Favorite LIVE Classical Pianist

[bonesquirrel]

Subject pretty much explains it. Who is your favorite Classical Pianist that hasn't kicked the bucket. Mine is Valentina Lisitsa, although I am fond of others.

[j_menz]

Who is your favorite Classical Pianist that hasn't kicked the bucket.

Me. And I hope to qualify for quite some time to come.

[bonesquirrel]

Me.

 

[thalbergmad]

Lisitsa is crap

[bonesquirrel]

Lisitsa is crap

Good arguments, you so clearly stated why you disliked her. Except for the big gap where you didn't state your reasons, an that gap is occupying the entire message at this point.

[bronnestam]

Lisitsa is crap

Not that she is the big favourite of mine either, but that comment was terribly bad manners. If you want to call yourself a pianist, she is a colleague of yours, which you should honour and respect. Being a pianist at her level is very, very hard. Only people who play the piano by themselves know HOW hard it is. Or at least have a clue.

[bonesquirrel]

Thankyou sir 

[bonesquirrel]

MAM!!!!

[thalbergmad]

If you want to call yourself a pianist, she is a colleague of yours, which you should honour and respect.

If she is a pianist then I do not want to call myself a pianist. Somebody commented in another thread about Lisitsa and it described my sentiments so accurately, that I need not add or subtract anything. Here it is:

"Lisitsa has one of the lowest talent to fame ratios of any classical pianist I know of.   I think her success is the result of a series of brilliant Youtube marketing tricks (flashy, well-produced performance videos, playing on the street corner). She plays everything in the same flat dynamic, with no colour.  It's the most pedestrian, perfunctory playing imaginable. It's like the only purpose of the composition is to aggrandize her phoney-baloney pianist persona.  Utter crap"

Thal

[pianoman53]

I think Thal doesn't like her because he likes music. Mrs. Lisitsa is a pianist, not a musician.

My favorite is either Volodos or Lupu. I'm also quite fond of Yuja Wang, though, I have a strong suspicion that my liking of her has nothing to do with her playing....

[thalbergmad]

Volodos appears to me to have the full package. He has the absurd mechanical ability to rip through some of his own transcriptions and the exquisite touch and musicality to lift the soul when playing Schubert.

Horribly, I thought Lupu was dead.

Thal

[pianoman53]

Horribly, I thought Lupu was dead.

Thal

I truly hope not!

[j_menz]

The question is "favourite", not who I esteem the best.

[bonesquirrel]

"Lisitsa has one of the lowest talent to fame ratios of any classical pianist I know of -  I think her success is the result of a series of brilliant Youtube marketing tricks (flashy, well-produced performance videos, playing on the street corner). She plays everything in the same flat dynamic, with no colour. " -

The first one is not true, she has good talent, look at her recording of Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto, if that isn't good talent I don't know what is. - Flashy = Her playing good. Well-produced performance videos = What?! How is this a bad or phony thing? "She has good video and audio quality, how dare she!!". Playing on the street corner = Oh yes.... How brilliantly conceiving - This is just out right not true, I've listened to so many Lisitsa recordings it isn't funny, an comparing it too any other recording every published, there is never a "Oh she played it so much worse then that guy"..... Its just never happened.

So what are your reasons again?

[thalbergmad]

If you rate her rach 3, you are beyond hope.

Please go and educate yourself.

Thal

[bonesquirrel]

If you rate her rach 3, you are beyond hope.

So your saying my view of her rach 3 as being good is unrealistic? Meaning she is bad at playing it? Which is absolutely insane to suggest

An what do you mean "educate" myself, educate myself on what? The rach 3? Lisitsa? Ive listened to other recordings of the rach 3 if that's what your getting at, an hers is as good as most videos ive watched of people playing at concerts. Every recording I listen to is different, Ive come across some that are terrible and some that are a little better than Lisitsa, but my point is that she isn't bad at playing it by a long shot.

So for the next reply (if there is one). Can you please make valid points or tell me what your thinking instead of sounding like a feminist dismissing males views. Especially the educate yourself part

[outin]

sounding like a feminist dismissing males views.

That's our Thal 

[thalbergmad]

So your saying my view of her rach 3 as being good is unrealistic? Meaning she is bad at playing it? Which is absolutely insane to suggest

It is beyond bad, it is a tragedy. A horse could do better and be equally visually appealing.

When you are out of your teens and are less struck by her looks, I hope you will feel differently.

All her youtube Rachmaninoff should be deleted or have a PG rating so students don't think this is how to play.

Thal

[toughbo]

I wish people would us the pm functionality a bit more for off topic bickering that doesn't contribute to the thread...

Anywho, my favourite live classical pianist is Grigory Sokolov. I saw him this summer and it was like no other live concert experience I've ever had, hard to explain really, just something else. Highly recommended!

