# Looking for the best piano classics



## benclassic (Jan 13, 2013)

Hey all,

I recently started really listening to classical piano music and I'm glad I did because the effect it has on my mind is amazing! There is nothing like it 

I want to create a collection of some of the best works on classical piano music but have a hard time selecting.

Can you guys give me some pointers as to what albums are worth getting? 

Some pieces I heard are very soft and that's not really my thing, I like it to be interesting..

Like the intelligent stuff 

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Ben


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

Welcome to TC!

Schubert's Sonatas are an excellent choice. Kempff's recording is phenomenal. I can hardly think of a better way to begin. 

http://www.amazon.com/Schubert-The-Piano-Sonatas-Box/dp/B00004SA8A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358054615&sr=8-1&keywords=schubert+kempff


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

benclassic said:


> Some pieces I heard are very soft and that's not really my thing, I like it to be interesting.. Like the intelligent stuff


Beethoven. Failing that, Beethoven. This is currently a bargain:

http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Complete-Piano-Sonatas-Nos/dp/B001CGJ3QS/ref=cm_syf_dtl_pl_21

Hey, it's Kempff too! Great minds...


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

KenOC's right. Beethoven. Yes!

Start with Beethoven; then Schubert. All Kempff!


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## benclassic (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks for the advice guys, downloading now in Itunes 

I'm trying to establish an awesome collection.

Great stuff!


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Wolfgang Mozart ~ Sonata for two pianos in D, K.488





Ludwig von Beethoven ~ Diabelli variations





Frederic Chopin ~ Prelude /
Etudes





Claude Debussy ~
Etudes




Preludes





Francis Poulenc ~ Nocturnes









Maurice Ravel ~ 
Le Tombeau de Couperin / Gaspard de la nuit

Miroirs





















Eric Satie ~ Avant-dernières pensées 1-3 





Schubert ~ Fantasy in F minor, for piano four hands









Samuel Barber ~ Excursions

















John Adams ~ Hallelujah Junction, for two pianos













Steve Reich ~ Six Pianos


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

In addition to the names mentioned I would suggest some Ravel and Prokofiev.

Ravel:






Prokofiev:


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

http://www.amazon.com/Brahms-Handel-Variations-Rhapsodies-Pieces/dp/B00454U1NI/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1358057650&sr=1-1&keywords=brahms+handel+perahia

Also, anything and everything by Liszt - Perahia, Argerich, Howard, etc. My personal favorite recording is the complete Liszt performed by Leslie Howard--pricey but monumental and epochal.


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## Turangalîla (Jan 29, 2012)

Welcome, benclassic. I'd start with these—you will not be disappointed (I wonder who my favourite composer is):

J.S. Bach: The Well-Tempered Klavier, Bk. I
J.S. Bach: The Well-Tempered Klavier, Bk. II
J.S. Bach: English Suites
J.S. Bach: French Suites
J.S. Bach: Partitas
J.S. Bach: Toccatas
J.S. Bach: Italian Concerto

If you begin to nod off, switch to Glenn Gould's recording—that should fix it


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## BurningDesire (Jul 15, 2012)

Charles Ives Piano Sonata No. 2






one of the best things in the entire literature.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

I don't like Kempff's Beethoven.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

violadude said:


> I don't like Kempff's Beethoven.


Whose do you like?


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## benclassic (Jan 13, 2013)

WOW, all of you guys gave such an awesome contribution. I have so much to look at now! GREAT! Thanks Everyone 

Ben


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

KenOC said:


> Whose do you like?


I don't know. I only have the Kempff, but I don't like it that much.


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## cwarchc (Apr 28, 2012)

Try a little Erik Satie, this is played by Aldo Ciccolini


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

violadude said:


> I don't know. I only have the Kempff, but I don't like it that much.


Gulda, Pires, Gilels, Schnabel and probably many others i prefer over Kempff.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Why not try some Liszt? There's a box of Cziffra playing Liszt on French EMI. One of the great Lisztians of all time - perhaps now Liszt himself played his music. Phenomenal!

Then there is the wonders of Schumann.........


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## EricABQ (Jul 10, 2012)

If you are ok with MP3s, on Amazon you can get the Chopin Rise of the Masters set for $1.99 (in the U.S at least.)

Tons of music and good performances.


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## AndorFoldes (Aug 25, 2012)

I would recommend Beethoven's Pathetique, Appassionata and Les Adieux played by Andor Foldes, but unfortunately it is out of print.


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

Definitely Chopin. The Polonaises are a good start.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

violadude said:


> I don't know. I only have the Kempff, but I don't like it that much.


Maybe it is the music of Beethoven itself you don't care for so much (gasp!)... looks around to see if 
sky has fallen -- not; check.
lightning struck -- not; check.
walls of room I'm in still standing -- yep; check.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

No, it´s probably because of Kempff´s often somewhat restrained playing style. Concerning the DG set, he´s at his best in the Sonata 29 "Hammerklavier". But there are other ways of playing say the Appassionata:

Kempff 




Gilels 



Barentzen 



 (!)
Schnabel 



Bauer 



Horowitz 



Pollini 



Richter


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## benclassic (Jan 13, 2013)

Hey all,

I already got a nice collection going..

Got a bunch of "The very best of" Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Vivaldi etc. 

