[spab]

FYI - I am not familiar with pianist Ingrid Fliter, but will be in attendance this Saturday when she plays Chopin's Piano Concerto #2 with the St. Louis Symphony.

Silver medalist at the 2000 Frederic Chopin Competition, pianist Ingrid Fliter has become known for “playing Chopin with power and passion and is completely at one with the music's demands of agility, vim and vigour,” (Daily Telegraph).

The Saturday evening concerts of the St. Louis Symphony (one of America's finest) are broadcast live over the internet. Google "st louis public radio" or the call letters "KWMU" if you're interested. Also, note, once on the website, the concert is broadcast over "FM 90.7 KWMU - 1" NOT "Classical KWMU - 3."
Concert begins at 8P.M. Central Time/ 9P.M. Eastern   

[simoon]

Martha for sure!

She is one of my top 5, male or female.

I have a growing respect for Yuja Wang after hearing her play Bartok's 2nd piano concerto. Considered one of the toughest to play. 

[Mike-48]

Here are a few who don't seem to have been mentioned.

Nadia Reisenberg (1904-83) She played at Carnegie hall 22 times. I have a recording of her Haydn sonatas, and it's excellent. A minor point of interest: her sister was Clara Rockmore, the theramin virtuoso.

Maria Tipo (1931-) This Spanish pianist has a light touch and soulful quality, to my ears. I have 20+ recordings of the Goldberg Variations, and hers (though not for purists) is one of those I wouldn't be without. Her Clementi and Scarlatti are also lovely.

Guiomar Novaes (1895-1979) A Brazilian, her lovely Chopin recordings for Vox were pioneering. I still love them for the lovely flowing lines and subtle interpretations.

Kimiko Ishizaka (1976-) This German-Japanese pianist may be less familiar, but she should be known to all audiophiles interested in Bach!  Besides a concert career with many medals and international appearances, she recorded the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Goldberg_Variations. The Open Goldbergs are a freely downloadable 96/24 recording that is really well done, both musically and sonically. She also was a power lifter and has won German championships!

[rotarius]

Alicia de Larrocha, Gina Bachauer and let's not forget Annie Fischer.

[jimdgoulding]

Caitlyn Jenner?

...oh, wait.   

Oh, man, you funny.

[Mike-48]

I rather agree with Tyson about Argerich, Hewitt, and Uchida. I've never warmed to any of them, though I appreciate that others think they're each grand. Argerich in particular has a nervous quality that turns me off. If I were more of a Liszt fan, perhaps I'd appreciate her more. Obviously, she's a tremendous talent, just not my cup of tea.

Of the female pianists mentioned by others, I especially have enjoyed recordings by Olga Kern, Hélène Grimaud, Alicia de la Larrocha, and Simone Dinnerstein.  So "+1" to those who mentioned them.

I forgot to mention Ekaterina Dershavina, whose Goldbergs are up there with those of the other two pianists I mentioned.  Others that people might like to investigate include Klara Kormendi, whose Satie discs I've enjoyed a lot; and Anne Quéffelec, who has several recordings of French music and whose recent disc "Satie & Compagnie" on Mirare I think is marvelous. Finally, I have several discs on BIS by Noriko Ogawa, and I find her playing consistently interesting.

I will attempt to hear some of the others mentioned, and take another listen to Hewitt and Uchida.

(Need I say? I make no claims that the pianists that I mentioned are necessarily at the top of the heap -- but I enjoy their work -- nor do I claim to know the work of every pianist.)

[rotarius]

I do realize Yuja Wang is the flavor of the month and she is very talented and pretty and all but I recently bought her Ravel concertos CD and I was a bit underwhelmed.  I also have Alicia de Larrocha playing Ravel which is a much more enjoyable, insightful and exciting listen.  No contest here, it's like listening to a master pianist and then listening to her pupil.

[CanadianMaestro]

Annie Fischer's Beethoven piano sonatas are divine.
Angela Hewitt's Bach toccatas.
Mitsie Uchida's Mozart.
Haskil's Mozart superb.

Kodama's Beethoven is awful. She's overhyped.

Grimaud's Beethoven Pf Cto 4 with Masur NY Phil is excellent.

[Tyson]

Annie Fischer's Beethoven piano sonatas are divine.
Angela Hewitt's Bach toccatas.
Mitsie Uchida's Mozart.
Haskil's Mozart superb.

Kodama's Beethoven is awful. She's overhyped.

Grimaud's Beethoven Pf Cto 4 with Masur NY Phil is excellent.

Agreed on all except Kodama.  I have a bunch of complete sets (although not as many as Todd over on GMG!).  She's in my top 5 for sure.  Very different take, for sure.  Not as large scale as my favorites (Gilels, Richter, Pollini), but she is amazing at the sublime in Beethoven.   

[Todd_A]

Living:
Ragna Schirmer
Mūza Rubackytė
Dina Ugorskaja
Lise de la Salle
Yu Kosuge
Martha Argerich
Mitsuko Uchida
Maria Joao Pires


Deceased:
St Annie Fischer
Lili Kraus
Clara Haskil
Jeanne Marie Darre
Alicia de Laroccha
Lubka Kolessa
Rosalyn Tureck
Maria Yudina
Marcelle Meyer
Brigitte Engerer

[MTVhike]

I discovered Yuja Wang on YouTube, her performances of Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev are astounding, as well as Ravel's Left Hand Concerto.

[DrJ-10]

Yulianna Avdeeva -- young, but great.  Try her Chopin.

[sounddog]

Maria Jaoa Pires
Mitsuko Uchida
Angela Hewitt
Martha Argerich
Yuja Wang (not a fan of her early/ overly showy work, but she’s developed into a very good pianist - including chamber work)
Alice Sara Ott
Lise de la Salle
Joyce Yang

We’ve heard some good recordings by Mari Kodama but we heard her perform 3 Beethoven sonatas (including the Hammerklavier)  live last year and her playing was very disappointing.

[FullRangeMan]

Valentina Lisitsa
Irina Zaritskaya
Lola Astanova

[Big Red Machine]

I forgot I had some photos of Grimaud from a concert in Kalamazoo. Here's one.

[steve k]

Ruth Slencynska

Check her out on Youtube. She was a friend of Rachmaninov.

[Freo-1]

Khatia Buniatishvili
Anna Fedorova


Two excellent younger performers

[DrJ-10]

It seems I am not alone in enjoying the Russian piano school.  I find that they can play the classical and romantic repertoire well, and that proves to be a rare combination.  Gilels (not fitting with the thread topic) is a good example.

[FullRangeMan]

Elena Gilels (1948-1996) daughter of the great Emil Gilels also was a concert pianist.