If you were offered a recording contract?

[lisztisforkids]

If you were offered a recording contract for only one recording ever, what would it be??
How would you leave your mark on the world???

[pianistimo]

it would be an 'ode to lobsters.'  it would start out like a pot of boiling water and then it would smooth into 'operation code red' rescue, where the lobsters walk out of the restaraunt and the cooks are put into the tank of water to await their fate.  there would be a passionate scene between two of the lobsters, where they lock pinchers and dance a tango together.  unfortunately, because of age, they can't make it across the street outside and get run over.  (tragedy often befalls classic themes)  but, they are soon in lobster heaven where they await being served boiled people.

ok seriously, i think i'd compose something of my own.  it would be possibly not even just piano, but maybe a combo of vocal (baritone songs) and piano mixed.  hopefully, all my own compositions.   

[rc]

it would be an 'ode to lobsters.'  it would start out like a pot of boiling water and then it would smooth into 'operation code red' rescue, where the lobsters walk out of the restaraunt and the cooks are put into the tank of water to await their fate.  there would be a passionate scene between two of the lobsters, where they lock pinchers and dance together happily.  unfortunately, because of age, they can't make it across the street outside and get run over.  (tragedy often befalls classic themes)  but, they are soon in lobster heaven where they await being served boiled people.

...Back on earth, their delicious bodies are being dipped in butter and eaten. You really make it sound like a fight for survival, eat them or they'll eat you! I think I ought to go find myself some tasty shellfish to be on the safe side. All this food talk is making me hungry anyways.

If I was offered a recording contract, I'd probably think it was a scam and send them away (to the boiling tank of water). Maybe I would record the first piece that got me into classical music, LVB sonata 25. I might even be able to play that one.

[arensky]

Maurice Ravel, Complete Piano Music...

[BoliverAllmon]

Bach Goldberg Variations

Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition

Shostkovich preludes and fuges.

It would be one of these three.

[brahmsian]

Brahms complete piano works

Liszt complete Opera transcriptions

Complete Liszt/Beethoven Symphonies

[Goldberg]

Liszt complete Opera transcriptions

That's a good one (if I wanted to be really "cheap" about this I'd say Liszt's complete piano music, heh...and if I could ignore Leslie Howard's achievement of this already)...but really I think my answer would be Alkan's complete piano music or Godowsky's complete piano music and transcriptions.

[klavierkonzerte]

i'd record sonatas from the forgotten late classics early romantics like the late sonatas of cramer and the sonatas of dussek, ludwig berger and wolfel.

[ted]

I agree with pianistimo. If I accepted the offer, which is doubtful, I would record my own compositions and improvisations. People can already buy CDs of all that other stuff played a damned sight better than I can play it. Leaving my mark on the world neither concerns nor interests me. If a few people enjoyed them that would be sufficient purpose for the exercise.

[rob47]

I would fake my own death to improve record sales

[lau]

I would slob it, then go for the good choice   

[tolkien]

I would settle for no less than multiple CD sets.
So, these would be:

Concerto repertoire: Beethoven 3 with Alkan’s cadenza, 4, with Medtner’s cadenzas  and                           5.
                                 Brahms 1 and 2.
                                 Medtner 1, 2 and 3.
                                 Chopin 1 and 2, Hummel A minor and Weber’s Konzertstuck.
                                 Ravel and Korngold left hand concertos.
                                 Mozart: 13, 20, 22, and then some more.
                                 R. Strauss Burleske, Liszt Hungarian Fantasy.
                                 

Solo piano repertoire: Medtner 2nd Improvisation op.47, a complete sonata cycle and a                                  selection of the Tales.
                                    A Beethoven sonata disc – undecided which ones, certainly the                               Waldstein
                                    Schubert D960 sonata, Impromptus and Wanderer Fantasie
                                    Scriabin Fantaisie op.28, Schubert/Liszt transcriptions and Liszt Harmonies Poetiques et Religieuses.

Chamber music (violin sonatas): Beethoven nos. 9 and 10.
                           Medtner nos. 1 and 2.
                           Brahms no. 1 and Alkan Grand Duo Concertant


Lieder recital: selection of Schubert, Korngold and Medtner songs and Medtner            Sonata-Vocalise.

As a conductor: Mahler Symphony No.2,
R. Strauss 4 Last songs,
Brahms Symphony No.1,
Tchaikovsky Symphony No.4
Korngold Die Tote Stadt.