Earl Wild is Dead

[edurban]

Some of you may not have seen that the wonderful and adventurous pianist Earl Wild has died at 94.  Here's a link to his New York Times obituary:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/arts/music/24wild.html?hpw

We're remembering him by listening to his recordings of Herz' 'Non piu mesta' variations, the Thalberg 'Don Pasquale' Fantasy, and the Scharwenka b-flat minor concerto.  Breathtaking playing and a great Romantic sensibility...

David

[Alan Howe]

Strangely, I was only listening to Wild in Scharwenka PC1 on Friday. A marvellous memorial to a magnificent artist.

[Steven Eldredge]

Earl Wild's passing is sad, but he certainly had  a long and illustrious career. My own favorite of his recordings is the Paderewski Concerto he recorded with Arthur Fiedler. It's chock full of little moments of Wild re-writing and fancifying of Paderewski's original notes, included one of the greatest examples of "blind" octaves leading into the last pages of the Finale. Every time I hear that descending chain of octaves, like a flash of forked lightning, I am thankful that Mr Wild was not a literalist.

May he rest in peace.

[TerraEpon]

Not to be a jerk or anything, but someone dying at 94 isn't sad. He led a VERY full life of music making, and many of us appreciate the many great recordings he made, not just sticking to the 'standard' rep but also being a fantastic transcriber and paraphraser.

[Mark Thomas]

We have reason to be grateful for his life. His Scharwenka Piano Concerto No.1 is a marvel; a shining example of how unsung music can sound in the right hands.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Hear, hear! He was a great and very special pianist - a true virtuoso. His playing was the acme of style and panache. And he brought us some wonderful unsung music.

[thalbergmad]

It was his recordings that started me off on my love for Thalberg.

The Thalberg/Rossini Semirimade is still the best Thalberg recording in my humble opinion.

Thal

[mbhaub]

I'm glad I got to hear him in recitals and concerts a few times. I was surprised to learn he was living in Palm Springs - guess it beats the cold back east. I also didn't know that he wrote some music -- Revelations? -- sounds like a candidate for recording!