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Possibly. I've seen Kissin on a number of occasions, and own a fair amount of his CDs. Almost always, I have prefered his recordings to his live performances. Kissin just seems better behaved in the studio, and indeed, he has given us some very fine recordings- ones that will certainly pass the test of time.

For now I've retired from attending any live Kissin concerts. At the last one he battered the poor Chopin Ballades in cold blood (each succeeding one was faster and louder)... even the generous selection of encores couldn't make up for what I thought was incredibly insensitive piano playing. I left the concert very disillusioned, and more than ready for a few pints...

Well i really enjoyed my first Kissin concert last november. I liked the Prokofiev better than the Chopin. I think he's hitting London in June 09 at the Barbican.
Which of his recordings would you advice?

I think Kissin is currently the foremost exponent of the Prokofiev 6th, so definitely try to get that one. Also -and this recording was not unanimously praised- I just loved Kissin's recording of the Brahms F minor Sonata, coupled with some deliciously marinated-in-gulyas Hungarian Dances.

For once, here is this sonata played with all the passion and angst of a young man. Not since Katchen had I heard such potency! Others will no doubt prefer the Arrau school of treating early Brahms as if the music were written after the Clarinet Quintet, the Four Serious Songs and the Op. 118 piano pieces.

Kissin also has a recording with Schumann's Op 17, and 5 of Liszt's Trascendental Etudes, no 12, 11, 10, 5, 8, that I think is very good.

I think the Schumann is excellent and very sensitively played, and the Db Liszt etude is the recording to which I measure all other performances of the etude, really doesn't get any better than that in my opinion.

How is it that I have never heard of this Martha Argerich anywhere except in these forums?

Has she been performing for very long? If so, was there a dramatic breakthrough point for her like Andre Watts substituting for an ailing Glenn Gould at the last minute?

Any competition medals to her credit? Composers she has an affinity for?

Incidentally, though he didn't make my top 5 I'm glad to see Richter high up on the list.

She's more active in Europe and she's canceled a lot of her concerts in the US.

And while she's recorded a lot, her reputation is based on only a few recordings: her debut recital, the Amsterdam Recital from 1978, the Rachmaninoff 3rd, Prokofiev 3rd, and Tchaikovsky 1st concerti, and the Schumann album (Kinderszenen and Kreisleriana.)

Oddly enough, as much as people talk about her on the forums, I can't remember anyone ever mentioning the work she's done with Kremer, Maisky, or Friere. Nobody seems to talk about her Chopin, Bach, or Bartok recordings either. (Her 2nd Partita is wonderful!)

As "global" as the world is, we are still divided by an ocean. Many Europeans are unaware of Copland's piano music or people like Jon Kimura Parker, who mostly concertizes in the states and Canada.

(And Americans are unaware of some excellent European pianists like Dubrovka Tomsic, Elisabeth Leonskaya, John Lill, or Idil Biret.)

I don't know why you have that impression, Kreisler. She is as famous for her interpretation of Chopin and Bach as she is for the recordings you mentioned. She is also obviously a leader in piano duo performances; in fact she gets criticized for this often.
I was surprised she had so many fans on this forum (eg the Ranking thread). I think she is rather under-rated.

soundboard, google or even better, You Tube the lady.. You will be hooked..

Well she cancels in Europe too. But the concerts she does play are always reviewed in major papers, often as a "feature" review. I've read quite a bit about Argerich in the American press.

Furthermore, any periodical reviewing piano CDs is sooner or later going to at least mention Argerich in some context, generally comparing her standard with the recording being reviewed. I cannot recall a single issue of Gramophone (and I've subscribed for years) wherein Argerich wasn't referred to at least once.

One politely wonders what else this individual has missed...

Alain Lefebvre
Arcadi Volodos
Emil Gilels
Stepheh Hough
Wilhelm Kempff

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ONE ALSO WONDERS just how broad and diversified an individual's experiences and tastes may be when he labels himself first and foremost a devotee of one particular artist alone.

Fortunately this one is partially redeemed with his four other choices in this particular thread.

I don't care very much for the stuffed-shirted critics who subject us all to their 'wisdom' in Gramophone. This crowd of ardent concertgoers is far less self-interested and often a great deal more down to earth.