[visitor]

Yeol eum son. Ie

[coda_colossale]

So your saying my view of her rach 3 as being good is unrealistic? Meaning she is bad at playing it? Which is absolutely insane to suggest

Better Rach 3s:
Lazar Berman
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Andrei Gavrilov
Earl Wild
Vladimir Horowitz
Olga Kern
Martha Argerich
Arkadi Volodos
Emil Gilels
Van Cliburn
Vladimir Ashkenazy
Nikolai Lugansky
Mikhail Pletnev
Evgeny Kissin
Yuja Wang
Gülsin Onay
Grigory Sokolov
Evgeny Mogilevsky
Denis Matuev
Jorge Bolet
Byron Janis
Alexis Weissenberg
İdil Biret
Boris Berezovsky
Zoltan Kocsis
Leif Ove Andsnes
Shura Cherkassy
Stephen Hough
Daniil Trifonov
Yefim Bronfman
Thomas Yu

Worse Rach 3s:
Walter Gieseking
David Helfgott
Lang Lang
Kathia Buniatishvili

I think thal is a bit exaggerating, as I find some of her recordings listenable, but I wouldn't call most of them, especailly Rach 3, good.

I agree: Sokolov&Volodos.

[ahinton]

Better Rach 3s:
Lazar Berman
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Andrei Gavrilov
Earl Wild
Vladimir Horowitz
Olga Kern
Martha Argerich
Arkadi Volodos
Emil Gilels
Van Cliburn
Vladimir Ashkenazy
Nikolai Lugansky
Mikhail Pletnev
Evgeny Kissin
Yuja Wang
Gülsin Onay
Grigory Sokolov
Evgeny Mogilevsky
Denis Matuev
Jorge Bolet
Byron Janis
Alexis Weissenberg
İdil Biret
Boris Berezovsky
Zoltan Kocsis
Leif Ove Andsnes
Shura Cherkassy
Stephen Hough
Daniil Trifonov
Yefim Bronfman
Thomas Yu

Worse Rach 3s:
Walter Gieseking
David Helfgott
Lang Lang
Kathia Buniatishvili

I think thal is a bit exaggerating, as I find some of her recordings listenable, but I wouldn't call most of them, especailly Rach 3, good.

Matsuev and Cherkassky, actually, but otherwise your point is well made.

The work's world première was given with quite a distinguished composer conducting(!) - which has sometimes prompted me to wonder what it might have sounded like with its own composer conducting and Busoni as soloist...

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

Thanks


Thal

Thanks


Thal

[goldentone]

Yeol eum son. Ie

Wow, Kapustin.  Calming and soothing. . . I'm almost back to my unobsessed self.

[coda_colossale]

Matsuev and Cherkassky, actually, but otherwise your point is well made.

The work's world première was given with quite a distinguished composer conducting(!) - which has sometimes prompted me to wonder what it might have sounded like with its own composer conducting and Busoni as soloist...

Best,

Alistair

Sorry, typos.
The premiere was I believe with Walter Damrosch, but I think you mean the performance with Mahler. Actually it was Rachmaninoff's intention to premiere the work with another soloist, Josef Hofmann, but we all know the story.
Berman&Abbado leave nothing to be desired for me, though I wonder how Arrau and Richter would have interpreted the work. Busoni might have been a little too masculine and rough.

[bonesquirrel]

Better Rach 3s:
Lazar Berman
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Andrei Gavrilov
Earl Wild
Vladimir Horowitz
Olga Kern
Martha Argerich
Arkadi Volodos
Emil Gilels
Van Cliburn
Vladimir Ashkenazy
Nikolai Lugansky
Mikhail Pletnev
Evgeny Kissin
Yuja Wang
Gülsin Onay
Grigory Sokolov
Evgeny Mogilevsky
Denis Matuev
Jorge Bolet
Byron Janis
Alexis Weissenberg
İdil Biret
Boris Berezovsky
Zoltan Kocsis
Leif Ove Andsnes
Shura Cherkassy
Stephen Hough
Daniil Trifonov
Yefim Bronfman
Thomas Yu

Worse Rach 3s:
Walter Gieseking
David Helfgott
Lang Lang
Kathia Buniatishvili

I think thal is a bit exaggerating, as I find some of her recordings listenable, but I wouldn't call most of them, especailly Rach 3, good.

I agree: Sokolov&Volodos.

I actually thank you for this list! I will get listening. I found it weird you included Rachmaninoff himself in there though, since his is obviously going to be superior to almost any recording because its his very own piece.

[outin]

Horribly, I thought Lupu was dead.

So did I actually...

I don't really have favorites among the living but one current pianist I'd really want to hear live is Steven Hough.

[coda_colossale]

I actually thank you for this list! I will get listening. I found it weird you included Rachmaninoff himself in there though, since his is obviously going to be superior to almost any recording because its his very own piece.

