• Few and Far Between - Six Under-recorded Pianists
    Sep 11 2025

    Consider supporting The Piano Maven Podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/about), which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven

    For this episode, Jed talks about six pianists who had major careers yet recorded relatively little. The pianists are Yara Bernette, Carl Friedberg, Malcolm Frager, Myra Hess, Eduard Steuermann and Ossip Gabrilowitsch.

    Here are links to some recordings:

    Yara Bernette: Rachmaninov Prelude Op. 32 No. 4 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe7Vr2wZcLQ

    Carl Friedberg: Brahms Intermezzo Op. 117 No. 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4-oOizOgVU

    Malcom Frager: Works of Carl Maria von Weber - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOiAoQbDThI

    Myra Hess: Beethoven “Appassionata” Sonata First Movement (video) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq_yHDbbB18

    Eduard Steuermann: Schoenberg Complete Piano Music - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv22iGfGN_0

    Ossip Gabrilowitsch and the Flonzaley Quartet: Schumann Piano Quintet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4f-cJNKrWk

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    15 mins
  • Kit Armstrong's Magnificent Byrd and Bull Recital
    Sep 8 2025

    Who said that ancient keyboard music doesn't work on the modern concert grand. Evidently it does, and wonderfully well, as Kit Armstrong demonstrates on this magnificent release. Here are some video links that should entice you to explore further......

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZTfslob7Sw

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ0_tTsiHtw

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K86xCd6COBo

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    6 mins
  • Oscar Peterson's Top Ten Albums
    Sep 4 2025

    Jed Distler picks ten albums that represent a broad scope of jazz piano legend Oscar Peterson's extraordinary career.

    Links to the albums here:

    The Oscar Peterson Quartet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2QAj7OuSXc&t=134s

    Live at the Concertgebouw - https://open.spotify.com/album/5u9s4m4f1og4Yz6uUfuljk

    West Side Story - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGb2wuT1p9o

    Canadiana Suite - https://www.amazon.com/Canadiana-Suite-Oscar-Peterson/dp/B00000E5HT

    My Favorite Instrument - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t_GnQVgvew

    Walking the Line - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4MzBdy05TU

    Oscar Peterson and Dizzy Gillespie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57nzCqu0rjo

    Oscar Peterson and the Bassists - https://www.amazon.com/Oscar-Peterson-Bassists-Montreux-77/dp/B00004ZC1P; video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4LXYe-bTRA

    Satch and Josh: Count Basie Encounters Oscar Peterson - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z14WqU_9xw

    The Legendary Oscar Peterson Trio Live at the Blue Note (4 CD set, complete recordings) - https://concord.com/concord-albums/the-legendary-oscar-peterson-trio-live-at-the-blue-note-complete-4-cd-set/

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    20 mins
  • Annie Fischer's EMI Recordings
    Sep 1 2025

    Th great Hungarian pianist Annie Fischer's EMI legacy is the topic of today's episode. Here are links to recordings discussed:

    Beethoven "Moonlight" Sonata - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABwyRNbfHoU

    Mozart Piano Concerto K. 595 Rondo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RObJ2V9R3v8

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    13 mins
  • Grieg's Ballade in G Minor Op. 24 on Disc
    Aug 28 2025

    Consider making a donation to The Piano Maven podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/about), which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven

    For this episode of The Piano Maven, Jed Distler discusses selected recordings of Edvard Grieg’s Ballade in G Minor Op. 24. Here are links to most of the cited performances:

    Leopold Godowsky - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enPP00uLYeQ

    Eileen Joyce - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX4MB8rKv08

    Arthur Rubinstein - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mggEbCn4mbk

    Richard Farrell - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu0TkGUlu2M&t=856s

    Aldo Ciccolini - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7-g3JZ6fPs

    Jorge Bolet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILXOjgCU4sQ (note, this performance is from London 1987, and is not cited in the episode, yet comes from the same period as the 1987 Amsterdam recording issued by Marston)

    Robert Riefling - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wscw6bsj9cQ

    Leif Ove Andsnes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOtIV5ErxL4

    Peter Jablonski - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV-TRMS7pHE&t=1163s

    Eva Knardahl (BIS) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbdOG40uw50&t=377s

    Eva Knardahl (Simax) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbdOG40uw50&t=377s

    Einar Steen-Nokleberg - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CQttvvCOfI

    Antonio Pompa-Baldi - https://open.spotify.com/track/26OnOoWfQnAXfeZ9H2zCIu

    Håkon Austbø - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQWL9lc5cOc

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    20 mins
  • Lennie Tristano Reconsidered
    Aug 25 2025

    On this episode of The Piano Maven, Jed Distler reconsiders the legacy of jazz pianist, bandleader and educator Lennie Tristano (1919-1978).

    Consider making a donation to The Piano Maven podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/about), which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven

    Links to recordings cited in this episode:

    “Wow” Lennie Tristano Sextet (1949) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GSjkYnpvYM

    “C Minor Complex” (1961) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX1s3OWXxZg

    “Descent into the Maelstrom” (1953) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99UTNVHLgEk

    Links to TV documentary - Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw0WO3YCDZA&t=1475s; Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK7lncPiaW4&t=572s

    Lennie Tristano live at the Half Note in 1964 with Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh on television - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bznqGjyYuRk&t=72s

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    15 mins
  • Carlo Grante's Monumental Scarlatti Cycle
    Aug 21 2025

    Carlo Grante is the first pianist to have recorded Domenico Scarlatti's complete keyboard sonatas on a modern concert grand piano. Issued by Music & Arts in six volumes totaling 34 CDs, Jed explores Grante's monumental achievement on this episode of The Piano Maven.

    Here's a link to Volume 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WWSLwOjjqY&list=PLhQbBbPdSZ2wycF4j85kfeNYL7sPNFHuS

    Consider making a donation to The Piano Maven podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/about), which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven

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    13 mins
  • Angela Hewitt Revisits Bach's Partitas
    Aug 18 2025

    Jed discusses Angela Hewitt's 2018 remake of the Six Keyboard Partitas by J.S. Bach.

    Consider making a donation to The Piano Maven podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/about), which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven

    Partita No. 5: Preambulum (recorded 1997) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c1yNfGVM2E&list=PLPXd6_jpWSlfkR9JT-aCF-MxovL5gwr08&index=30

    Partita No. 5: Preambulum (recorded 2018) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noHcLr_XPXw

    Partita No. 4: Sarabande (recorded 2018) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWe-SnPu7ys&list=PLrhvjDLG-KHCDdSXL_g5WFB7aTZ5R3ksF&index=5

    Partita No. 4: Sarabande (recorded 1997) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHs4MHzG16s

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    8 mins