Classical Music for Aficionados

Arrau in Schubert's Last sonata in B Flat Major D960 always makes me feel so sad as he plays it like someone who themself knows he has very little time left on this earth. Arrau actually said that of all the composers he played he always found Schubert the most  difficult to express. Another thing Arrau did was play an horrendous cut that all other pianists did not play , the great Brendel and Cooper also did the cut much to the detriment of the first movement of this sonata. I remember in the late sixties having Kempff's whole set of these sonatas and I loved them but Kempff was from an entirely different age where people were grateful that someone had taken on the task of committing the herculean task of the complete sonatas that his set were not as dissected as "scholars" today would do. After all this I still hope Volodos commits a lot more to tape.

Schubert et alI love Schubert, and the recordings you mention, i.e., Volodos, Richter, Cooper, also Arrau and Brendel.  To my ear, Cooper sounds very like Brendel, with whom she studied, and I mean this as a compliment. 

Missing from this discussion is Kempff, who popularized Schubert.  His recordings are limited by the technology of his time, but they stand up well for me; when I listen, I think of nothing else. 

Did you know that Rachmaninov never heard of Schubert's sonatas?  That is the darkness that Kempf illuminated.

Embarked on a Sibelius retrospective.  1, 2 and 4 so far.  Really liked 1 and 2, 4 not so much.  I don't know why I haven't thought more about this composer.  From previous listenings I only remember 5 as a favorite.  Perhaps now is the time to change that.  I see Lief Segerstam seems to be the favored conductor, followed by Berglund. 

Gugnin, Kholodenko, Geniušas. Dedicated To The 90 Anniversary of Vera Gornostayeva (Live).
This title is only available on TIDAL and mp3 on amazon. Kholodenko plays 3 pieces by Schubert 3 Klavierstücke, D. 946: No. 1 in E-Flat Minor. Brilliant virtuosity, superb technical mastery.

Also check out his Stravinsky petrushka 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB7ccsJlw4k&t=1744s

scroll to 23:19 for petrushka

Volodos and Richter are certainly great on Schubert !
My hears tell me , at least on the masterwork D 959, that Imogen Copper is more "Schubertish " .
She is one of the top Schubertians in the world .Is on idagio .

twoleftears:
I've been listening to Vadym Kholodenko today. Excellent technique and tone. I'm impressed with his fortitude to continue playing after suffering an unimaginable tragedy in life. 

Have you heard his Petruchka? 

Teodor Currentzis coming to NYC this week. 

Experience Verdi’s Messa da Requiem, one of classical music’s most virtuosic and transcendent works, in concert and in film. Electrifying conductor Teodor Currentzis and the 100-member orchestra and 80-member chorus musicAeterna from Russia will take the stage in The Shed’s McCourt to perform Requiem. Following rapturous reviews at this summer’s Salzburg Festival, the performances mark Currentzis and musicAeterna’s North American debut. 

https://theshed.org/program/131-requiem-concert-performances

November 19 at 7 pm
November 21 and 23 at 7:30 pm
November 24 at 3 pm

The biggest mistake people and societies  make is in believing what comes after is superior to what went before , True for music as much as anything else .
Slight picture of that .
https://youtu.be/Wa2vzx-aNrw?t=3
ei001h, thanks for such a very fine post !

The set I’m referring to is on Tidal. It’s different than the 1979 BBC recording.

https://www.amazon.com/Richter-Plays-Schubert-Live-Moscow/dp/B074511WM8/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=richter+...