Low sound quality, fast tempo, too many cuts (Second movement m. 71-83, seriously?), little passion. His might be one of my least favourites, both recording and interpretation-wise. But there were great disadvantages, considering Rachmaninoff's personality and the recording technology of the time. I don't know how he would have played in an intimate setting though.

[thalbergmad]

I found it weird you included Rachmaninoff himself in there though, since his is obviously going to be superior to almost any recording because its his very own piece.

Possibly the dumbest thing I have ever read.

A shame beethoven is dead as no doubt he would play his sonatas better than Arrau.

Thal

[j_menz]

A shame beethoven is dead as no doubt he would play his sonatas better than Arrau.

Actually, he well may.

Of course, resurrection ain't  gonna save Sergei (or Freddy).

[pianoman53]

One needs to change the way of listening when you listen to those old recordings. Because their philosophy of music is simply very different from ours... I can't say it was love at first listening, when I heard Rachmaninov, but after a few times I really started to like it. Now, whenever I'm out of inspiration, I always go back to Rachmaninov, Moiseiwitch or Lamond.

[emill]

It is beyond bad, it is a tragedy. A horse could do better and be equally visually appealing.
x.x.x.x.... All her youtube Rachmaninoff should be deleted or have a PG rating so students don't think this is how to play. 

come on Thal .... a horse as visually appealing as Lisitsa???   

I must say though, from a personal point of view, that her playing does not seem to
stir my musical soul, unlike some do.

[ahinton]

come on Thal .... a horse as visually appealing as Lisitsa???   

I must say though, from a personal point of view, that her playing does not seem to
stir my musical soul, unlike some do.

Thal wouldn't be Thal if he never exaggerated - which said, Valentina has no appeal for me visually and little pianistically, as I mentioned...

Best,

Alistair

[emill]

Thal wouldn't be Thal if he never exaggerated - which said, Valentina has no appeal for me visually and little pianistically, as I mentioned...

Best,

Alistair

What a sense of "serious" humor the guy has!  One cannot mistake his view point  for anything else.

[thalbergmad]

Actually, he well may.

Indeed, but it would not be "obvious".

Thal

[ahinton]

Indeed, but it would not be "obvious".

Indeed. What's important to emember (among other things) in such discussions is how different a composer's performance of one of his own works might be at different stages in his life. Thal interestingly mentions Arrau (one of the finest interpreters of Beethoven sonatas in his day, I think); one has only to consider how different Arrau's interpretations of some of the Schubert sonatas ere in his youth, middle age and lae in life to realise that the same would be as likely to apply to composers' performances of their own music. This is music and its performance that we're talking about here, so nothing is or can ever be set in stone.

One might wonder what Lisitsa's performances of her own piano music might be like and how they might differ from those of other pianists if only she'd written and performed such; who knows? - perhaps others would do better with it than she might - after all, let's not forget Chopin writing to his father about wishing to steal from Liszt the way to play his own études!...

Best,

Alistair

[flashyfingers]

Actually, he well may.

Of course, resurrection ain't  gonna save Sergei (or Freddy).

Beethoven was well deaf for anything after he turned 25 years of age. I doubt he even performed past his 30s.

It would be interesting to see him (15 years old) play his own sonatas, not knowing of the composer. lol

[thalbergmad]

The woman destroys Beethoven and seems only concerned with her bloody hair.

No wonder comments have been disabled. Perhaps somebody said what they thought and she and her marketing chaps thought it wasn't good for her legendary status.

This is really some of the most empty piano playing I have ever heard.

Thal

[ahinton]

The woman destroys Beethoven and seems only concerned with her bloody hair.

No wonder comments have been disabled. Perhaps somebody said what they thought and she and her marketing chaps thought it wasn't good for her legendary status.

This is really some of the most empty piano playing I have ever heard.

I've heard worse - although I have to stop and think just when and what. Very sloppy, phrase ends chewed, dull and lifeless for most of the time and 2 out of 10 for the piano tuner as well - mind you, this is hardly Beethoven at his most inspiring!...

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

this is hardly Beethoven at his most inspiring!...

Indeed, but the greater poets can make it sound as if it is.

If there is anyone here who cannot detect the superiority, they should give up piano immediately and take up the spoons.

Thal

[ahinton]

Indeed, but the greater poets can make it sound as if it is.

If there is anyone here who cannot detect the superiority, they should give up piano immediately and take up the spoons.

I think that you'd already made your point - and Arrau was undoubtedly a great artist. Did you know that he was discouraged from performing certain contemporary piano repertoire that interesed him because those that managed him thought that it wasn't a great idea? He considered Die Soldaten to be the greatest 20th century opera since Salome. He remains known mainly for his performances of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms but there was much more to him than that; in his youth, he was one of very few pianists who on occasion performed the music of Alkan that we take far more for granted today.

Best,

Alistair