Music Lane

Posted by kuma (A) on November 27, 2014 at 19:12:59

In Reply to: RE: Forget overrated or underrated. Who are you personal favorite pianists past and present live and recorded posted by Analog Scott on November 26, 2014 at 19:10:21

As of today:
Gould - for his Beethoven Piano Concert No.1's wonderful original cadenza which I never get tired of listening
Richter - for Mousorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition: my reference. After listen to this, orchestrated versions feel wrong
Weissenbeg - for Bach Chromatic Fantasy & Fugue
Perahia - for his Schubert and Mozart Rondos
Lipatti - For his Bach Nun Komm', Der Heiden Heiland and his last recording with Ansermet
Michelangelli - for his Chopin Ballad No.1 and Ravel Concerto for left hand
Paul Lewis - for his Beethoven Piano Concerto Cycle. Looking forward to hear him play the Emperor soon.
Backhaus - for his Beethoven Piano Concerto Cycle with Schmidt-Isserstedt and 'Les Adieux'
Rudolf Serkin - for his playful Mozart concertos on Columbia
Novaes - for her bouncy Beethoven Sonata 'Waldstein'.
Pollini- for his later Chopin and Mozart pieces. He mellowed out a lot in his older age and enjoyed his recitals in spite a few misplaying. Funny that I did not find him analytical or cold.
Gulda - for his fluid and rhythmic Beethoven and Mozart Concerts. Plus his own cello concerto with Henrik Schiff. A strong sense of improv and esprit!
Wilhelm Kempff - for his Beethoven sonatas and Piano Concerto No.4 with Leitner
Moravec - for his Beethoven Piano Concerto no.4
Geiseking - for his Debussy Suite Bergamasque and Emperor Concerto with Galliera
Zimerman - for his Ravel Concertos with Boulez and Chopin Piano Concertos
Gilels - for Brahms Piano Concerto NO.2 with Reiner
György Sandor - for Brahms Piano Concerto
Ashkenazy - for Brahms Piano Concerto No.2 with Haitink
Horowitz - Tchaikovsky No1 with Toscanini most of his Chopin pieces
Ingolf Wunder - for his Chopin pieces
Argerich - Chopin Preludes and Prokofieff pieces as well as unusual programming for her Lugano Festivals which I enjoy as well as discovering new tunes and arrangements
Rubinstein - for his Chopin it's like wearing comfy old pair of shoes
Witold Mulcuzinski - for his Chopin Waltzes and Muzurkas Least flower. More canons.
Entremont - for his jazzy Gershwin's Concerto in F & Rhapsody in Blue with Ormandy
Samson Francois - for his Chopin pieces
Annie Fischer - for her Mozart NO. 20
Fazil Say - for his Mozart concertos as well as Stravinsky's Le Sacre for great improvisation skills
Robert Cassadesus - for his Mozart No. 18
Clara Haskil - for her Mozart pieces
Pletnev - for his Carnegie Debut CD. Not sure he has topped this one since then.
Bishop - the king of bland but I like some of his Mozart Concertos with Davis
Pires - for some of her Mozart Concertos
Janis - for his Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.2 with Dorati
Rafael Orozco - for Rachmaninoff Piano Concert No.3
Brendel - for Pre Phillips Vox Schubert Impromptus
Andreas Staier - for his Schubert pieces on a piano forte
Graffman - for his Horowitz-esque Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 with Szell.
Thiboudet - for his 'Conversation with Bill Evans' CD.
Arrau - for his Debussy Images
Anna Vinnitskaya - for her Ravel Piano Concerto in G Hoping she'll be more active soon

My latest addition to the list is Edwin Fischer's Bach Piano Concertos. He's not super accurate but love his spontaneity.

I haven't connected with too many young players yet. ( both in recording and live concerts ) But that's probably due to my main source of software is Vinyl.

Edits: 11/27/14   11/27/14   11/27/14   11/27/14