I have read with respect all the comments on this forum about Valentina Lisitsa and, as normal, I see that no pianist ever seems to please everyone in all respects which is fair enough and keeps the art form interesting. The overall take is good though - respect and admiration which I say are well deserved.

I admit that I know Val personally only to reveal a few insights about this wonder of the piano. I was married to a concert-trained pianist and had more than one also in my extended family. I have messed around with piano myself (even had lessons !) sufficient to understand its challenges. I've seen live concerts by Moura Lympany, Fou T'song, Peter Katin and the lesser known Janusz Stechley all of whom had much to excite me - of all I found Moura Lympany (then I think in her 60s) very impressive - but Val created a total eclipse of them all at the Wigmore Hall last Saturday when she performed a tremendous program which included Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Schumann and Liszt.

This was an unforgettable experience and the normally reserved Wigmore audience were clearly stirred, they even cheered at the end & Val had to do two encores, her Leibestraum in particular carrying pure emotion and I'd have been glad just to be there for that alone.

During her Rossini-Thalberg Fantasy on Barber of Seville I actually felt transported to various places such as a summer forest at one point, a warm beach with sun and sangria at another, so glorious and evocative were the sounds she produced. Her Appassionata was an exercise in proving this great piece had not been hackneyed after all - in Val's hands it was both intellectually pleasing and exciting at the same time.

Her Liszt Totentanz had my heart racing and indeed I laughed along with other members of the audience around me at the sheer wonder of it all.

For the technophiles here are a few insights - only my own of course - I sat right beside Val as she rehearsed and noticed that she has at the same time incredible relaxation and intense concentration. She has developed her natural pianism to harness athleticism with great control and I notice that her rather "Beethoven-esque" clarity and integrity tends to come through when playing composers like Liszt whom some might construe as rather vulgar. I love this aspect of Val's playing and was intrigued to hear great flowing continuity in fast Appassionata passages while observing that her feet were either on the left pedal only or off both of them except a touch of the right one on particular chords. She is truly electrifying. For the extreme technophiles I quote the reaction of my friend Marek, "I was MESMERISED - I would never have thought such playing was humanly possible !".

Regards to all.

I'm totally behind Valentina Lisitsa as well. She has never failed to impress me both technically or musically, and she tends to bring something new and exciting, but not at all insufficient to her interpretations.

Musically she has given me more than any other pianist, singer or band for that matter. I'll be forever thankful for that and, again, I'm totally behind her.

I think she will be elevated to the level of the greats after she dies. Is it just me or does fame occur posthumously?

It's just you.

There are so many fine pianists out there currently, and it seems like only those who played in public for decades are the ones you still hear about after they're dead. She may be considered one of the 'greats' if she has a long career. I think Kissin is a 'great' right now, though.

I love her too! I could easily be persuaded to switch my cyber-stalking from Monica to her in a heartbeat!

Btw, Mon ... how did that Kissin Brahms concert go?

I'm sure she wouldn't mind.

Have not been to the Kissin concert, yet. It's not until March. Don't worry, I'll post a report.

Sneak your Edirol into the concert and press record!!!

Next time you snuggle up besides Val again, give her my love, will you ?

Who wouldn't mind? Val? or you? ... *hands on hips* are you trying to get rid of me????

Off-topic: Everytime I glance at juuf's new signature, the words "naked banana" just seem to jump out at me. Anyone else??

Duck.

Indeed... the naked banana is just... there.

It always makes me look up, because when I see the word naked, I have to find out who and where... and when I see the word banana next to it...

Well... I'm a teenager. That's to be expected of me... right?

.... might I respectfully steer this thread back to a "valid" topic: here it is.

If I were told I must cite other instrumentalists I like - not pianists - they would be Hilary Hahn (whom we've seen & will see again in Brussels, soon - Val's duo partner), Anne-Sophie Mutter and Evelyn Glennie.

I still stick by Val as my "tops" & of course we all have those & I accept that appreciation of the arts is subjective.

I'd like to challenge the forum:

State your preferred or most hated pianist, then choose up to three works of art that correspond to that (the works of art can be paintings or sculptures for example) and explain why.

Here is an example: Lang Lang corresponds to "The Scream" (need I say more

A painting of a peeled banana might well correspond to a pianist but do let's see who defends that position ...

Regards & Happy New Year to All !!

Hmm, I'm 32. nuff said.

Awesome job loosing the topic again!

I wonder how long we can keep this up for...

But... to get back on topic... Rachmaninoff as a pianist reminds me of a naked banana... the reason of course being that in his playing he bares his inner soul to use, removing the outer shell... or banana peel. Besides, bananas are long and thin... Rachmaninoff was something like 6'6" or something like that, and really skinny...

Damn... I just compared one of my favorite composers/pianists/conductors to a banana...

Ah sod the topic... it was name dropping anyway.
I love naked bananas. They taste much better than with the peel on.