What I listened to today

[Rach3]

He apparently was quite put off by the studio recording process and never made another disc after his Liszt and Ravel releases.

Yes, a pity. I did hear his Ravel "Miroirs" on YT. Very fine, but I prefer a couple others, especially Rana's.

[maestrob]

He apparently was quite put off by the studio recording process and never made another disc after his Liszt and Ravel releases.

Yes, a pity. I did hear his Ravel "Miroirs" on YT. Very fine, but I prefer a couple others, especially Rana's.

Agree totally, but Nojima's is worthy of great respect, as are, say, Pogorelich, for example, not to mention Perlemuter (mono).

I plan on hearing this 2012 CD later today, as it's rated 5 stars by 11 reviewers on Amazon. Never heard of her.....

[Rach3]

I plan on hearing this 2012 CD later today, as it's rated 5 stars by 11 reviewers on Amazon. Never heard of her.....

I’ll be interested in your opinion.I have heard her in several radio broadcasts of solo and concerto recitals , had mixed reactions, but have not heard her in Ravel that I can recall. Frankly, would not expect Ravel to be a strength of hers, but I may be wrong.

[maestrob]

As an introduction to Vinnetskaya's art, this is a magnificent example.

I plan on hearing her other recordings on Spotify in the coming days, and buying this Ravel CD.

Five enthusiastic stars!

[Rach3]

Liszt Rhapsodies,historical performances.

Rubinstein:

10th Rhapsody in 1937 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y53M-FtpHk4
12th Rhapsody in 1910 ( very abbreviated ) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5aX2LqEJhw

Horowitz :

6th Rhapsody, live 1947,Carnegie Hall, never released (?) per YT poster :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFIpzG9TgDU

[maestrob]

Pianist Steven Osborne live at Wigmore Hall June 21. If you are in a mood for Debussy solo piano, some familiar, some not :

Debussy: Ballade slave
Debussy: Suite Bergamasque
Debussy: Two Arabesques
Debussy: Images oubliées
Debussy: La plus que lente
Debussy: Elegie
Debussy: Pièce pour le vêtement du blesse
Debussy: Les soirs illuminés par l'ardeur du charbon

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000x6m3

I haven't heard Steven Osborne in quite a while, and he has developed a magical touch that suits Debussy perfectly, at least in this concert. I must explore him more.

Many thanks, Rach3! This was very, very fine.

[Wallingford]

Roussel's Le festin d'aragniee (Leibowitz)
A movement of an unfinished piano trio of Grieg
Rochberg's Sym. #2 (Torkanowsky)

[Rach3]

Medtner’s “Acht Stimmungsbilder “ , Op.1, the late Geoffrey Tozer, pianist ,Chandos cd:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brjBNTJitEM ( 20 minutes , audio with score )

I have a couple of these on another cd, different pianist.

[maestrob]

Medtner’s “Acht Stimmungsbilder “ , Op.1, the late Geoffrey Tozer, pianist ,Chandos cd:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brjBNTJitEM ( 20 minutes , audio with score )

I have a couple of these on another cd, different pianist.

Australian pianist Jeffrey Tozer is surely one of the most under-appreciated keyboard artists of his generation. I've long admired his recordings of Medtner's Piano Concertos (2CD set) with Neeme Jarvi and play them often but have not until now taken the time to explore most of Medtner's solo works. I stayed with the three sets on youtube as they loaded, each more inventive than the last, so many thanks for opening my ears once again! Much of this is available on amazon without commercials, so I will return to this repertoire again during the coming days, and probably add several of his CDs to my over-stuffed shelves. Just can't resist!

Tozer is a real winner, full of fine insights into whatever he plays, IMHO. Many thanks!

Am currently sampling a collection of Skrowaczewski's 90th birthday commemorative box on Spotify: at the moment, Bruckner's (his specialty) Second Symphony.

[Rach3]

Tozer is a real winner, full of fine insights into whatever he plays, IMHO. Many thanks!

