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Perfect Pianists at the BBC

Performances by celebrated pianists, including Benno Moiseiwitsch, Solomon, Myra Hess, Vladimir Horowitz, Arthur Rubinstein, Alfred Brendel, Mitsuko Uchida and Stephen Hough.

David Owen Norris takes us on a journey through 60 years of BBC archive to showcase some of the greatest names in the history of the piano. From the groundbreaking BBC studio recitals of Benno Moiseiwitsch, Solomon and Myra Hess in the 1950s, through the legendary concerts of Vladimir Horowitz and Arthur Rubinstein, to more recent performances, including Alfred Brendel, Mitsuko Uchida and Stephen Hough, David celebrates some of the greatest players in a pianistic tradition which goes back to Franz Liszt in the 19th century. Filmed at the Cobbe Collection, Hatchlands Park.

58 minutes

Last on

Sun 10 Aug 202523:20
BBC Four

Music Played

  • Robert Schumann

    Kinderszenen

    Performer: Vladimir Horowitz.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    Polonaise in A Flat Major

    Performer: Arthur Rubinstein.

  • Edvard Grieg

    Piano Concerto in A Minor Op.16

    Performer: Radu Lupu. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: André Previn.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    Etude No.4 in C Sharp Minor ("Torrent")

    Performer: Sviatoslav Richter.

  • Franz Schubert

    Impromptu No.3 in G Flat

    Performer: Alfred Brendel.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Partita No.5 (Allemande)

    Performer: Glenn Gould.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Piano Concerto No.1 in B Flat Minor

    Performer: Lang Lang. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Leonard Slatkin.

  • Franz Liszt

    Dante Sonata

    Performer: John Ogdon.

  • Domenico Scarlatti

    Sonata in G Major L.286

    Performer: Murray Perahia.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Piano Concerto No.2

    Performer: Evgeny Kissin. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Andrew Davis.

  • Robert Schumann

    Traumeswirren (Fantasiestucke Op.12)

    Performer: Benno Moiseiwitsch.

  • Franz Schubert

    Impromptu in A Flat

    Performer: Solomon.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Concerto No.23 in A Major K488

    Performer: Ingrid Fliter. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Josep Pons.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Sonata No.4 (Cadenza)

    Performer: Mitsuko Uchida. Performer: Bavarian Radio Orchestra. Conductor: Mariss Jansons.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Sonata No.32 in C Minor Op.111

    Performer: Claudio Arrau.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

    Performer: Sir Stephen Hough. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sakari Oramo.

  • Frédéric Chopin

    Nocturne in E Flat

    Performer: John Ogdon.

  • Vladimir Horowitz

    No. 2, Kuriose Geschichte

  • Vladimir Horowitz

    No. 3, Haschemann

  • Frédéric Chopin

    Polonaise In A Flat Major Opus 53

  • Arthur Rubinstein

    Polonaise No. 6, Op. 53 In A-Flat

  • Eugene Ormandy, The Philadelphia Orchestra

    Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 16: III. Allegro Moderato Molto E Marcato - Quasi Presto - Andante Maestoso

  • Aaron Zigman

    09 Impromptu No 3 In G-Flat Major (Schubert)

  • See Siang Wong

    III. Andante In G Flat Major

  • Nadia Rubanenko

    Impromptus, D. 899: No. 3 In G-Flat Major

  • Jacques Loussier

    Cantate N 147 Bwv 147 Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Piano Concerto 1 In Bflat Minor

  • Sviatoslav Richter

    Piano Concerto No.1 - 1St Mvt. (P.Tchaikovsky)

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Concerto No. 2, Op. 18, In C Minor: Moderato - Allegro

    Performer: Arthur Rubinstein. Orchestra: NBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Vladimir Golschmann.

  • Moura Lympany (Piano), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: Sir Malcolm Sargent

    Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No 2 In C Minor Op 18: 1St Movement: Moderato

  • Valery Gergiev, London Symphony Orchestra, Evgeny Kissin

    Moderato - Allegro

  • Barry Douglas, Michael Tilson Thomas, London Symphony Orchestra

    Piano Concerto No. 2, Opus 18 In C Minor: Allegro Moderato

  • Jayson Gillham

    05 Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No 2 - I Moderato_Master

  • Alberto Lizzio, Mozart Festival Orchestra, Svetlana Stanceva

    Alibi-Mozart-Piano Concerto 23 Mvt 1

  • Sir Colin Davis, English Chamber Orchestra, Alicia De Larrocha

    I. Allegro

  • Arthur Rubinstein, Rca Victor Symphony Orchestra, Alfred Wallenstein

    Piano Concerto No. 23 In A Major, K. 488: I. Allegro

  • Hai-Kyung Suh, Sir Neville Marriner, Academy of St. Martin In The Fields

    Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23 In A Major, K.488 - 1. Allegro

  • Vladimir Golschmann, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Arthur Rubinstein

    Allegro

  • Rudolf Buchbinder

    I. Maestoso

  • Igor Levit

    I. Maestoso - Allegro Con Brio Ed Appassionato

  • The Philadelphia Orchestra, Philippe Entremont, Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra

    Rhapsody On A Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation 18, Andante Cantabile

  • Kun-Woo Paik, Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra

    Rhapsody On A Theme of Paganini In A Minor For Piano and Orchestra, Op. 43: Variation 24: A Tempo Un

Credits

PresenterDavid Owen Norris
ProducerHelen Mansfield
Executive ProducerMark Cooper

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