# Playlist of Comparisons - Pianists and Conductors



## filthy88 (Aug 9, 2020)

Hello,

I'm trying to compile some playlists so that I can demonstrate to myself and some other people the basic difference between various pianists, and various conductors...

So for example I would like to find a certain short chunk of music that multiple pianists have covered, that way I can put them all side by side (purely for educational purposes of course) to demonstrate in the starkest terms what differentiates them. 

Same thing goes for various conductors, is there a certain opera overture that you think would demonstrate the basic difference between conductors that I could compile?

Does anything come to mind? Or does anyone have any advice on my project? I'd greatly appreciate it.

PS I recognize that one can't really grasp all of a person's art in a small piece of music, I'm just aiming at giving someone as much of the gist as possible. Thanks!


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## UniversalTuringMachine (Jul 4, 2020)

filthy88 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I'm trying to compile some playlists so that I can demonstrate to myself and some other people the basic difference between various pianists, and various conductors...
> 
> ...


I understand the idea of such a project and I believe it can be productive for developing more nuanced listening. However, comparing difference of a "short chunk" of music taking out of context can be misleading, the artistic effects of music rely crucially on all sorts of contrast and unity so you are getting none of that. It is necessary to compare the overall approach, the high and lows of an entire performance, among performers, in order to understand what they are trying to do.


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## Caryatid (Mar 28, 2020)

If you're asking for some music that a lot of pianists have recorded, I'd say Beethoven's _Appassionata _Sonata is a good bet. Chopin's G minor ballade could also work.

For conductors I'd say a Beethoven symphony would work better for this project than an opera.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Yes, take the exposition of the Beethoven 5th. Get several conductors: Toscanini, Walter, Bernstein, Klemperer, Kleiber, Harnoncourt and if you can find it, Gunther Schuller. Vivid demonstration of different approaches.


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