Recorded 1958. The great English pianist plays her famous transcription of Jesu,Joy of Man's Desiring from Bach's Cantata No. 147 and the Scarlatti Sonata in G K14.
Artur Schnabel was the first pianist to bring Schubert's Sonatas before the public. He plays this sonata as if the ink had not yet quite dried on the manuscript.How fresh and new it sounds! By comparison, most other pianist's performances sound dull, un-spontaneous and amateurish.
Andras Schiff and Angela Hewitt are concidered by many to be two of the premier Bach interpreters before the public today. Here,Hewitt plays Bach's Toccata in G minor BMV912. I heard Hewitt play the entire WTC last season in two recitals seperated by one day. Much of what I heard,I liked. Performing all of the "48" by memory is no small accomplishment.
There are very few pianists before the public today that I would even walk across the street to hear perform an all Chopin recital.Garrick Ohlsson is the exception.
During the 1940's and 50's, Edwin Fischer's recordings of the complete Schubert Impromptus were not only legendary but were considered to be collectors items. I remember that when in the late 1940's, the local classical music station aired them on their nightly Evening Concert program, nearly every pianist and classical music lover in Los Angeles was tuned in.
Andras Schiff and Angela Hewitt are concidered by many to be two of the premier Bach interpreters before the public today. Here Schiff plays the aria and the first three variations from Bach's Goldberg Variations.
Ampico roll.I do not usually like or trust reproducing rolls.However, this particular series included several compositions that Josef Lhevinne actually recorded. After comparing his recordings to the rolls,I was convinced that this performance of the Liszt-Busoni La Campanella(which he never recorded)was authentic.Of course,this is not Liszt's conception.
Here is the Rubinstein who would dare to take chances while performing. Far better than his later,cautious recordings of Chopin. I know of no other recording of this polonaise that surpasses this performance.
Edwin Fisher was the first pianist to record the complete "48". Listen to his superb articulation of the D Major Prelude of Bk.1 and his magisterial performance of the G Minor Prelude of Bk.2. Also notice his judicious use of the pedal.
Not only was Fischer a great Bach and Schubert player, but he also performed Beethoven with the same balance between his intellect and his inherent musical response to the music. Fischer's early recordings of Beethoven are superb.
Paderewski's performance of his Minuet in G has two elements that nearly all others lack. Those elements are charm and subtlety.Paderewski, the composer, plays this composition as he conceived it. In other words, as a delightful,charming minuet.This is not a piece that is well served by the "anything you can do, I can play faster," type of pianist.
![Myra Hess Plays Jesu,Joy of Man\](http://img.youtube.com/vi/n6BPTCveWH8/2.jpg "Myra Hess Plays Jesu,Joy of Man\")
