Pianist Composers that Perform their own works

[49410enrique]

I am recently becoming more interested in the performance recordings of pianists/composers that perform their own works.

I.e Hamelin does this quite a bit, Kapustin recorded incredible renditions of his compositions, etc.

I was hoping I /we could get a list going and YT video postings of great performances as played by the very guy/gal that wrote it.

Righ now my mind is COMPLETELY blown by Fazil Say's own interpretation of his horrendously difficult variations ( they are regarded as hard but this is beyond that, well difficult at the mind blowing speed he plays them!)

[49410enrique]

kapustin plays his prelude op 59 no 11 (most of the videos on yt are from audio with no live performance this is one the few i found of him actually playing a solo on camera)

[49410enrique]

so his 'flashier' stuff gets a lot of props, but i actually find his playing here so incredible, it's so lyrical and refined, you can close your eyes and not know its a one handed etude
Étude No.7 'Lullaby' for the left hand after Tchaikovsky

as i said above beyond these my mind starts to come up dry as to where and what to look for, any help would be appreciated (i.e. compsoer pianists i may not know about and good videos of them)

[49410enrique]

oh this one forgot this one, WOW!
Poulenc Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestras with Francis Poulenc, Jacques Février and Orchestra National de la RTF conducted by Georges Prêtre.

[49410enrique]

i apologize if this is a super boring topic to others, i still find it super interesting and worth exploring, no worries, as i come across good ones i'll throw it on here in case anyone in the future in curious.

the plethora of jazz versions is just what i'm enjoying listening to right now so that's what i'm coming across more of.  i tend to lump re-arrangements/transcriptions into the same group here


Butterfly Etude, Op. 25, No. 9 a Jazz Version, Bernd Lhotzky

[49410enrique]

N. ROTA - Concerto Soirée. Nino Rota, piano

Giovanni Rota Rinaldi, in arte Nino Rota (Milano, 3 Dicembre 1911 - Roma, 10 Aprile 1979).

Nino Rota - Concerto Soirée:

1. Valzer (00:00)
2. Ballo figurato (05:28)
3. Romanza (08:25)
4. Quadriglia (12:46)
5. Can can (16:48)

Nino Rota, pianoforte
Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano della RAI
Bruno Maderna, direttore

[49410enrique]

so glad he lived late enough that we have lots of examples....

[wildman]

"Their own works"? What do you mean?

I thought you meant composers performing their own compositions, like Rach doing the Rach 3. Now I think you're talking about improvisation/variations of a performer of other composers' works, right?

[49410enrique]

"Their own works"? What do you mean?

I thought you meant composers performing their own compositions, like Rach doing the Rach 3. Now I think you're talking about improvisation/variations of a performer of other composers' works, right?

both. transcriptions and variations still involve a certain amount of creativity and composing. i'm not going to just harp and be nit picky about thematic basis especially since these are not improvs but actual notes to paper published works(note not trying to harp on and be mean person to you as i appreciate the comment, but c'mon really, i think you could prob see what i was trying at with the question,), but yes all inclusive both original composition and works based on such are super cool.  i don't know that there are any super good rach recordings, i tend not to like piano roll stuff esp since i get no video of him doing it, i'm more into modern recordings with better audio and video of such. even the shostakovich was a stretch since it's more just audio i like to see these folks going to town on something to put down on paper. again nothing against improv but i'm just more intrested right now on published stuff actaully put down on paper. my apologies if i didn't make it clear that the above including jazz transcritptions were not 'completely original' i thought people would be able to pick up on that. the fact that the harmonies are altered should have been enough but sometimes i assume too much.

good comment though, really thank you.  i meant to make that clarification originially. but a similar exclusion we could not consider the rachmaninoff variations on paganini nor the brahms books based on the same set, nor any of the themes and variations by mozart or beethoven based on already existing themes. etc etc. if by some miracle or time travel recordings of them playing these live existed.

PS the kapustin, rota, shostavoich and poulenc, perhaps you heard other composers versions of those previous to these that i wasn't aware of? or maybe you were just being but didn't specify t which  in the reply. serious question. i thought these were original but it would be super interesting if they werent. and if iwas wrong in thinking they are original, i really meant no harm from it, i honestly thought they were their own deal in their first form. my bad and apologies if i was wrong there.

[49410enrique]

unfortunately i do not know if any video of this exists (i am having trouble finding live video of him playing his virtuosic gershwin etudes). but liked the audio here , the dude was like 88 years old here! nice.
Earl Wild plays Earl Wild! - The Mexican Hat Dance (Jarabe Tapatio)

wild's remarks on the piece on page 9 of the booket pdf attached

[49410enrique]

no complete or HD but it  fairly rare footage of one of my favorite 'modern' composers. i had read about the deal where he liked to run from town town town sometimes also wanted to run directly to he theater and on to the stage as he liked to sit at the piano alread pretty tired. he was hoot. super funny/strange character (and also had a thhing for the kinkier side of all things sex and sexy....do a google for percy grainger and sadomasochists, etc. you'll get a pretty good hit on some of the stuff he left behind for the museum and accounts of his 'past times' there s even phots of him all banged/bruised up. he apparently wanted all this preserved and he didn't explicity ask any of the evidence to be destroyed but rather wanted it donated)

[49410enrique]

gershwin playing i got rhythm full  video. i didn't know this existed just till just now

[49410enrique]

sigh i wish we had video!
Sergei Rachmaninoff plays his Piano Concerto No. 2

It was recorded in 1929 by RCA victor with Rachmaninoff's favorite orchestra; the Philadelphia Orchestra. Leopold Stokowski is conducting

[cuberdrift]

You're the only one in this thread who's posting?