Classical Music for Aficionados

Thanks for tip.

As far as Schubert pianists go, there are many.
Brendel, Lupu, Richter and Perahia are a good place to start.

Radu Lupu , Murray Perahia,Mitsuko Uchida and Alfred Berendel are some of the go-to Schubert players . As for sound Phillips went all out for
Uchida , a wonderful pianist .The best single piano recording I have heard of Schubert is his "Wandererfantasie" Op.D760 with Maurizio Pollini on
DG .which is a 1973 recording that has remastered very well in my Hears .Schubert’s two Piano Trios are some of the most beautiful music ever written ,an excellent recording in all respects is the Beaux Arts effort onPhillips .
 woops rv,  I see you got in as I was righting ! Hmm , great minds think alike and that .I thought of Richter too but he's had a lot on not so great sound put on him.

Right you are, schubert.
 I guess those five are a pretty safe bet.

For any of you guys who like me listen to your music via a PC I have a superb little app for you. It is absolutely free and works a treat. It comes from a software company called O and O software and is called Windows 10 Shut Up . It silences all the background chatter on Windows 10 while you are listening to your music and with all the rubbish silenced your music sounds cleaner and more dynamic. Because your processor is not under so much stress it can concentrate so to speak on  the programs that you are using at the time. Do at least give it a try because as stated previously it is free and off your pc in a couple of mouse clicks

@jim204,
I may have mentioned it, but I use something called Fidelizer, which seems to do much the same as O&O.
I might just give it a try and compare the two software platforms.
I am also in the middle of trying a new streamer- Laufer Teknik’s Mini-baby brother to The Memory Player, which uses some proprietary software to provide higher resolution of digital signals.
B

Who knew that Massenet wrote a piano concerto?  Clearly I'd forgotten, as I have the Hyperion CD.  I'm enjoying it enormously; it is a bit all over the place, musically speaking, but enjoyable nonetheless, and the recording is splendid.

@gdnrbob  
I also tried Fideliser but got fed up with it and Instead bought some soft ware through Sam Laufer. It  was form Mark Porzilli the guy who dreamt up the Memory player and your machine is probably using it also. That soft ware was the one that really made my PC sing, I remember that during the installation Mark himself did it and he had partitioned a part of my hard drive into a 4 gig. space to put your music files that you were going to play. I was astonished the first time I played a file and I even remember the file "Mahler's second Symphony" off a DSD file cut from an SACD disc with The LSO cond, by Valery Gergiev . It absolutely blew me away The opening was earth shattering and the last movement opening was cataclysmic . The amount of headroom that recording had just had to be heard to be believed. That was a great day I had listening to files one after another and where the software scores is the increase in clarity right through the frequency range. The area most apparent was the treble it has a beautiful purity to it and it was worth the money just for that alone.     

Teed up for this afternoon is Ignaz Brull.  Thank you, Hyperion!  Concerto #1 kind of ho-hum.  Some nice moments in the slow movement.  The separate Andante rather better.  Now the opening of #2 is quite stirring.

And here's a related general observation, FWIW.  I see clearly that my collecting (CDs) and listening is primarily repertoire based.  Certainly, performers matter a great deal, but I look at the performers once I'm looking for recordings of a particular piece.  Looking at posts on this thread, it seems as if most others take the opposite approach: they have a bunch of favorite performers, and repertoire comes second (different repertoires are what certain performers specialize in).  Discuss??

Chopin Nocturnes with Hans Moravec, pianist with so "delicate" color control that God prefer this version...

Mahgister,

Are you sure you don’t mean IVAN Moravec?
A HANS Moravec is into robotics.

mahgister, FWIW, I think God prefers all of Moravec's music. He didn't record a lot but what he did is well worth hearing. I can recommend some more if your interested. 

twoleftears, I'm not sure what caused you to reach your conclusions, but I think it may be an illusion caused by some folks who have been around music for generations and have substantial familiarity with a lot of the great performers and the music in which they may excel. In the beginning I think most folks are repertoire based and become more artist oriented later after knowledge of the standard repertoire has been acquired. 

For example, I happen to like Massenet's PC also  (I have the same  Hyperion version as you.) I also happen to like a newer pianist, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet. I found a CD in which he performs some Ravel, Debussy, and the Massenet. I bought it and was not disappointed, in either composers music, but especially his Debussy.  I went on to purchase all of his Debussy recordings as well. I like his style a great deal and will now likely follow most all of his recordings for something else that I might enjoy.  Oh, and I liked his Massenet  much more than Ossonce's. BTW that is a Chandos CD if you're interested. 

I apologize for my confusion Rvpiano.... For sure Ivan and not Hans Moravec that think robot will think in some days to come... For Ivan Moravec I had listen to all his cd, and he is in a class of his own, an aquarellist able to nuance with astounding singing perfection... If you compare any of his interpretation with any other great pianist you will hear his unique touch...He is equal to the greatest … You are right Newbee, we are in the same club...My best to you...

