# pianists who were under-represented on record



## Headphone Hermit

I found a few minutes of Alexander Siloti (1863-1945) on a Pearl CD of a few bits and pieces by Arthur Friedheim (1859-1932). Both of these were pupils of Liszt and both were highly regarded pianists of the early C20th, but Friedheim recorded very few commercial recordings and Siloti recorded almost nothing - he apparently disdained recordings. It seems such a shame not to have more recordings of such significant pianists

Are there other active pianists of the C20 who are largely unrecorded?


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## joen_cph

One could always wish for more in many cases ... I checked a few lesser known, fine names:

- _Ricardo Vines_, disliked recording, made enough to fill one CD http://www.marstonrecords.com/vines/vines_liner.htm
- _early Nyiregyhazi_, none, I think https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ervin_Nyiregyházi
- _George Copeland_, around 2 CDs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Copeland

- _Karol Szymanowski _, very little recorded, from what I now, in spite of being a pianist
- _Rued Langgaard_, for example in Schumann, one of his favourite composers: "he had a very peculiar style, with a lot of rubato, pedalling and almost hysterical espressivo" (anecdotes in Danish http://dvm.nu/periodical/dmt/dmt_196/dmt_1968_07/»»den-kan-jeg-da-virkelig-udenad««/). No preserved recordings.

- Moriz Rosenthal did what is equal to 5 CDs http://www.marstonrecords.com/vines/vines_liner.htm
- Percy Grainger, around 5 CDs http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2011/June11/grainger_78_recs_7501.htm
- George Copeland, around 2 CDs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Copeland
- Konstantin Igumnov: around 4 LPs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konstantin_Igumnov
- Simon Barrere - a minimum of 4 LPs


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## Steatopygous

Maria Yudina, Russian pianist and devout Christian who suffered for her faith under the Soviets. Sacked more than once, b anned from travel, concerts and all but very few recordings. I love this account of one recording she made with a pressing of one disc only. Read about it below

Maria Yudina, friend of Shostakovich, who stood up to Stalin. Author Jim Forest described her as a fearless Christian who wore a cross when performing in public – inviting the gulag or a bullet – and who lived a remarkably ascetic life, always wearing the same black dress. Shostakovich said her concerts were her way to proclaim her faith – “she always played as though she were giving a sermon”. 
The composer once lobbied hard to get her a room, only to find her soon asking again. She had given it away to an old woman. Sviatoslav Richter said she took in the poor and lived like a tramp herself.
Stalin heard her playing Mozart’s K488 concerto on the radio and demanded the record be sent to his dascha. There was no record: panic ensued. The authorities called in Yudina and an orchestra, and recorded that night.
Forest writes that everyone was shaking with fright but Yudina. The first conductor was so scared he was sent home, the second trembled so much he confused the orchestra, so a third finished the recording. They made one copy and sent it to Stalin. 
Soon after, Yudina received an envelope with 20,000 rubles. She wrote to Stalin thanking him. “I will pray for you day and night and ask the Lord to forgive your great sins before the people and the country … I gave the money to the church that I attend.”
The dictator read this potential death note and didn’t lift an eyebrow. Arrest orders had been prepared, but were laid aside. Apparently her recording of the Mozart was on the record player when Stalin was found dead.


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## Headphone Hermit

^^^ Maria Yudina made a lot or recordings. Many of them were issued on Melodiya and were difficult to get in the West, but she also recorded for labels such as Harmonia Mundi and nowadays there are loads of Maria Yudina recordings available on the internet, including about 20 CDs on Vista Vera http://www.vistavera.com/index.php?categoryID=373


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## Pat Fairlea

Perhaps he could not be described as 'under-recorded', but I often wish that Andre Watts had recorded more. OK his style is not to everyone's taste. However, Watts' recording of Rachmaninov's 'Corelli Variations' (Philips Great Pianists 456 985-2) is a superb reading of a neglected masterpiece. My first encounter with Watts on record was circa 1974, his recording of the Liszt B Minor Sonata, borrowed from a library. I have yet to hear a performance, recorded or live, that captures the sheer drama and energy of the piece quite so well. Maybe I have not looked in the right places, but recordings by Watts seem to me to be too few.


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## Bulldog

There aren't many recordings of Natan Brand, and he was fantastic.


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## Steatopygous

Me. I've never found a single CD of my piano-playing. Mind you, there's an excellent reason that no one's ever recorded one...


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## Animal the Drummer

Pat Fairlea said:


> Perhaps he could not be described as 'under-recorded', but I often wish that Andre Watts had recorded more. OK his style is not to everyone's taste. However, Watts' recording of Rachmaninov's 'Corelli Variations' (Philips Great Pianists 456 985-2) is a superb reading of a neglected masterpiece. My first encounter with Watts on record was circa 1974, his recording of the Liszt B Minor Sonata, borrowed from a library. I have yet to hear a performance, recorded or live, that captures the sheer drama and energy of the piece quite so well. Maybe I have not looked in the right places, but recordings by Watts seem to me to be too few.


I've heard and enjoyed numerous recordings of the Brahms B flat but Watts' superb CBS recording with Bernstein and the New Yorkers is still my favourite. It has an Olympian command which, as you say, not everyone will like (some might prefer a more palpable sense of struggle from the soloist) but I find it frees me to zero in on the music. By contrast his Rach 3 with Ozawa conducting seems to me to skate on the surface of the music rather, but I'll forgive him anything for the sake of that magnificent Brahms.

As a footnote, I believe Watts turned to teaching quite early on in his career. Maybe he didn't enjoy public performance. I agree it would have been good to hear more from him overall.


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