Fastest Recordings

[jhon]

Can you guys post here the FASTEST recording of specific pieces that you know.  I only know few...

Rach3 (3rd mov't) - Horowitz (1940/44?)
Chopin: Prelude in Bbm - Argerich
Schumann: Toccata - Barere
Gottschalk: "Le Banjo" - Licad

[thalbergmad]

You could probably put Barere down for
Balakirev-Islamey   7 mins 58 secs
Liszt-Don Juan       15 mins 17 secs

[maxy]

nope Barere does not have the fastest Islamey...  Sultanov and Berezovsky are faster (some others also).  It's hard to "really" clock Islamey because there is a long slow part.  Gavrilov has a very impressive Islamey... some of the hard parts are insanely fast.

[sevencircles]

I believe the young Josef Hoffmann could play the minute waltz in less then a minute without speeding up the slow parts too much are playing any wrong notes in the fast parts.

[Skeptopotamus]

Argerich's Prokofiev Toccata, Sun's Feux Follet, Horowitz Chopin Scherzo Op. 20

[Kassaa]

Richter- 10/4

[apion]

Brahms 2nd PC -- Gary Graffman

[dikai_yang]

Complete Liszt Hungarian Rapsodies
played by Roberto Szidon
totally unbeatable!!

Complete Liszt transadental etudes
played by Jorge Bolet...
slightly slightly slower than others
but totally unbeatabel!!

Almost-complete Ravel works
played by Pascal Roche
well... again, don't think it's beatable...

[dikai_yang]

ohhh.... one more
complete beethoven sonata
played by Robert Silverman...
well, this is debatable...
he plays everything as exactly as it is, and as clean...
he does not over-exaggerate at all, which many other pianists do...
this why i love about it...
---
maybe not beethoven,
but it's in my theory that if mozart is played by the top 10 "studio" pianists
they should all sound the same...
sometimes, when a certain type of music is supposed to be played a certain way
i don't like people who change it all on his/her own thoughts
i.e. glenn gould and bach... may not be bad... but it's way too different
so... pianist for beethoven, another favorite is richard goode
---
on the other hand, absolutely hated horiwitz's recording of any mozart works...
----
any idea what i'm talking about???

[montiverdirocks]

richter's recording of Chopin's Etude op. 10 #4 is absolutely the fastest and most insane thing that I have ever heard. I wouldn't believe that it was possible, but I saw a video of him doing it.

[dikai_yang]

mei-ting sun's brahm's variations on a theme by paganini
knowing how to play the piece myself...
i just can't understand how it can be played that fast...
it's totally insane....
it's like.... there's no time for the next octave jump....
and yet it's there....
his chopin etudes are insanely fast as well...
although lacking the musicality a bit...
he's got great techniques at lightening speed....
with very few pedal too, very impressive...
if i'm not mistaken, he's still a serior at julliard, or maybe he graduated...
but not quite too famous yet... he will be

[orlandopiano]

Horowitz Chopin Scherzo Op. 20

There are definitely faster ones.

[nanabush]

Where could I get richter recording of 10 4 sounds interestingly fast...

[crimper]

https://glumolwiki.free.fr/richy/richter10.4-highres.avi

[Pronske]

To Crimper:

Thanks for posting the Richter video.  Truly amazing.

[maxy]

Complete Liszt Hungarian Rapsodies
played by Roberto Szidon
totally unbeatable!!

Complete Liszt transadental etudes
played by Jorge Bolet...
slightly slightly slower than others
but totally unbeatabel!!

Almost-complete Ravel works
played by Pascal Roche
well... again, don't think it's beatable...

Liszt HR... Cziffra is much more insane.

TE: Bolet owns but he is not alone.  Arrau  and Cziffra are great.  Fastest for the whole cycle is probably Berezovsky live at La Roque.  55 minutes for the 12 TE including the applauses.

Ravel solo piano: Gieseking and Samson François are the references.

Fastest Chopin op 10/1  Ciani 1:37 live

For Beethoven sonatas, Schnabel is a speed demon.  Richter and Gilels live also.

For more about speed records, consult the SDC... not for the faint of heart and eyes...

