The Piano Maven with Jed Distler

<p>Your friendly podcast guide to piano recordings.</p>

Martin Jones' Debussy Cycle on Nimbus

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

09-25
08:44

A Starter Guide to Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto Series

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

09-22
18:53

Claude Loyola Allgén's Fantasia - A Mess or a Masterpiece?

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

09-18
07:38

Edna Stern's Schumann Carnaval plus

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

09-15
08:32

Few and Far Between - Six Under-recorded Pianists

Consider supporting 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 For this episode, Jed talks about six pianists who had major careers yet recorded relatively little. The pianists are Yara Bernette, Carl Friedberg, Malcolm Frager, Myra Hess, Eduard Steuermann and Ossip Gabrilowitsch. Here are links to some recordings: Yara Bernette: Rachmaninov Prelude Op. 32 No. 4 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe7Vr2wZcLQCarl Friedberg: Brahms Intermezzo Op. 117 No. 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4-oOizOgVUMalcom Frager: Works of Carl Maria von Weber - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOiAoQbDThIMyra Hess: Beethoven “Appassionata” Sonata First Movement (video) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq_yHDbbB18Eduard Steuermann: Schoenberg Complete Piano Music - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv22iGfGN_0Ossip Gabrilowitsch and the Flonzaley Quartet: Schumann Piano Quintet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4f-cJNKrWk

09-11
15:03

Kit Armstrong's Magnificent Byrd and Bull Recital

Who said that ancient keyboard music doesn't work on the modern concert grand. Evidently it does, and wonderfully well, as Kit Armstrong demonstrates on this magnificent release. Here are some video links that should entice you to explore further......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZTfslob7Swhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ0_tTsiHtwhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K86xCd6COBo

09-08
05:52

Oscar Peterson's Top Ten Albums

Jed Distler picks ten albums that represent a broad scope of jazz piano legend Oscar Peterson's extraordinary career.Links to the albums here:The Oscar Peterson Quartet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2QAj7OuSXc&t=134sLive at the Concertgebouw - https://open.spotify.com/album/5u9s4m4f1og4Yz6uUfuljkWest Side Story - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGb2wuT1p9oCanadiana Suite - https://www.amazon.com/Canadiana-Suite-Oscar-Peterson/dp/B00000E5HTMy Favorite Instrument - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t_GnQVgvewWalking the Line - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4MzBdy05TUOscar Peterson and Dizzy Gillespie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57nzCqu0rjoOscar Peterson and the Bassists - https://www.amazon.com/Oscar-Peterson-Bassists-Montreux-77/dp/B00004ZC1P; video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4LXYe-bTRASatch and Josh: Count Basie Encounters Oscar Peterson - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z14WqU_9xwThe Legendary Oscar Peterson Trio Live at the Blue Note (4 CD set, complete recordings) - https://concord.com/concord-albums/the-legendary-oscar-peterson-trio-live-at-the-blue-note-complete-4-cd-set/

09-04
20:16

Annie Fischer's EMI Recordings

Th great Hungarian pianist Annie Fischer's EMI legacy is the topic of today's episode. Here are links to recordings discussed:Beethoven "Moonlight" Sonata - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABwyRNbfHoUMozart Piano Concerto K. 595 Rondo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RObJ2V9R3v8

09-01
13:09

Grieg's Ballade in G Minor Op. 24 on Disc

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 For this episode of The Piano Maven, Jed Distler discusses selected recordings of Edvard Grieg’s Ballade in G Minor Op. 24. Here are links to most of the cited performances: Leopold Godowsky - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enPP00uLYeQEileen Joyce - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX4MB8rKv08Arthur Rubinstein - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mggEbCn4mbkRichard Farrell - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu0TkGUlu2M&t=856sAldo Ciccolini - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7-g3JZ6fPsJorge Bolet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILXOjgCU4sQ (note, this performance is from London 1987, and is not cited in the episode, yet comes from the same period as the 1987 Amsterdam recording issued by Marston)Robert Riefling - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wscw6bsj9cQLeif Ove Andsnes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOtIV5ErxL4Peter Jablonski - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV-TRMS7pHE&t=1163sEva Knardahl (BIS) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbdOG40uw50&t=377sEva Knardahl (Simax) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbdOG40uw50&t=377sEinar Steen-Nokleberg - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CQttvvCOfIAntonio Pompa-Baldi - https://open.spotify.com/track/26OnOoWfQnAXfeZ9H2zCIuHåkon Austbø - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQWL9lc5cOc

08-28
19:47

Lennie Tristano Reconsidered

On this episode of The Piano Maven, Jed Distler reconsiders the legacy of jazz pianist, bandleader and educator Lennie Tristano (1919-1978). 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 Links to recordings cited in this episode:“Wow” Lennie Tristano Sextet (1949) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GSjkYnpvYM“C Minor Complex” (1961) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX1s3OWXxZg“Descent into the Maelstrom” (1953) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99UTNVHLgEkLinks to TV documentary - Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw0WO3YCDZA&t=1475s; Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK7lncPiaW4&t=572sLennie Tristano live at the Half Note in 1964 with Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh on television - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bznqGjyYuRk&t=72s

