Recommended recordings

[pianobabe56]

I have recently found a little extra cash on hand (  ) and I would really like to expand my library of piano recordings, which basically doesn't exist yet. In your opinions, what do you think are basic essential recordings? I'd appreciate any input. Thanks.

~Btw, sorry if this post is kind of rushed- I have to run out the door to school.  Blech.

[quasimodo]

That's quite a tough question since we don't know your musical tastes : Baroque, classic, romantic, post-romantic, impressionist... ? Maybe jazz ?

The piano is musically the most stocked instrument...

Anyway, let me suggest a few recordings that I love :

The Well Tempered Clavier by S. Richter (EMI) - great interpratation (the greatest ?) but poor sound, unfortunately.
The Well Tempered Clavier by Ivo Janssen (VOID) : almost unknown but I find he's a very good Bach interpreter. Actually recorded Bach's integral keyboard works on his own label. The sound quality is great and the interpretation is simple but efficient)
Mozart piano sonatas by Maria Joao Pires (Deutsche grammophon)
Beethoven piano sonatas by Wilhelm Kempf (Deutsche grammophon)
RAVEL, L'oeuvre pour piano seul by Samson François (EMI) - complete works for single piano.
Any Chopin by Martha Argerich
Any Chopin By Samson François
The Horowitz Collection (SONY music)

These are quite standards and, I think, a very good start for your classical library.

If you like contemporary jazz, go for some Keith Jarrett Trio and some Brad Mehldau (in trio or his Elegiac Cycle for piano solo).

[xvimbi]

You are not the only one in this situation. There are several guides available for this purpose.

1. Go to amazon.com and enter the following search phrase: "classical music guide recordings". Check out the books that will be listed.

2. Go to a good local bookstore; they probably have some of those guides.

3. Make a list of the CDs you are interested in.

4. Go to a half-price CD store and get the CDs on your list

5. Pick up the rest from amazon, any of those CD websites that give you 12 free CDs when you join, Apples iTunes Music Store, or wherever.

Have fun!

[quasimodo]

Yet, I still don't know what kind of music pianobabe enjoys to listen, but for everybody, I strongly recommend Keith Jarrett's "The melody at night, with you". It's jazz standards on solo piano. But I'm not quiet dure if it's really jazz. I'm just sure it's great piano !!!

[pianobabe56]

I love just about all music (punk rock, jazz, classical, etc.- anything except rap!) but I'm focusing on classical recordings at the moment, and a little jazz would be nice, too.

[Alde]

With little extra cash, I highlly recommend budget label CDs.  All of the major labels offer reissues of great recordings that were originally made on LPs, for a good deal.  Also try Naxos (huge variety of composers).

[Daevren]

I would recommend J.S. Bach WTC or Goldberg Variations. Imo for Goldberg vars, Glenn Gould is the only one to buy. Of course there are a huge amount of WTC recordings.

If you don't want Bach then maybe Beethoven sonatas.

If you want something more romantic either go with Liszt or Chopin. For chopin I would recommend his preludes or sonatas, for Liszt his concertos.

If you don't want classical go for Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock or Keith Jarreth.

In that case you also may want to ask on another forum.

[aki]

I want something with Liszt this year, which CD would you recommend?

[m1469]

Look here:

https://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Drilldown?name_id1=7203&name_role1=1&bcorder=1&genre=119

I pulled up all of the selections on Liszt solo piano for you, maybe you would like the Annees de Pelerinage (I am somewhat familiar with the first year, it's quite deep and beautiful, with some serious fury as well) ?  Although I did not see a recording of Orage  (this is truly a pity).

[cziffra777]

I want something with Liszt this year, which CD would you recommend?

If you can find the Marston volume of Ernst Levy that includes his Liszt sonata, get that. You may be able to get it through https://marstonrecords.com .

[fowler]

Every piano lover should own the Rach 3 recording by Martha Argerich, a masterful interpretation. Listen to the way she plays the first beautiful theme near the beginning of the first movement, I could'nt imagine anyone playing it as good as she did ever, it gets to me everytime, and the cadenza is heartstopping. People have commented on the many mistakes she makes on the whole, but its a live recording anyway of a very difficult piece. Its hugely enjoyable to listen to her exciting playing throughout the concerto, highly highly recommended.

[JK]

A great pianist to look out for is Claudio Arrau, although not alive anymore his recordings are always very interesting and deep as well as being often intense, what's more he has the most beautiful tone I've ever heard. Good recordings of Arrau are the beethoven sonatas, look out for opus 111 on DVD you will never hear this piece played better or more movingly ever in my opinion, anything by Liszt, beethoven concertos 4 and 5 with Sir Colin Davis and the Brahms concerti as well. I would also recommend recordings by Richter, most notably Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto and the Tchaikovsky 1, there are also some stunning live performances of Scriabin Etudes etc. Emil Gilels is also another great past pianist to look for, his recordings of the Beethoven sonatas and the Brahms concerti are lengendary. Richter also made some excellent recordings or Debussy as did Michelangeli. Other CDs to look out for are the Naxos Historical series where you can find recordings of Rachmaninoff, Moseivitch, Horowitz etc. these are very interesting to hear, the sound quality isn't always great but the performances are incredible, so very different from the way a lot of pianists play today....

