The most underrated pianist?

As did I.

Arrau:

(From the New York Observer)

The legendary Chilean pianist Claudio Arrau (1903-1991) once confessed that hearing Mr. Goldsmith play Schubert and Schumann in a 1969 master class was “literally one of the most gratifyingly musical experiences I can remember … listening to him I had tears in my eyes with pleasure and happiness.” Musical luminaries such as the pianists András Schiff and Richard Goode are also longtime fans of Mr. Goldsmith’s acumen. What is the secret of his mastery?

Read more at http://observer.com/2006/09/a-music-critic-performs-practices-what-he-preaches/#ixzz3JWjhbrM0

Goode:

(From the New York Times)

As a pianist, Mr. Goldsmith was best known for his recordings of the Beethoven sonatas, Mr. Goode said. “He had a powerful grasp of music in general and classical style in particular,” he added. “He was much more than a pianist; he was a student of the whole literature. He knew the Beethoven symphonies and quartets by memory.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/21/arts/music/harris-goldsmith-classical-pianist-and-critic-dies-at-78.html?_r=0

It's too bad that Goldsmith's lapidary success as a critic for many people obscured his gifts as an interpreter, and it's also bad that most of his extant recordings are of variable quality. I was told that his early recordings were self-produced and not to be cruel but he was no more qualified to be a record producer than any other randomly-chosen classical musician of the 1960s. So, I was told, the session tapes were not very editable because the piano was tuned before the session and then the tuner did not stay around to touch up the tuning every 20 minutes or so.

It is possible that the last of his recordings were produced and engineered by David Hancock; and I do know at least that they admired each other.

David Hancock was a very good pianist but he really had no performing career to speak of, whereas Goldsmith did.

So you can he whether the fuss is justified, here is a YT of Beethoven's Piano sonata n°21 op 53 in C major.

Get your own valid XHTML YouTube embed code

I have to confess that Harris Goldsmith was an early supporter and encourager of John Marks Records, and I will always treasure his review of Arturo Delmoni's recording with Yuri Funihashi of the sonatas of Brahms (1) and Amy Beach:

"The Brahms begins with an arching, patient nobility which proves to be the keynote of both interpretations. Delmoni's tone is golden; his phrasing positively eloquent... Magnificent interpretations... uncommon realism..."
-- Harris Goldsmith, Fi magazine

I think that Goode was a superstar household name (did not Reader's Digest advertise and sell his LVB sonatas as a set?) compared to Harris G.

FWIW & YMMV.

JM

RE: Richard Goode and Claudio Arrau looked up to Harris Goldsmith, posted on November 19, 2014 at 08:57:59
ahendler Audiophile Posts: 5151 Location: San Antonio, Texas Joined: January 24, 2003	Ivan Moravich is an excellent pianist who tends to be over looked Alan

Yes, but..., posted on November 19, 2014 at 09:09:08

John Marks
Manufacturer

Posts: 7806
Location: Peoples' Democratic Republic of R.I.
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Moravec might have been less of a popular star than, say, Helene Grimaud, but, he had a very respectable international career, was the star pianist for his country's label (during the old regime) and has a substantial discography from the early 1960s through 1990s, most of which is still in print.

One decisive factoid is that Moravec's 1964 NYC debut was not some self-funded recital at Town Hall, but rather a concerto performance with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra (I have to assume at Carnegie Hall).

Moravec was in Phillips' suitcase-sized boxed set "Great Pianists of the 20th Century" with 2 CDs. That's not quite being in the Federal Witness Protection Program, Pianists Division.

I think that what the OP wanted was "Joyce Hatto, but without the fraud."

I think that anyone knowing enough about the piano repertoire who auditioned the Goldsmith Beethoven YT I put up blind, would say, "Wow, who was THAT!"

No excuses needed and no stories to tell.

ATB,

John

If we're talking about being consigned to relative obscurity, in comparison to contemporaries, I'd, posted on November 19, 2014 at 09:42:21

tinear
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Posts: 65782
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have to say Solomon.
Edwin Fischer similarly would be almost unmentioned by today's commentators.
Wanda Landowska, too.
Lastly, I'd include Guiomar Novaes and Geza Anda. I'm a bit loathe to include them, because I grew up hearing their interpretations of Chopin and, therefore, I'm unable really to judge them very objectively. Still, I enjoy their musicianship to this day and almost never read references or see their names in any lists.

