Who are your favorite pianists for Bach?

[schumaniac]

I'm curious, especially since we can only draw conjectures as to how to interpret Bach's music; some people follow every single "advance" made in early music research, and on the other extreme, there've been many players who use "Romantic" approaches ("'cause if Bach were alive today...")

[rubinsteinmad]

So here are the results:
schumaniac- Perahia and Gould
rubinsteinmad- someone else & bach just shouldn't be played on piano (nor harpsichord jk)

Anyways, I don't really like Sokolov playing early mjusic (except for Rameau). It just sounds meh.

I think Gould doesn't shape much, and hes kinda harsh. Perahia is better, he's very clean and polished.

[rubinsteinmad]

I like Daivd Fray and Simone Dinnerstein. They are very contrasting players. David Fray is less eccentric, and his playing and touch is more refined. On the other hand, Dinnerstein can produce sounds out of the piano that I didn't know were possible (unless she cheated by playing it on an electric piano heheheh). However, Dinnerstein would be kicked out in any big music competition (except for maybe America Got Talent) with a conservative judge. But who cares, because she plays really beautifully.

 I think I also like Andras Schiff. His playing is so dreamy sometimes.

[rubinsteinmad]

Crazy, but both David Fray and Simone Dinnerstein are big on(1) Bach and (2)Schubert. Andras Schiff is also noted for his interpretations of Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, and Schumann. According to Wikipedia, he's also renowned for his Mozart, but that's kinda funny, because Ive never heard him play Mozart  

[rubinsteinmad]

I also like Helene Grimaud and Alexandre Tharaud. Boris Bloch is nice, too. (He used to be Evgeny Bozhanov's teacher.)

[visitor]

Rosalyn Turek all day long. Absolute tops in my world

[schumaniac]

Rosalyn Turek all day long. Absolute tops in my world

oh my god I feel absolutely dumb now for not including her in the poll

[rubinsteinmad]

oh my god I feel absolutely dumb now for not including her in the poll

Don't feel bad for forgetting Tureck. You forgot all the ladies! (Dinnerstein, Tureck, Hewitt, ect.)

[schumaniac]

Don't feel bad for forgetting Tureck. You forgot all the ladies! (Dinnerstein, Tureck, Hewitt, ect.)

I'm sorry (Dinnerstein isn't that famous though)

I feel dumb for forgetting Hewitt though. I'll add her to the poll since she has a solid "fan base," also as one of the 4-5 notable pianists from Canada

[rubinsteinmad]

I'm sorry (Dinnerstein isn't that famous though)

I feel dumb for forgetting Hewitt though. I'll add her to the poll since she has a solid "fan base," also as one of the 4-5 notable pianists from Canada

Also, Maria Tipo and Tatiana Nikoleyeva (I don't see how anyone would vote for Nikoleyeva, though..  )

[rubinsteinmad]

I'm sorry (Dinnerstein isn't that famous though)

Yeah, she's kinda controversial.

Music puritans HATE her, while lovers-of-beauty will appreciate her as one of the best classical pianists in America.


I have a feeling  though, that her virtuosity isn't as great as some other pianists. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[pencilart3]

No Schiff for me, please.

[rubinsteinmad]

No Schiff for me, please.

Change your tastebuds, please.

[schumaniac]

Also, Maria Tipo and Tatiana Nikoleyeva (I don't see how anyone would vote for Nikoleyeva, though..  )

I considered adding them but I thought they were too "niche" for this forum

[outin]

No Schiff for me, please.

You shouldn't have listened to his Chopin...

You really don't like his Baroque recordings? Why exactly?

[pencilart3]

You shouldn't have listened to his Chopin...

You really don't like his Baroque recordings? Why exactly?

Yes, his Chopin preludes recording made me want to barf. But I am not the biggest fan of his Bach either. He adds little notes and trills everywhere that aren't written in the score. Actually, Pollini has some excellent Preludes & Fugues, even though he isn't exactly known for his Bach.

[visitor]

the lack of Neuhaus in this disc is sad/shocking
another i almost always default to, I can find no fault or reason to not look here for inspiration.

[rubinsteinmad]

the lack of Neuhaus in this disc is sad/shocking
another i almost always default to, I can find no fault or reason to not look here for inspiration.

He taught Emil Gilels, just saying.

[outin]

Yes, his Chopin preludes recording made me want to barf. But I am not the biggest fan of his Bach either. He adds little notes and trills everywhere that aren't written in the score.

But that's how it's supposed to be...In the Baroque era if you played just what was written on the score people would have laughed and thrown rotten eggs at you   

[schumaniac]

the lack of Neuhaus in this disc is sad/shocking
another i almost always default to, I can find no fault or reason to not look here for inspiration.

Neuhaus is a GREAT pianist (Chopin, Scriabin, Bach as you've said) and GREAT pedagogue (having taught all those guys). He was not as famous for performing though and I didn't expect  many people to be familiar with his recordings, so I didn't include him.

[visitor]

He taught Emil Gilels, just saying.

yep. he also taught Richter (and was pupil of-and thus connects by lineage- Scriabin).

