Byron Janis

[zhiliang]

Hi everyone,

I have just gotten myself 2 recordings. The first one is RCA's Byron Janis playing the cd premiere of Rachmaninoff's 1st piano concerto coupled with the 3rd piano concerto. The second one is Mercury's Byron Janis playing the Rachmaninoff's 2nd and 3rd piano concerto under Dorati.

In my humble opinions, they are brilliant and all so touching.  

I would like to hear from all of you who have heard him either live or on recordings your opinions of him and his playing. I would love to know more about him. Anyone have more information regarding his life or playing?

Anyway i only do know that he is of course American, was tutored by the Lhevines, and also a student of Horowitz. And had athritis which caused him to relearn all of his pieces after a finger-shortening surgery.

Also anyone can put into words his "big" technique? What about comparisons of him the the other American pianists, Kapell and Van Cliburn?

I have heard that his Liszt piano concertos and also Pictures At An Exhibition are brilliant too. Any reccomendations on his recordings?

Well for one, i feel Janis is definitely underrated.

Regards,
Zhiliang

[robert_henry]

Agreed.  Get the RCA Living Stereo recording of the Prokofiev Third Concerto; it is still my favorite.  

Robert Henry

[meiting]

Janis's Liszt concertos are probably the best in the history.

[thracozaag]

Hi everyone,

I have just gotten myself 2 recordings. The first one is RCA's Byron Janis playing the cd premiere of Rachmaninoff's 1st piano concerto coupled with the 3rd piano concerto. The second one is Mercury's Byron Janis playing the Rachmaninoff's 2nd and 3rd piano concerto under Dorati.

In my humble opinions, they are brilliant and all so touching.  

I would like to hear from all of you who have heard him either live or on recordings your opinions of him and his playing. I would love to know more about him. Anyone have more information regarding his life or playing?

Anyway i only do know that he is of course American, was tutored by the Lhevines, and also a student of Horowitz. And had athritis which caused him to relearn all of his pieces after a finger-shortening surgery.

Also anyone can put into words his "big" technique? What about comparisons of him the the other American pianists, Kapell and Van Cliburn?

I have heard that his Liszt piano concertos and also Pictures At An Exhibition are brilliant too. Any reccomendations on his recordings?

Well for one, i feel Janis is definitely underrated.

Regards,
Zhiliang

 For me, Janis is perhaps the most underrated pianist in the 20th century.  His Mercury recordings are all amazing.  Funny that you mention Kapell, because if for not the plane crash, we would have recordings of those two gods playing four-hands and two piano pieces together.

[zhiliang]

Thats why i would always say that the few American pianists of that generation seem to suffer a terrible fate. Byron Janis now is not the same as he used to be in the 60s due to his athritis. Van Cliburn's playing has corrupted over the years too. William Kapell what a tragedy, and also Leon Fleisher who can only be able to play well with his left hand.

Yeah Kapell is a genius, his white hot playing of the Rachmaninoff's  piano concertos and also the Kachaturian Piano concerto.

It would be a dream come true if they were to play four hands together just like Rachmaninoff and Horowitz in the Steinway basement.

But i would definitely reccomend Janis's recordings to anyone. And he is definitely not a imitator of his teacher Horowitz.

Regards,

Zhiliang

[thracozaag]

Thats why i would always say that the few American pianists of that generation seem to suffer a terrible fate. Byron Janis now is not the same as he used to be in the 60s due to his athritis. Van Cliburn's playing has corrupted over the years too. William Kapell what a tragedy, and also Leon Fleisher who can only be able to play well with his left hand.

Yeah Kapell is a genius, his white hot playing of the Rachmaninoff's  piano concertos and also the Kachaturian Piano concerto.

It would be a dream come true if they were to play four hands together just like Rachmaninoff and Horowitz in the Steinway basement.

But i would definitely reccomend Janis's recordings to anyone. And he is definitely not a imitator of his teacher Horowitz.

Regards,

Zhiliang

 Yes, the OYAP (Our Young American Pianists--Gary Graffman's term) sadly never really materialized.  
 If you really want to cringe and pull your hair out, just think that one fateful day Horowitz and Rachamaninoff approached RCA because they wanted to record all of Rachmaninoff's two piano music.....

 RCA turned them down:"No-one would be interested in that." :-/

[cziffra]

RCA turned them down:"No-one would be interested in that."

my life will never be the same

[Noah]

 If you really want to cringe and pull your hair out, just think that one fateful day Horowitz and Rachamaninoff approached RCA because they wanted to record all of Rachmaninoff's two piano music.....

 RCA turned them down:"No-one would be interested in that." :-/

I'm going to have nightmares about that.

[eddie92099]

If you really want to cringe and pull your hair out, just think that one fateful day Horowitz and Rachamaninoff approached RCA because they wanted to record all of Rachmaninoff's two piano music.....

 RCA turned them down:"No-one would be interested in that." :-/

Just like when The Beatles weren't offered a recording contract. The record company thought guitar groups were on the way out,
Ed

[thracozaag]

Just like when The Beatles weren't offered a recording contract. The record company thought guitar groups were on the way out,
Ed

 How do recording executives become recording executives with such moronic decisions?

[meiting]

Actually, I think you got that wrong - recording  executives don't "become" execs by making bad decisions. They become the execs first, and then make the bad decisions.

gonna listen to my prok 2 from earlier... *cringes*

[zhiliang]

But can anyone have any information or put into words the technique used by Byron Janis? I think it would be interesting to know... Anyone can enlighten me on that?

Regards,

Zhiliang

[meiting]

Sure. 1 word. perfection.

Just listen to the damn recordings LOL

[IgnazPaderewski]

Without doubt the stupidest way I have ever seen anyone play the piano. He sounds incredible, but one cannot ask their body to do such things and to operate under such tension. Hence the arthritis and physical problems. if you try to play prok 3 with shoulders up to your ears, bad things will result.

[zhiliang]

Sure. 1 word. perfection.

Just listen to the damn recordings LOL

How do we define perfection over here? Are all of his recordings really great? I cant judge on that because i have only heard his Rachmaninoff and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. But they sure sounds really great. Then why is he so underrated?

Regards,

Zhiliang

[zhiliang]

Without doubt the stupidest way I have ever seen anyone play the piano. He sounds incredible, but one cannot ask their body to do such things and to operate under such tension. Hence the arthritis and physical problems. if you try to play prok 3 with shoulders up to your ears, bad things will result.

Care to elaborate a little bit so as to be able to get a clearer picture on how he achieved his very big technique?

Regards,

Zhiliang

[IgnazPaderewski]

I have NO idea how he is able to pmove his fingers while that tense - he has very large hands which helps, and seems to keep his hands relaxed. buy "great pianists on the bell telephone hour" dvd - it has 3rd mvt of rach 3 and 3rd mvt of prok 3 and you ill see what I mean.