Got some more CD's of Chopin, excellent music.

Of course "the 4 Seasons" Vivaldi - Awesome Piece of work!

I'm very pleased so far with what I've got.. 

I travel a lot so good head phones is obviously a must to get the full experience 

Ben


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

PetrB said:


> Maybe it is the music of Beethoven itself you don't care for so much (gasp!)... looks around to see if
> sky has fallen -- not; check.
> lightning struck -- not; check.
> walls of room I'm in still standing -- yep; check.


It's only a matter of time though . . .

Andras Schiff's Beethoven for me! Richter's too.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Weston said:


> Andras Schiff's Beethoven for me! Richter's too.


Indeed. I'll add Gilels too, even though he was inconsiderate enough to die before completing his cycle.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Weston said:


> It's only a matter of time though . . .


_Isn't *everything?*_


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

joen_cph said:


> No, it´s probably because of Kempff´s often somewhat restrained playing style. Concerning the DG set, he´s at his best in the Sonata 29 "Hammerklavier". But there are other ways of playing say the Appassionata:
> 
> Kempff
> 
> ...


If you want 'full on' Beethoven, try Richter's Appassionata on RCA


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

What about the Schumann Fantasie, one of the great romantic pieces. Try Richter, Horowitz or Argerich and wonder!


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

DavidA said:


> If you want 'full on' Beethoven, try Richter's Appassionata on RCA


Thanks for the links! I'll check out Richter especially. He had an Appassionata on a mono MK LP that totally brought the house down. Loads of inner-groove distortion, but hey, those were the days. Gloves-off Beethoven.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

KenOC said:


> Thanks for the links! I'll check out Richter especially. He had an Appassionata on a mono MK LP that totally brought the house down. Loads of inner-groove distortion, but hey, those were the days. Gloves-off Beethoven.


The Appassionata performance has been issued (in the UK at least) with the incredible Brahms piano Concerto number two that he recorded with Leinsdorf. Richter was absolutely at his considerable peak when he recorded them.


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## bukowski (Jan 12, 2013)

Brahms: Balladen op. 10, by Glenn Gould


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

JS Bach: Concerti for 2 & 3 Pianos, w. Casadesus et al
Handel: Suites, w. Jarrett
Haydn: Sonatas, w. Gould, Pogorelich
Scarlatti: Sonatas, w. Pogorelich
LvB: Sonatas 8, 15, 21, 22, w. Gulda
Schubert: Sonatas, w. Sokolov
Chopin: Preludes, w. Argerich
Chopin: Sonata 2, w. Pogorelich, Michelangeli
Chopin: Etudes, w. Gavrilov
Chopin: 4 Scherzi, Ballades, w. Demidenko
Liszt: Concerti, Sonata, w. Zimerman
Liszt: "Annees", "Harmonies", w. Ciccolini
Schumann: Lupu, Gavrilov, Richter, Argerich, Demidenko
Brahms: Sokolov, Gould, Lupu, Pogorelich
Debussy: Michelangeli, Jacobs, Weissenberg, Bavouzet, Boffard
Albeniz, Granados, de Falla, Turina: de Larrocha (EMI, Decca)
Bartok: Concerti, w. Anda; Solo w. Kocsis
Hindemith: Sonatas w. Gould
Rachmaninov: Concerti, w. Argerich, Ashkenazy, Michelangeli, Janis; Solo, w. Rodriguez, Gavrilov, Richter, Angelich, Sofronitsky, Sokolov, Demidenko, Kempf


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## Count (Jan 11, 2013)

Sergei Rachmaninoff's concerto number's two and three.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Count said:


> Sergei Rachmaninoff's concerto number's two and three.


Number 2 with Richter

Number 3 with Argerich


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Brilliant Classics have produced a box of Byron Janis' recordings of romantic concerti. It has Schumann, Tchaikovsky 1, Liszt 1&2, Rachmaninov 1-3, Prokofiev 3 and some solo works. Excellent value if you know where to look on Amazon and astounding playing of a high order.


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

violadude said:


> I don't like Kempff's Beethoven.


Nor do I, Violadude. Barenboim's interpretation of Beethoven's Sonatas is better. Brendel, however, might be my favorite.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Novelette said:


> Nor do I, Violadude. Barenboim's interpretation of Beethoven's Sonatas is better. Brendel, however, might be my favorite.


I never feel it's either / or. I enjoy many different interpretations of these pieces. This is great music and as such can take many different interpretations.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

DavidA said:


> I never feel it's either / or. I enjoy many different interpretations of these pieces. This is great music and as such can take many different interpretations.


Agree. Nobody plays these without the chops! But I am currently fond of Schiff and Gilels...


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

joen_cph said:


> No, it´s probably because of Kempff´s often somewhat restrained playing style. Concerning the DG set, he´s at his best in the Sonata 29 "Hammerklavier". But there are other ways of playing say the Appassionata:
> 
> Kempff
> 
> ...


Out of all those I most liked the Horowitz.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

joen_cph said:


> No, it´s probably because of Kempff´s often somewhat restrained playing style. Concerning the DG set, he´s at his best in the Sonata 29 "Hammerklavier". But there are other ways of playing say the Appassionata:
> 
> Kempff
> 
> ...


Richter is my favourite here.


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## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)




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