Most underrated at what?, posted on November 19, 2014 at 11:04:12
Amphissa Audiophile Posts: 2717 Location: Zardoz Joined: March 9, 2004	Underrated in what repertoire? I've not heard any pianist who is equally fabulous playing Beethoven, Scriabin, Debussy, Liszt, Chopin, Albeniz, Bach and Rachmaninoff. "Life without music is a mistake" (Nietzsche)

Dino Ciani, like Kapell..., posted on November 19, 2014 at 11:27:43
Poles Apart Audiophile Posts: 280 Joined: June 25, 2012	...killed at an early age in a travel accident. And Dubravka Tomšič. And Annie Fischer, although she's pretty well known. Finally, from behind the old iron curtain, Maria Judina.

tin - you often think in peculiar ways, posted on November 19, 2014 at 11:32:38
Chris from Lafayette Audiophile Posts: 26483 Location: SF Bay Area Joined: February 17, 2004 Contributor Since: February 6, 2012	All those folks you mentioned are well known - even Solomon and even Fischer. Which "commentators" did you have in mind?

The community library I do volunteer work for has some Solomon LPs, posted on November 19, 2014 at 11:43:11

John Marks
Manufacturer

Posts: 7806
Location: Peoples' Democratic Republic of R.I.
Joined: April 23, 2000

The LPs are from a large (> 1,000 items) donated collection. They are not ex-Library.

I recall at least one boxed set of Solomon LPs. There's lots of Gieseking.

If anyone wants me to look for the Solomon set, email me via AA.

Prices negotiable, we want quantity orders, so we will give quantity discounts.

NB, all proceeds go to literacy programs for young people in a poor neighborhood. So I don't think that this violates the spirit of the Asylum's rules.

ATB,

JM

RE: Dino Ciani, like Kapell..., posted on November 19, 2014 at 11:46:13

Chris from Lafayette
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I think you're right about Ciani - slipping away from our collective consciousness, although there certainly have been a number recordings of his playing. With Tomšič, I tend to think of her as a similar pianist to Jeno Jando - someone who has recorded wide swaths of repertoire at a pretty high level, and, on occasion, can even get to some pretty exalted peaks. (Love her Scarlatti sonatas BTW!)

Fischer and Yudina I would say are pretty well known - I just saw an interesting biography of the latter on Youtube, which I can't seem to embed here because it uses the "iframe" tag. Link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF03KVIsrns

Ernst Levy, posted on November 19, 2014 at 12:12:24

rbolaw

The Levys were friends of my family, in fact his wife was my first piano teacher. They were wonderful people and most kind to young children. Alas, he retired and they moved back to Switzerland when I will still very young.
I might be the only person here who even knew his name, though he had a distinguished career as a composer, pianist, teacher and conductor (he led the first Paris performance of Brahms' German Requiem), had Ward Marston not reissued his piano recordings, made mostly in the 1950s while he was teaching at MIT, under the catchy title, "Forgotten Genius". Some of this material may be a bit uneven (some of it live and no doubt not intended for commercial release) but I sure can recommend his late Beethoven sonatas.
I rediscovered him thanks to David Dubal's radio program.

Radu Lupu for living pianists; Samuel Feinberg for deceased., posted on November 19, 2014 at 14:57:57
semuta Audiophile Posts: 2137 Location: northern california Joined: December 4, 2002	Feinberg never left his home country, which perhaps explains his inclusion on my list. Lupu doesn't record or tour much, which explains his inclusion. Lupu's recording of Schubert's Impromptus is unsurpassed.

Agreed!, posted on November 19, 2014 at 15:13:44
dvb Audiophile Posts: 2444 Location: Vancouver Joined: August 18, 2000	While there are other worthy candidates, I could not disagree with choosing these two.

Living: Arnaldo Cohen, Deceased: Antonio Barbosa..., posted on November 19, 2014 at 16:47:29
Todd Krieger Audiophile Posts: 37333 Location: SW United States Joined: November 2, 2000	Both pianists happen to be from Brazil....

In the world of jazz, posted on November 19, 2014 at 19:32:49
Mike K Audiophile Posts: 13976 Location: 97701 Joined: September 23, 1999	it's Paul Smith. Lack of skill dictates economy of style. - Joey Ramone

Thanks, John. I'd very much be interested, , posted on November 19, 2014 at 19:43:32
tinear Audiophile Posts: 65782 Location: Kansas City, KS Joined: April 9, 2006	but vinyl went the way of my high school sweetheart: out the door for good.

From you, that's a compliment. Please, feel free to list all the commentary you've read w/in the past 15 years, posted on November 19, 2014 at 19:44:52
tinear Audiophile Posts: 65782 Location: Kansas City, KS Joined: April 9, 2006	that mentions any of those. On your honor as a gentleman, no googling, either.

