The Piano Maven with Jed Distler

Here's a rebroadcast of Season Two Episode 60:Jed discusses four out-of-print piano box sets that are ripe for reissue:Milosz Magin plays Chopin (Accord, 10 CDs). A link to his Etudes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzArJYgJqdEAnnerose Schmidt plays Mozart's Complete Piano Concertos (Berlin Classics, 10 CDs). Link to purchase - https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Piano-Concertos-Wolfgang-Amadeus/dp/B0036ULAY6France Clidat plays Liszt (Decca, 14 CDs). Link to listen to Hungarian Rhapsodies No.s 1-10 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afo2NTiZz2YRaymond Trouard: Une vie pour le piano (Sony Classical, 11 CDs). Links to purchase - https://www.ebay.com/itm/115569835636, https://www.amazon.com/Raymond-Trouard-Une-Pour-Piano/dp/B0017YZIIW. Link to Grieg Concerto - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGVYdTY_uxM

Jed discusses Claudio Arrau: The Ambassador Auditorium Recitals, Pasadena, California, USA, 1977, 1981 and 1986 - a five CD set containing previously unpublished performances by one of the 20th century's most singular pianists. For more information, visit First Hand's website: https://firsthandrecords.com/products-page/album/claudio-arrau-the-ambassador-auditorium-recitals-pasadena-california-usa-1977-1982-1986-5cd/

Here is yet another list of ten piano box sets that Jed would like to see released in the future, although whether or not his wish will come true is an open question! Pianists discussed include Gina Bachauer, Tamas Vasary, Rafael Orozco, Bruce Hungerford, Rudolf Firkusny, Sequeira Costas, Cyprien Katsaris and a special edition of piano recordings issued in the 1950s by the American M-G-M label.Links to earlier Box Set Wish List episodes:https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven/1789163/https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven/2027603/Link to “Ripe for Reissue” Box Set Episode:https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven/2029278/

Jed talks about recordings of Rachmaninov’s Four Concertos and Paganini Rhapsody that fall “under the radar" according to him, yet have great value and interest. Here are links to the pianists and their interpretations:Concerto No. 1: Tamas Vasary - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRvbD20edYU&list=PLyrANGPNARULY0PWEc0R3HuZNfRP2oD9L&index=1Concerto No. 2: Julius Katchen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Evhp3hO1U&list=PLJhYe4hsVJRdwFJnYM10LPS21E4A21ZVB&index=3Concerto No. 3: Mirka Pokorná - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3wBB_v5fskConcerto No. 4: Idil Biret - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4ya80wfAbgPaganini Rhapsody: Yevgeny Sudbin (live performance) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxiiWDxo1JQ

By request, a rebroadcast of 2024's Thanksgiving "Turkeys" episode! Here are some genuine piano "turkeys" to consider, or perhaps to avoid, with links below:For Valery Afanassiev's Beethoven, check out Victor Carr, Jr.'s review: https://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-11451/. For commentary about Rita Bouboulidi's Beethoven Sonata cycle, visit this link: https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php?topic=23626.0

Jed discusses Arcadi Volodos' 2009 Vienna Recital released by Sony Classical, one of this pianist's finest recordings:Excerpts:Scriabin Prelude Op. 11 No. 16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m0hFO3yvyALiszt Dante Sonata: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZYJvX8Ruck

Jed recommends documentaries about legendary American pianists Malcolm Frager and John Browning. Link to watch Malcolm Frager: American Pianist - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q-cx_lJNWcLink to watch Memories of John Browning - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_tqt112TlE

Jed recommends individual recordings for each one of Debussy's twelve Preludes Book I, picking twelve pianists without repeating a pianist. Here are links to listen to, to download, to stream or to purchase these performances:No. 1 Catherine Kautsky - https://music.apple.com/us/album/debussy-pr%C3%A9ludes-for-piano/905973751No. 2 Philippe Cassard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHIwKlPewVgNo. 3 Alfred Cortot – (1931 recording) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZVy_6T86bINo 4 Catherine Collard - https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9592584--debussy-preludes-books-1-2?srsltid=AfmBOoqOKz2MWmGhobWiohTCz2e6tCSL7x7cUJlV3vlSd8xq6bEMnzjZNo 5 Livia Rev - https://www.ebay.com/itm/402637135496?hash=item5dbf0b1e88:g:RzcAAOSw3KZdGgswNo. 6 Ivan Moravec - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoGAZxklQJINo. 7 Pascal Roge - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgxsWjzaZ60No. 8 Jean-Yves Thibaudet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0e1bJ0gVV0No. 9 Nelson Freire - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGP98I9pmvcNo. 10 Claudio Arrau - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-Shy_JWQ8kNo. 11 Steven Spooner - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icu2ROCvUt8No. 12 Henriette Faure - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyrIhbiLGIc&t=6s

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