It is Åses Tod by Grieg played on my Grotrian 189

turandot, I like the recording so I thought others might like it too. Sorry if you don't. It is from Petrof's own PR page so tell them if you think the recording quality does not do justice to Petrof....

pianoloverus,

How many good sounding performances/links could be provided from the 1,350?

Bech

Wow, Wow, Wow!

I know this one's on CD so no link. Made in 2009. Great sound, great--make that--very great performance by Valentina Lisitsa.

Boy, next best thing to having her play this piece for you in your own home. I mean for real. You wanna see ability. Watch this.

Valentina Lisitsa playing Rachmaninoff Concerto #1 mov. 1 thru 3.

Talk about "tickling the ivories!"

I and everyone really owes this pianist a big thanks for making so many of her performances available on YouTube. So much--and for free!

I gotta have this one on DVD. Sure hope it happens.

Here she makes an old piano sound beautiful! She has another performance of this on YouTube but it's only a portion of Mov.1. Newer, better piano on this one. Can't find any more of it.

Bech

When screening my CD collection what I noticed was that you will allways find a lot of details on matters like: recording engineer, DSD engineer, recording venue, recording equipment used, including microphines, art and editorial direction etc....but most often not a trace of on what kind of a piano it was recorded let alone a referrence to the piano technician!

What does this mean?

Does this mean that those responsible for CD production think the piano is not all that imprtant in he whole equation?

schwammerl.

I've been listening this piece for a couple of days like mesmerized.

http://www.klavierhalle.de/database/dt14..._gnossienne.mp3

Btw I have no relationship with the dealer who put this sound sample on it's website. Actually this might not be the best of the Bluthner's, as other samples for this piano did not impressed me that much.

I have no idea, but the point is you claimed Youtube performances on a Bechstein were rare and they aren't. Also, you seem to assume that the Bechstein link you provided was special but that is subjective. I think some of the "great piano sound" videos in this thread are very good and some are nothing special or even poor.

pianoloverus,

Spent some time trying to find quality Bechstein playing on YouTube--about 100 attempts--and gave up. So many performances with poor acoustics/miking you can't tell a thing about their piano sound.

Give this one a shot for good sound:

Horowitz playing Scriabin op8 no12 on YouTube. The one where he's younger and still "got it." My special affection for this performance is the huge bass he gets from his piano.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ClDFmFmr0k

Bech

Yes, lovely. The piano is not identified though. Do you know what it was?

sophial,

Horowitz was a "Steinway Artist" for many years so I'd bet a lot of money it's a Steinway in this performance.

Actually this performance is more to me than big bass. It puts you right up there next to Horowitz where you see him really "into" the performance. I read he had his pianos tweaked to his liking and I'll bet this was one such piano.

Bech

Victor Borge.

What an outstanding entertainer! Try:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWrqtJTEmBk

Here we have 2 Bosendorfers and although it's a comedy routine you get glimpses of the piano's greatness. Too bad Victor didn't follow-up with a serious solo performance. I read he was a concert pianists a few years before he began his comedy act. See Wikipedia. You might want to experience his other acts while at YouTube.

I sometimes get caught-up in the performance and borderline on the sound. Well....what the heck--you'll like this.

Does anyone know of a performance by him where he plays seriously and well?

Bech

No doubt:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGmAeSuLPb0

I mentioned Ray Bryant in an earlier post. Today I've been listening to his DVD titled: Ray Bryant '77. Bought it from www.amazon.com About 11 bucks. What a great deal!

I mentioned his playing Blues No. 6 previously and it's on this DVD but many other equally great performances are also on this DVD.

The sound on this DVD is absolutely tremendous. It's a Bosendorfer piano and whether it's the mikes, in part, or mostly this piano--I don't know. What I do know--after listening to lots of pianos on the internet--I've never heard piano sound this good before. Ringing highs and a bass on steroids!

Check-out Blues No. 6 on YouTube and then see if this doesn't make you go to Amazon.com with money in hand! There are other performances by Ray on YouTube but none (other than Blues No. 6) I've seen compare to what he does on this DVD. This DVD consists of more than blues. Several jazz numbers like Take The "A" Train, Georgia On My Mind, etc.

Bech

I couldn't decide on an individual song (there's too many to like), but I like the sound upright piano in many of YouTube user ivoryticklermama's videos.

Oh my oh my! Tom Waits comes to mind: 'The piano has been drinkin'. Maybe the tuner has been drinking! She's a great singer though.

A beautifully recorded Steinway.

Good piano sound, great pianist and good recording.

The trifecta !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nS3JrQVHd8

Seems a bit faster than it's usually played.

Interesting research on this piece done by Andras Schiff:

http://music.guardian.co.uk/classical/page/0,,1943867,00.html

His research (and that of Edwin Fischer) suggests that the first movement has been misinterpreted all along, and is played much too slow by most. Perhaps Valentina is aware of this.

And now some more Valentina - unfortunately only small bits of a few pieces, but she really makes the Bosie sing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlmovT2t2as&feature=related

G

pianoloverus, although i realize your post is over a year old i was recently in touch with david anderson regarding a Yamaha C7 that he had worked on for a year, and was for sale by a composer in LA (i say "was", because i've purchased it). here's what she sounds like:

http://www.markedwardlewis.com/files/ftp2/files/Piano%2005%20C7.mp3

Entheo, that's one great sounding piano, beautifully recorded. Do you know why the owner sold it?

Agreed!

Congratulations, Entheo. If that's the 1992 that I think it is, then I'm jealous. Even if it isn't, I'm still jealous. One of Mr. Andersen's greatest strengths is what he can do with a piano to take it beyond expectations.

Just one word: WOW!

I'd love to learn how to record a piano like this (given a piano like this, of course!)

it's a 2005 Yamaha C7. the owner has acquired a newer 2009 C7 and lucky for me he didn't need two of them. i flew to LA from Chicago last weekend to audition it, and as you can tell from the recording, she's a big, rich sounding piano, and the action feels a lot like the Steinway Ds i've had the pleasure of playing -- long shanks that will definitely take some getting used to; plenty of room for expression. Here's a picture of her (not yet in her new home; that will be a while):



regarding the recording: mark indicated to me that he was given a secret to getting such a good recorded sound, and all i believe i'm at liberty to say is that in addition to considering the 'horizontal sound' one must also consider the 'vertical sound'.