By the way another one of my idols is :

Ervin Nyiregyházi,he is perhaps the greatest pianist that ever be with Scriabin,Rachmaninoff,Liszt,Barrere,Sofronitsky,Moravec,Feinberg,Neuhaus and not many more...If you doubt it, read the letter that Schoenberg wrote to the young Klemperer, after listening a concert of him... I dont think that Schoenberg takes times to notice any pianist ,as great as it is, and write a raving piece about it, mostly when the pianist interpretation contradict his own esthetic like Nyiregyhasi; his letter begins in incredulity and ends in an extasy with an invitation for Klemperer to comes and listening to him...Then you will know that it is not my own single opinion...Listen to that and your heart will melt or open without limit.... Liszt indeed was a great great composer,it takes a Nyiregyhazi to play it...Manifestation of divinity at this level in the art of interpretation are rare indeed...I am in love with Liszt now more than ever, guess why?

He plays here Oberman valley of Liszt, in the slowest and the thunderous heartfelt version of this opus that exist on earth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLk6vqaxU1Y&list=PLnQJF3Qi_4_CLUPjzY3hqtkR1OBfPKOYY

Even Richter in the same piece cannot touch the stellar power of this god, any other pianist is truly at most only a giant compared to this god indeed...

To conclude I will only add that if Bach is  the first proof of the existence of God(dixit Emil Cioran) I will say that Nyiregyhazy playing is the second proof for me...

testing

I was somehow banned for the past several days, and now this has apparently been corrected
thank you Tammy
My comment which was banned is simple.
thanks to mahgister for introducing Nyiregyhazy

there is a lot of him on youtube and i like some of it a lot

I some time ago listened to and read about   Nyiregyhazy  and came to the conclusion of are we talking about the same person here, because the Nyiregyhazy portrayed here and the one I listened to were totally different. I came to the conclusion that this man didn't care a jot about a concert technique as his playing is all over the place just like Cortot another pianist viewed through rose tinted lenses. I shall stick with Arrau who along with` Horowitz kept a good technique into their eighties.

Yes Jim.With you there re Arrau, the epitome of classical piano.
He really took us there, and he so loved driving the bus.
As for Cortot, I love the "million dollar trio" - with Casals and Thibaud,especially their Beethoven and Schubert.  I keep a photo of the threeyoung men, so confident.  They were the Beatles of their time.

Hey, what about Bolet?  I have a few recordings of him that I really like.

@twoleftears      Yes Bolet was another Titan of the keyboard , I will always remember a fabulous Rachmaninov 3rd piano concerto from him in the City halls in Glasgow and after it he came back on and his encore was the Bach / Busoni chaconne, it brought the house down. Do you have his disc of the Schubert / Liszt song transcriptions he deserves to be remembered for that alone.

I doubt that Schoenberg would had written about Arrau and ask  to Klemperer to cross the Atlantic ocean to listen to him...It is impossible to understand Nyiregyházi with the analytic brain and look for perfection...It is necessary to listen to the heart and the force of emotions...Nobody listen the same it seems...

So much Bolet!
The Complete RCA and Columbia Album Collection (10 cds)
The Great Pianists Series, 4 cds in all
Rarest: half of a Russian album where he plays Liszt including Hungarian Rhapsody, Libestraum and Consolations.
Richter is the other half of the album, Liszt Concertos.
And they are all so well recorded.

Another controversial pianist besides Nyiregyházi, but in a completely different way, is Glenn Gould, one of my idols. Sheer genius to my mind.  And a technique to match ANYONE!
Just listening to his recording of the late Beethoven sonatas recorded in 1956 when he was just starting out. Despite some idiosyncrasies, he gets to the heart of the music even at such a young age.  Intellectually probing, intensely emotional with incredible technical execution.

Truly one of the greats!

Happy International Women’s Day all .
Remember Amy Beach , one of the greatest American composers regardless of gender .

Everything she wrote is a joy to listen to , a favorite of mine " Gaelic Symphony " + "Piano Concerto" on Naxos is/ Schermerhorn / Nashville Sym .
Her many chamber pieces are beautiful as well.

jim
re Liszt/Schubert Song transcriptions
my favorite rendition is Lazar Berman
i have it on an old Discover International label
along with Schubert Sonata D 960 (discussed earlier)
and his interpretation of Rachmaninoff interpreting Rubinstein's
transcription of Beethoven's Marche Turque
I can send you a link if you like.

JC
I would love you to send me that link thank you.

Scharwenka anyone?  Excellent!  Everything you want in a 19C concerto. Drama, emotion, virtuosity, etc.  Currently on #2, shares disc with #3.  Then on to 1 and 4 on Hyperion.

just found this video of Lazar Berman
quote
Lazar Berman playing 6 Schubert-Liszt songs,
Liszt's Mephisto Waltz,
Sonetto 104 del Petrarca,
Chapelle de Guillaume Tell,
Nuages gris,
and de Falla's Ritual Fire Dance,
live in Moscow on 11 June 1981. I think this is a magnificent recital.
 Лазарь Берман - Франц Шуберт - Ференц Лист - Мануэль де Фалья
endquote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C4SOb_gA2M

