Would any of you care to post a link(s) to the best sounding piano(s) you've heard on the internet?

I think this could be fun and enjoyable.

I know some of you go for the interpretation more than the sound but let's just go for sound with this one. The sound from a piano you would just love to own. This assumes good touch, etc.

For those new to piano but with a strong interest this could serve, somewhat, as a guide to great piano sound.

Here's mine, may be more to follow.

http://www.diwupiano.com/

Di Wu's website. The music begins once you enter her site.

Expect many here are like me in that we will be hearing sounds we can't afford.

Edit: Here's another:

Ray Bryant, Blues no. 6 on YouTube. Big sound. No link, may be copyrighted.

Bech

This is a long shot because it's not necessarily on the web, I just remember being absolutely stunned by the recorded piano sound during a recital from Pollack Hall at McGill University in Montreal.

Here's mine:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3beRwyKnIo

George Shearing recorded his My Ship album using a Bösendorfer. His playing is top shelf and the piano sounded excellent.

I forgot to add, that Piano is a Hamburg Steinway D provided by Pro Piano, and prepared by Barbara Pease Renner.

Microphones: Sennheiser MKH-800, MKH-20, and MKH-50. On Stage Microphone Preamplifiers: Sonic Lens 20/20-4

This Steinway has the most amazing tone I've ever heard. I'm not crazy about how she played the first movement of this piece, but the second movement is perfection.

itsfreakingmeout,

Nice tone. I've watched her (Valentina Lisitsa) much more than any other pianist. Have all of her DVDs. Appears she mails them from out of her home--where she has 4 concert grands! She's a Bosendorfer artist and shown as such at the Bosendorfer web site. She uses an old Bosendorfer 275 made in 1928 on two of her DVDs. Perhaps all three but not sure.

For a display of tremendous technique take a look at her playing Liszt Totentanz on YouTube. The last part (around 13:50) of this is the most amazing. It's lasts about 15 minutes. Seen some YouTube versions of her playing only a portion of this piece. This is a wonderful video showing a great pianists working hard at her craft and showing it well. Nice camera angles.

Edit: Just watched the Totentanz performance again--about the 4th time--and notice she's playing a Steinway. Lots of great sound from that piano! Suppose it's a Hamburg Steinway since this recording was in Germany. Sounds great.

Bech

This is mine, some Chopin on Bösendorfer (life recording):

Dora Deliyska

schwammerl.

What a nice thread. Here's my contribution.

Good to find another nice Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 2 recording on the internet. Thank you.



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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWHv_068tOI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaCq0RKtjEA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMGyj7JxpLo

EltonRach,

Oh.....couple there I really liked! Terence Koo and Stuart & Sons piano--great player, great piano sound! Elton John nice too. Bright but good.

I have to keep the Stuart & Sons piano in mind. It may be one of the best for the money.

Thanks. I keep a list of anything worth watching again (and again)whether music or otherwise.

Bech

ItsFreakingMeOut, great video, great piano. Thanks.

Di Wu sounded wonderful in the Saint- Saens on the home page. Do you know what piano she is playing? Her pictures and video showed her playing Steinway -- the first video to me looks like a NY D.

Bech, I found the Ray Bryant Blues No. 6 on You Tube. Great sounding piano powered by great talent. Am I correct that he's playing a Bosendorfer Imperial?

Kempf on beautifully voiced Steinway

plumpfingers,

The bass sure sounds like the powerful bass of the Bosendorfer but the highs seem bright for that piano. As you know, what mikes you use and how you use them and room acoustics can make so much difference it'd be hard to know what the piano was by it's sound. I'd guess Bosendorfer Imperial.

Don't know what piano for sure but know I'd like to give it a spin!

Bech

Sophial,

I'd guess Steinway. If I or you would go to the Steinway site there might be a list of Steinway artists. Believe there is.

I just took a look. There's a couple of pianists with last name of Wu but not Di Wu. Maybe she needs a little more of a "name" or experience before being on any piano manufacturer's artist list.

Bech

I agree. It seems a powerful and sweet Steinway... But from aprox min 6 (in the Saint Saens concert) the piano is terrible out of tune at the middle scale (specially the G4!!).

I can't post it, but a Fazioli F183 in London shop at Edgware road has the most wonderful sound I have experienced. Like a string instrument with wonderful purity and fine grain (if this means anything) with great touch. Go and try it if you get there!

This 1929 Chickering sounds pretty good to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ys-GiJUqPQ

And I like the sound of this Petrof
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzJCHxLWiio

Lugansky plays Brahms 118 #2 on a Hamburg Steinway D-wonderful sound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iF4Rn2b4T8

sophial,

Yes. Nice.

Let me add another one of his performances. He's rather new to me and I know for sure he's one of my favorites. I've mentioned it before but his hands move exceptionally well over the keyboard. So smooth, so in control.

Try this one, same audience/performance as yours but different piece. Steinway and I'll bet this is the typical--and very good--"Steinway Sound." Curious, how do you know it a Hamburg Steinway?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_l2mWn1GWE&feature=related

Bech

Russian Duo Kharitonova & Machlak

Select High Definition for slightly better sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuqLl_F4rCk&feature=player_embedded

I have another exceptional performance with sound that is so REAL--so intimate.