[musicsdarkangel]

There is an old recording of some pianist who plays a ridiculously fast winter wind etude.


I was so confused when i first heard it, i thought that the speakers were messed up.


It was amazing.  and sounded like crap.

Cziffra's 10/4 comes close to Richter's

Speaking of, how about Richter's Feux Follet?  By far the fastest I've heard.

Cziffra's Grand Gallope Chromatic and Totentanz

Garrick Ohlsson's Appasionata arpeggios and such. 

Emil Gilels' Tchaik 1 (Horowitz may be close)

Maria Joao Pirez's K 284 Mozart

Steven Hough's Rachmaninoff RHapsody on a theme by Pagannini

[musicsdarkangel]

OK, nevermind, Richter's 10/4 is definitely faster than any.

I wish I knew how he practiced and what technical excersizes he did.

[pita bread]

Liszt TE#4 Mazeppa - Berezovsky (live)

Liszt Mephisto Waltz - Kapell/Richter (neither pianist does the middle section very fast at all)

Ravel Jeux d'eau - Casadesus

Ravel Ondine - Michelangeli (5:57)

[steinwayguy]

Liszt TE#4 Mazeppa - Berezovsky (live)

Liszt Mephisto Waltz - Kapell/Richter (neither pianist does the middle section very fast at all)

Ravel Jeux d'eau - Casadesus

Ravel Ondine - Michelangeli (5:57)

I don't like the Kapell recording. Do you know what label Richter recorded it on?

[i_m_robot]

*in a cute five year old voice*

Cziffra owns all

[pita bread]

@ Steinwayguy

Actually I was mistaken when I suggested the Richter as being one of the fastest Mephistos. His is a actually more of a moderate tempo (lasting 11 minutes).

The recording I have was posted on the SDC together with a bunch of other Richter Liszt recordings I believe to be from this cd:

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000001OHV/qid=1121054135/sr=1-19/ref=sr_1_19/002-2684367-0493667?v=glance&s=classical

However, the Mephisto isn't on that CD.

Sorry about the misunderstanding, but although the Richter Mephisto isn't the fastest one out there, it's definately worth checking out. If you want the recording(s) I can send them to you, just PM me.

[maxy]

@ Steinwayguy

Actually I was mistaken when I suggested the Richter as being one of the fastest Mephistos. His is a actually more of a moderate tempo (lasting 11 minutes).

The recording I have was posted on the SDC together with a bunch of other Richter Liszt recordings I believe to be from this cd:

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000001OHV/qid=1121054135/sr=1-19/ref=sr_1_19/002-2684367-0493667?v=glance&s=classical

However, the Mephisto isn't on that CD.

Sorry about the misunderstanding, but although the Richter Mephisto isn't the fastest one out there, it's definately worth checking out. If you want the recording(s) I can send them to you, just PM me.

For Mephisto, Richter's total time may be "normal"  but the hard part is the craziest...  Faster than Cziffra and Kapell.  Not human....

[pita bread]

Yes definately, when he hits the presto (I prefer the Busoni marking - Brutalmente - it fits so much better) in the third section, it's absolutely terrifying. in a good way! And while I find most pianists' prestos to be a bit weak in the Mephisto, Richter's power is almost barbaric, unmatched except by Earl Wild.

[dikai_yang]

Not human....

Indeed, not human...
after all, he's a concert pianist
 

[the_ts]

what technical excersizes [Richter] did.

He didn't :p. He's been quoted as to saying that he never did technical excercises, scales, etc. Just worked on the pieces.

But then again he also says he never practised more than three hours a day, and then it has his wife, and friends, saying that he sometimes practised twelve hours a day; so who knows?!

[musicsdarkangel]

I don't like the Kapell recording. Do you know what label Richter recorded it on?

!! I love Kapell's Mephisto.  It is definitely fast as hell too.


But I respect your taste hehe

[musicsdarkangel]

For Mephisto, Richter's total time may be "normal"  but the hard part is the craziest...  Faster than Cziffra and Kapell.  Not human....

Listen to Ashkenazy's recording.

He takes all of the parts pretty damned fast, and the hardest part (with the jumps) he takes at LEAST equally as fast as Richter.

