I own a Hungarian Raphsody Cd. All of the Hungarian Raphsodies played on it are played by Georges Cziffra. (Someone I had never heard of until I bought the CD). The first couple of times I played it, I litterally thought to myself: "What crap!" However, after hearing it a few times over, I found that it was actually very very good. He is an excellent pianist. So, I have learned to never judge anything from just hearing it once, because you can get to appreciate it over time. I was just wondering if anyone else has ever had such an experiance?

That's a pretty interesting question. I guess in my own recent experience I say Leslie Howard is the pianist I've finally warmed up to after many listenings. Also I it took awhile for me to enjoy Serkin, Gulda, Ax, and Agerich.

[ August 17, 2001: Message edited by: netizen ]

It was "love at first sight" for Ms. Agerich and myself.

Very interesting question.

There are many subtleties in piano performance and these often take a bit of listening to totally appreciate. The one pianist that comes to mind for me is Wilhelm Kempff. He is not of the "virtuoso" variety and thus his performances have to be appreciated for their subtle beauty---Many of his interpretations have become favorites for me--Beethoven Sonatas, Schubert Impromptus (shared with Radu Lupu as favorite), much of his Bach, especially his own transcriptions which are superb.

Another pianist that appreciate much more today than i did when I was younger is Artur Rubinstein. He is all about "the music" and the sheer joy of making it.

Of the more recent pianists, i think Murray Perahia is still underated---he is very refined and subtle, somewhat along the lines of Rubinstein.

Mat D.

I agree with you on every point, Mat!

Another pianist who I enjoy is Miecislaw Horszowski, who was one of Murray Perahia's teachers. If you like Kempff's bach, you'll love Horszowski's.

Mat D:

Do you really feel that Perahia is under-rated? I agree with you that he is one of the finest pianists of our day, and I am under the impression that most of the music world appreciates him as such.

Regards,

I think the appreciation is growing. He is probably my favorite living pianist, and at the top of my list of performers to see live.

Ryan

Mat: "Refined and subtle," what a great way to describe Rubinstein. I guess that's the major reason I love his recordings. Regarding Chopin, he can add just the right emotion without making it sappy. On the flipside I've felt that Ashkenazy's Chopin is so technically perfect but lacking something that Rubinstein has. The only exception is Ashkenazy's Barcarolle--it takes my breath away everytime I listen to it.

One problem I have is that the first time I listen to a piece, whoever's version I happen to be listening to becomes sort of imprinted in my mind as the defining one, and it's difficult for me to accept different interpretations later.

This may sound odd, but Vladimir Horowitz.
I was never that taken with the performances which made his reputation of the virtuoso Romantic showpieces as that repertoire doesn't appeal that much to me. But the more I hear of his playing of less extrovert repertoire such as Scarlatti, Chopin's waltzes and mazurkas, Schumann's Kinderszenen and Humoreske, the more I appreciate him as a colourist and master of the true Romantic style. After I finished working on Chopins A flat Ballade recently, I listened to a number of recordings by Ignaz Friedman, Witold Malcuszynski, Ashkenazy, Arrau and Horowitz (made in 1948). I think I admire Horowitz's reading most of all, although Friedman is magnificent in his extremely idiosyncratic way.

Another pianist I keep appreciating more and more is Julius Katchen.

(Referring to Murray Perahia)


I had one of those wonderful experiences that occur only occasionally in the life of a concert goer; I was present at the recital Murray Perahia gave in Carnegie Hall a few years ago, his first appearance in public in two years after his hand injury.

I had always admired his work, as far back as his highly esteemed recordings of the Mozart Piano Concertos, begun in the 1970s, and in my estimation he continued to grow as an artist of great elegance, refinement and sensitivity. Having a chance to hear his "return" to the concert stage was an opportunity not to be missed. I came out of that recital - which was nothing short of triumphal - feeling so touched and so moved by the beauty of his playing, but also with a great sense of joy that he indeed had triumphed over his injury and was better than ever. Why I should feel that I shared in his triumph could only have been due to his wonderful gift of personal communication.

Regards,

Hi Bruce,

I say that because on another forum that I go to often (Classical-Pianists) there are many scholarly pianists, educators and writers (critics etc,) that hang out there and he is criticized quite often among this group. I don't agree with any of it, but for example, I went to a performance of Perahia playing the Goldberg Variations and was blown away; that night, i read a review of that very concert (on the forum) and this professor went on & on about all the note mistakes (that even his "non-musician" friend picked up on) etc., etc.---I wrote back in defense of Perahia, but you know what they say about opinions...

Maybe I'm getting the wrong impression from the "classical Pianists" forum---I hope so, anyway.

Mat D.

[ August 20, 2001: Message edited by: Mat D. ]

Yok: Friedman's recording of Chopin's Nocturne #16 in E flat, Op.55 No.2 is IMO the supreme reading of this Nocturne. It is as if his 2 hands belonged to 2 different people (in a good way), but that they both played with their entire soul, coming together as musical 'soul-mates'. His sense of timing (between the hands) is beyond description...

Mat D.

Mat, you have been a pianist for a long time, did you pick up on any of these "note mistakes"? I wonder if this professor and his non-playing friend thought the right notes were mistakes? Or perhaps they thought his ornaments were mistakes? It wouldn't be the first time. I have read where some editors went through Bach's music and tried to remove disonances which they felt must have been wrong notes... Good thing I don't hang out on that forum, it wouldn't be good for my blood pressure. I don't have a blood pressure problem now, and certainly don't want to get one

Ryan

Ryan

Take it easy ryan.

I do some reading on another MB that quite a few of 'experts' trash pianists like Uchida, Lupu, Perahia, Schiff, etc. All are my absolute revered musicians. Some of them not only bashed them but down-right loathed these pianistic greats. One even went ahead by saying that he is surprised that Uchida plays the piano at all. I don't know what these people are after and I don't think I care...

AndrewG

[ August 21, 2001: Message edited by: AndrewG ]