Here is a short presentation narrated by the amazing Fredrick Ullen, who besides being a super-virtuoso pianist is a neuro-scientist as well. It’s beautifully filmed - one of a series produced by BIS Records. All of these are highly recommended. Just click in the BIS logo to see a list.

https://youtu.be/hf2h3TUpXgE

Op vrijdag 17 september 2021 om 14:05:07 UTC+2 schreef JohnGavin:
> Here is a short presentation narrated by the amazing Fredrick Ullen, who besides being a super-virtuoso pianist is a neuro-scientist as well. It’s beautifully filmed - one of a series produced by BIS Records. All of these are highly recommended. Just click in the BIS logo to see a list.
>
> https://youtu.be/hf2h3TUpXgE

Thanks for the link! The cycle is a must-have for pianophiles, just like Godowsky's Chopin cycle. It is a Herculean task, also because Ullen had to edit the 100 études, but he has done an excellent job and played the set brilliantly. As he says, there are moments of great beauty. Personally, I feel that the quantity too often supplants the quality.

Henk

On Friday, September 17, 2021 at 8:28:04 AM UTC-4, hvt...@xs4all.nl wrote:
> Op vrijdag 17 september 2021 om 14:05:07 UTC+2 schreef JohnGavin:
> > Here is a short presentation narrated by the amazing Fredrick Ullen, who besides being a super-virtuoso pianist is a neuro-scientist as well. It’s beautifully filmed - one of a series produced by BIS Records. All of these are highly recommended. Just click in the BIS logo to see a list..
> >
> > https://youtu.be/hf2h3TUpXgE
> Thanks for the link! The cycle is a must-have for pianophiles, just like Godowsky's Chopin cycle. It is a Herculean task, also because Ullen had to edit the 100 études, but he has done an excellent job and played the set brilliantly. As he says, there are moments of great beauty. Personally, I feel that the quantity too often supplants the quality.
>
> Henk

Yes. Sorabji is one composer that appeals to me but in small doses. Mr. Ullen suggests starting with the Nocturnes, (Gulistan, The Rose Garden and The Hothouse). I think it’s the meditative, stream-of-consciousness quality that draws me to his music.

Other composers that are in the same category for me are Szymanowski and Ernst Pepping. It’s a bit of a “cant live with them, can’t live without them” predicament. I might even place Messiaen in that group, although there are major works of his I have happily sat through.

Op vrijdag 17 september 2021 om 16:29:54 UTC+2 schreef JohnGavin:
> On Friday, September 17, 2021 at 8:28:04 AM UTC-4, hvt...@xs4all.nl wrote:
> > Op vrijdag 17 september 2021 om 14:05:07 UTC+2 schreef JohnGavin:
> > > Here is a short presentation narrated by the amazing Fredrick Ullen, who besides being a super-virtuoso pianist is a neuro-scientist as well. It’s beautifully filmed - one of a series produced by BIS Records. All of these are highly recommended. Just click in the BIS logo to see a list..
> > >
> > > https://youtu.be/hf2h3TUpXgE
> > Thanks for the link! The cycle is a must-have for pianophiles, just like Godowsky's Chopin cycle. It is a Herculean task, also because Ullen had to edit the 100 études, but he has done an excellent job and played the set brilliantly. As he says, there are moments of great beauty. Personally, I feel that the quantity too often supplants the quality.
> >
> > Henk
> Yes. Sorabji is one composer that appeals to me but in small doses. Mr. Ullen suggests starting with the Nocturnes, (Gulistan, The Rose Garden and The Hothouse). I think it’s the meditative, stream-of-consciousness quality that draws me to his music.
>
> Other composers that are in the same category for me are Szymanowski and Ernst Pepping. It’s a bit of a “cant live with them, can’t live without them” predicament. I might even place Messiaen in that group, although there are major works of his I have happily sat through.

I had never heard of Pepping. Thanks to you, I have listened to his piano concerto and was pleasantly surprised: it is easy to listen to. I look forward to hearing more.

In my opinion, Szymanowski is very dependent on how well he is performed. Illustrative are his Mazurkas.They can be quite tedious. Rubinstein played a few of them in Chicago, iirc, and set a standard no one has yet met.

Henk