6 INCREDIBLY POWERFUL Female Pianists

Hello all, I hope you enjoyed - I hope this wasn't too political and I'm very open to calm and reasonable discussion/debate. Only my opinion on a complex issue that relates to both biological genders so please watch the entire thing. Don't crucify me, I beg of you.

[zavilov]

Nadya Golubskaya, a lost soviet era pianist, she the gold medal to prokofieff because he performed his own concerto. The jury argued for 3 days over who to award. Definitely worth trying find the rare remaining recordings.

[juhanimurros]

Thanks RachManJohn, a very interesting selection again! Rosa Tamarkina's early death was truly a great loss. Since you mention her "little-known" husband Emil Gilels, I wish to add to her tragic personal life. She had two rival suitors in love with her: Emil Gilels and Grigory Ginzburg. After winning second prize in the third International Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 1937 at a young age of 17, she promised to marry the one who would win first prize in the first Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition to be held the following year 1938 in Brussels. Gilels won. She kept her word, but their marriage was not happy, and theyr divorced after a few years. Her true love was Ginzburg, one of the most unique virtuoso performers in piano history. Ginzburg had won fourth prize in the first Chopin Competition in 1927 and had studied with the great Alexander Goldenweiser as Rosa Tamarkina herself. She died in his arms from incurable cancer.

[davidberlant]

I would add to the list Valentina Lisitsa, Yuja Wang, Khatia Buniatishvili and Olga Kern. Thanks for including Martha Argerich. She is a genius!

[abusedhyena]

Shoutout to Maria Lettberg as well! One of the best modern scriabinist in my opinion

[CH-imeo]

Happy to see Yesipova, De Larrocha and Tamarkina! What I'm missing is my favorite Virsaladze! Didn't know about Zlata and I'm stunned!

[robertcocovinis]

As always, thanks for a fascinating and revelatory collection of recordings, most of which I was unfamiliar with. I also enjoy your wildly imaginative commentaries. Keep 'em coming.

[ahdyabdelatif]

Glad to finally find a YouTube video not considering yuja wang, khatia buniatishvili or Valentina lisitsa as some of greatest pianists in classical music history

[kofiLjunggren]

I find your commentary very interesting and I hope you keep doing them!

[johnpointon]

Wonderful to see (and hear!) Zlata Chochieva included in this list. Absolutely a favorite of mine.

[SCRIABINIST]

Leonskaja, Uchida, Lymphany, Hess, Haskill, Bachauer, Pires, Yudina, Meyer are some older pianists (Leonskaja being the only one alive) that I deeply admire and respect. Modern ones such as Yuja Wang, Anna Feodorovna, Beatrice Rana, and Hewitt are also great though imo none of them reach the maturity and mastery of the old greats YET.

[fryderyckchopin]

I would like to add Rosa Sabater, since we always think about Alicia de Larrocha but we forget about this one who died early and exists in the shadows

[johnpickering]

Thanks for opening this enlightening and profound window into pianism, there's a lot here to learn from and admire.

[martinadler]

The Yesipova recording is actually a Welte-Mignon roll. For me this is no problem as I think reproduction piano rolls are a highly important source, but then there are indeed roll recordings by Sophie Menter, too.

[Janaceks_Dad]

Argerich can out-play anyone else in anything, but an unexpected surprise is the version by Alicia, which is both more musical and technically brilliant than any performance I've ever heard

[christopherswainson]

Oxana Yablonskya is tremendous too, Russia's best kept secret. Great video, thank you.

[pauljohnston]

a brave essay! I am not sure I agree with everything you say on gender but it is a rather difficult area! I do like your passion for self-expression though - even including the way it manifests itself in your spelling 🙂 Certainly really enjoyed the video and as ever learnt lots.

[mendyman]

A great video, and the way you make your case with passion matches perfectly the qualities you are praising in both male and female pianists: conviction, daring, honesty, commitment, and courage. Bravo to you as well as them!

And I've learnt a great deal and have more listening to do, which is always a plus.

De Larocha always reminds me of Richter in the way she grabs and holds my attention. There is something commanding about her playing, just like his. I think it probably comes from a really sure intellectual grasp of the music she is playing, of its layers and structure. That energy communicates itself. Although Richter can be a bit tiresome - I just wish he would let go of my attention for a moment!

[willardsteele]

Keep up the good work. I tend to agree your point of viewpoint here. Good list. I will say that i admire Martha but sometimes I find her less satisfying in certain work from an interpretative standpoint. Oh one thing to add. Masculinity and femininity still have a place in society. Just not in music.

[antoniavignera]

Eccezionale interpretazione di questi 3 grandi pianisti!

[gunger]

If only you discovered Yudina at this time.