@jcazador     J, Thanks so much for the link for Berman's video it was a revelation to me. Have you seen the virtuosity he exhibits in works like the Mephisto Waltz the fingers were flying on those double octaves and chords.  It is a crying shame that he never got a chance to really shine.
Catalogue No: 4145752
Label: Decca
That is the catalogue no of the Jorge Bolet recording from Presto Downloads so as anyone can listen to Bolet  with his renderings of the Schubert / Liszt Songs. Definitely worth a listen

glad you liked it Jim
yes, Berman got taken out of international circulation for years
i read that it was because he married a french woman
Eventually he was allowed to move to Italy

I think it was Ashkenazy that first broke out of USSR control, gradually, by first moving to Greenland with permission

Jim
re Bolet, Schubert Song Transcriptions
I have a collection of 9cds by Bolet, on Decca
"Liszt, The Piano Works"
and cd2 includes the Schubert Song Transcriptions + Wanderer Fantasie
I have no idea if this is the same recording you mention
but I love it

@jc     Hi JC, Yes the Decca recording you have is the one I was talking about and you can tell from his playing that he had a rare pedigree with
beautiful filigree playing of those transcriptions. He knew so many of the old school players like Rachmaninov and Hoffman and picked up a lot of things on the way.  

Scharwenka #1.  Some really extraordinary pianism from Hamelin, especially in the third movement.  I'm really surprised that these 4 are not more popular.

Been listening to
Dang Thai Son
very nice, lots of Chopin on youtube, also some Rachmaninoff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1YIgziL7mU

Just "discovered" Vladimir Viardo
he was not allowed outside USSR until Gorbachev
then he went to Texas
check out this youtube compilation:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFmEBtLQk1s&list=PLB_VhZSvJ9Clb9b-5_6NmZSNCEEPr7dNB

Bimasta,

Like you, I saw Richter live once, and Glenn Gould as well, at Carnegie Hall.
Unfortunately, I had such bad seats in both cases, I couldn’t really hear too well, and really missed a great experience from these masters.

Yes, it’s really possible to get a bad seat at Carnegie Hall. And I got them!

Re Gould and Richter
There are so many recordings of Richter, and of course some are better than others technically.  But the good recordings establish Richter in my mind as the premier pianist of his era.
I heard a recital by a man originally from Czechoslovakia, born a jew and became a usa citizen and born again christian.  He said he had heard Richter 20 times, from his debut at Carnegie Hall to his concertizing across France.  He thought Richter the best pianist ever.
And yes, Richter preferred live concerts, especially in the days when he was not allowed out of USSR (except for UN dedication ceremony).  He drove around eastern europe with Yamaha van following, and set up wherever he found a nice church to play, gave a free concert for the locals.  I appreciate his absence of histrionics, often lighting a few candles and dimming the lights so that audience would not be distracted from the music.
Glenn Gould was certainly a great talent, senseless to dispute that.
But I find some of his recordings deficient - his humming along is a distraction that my teacher warned me against.  Also, some of his recordings were simply poorly prepared with inadequate preparation, eg his duets with Yehudi Menuhin.
But yes, Gould did produce some memorable recordings.
However, I have been listening to Evgeni Koroliov this weekend, and prefer his Bach and Mozart to any of Gould's recordings.

JC   I heartily agree with your sentiments regarding Gould, I too favour Koroliov in Bach especially his Goldbergs which are the equal of Gould's technically and outshine Gould on a spiritual level. I urge anyone who has not heard them to seek them out.

I also love Angela Hewitt, especially her Bach.
A worthy successor to Gould's Canadian crown.
Playing this week in Vienna!

+ for Angela Hewitt , she is fantastic with Bach .

She is wonderful with almost anything!

Just been browsing on Idagio and came across a compilation entitled The Art of Maurizio Pollini and the first three tracks are Stravinsky's Three Movements from Petrushka. I have never heard them played so well and they are generally avoided by pianists as they are so fiendishly difficult, Mr Pollini ate them up and swallowed them whole. It was worth the subscription to Idagio for them alone as I was stunned by the playing. I have only ever been to see Pollini perform once and it was in the seventies at City Halls Candleriggs in Glasgow. I even remember the program as it was so special because he directed from the piano Mozart's Piano Concerto no 24 and he conducted Beethoven's Symphony no 4. I don't think he has conducted since but I say he made a really good job of it. One thing that did strike me was he had the most beautiful hands that I have ever seen on a pianist. They were so long and thin and his stretch was enormous , some of his octaves were with thumb and ring finger without the slightest strain. I would hunt them out if I were you and I assure you will not be disappointed . Other stuff in the compilation are wonderful renditions of Chopin's Opus 25 Etudes and also a virtuosic Beethovens - Piano Sonata in C Minor Op.111.

yes yes
I have the Pollini Stravinsky "petrushka" as part of a 13 cd set from GD
and I love Angela Hewitt's Couperin (3 cds on hyperion), her Chabrier, Faure, Debussy, Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven, Handel & Haydn
and she plays well with others too

I had that recording of Petrouchka on an LP many years ago (think I still have it.)
Astounding performance. Really captures the spirit of the original orchestration.