The Piano Maven with Jed Distler

Jed discusses Jorge Bolet's August 4th 1964 Tangelwood recital, which featured a stunning performance of Liszt's Twelve Transcendental Etudes. Here's a link to hear the recital:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvJo1ciAq3M&t=2021sConsider making a donation to The Piano Maven podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/about), which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven

Jed recommends Paolo Bordoni's delightful survey of each and every Waltz that Schubert composed for solo piano, once available from EMIHere's a link to the pianist's rare EMI recording of Schubert's "Unfinished" Sonata in C Major D. 840:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bXlwC8Lf68

Jed discusses Czech pianist Stanislav Knor (1929-1984) and his early 1960s recording of the Chopin Scherzos, available to download here:https://archive.org/details/fbgsfAnd here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdSRZ_yOL7E&t=1890s

We continue rebroadcasting earlier Chopin-centered episodes of The Piano Maven with Jed Distler, this time with six recommended cycles of the complete Nocturnes.Here are some relevant links:Jan Smeterlin Op. 48 No. 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lssPl98jDkMoura Lympany link: https://www.classicstoday.com/review/sublime-sounds-sacred-space/Stephen Hough link to Hyperion video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqD7AHQAKykIvan Moravec plays Chopin Op. 48 No. 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BaLVjoLUAQ

Continuing our rebroadcasts of selected Piano Maven episodes centered around Chopin, here's Jed's evaluation of a genuine download bargain.Here's a link to purchase and download Bach Guild’s Big Chopin Box here: https://www.classicselectworld.com/products/big-chopin-box-7-hour-digital-download-boxed-set?_pos=1&_sid=598a0a1ad&_ss=rConsider making a donation to The Piano Maven podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/..., which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven

To mark Eric Lu’s first prize victory in the 19th Warsaw International Chopin Competition, I’m offering a rebroadcast of my episode about the pianist’s July 2nd 2022 recital in Leipzig, which included Chopin’s Piano Sonata No. 2 – here’s a link to listen:https://archive.org/details/3_20240904_20240904_1534 And here's a link to purchase his Warner solo debut CD –https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8732850--chopin-preludes-op-28-schumann-ghost-variationsConsider making a donation to The Piano Maven podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/..., which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven

As we decompress from the 19th International Chopin Competition, my 100th episode in this second season of The Piano Maven podcast rebroadcast will be a repeat of the 2024 episode where I compare Arthur Rubinstein's three integral edition of the Chopin Mazurkas.Here are download links for all three cycles: 1. https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8079160--rubinstein-collection-vol-6-chopin-mazurkas-scherzos; 2. https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8079130--rubinstein-collection-vol-27-chopin-mazurkas-impromptus; 3. https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7933105--rubinstein-collection-vol-50-chopin-51-mazurkas

On this episode, Jed offers a list of both historic and modern recommendations for each major Chopin work or cycle of works, without repeating a pianist.Here are selected links to some of the recordings that Jed discusses:Poloniases – Maurizio Pollini: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-OK5a1h07s&list=PLC3ZgwGAh0c9yect11lXvWOIhHs8vRjUOPoloniase Op. 26 No. 1 - Arthur Rubinstein: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mVaLArwr80Etudes – Paul Badura-Skoda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2n7NMgzjwY&list=PL4D14bmfCxVVkhor7FZs6mJeC9n_854gHFantasy in F Minor Op. 49 – Solomon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTY5CybIEaABarcarolle Op. 60 – Richard Goode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL7bM0DYjikPiano Sonata No. 2 Op. 25 – Sergei Rachmaninov: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrQG-Z5gdfgPiano Sonata No. 3 Op. 58, 4. Finale – Percy Grainger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE_ftBizu0EPreludes Op 28 – Alfred Cortot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J1R6Bpo-CQScherzo No. 1 in B Minor Op. 20 – Benjamin Grosvenor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XFdKFWJ618