Tozer was wonderful Aussie pianist, tragically shortened life. I have his Chandos set of the complete Medtner Piano Sonatas, very rewarding,large scaled music, suggest perhaps starting with the Op.5, Op.27, and Op. 30 Sonatas.He studied with Schnabel,and recorded Schnabel’s Dance Suite and Piano Sonata on a Chandos cd I have, interesting music,the Suite very approachable, the Sonata Ives-ian.All these at YT I believe.

[premont]

Tozer was wonderful Aussie pianist, tragically shortened life. He studied with Schnabel,and recorded Schnabel’s Dance Suite and Piano Sonata on a Chandos cd I have, interesting music,the Suite very approachable, the Sonata Ives-ian.All these at YT I believe.

Tozer couldn't study with Schnabel, as he was born 3 years after Schnabel had passed.

[Rach3]

Tozer couldn't study with Schnabel, as he was born 3 years after Schnabel had passed.

You are correct, I mis-spoke. Tozer studied with , among others, one Maria Curcio, said to be Schnabel's last and favorite pupil.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Tozer

[Rach3]

Liszt Rhapsodies,historical performances.

Rubinstein:

10th Rhapsody in 1937 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y53M-FtpHk4
12th Rhapsody in 1910 ( very abbreviated ) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5aX2LqEJhw

Horowitz :

6th Rhapsody, live 1947,Carnegie Hall, never released (?) per YT poster :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFIpzG9TgDU

Martha Argerich at 25, Munich,1966, live video, Liszt Rhapsody # 6:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhInwkq4nAw

[Wallingford]

Several nights ago I had a re-hearing of the Ernest Bour recording of Ravel's L'Enfant et les Sortileges. Last time I sort-of grudgingly gave this one the edge over my long-time favorite, Ansermet. I'd long considered Bour's strong point as one of the greatest phonographic achievements of its time and that he gave better characterization to the many effects in the score, but now I think Ansermet's is more of an actual piece of music, so he regains my partiality. The one remaining problem for me is the chorus of frogs at the start of the second scene. Whenever I look at the score I can't equate all the choral parts to what emerges on any recording.

[Rach3]

Shostakovich String Quartet # 8 and Tchaikovsky Piano Trio,Op.50 ( along with his Symphonies 2 and 5 the Trio the only other PIT work I really enjoy ) in live performances with a distinguished cast July1 in Utrecht:

https://www.nporadio4.nl/concerten/9797 ... al-utrecht

[maestrob]

Shostakovich String Quartet # 8 and Tchaikovsky Piano Trio,Op.50 ( along with the Symphonies 2 and 5 the Trio the only other PIT work I really enjoy ) in live performances with a distinguished cast July1 in Utrecht:

https://www.nporadio4.nl/concerten/9797 ... al-utrecht

This looks interesting, thanks!

Happy Fourth, Rach3! You'll have a PM in a few moments....

[Rach3]

Konstantin Adzhemov ( 1911 - ? ) plays Rachmaninoff's First Piano Sonata:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdUfQII5XTQ

An extraordinary reading of one of my fav solo piano works.

[jserraglio]

Richard Wagner
Das Rheingold - compleet
Radio Filharmonisch Orkest
Edo de Waart
Roger Roloff [Wotan - bariton] & John Del Carlo [Donner - bas-bariton] & Hein Meens [Froh - tenor] & William Lewis [Loge - tenor] & jard van Nes [Fricka - mezzosopraan] & Andrea Trauboth [Freia & Woglinde - sopraan] & Reinhild Runkel [Erda - mezzosopraan]

https://www.nporadio4.nl/online-radio-l ... n/gedraaid

[maestrob]

Richard Wagner
Das Rheingold - compleet
Radio Filharmonisch Orkest
Edo de Waart
Roger Roloff [Wotan - bariton] & John Del Carlo [Donner - bas-bariton] & Hein Meens [Froh - tenor] & William Lewis [Loge - tenor] & jard van Nes [Fricka - mezzosopraan] & Andrea Trauboth [Freia & Woglinde - sopraan] & Reinhild Runkel [Erda - mezzosopraan]

https://www.nporadio4.nl/online-radio-l ... n/gedraaid

The only singer I know here is William Lewis, but I'll be tuning in for my opera day next week. Many thanks, Joe!

