Marek Drewnowski

Any thoughts on this performer? I rarely find living pianists to be outstanding in any way, but this really is superb. I've never heard the Godowksy thumb thing working so well before. I can't believe that he isn't more well known. The performances on youtube are as good as anything I've heard from just about any pianist alive.

Amazing! I like his sound and especially his vital interpretation. A mix between Brailowsky and Godowsky. Looked up his sight- he has a quite remarkable pedegree as a pianist and conductor (which explains his orchestrationskills in his playing) and I heard some really fine Scarlatti. Got the impression that the focus is not on career and the competitionbusiness-but on music. Today the most wellknown are not the best if you ask me.That was maybe the case in the golden age.No more. You should listen to Victor Chestopal he doesn't even bother with youtube.Still has a pedegree that would make many wellmarketed pianists look like beginners. Eric

Yeah, this is proper Golden Age style. I sometimes wonder if I'm in danger of liking old school pianists on principle, rather than on how they play- but when I hear this from someone who was unheard of I realise that it's purely about a style of playing that appeals to me. It doesn't matter in the slightest when it was actually recorded or who the performer is. It makes me wonder if there are many other unknowns who play to this level- while tedious thumpers like Kissin and Kempf play on the big stages. Did you hear the Butterfly etude on his site btw? It's incredible. Add a bit of hiss and crackle and I think you could convince just about anyone that they were listening to a Friedman or a Hofmann.

Didn't find the Butterfly studie but I found other amazing things.Like the attempt to play Chopin Concerti with a stringQ supposedly the way this music was performed the first times.Can't remember the last time I was as much impressed by a contemporary artist.I'm sure it has nothing to do with "principle". This guy seems a bit like a maverick so I wonder if he might chose a special kind of piano (looks like an old something not Steinway) with customized harmonization or even some tuning under 440?I read somewhere that Horowitz used slightly under 440 for solo and above 440 with orchestra (to be on top all the time). Here is an interesting clip from a Horowitz "pupil", I beleive he uses much of the same "tools" but in a more visible way than the master. Ivan Davies is a great master himself with his completely own style I'm sure he is tired of being labeled "pupil" but it can't be undone.Me apologizing. Eric

Drewnowski certainly has incredible facility and shapes his phrases beautifully. I'm not convinced, though, on the issue of "substance." Everything of his I listened to sounded almost too "light and easy," and in the clips on YouTube he looks like he's never had a care in his life. I'll take Jorge Bolet any day. --Rush