The Piano Maven with Jed Distler

Latest Episodes:

Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 17 K. 453 on Disc Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

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Jed recommends recordings for one of his favorite Mozart Piano Concertos, No. 17 in G Major K. 453.

Here are links to some of the recordings discussed:

Ernst von Dohnanyi - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSo5SKsSQ6s

Edwin Fischer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYPFLlW9AaU

Rudolf Serkin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQQeJuhxA_w

Peter Serkin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x9VPtd2mco

Mitsuko Uchida - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfb3wfVuNWo

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

András Schiff - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCDBRFr1BI8

Maria João Pires - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvVpObv8j3U

Leif Ove Andsnes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3w65MG5vxk

Malcolm Bilson - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46DB8qZX1po

Five Pianists - No Bad Recordings? Mar 19, 2026

Show notes

Here’s a challenge - name a pianist who never made a bad recording.

Jed comes up with five pianists who possibly qualify. Here are links to selected recordings by these five:

Sergei Rachmaninov – Liszt Polonaise No. 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku5vyVticwA

Dini Lipatti – Ravel Alborada del gracioso https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfypT_q6EUk

Ivan Moravec – Debussy Feux d’artifice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReXA2xlbq9M&list=OLAK5uy_kRuoBH-ae0Vld9umNkJVlV_Ghqbugp_WY&index=2

Martha Argerich – Chopin Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp Minor Op. 39 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c0s3X3gzd0

Vladimir Ashkenazy – Liszt Feux Follets https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRh1Jk_2Msk

Five Notable Mozart Pianists Mar 12, 2026

Show notes

On this episode, Jed talks about five notable Mozart pianists who brought divergent yet equally compelling approaches to this composer’s keyboard works. Here are links to listen:

Lili Kraus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2doJV0FR8Q

Walter Gieseking (Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major K. 467) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4VP_2rr-OQ

Robert Levin (Piano Sonata No. 1 in C Major K. 279) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4v1msNPkyU&list=PLpBPcOvehC0kbct3EB1ziaeT5wsNukRvs

Roberto Prosseda (Pianos Sonatas 13 through 18) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVfly6gG3ec&list=PLQ7td4BqY86XAc3tzqvMKpg80PyuMEfSj

Mieczyslaw Horszowski (Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major K. 453) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN2g2NO6pAo

Piotr Anderszewski's Late Brahms Mar 09, 2026

Show notes

Jed talks about Piotr Anderszewski’s Warner Classics release devoted to a probing selection of late Brahms piano pieces, while also exploring comparative performances of certain works. Here are links to several of the comparisons cited in this episode:

Op. 118 No. 2 – Anderszewski - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpISuRuqylc

Op. 118 No. 2 – Emanuel Ax - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLBwPu8tiPQ

Op. 116 No. 5 – Anderszewski - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2Kivfkxq_Y

Op. 116 No. 5 – Wilhelm Kempff - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMGg-IDhLYs

Op. 116 No. 5 – Elena Kuschnerova - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3rg7wcUrvw

Op. 117 No. 2 – Anderszewski - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7saFNzKdDjU

Op. 117 No. 2 – Walter Gieseking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdLeYOPHRkE

Boris Giltburg's Ravishing Rachmaninov Mar 05, 2026

Show notes

Jed praises Boris Giltburg’s recent Naxos release devoted to early piano pieces of Rachmaninov.

Listen to the Nocturne No. 3 (1887) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_UzZmcZtZU

And compare both Giltburg’s earlier and new recordings of the Prelude in C-sharp Minor Op. 3 No. 2

Earlier recording - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKMbiBuJtvw

New recording - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmuO2uC84Dk

RIchard Strauss' Burleske on Disc Mar 02, 2026

Show notes

Richard Strauss’ youthful and irresistible Burleske for Piano and Orchestra is the topic for this episode, where Jed discusses key recordings from the 78 and mono LP era, as well as top recent releases and several historical documents.

