# Best harpsichordist or fortepianist for each great composer?



## vtpoet (Jan 17, 2019)

A slight variation on the following thread: https://www.talkclassical.com/26781-best-pianist-each-great.html

Though this eliminates a lot of pianists mentioned in the other thread.

Bach: Kenneth Gilbert
Scarlatti: Scott Ross (but just introduced to a lovely recording by fortepianist Aline Zylberajch). 
Haydn: Brautigam
Mozart: Bezuidenhout but Bilson/Brautigam's Piano Concerti)
Beethoven: Brautigam (LOVE his cycle of Sonatas & Variations)
Schubert: Still undecided between Badora-Skoda and Vermeulen / Schiff has finally added some new recordings on a pianoforte and they're quite good. 
Schumann: Vermeulen
Mendelssohn: Brautigam (though there aren't many fortepianists playing Mendelssohn yet).


----------



## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

For Bach on fortepiano then try Genzoh Takehisa and Walter Riemer.


----------



## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Mandryka said:


> For Bach on fortepiano then try Walter Riemer.


I'll second this one. I have Riemer's Art of Fugue and Goldberg Variations - treasure them both.

Handel: Scott Ross


----------



## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Bulldog said:


> I'll second this one. I have Riemer's Art of Fugue and Goldberg Variations - treasure them both.


The problem is that they seem to be like, deeply unavailable! I checked after posting that.

Forget the above -- right under my nose.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Goldberg-Variations-Walter-Riemer/dp/B000W2GCSU

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-J-S-D...ords=B000W2BMNA&qid=1602444533&s=music&sr=1-1


----------



## Coach G (Apr 22, 2020)

I've been a big classical music fanatic for over 35 years, since I was teenager (at least, I thought I was). If I was walking down the street and someone offered me $10,000 to name five virtuoso harpsichord players, I don't think I could do it. 

Those of who who know enough to discern who's best for what have my respect and admiration.


----------



## BenG (Aug 28, 2018)

All Baroque composers: Trevor Pinnock


----------



## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

among harpsichordists, I like Rafael Puyana, Zuzana Růžičková and Scott Ross (playing Bach and Couperin)


----------



## vtpoet (Jan 17, 2019)

Coach G said:


> Those of who who know enough to discern who's best for what have my respect and admiration.


If you played two different harpsichordists playing the same harpsichord, Scott Ross vs. Peter-Jan Belder, I'm certain I couldn't discern the difference. For me, it mostly comes down to the recording quality and the instrument itself. Nothing kills even the best performance on a harpsichord, for me, more dead than poor mic'ing.

As concerns the instrument itself, I would take the Lute-Harpischord over the harpsichord any given day. Whereas the harpsichord can sound dry and steely, the Lute_Harpsichord has a rich and complex sound. If you're on Spotify, look up Robert Hill "Works for Lute-Harpsichord". And here on Youtube:






http://baroquemusic.org/barluthp.html

Also, I grieve that there aren't more works performed on the petal harpsichord. These instruments floor me. Look up Luc Beauséjour playing Bach. In particular, listen to his performance of BWV 541. And here it is on Youtube:


----------



## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

vtpoet said:


> If you played two different harpsichordists playing the same harpsichord, Scott Ross vs. Peter-Jan Belder,


Easy, one plays too fast and too stiff, and the other doesn't.


----------



## vtpoet (Jan 17, 2019)

Mandryka said:


> Easy, one plays too fast and too stiff, and the other doesn't.


Meh. If you play Belder and Ross's recording of K 39 side by side, they both play at the same speed. Granted, that's just one piece (picked at random).


----------



## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

vtpoet said:


> Meh. If you play Belder and Ross's recording of K 39 side by side, they both play at the same speed. Granted, that's just one piece (picked at random).


Good find, Belder about 15 seconds slower though. I think that's not insignificant in a piece like this, less than four minutes long, listen to the faster passages especially, and the way there's a bit more space between each phrase in Belder.


----------