[maestrob]

Konstantin Adzhemov ( 1911 - ? ) plays Rachmaninoff's First Piano Sonata:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdUfQII5XTQ

An extraordinary reading of one of my fav solo piano works.

Don't know Adzhemov at all, so this will be a must-hear for me this afternoon. Many thanks, Steve!

[Rach3]

Hans Gal,Violin Sonata,Op.17, Nurit Pracht,Konstantin Lifschitz, Nimbus cd “The Emigre Composers”.

Also found the Sonata at YT, although a different recording than my cd above.


https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=O ... k9zKxr-FQg

[Rach3]

Don't know Adzhemov at all, so this will be a must-hear for me this afternoon. Many thanks, Steve!

Adzhemov was new to me as well. His teacher Igumnov apparently gave the premiere of the Sonata in 1908.

Per Discogs:

Constantine Adzhemov (1911–1985) was a Soviet pianist, musicologist, critic, and music educator of the Armenian descent, an Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1984). He graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in 1937 after studying with Konstantin Igumnov and received a PhD degree in "chamber ensemble" and "history of pianism" in 1940. Since 1944, Adzhemov had been working as Alexander Goedicke assistant at the Organ and Chamber Ensemble Chair in Conservatory. He also taught piano at the Gnessin Musical College since 1953. Constantine Adzhemov worked as a music editor at the All-Union Radio in 1941–58 and hosted various radio shows since the middle of the fifties.

[maestrob]

Don't know Adzhemov at all, so this will be a must-hear for me this afternoon. Many thanks, Steve!

Adzhemov was new to me as well. His teacher Igumnov apparently gave the premiere of the Sonata in 1908.

Per Discogs:

Constantine Adzhemov (1911–1985) was a Soviet pianist, musicologist, critic, and music educator of the Armenian descent, an Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1984). He graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in 1937 after studying with Konstantin Igumnov and received a PhD degree in "chamber ensemble" and "history of pianism" in 1940. Since 1944, Adzhemov had been working as Alexander Goedicke assistant at the Organ and Chamber Ensemble Chair in Conservatory. He also taught piano at the Gnessin Musical College since 1953. Constantine Adzhemov worked as a music editor at the All-Union Radio in 1941–58 and hosted various radio shows since the middle of the fifties.

Interesting, thanks! I can't find any recordings on either Spotify or Amazon, so I'll be glad to try this one.

Right now I'm auditioning "Rapa Nui Odyssey." Hearing it for the second time, I recommend a hearing. Mahani Teave is incredibly talented and makes only one misjudgement IMHO: the B section of the Chopin Scherzo is just too slow. She's close, but no cigar. It's a wonderful recital on two discs, and well worth the time you'll spend on it if you haven't already.

[maestrob]

Hans Gal,Violin Sonata,Op.17, Nurit Pracht,Konstantin Lifschitz, Nimbus cd “The Emigre Composers”.

Also found the Sonata at YT, although a different recording than my cd above.


https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=O ... k9zKxr-FQg

This was my first exposure to Hans Gal, other than some of his very tuneful lieder. Amazon is out of stock on this 2010 CD, which I suspect is OOP, but Spotify has it (Amazon does not even stream it, although they stream many others by Gal.), so I've saved it to my library. The third movement of the violin sonata (Adagio) is especially fine.

I will be exploring more of Gal's work in the coming days. I enjoy this kind of repertoire, along with other forgotten composers of the early 20th Century, including Joseph Marx & Theodore Dubois:




Many thanks, Rach3!

[Wallingford]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaX4ovTxQb4

Being in a masochistic mood the other night, I decided I'd hear Cortot's 1953 rendition of Schumann's Etudes symphoniques. I'd heard all of the few recordings he did that year, and I'm surprised how accurate most of it was....not so the finale, tho'.

