<p>What are your favorite piano CD's? We are trying to get a good variety of piano music to be listening to in order to become familiar with more than just the current repetoire. But it's hard to know whose CD to buy, and how to know what the standard repetoire is!!! I'm sure that ds could compile a list after he's finished several more years of piano, but we'd like to start listening now! </p>
<p>So if anyone can recommend particular CD's to get: both recommended performers, or recommended pieces, that would be great!</p>
<p>I might have had some selections if you chose strings, but I have a poor layman's knowledge of the piano literature.</p>
<p>Two very good guides that we initially gave to son in early middle school were
The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection and Building a Classical Music Library by Bill Parker (Author). These proved invaluable for him in assembling the essential pieces, "recommended" artists, and recordings initially. I believe one, if not both books are divided by era, composer, and composition type. Depending on the piece, he has numerous interpretations by many artists.</p>
<p>As his musically inept parents, we had no clue. We gave him the guides, he gave us back a list of recommended selections, and we purchased them over time, as needed for works he was studying, as birthday gifts, stocking stuffers, etc. He added significantly to his collection in high school and college, coniving me that every CD purchase we funded was required for a performance or ensemble study. </p>
<p>He's amassed a tremendous collection. We updated the books when he was an undergrad (he wore them out). He still drops a hint or two, but unless it's an out of print or rare recording, it's his dime now. And a legitimate deductible expense so long as he is judicious. :)</p>
<p>Visit your local library. They have thousands of CD's to borrow. Then, if you particularly like one, you can always buy it.</p>
<p>Another suggestion is to attend as many live performances as possible. I know that when I was a young piano student and even college-age, I was so inspired by attending a piano recital (or soloist w/ symphony, or chamber music) - check out your local university: they have guest artists in addition to the student and faculty recitals (which are free or almost always free).</p>
<p>There is a great site for pianists to chat about all of this, so PM me if you want the link (just in case you aren't aware of it). Good for you to want to help your son expand his musical experience.</p>
<p>Naturalmom: A few of my favorites off the top of my head, listed with the artist first (I'm away from home on the audition circuit, so I don't have the record labels, but you should be able to find them). Anything by Evgeny Kissin; Helene Grimauld-1) Brahms piano pieces 0p. 116-118 and Chopin and Rachmaninoff Piano Sonatas; Maria Pires- Chopin the Nocturnes (2 discs);Van Cliburn-My favorite Debussy; Vladimir Ashkenazy-1) the Art of Ashkenazy (2 discs), 2)Favorite Rachmaninoff and 3)Rachmaninoff: 24 Preludes (sometimes Rach. will be spelled "ov" instead of "off"); Vladimir Horowitz-1) In the Hands of the Master or 2) Favorite Encores. I also bought some years ago a 5 CD set called "Piano Mania" that has a ton of music from all periods by a large variety of artists, don't know if it is still available. I think Arthur Rubenstein has recorded just about everything! 2 more young popular pianists besides Evgeny Kissin are Lang Lang and Yundi Li. That should get you started, although I haven't even mentioned Bach or Mozart or any of the huge numbers of concerti for piano! So much music, so little time! I would recommend downloading iTunes, if you don't already use it, it's a great way to browse and sample before buying.</p>
<p>P.S. the other good thing about itunes is that you don't have to buy an entire CD if there is just one or two pieces that you want. Although the clips are short (30 sec.) you can get an idea of the quality of the recordings and listen to a bit of the same piece by different artists before you choose.</p>
<p>Some classics: Clifford Curzon playing Schumann; Alfred Brendel playing Beethoven sonatas and concertos; Vladimir Horowitz playing Rachmanninoff's 3rd concerto; Leon Fleisher playing Schubert sonatas; Glenn Gould playing Bach's Goldberg Variations; Sviatoslav Richter playing Liszt; Emil Gilels playing Brahms concerto no. 2.
This is all very old-school, very standard, and very very good.</p>
<p>Some other good performers: William Kappell, Jean-Pierre Aimard, Richard Goode, Pereiha. He should listen to Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, Bach -- at a minimum, sonatas and piano concertos. There are collections of these that you can find on Amazon.</p>
<p>and brought home a LOT of Cd's. I was able to find a few specific recommendations, but others were a mix-and-match. Brendel, who was recommended for Beethoven, I could find performing Schumann and Liszt, but not Beethoven, but I picked it up anyway.</p>
<p>Ds loves Schumann, and started working on Soaring in December even though it's very very difficult for him. </p>
<p>I also found some Evgeny Kissin, Lang Lang and Yundi Li, plus Horowitz (there was quite a lot, so I just got one); also Glenn Gould (Goldberg variations). Can't remember what else. </p>
<p>I hadn't seen mamaenyu's list before going, but I will look for some of those names also. </p>
<p>Don't miss Bach on harpsichord -- Gustav Leonhardt is one of the best. Glenn Gould, though an amazing player, is idiosyncratic -- you can also here him mumbling during the performances, which is a bit odd. There are videos of performers, including Richter, Horowitz, Gould, that are interesting to watch.</p>
<p>I have to tell you what a gold mine You Tube is too. You can watch Horowitz, or Yundi Li, or whomever, performing a piece live. The picture quality isn't always perfect (haha, to say the least), but it's great for a young pianist to watch technique and listen for nuance etc from old masters, and some up and coming stars.</p>
<p>My suggestion (as a pianist) is don't just listen to piano music, broaden your range with chamber music, orchestral works, operas, lieder, etc. etc. You would be surprised by how much those "non-piano" music helps piano-playing. </p>
<p>The other suggestion is: make sure that you don't listen to too much of a single performer (be it Horowitz, Richter, Brendel or others mentioned above), and definitely not a single performance by a single performer multiple times. However good the interpretation is, that is someone else's interpretation, not yours; if you get too used to someone else's style you might have trouble accepting others (which is not good from a performer's point of view). Honestly, if some one decides to play like Glenn Gould, he/she will probably never get into any conservatories out there.</p>
<p>Rubenstein, Alicia de la Rocha, Charles Rosen in addition to those already mentioned.</p>
<p>Ah, and Chopin, of course, and Satie, Debussey, Shubert, Scott Joplin and Gershwin, Bartok and Tschaikovsky also in addition to those mentioned.</p>
<p>Add Martha Argerich and Radu Lupu as performers worth hearing.
There is some wonderful duet music to explore, e.g., cello sonatas, violin sonatas, where the piano is not merely accompanying. Beethoven is always a good start.</p>
<p>I really think Glenn Gould is underrated. He makes all other Bach performances look weak. So what if he mumbles to himself? If you want the best Bach piano, you have to listen to Glenn Gould. He really plans his performances, which is why he locked himself in the recording studio. Not like Horowitz or some show pony, Gould though about each melodic line and its characteristics. I really think you ought to listen to Glenn Gould, espically him playing Bach and Shoenberg. His music is underrated, at least on this fourm.</p>