[SteinwayTony]

One of my favorites is the recently released recording of the 2- and 3-Part Inventions played by Glenn Gould on Sony Classical.  He played the 2-Part, then the 3-Part immediately after.  I do not recommend it if you are trying to learn the Inventions (it's Gould, of course), but I find it a delight to listen to.

[musicsdarkangel]

for Beethoven, Alfred Brendel
for Rachmoninoff, Dimitri Alexeyev
Tchaikovsky concertos - Richter
for Chopin etudes, Garrick Ohlsson
for Mozart, Marie Jaoa Pirez

All though some people don't like his interpritations, I really do enjoy Andre Watts Liszt pagannini etudes.

get ALL Horowitz encore cd's....they are beasts.


I second who ever mentioned Claudio Arrau

sorry if I mispelled.

[SteinwayTony]

for Beethoven, Alfred Brendel
for Rachmoninoff, Dimitri Alexeyev
Tchaikovsky concertos - Richter
for Chopin etudes, Garrick Ohlsson
for Mozart, Marie Jaoa Pirez

All though some people don't like his interpritations, I really do enjoy Andre Watts Liszt pagannini etudes.

get ALL Horowitz encore cd's....they are beasts.


I second who ever mentioned Claudio Arrau

sorry if I mispelled.

I didn't mind Watts' Paganini Etudes, but his tempo for #6 (Theme & Vars) was one of the fastest I have ever heard.  When I first heard I thought he cheated and used a computer or something.

[steinwaymodeld]

I didn't mind Watts' Paganini Etudes, but his tempo for #6 (Theme & Vars) was one of the fastest I have ever heard.  When I first heard I thought he cheated and used a computer or something.

Some variation of Watts is really insane, I convinced my friend to buy that CD, and now he is addicted to it.

I think Hamelin is 'averagly' fastest though.

[Goldberg]

Hamelin's Paganini etudes are superb. Exemplary control of...everything. Typical of Hamelin, but not devoid of excitement at any moment. Truly excellent, in my opinion. Not excessively showy, either. Also, there are the touching Schubert transcriptions on the same disc, rarely recorded it seems.

[steinwaymodeld]

Hamelin's Paganini etudes are superb. Exemplary control of...everything. Typical of Hamelin, but not devoid of excitement at any moment. Truly excellent, in my opinion. Not excessively showy, either. Also, there are the touching Schubert transcriptions on the same disc, rarely recorded it seems.

Well, maybe not as much as the Paganini etudes, but they are very active among performance/recording reportire

[chromatickler]

I didn't mind Watts' Paganini Etudes, but his tempo for #6 (Theme & Vars) was one of the fastest I have ever heard.  When I first heard I thought he cheated and used a computer or something.

hahaha good thing u joined DA SDC, coz u is got A LOT to learn yet. 

[piano88]

A great pianist to look out for is Claudio Arrau, although not alive anymore his recordings are always very interesting and deep as well as being often intense, what's more he has the most beautiful tone I've ever heard. Good recordings of Arrau are the beethoven sonatas, look out for opus 111 on DVD you will never hear this piece played better or more movingly ever in my opinion, anything by Liszt, beethoven concertos 4 and 5 with Sir Colin Davis and the Brahms concerti as well.

Couldn't agree more. I'm privelaged to be taught by a former pupil of his and i'm always learning about his fascinating way of playing and his deep-rooted philosophies. He was one of the best and also most fascinating. I truly believe his Beethoven sonatas are the best out there.

My over favourite is Argerich and for your CD collection, her Rach 3, Her Tchaik 1 with Abbado and her Concertgebouw recordings.....or you could just buy the whole lot!

[rohansahai]

One of my favorites is the recently released recording of the 2- and 3-Part Inventions played by Glenn Gould on Sony Classical. He played the 2-Part, then the 3-Part immediately after. I do not recommend it if you are trying to learn the Inventions (it's Gould, of course), but I find it a delight to listen to.

2 and 3 part inventions?? NO WAY ! Its Gould's speciality to make the 2part inventions into 3 part and the 3 part into four part !!! (with his voice added, of course !) JUST KIDDING !!!
I think that the Ashkenazy recordings of the Rach. concertos, preludes and etudes are a MUST HAVE !! In addition to that, BACH'S WTC, by Horzowski ( if available ) is a great reading! Chopin...... the ballades and scherzi by Rubinstein, also the Mazurkas by the same pianist ! Zimerman's recording of the Ballades is good too, though !NOW, BEETHOVEN?? Lots of recommendations above, but i think Emil Gilels is the best!