The Piano Maven with Jed Distler

Latest Episodes:

Invitation to the Dance Mar 27, 2025

Show notes

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

Here are links to recordings of von Wber's Invitation to the Dance discussed in this episode:

Eugen D’Albert - https://soundcloud.com/daniel-plante-511223801/1-weber-invitation-to-the

Alfred Cortot 1926 recording - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjaQAe6vv6c

Ignaz Friedman -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL3off9fxH4

Artur Schnabel 1947 recording - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeRCsnPUKNA

Artur Schnabel 1930 test pressing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzKvggG4AGI

Thierry de Brunhoff - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXqlRoAmhns

Stephen Hough - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWv4Id6WcHg

Julian Jacobson - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un2uHfOgKGw

Michael Endres - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaC7-pHhiiQ

Anatol Ugorski - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wm-a4pBVZIU

Jorge Bolet (Godowsky transcription) - https://www.marstonrecords.com/products/bolet2

Benno Moiseiwitsch (Tausig transcription) - https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7948359--great-pianists-moiseiwitsch-2?srsltid=AfmBOormvb7zYZMgWy5wJSqchSiMWj0i4BeuHPQDJklfwni95aIO1tQ1

Paul Badura-Skoda - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJyf-E6ePfM

and Paul Badura-Skoda box set - https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8366526--the-paul-badura-skoda-edition-solo-recordings

Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2 with Clifford Curzon and George Szell Mar 24, 2025

Show notes

A cherishable 1953 broadcast performance of Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major Op. 83 with soloist Clifford Curzon and the New York Philharmonic, conducted by George Szell is the topic for this episode.

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmY3QA_FaEw

Link to purchase: https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7974718--the-art-of-george-szell-vol-2?srsltid=AfmBOoqJQc9L7orcEjllu7OP5VEMn8PEMxDJy7G6k_ARCE6jYtyI1tpK

Bach Guild's Big Chopin Box Mar 20, 2025

Show notes

Link to purchase and download Bach Guild’s Big Chopin Box here: https://www.classicselectworld.com/products/big-chopin-box-7-hour-digital-download-boxed-set?srsltid=AfmBOoof_e66xcTrvGdJJsQgNR1EcvnO75bnn1n4Zo5ej65njcf1DzyU

Martin Helmchen in Schwetzingen Mar 17, 2025

Show notes

Check out this very special and inspired recital by Martin Helmchen here: https://archive.org/details/4-schubert-sonate-a-dur-d-959

The Best of Idil Biret Mar 13, 2025

Show notes

Links to Idil Biret recordings discussed in this episode:

Beethoven Pathetique and Hammerklavier Sonatas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nVRomcCPG4

Chopin Krakowiak - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umKelW2nkNo

Berlioz/Liszt Symphonie Fantastique - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2mT-VmPsxY

Boulez Piano Sonatas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahLqk4VWNe0

Brahms Piano Sonata No. 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DolnsQq_E2Q

Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rk_2KHLu_s

Schumann Bunte Blatter - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkgVoT6VcSA

Liszt Etudes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPavV2kPxEo

Wilhelm Kempff Transcriptions and Original Works - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMS8Iv45A-Q&list=OLAK5uy_kn2nQ3oRKoLQmXEf-iglFFYJmhzuLrieQ&index=14

Direct-to-Disc Recital - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSt7v_HHfOs

Massenet Piano Concerto - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIj7216PkgQ

Ravel Gaspard de la nuit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31g2riQ7k3k

Best of Turkish Music - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1koO8fpvFWc

October 1st 1999 Recital - https://archive.org/details/rzhzj

The Legendary Radio Program "Concert Grande" Mar 10, 2025

Show notes

Jed pays tribute to Concert Grande, a groundbreaking radio program about piano music that aired on New York's WFUV between 1977 and 1993, created and co-hosted by Bruce Posner and the late Joseph Patrych. Below are links to selected Concert Grande episodes available for free download, as well as two of Jed's "Between the Keys" radio show episodes that pay tribute to Concert Grande. Please consider donating 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

Concert Grande Episode Links:

New Record Forum, with guest panelists composer/pianists Ronn Yedidia and Andrew Violette - https://archive.org/details/nrf-1988-03-29-violette-yedidia

Featured guest David Del Tredici - https://archive.org/details/david-del-tredici-1-12-15-1987

Comparative Chopin Etudes (first in a series) - https://archive.org/details/chopin-etudes-1-7-7-1986

Pianist Gail Niwa - https://archive.org/details/gail-niwa-10-15-1991

Pianist Robert Goldsand - https://archive.org/details/robert-goldsand-5-28-1979

Between the Keys Episode Links:

Episode 25 Concert Grande Revisited - https://soundcloud.com/jeddistler/episode-0028-concert-grande-revisited-2015-10-06?in=jeddistler/sets/between-the-keys-archive

Episode 400 New Record Forum - https://www.wwfm.org/show/between-the-keys-with-jed-distler/2023-02-20/episode-400-new-record-forum

Ravel at 150: Pavane pour une infante défunte Mar 06, 2025

Show notes

Links to recordings:

Piano versions

Angela Hewitt - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSs3xaCSfgQ

Eric Himy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYe76nLP7hQ

Stewart Goodyear - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCjFxrX269I

Seong-Jin Cho - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIXe7H52UkA

Robert Casadesus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8uTLfEsdwU

Sviatoslav Richter (live 1954) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsdnHaz90Fw&list=RDWsdnHaz90Fw&start_radio=1

Walter Gieseking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxUWY6w_-Ww

Dajin Laziic - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kehUa2NYDQ0

Orchestra Versions

Carlo Maria Giulini/Philharmonia Orchestra - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXCiBY2vh90

George Szell/Cleveland Orchestra - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET8syTD20jw

Sergiu Celibidache/RAI Torini - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV4Qgu1bGT8

Severin von Eckardstein's remarkable "Vers la flamme" Mar 03, 2025

Show notes

A strikingly original recital from Severin von Eckardstein on the Avi label entitled “Vers la flamme," with works by Scriabin, Richard Strauss, Messiaen and Beethoven.

Link to purchase the recording - https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9538591--vers-la-flamme

Nine Live Liszt Sonata Performances Feb 27, 2025

Show notes

Jed discusses nine live and unedited performances of Liszt's monumental Piano Sonata in B Minor. Pianists include Simon Barere, Jorge Bolet, Claudio Arrau, Howard Karp, Sviatoslav Richter, Irén Marik, Cyprien Katsaris, Terence Judd and Vladimir Horowitz.

Here are some links to some of the performances mentioned in this episode:

Vladimir Horowitz Carnegie Hall Recital March 19th 1978 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfkAkMoQ6QU

Howard Karp Liszt Sonata - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96zA4CgJuos

Simon Barere Liszt Sonata (excerpt) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZLn3i-eQi0

Cyyprien Katsaris Liszt Sonata - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgNytL777Pk

Terence Judd Liszt Sonata (excerpt) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8uHB_hO73k

Iren Marik Liszt Sonata - https://www.amazon.com/Iren-Marik-Mozart-Messiaen/dp/B000PSJCDS

Bill Evans: Alone and Alone-ish Feb 24, 2025

Show notes

Links to Bill Evans recordings discussed in this episode:

Love Theme from “Spartacus” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fdV_C3YGIs&list=OLAK5uy_mE4wobISXrQe5gLICSur-ZoVQNFJGvikM&index=3

Never Let Me Go - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17ucdswp6GA