Piano master video discussion group

Just looking at his hands, his technique is among the most skeletal and effective. But some how his upper arms take some potent source of energy from him. Those kind of power is less important in pieces like Bach's,...

Over the past year and a half I have become obsessed with 19th century players. I love everything about the style. One characteristic that nearly all the players I like have is the ability to make the piano SPARKLE. Ther...

Stephen Hough has some really powerful hands. His arch and grasping motion are functioning very well and all his movements reflect musical gestures. I am not sure if his hands is are refined as they could be but they s...

Here is another player that I think has a really potent physical approach to the piano. His spine really seems to soar. Sometimes he flattens his arch but i dont think thats a problem for him.

Here is another great British pianist. He handles the awkward octave legato passages with real finesse. His arch is really impressive. Also he characterizes the fate motif and shapes the descent into the abyss at...

Another now forgotten great masterSamson Francois was one of my idols as a kid many thought his Chopin was unequaled.specialist in Ravel&Debussy he toured the world. They say he developped his very own technique inspire...

Continuing on great British pianists ... There aren't a whole lot of videos of him but this Schubert sonata is very informative. His hands are huge and beautifully shaped. He has a wide dynamic range and his pianissim...

In , I came across some rather interesting, albeit potentially contentious, views about Horowitz's technique. Here is what Charles Rosen said: "Horowitz's technique never had the solidity of Backhaus's, or the evenn...

I posted a video from one of his masterclasses some time back. Here are some new clips. The first clip is from a later masterclass, interspersed with interviews. What he tells the violinist about her impeccable playin...

David Fray is one of the most impressive young pianists I have heard. His physical approach to the keyboard looks much more potent and capable than that of most young pianists. The Mozart piano concerto video give...

I am curious to hear what people think of Serkin's technique. It seems to me like another very good example of skeletality. His passage work is excellent and also shows how the arm and fingers coordinate their movement...

I consider Horowitz's recording of Chopin's Scherzo #3 in c# minor to the best recording ever made of that piece. No one has the demonic intensity that Horowitz has in this piece. Surprisingly enough, I encountered...

Found a link to this unique recording on ! Enjoy! 1. 00:00-10:38 Sunt lacrimae rerum, en mode hongrois, F. Liszt; 2. 10:39-20:00 Les jeux d'eaux à la Villa d'Este, F.Liszt; 3. 20:01-27:00 Der Wanderer, D. 489 F. Sc...

I'm new to this forum, but have Alan's DVD and have just bought the 'All Thumbs' book. I find the Schubert on this video utterly captivating. Maybe for many it's pulled around too much, but the range of tone is phenome...

Would be interesting to see some opinions on Lovro. We don't see much arch here-I guess he doesn't need one!

His double thirds is very articulated, and definitely involves no ''pressing'' at all (although with double thirds at THAT speed, just a tiny amount of pressing would ruin the whole thing....) I am very impressed. Mos...

What can be said about her technique? Although her playing doesn't touch me particularly deeply, her orchestration is quite well even when playing some of the most difficult pieces. And her technique is quite secure that...

There are a number of new videos by Frederic Meinders up on youtube. Quite a remarkable pianist:

A recently (June 10th of this year) posted clip of Artur Rubinstein playing Beethoven's Concerto 4. To my mind, this is how you play the piano. I surely hope this clip will stay on YouTube: Paul

Check out the tremolos at about 24 minutes in. I've never seen such a staggering example of simple finger movement from a well balanced arm.

International Elisabeth Competition in 1987: (start of the "big" cadenza) P.S.: I was present that evening, maybe that's why this footage of the concert during the finales is so special to me. I still hope...

This is how a piano should sound! In my opinion the timing and sound is absolutely fantastic and highly dramatic. And maybe even more important: it is honest! You can feel she is 'in sync' with the piano. What do...

I am curious to hear your thoughts on this pianist. In this clip from Kinderszenen I think he achieves a wonderful state of quietness. By way of comparison to older masters here is Horowitz in Vienna: And Cu...

Here is another excellent pianist. Amazing energy and musicianship. Handel Chaccone: The left hand octaves are so majestic and vigorous. Mozart 21: Liszt 1: Any thoughts?

I knew he was one of Rachmaninoff's favorite pianists but this is the first time I have checked out his work. Here is a complete video of him playing one of the most difficult transcriptions in the repertoire, the Liszt...