RE: . . . Please, feel free to list all the commentary you've read w/in the past 15 years, posted on November 19, 2014 at 20:55:52

Chris from Lafayette
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Well, for one thing, recordings by the artists you mention are reissued at certain intervals and then get reviewed in various publications. I haven't read Fanfare or ARG for decades; however, more recently, I've been keeping in touch with BBC Music Magazine and the Gramophone (especially when one or the other is honoring a babe musician of the month!), and I do see these reissues of recordings by the artists you mentioned reviewed. In the case of the Gramophone, these types of reviews used to fall mainly to Bryce Morrison, one of the most shameless critics ever to appear in a periodical. (He didn't seem to care for Ingrid Haebler's Mozart Sonatas, until they were reissued under Joyce Hatto's name!) In any case, Morrison and the other British record reviewers definitely pay their obeisances to all the names you mentioned.

I also check online sources, such as Music Web International, Classics Today, and Audiophile Audition (which, despite its name, covers reissued recordings fairly extensively). For instance, checking Solomon on Classics Today (no Google search - just a search on the site!), I turned up 15 different reviews - I think mostly by Jed Distler - which seem pretty fair to me: the performance ratings range anywhere from 5/10 to 10/10, while the SQ ratings range from from 3/10 to 8/10. (I think that one 8/10 SQ rating is a little generous!) On MWI, I found only about 10 reviews. Still, that hardly indicates that he's been forgotten. I found only a couple of Solomon reviews on Audiophile Audition.

I sometimes like Solomon too for his straight-ahead, unfussy renditions of a lot of repertoire. (I think I still may have his recording of the Hammerklavier Sonata, despite the slightly flinty SQ.)

"… forgotten." Not the topic. Underrated is the contest. And I assume the original poster didn't mean, posted on November 20, 2014 at 05:52:14

tinear
Audiophile

Posts: 65782
Location: Kansas City, KS
Joined: April 9, 2006

by little known/read "critics." Of course, he meant by the consumers of classical music. In that population, I think it's safe to say that Solomon and the others I've mentioned have fallen from contemporary discussion. That just seems like a normal state of affairs. It obtains across other art forms, as well. The films of the Danish master Carl Th. Dreyer, for instance, have been forgotten except for the rare reference by film magazine critics…
Anyhow, enough on this! Time to do an online search for provocative female classical musicians...

RE: "… forgotten." Not the topic. Underrated is the contest. And I assume the original poster didn't mean, posted on November 20, 2014 at 10:17:47

Chris from Lafayette
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Posts: 26483
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Joined: February 17, 2004
Contributor
Since: February 6, 2012

I see - so you were convinced by our discussion below and you no longer trust the critics? ;-)

If you're just talking about the classical music "consumers" among the public at large, then I would agree with you. However, many of these folks can't even remember who the soloists were during the previous season, much less have a "contemporary discussion" about musicians who died 50 years ago! Also, these are not the people who are writing the "commentary" you asked for in your previous post, and which I very graciously supplied references to. ;-)

In any case, I daresay most of the posters on this board are music consumers, and, IIRC, we've had discussions from time to time which referenced all the names you mentioned.

Ah yes - provocative female musicians: now for someone who REALLY seems to be forgotten, I've got to check up on Oxana Shevchenko, whose 2010 recording of the Liszt-Busoni "Fantasia on Two Themes from Mozart's 'The Marriage of Figaro'" was deemed superior (by one of those worthless critics!) even to the great Egon Petri's. I guess one is more easily underrated and/or forgotten when one's home country is Kazhakstan!

RE: If we're talking about being consigned to relative obscurity, in comparison to contemporaries, I'd, posted on November 20, 2014 at 15:59:20
PAR	It depends where you are speaking from. Here in the UK Solomon is most certainly not obscure. Edwin Fischer is often mentioned by our critics (being Brendel's teacher, so it isn't surprising). As for Wanda Landowska, as a pianist I guess that you are right. However her reputation as a harpsichordist remains pretty vibrant.

RE: Radu Lupu for living pianists; Samuel Feinberg for deceased., posted on November 20, 2014 at 21:37:57
afro18 Audiophile Posts: 630 Location: NorthEast Ohio Joined: December 1, 2003	I am still in shock at the beauty of Feinberg's early Piano Sonatas.....and have heard him write the book on some of the WTC of Bach. So, I agree. :-) Marty N.

