Walter Gieseking

[palika dunno]

what are your thoughts on gieseking?

regards
palika 

[palika dunno]

just some thoughts on gieseking  do you like him?

[thalbergmad]

I understand he had an incredible memory.

I have not heard him play.

[palika dunno]

wow  a reply  you were the first man  . you get some money...soon...maybe...

palika 

[thalbergmad]

He might have been heavier than me at his peak.

Was he not a German that specialised in French Music??

[mrchops10]

Yes, his Ravel and Debussy were considered landmarks, and are very beautiful, effective recordings. I considered his Gaspard de la Nuit the greatest I've ever heard, facing some stiff competition. Also, he recorded the complete Mozart sonatas, but these sound rather dated. He unfortunately suffered many charges after the war due to his close relation with the Nazis (he was Hitler's favorite pianist), like Furtwangler, only he didn't recover from it so well. To what extent he collaborated, I have no idea, but his recordings after the war don't quite have the spirit of his earlier ones. He was a pedaling genius, and a very great pianist.

[Floristan]

mrchops10 speaks the truth.  Gieseking was a great Debussy interpreter.   His recordings of Debussy's piano music were the standard by which all others were judged.  I think Michelangeli was the better Debussy player, but Gieseking's interpretations still hold up very, very well.  Unfortunate association with the Nazis (is there any other kind of association with the Nazis?)

[mwarner1]

Gieseking is one of the greatest pianists that I've ever heard, I can't believe how few people have replied to this topic!

I agree with Floristan that Michelangeli's and Gieseking's Debussy are the best you can buy. I also have a few recordings of Gieseking playing Beethoven piano sonatas. His Waldstein and Opp. 109 and 110 are priceless. The Opp. 109 and 110 are my favorite versions of all time. His Waldstein is not, but it is up there. His Appassionata is also a contender -- but it doesn't hold up to Richter.

Avoid his Op. 81a -- it's rushed and messy (especially the last movement). I have mixed feelings about his Hammerklavier -- at least he had the cojones to play at tempos approaching what is written, but he gets seriously sloppy at times, especially in the fugue. His Op. 78 is quite good, his Op. 79 is fantastic.

So basically, his Debussy should be obtained first and foremost, then his LvB Opp. 109 and 110.

[brewtality]

It seems people who rather talk about Lang Lang and Sorabji.
Anyway, Gieseking was a truely great pianist. I'd recommend getting all the recordings of his you can find. They will vary in quality (he can tend to be sloppy technically) but he was always amazingly creative and he brought this to whatever repetoire he played. He is probably best remembered for his Debussy and Ravel. This is a good place to start if you are unfamiliar with his art. The most notable thing of his playing of the french impressionists is his fantastic tonal control. He also plays the fastest Ondine I've ever heard. Check out his recordings on Music and Arts, they encompass a varied repetoire and are quite cheap.

[Alde]

For the longest time I knew of Gieseking as a great interpreter of Debussy.  I just recently discovered his recordings of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Scriabin.  I highly recommend!

[arensky]

I think his pre- WWII  recordings are some of the greatest playing I've ever heard, but after the war, he sounded completely different. I like his Beethoven playing and Grieg/Schumann Concerti from th postwar period. I detest his postwar Angel Debussy, it's really bad and inartistic. His Ravel Angel box is wonderful, though. His recordings from the 1930's, particularly one of Bach's Italian Concerto, are astounding, and somewhere I have a Reflets dans l'eau from the late 20's or early 30's that is just astounding. But I do not care for his postwar playing at all. 

[dmk]

Even you don't like Gieseking you should still listen to his Debussy.

Even if you don't like his Debussy you should still play close attention to it, it is fairly seminal.

dmk