I'll give him credit, tho', for nailing the final chord (you couldn't say the same for his Carnaval, which was issued with the Etudes on the other side of some releases).

[Wallingford]

Schumann's Piano Quintet, played by Jesus Maria Sanroma, with Shapiro, Shumsky, Gingold, & Primrose

An ideal chamber work, done by an ideal team.

[maestrob]

Konstantin Adzhemov ( 1911 - ? ) plays Rachmaninoff's First Piano Sonata:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdUfQII5XTQ

An extraordinary reading of one of my fav solo piano works.

Adzhemov is a pianists' pianist. He is really only the second artist to find both the lyrical and the virtuosic qualities of Rachmaninoff's First Sonata, which is usually played with little respect and no depth. I've bookmarked this link and plan on returning to it more than a few times. Good sound for a Russian recording(?)-maybe the LP was pressed in the West, as it sounds too good to be a Melodiya product.

Many thanks, Steve!

[Rach3]

I've bookmarked this link and plan on returning to it more than a few times. Good sound for a Russian recording(?)-maybe the LP was pressed in the West, as it sounds too good to be a Melodiya product.

Adzhemov approaches with reverence the playing of the Sonata, almost a religious experience.

Apparently was one of Melodiya's better efforts:

https://www.popsike.com/ADZHEMOV-KONSTA ... 29183.html

[maestrob]

I've bookmarked this link and plan on returning to it more than a few times. Good sound for a Russian recording(?)-maybe the LP was pressed in the West, as it sounds too good to be a Melodiya product.

Adzhemov approaches with reverence the playing of the Sonata, almost a religious experience.

Apparently was one of Melodiya's better efforts:

https://www.popsike.com/ADZHEMOV-KONSTA ... 29183.html

Well, I'm impressed! Now I've scheduled Howard Shelley's recording from 1982 for my listening tomorrow, my first choice up to now. I have the feeling that Adzhemov actually has even more depth & maturity in his interpretation, as Shelley was quite a bit younger.

[Rach3]

Well, I'm impressed! Now I've scheduled Howard Shelley's recording from 1982 for my listening tomorrow, my first choice up to now. I have the feeling that Adzhemov actually has even more depth & maturity in his interpretation, as Shelley was quite a bit younger.

No obligation ,obviously, but thanks for listening ! My first choice, until hearing Adzhemov’s First Sonata, had been John Ogdon’s 1968 recording of the First for RCA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L3vHqM7EQ4 ( Ogdon,Audio and score )

Ogdon’s a completely different concept, apparent from the very first 8 bars, Ogdon’s the Rachmaninoff of the 3rd Concerto, Op.16,# 6 , Adzhemov’s the Rachmaninoff of the Cello Sonata, Op.32, # 10. Glad to have both, but if only one, Adzhemov may be the more convincing. Perhaps significant that I dont think Rachmaninoff played the First Sonata in recitals after leaving Russia, but did play his very different 2nd Sonata. Compare them also in the climax of the first mov. of First Sonata, the terrifying score from about 5:00 in to about 8:00 on the Ogdon YT , and Adzhemov's more transcendent Andante.

[maestrob]

Well, I'm impressed! Now I've scheduled Howard Shelley's recording from 1982 for my listening tomorrow, my first choice up to now. I have the feeling that Adzhemov actually has even more depth & maturity in his interpretation, as Shelley was quite a bit younger.

No obligation ,obviously, but thanks for listening ! My first choice, until hearing Adzhemov’s First Sonata, had been John Ogdon’s 1968 recording of the First for RCA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L3vHqM7EQ4 ( Ogdon,Audio and score )

Ogdon’s a completely different concept, apparent from the very first 8 bars, Ogdon’s the Rachmaninoff of the 3rd Concerto, Op.16,# 6 , Adzhemov’s the Rachmaninoff of the Cello Sonata, Op.32, # 10. Glad to have both, but if only one, Adzhemov may be the more convincing. Perhaps significant that I dont think Rachmaninoff played the First Sonata in recitals after leaving Russia, but did play his very different 2nd Sonata. Compare them also in the climax of the first mov. of First Sonata, the terrifying score from about 5:00 in to about 8:00 on the Ogdon YT , and Adzhemov's more transcendent Andante.