Jed Distler is in Warsaw as official Gramophone blogger for the 19th International Chopin Competition, as well as hosting a daily video "Chopin Report" Here are links to five performances that Jed considers special:Yanyan Boa - Ballade No. 4 in F Minor Op. 52 (at 37:21, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjQQa0YtGq0)Pedro Lopez Salas - Nocturne in E Major Op. 62 No. 2 (at 00:02, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ0ZwM7Hz4Y&t=1151s)Kevin Chen - Etudes Op. 10 (at 15:14, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsaCHVBpGvI)Shiori Kuwahara - Polonaise in A-Flat Major Op. 53 (at 38:23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq02Z3Pvz_g)WIlliam Yang - Andante Spianato ed Grande Polonaise Op. 22 (at 21:14, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kcv0suUQNYQ)Here are video links to Jed's first four episodes of The Chopin Report:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kPMJ9wvmTc&t=69shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNDkPdla2xAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh0MeCpROVQ&t=17shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE9llDb71HM

Consider making a donation to The Piano Maven podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/about), which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomavenTying in with Jed's live onsite coverage of the 19th Warsaw International Piano Competition this month, all of October's episodes are devoted to recordings of Chopin's music. On this episode, Jed discusses Deutsche Grammophon's 2021 box set reissue The Chopin Masters, featuring 28 CDs with 28 pianists.Here are links to some of the performers and performances covered:The original DG YouTube promotional trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2oBU-hb2KARoberto Szidon plays Scherzo No. 3 in C-Sharp Minor Op. 39 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKIRQBFB2_MAdam Harasiewicz plays Ballade No. 1 in G Minor Op. 23 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAsOmf3EWeIFou Ts'ong plays Mazurka in B-Flat Minor Op. 24 No. 4 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m81GFTfo3FkVladimir Ashkenazy plays Scherzo No. 4 in E Major Op. 54 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olKoS6Q1AM4Shura Cherkassky plays Polonaise-Fantasie in A-Flat Major Op. 61 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lzfx2n6iCIArturo Benedetti Michelangeli plays Prelude in C-Sharp Minor Op. 45 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHbxF0SP8Bg

Consider making a donation to The Piano Maven podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/about), which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomavenOur third and final three episode covering complete Chopin Mazurka Cycles on disc, along with significant releases featuring selections from the Mazurkas. Here are links to some of the recordings that Jed discusses:Ignaz Friedman - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_-zrhZVF69NS5DXmagEMV6uoRw2X2SXUMaryla Jonas plays Op. 17 No. 4 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF91sYFAamoGuiomar Novaes plays Op. 59 No. 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z1zql-yv5YYoura Guller plays Op. 6 No. 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gjjeQRVlfMVladimir Horowitz plays Op. 63 No. 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH7uie6_hRAWilliam Kapell plays Op. 41 No. 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuOxOAgG95QArturo Benedetti Michelangeli plays 10 Mazurkas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDz8DbgUV1QKlara Min plays Op. 56 No. 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAoVKDuQCRQMarjan Kiepura’s Mazurkas on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpGfzkIOBVY&list=PLKkve0LtLL-XJCJrqq1qH74CFrTenXQUFPavel Kolesnikov plays Op. 50 No. 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfjn9Ll4eUkIdil Biret plays Op. 56 No. 1 (not from her complete cycle, but this performance is special!) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nIgUVlcf_QJean-Marc Luisada Mazurka Cycle (DG) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiY09aR8nm8&list=PLJ0ZmvzszsR1I_DxuugLqQfclnB5UUyc2Antonio Barbosa Lima Mazurka Cycle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYdYwk3Vjqg&list=PLQopr5raEipfPQXYanmfhTpHhPp9abuNZGarrick Ohlsson Plays Op. 59 No. 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Jm0uwfoRgg

