How does Garrick Ohlsson fare with you?

[Lance]

I had the pleasure of preparing pianist Garrick Ohlsson Bosendorfer Imperial concert grand piano for some performances. It looked like a huge, black German tank on the stage! He was quite the gentleman and performed stunningly. He seems to be remembered as a superior Chopinist and, indeed, recorded all of Chopin's solo music, which now appears on Hyperion. After becoming a Steinway artist (that is quite a story, too), he made many recordings for Hyperion, but also recorded for Arabesque, ASO (Atlanta Symphony media), Bellingham Festival (5 Beethoven piano concertos), Dux, Hanssler, Telarc, Cesky Rozhias, Standing Room Only (with Magda Olivero), CBS-Sony, RCA, EMI and was in a collection on DGG. I deem him an important American pianist. Just wondering how he figures in your collection. He was also noted for his recordings of the almost unplayed Busoni Piano Concerto.

[barney]

I've heard Ohlsson live many times, in concertos and recitals, in Australia and the US. I think he is a superlative player, with wonderful stage presence. I reckon he'd be a great dinner guest - see if you can set that up Lance for the next time I'm in New York.

[Rach3]

A very fine pianist, at times quite distinctive as in some of the Etudes here, but I have no recordings , I guess not having felt strongly enough a need to duplicate others. His cd’s of DeFalla solo works and Etudes of Debussy,Prokofieff,Bartok do look interesting ; anyone here able to comment on those two ? TIA.

Here just watched tonight, a live-streamed video , no audience, from 92nd St. Y , NYC, March, 2020:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NP6phaIS3I

BEETHOVEN: Sonata No. 11 in B-flat Major, Op. 22
PROKOFIEV: Sonata No. 6 in A Major, Op. 82
Pause: To re - tune the piano
CHOPIN: Impromptu No. 2 in F-sharp Major, Op. 36
CHOPIN: Étude No. 5 in E Minor, from Études, Op. 25
CHOPIN: Étude No. 6 in G-sharp Minor, from Études, Op. 25
CHOPIN: Étude No. 7 in C-sharp Minor, from Études, Op. 25
CHOPIN: Étude No. 8 in D-flat Major, from Études, Op. 25
CHOPIN: Étude No. 9 in G-flat Major “Butterfly”, from Études, Op. 25
CHOPIN: Étude No. 10 in B Minor, from Études, Op. 25
CHOPIN: Berceuse in D-flat Major, Op. 57
CHOPIN: Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 39

Encore: Rachmaninoff’s Prelude Op.3, # 2

[Lance]

Very enjoyable concert ... too bad there were no live bodies there the enjoy it. But I especially enjoyed watching the piano tuner at work! We usually get very little attention unless something goes badly, string breaking or an action piece breaks. After the Prokofiev work, or the Hammerklavier, or the Rach 3, the piano usually needs to be touched up no matter how firmly it has been tuned. I have done this during a performance, and on a few occasions I got more applause than the pianist!

[Ricordanza]

When I looked at my CD collection, I was a little surprised to find only one by Garrick Ohlsson--his recording of the complete Chopin Polonaises. This small number doesn't reflect the high regard I have for this pianist, based on his recitals that I have attended. I've had the pleasure of hearing him four times in recital (all in Philadelphia): 2003 (Chopin and Scriabin); 2010 (All Chopin); 2012 (All Liszt); and 2013 (Brahms, Liszt, Debussy and Chopin).

[maestrob]

That looks like a wonderful concert, Rach3, and I will watch it soon. As for Olsson's Chopin, I bought his recent second set of complete Chopin on Hyperion a while back, but have not yet had a chance to open it. I have the Busoni of course, which was highly publicized when it was released, and can also recommend a live recital with Eva Podles, the great Polish coloratura mezzo who debuted at the MET with Marilyn Horne in Handel's Rinaldo in the 1980's and astounded audiences with her virtuosity, but TMK was never invited back. Did Horne freeze her out? Who knows!

I'm also very interested in acquiring this recent release of piano quintets by Elgar & Beach with the Takacs Quartet, which has been very well received by reviewers on amazon. Curiously, Ohlsson doesn't make his recordings available for streaming as many other great artists do now, something that should be remedied, I think to help his sales figures.

[Rach3]

'm also very interested in acquiring this recent release of piano quintets by Elgar & Beach with the Takacs Quartet, which has been very well received by reviewers on amazon.

Frankly, I have not been impressed with Ms.Beach's compositions, but the Elgar Quintet is an overlooked gem.I have not heard the Hyperion cd, but sure looks like a winner. Mine is an historic mp3, no doubt inferior sound:

A National Gramophonic Society rarity , the first
recording of Elgar's Piano Quintet in A Minor, Op. 84, featuring Ethel
Hobday,pianist, with the Spencer Dyke String Quartet. This was recorded by
Vocalion in December 1925.
Compton Mackenzie proposed that Elgar himself should play the piano on
this recording, but the composer refused this invitation, replying, "I
never play the pianoforte - I scramble through things orchestrally in
a way that would madden with envy all existing pianists." Elgar
recommended Ethel Hobday for the recording.

[maestrob]

'm also very interested in acquiring this recent release of piano quintets by Elgar & Beach with the Takacs Quartet, which has been very well received by reviewers on amazon.

