I'm going to be buying alot of CDs soon, and I would like to explore alot of new composers in addition to buying CDs of my favorite composers. I was wondering if some of you would be kind enough to help me out with some suggested works of composers I don't know. There are also some composers that I am familiar with, but I haven't really heard a lot of their different repetoire, and I'll add those composers too. I'm not asking for essays on the composer, but if you could just say something like "Chopin Etudes, Nocturnes, Polonaises" I'd be thoroughly pleased ; ). If you have a favorite performer of the composer, it would be awesome if you could suggest that one too. I'd hate to buy a Pollini cd of Chopin's Waltzes or something like that.

So, in order of 'least known' to 'familiar with' here's a list of composers that I could use some help with.
Bartok
Britten
Sibelius
Granados
Taneyev
Haydn
Rimsky-Korsakov
Ravel
Schumann
Brahms
Liszt

I probably forgot a few, and if there's a composer I didn't list that doesn't mean I'm familiar with him/her, so feel free to post about ones not on the list!

Thank you so much to anyone that replies

Is your question piano-specific ?

I can only suggest that for Granados, anything played by Alicia de Larrocha is tops. Her recordings are always the first ones I listen to. But then I also like Douglas Riva whose interpretations are different from de Larrocha but are very nice nonetheless.

Also for Liszt, my teacher has a couple CD's out with Liszt's music. Specifically if you are interested in Liszt's late music, my teacher recently recorded a CD of only late Liszt works and it's very very good! His name is Alexander Djordjevic and the CD is titled 'Gray Clouds'. I know you can get it on Amazon.com.

Oh, I should have specified. Please, Symphonic works also, I'm weakest in those.

I can't help much, alas. I don't listen to much besides Bach and Chopin, and little enough of that.

For Liszt piano solo works my general preference would be:
Hungarian Rhapsodies and other flashy pieces: Cziffra
More serious works: Bolet
Transcendental etudes and a general recommendation: Lazar Berman
When possible avoid Leslie Howard; though he recorded the complete Liszt much of the playing is dull.
There's a good late Liszt disc by Sergio Fiorentino if you can find it.
"The Daemonic Liszt" by Earl Wild is fantastic.
Works for piano and orchestra: Zimerman

I like Jean-Yves Thibaudet's Ravel.

Here's some suggestions (but everybody will hgave their favourites)

Bartok - Concerto for Orchestra, 3rd Piano Concerto
Britten - Sea Interludes and Passacaglia from Peter Grimes, Requiem
Sibelius - Fifth Symphony, Finlandia, Karelia Suite, Violin concerto
Granados - Goyescas, Spanish Dances
Rimsky-Korsakov - Sheherazade, Capriccio Espagnol, Golden Cockerel Suite, Piano Concerto, any of the overtures
Ravel - Daphnis and Chloe, Bolero, Piano Concertos, La Valse
Schumann - Third Symphony, Piano Concerto
Brahms - 2nd Piano Concerto, Haydn Variations, violin/cello/clarinet sonatas

Oh, really? I already looked at a couple liszt cds, I put Cziffra for HRs and piano concerti, Berezovsky for Etudes. I guess I'll go look for some of those artists, too. Thanks



Wow! Thanks so much, Techneut. I'll go try to find some of those, apparently that Bartok concerto was one of Richter's favorites. Any suggestions as to the performer of Sibelius?

No. I only have old vinyl LP's by Karajan and Maazel. Karajan was very good in Sibelius but the sound and interpretation may be a bit outdated. More recently, Ashkenazy and Colin Davis are consistently good, and Vanska is said to be excellent.

Hmm.. the review of Karajan's 5th says "For Karajan fans only..." on the review section. I think I'll go with one of the less popular conductors. Thanks so much for the huge list!

You have an awful amount of romantic composers. If your new to piano, I suggest listening to a lot of Bach. Bach's music is enough for a lifetime. Not just his well tempered clavier. Listen to his Concertos, Cantas, Choral preludes, English suites, Fantasies, Canons, Trios...etc etc etc..I might also suggest some Coreli sonatas. Its easy to forget that the beautiful romantic composers of this era built upon Bach and composers before them. As for Haydn...His piano sonatas are very healthy for technique.
If your going to buy Cd's make sure you will buy only what you will listen to. Listen to snippets from youtube first before buying. You have a huge list, and your probably going to work up quite a price when you finish "shopping"
Brahms...You can look into his cello sonatas...truly wonderful. His clarinet quintets are also interesting. Mind you...I am leaving his overplayed works out...(Hungarian dances, Lullaby...etc) His 5 poems are very emotional...And his lieder is a must...Just listen to this and you will know what I am talking about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbhNHWj5w70

I'm not so sure that all of the romantics built on Bach. Chopin - yes, definitely. Mendelssohn, yes. Schumann, yes. Beethoven, if you count him, though he seems to have been introduced to Bach relatively late in life? I have been looking for evidence that Liszt was influenced by Bach and haven't yet found any, but I admit I haven't been looking hard. I have vague ideas from my music history courses that some of the Romantics were sort of anti-German. I know that the 'Bach renaissance' occurred mid-century, and that the 'musical elites' were familiar with his music before then, and Forkel's bio was published in 1805 if I recall correctly, but I gather that some composers loved him more than others.

I'm not 'new' to piano, necessarily. Also, I'm quite familiar with Bach and have several CDs of his already, including Andre Galvirov's Piano Concerti, Pablo Casals Suites, and Ricther's WTC. But thank you for the Brahms recommendations, much appreciated. I was wondering what Symphonies to get by Brahms, perhaps you could help? I don't really want to buy all 4 of them, and I've heard either 1 or 4 are the best.