Consider making a donation to The Piano Maven podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/about), which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven The second of three episodes covering complete Chopin Mazurka Cycles on disc. Here are links to some of the recordings discussed:Tatiana Shebanova plays Mazurkas Op. 17 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi6Q3XNRnXQRussell Sherman - https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8019963--chopin-mazurkas-nos-1-51?srsltid=AfmBOoo7Sf4Gtm0gjjXPu8cjZzgEQwkrZl1ybRtCdsROO93NZaEE1yCZAlessandro Deljavan - https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8700579--chopin-mazurkasJoanna MacGregor - https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8315247--joanna-macgregor-plays-the-complete-chopin-mazurkasPeter Jablonski - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j-3QI0RbLc&list=PLalhy4gc-IIKve9Z6Rzr4eje2cTvDp3PS

Consider making a donation to The Piano Maven podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/about), which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomavenWhose new recording of Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons should you acquire?Jed discusses two recent and rather diverse interpretations from Bruce Liu and Yunchan Lim.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVYdHjTYKfshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_-bTQ0toQ4

Although we're focusing on Chopin this month, I've decided to offer a bonus episode comparing Bruce Liu and Yunchan Lim in their recent recordings of Tchaikovsky's The Seasons.Yunchan Lim - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvMdJnTjJ1kBruce Liu - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVYdHjTYKfs

Consider making a donation to The Piano Maven podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/about), which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomavenThis is the first of three episodes covering selected complete Chopin Mazurka Cycles on disc. Here are links to some of the recordings that Jed discusses in this episodeArthur Rubinstein 1930s version - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ092gZHB54Excerpt from Nikita Magaloff’s Philips Mazurka recordings- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG0cOqLE9l0Excerpt from Nadia Reisenberg’s Westminter Mazurka recordings- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drnot1bqt4YJan Ekier Cycle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4axX2Gy_Fm8&list=PL1gAgJIplj-mM-QawlQNdOv-sMB2UfP0TExcerpts from Ryszard Bakst’s Muza/Westminster Mazurka cycle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC1_R6rFr-MVladimir Ashkenazy Cycle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40Yhyt9XwAo&list=PLKq64tL0GeMFI4Pl7zmJhL7lNrld8kQokAdam Harasiewicz Cycle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0na0rEmuYM&list=PLnnh5FPx2uWoV5vPXi55j6CIAITikHsdUExcerpt from Fou Ts’ong’s Sony Mazurka cycle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_xSHt-B6Vc

Warner Classics' box set edition of Boris Berezovsky's Teldec Studio Recordings oddly omitted his Ravel recital for that label. This disc has long been one of Jed's "guilty pleasures," as you will learn from this episode. Here's a link to find second-hand copies of this long out-of-print disc: https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/6924178Consider a paid sunscription to The Piano Maven by clicking on this link: https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/.

Jed discusses Martin Jones' complete Debussy piano music cycle on Nimbus.Link to recordings: https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7961023--debussy-complete-piano-music?srsltid=AfmBOopkhy9q8dyyUowlAshDW8DXwGTyp91S-5Dqf2XRm72pz6TEF7KD

Want to get acquainted with Hyperion's Romantic Piano Series, but don't know where to begin? Jed selects five representative volumes to get you started. Volume 42: Sinding and Alnaes Concertos - https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67555Volume 55: Widor Concertos and Fantasie - https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67817Volume 18: Marx and Korngold Concertos - https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA66990Volume 62: Gounod's Complete Works for Pedal Piano and Orchestra - https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67975Volume 49: Stenhammar Concertos 1 & 2 - https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67975

Claude Loyola Allgén's 49 minute Fantasia for Piano (1956) is a work that unfolds in one long uninterrupted movement. What does one make of this strange yet fascinating music? Is it a neglected masterpiece, or merely just one big mess? Decide for yourself by clicking on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpFb-rabTkU

Jed reviews Edna Stern's 2024 Orchid Classics Schumann release. Here's a link to download: https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9664747--carnaval