RE: The most underrated pianist?, posted on November 20, 2014 at 21:40:04
afro18 Audiophile Posts: 630 Location: NorthEast Ohio Joined: December 1, 2003	You hit the nail right on the head !! Goode's Beethoven is IMHO the best overall boxset. Never too slow, never too fast, never too dramatic, never too rigid.....it's almost mathematically right for all 32. NONESUCH -- REISSUE THIS BOXSET ON CD RATHER THAN JUST MP3 !!! Marty N.

RE: The most underrated pianist?, posted on November 21, 2014 at 09:36:18
Eldragon	Thanks for the info...I learned about R. Goode through his Bach Partita's - in my opinion, the best interpretations. Throughout years I've collected known and unknown pianists (including Gould) and I prefer Goode over all.

RE: The most underrated pianist?, posted on November 21, 2014 at 09:58:56

audio845
Audiophile

Posts: 86
Joined: November 19, 2002

I would suggest Walter Klien. Not forgotten since he recorded a lot but the recordings don't begin to do him justice. The finest concert I've ever heard (and I've been to a lot) was Klien playing Mozart, Brahms, and Beethoven's Op. 111 back in the 70's. At the end of Op. 111 everyone just sat there for a good 30-40 seconds and contemplated the universe.

Maria Tipo is another pianist that I've come across lately who should be much better known.

There are a lot of underrated pianists out there - it's fun to discover them.

Goode is not one of my favorites though, last time I heard him live he was just going through the motions. I walked out at intermission. A great talent but needs to get back on track.

Charlie

RE: The most underrated pianist? -- Goode . . ., posted on November 23, 2014 at 16:49:45

goldenthal
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may have been underrated in his earlier career. I first heard him live in 1962 -- he played the big Schubert D+ so well that I could compare him, on that piece, only to Schnabel. After that, he seemed to vanish from the scene while lesser lights (e.g., Malcolm Frager, Peter Serkin, & al.) appeared to have careers. Then he reappeared in the '8os with Schubert, Beethoven and Mozart. I think he is properly regarded now as one of the greatest Schubert interpreters. His Mozart is lovely, and though I don't favour his late Beethoven, all the rest he does with both (emotional) muscle and great sensitivity.

Now here's a name for your "underrated" list -- Peter Katin, especially for Rachmaninoff and Chopin.

Jeremy

RE: Most underrated at what?, posted on November 23, 2014 at 17:20:05
goldenthal Audiophile Posts: 1001 Location: Ontario Joined: March 28, 2003	Correct, and Harummph! Jeremy

RE: Richard Goode and Claudio Arrau looked up to Harris Goldsmith, posted on November 23, 2014 at 17:23:56
goldenthal Audiophile Posts: 1001 Location: Ontario Joined: March 28, 2003	Not that this is important, but less than lapidary in my book. Jeremy

RE: Richard Goode and Claudio Arrau looked up to Harris Goldsmith, posted on November 24, 2014 at 16:24:01
bald2 Audiophile Posts: 338 Location: Oregon Joined: January 21, 2006	Nikita Magaloff, Guiomar Novaes, Sergio Fiorentino, Roger Woodward, Nelson Friere, Grant Johanneson, Artur Balsam, Paul Jacobs, Gina Bachauer, Tatiana Nikoleyeva, Stephen Bishop Kovacevich, Julius Katchen... the list goes on and on. Not to mention many great accommpanists like Gerald Moore, Jorg Demus, Geoffrey Parsons, Graham Johnson and more.

RE: Living: Arnaldo Cohen, Deceased: Antonio Barbosa..., posted on November 24, 2014 at 16:27:47
bald2 Audiophile Posts: 338 Location: Oregon Joined: January 21, 2006	Cohen is wonderful! He is the head of our Portland Piano International Festival here in rainy Oregon, and what a fine player he is. Incredibly musical and technically fluid. Having heard supposedly great players over the years, I would take his playing any day over Goode, Brendel and many other so called "greats." One man's meat...

RE: Ernst Levy, posted on November 25, 2014 at 07:24:19
dcharvonia Audiophile Posts: 74 Location: Virginia Joined: September 15, 2008	I was going to chime in with Levy myself. His Unicorn records of the Liszt and late Beethoven sonatas are technically and emotionally overwhelming. In addition the recordings (all mono) were engineered by Peter Bartok in a very natural acoustic. Really some of the best piano recordings I've ever heard.

Moravec. nt, posted on November 25, 2014 at 21:19:25
jdaniel@jps.net	.

Lipatti (nt, posted on November 27, 2014 at 03:17:33
genungo	.

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The most underrated pianist?

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