Great performers

You forgot at least two big names such as:

Barenboim

Karajan

well I had limited myself to citing only pianists, for that reason I didn't include Karajan but yes, he fits well too without a doubt ... regarding Baremboim.... I don't like him too much...... Arrau?

@antares86

I, too, limit myself to pianists and bring my small contribution. Even if he is not yet a saint like your four (I like Gilels very much)

i would never give up the Beethoven (sonatas) by Andras Schiff

for Schiff I rather wouldn't give up his Mozart

antares86 wrote:

for Schiff I rather wouldn't give up his Mozart

i agree... and also Schubert

for Schubert I definitely prefer Brendel.... followed by Lupu and Uchida, then I might add Schiff...

Schnabel, Gilels etc. have been named...... but where do we put Kempff? one of the absolute giants on Beethoven in my opinion.....
Such purity, sound, interpretation, and what pedaling! I find his Beethoven magnificent, inspired and moving at the same time. He knows how to be harsh and soft simultaneously.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfjD-DQ5REk

Open content (youtube)

a matter of taste.... but Kempff is one of those [pianists] I like the least on Beethoven....

Ashkenazy?!

I haven't heard much of Ashkenazy on Beethoven myself.... let's hear what others think... How do you see Pollini?

Too aseptic for me.
I have Ashkenazy's recordings of the 1st and 2nd Piano Concerto: I find them brilliant.

Regarding concerts, I have heard Arrau, Brendel, Pollini and I think also Backhaus....and Schnabel... among them all I continue to prefer Schnabel, although I don't dislike Arrau either

What do you think of Walter Gieseking?

Boesendorfer wrote:

What do you say about Walter Gieseking?

Aside from his work on Mozart's piano sonatas, Gieseking made recordings (including radio broadcasts) of Ravel and Debussy (of whom he presented for the first time in history the complete recorded studio piano works); furthermore, Mendelssohn, Grieg, but also Schoenberg, Rachmaninov, and Scriabin.

His interpretations of Beethoven (Sonatas and Concertos) are fundamental, but above all those of Schumann.

Consider also that some of his analog and monophonic recordings were recently remastered by EMI Classics thanks to the patient restoration work carried out by Abbey Road Technology (ART).

His strengths are the "brightness" of his touch and pedal control.

I don't know if many realize that he composed; see the Sonatina for flute and piano (1935) and the Quintet (1919) for piano and winds.

OK, but specifically, I mean as a Beethovenian interpreter?

Boesendorfer wrote:

OK, but specifically, I mean as a Beethovenian interpreter?

...I thought I had written

ttw wrote:

His Beethoven interpretations (Sonatas and Concertos) are fundamental

I meant that one cannot not know them, some aspects a bit 'cross' on his technique:

ttw wrote:

His strengths are the "brightness" of his touch and pedal control.

Maybe I misunderstood, but what kind of "review" were you expecting?