Listened to Howard Shelley this morning. The CDs I have are now terribly discolored on the printed side and have been deteriorating for 20 years. The first Sonata played well, but the Second was plagued by interruptions, so I switched to the MAM-A gold CD copy I made of the complete cycle decades ago, and it's playing Sonata II fine.

Shelley's approach is, as I remembered, quite powerful and with its own beauty, but I missed the truly personal involvement of Adzhemov's personal connection to the music. Shelley's performance is quite insightful & lyrical when it needs to be, though, so I would still reward it five stars. I also have Pizarro & Berezovsky on CD: the Pizarro is available on Spotify now, but only Volume III of his complete Rachmaninoff recordings is offered by them so far.

I'll listen to Ogdon, which interests me very much, tomorrow, when my ears have cleared from hearing Shelley.

Got a lot of Beethoven to rip to the cloud today as well.

[maestrob]

Richard Wagner
Das Rheingold - compleet
Radio Filharmonisch Orkest
Edo de Waart
Roger Roloff [Wotan - bariton] & John Del Carlo [Donner - bas-bariton] & Hein Meens [Froh - tenor] & William Lewis [Loge - tenor] & jard van Nes [Fricka - mezzosopraan] & Andrea Trauboth [Freia & Woglinde - sopraan] & Reinhild Runkel [Erda - mezzosopraan]

https://www.nporadio4.nl/online-radio-l ... n/gedraaid

The only singer I know here is William Lewis, but I'll be tuning in for my opera day next week. Many thanks, Joe!

Looks like this link goes to a live broadcast, so I wasn't able to hear the Rheingold. Instead, I put on my ex-semifinalist, Robin Johannsen singing Handel/Vinci for a brighter morning!

Thanks for trying!

[maestrob]

Berezovsky isn't always the most insightful of keyboard artists, but his recording of Rachmaninoff's First Sonata is quite well done. He seems to relate well to the youthful virtuosity of the composer and has a keen understanding of the architecture of the piece. Upon rehearing, I enjoyed both Berezovsky's sensitive lyricism and his range of colors: he never bangs to make a point, while his tender moments flow very well. This is one of the best readings of the sonata that I've heard, and one of the best pieces in Berezovsky's complete 9CD Teldec recorded repertoire.

I plan on hearing John Ogdon tomorrow.

[maestrob]

Well, I'm impressed! Now I've scheduled Howard Shelley's recording from 1982 for my listening tomorrow, my first choice up to now. I have the feeling that Adzhemov actually has even more depth & maturity in his interpretation, as Shelley was quite a bit younger.

No obligation ,obviously, but thanks for listening ! My first choice, until hearing Adzhemov’s First Sonata, had been John Ogdon’s 1968 recording of the First for RCA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L3vHqM7EQ4 ( Ogdon,Audio and score )

Ogdon’s a completely different concept, apparent from the very first 8 bars, Ogdon’s the Rachmaninoff of the 3rd Concerto, Op.16,# 6 , Adzhemov’s the Rachmaninoff of the Cello Sonata, Op.32, # 10. Glad to have both, but if only one, Adzhemov may be the more convincing. Perhaps significant that I dont think Rachmaninoff played the First Sonata in recitals after leaving Russia, but did play his very different 2nd Sonata. Compare them also in the climax of the first mov. of First Sonata, the terrifying score from about 5:00 in to about 8:00 on the Ogdon YT , and Adzhemov's more transcendent Andante.

Yes to all your comments, but I have more reservations about the very young John Ogdon (it is from 1968, after all!) than you do, I think. While Ogdon displays terrific technical mastery and some lyricism, he lacks both the depth of Shelley, Berezovsky, Lugansky (which I'm hearing right now on Spotify) and, of course, the personal involvement of Adzhemov. The ever-present hum in the youtube LP upload didn't help my listening experience, of course, but there was also a great deal of Melodiya background noise in the Adzhemov LP, and I'm still drawn to his reading today as much as I was on first hearing. I do wish someone in Russia would dig around and find the original tapes from that 1968 pressing and release them on CD. They really deserve a wider audience than just the few listeners they have attracted so far.

