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Liszt: Lazar Berman (2/3)
Lazar Berman (pf), Venezia, 1963
A revival set of legendary recording by a master of Liszt. I was first shocked by his gigantic performance of "Etudes d'exécution transcendent" in my boyhood. |
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Piano Works by Liszt & Messiaen
Fredrik UllŽn (pf), BIS, 2009
A thoughtful pairing of Liszt's "Consolations" and Messiaen's "Petites esquisses d'oiseaux", full of mystic and peaceful inspiration. The conception of a unique pianist is truly admirable. |
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The Sibelius Edition (4/5)
HallŽ Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli (con), EMI, 1966, 1967
The complete recording of Sibelius's symphonies by the English maestro. His stable and magnanimous direction, especially for Symphony No.5, deeply filters into the heart. |
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Brasileiro: Villa-Lobos & Friends
Nelson Freire (pf), Decca, 2012
A pleasant selection of Brazilian piano works, mainly for soulful songs and dances. Freire's performance with extraordinary flair heightens the worth of less familiar Brazilian composers. |
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John Cage: Complete Piano Music (15/18)
Steffen Schleiermacher (pf), MDG, 2001
I revisited the Cage's complete piano music, celebrating the 100th anniversary of his birth. The most cutting-edge work, Etudes Australes, is known as indeterminate music using star charts. |
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Glenn Gould Plays Sonatas, Fantasies, Variations (1/4)
Glenn Gould (pf), Sony, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1972
The genius's early recording of Russian monumental piano music, Scriabin's sonatas nos.3 & 5, and Prokofiev's sonata no.7. His performance is abundant in nuance and inspiration. |
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The Virtuoso Piano: Earl Wild
Earl Wild (pf), Vanguard Classics, 1964
An ultimate disc of the great virtuoso, including rare but highly attractive pieces. His performance of Thalberg's "Don Pasquare" and Godowsky's "Künstlerleben" always inspires me. |
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Keith Jarrett: Solo Concerts (1/2)
Keith Jarrett (pf), ECM, 1973
I prefer his live in Bremen to Lausanne and Köln, which is like a transparent stream. The light and smooth encore must be one of the most sophisticated pieces for piano music. |
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