The Piano Maven with Jed Distler

Latest Episodes:

Reviewing the Reviewer: High Fidelity's 1956 Record Annual Revisited Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

Consider taking out a paid subscription to The Piano Maven podcast via 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

Jed goes back 70 years to look through High Fidelity’s Record Annual, a compendium of all of the reviews published by High Fidelity magazine in that year. He zeroes in on four releases that continue to hold interest for piano mavens, and what High Fidelity’s critics wrote upon their original LP release in 1956. The recordings have stood the test of time, but what about the reviews?

Here is a link to browse through back issues of High Fidelity:

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/High-Fidelity-Magazine.htm

And here is the link to Mortimer F. Frank’s article about Standards of Criticism that Jed cites in this episode:

https://classicalmusicguide.com/viewtopic.php?t=26605

The Bach-Busoni Chaconne on Disc Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Ferruccio Busoni’s piano transcription of the Chaconne from J.S. Bach’s. Partita No. 2 in D Minor for Unaccompanied Violin is the topic of this episode, where Jed discusses nearly a century’s worth of worthy recorded versions, including Johanna Harris, Yvonne Loriod, Erik Then-Bergh, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Shura Cherkassky, Egon Petri, Agnelle Bundervoët, Gregori Ginzburg, Arthur Rubinstein, Alicia de Laroccha, Hélène Grimaud, Veronica Jochum, Peter Rösel, Sequeira Costa, Alexis Weissenberg, Jorge Bolet, Freddy Kempf, Mihail Pletnev, Evgeni Kissin, Kun-Woo Paik, Alberto Reyes, Maria Tipo, Rosalyn Tureck, Christopher O’Riley, Alexander Brailowsky and Lise de la Salle.

Here are a few performance links:

Johanna Harris - https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=bach+busoni+johanna+harris&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:b6f400fe,vid:qU6DLkC9f-U,st:0

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli - https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=bach+busoni+michelangeli&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:6716feae,vid:w6-v-ZtCAFw,st:0

Veronica Jochum - https://www.qobuz.com/fi-en/album/piano-masterworks-of-busoni-veronica-jochum/0888831794370

Arthur Rubinstein (live) - https://open.spotify.com/track/6z2ch5cRKeDeCQHSStdAY6

Antoine Préat's distinctive Haydn and Prokofiev Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Jed has been enjoying Antoine Préat’s recent release “Fool’s Fortune,” an intriguing and highly distinctive program juxtaposing works of Haydn and Prokofiev.

Here’s a link to purchase:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9839841--fortunes-fool?srsltid=AfmBOooArl703ZarsYRkEgnTGPPSwzRJSwtrIjC6R5MGlJupPIil7AZN

Vladimir Feltsman's Superb Bach Partitas Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

Vladimir Feltsman’s splendid recordings of the Bach Partitas have somehow been overlooked over the years. Jed recently revisited this release, to his delight and pleasure.

Here’s a link to purchase them:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009W00CO8?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

Julius Katchen at 100 Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

August 2026 marks the centenary of the American piano legend Julius Katchen (1926-1969). Jed discusses his early career, and picks some favorite recordings to recommend:

Brahms Piano Sonata No. 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rs94HqX4Xg

Schumann Carnaval - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YfHn1nMNOg

Mendelssohn/Liszt On Wings of Song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7Ppc05b7nE

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpOahze1hFc

Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OpjRcHknko

Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Evhp3hO1U&list=PLJhYe4hsVJRdwFJnYM10LPS21E4A21ZVB&index=3

Ripe for Reissue - Four Box Sets (rebroadcast) Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

Sorry, folks! My USB mixer died a few days ago, and I had to order a new one, which is why you didn't get a new episode this week. So I'm posting this episode from last year, for the simple reasons that these four "ripe for reissue" box sets still remain out of print as of August 19th 2026!

Enjoy the episode, and I plan to be back with fresh new stuff ASAP - thank you for your patience!