This one's not razzle dazzle technique but rather a beautiful slow piece. What, to me, is so outstanding is we have the grand old master, Horowitz, playing in what seems to me to be the nearest thing to being there I've ever experienced. It's as though I'm sitting next to the piano as he plays.

See if you agree.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS5LRRsNYZk&feature=related

and......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXBHF1iFoqc


Beautiful, real, intimate piano sound. About like being there.

Bech

The recording that plays when you go to this site:
http://www.davidandersenpianos.com/

I have no idea what piano is being played. The piece is Lullaby for Our Daughters played and composed by Mike Garson.

Volodos on a Hamburg Steinway:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaFBVfwyoiY&feature=related

Couldn't agree more Bech. Fabulous sound and exquisite interpretation. Thanks for directing us to this one.

Bech,

In the videos from that performance, you can see the fallboard as well as the rounded cheeks typical of the Hamburg Steinway. I think there is a shot that shows the knob on the side of the case as well which is also typical of them.


Sophia

Yes, gorgeous -- that of course is Horowitz on a NY Steinway D. .... sublime!

Just have to say that the sound is divine! Excellent choice of a clip! Wow!

I've added another Horowitz performance to my previous post but occured to me "just put it here." Well...it's both places now!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXBHF1iFoqc

The nuances, the tone. Real, intimate, like the previous performance. Lots of great piano sound.

Bech

pianoloverus,

Yes, that is a good sounding piano. That's a neat site. Interesting piano "things" there.

Bech

Leatham,

Nice. Once again, a Stuart & Sons piano, made in Australia. Second time this piano has made it's appearance on this thread. Could be a "bargain piano" but once you add shipping??????? A piano duo but I recently learned they also call it "4-hand piano." Definitely a piano worth taking a look at although might be hard to find.

Leatham,

I had another go with the piano duo. Not just nice--superb !!
In all respects!

Bech

How about adding a Bosie to the list. This is jazz great Oscar Peterson playing a Bosendorfer Imperial Concert Grand. The recording is not perfect, but wow what a performance. http://www.myspace.com/video/janwillemkl/oscar-peterson-indiana/11651137

Wow is right! I've got all his DVDs and I've seen that performance and everything I can find of him on YouTube. This might be the best he's done--as far as I know. You might want to buy his autobiography, A Jazz Odyssey. Canadian, did you know?

He and Valentina Lisitsa are the two pianists I've watched and listened to the most--and by quite a bit.

Speaking of the Bosendorfer, here's Valentina:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROVy9PC8_8A&feature=related

Very prominent bass--especially at the very end. Great sound all-around.

Bech

I like the link above,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuqLl_F4rCk&feature=player_embedded
but MAKE SURE you get the HD for much better sound in the faster parts

And the other link , the Bosendorfer Lisa plays on also sounds great in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROVy9PC8_8A&feature=related

Danny boy on Forster

Debussy on Ibach (very quiet, but well worth turning up the volume)

Hymn to freedom on Bosendorfer

I do about all my listening to music--of all kinds--thru headphones. I just now tried my Altec Lansing speakers and my headphones are much superior. I envy those of you who can hear your "computer music" thru high-end speakers. One day, me too.

I just wanted to tell those of you who have not tried it: Get some good headphones. Mine aren't the best but they are good.

Grado SR80 (open back)
Ultrasone HFI 780 (closed back)

I hope this is some benefit to some of you. I know some members here know much more about this than I.

We're talking good sound with this thread so I thought, even though not about piano, this would be appropriate.

Thank goodness for my headphones!

Bech

Lovely sound indeed. It's a Bosendorfer 225.

I've never been able to spot a name on the fallboard any time I've watched this DVD so I have no clue what brand this piano is but I really, really like it. It doesn't appear to be one of his Yamahas from that time period. I'm guessing its just a piano in a recording studio some place that gets a lot of use, the edges of the case have some wear on them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu11pRrfe9U

jazzyproof:

What a gorgeous recording - WOW!! Love that Bosi sound!!

Here's 2 samples of some better recordings of a Sauter:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4u2qMj5ALs&NR=1
Played by Werner Naenni on a Sauter grand-piano
Recorded at Achim Franz, Klaviere & Flügel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-sHDzuQIkk&feature=related

Norbert

Thanks Norbert. Those are beautiful recordings and interpretations.

I have no idea what piano this is, and the piece is not one you whistle while you work, but I enjoy the clarity of this piano in all ranges and the up-close feeling of the recording a lot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSxKSFLy7OM

How about $2k with a no-cost internal recording made hours after bringing the new piano keyboard-controlled instrument home.

A little twangy with a high velocity strike, but hey, Corea plays it that way, so who's to say. Plenty of expressive capability on a shoestring budget.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZIT-o8VKFA

While we are accustomed to 'listen' to a piano's sound, there's also the element of "feeling" it.

This is especially true for those who play themselves.

Just touch a piano on its side and you 'feel the sound.

It's an energy that goes through your whole body and is the reason why we all perceive sound differently.

[thanks God... ;)]

Recording a piano, almost 'any' recording, limits this experience but if well done it still can give at least an indication.

Thanks all in sharing in this interesting subject.

Norbert

Norbert,

Well said. Thank YOU and everyone for contributing.

Bech

turandot,

Really liked both of your posts. This one reminds me of what may still be my favorite piano recording. Paulena Carter, 97 keys. Have the old LP. She played for the Los Angles Symphony and believe even had her own radio show. Back in the 50s-60s. On the back of the album cover they say it's a Bechstein but 97 keys???? Your link and my link below have pianos with similar sound. Sparkling or glass breaking highs, especially. The European piano sound? Gorgeous, resonant bass too!

Amazon now has MP3s you can download of this. I'll always wonder how much better it could have been with modern recording equipment.

http://www.amazon.com/97-Keys-Digitally-...3298&sr=8-1

Once there you can sample all pieces for free--or, buy and download all for a little over 8 dollars.

The highs are just about too bright here but they--and the overall sound--are much better via good stereo equipment. Believe Bechstein is known for brightness or "European Sound."

I recently purchased a CD of Bruno Walter (conductor) and Paulina Carter on piano. Los Angeles Philharmonic. Have DVD drive problems but anxious to hear it.

Bech

Talking about new piano recording techniques, listen to the two samples at the bottom of this link:

Interview with Mark Levinson

or the samples at the bottom of this page:

Moscow 2010 Petrof Event - Daniel Hertz

Daniel Hertz

schwammerl.

Sandro Russo playing Ave Maria on Liszt's 1862 Bechstein.

I wouldn't call this sound great--compared to today's best pianos--but it's great for a piano that old! Boy, they have the mikes and room acoustics just right for this recording.

You can find this performance at Russo's web site under "Listening Room." It is copyrighted. Bechstein asked Russo to make a DVD with Liszt's piano in 2009.

Another DVD is available where Russo plays Horowitz's famous Steinway.

Edit: Just watched Russo play Horowitz's piano. Scriabin Etude. On YouTube. Great!

Both DVDs available at Russo's site. I'm a buyer.

Bech

I don't think it has to be European. It's more where you happen to find it. To me, it's more about the the sequence of initial attack response, bloom, and decay.

For isolating and evaluating that, there's nothing quite like the atonalists (IMO).

Here are two samples of Anton Webern's Op. 27.3. It's an especially good piece for hearing unisons bloom and decay. This simple Webern piece does not present the recording challenges of a fast-moving textured work smothered under a blanket of overtones, long sustain, and liberal pedaling.

First Gould

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V_niGEXisA

Excuse the hiss.I'm having problems linking to a better sample

Then Pollini

http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=iHqcOGbaTGQ

Anyone have a preference?

I personally prefer the 'Gould' version.

The piano and the interpretation leaves more sence of 'Ruhig fliessend', as the the composer intended, with me.

schwammerl;

Luc,

You're a classicist at heart. I was asking about piano sound.

What's needed is a youtube performance of this piece on an Estonia. How about it?

Chopin:Nocturne cis-moll op.posth. on a C.Bechstein

Rich


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

Rich,

I sure liked that Bechstein. Performances on a Bechstein hard to find and this is a dandy.

I found more by this same pianist and the following has him playing a Yamaha. Very nice too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e5yohIDJ54&NR=1

Another, same pianist, this time a Sauter piano. Nice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4u2qMj5ALs&feature=related

And same pianist but using Petrof.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEeO7Dgq_2U&feature=related

I think I'd pick the Bechstein out of these. A special resonance. Like to hear more dynamic pieces than these from each of these pianos.

Bech

Compare the initial pop of that Yamaha sound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e5yohIDJ54&NR=1

with the velvet glove of the Ravenscroft on the same piece of lit. The differences are pronounced in the D flat major section, especially in the tenor range, where the Ravenscroft sings in a way that most pianos don't.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi49lTnZjtc

Rich D.,

That is one mighty fine Bechstein.

Chopin:Nocturne cis-moll op.posth. on a C.Bechstein

Nice playing but I hear some strange vibratos, particulay on the louder touched notes. Is it the mp3 or aac compression or is that a mic artefact or clipping?

?
A Youtbe search on Bechstein gives 1,350 hits.

I like also these almost identical performances of Chopin's Scherzo in B moll by Lenka Korbelova comparing various Petrof grands from 194 to 284:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJNgBlKXJx0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1slO6GmWyDY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H1bN_XfVys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72KHfMlRykc

And of course I really like my own piano sound

http://abf.make247.co.uk/recital_files/Recital_19/28.%20wouter79%20-%20Ases%20Tot.mp3

That does sound nice, nice playing too. What is it?

Wourter.

I know this is supposed to be a 'nice' thread, but I have to say something.

I don't think either Ms. Korbelová's playing (she plays with the sensitivity of a robot) or the recording quality helps Petrof's cause.

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'.