Here are links to some of the performances discussed:

William Kapell 1948 broadcast - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixCnmQ3Yu6Y

Claudio Arrau 1946 recording - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUjK8EeOBE0

Byron Janis - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCAZrVvn3cg

Rudolf Serkin (mono recording) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bfgd8Y72p0M

Marc-André Hamelin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpMFfs_RP44

Martha Argerich - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do7ppwLTvP0

Joseph Moog - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK4LC-dU1bA

Malcolm Frager - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uOwazyJYVI

From Deutsche Grammophon - Gallons of Gulda on 84 CDs Feb 26, 2026

Show notes

Jed takes a deep dive into Deutsche Grammophon’s Friedrich Gulda Edition, which encompasses 84 CDs devoted to the pianist's complete recordings for labels controlled by Universal Music, plus some bonus DVDs.

Gulda was one of the 20th century’s most fascinating, multi-talented, confrontational and boundary-breaking musicians, who embraced both classical and jazz idioms with equal fervency and commitment. How has this immense recorded legacy stood the test of time? Listen and find out!

Here are links to selected recordings featured in the box:

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major (“Waldstein”) – first movement (Amadeo recording) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyjnWqxL2CQ

Chopin: Preludes Op. 28 (live Deustche Grammophon recording) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRB23YrsTo4&list=PLnXTfjAd4PkepKFUVDOOSq_6XNxsJqqwg

Debussy: Suite bergamasque - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XDi-UHyDKY

Gulda: Suite 1962 (jazz trio) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNUwT8Adf6I

Morton Feldman's Triadic Memories Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

Morton Feldman’s hypnotically absorbing Triadic Memories has fare well on disc, and to mark the composer’s centenary, Jed explores several catalog options.

Here are links to the recordings discussed:

Roger Woodward - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM2_Vow5mms&list=PLbG9xmYd3shTK3wbQlBZaXI-_QNIsYP8a

Aki Takahashi - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3R8gU-BBnQ

Stefan Schleiermacher - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvjXWa-pl30

Marilyn Nonken (the opening of her Mode Records recording) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbhkaCvPl_w

John Tilbury - https://www.ebay.com/itm/226501263349

John Tilbury (live recording) - https://www.jtilbury.com/

Sabine Liebner – (beginning) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b05nkvU-bFo; (conclusion) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3blAgt09ow0

Claudio Colombo Plays the Complete Piano Repertoire - Really? Feb 19, 2026

Show notes

If you search for piano recordings via downloading and streaming platforms, you may encounter the name Claudio Colombo, who has seemingly recorded everything ever written for the piano, and for the harpsichord as well. Or has he? Just what is this all about? Jed tries to find out for himself on this episode.

Some examples:

Clementi - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMAOTrCTYT4&list=PLjQOybcDkZBMDEqcph3Os-Tixbl4v4MxO

Brahms - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmVCcXY0Xbg

Schubert for Clarinet and Piano - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWD-wdgtfGo&list=PL-fcrLIr4hrfEQyfBQld3JOzFtRqjQEgk

Mussorgsky for Flute and Piano - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EATbUF90yo

Brahms Violin Sonata No. 1 "arranged" for Clarinet and Piano - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE8UR7iQl3Y

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Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor Op. 58 on Disc Feb 17, 2026

Show notes

Chopin’s Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor Op. 58 may be the most frequently recorded among all of the Romantic piano sonatas, and Jed has his hands full on a lengthy episode that explores this work’s rich discography.

Here are links to several of the recordings discussed:

Moriz Rosenthal - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn4SmBSoG_I

Alfred Cortot (1933 recording) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EWRIOvTK0w

Percy Grainger (4th movement) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qW371IdjiA

Nadia Reisenberg (1st movement) - https://open.spotify.com/track/6Tq1qt6U0KIRveEnf6Z2Z0

Claudio Arrau - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1JousWsVYI

Witold Malcuzynski (3rd & 4th movements) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC_XCvBfGrE

Martha Argerich (4th movement DG) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMC3yToYuFA

Isaac Mikhnovsky - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB-nzZs_ZwI&t=9s

Van Cliburn (1st movement) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsWNx-0h298

Bruce Hungerford (1st movement_ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvwHk1FeZMw

Bruno Leonardo-Gelber - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o841NQu6weg&t=563s