Frankly, I have not been impressed with Ms.Beach's compositions, but the Elgar Quintet is an overlooked gem.I have not heard the Hyperion cd, but sure looks like a winner. Mine is an historic mp3, no doubt inferior sound:

A National Gramophonic Society rarity , the first
recording of Elgar's Piano Quintet in A Minor, Op. 84, featuring Ethel
Hobday,pianist, with the Spencer Dyke String Quartet. This was recorded by
Vocalion in December 1925.
Compton Mackenzie proposed that Elgar himself should play the piano on
this recording, but the composer refused this invitation, replying, "I
never play the pianoforte - I scramble through things orchestrally in
a way that would madden with envy all existing pianists." Elgar
recommended Ethel Hobday for the recording.

I have two CDs that include the Elgar Piano Quintet, now both out of print. The one I enjoy most is Martin Roscoe's first recording of the piece on Naxos that I've owned for more than 20 years (pictured below): the slow movement is among the most beautiful slow movements of anything that are in my library. Some copies of that are still available on amazon, but pricey. Roscoe has since redone the Elgar with the Brodsky Quartet, a disc that received five stars from others last year, but I have not bought it or heard it yet. As for the Beach, I'm not familiar with the Quintet yet, but in the capable hands of the group described above, I'm betting I'll enjoy it.

Interesting story about Elgar not wanting to play his own music on the piano! Too bad, for he was an excellent conductor of his own music for sure.

[Rach3]

Fww, I find Elgar's Violin Sonata very fine as well, another over-looked gem, mine a recording by violinist Lorraine McAlsan, I believe a Naxos.

[maestrob]

Fww, I find Elgar's Violin Sonata very fine as well, another over-looked gem, mine a recording by violinist Lorraine McAlsan, I believe a Naxos.

Certainly! I recommend two recordings of the Elgar, one with James Ehnes (pictured below) and, naturally, Midori's CD with her frequent musical partner Robert MacDonald. Both are happily now available for streaming on amazon. The Ehnes CD is surprisingly pricey now and may be going OOP, but the Midori is still available, not only as a single, but in a box from Sony of her complete recordings.

[Rach3]

I see Ehnes ' cd also has the Respighi Violin Sonata,another gem, mine the Heifetz recording.

[maestrob]

I see Ehnes ' cd also has the Respighi Violin Sonata,another gem, mine the Heifetz recording.

Me too, on a single CD, and again in the complete Heifetz box. A terribly neglected work until recently, along with the one by Richard Strauss, another favorite also recorded by Heifetz. Tasmin Little has recorded both with Piers Lane on one of her consistently excellent releases for Chandos, also available for streaming:

[CharmNewton]

'm also very interested in acquiring this recent release of piano quintets by Elgar & Beach with the Takacs Quartet, which has been very well received by reviewers on amazon.

Frankly, I have not been impressed with Ms.Beach's compositions, but the Elgar Quintet is an overlooked gem.I have not heard the Hyperion cd, but sure looks like a winner. Mine is an historic mp3, no doubt inferior sound:

A National Gramophonic Society rarity , the first
recording of Elgar's Piano Quintet in A Minor, Op. 84, featuring Ethel
Hobday,pianist, with the Spencer Dyke String Quartet. This was recorded by
Vocalion in December 1925.
Compton Mackenzie proposed that Elgar himself should play the piano on
this recording, but the composer refused this invitation, replying, "I
never play the pianoforte - I scramble through things orchestrally in
a way that would madden with envy all existing pianists." Elgar
recommended Ethel Hobday for the recording.

I have two CDs that include the Elgar Piano Quintet, now both out of print. The one I enjoy most is Martin Roscoe's first recording of the piece on Naxos that I've owned for more than 20 years (pictured below): the slow movement is among the most beautiful slow movements of anything that are in my library. Some copies of that are still available on amazon, but pricey. Roscoe has since redone the Elgar with the Brodsky Quartet, a disc that received five stars from others last year, but I have not bought it or heard it yet. As for the Beach, I'm not familiar with the Quintet yet, but in the capable hands of the group described above, I'm betting I'll enjoy it.

Interesting story about Elgar not wanting to play his own music on the piano! Too bad, for he was an excellent conductor of his own music for sure.

Is there a different graphic for the first Roscoe recording as the one shown has Peter Donohoe as the pianist.

I'll have to give a listen to these Elgar works. I don't recall ever hearing them. I bought the Elgar Collector's Edition issued in 2007 by EMI to honor the 150th anniversary of his birth with the best of intentions. It includes a recording of the Violin Sonata with Hugh Bean and David Parkhouse and the Piano Quintet with John Ogden and the Allegri Quartet.

BTW, Tasmin Little also recorded the Violin Sonata with Martin Roscoe to bring the post full circle. I too have admired her playing for many years.

John

[maestrob]

Just another senior moment, John!

My apologies for any confusion.

I was actually thinking of the Tasmin Little and Jennifer Pike recordings of the Elgar Sonata that feature Roscoe:

[CharmNewton]

Just another senior moment, John!

My apologies for any confusion.

I was actually thinking of the Tasmin Little and Jennifer Pike recordings of the Elgar Sonata that feature Roscoe:

I was thinking that was the case. I was very curious about these works and listened to both the Piano Quintet and Violin Sonata and really enjoyed. My loss for not hearing them sooner and a reminder that new music isn't just works recently composed and a reason we should be thankful that composers care enough to write their expressions for posterity. In my wildest dreams I would never have thought they were composed by Elgar. And kudos to you for your endorsement of Elgar's music which added to my curiosity.

John