She won the first prize in International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition in 1965.

What Wikipedia says seems to carry some truth about her - "Her aversion to the press and publicity has resulted in her remaining out of the limelight for most of her career. She has given relatively few interviews.".

She is recognizable, in many countries well known, but certainly not by media appearances.


M.

Interesting. Thanks for the info.

I'm sure Jason will be relieved to know of his redemption in your eyes, but only someone with less than a month's tenure here could imagine him to be anything less than thoroughly worldly and erudite (attributes that have shone brightly and regularly in his 3,000+ posts).

BTW FWIW I identify myself first and foremost as a devotee of one composer alone. Oh, there are plenty of others whom I like, some of them intensely, and different musical genres, too, but I don't think there's anything wrong with (or even unusual about) a personal fervor for one particular titan among the giants.

Music is like language to me, and I have only one mother tongue.

Steven

^ HAHA very nice Steven ...

never thought of it that way..

do we see a thread of our top 5 fav composers?

'tenure'? Sounds like you both take this thing way too seriously. I don't doubt his erudition or worldliness; I just didn't very much care for the petulant and unwarranted remark, and his silly handle was a convenient target for retaliation.

Favoring a Titan among the giants is fine and well--I actually agree with you on Chopin. But I don't quite see Argerich being a titan among giants. Anyway it's immaterial, being mostly a matter of opinion.

I apologize to all bystanders for the great deviation from the original topic at hand (though not for anything I've said.) Let's get some more votes.

My apologies soundboard, I did not intend offense. I was just a bit mystified that you had not heard of Argerich. Fair enough?

Well I can assure you that I have heard many other pianists, both live and on recording, I didn't see anything 'childish' about preferring a certain pianist. Methinks you protest too much.
I'm grateful the other pianists I listed met your approval. Sort of hard to argue, eh?
Okay, you played the 'anti-Brit' card. Fair enough. A very 'American' trait of suspicion and presumed superiority of the Olde World. But if you have read the piano reviewers of Gramophone, Bryce Morrison, Jeremy Nicholas, Jed Disler, for example, you would certainly have to agree at least that they know their stuff. The latter two have also reviewed for American publications.

I have also read the American Fanfare and American Record Guide, the latter a truly disgusting periodical, primarily because of the contrarian and racist views of its editor, a sad sod whose whining is posed as intelligent discourse. At least that is not a problem with Fanfare, as the editor adopts a very low profile. He has some great reviewers in his stable. But ultimately they are not tangibly superior to those writing for Gramophone. (And I won't even get into the respective reviewers of non piano music, specifically church music.)

Your sarcastic comments strike me more as ruffled feathers. As Steven correctly points out, you are new here. Before launching an attack on me, at least survey the territory, take a breath, have a pint or whatever.

The Pianist Corner is a great community. You will meet some terrific folks here, of course we all have our opinions (not surprising, hah!), but that is what can make it so much fun.

Welcome and cheers...

I just googled Martha Argerich and got over 500,000 hits; searching YouTube produced nearly 500, and Amazon over 250. Considering the ease with which you could have found out information about her, your question seemed a tad dismissive.

As for the response of her biggest fan here, dang, it's not as if he said you've been living under a rock for several decades! I think you seriously overreacted, and there's no reason to pronounce his screen name "silly" nor any basis for saying that others take things "way too seriously."

You're the newcomer here, after all, and it would be sensible to assume good intentions and exercise some circumspection. A sense of humor helps, too—but, of course, this is just my own immaterial matter of opinion.

Steven

Oops, this is freaky. Today is your first encounter with the name Argerich and you're already pronouncing her not a titan among (I could have written 'amongst') giants. Aren't we a bit quick on the draw? Kill first, then ask questions?

How American can that be?
:p :p :p :p

Humour -oops 'humor'- is always the best sign of health, and sotto voce has it down. Good man...

Aw nuts, I'll try to take in stride the latest news regarding the American Episcopal Church... oh the perfidy of it all. British church forums will certainly get petticoats ruffled. I'm staying clear for the time being...

Vladimir Ashkenazy
Arthur Rubinstein
Martha Argerich
Emil Gilels
Sviatoslav Richter