Here are links to the releases I discuss:

Milosz Magin plays Chopin (Accord, 10 CDs). A link to his Etudes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzArJYgJqdE

Annerose Schmidt plays Mozart's Complete Piano Concertos (Berlin Classics, 10 CDs). Link to purchase - https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Piano-Concertos-Wolfgang-Amadeus/dp/B0036ULAY6

France Clidat plays Liszt (Decca, 14 CDs). Link to listen to Hungarian Rhapsodies No.s 1-10 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afo2NTiZz2Y

Raymond Trouard: Une vie pour le piano (Sony Classical, 11 CDs). Links to purchase - https://www.ebay.com/itm/115569835636, https://www.amazon.com/Raymond-Trouard-Une-Pour-Piano/dp/B0017YZIIW. Link to Grieg Concerto - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGVYdTY_uxM

Season 2 episode 60

Alexis Weissenberg - The Complete Warner Classics Edition Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

Alexis Weissenberg was a fascinating yet polarizing pianist and interpreter, whose assertive profile and almost icy brilliance could be mesmerizing or exasperating, depending on the listener. Yet he projected authority in every note, and commanded attention. Jed discusses Warner Classics’ box set devoted to the pianist’s complete recordings for the EMI label, a 37-CD collection that will provide grist for the mill among pianophiles who relish a good and healthy debate.

Here are just a few links to performances discussed:

Chopin Piano Sonata No. 2: Scherzo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8SuXteuX80

Beethoven Rage over a Lost Penny - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tafWa0nkFk

Debussy Etude No. 11: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPKDXEo5uVY

Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 – First Movement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpdmdLq7jzo

Schumann Carnaval: Paganini: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpHdCpIdT84

Mozart's Piano Concerto in D Minor K. 466 - an overly selective guide Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

Consider taking out a paid subscription to The Piano Maven podcast via 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

Here are links to some of the performances of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor K. 466 that Jed mentions during the course of this episode. These are only suggestions, for the catalog abounds in excellent versions. Do you have favorites that Jed missed? Let us know!

Edwin Fischer (1954) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBa6W_RwkI8

Clara Haskil (Fricsay DG) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coBhUvFgR5U

Clara Haskil (Markevitch Philips) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Owbr_sfxEI

Yvonne Lefebure (Casals Sony) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEelBfqRB6M

Martha Argerich (Rabinowitz Teldec) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGldgW6mDnY

Bruno Walter (NBC) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axcdYP9MinU

André Previn - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF9C_KOeYss

Arturo Benedetto Michelangeli (Garben DG) -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3rpMk44K5c

Vera Gornostaeva - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBIELDZg_Ns

Cyprien Katsaris - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTzkbqMqGxk

Alfred Brendel (Mackerras Philips) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvEOJEhU7TY&list=PLoasmABcHZdGdphk7QiXk7eWJKVhhIB_D

Francesco Piemontesi's Stellar Liszt Sonata & Etudes Jul 27, 2026

Show notes

Jed enthuses over Francesco Piemontesi’s 2023 Pentatone release encompassing Franz Liszt’s Twelve Transcendental Etudes and Piano Sonata in B Minor

Here are links to listen and purchase:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQJxeAuC-QI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lxcjQFNZAQ

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9513806--liszt-piano-sonata-transcendental-etudes

Chopin's Introduction & Rondo Op. 16 on Disc Jul 20, 2026

Show notes

Chopin’s Introduction and Rondo in E-flat Op. 16 is a virtuoso showpiece that always brings down the house, at least in the right hands. Here are links to some of the recordings discussed in this episode:

Anatole Kitain - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrfhHc9r99o

Vladimir Ashkenazy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu5my_I_W3M

Nikita Magaloff - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i7Ii71wqks

Danielle Laval - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHeZhRCMo4U

Frederic Chiu - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=binNHETSRe8

Ludmil Angelov - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sttkIKQt9Mg

Vladimir Horowitz (1971 studio recording) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N6UTnvniVQ

Vladimir Horowitz – 1974 home video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKaSkhUkwvw