XP: Anyone into (incredible) piano playing??

[Peter Creasey]

Extraneous Posting!!

Nobuyuki Tsujii, the blind 20-year-old pianist who received the top prize at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in June, has become a classical music superstar in his native Japan.

Nobuyuki Tsujii ???? Liszt Paganini Etude No.3, ??????? 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition(WIDE)

. . . . . Pete

 

[Unknown]

 

[Andrew Zachary]

For classical music, I think the following short set will provide lots of amazing performances. Some are great simply because the pianist has astonishing technique, even if the music itself isn't particularly great. For others, the technial issues are irrelevant, all that matters is the music.

For classical playing, nothing beats a rousing performance by Horowitz of his own "Carmen Variations." Here's an electrifying live performance on radio in 1942

, and an equally chilling one recorded at Carnegie in 1967 ..

. Pay particular attention to the 3:10 mark, where his hands are a complete blur, yet the sound is absolutely clean and clear.

But for sheer pyrotechnics, not many can equal Georgy Cziffra, a Hungarian Roma born. Here's his performance of Liszt's "La Campanella"

. And if you thought Horowitz's hands were blurs, watch this...

For artistry combined with technical prowess, I would nominate Benno Moiseiwitsch who was born in Odessa in 1890 and died in London in 1963. He never received the acclaim of others, but his style was amazing... Here's a snipet recorded in 1963, shortly before his death

. He also has a wonderful performance of the Beethoven Emperor Concerto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_M9prMlSV8