08-25
14:59

Carlo Grante's Monumental Scarlatti Cycle

Carlo Grante is the first pianist to have recorded Domenico Scarlatti's complete keyboard sonatas on a modern concert grand piano. Issued by Music & Arts in six volumes totaling 34 CDs, Jed explores Grante's monumental achievement on this episode of The Piano Maven.Here's a link to Volume 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WWSLwOjjqY&list=PLhQbBbPdSZ2wycF4j85kfeNYL7sPNFHuSConsider 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

08-21
12:35

Angela Hewitt Revisits Bach's Partitas

Jed discusses Angela Hewitt's 2018 remake of the Six Keyboard Partitas by J.S. Bach.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/pianomavenPartita No. 5: Preambulum (recorded 1997) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c1yNfGVM2E&list=PLPXd6_jpWSlfkR9JT-aCF-MxovL5gwr08&index=30Partita No. 5: Preambulum (recorded 2018) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noHcLr_XPXwPartita No. 4: Sarabande (recorded 2018) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWe-SnPu7ys&list=PLrhvjDLG-KHCDdSXL_g5WFB7aTZ5R3ksF&index=5Partita No. 4: Sarabande (recorded 1997) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHs4MHzG16s

08-18
08:15

Kreisler & Rachmaninov - The Dynamic Duo

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/pianomavenSchubert Duo 1st Mvt - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1eK9WDenQABeethoven Op. 30 No. 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIxv9mac01cGrieg Sonata No. 3 Op. 45 Mvt. 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCxvH9mRXvs

08-14
04:58

Under the Radar - Rudolf Buchbinder's 1986 Chopin Recital

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/pianomavenLink to purchase Rudolf Buchbinder's 1986 EMI Chopin disc - https://www.amazon.com/Chopin-Piano-Works-Rudolf-Buchbinder/dp/B000239B96

08-11
07:39

The Swagger of Sultanov

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 Here’s Jed’s Gramophone Cliburn Competition Blog about Alexei Sultanov - https://www.gramophone.co.uk/blogs/article/jed-distler-s-cliburn-blog-no-16-alexei-sultanov-reconsideredLink to purchase Sultanov’s Rachmaninov Sonata No. 2, Prokofiev SOnata No. 7 and Scriabin Sonata No. 5 - https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7948204--rachmaninov-prokofiev-scriabin-piano-sonatas

08-07
07:04

Chopin's Berceuse on Disc

Chopin's uniquely hypnotic Berceuse has been lucky on disc, and Jed discusses seventeen pianists who've made memorable recorded versions. Here are links to some of them: Josef Hofmann - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzqGLmLlMHY&t=3sAlfred Cortot - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqSDOLmfk30Solomon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O8rbQ6Hi2MWilhelm Kempff - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsKxP_4byAkWalter Gieseking (both versions) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ccf2FSvkzWAVladimir Ashkenazy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dhVzkZk7xcMaurizio Pollini - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zqEHYlrmjcMarc-André Hamelin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMZjygExZ3IRuth Slenczynska - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txR_P7TUf2ILeon Fleisher - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMs5gdORZnAEvgeny Kissin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRQsDTvxgi8Lesson with Garrick Ohlsson - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=garrick+chopin+berceuseTatiana Shebanova (period instrument recording) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogcn2JqJSakMurray Perahia - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OizkT4wRjdo 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

08-04
18:26

Michelangeli Big Boxes Part 3: Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon

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/pianomavenThe third and arguably final of three episodes discussing big box sets featuring pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli is devoted to his Deutsche Grammophon recordings.You can find some of these on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arturobenedettimichelangel8450And while this box set may be hard to source, all of the individual recordings are readily available from the usual outlets.

07-31
16:08

Jorge Bolet's Complete Decca Recordings

Jed discusses the 26-CD box set Jorge Bolet: The Complete Decca Recordings on this episode.Here are several samples:Franck - Prelude, Chorale & Fugue (live recording) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZTtcCLrNqMChopin - Prelude Op. 28 No. 8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpbwtXP00pgReger - Telemann Variations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzPdVE12MvILiszt - Waldesrauchen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbi3XaM45dsConsider 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

07-28
16:37

The "Other" Diabelli Variations

In 2006 & 2007, Franz Hummel (1939-2022) composed his own set of 33 variations on a waltz by Diabelli, the very same waltz on which Beethoven based his iconic Diabelli Variations Op. 120. Is it a masterpiece or a curiosity? Jed Distler fills you in on this episode.Here's a link to listen purchase Franz Hummel's Diabelli Variations: https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7980049--beethoven-hummel-diabelli-variationsConsider 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

07-23
08:57

Acoustically Perfect - Edouard Risler's 1917 Pathé Recordings

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/pianomavenJed discusses the complete recordings of French pianist Edouard Risler (1873-1929), made acoustically for the Pathé label in 1917. Link to listen via YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNyKzgpI20wLink to Marston Records release - https://www.marstonrecords.com/pages/lagniappe-5-rislerA CDR transfer - https://classicmusiccds.com/product/edouard-risler-the-complete-recordings-cdr/

07-20
07:51

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