Whose solo piano music floats your boat?

[Pianorak]

a toss-up between 4 & 5, it seems

No 5 a good call.If you go for 5 make sure it's S. Richter. I left out nos 2 and 5 because they are rather popular and don't need my endorsement.

[Beef Oven!]

Now it's which one!!! For me that would be no.10. It has the most original textures and form, owes least to previous concepts of material and pianism, and has the most startlingly ecstatic mode of expression.

One has to nail ahinton down - hence the one stipulation!

10 is in there!

[Richard Barrett]

One has to nail nail ahinton down

no comment

[Beef Oven!]

No 5 a good call.If you go for 5 make sure it's S. Richter. I left out nos 2 and 5 because they are rather popular and don't need my endorsement.

Ok, 5 it is. I will drag and drop them now. not sure I have the Richter

2, 5, 7, 9 & 10

[Beef Oven!]

no comment

We'd noticed.

[Beef Oven!]

Ok, 5 it is. I will drag and drop them now. not sure I have the Richter

2, 5, 7, 9 & 10

Done!

[kea]

The absolutely essential ones for me are 7 and 10. I don't know the first five so well.

For some reason I've never got on with 7. Or Scriabin's sonatas in general, although when I want to listen to one of them, No. 10 usually hits the spot.

I am mildly obsessed with piano music—Beethoven, Schubert (period instruments close to essential though), Schumann (not bothered by most of the notes being in the middle of the keyboard as some are), Chopin, Fauré, Debussy from about 1905 on, Roslavets, Szymanowski (thinking particularly of Masques, Métopes, Sonata No. 3 and the Op. 50 Mazurkas), Stockhausen, Finnissy (English Country-Tunes is still a masterpiece but almost everything repays attention), Sciarrino, obviously Cage (Sonatas and Interludes, Etudes Boreales in particular). Also mentions for the Barraqué Sonata, the Well-Tuned Piano, Alvin Curran's Inner Cities, and Brahms Op. 118, when I'm in the mood for them.

And some for the guilty pleasures column: Scarlatti played on piano, Godowsky's studies on Chopin etudes, Bach/Busoni arrangements in general, the Dutilleux Piano Sonata, Robert Fuchs's first piano sonata, Grieg's Lyric Pieces, and the Berlioz/Liszt Symphonie Fantastique

[Beef Oven!]

Been listening to solo piano music today.

Earlier

Benjamin Dale - Piano Sonata in D-minor Mark Bebbington, piano. (Qobuz download)

Frank Bridge - Piano Sonata. Mark Bebbington, piano. (Qobuz download)

Now

Kaikhosru Sorabji - Opus Clavicembalisticum. Geoffrey Douglas Madge, piano. (Qobuz download)

Edit: Regarding the solo piano piece Opus Clavicembalisticum - as this little ditty is a mere four hours long, I shall be limiting myself to the first disc, as I want to listen to some John Ireland solo piano works.

[Stanfordian]

Been listening to solo piano music today.

Earlier

Benjamin Dale - Piano Sonata in D-minor Mark Bebbington, piano. (Qobuz download)

Frank Bridge - Piano Sonata. Mark Bebbington, piano. (Qobuz download)

Now

Kaikhosru Sorabji - Opus Clavicembalisticum. Geoffrey Douglas Madge, piano. (Qobuz download)

Edit: Regarding the solo piano piece Opus Clavicembalisticum - as this little ditty is a mere four hours long, I shall be limiting myself to the first disc, as I want to listen to some John Ireland solo piano works.

Hiya Beefy,

The Frank Bridge piano pieces, including the sonata, are rare treasures and greatly underrated. I've often played the works as a 'blind listening quiz' to friends who in addition to being impressed are always puzzled by the identity of the composer.

Best of all in my view are Bridge's set of string quartets.

[gradus]

As ever, the right performance makes all the difference. Two recent Schumann performances on R3 missed the heart of the pieces imv - Alexeev chugging through the first of the Bunte Blatter live and a recorded performance of the Prophet Bird that showed no grasp of the crisp, sharp, slightly unsettling quality of the piano writing - heard on Sunday morning from a recent recording. Neither are substantial pieces but hear (for example) Richter play them and marvel at RS's genius.

[Beef Oven!]

Hiya Beefy,

The Frank Bridge piano pieces, including the sonata, are rare treasures and greatly underrated. I've often played the works as a 'blind listening quiz' to friends who in addition to being impressed are always puzzled by the identity of the composer.

Best of all in my view are Bridge's set of string quartets.

Played string quartets 2 & 4 yesterday. IMO, his Piano Trio #2 is his best work.

I'm not surprised about your blind listening quiz. The piece is very modern and even when I'm listening to it, I'm surprised that it is Frank Bridge. Britten was lucky!

[Rosie55]

Usually Ravel, which is perhaps why I am responding so well to this new CD of piano music recommended to me by December's Gramophone. Some very intoxicating sounds... https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/halo

[Bryn]

Above all, I think Morton Feldman's piano music best 'floats my boat' at the moment. Really enjoying Mar-André Hemelin's recording of For Bunita Marcus of late. Must listen to the marvelous Simpn Reynall recording of Feldman's music for multiple pianos again soon:

[Beef Oven!]

Usually Ravel, which is perhaps why I am responding so well to this new CD of piano music recommended to me by December's Gramophone. Some very intoxicating sounds... https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/halo

I think I'll check that out, it looks interesting. I had my usual leaf through the month's digital Gramophone, but overlooked this. Need to pay more attention!

[Beef Oven!]

Above all, I think Morton Feldman's piano music best 'floats my boat' at the moment. Really enjoying Mar-André Hemelin's recording of For Bunita Marcus of late. Must listen to the marvelous Simpn Reynall recording of Feldman's music for multiple pianos again soon:

My Bunita Marcus is Stephane Ginsburgh. This music requires sooo much concentration!