked no one mentioned Sergei Rachmaninoff A Window in Time Vol I and II, among the BEST piano music I have ever heard. A lot of great recommendations made, and I have some new things to check out, thank to everyone who has contributed to this thread! |
I bought Dick Hyman (finally) plays Fats Waller. Killer recording. For you guys interested in great piano solos: this is one of the best (sonically) I've ever heard. Any others by Dick Hyman as good as the Fats one? Thanks in advance. peace, warren |
Two come to mind: Bill Evans/Alone and Keith Jarrett/The melody at night with you. |
David Benoit - Freedom At Midnight. Picked up the LP a couple days ago for 1.99 and it's fantastic! |
Jessica Williams: In the Key of Monk |
You are so right! If you look at Horowitz, you can't help but wonder how such a little man produced such enormous sounds from the piano. The Deutsche Grammaphone recording does a fine job of capturing this live performance. |
Thanks, Pug99, I will check them out! |
Paul Machlis has several CD's out with world class fiddler Alasdair Fraser, and a few solo recordings. The Bright Field and The Magic Horse are the two most memorable solo efforts. For traditional Scottish music, check out the team's two titles; The Road North (recorded here in Portland, OR) and Skyedance.
They are truly incredible. |
Horowitz live in Moscow...second Monk "alone in frisco" |
Pug99,
Being Scottish myself, I'm interested in finding out more about Machlis! |
Have you tried Pail Machlis? He is a scottish Pianist who freaquently plays with Alasdair Fraser. I think his best album is "The Bright Field". The baby grand piano he plays has a unique and prononced tonality to it. |
Anything by Mikhail Pletnev, the Russian pianist. His recording of "Pictures From An Exhibition" on Virgin is stunning. I can't stand the orchestral version of Pictures...the original piano version is vastly superior.
Two other Pletnev recordings well worth having are his Scarlatti sonatas (on piano, not harpsichord; also on Virgin, I think) and "Live at Carnegie Hall" on DG.
Pletnev, in my view, is equivalent to another Russian great, the late Emil Gilels. |
Get Stephen Hough's "English Piano Album" on Hyperion! Great playing recording and choice of selections. John K. |
Artur Schnabel Late Beethoven sonatas , EMI
Walter Gieseking Schumann Kinderscenen, and Davidsbundlertanze
Artur Schnabel Schubert Sonatas
Oscar Levant Gershwin Preludes
Radu Lupu Schubert Impromptus
Walter Gieseking Mendelssohn Songs Without Words |
Earwitness Transcriptions produced by Madrigal Audio. |
On the first Stereophile test CD is my favorite solo piano recording. The performance is by Anna Maria Stanczyk of Frederick Chopin's Scherzo in b-flat Op. 31. The liner notes have some interesting information about the recording and performance. The CD can of course be purchased from Stereophile, or if you prefer from amusicdirect.com for $8.99 + shipping. I often use this track when auditioning equipment, especially speakers. On good systems the imaging is astonishing and the performance carries a lot of emotion. |
