Great classical pianists


Alexandra Dovgan is the pianist of her generation.

 

In the last century there was Richter. Today Trifonov. Now a new phenom. What is it in the Russian water that produces such giants of the keyboard?

We enjoy all great pianists. Rubinstein, Pollini, Argerich, Backhaus, Kempf, Michelangeli, Schnabel, Pogorelic, Gilels. Please add your favorite to this embarrassment of pianistic riches. But there is primus inter pares. 

chowkwan

Showing 2 responses by esarhaddon

Excellent quality pianists are a dime a dozen today. Now I am more attuned to the Jazz world, but most of them  (Jazz pianists) started out playing classical in their formative years. It is just that Jazz opens the door to much more diversity in style and sound. But even then there are those who do a classical style, that tare amazing and still have a secondary following like a new discovery for me, 'Sofiane Pamart', who also is an adequate composer. You would never guess from listening to his performance at 'Piano Day d' Arte Concert 2021' that he is known in Europe as the Go To backup musician for RAP Artists.
But as far as quality and sufficiency on the keyboards I can list many names but here are just a few:

I will start with the Well know Diane Krall ( the queen of finesse), then The extraordinary Hiromi Uehara (she just enjoys music TOOOO much), then Gerry Bryant, Sarah McKenzie, Marian Albero, Maja Alvanović, Mayo Nakano (marvelous), Michel Petrucciani, Monty Alexander, Yoko Miwa, All magnificent in their own way, and that barely scratches the surface.

Your classical pianists are too tightly bound by a rigid performance controlled by the original score where you take something ton the opposite extreme like Hiromi's rendition of 'Pachelbel's Canon' or better yet Gershwin's "I've Got Rhythm" as she interprets it, actually opens a personal vision of what the mind can actually experience.

@drbond
 Listening now. But in this effort, I must also add that the Studio or engineers on the project can make or break a recording. I am currently streaming "Debussy: Estampes, L. 100 - 1. Pagodes" and though I can tell that he is quite talented and expressive, to my liking, I am having to tune out the echo from the cavernous room that he is being recorded in. Possibly that was intended to create an ethereal sound, but I doubt it. I have an affinity towards recording from "Steinway & Sons Studio". They have spent a lot of effort in perfecting the recording and it shows.

But again, I have a certain love for classical music, as I was raised in a musical home, but and a big but, it is difficult at best to record (the technical aspect) of a large orchestra and when looking at a solo, it should be as near perfect as possible or I just don't want to waste my time. I search hard for talented and well-made recordings of classical. I just am not finding many of them.
I am going to spend some time with Auuau and hope that if you haven't heard them (I'd be surprised if you haven't) Hyperion Knight and of course one of the first crossovers, Claude Bolling. If you had some of his original LPs in good condition, they are worth $thousands$.
By the way just listened to, 'Liszt: Années de pèlerinage: 3ème année, S.163 - 4. Les jeux d'eau à la Villa d'Este' and it was very well made.