[visitor]

Neuhaus is a GREAT pianist (Chopin, Scriabin, Bach as you've said) and GREAT pedagogue (having taught all those guys). He was not as famous for performing though and I didn't expect  many people to be familiar with his recordings, so I didn't include him.

Neuhaus studied w Scriabin, and his playing is top notch. He rubbed elbows w/ Alexander Goldenweisser (who was teacher for a bit  for a pupil some may know today, Kapustin, recall reading that somewhere).

I'm sad i cannot find footage of Godlenweiser's approach to Bach though....
*his composing is super great though, he studied w Siloti and Pabst, and he did recitals w Rachmaninoff, and his first teacher was a pupil of Tchaikovsky).
there's some surviving clips of his playing ie Beethoven and here Chopin

his music

[thalbergmad]

Anyone who says Schiff, needs a lobotomy.

Thal

[rubinsteinmad]

Anyone who says Schiff, needs a lobotomy.

Thal

Well at least he is better than Gould 

[thalbergmad]

Well, so is my Venus Flytrap.

Thal

[rubinsteinmad]

Well, so is my Venus Flytrap.

Thal

I'm not too impressed.

[thalbergmad]

If you like Schiff playing Bach, you are too easily impressed.

Thal

[rubinsteinmad]

If you like Schiff playing Bach, you are too easily impressed.

Thal

You misunderstood me.

I meant that the fact that your Venus Flytrap plays better than Gould doesn't impress me that much 

[schumaniac]

Anyone who says Schiff, needs a lobotomy.

Thal

Y'all are mean!!

And Gould may not be to your liking, but he had some of the best technique on earth and could play all voices of a fugue clearly at breakneck speed... He also revolutionized the use of technology in music

[rubinsteinmad]

Y'all are mean!!

And Gould may not be to your liking, but he had some of the best technique on earth and could play all voices of a fugue clearly at breakneck speed... He also revolutionized the use of technology in music

You just gave "theholygidgeons" an excuse to say that Asians only can do Speed.

[lhb_]

Glenn Gould forever! I feel he really captures Bach's sense of musical architecture. At this point I can't really listen to anyone else, because it just wouldn't be the same.

Also, another underrated Bach player is Friedrich Gulda.

[iansinclair]

Glenn Gould.  If you must have Bach on piano.  However, if you really want to hear it played beautifully, try Wanda Landowska (if you can find her recordings), on harpsichord.  Or any one of a number of people for the organ works.

[visitor]

Glenn Gould.  If you must have Bach on piano.  However, if you really want to hear it played beautifully, try Wanda Landowska (if you can find her recordings), on harpsichord.  Or any one of a number of people for the organ works.

Was waiting for yhe nod to Landowska.
Always reminds me of Turek's quote to her , see below excerpt from an article that appeared shortly after her passing


Home   >   Obituaries   >   Article

Her Bach was worthy of her bite

September 4, 2003Print this articleEmail to a friend

Rosalyn Tureck, Musician, 1914-2003

"You play it your way; I play it Bach's way." Addressing the indomitable harpsichordist Wanda Landowska, the equally indomitable Rosalyn Tureck, who has died aged 88, made one of her most famous and characteristic statements. For J. S. Bach was the composer to whom this strong-willed, demanding, fearsomely intelligent American keyboard player dedicated her life, both as performer and scholar.

She went against a prevailing fashion by playing Bach on the modern grand pianoforte. That this has now again become an acceptable practice is mainly due to Tureck's artistry, persistence and example.

[rubinsteinmad]

Was waiting for yhe nod to Landowska.
Always reminds me of Turek's quote to her , see below excerpt from an article that appeared shortly after her passing


Home   >   Obituaries   >   Article

Her Bach was worthy of her bite

September 4, 2003Print this articleEmail to a friend

Rosalyn Tureck, Musician, 1914-2003

"You play it your way; I play it Bach's way." Addressing the indomitable harpsichordist Wanda Landowska, the equally indomitable Rosalyn Tureck, who has died aged 88, made one of her most famous and characteristic statements. For J. S. Bach was the composer to whom this strong-willed, demanding, fearsomely intelligent American keyboard player dedicated her life, both as performer and scholar.

She went against a prevailing fashion by playing Bach on the modern grand pianoforte. That this has now again become an acceptable practice is mainly due to Tureck's artistry, persistence and example.

eh

[romancatholicpianist]

Gould, all the way. To me, he has a good balance of tasteful dynamics and virtuosity (except that A minor 2-part Invention. What a show-off!  ). His playing also matured a lot over time, and there is such a change of character between the two Goldberg recordings. Mind you, I only like his Bach.

Hewitt would be a close second. Her playing is so clear; nearly transparent in places.

[pencilart3]

AJ

[ajlongspiano]

Haha thanks, Noah!

[briansaddleback]

Bach himself.
 

[ahinton]

Bach himself.
 

Mon Dieu! You heard Him play? Please tell us all, Herr Saddelbach...

Best,

Alistair

[briansaddleback]

He sounds pretty good.

[panicking ant]

Bach's playing is not "authentic" enough to suit modern tastes.