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FAST CLASS The essentials: piano


By ANTHONY MOLINARO Assistant professor of music


Anthony Molinaro, assis- tant professor of music, is a highly regarded concert pianist and composer who was called “an original, often iconoclastic thinker” by the Chicago Tribune. In other words, when he rec- ommends essential piano recordings, he knows what he’s talking about. Whether you’re a music expert, a ca- sual appreciator, or a com- plete novice, you’re sure to hear something remarkable in Molinaro’s picks.


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OSCAR PETERSON Eloquence (1965)


It would be hard to create a list like this without including the great Oscar Peterson. His singular feel, touch, and virtuosity are unmistakable, and his play- ing always elicits a smile. This album, recorded live at The Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, features two other legendary jazz musi- cians: Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums. I have many favorite Oscar Peterson record- ings, but this was my first. Check out the classic jazz standard “Moanin’” and the Oscar Peterson original, “The Smudge.”


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BRAD MEHLDAU Art of the Trio, Vol. 2: Live At The Village Vanguard (1997)


When I first heard this trio, and specifically this album, my reac- tion was similar to when I first saw Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction: I thought, “This is what I have been waiting for.” I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this album for first-time jazz listeners, but Brad Mehldau is one of the most important musicians of his generation and The Art of the Trio, Vol. 2, is a brilliant, innovative, and exceptionally imaginative record- ing worthy of multiple listenings and serious study.


3


VAN CLIBURN Tchaikovsky Concerto No. 1; Rachmaninoff Concerto #2 (1958)


American pianist Van Cliburn burst onto the international scene when he won the first quadrennial Tchai- kovsky Piano Competition in Mos- cow in 1958, at the height of the Cold War. This was a monumental event, and he returned home to a ticker-tape parade in New York City and a pair of Carnegie Hall performances. His recording of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 earned him a Grammy Award in 1958 and has since gone triple- platinum. Though not originally released together, these two mas- terworks were later paired for an RCA Red Seal Records release and beautifully exhibit Van Cliburn’s tasteful and restrained artistry.


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KEITH JARRETT Köln Concert (1975)


Keith Jarrett more or less created his own genre with this legendary recording, the solo improvised piano recital. The Köln Concert has influenced countless musicians and is the best-selling piano album of all time. Keith Jarrett’s


“solo concerts” are almost entirely improvised and basically grow from nothing, making the music here all the more magical. The only part of this album based on a pre-composed tune is the encore, “Part II C.” As is the case with many of his solo piano recordings one hears influences ranging from classical and jazz to blues and gospel.


1


GLENN GOULD Bach: The Goldberg Variations (1955)


There is probably no classical pia- nist more associated with any one piece of music than Glenn Gould is with J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Varia- tions. The iconic Canadian pianist chose this work for his 1955 debut recording and instantly became a star. The set of 30 variations is a masterpiece of craftsmanship that is at once a challenging intel- lectual study and an effortless listening experience of immense reward. The background noise you might hear is not a problem with your speakers—it’s Gould humming and singing along.


SPRING 2012


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