The Piano Maven with Jed Distler

Latest Episodes:

Chopin's Barcarolle on Disc Jan 05, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to our first episode of Season Three!

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

Chopin’s Barcarolle is the topic of this episode, where Jed recommends some of his long-time favorite recordings. Here are links to recordings discussed:

Alfred Cortot – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNhHWqVvPrg

Benno Moiseiwitsch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sEf08rtl8o

Walter Gieseking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEXhUzGEwj8

Wilhelm Kempff - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMLjXQslVQc

Dinu Lipatti - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG5nREXB3ag

Vladimir Horowitz (1957) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhzN8lSvits

Vladimir Horowitz (1980) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a79dAwTMWvU

Ivan Moravec - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJk9J-KAI-c

Murray Perahia - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIwC-Qire0w

Krystian Zimerman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cv7diE0ZMc

Richard Goode - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL7bM0DYjik

Benjamin Grosvenor - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-R0YOlZdRo

Roland Pöntinen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQKgok39lKk

Arthur Rubinstein (1964) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hTIzGlfOJ0

A Vladimir Horowitz Sonata Collection from Sony/BMG Dec 29, 2025

Show notes

"Vladimir Horowitz Plays Great Sonatas" is culled from the legendary virtuoso's Columbia Masterworks and RCA Victor catalogs, and features selections ranging from the Baroque era to mid-20th century works that are strongly identified with the pianist.

Although most of the performances can easily be sourced outside of this collection, piano mavens still will want to know about this ten-disc set, which can be obtained from second-hand dealers: https://www.amazon.com/Vladimir-Horowitz-Plays-Great-Sonata/dp/B0056K4V2M

Reviews in Retrospect - IPQ's critics pick the best of 1998 Dec 18, 2025

Show notes

A look back at the Winter 1999 issue of International Piano Quarterly (now International Piano), when twelve critics were asked to pick their top piano releases for 1998, as well as to mention recordings they’d like to see reissued. How many of these reissue requests came to pass over the next 27 years? And have their 1998 top release choices stood the test of time?

Here are links to some of the recordings discussed:

The William Kapell Edition - https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8079691--william-kapell-edition

Medtner – Complete Piano Sonatas, with Marc-André Hamelin - https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7945019--medtner-the-complete-piano-sonatas

Monique de La Bruchollerie box from Meloclassic - https://www.meloclassic.com/home/monique-de-la-bruchollerie-box/

Benno Moiseiwitsch is amply represented in Naxos’ Great Pianists’ series - https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7948359--great-pianists-moiseiwitsch-2

Lukas Foss plays Bach Concertos Nos. 1 & 5 (LP transfer) - https://archive.org/details/lp_concerto-no-1-in-d-minor-concerto-no-5-in_johann-sebastian-bach-lukas-foss-the-zimbl

International Tchaikovsky Competition Vol. 1 – Vladimir Ashkenazy & John Ogdon - https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8253856--tchaikovsky-competition-vol-1-1962-the-competition-that-was-a-draw

Cyprien Katsaris' Beethoven Odyssey Dec 15, 2025

Show notes

An adventurous six-CD box set containing original piano works by Beethoven, plus chamber and orchestral repertoire in rare solo piano transcriptions, all brilliantly served up by Cyprien Katsaris.

Link to the recordings: https://www.amazon.com/Chronological-Odyssey-Cyprien-Katsaris/dp/B081WQS75L

Ripe for Reissue - Four Out-of-Print Piano Box Sets (rebroadcast of Season Two Episode 60) Dec 11, 2025

Show notes

Here's a rebroadcast of Season Two Episode 60

:Jed discusses four out-of-print piano box sets that are ripe for reissue:

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

Arrau at the Ambassador Dec 08, 2025

Show notes

Jed discusses Claudio Arrau: The Ambassador Auditorium Recitals, Pasadena, California, USA, 1977, 1981 and 1986 - a five CD set containing previously unpublished performances by one of the 20th century's most singular pianists. For more information, visit First Hand's website: https://firsthandrecords.com/products-page/album/claudio-arrau-the-ambassador-auditorium-recitals-pasadena-california-usa-1977-1982-1986-5cd/

Still Another Box Set Wish List Dec 04, 2025

Show notes

Here is yet another list of ten piano box sets that Jed would like to see released in the future, although whether or not his wish will come true is an open question! Pianists discussed include Gina Bachauer, Tamas Vasary, Rafael Orozco, Bruce Hungerford, Rudolf Firkusny, Sequeira Costas, Cyprien Katsaris and a special edition of piano recordings issued in the 1950s by the American M-G-M label.

Links to earlier Box Set Wish List episodes:

https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven/1789163/

https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven/2027603/

Link to “Ripe for Reissue” Box Set Episode:

https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven/2029278/

Rachmaninov Concertos Under the Radar Dec 01, 2025

Show notes

Jed talks about recordings of Rachmaninov’s Four Concertos and Paganini Rhapsody that fall “under the radar" according to him, yet have great value and interest.

Here are links to the pianists and their interpretations:

Concerto No. 1: Tamas Vasary - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRvbD20edYU&list=PLyrANGPNARULY0PWEc0R3HuZNfRP2oD9L&index=1

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

Concerto No. 3: Mirka Pokorná - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3wBB_v5fsk

Concerto No. 4: Idil Biret - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4ya80wfAbg

Paganini Rhapsody: Yevgeny Sudbin (live performance) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxiiWDxo1JQ

Thanksgiving Turkeys (rebroadcast) Nov 27, 2025

Show notes

By request, a rebroadcast of 2024's Thanksgiving "Turkeys" episode!

Here are some genuine piano "turkeys" to consider, or perhaps to avoid, with links below:

For Valery Afanassiev's Beethoven, check out Victor Carr, Jr.'s review: https://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-11451/.

For commentary about Rita Bouboulidi's Beethoven Sonata cycle, visit this link: https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php?topic=23626.0

Volodos in Vienna Nov 24, 2025

Show notes

Jed discusses Arcadi Volodos' 2009 Vienna Recital released by Sony Classical, one of this pianist's finest recordings:

Excerpts:

Scriabin Prelude Op. 11 No. 16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m0hFO3yvyA

Liszt Dante Sonata: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZYJvX8Ruck

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