I am totally awed by Adzhemov's sense of personal involvement with this music. There is simply no distance whatever between him and the music. It seems to be growing right out of his soul in some organic fashion.

This has been a fascinating journey. Thanks for starting it!

[Rach3]

This has been a fascinating journey. Thanks for starting it!

Thanks for listening and carrying the journey on !

I acquired the 1968 Ogdon recording shortly after it was issued.I,too was then young ( 20 in 1968 ).In my old age ( 72 ) and having now heard Adzhemov, I still do find Ogdon amazing, almost sui generis, but , after listening to his 1968 again after many years, too often "over the top." The others you mentioned are fine, but I find them uneven or too calculating or unfocused compared to Adzhemov.I went back and listened to Fiorentino's 90's APR cd of mine, and find Fiorentino much closer in approach and spirit to Adzhemov, Fiorentino a bit more extroverted and lush than a more spartan Adzhemov, but both with a reverent approach to the work, both more "organic" as you insightfully note, and both I find more convincing than all the others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNySf9YUf_Y (Fiorentino's )

2013 Cliburn Competition winner Vadym Kholodenko gave a fine reading of the 1st Sonata in one of his Competition recitals, Santiago Rodriguez has made a fine recording, and young Hannes Minnaar another fine recording on his debut cd , but Adzhemov and Fiorentino currently at the top of my list. Pity Adzhemov is not available.

[Rach3]

Nelson Goerner, a pianist I follow, plays Albeniz' " Iberia" , Books3 and 4, live in Brussels,June 27,2021:

https://www.nporadio4.nl/concerten/0a26 ... lt-albeniz

[maestrob]

Nelson Goerner, a pianist I follow, plays Albeniz' " Iberia" , Books3 and 4, live in Brussels,June 27,2021:

https://www.nporadio4.nl/concerten/0a26 ... lt-albeniz

Very tempting!

[jserraglio]

2021-07-13 ARTE
Kaija Saariaho's new opera Innocence - Festival Aix-en-Provence
https://www.arte.tv/fr/videos/097910-00 ... innocence/



My annual Solti Ring, the 1984 CD transfer with no noise reduction. Sounds great.

[Wallingford]

Breaking in a new stylus with some unplayed vinyl:

Beethoven's Piano Sonatas #4, #19 & #28 (Brendel 1)
Mendelssohn's Piano Conc. #1 (Cliburn/Leinsdorf)
Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky (Reiner)
Wagner's Gotterdammerung Immolation Scene (Farrell/Munch)

[maestrob]

Breaking in a new stylus with some unplayed vinyl:

Beethoven's Piano Sonatas #4, #19 & #28 (Brendel 1)
Mendelssohn's Piano Conc. #1 (Cliburn/Leinsdorf)
Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky (Reiner)
Wagner's Gotterdammerung Immolation Scene (Farrell/Munch)

I'll go along with the Farrell/Munch any day! Great idea!

Here it is on youtube from the live performance before the recording in 1957:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65J92UGa_JE

[Wallingford]

Bartok's Cantata Profana (Ferencsik....from the centennial Hungaraton complete edition)https://www.discogs.com/Bart%C3%B3k-B%C ... se/2314884

....also Gershwin's Concerto in F (Sanroma/Fiedler)

[Rach3]

Pianist Evgeny Konnov.

