David Boyce wrote: > > Hello folks, > > In No. 510, James Grebe wrote about different types of piano, with > different sounds, and invited comments. Some interesting discussion > followed, from Delwin and others (Delwin made some unflattering comments > on recording engineers!) and now I'd like to add my mite; > Delwin, you're severe about recording engineers! No doubt justified. But > do any of you have recordings you think show off a make of piano > particularly well? This might be an interesting thread. > For Baldwin I'd recommend Earl Wild's 80'th birthday recording, and, > particularly, his earlier recording of Rachmaninov song transcriptions. > Mr. Wild's Baldwin is truly a mighty instrument, which he plays mightily, > of course, even at 80. (Tho' the dampers are a little noisy.) > I have a CD called 'Jamaican Rumba' ("Pianissimo" label, PP 11192) of > two-piano arrangements of Benjamin and Grainger. The pianos are a Steinway > and a Bosendorfer. One is through the left channel, and the other through > the right. I always forget from the sleeve notes which is which, so I > always challenge myself to identify them correctly, and I always get it > right! A Bosendorfer is unmistakable. > Yamaha comes across well in the recording of Corigliano's piano concerto > played by Alain Lefevre (Koch 3-7250-2 H1), or solo on Tatiana Nikolayeva's > Melodiya recording of Bach's 48 (which someone said she plays as if they > were Schuman). > Talking of recording quality, it's interesting to compare the sound of > Chick Corea's own recording of his 'Children's Songs' on a Yamaha (ECM > IC2516) with the recording by Leon Bates on a Bosendorfer (Naxos). The > Yamaha is recorded with a rather distant and resonant acoustic, and the > Bosendorfer close and warm. > Also worth hearing, in terms of development of the piano and something > different, is the Wayne Stuart Concert Grand, with four pedals, which I've > mentioned before. > David. Dear David and List: I'd like to list my favorite piano recording of all time. I won't comment on the piano, just the recorded sound. And its only one track on the disc. The recording: Dick Hyman plays Fats Waller. Reference Recordings RR-33DCD. The track is the first - Bach Up to Me. It was recorded Direct-to-CD. And if you can find some Sheffield Lab compact discs, the sound on these is stunning, too. For what it's worth. Dan Hallett, Jr. RPT Hallett's Piano Service dhalle@toolcity.net
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