The Piano Maven with Jed Distler

Latest Episodes:

Some Mozart "K. 488s" that I Missed! Apr 30, 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

In response to your feedback from the previous episode devoted to Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major K. 488, Jed talks about four recordings of K. 488 that he missed, all of which you recommended!

Here are links to the performances:

Solomon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKYmqFXqTZI

Grigory Sokolov - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcUx6b1TUlE

Zoltan Kocsis - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFSnhW-eRTE

Eva Poblocka - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnZg_47a9YI&t=1144s

Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 K. 488 on Disc Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major K. 488 is one of the composer’s most popular and beloved works in this genre, and has been quite lucky on disc. Jed surveys the K. 488 discography, singling out distinctive versions to consider. Here are links to hear some of these:

Arthur Rubinstein (1949, Golschmann/St Louis) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwsJ5io1pt8

Keith Jarrett - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee3e0UTVc8I&list=PL44gxJwuwoabQLi7g9huA1zhqaAk77bYB&index=6

Chick Corea - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoGZVZd4870&list=PLxzmL-cP6cVe6bywQAEOMgNjAY6319qAW&index=3

Walter Gieseking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6v9_wUDEFk

Vladimir Horowitz - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vemFmTyo-tE

Halina Czerny-Stefanska - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tYMwY1EzYg

Annie Fischer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMa_S5ZPxa4

Rudolf Buchbinder - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTYFqkvYmcQ

Murray Perahia - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSePVTW_OiU

Andras Schiff - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oC69Em8_bI

Richter at Carnegie Hall, October 1960 - The Back Story Apr 20, 2026

Show notes

Sviatoslav Richter’s 1960 American debut made musical headlines, chiefly for the series of five recitals he gave in quick succession at Carnegie Hall in October. The recitals were recorded and issued by Columbia Masterworks, yet went out of print almost as quickly as they appeared. For decades these discs were a kind of “holy grail” among piano mavens. In 1996 Jed wrote an article about this ill-fated series of recordings, which is the topic of today’s episode.

Here are links to several of the performances discussed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7bu790QDd0

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

Beethoven's Piano Sonata Op. 14 No. 2 on disc Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

Jed discusses Beethoven’s sometimes overlooked yet delightful Piano Sonata No. 10 in G Major Op. 14 No. 2, citing a wide variety of recordings to explore. Here are links to some of those recordings:

Artur Schnabel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbYeVXQpAFo

Wilhelm Kempff (wartime 78s) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbX43nNleFc

Wilhelm Kempff (mono LP) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzvi5YP6IEs

Wilhelm Kempff (stereo LP) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiEuonaUw0g

Alfred Brendel (Vox) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9DvXdtQ2FE

Alfred Brendel (Philips analogue) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfk5JCk6mA0

Stephen Kovacevich - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUXYVV_fbx8

David Korevaar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PINoBEvhdjM

Claude Frank - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQi2YBCHucs

Yves Nat - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBcTUKNfOTw

Maven Chat: Are "AI" recommendations trustworthy? Apr 13, 2026

Show notes

Can we trust Artificial Intelligence to recommend piano recordings? Well, yes and no. Jed explains why on this first in a series of “Maven Chats.”

Warner's Maria Tipo Box Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

On this episode Jed discusses Warner Classics’ box set edition of Italian piano legend Maria Tipo’s complete EMI and Fonit Cetra recordings.

Here are links to several cited examples:

Bach Italian Concerto - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUweFba-MfM

Beethoven Piano Sonata Op. 2 No. 3 Mvt. 4 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1mvD4vONvU

Chopin Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zba5nlwcnYU

They Recorded THAT? - Pianists "Playing Against Type" Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

Pianists occasionally record repertoire for which they are not immediately associated, or else they record works that one never would imagine hearing from these particular artists. On this episode, Jed explores examples of pianists “playing against type.”

Here are links to recordings discussed:

Glenn Gould: Chopin Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAHE8PTR8tE

Wilhelm Kempff: Faure Nocturne No. 6 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEar_UYFCeM

Rudolf Serkin: Chopin Etudes Op. 25 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYgpgEDw_08

Alfred Brendel: Stravinsky Three Movements from Petrushka - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u17LyeUvLs8

Wilhelm Backhaus: Moszkowski Caprice Espagnol - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmE-PF-fINA

Georges Cziffra: Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 23 (Appassionata”) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zSIn21gKHc

Walter Gieseking: Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz5QAV_Ke88

Alicia de Larrocha's 1969 Columbia Ravel Disc Apr 02, 2026

Show notes

Alicia de Larrocha’s only recording produced especially for Columbia Masterworks featured three works of Maurice Ravel. It’s never been reissued on CD outside of Japan. Jed discusses this fascinating and hard-to-source release on this episode. Here’s a link to the music:

Alborada del grazioso - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2upEuqpqA6M

Valses nobles et sentimentales (1969 Columbia) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPJG1msJufU

Valses nobles et sentimentales (1993 RCA) –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22Uzfa5Y4zM

Emil Gilels' Tchaikovsky Concerto No. 1 Reconsidered Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

Jed discusses three of Emil Gilels’ commercial recordings of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1; with links to the performances below:

with Fritz Reiner/Chicago Symphony (1955) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJy-hKfHdfw

with Lorin Maazel/New Philharmonia Orchestra (1972) –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHl73cAsGhw

with Zubin Mehta/New York Philharmonic (1979) – (video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKh0czWT96c

and

(audio) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY4ql6BpkKI

The Unique Cecil Taylor Mar 26, 2026

Show notes

The unique and iconic improvising pianist, composer and bandleader Cecil Taylor (1929-2018) is the subject of today’s episode. Here are links to some of the recordings that Jed recommends:

Conquistador (1966) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lq7liyDznk

Indent (1973) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ_UYNRKvBQ&list=OLAK5uy_lD9tgOUv7eJXPcsAbhDfEavQdGrMtEuYc

Spring of Two Blue-Jays (1973) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=405AX1gCSqU

Akisakila (1973) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nvrszwugbs8

Three Phases (1978) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRv8k9wOc_g

Garden (1981) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyJk2wi4SPE

The “Feel” Trio (1990) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1XXbDUzBgs&list=PLfOs1ZtjYFMsEisE06b1lYd0eW2bmG7Te