His recital from Girona,Spain,August,2019. I had not heard the “ Tango” nor the “ Fugue”, and enjoy the not oft heard Scriabin Op.65 set. The programme also a daunting technical challenge this 28-year old tossed off with stunning ease, even adding some of his own touches the Horowitz ( if my ears correct ) . So, I had a listen. Glad I did as good musicianship as well.My first hearing of this pianist.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000xz9q

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
March: The Song of the Lark, from 'The Seasons, op. 37b'

Alexander Scriabin
Three Etudes for Piano, op. 65

Igor Stravinsky
Tango
Three Movements from 'Petrushka'

Sergey Rachmaninov
Prelude in G sharp minor, op. 32/12
Allegro, from 'Etudes-Tableaux, op. 39'
Fugue in D minor ( 1891 )
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, op. 36 ( 1931 revision)

Franz Liszt
Mazeppa, No. 4 of '12 Études d'exécution transcendante, S. 139'

Georges Bizet / Vladimir Horowitz
Variations on a Theme from Bizet's 'Carmen'

How hard these young pianists must work today : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evgeny_Konnov

He did not make it to the finals of the 2021 Queen Elisabeth of Belgium Competition ( a spot of bother at end of the Liszt ? ) , but that may actually be a point of pride for the 2021 Competition : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTJB5PS7ehc ( Messiaen,Mozart,Scriabin,Liszt, 20 mins.)

[Rach3]

Elizabeth Leonskaja live.

A recital in Granada,Spain, July 10, 2021: D.946 Impromptus, D.743 A minor Sonata, “Wanderer”. 3 encores : D.899 Impromptus Nos.3 and 4, slow mov. of D.960.

I heard the D.946 , 743 , 899 only. 743 a fav sonata of mine, one of my recordings a 70’s released RCA lp by Paul Badura -Skoda which I believe was actually recorded in the mid-50’s.

https://www.nporadio4.nl/concerten/3380 ... -leonskaja

[maestrob]

After dipping into Fiorentino's Rachmaninoff (3/4), now hearing a Gilels recital from this BBC Box available only for streaming on Amazon: begins 2 Tr. 27 w/ of all things, some very fine Scarlatti.

[Rach3]

https://www.medici.tv/en/concerts/liya- ... ms-franck/

Violinist Liya Petrov and pianist Alexandre Kantorow plays the Debussy, Franck and Brahms 2nd Violin Sonatas live recently. Wonderful music well performed.My first hearing of Petrov;Kantorow won the 2019 Tchaikovsky Competition.The Debussy a gem from his late, visionary period. The Franck especially fine here.Audience interrupted them between movements, once in the Brahms and once in the Franck.

( Can sign up for a free Medici account.)

[Ricordanza]

Jeno Jando could be considered Naxos' "house" pianist (On this CD, his first name is listed as "Jenoe" but on most CDs, it's "Jeno"). Equally at home with Beethoven and Liszt, his playing is always a delight--crystal clear articulation, superb dynamic range, authoritative interpretations. This particular disc was recorded in 1992 and remains one of my favorite piano recordings for the music and the performance.

[Wallingford]

Stravinsky's Petrushka (Danon)

[Rach3]

Jeno Jando could be considered Naxos' "house" pianist (On this CD, his first name is listed as "Jenoe" but on most CDs, it's "Jeno"). Equally at home with Beethoven and Liszt, his playing is always a delight--crystal clear articulation, superb dynamic range, authoritative interpretations.

Agreed about Jando.Among others, I have his great Naxos recording of Beethoven Bagatelles.

[maestrob]

Jeno Jando could be considered Naxos' "house" pianist (On this CD, his first name is listed as "Jenoe" but on most CDs, it's "Jeno"). Equally at home with Beethoven and Liszt, his playing is always a delight--crystal clear articulation, superb dynamic range, authoritative interpretations.

Agreed about Jando. Among others, I have his great Naxos recording of Beethoven Bagatelles.

Indeed. I also play those Bagatelles frequently when I need a break from Shostakovich, etc. Tremendously refreshing

I'm also very impressed at the moment with the French pianist Cecile Ousset, who recorded a complete set of Beethoven's variations & other repertoire for French Decca that was re-issued just last year. Very fine detailed playing, with lots to say. The Decca box can be streamed on Amazon, if you'd like to compare.

[Wallingford]

Lalo's Symphony in g and Rapsodie norwegienne (Sebastian)