“Who are pianists that you think more people should know about?”
“Who are pianists that you think more people should know about?”
Optional: Post a video of their playing so that we can hear!
166 replies
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The Brazilian Nelson Freire.
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(1) Alexander Slobodyanik. Ukranian pianist, 1941-2008. Hailed as the most jawdropping phenom since Ashkenazy when he debuted at Carnegie Hall in 1968. Powerhouse romantics interpreter, no limits whatsoever. I have his Liszt B minor Sonata and Chopin Etudes on vinyl circa 1973/74. Amazing. He remained USSR-based into the late '70s and the dissolution of cultural ties with the west following the 1980 invasion of Afghanistan kept him out of the US (where he ultimately settled) until 1988, which had a derailing effect on what might have been a towering career.
(2) Jan Lisiecki, Might not fulfill the criterion that "more people should know about" because he's gained traction...but more people should know about the fully mature artist he's become (at 28). He shares in common with Kissin his recognition as a prodigy (signed by DGG at 15!) I saw his March 2024 performance at Carnegie...may be necessary to bring in contractors to repair the roof, because he blew it off.
As a demonstration of the fact that God does not distribute gifts evenly - both of these dudes were/are movie star handsome on top of everything else.
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There are many interesting out of print recordings in thePianoFiles.com. I was surprised to find these rare recordings of Marian Filar who's Chopin playing is of the best I've ever heard.
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I would like to add Vitaly Serebriakov to this list.https://youtu.be/0OrrcdZ7cw8?si=ath1QkvUuDyOGJYV
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Aleksandra Mikulska
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Brian Ganz - he finishes his 15 year Extreme Chopin Quest with the National Philharmonic in DC this year. He has played every one of Chopin’s works in concert! His playing is technically astounding, but the beauty, warmth and passion that he brings to the ouvre is breathtaking.
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I would like to hear more from Kate Liu. I know she had some recordings out recently but I’d love to hear some more Chopin from her .
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Also Ingrid Haebler, who is an excellent interpreter of Mozart and Schubert.
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Since this thread has been active lately, and I’ve just met a wonderful young pianist (who is working with my son this month), I’d like to recommend Filippo Gorini who is currently in the middle of his “Sonata for 7 Cities” tour. Not only is he a wonderful musician, but he is also affable, humble, and very dedicated to bringing classical music to those who don’t normally have access to it. And he likes chocolate… 😄
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I'm often surprised at how many pianists I meet who do not know of French pianist, Samson François. I return to so many of his beautiful recordings like his performance of Ravel's Pavane. He died far too young. Also, I befriended a beautifully talented South African pianist, Ammiel Bushakavitz who deserves attention:
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Wow this is a great thread. I'm lying here with a light concussion and few contusions listening through your suggestions. Thank you for opening this Dominic.
Somehow i find it more easy than ever before to follow the different voices, touch and time feel in the recordings and seem to understand why you chose those. I ask myself if it has to do with the concussion.
Then i thought about possible entrances i'd like to give you and while i could clearly picture the next one before me i could not at all remember his name. I think normally i always knew. But luckily i knew some facts and was able to identify with ai. So here's for one austrian Friedrich Gulda (1930-2000) playing JS Bachs "Air" from Suite No. 3 in D major for Orchestra No. 3, BWV 1068 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrCclFH5Mkw
And the other entrance i'd like to make is french Claude Debussy - "Wait!?" you might ask - he thinks we don't know the famous composer!? Yes - because many don't know that Claude Debussy recorded himself playing his own pieces onto a "piano roll" (kind of a mechanical equivalent to MIDI) that can still be played back today by real acoustic "piano roll" pianos - and thus recorded using modern equipment - so we are able to listen to this absolute treasure.
Listening to those recordings, i'm always struck by how different the aesthetic feels from many modern interpretations. What stands out most is his extraordinary sense of temporal flow: the phrasing breathes with a natural, almost improvisatory freedom, yet the underlying pulse never disappears. The figurations often feel astonishingly light and translucent — less like “expressive gestures” and more like shifting patterns.
A revealing example is Clair de lune. In modern performance tradition it is often treated as a deeply nostalgic or melancholic piece, frequently played rather slowly and with a heavy romantic atmosphere. Debussy’s own playing feels strikingly different. The character is far less sentimental, less introspective melancholy: instead it has a luminous, almost natural quality — closer to the shimmer of actual moonlight.
Across many of the rolls there is this sense that the music is not being “shaped” from the outside but rather allowed to unfold organically. The rhythmic patterns float with remarkable suppleness, and the texture often feels incredibly airy and ethereal. It raises the intriguing question of how much of the nostalgic weight we now associate with this repertoire reflects later interpretive traditions rather than Debussy’s own performing aesthetic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3NX_TrxfVk