Beside that, I find it musically by far the most amazing Mephisto ever.

it rules.

[musicsdarkangel]

He didn't :p. He's been quoted as to saying that he never did technical excercises, scales, etc. Just worked on the pieces.

But then again he also says he never practised more than three hours a day, and then it has his wife, and friends, saying that he sometimes practised twelve hours a day; so who knows?!

Thanks for the info.

[musicsdarkangel]

Yes definately, when he hits the presto (I prefer the Busoni marking - Brutalmente - it fits so much better) in the third section, it's absolutely terrifying. in a good way! And while I find most pianists' prestos to be a bit weak in the Mephisto, Richter's power is almost barbaric, unmatched except by Earl Wild.

Earl Wild's Mephisto is wonderful.  He is so underrated, and is so virtuostic, almost similar to Horowitz's bangin' style (in a good way).

Anyway, if you like Richter's and Wild's, DEFINITELY check out Ashkenazy's.


I can even send it to you through yousendit.com if I have your e-mail.

[pita bread]

I have Ashkenazy's Mephisto, but thanks anyways for the offer. I haven't listened to it in a while, but I recall him doing something in the first few pages that really bothered me. I'll listen to it again though and give it another shot.

[steinwayguy]

I have Ashkenazy's Mephisto, but thanks anyways for the offer. I haven't listened to it in a while, but I recall him doing something in the first few pages that really bothered me. I'll listen to it again though and give it another shot.

Yes I listened to two minutes and there was something I really hated so I turned it off; I can't quite remember though.


Could you send it to my e-mail (it's on my profile)? Thanks.

[espresso]

anyone here heard Igor Kamenz's mephisto?? i havent actually compared the time, but the last time i heard it, i could swear its the fastest i have EVER heard.

[thracozaag]

  Kapell's Mephisto is still the benchmark for me.

koji

[thracozaag]

Can you guys post here the FASTEST recording of specific pieces that you know.  I only know few...

Rach3 (3rd mov't) - Horowitz (1940/44?)
Chopin: Prelude in Bbm - Argerich
Schumann: Toccata - Barere
Gottschalk: "Le Banjo" - Licad

  Ravel: Ondine-Attwood

koji

[musicsdarkangel]

  Kapell's Mephisto is still the benchmark for me.

koji

It really is remarkable.


I wish that there was someway to bring him back and make a new recording of it.


Then, it just MIGHT be my favorite.

[pita bread]

  Ravel: Ondine-Attwood

koji

da Michelangeli (5:57) though he had finished first, when in fact, da Attwood (5:37) had crossed the finish line a full 20 seconds before.

-a brief eternity elapses-

then da Argerich (6:21) waddles past the finish line almost a full minute after da Attwood

it is evident that

[thierry13]

Has anyone recorded a revolutionary study under 2:10 ? If no I own it.

[gouldfischer]

Goldberg Variations, 1st Variation - João Carlos Martins - 00:42 (1 second shorter than Gould's 1955, although Gould sounds waaaaaaaaay better!)

[maxy]

Has anyone recorded a revolutionary study under 2:10 ? If no I own it.

Sultanov did... 

[thierry13]

Sultanov did... 

Damn... how many time?

[sevencircles]

Barere has to have the fastest versions of a couple of pieces.

[maxy]

Barere has to have the fastest versions of a couple of pieces.

I believe he has it for Scriabin op 8#12: under 2 minutes 

[rachmaninova]

Maria Joao Pirez's K 284 Mozart

Are you serious???
I was browsing this forum searching for info on the Kv. 284 and I found this topic...
Have you heard Glenn Gould's recording of this sonata? That one is the fastest I ever heard... Maria Joao Pires is like a turtle when compared to Gould...     (I think he plays the majority of Mozart's sonatas too fast)

[quantum]

Hamelin: the Presto sections from Scriabin's 5th Sonata.  Insane speed with the jumps. 

[superstition2]

Rachmaninov's Flight of the Bumblebee is really fast. It's his arrangement, so I don't know if anyone else played it.

[stevie]

I believe he has it for Scriabin op 8#12: under 2 minutes 

scriabin himself playing it in about 1:40