I thought this review was accurate

This is pure Desert Island paradise! A set to listen to for eternity. Richter offers endless riches that will leave you enthralled and wanting to come back for more and more every day. As a Schubertian of time-honored service, his Moscow interpretations offer profound spiritual insights, practically note-perfect playing, and the contemplative concentration of a true master. There are lots of virtuoso flashes, but always to illuminate and probe the depths of Schubert’s genius. Richter’s Schubert is both serious and affectionate, charming by example, with urgent purpose, but without grandstanding. The persuasive power of his giant technique coupled with wisdom, precision, and restraint where required make this generous presentation of a Moscow string of recitals a model listening experience. The audiences are for the most part well-behaved, despite the occasional coughs, sighs, and applause, which are thankfully kept way in the background. Unlike many of Richter’s earliest Schubert recordings, these are not the primitive, muffled stock that typified Soviet postwar and 1950’s grammophone technology. The notes come through clearly, and although it may lack the ultimate 21st century acoustic refinement, the ear quickly accepts the monaural sound to enable easy listening to the more than 9 hours of musical enchantment. I don’t believe I have ever heard these Moscow performances until this release. Several of the sonatas here get multiple performances, but that does not seem bothersome, since the artist is always offering something new and fascinating to say. Schubert-playing by Brendel, Pollini, Curzon, Schiff, Perahia, and others certainly cannot be totally dismissed by this collection. But don’t hesitate about taking in Richter’s encore performances of Sonatas No. 6, 13, 15, 21, and the grand Wanderer Fantasy (which he also recorded for EMI in stereo back in the early 1960’s). This current Profil 10-CD set presents a consistently engineered collection of refined performances that include most of the Impromptus, Moments Musicaux, familiar waltzes, and ländlers, as well as duplicate performances of Schubert’s 3 Klavierstücke, D.964, which Richter pulls off with all-out bravado. Marvel at how the music resembles cadences of John Williams’ Theme from Schindler’s List (not yet written) towards the end of Klavierstücke No. 2. To top things off as an added bonus, Sviatoslav Richter is joined in the closing selections by his long-time mentor and recital partner, the legendary Benjamin Britten, to play the four-hand 8 Variations on a Theme, and by soprano Nina Dorliak in selected songs (delivered in Russian) from the Schubert cycles Schwanengesang and Die Winterreise. The spectacular set reaches a thrilling final summit with the brilliant Franz Liszt transcription of Schubert’s dynamic lied Erlkönig. Don’t hesitate to obtain this set for listening rewards that will last for a lifetime. While the pianist was cited for occasional "cold" playing during his frequent foreign tours, there is none of that evident in these white-hot, passionate home-crowd Moscow sessions. They represent one of Sviatoslav Richter’s all-time peak achievements as Schubertian and pianist extraordinaire.

Richter’s Schubert Sonatas review:
https://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-6844/

eiOO1
I have a collection of Richter playing Schubert Sonatas, part of BBC Legendsseries.  And another Richter Schubert collection that includes two sonatas and the Huttenbrenner Variations.  I think these must be different recordings than the ones you mention.  They are excellent.  I really love Richter!
When I watched the Volodos Rachmaninoff Cello Sonata on Youtube I was struck with a similarity between Volodos and Richter, i.e., their facial expressions and appearance at the keyboard.  They are both playing for themselves, not putting on a show for an audience.  I appreciate that.

Richter plays Schubert live in Moscow. A 10 hour marathon of Schubert's sonatas. I fell asleep with my headphones. Surprisingly good sonics for such an old recording. Has anyone heard this set? 

Jcazador: I enjoyed gavrilov film on youtube, thank you. 

Thanks RV and Jim,
I have the Schubert cds, and will listen to the Cello Sonata.
Also love Volodos recording of Rachmaninov Etude-Tableauon the Carnegie Hall cd.

If you can find Volodos’ arrangement for piano (and performance) of the slow movement of Rachmaninoff’s Cello Sonata you’ll find heaven.
I’ll try to find it and post it.
Here it is:
https://youtu.be/WFM6vwUoZiI

Jeremy ,   I'm afraid I am quite spoilt when I'm listening to Volodos as he turns everything he plays to gold and I don't want to listen to others in the same repertoire. Re his two Schubert discs he has put his awesome technique to really illuminate the sonatas. My go to man for Schubert used to be Andras Schiff, but he really does pale into insignificance now so much so that I am wishing Volodos would record all the Schubert sonatas.

Jim
Re Volodos
Listening again to Volodos in Vienna
The Scriabin Prelude Op 37 is exquisite!

excuse methe title of the movie is "Andrei Gavrilov Plays Prokofiev, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich" (NOT Tchaikovsky, but he plays some Tchaikovsky too, and discusses the man as well as his music.)

Watching a film "Andrei Gavrilov Plays Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich" featuring Gideon Kremer on violin in some of the performances. There is a lot of talk/explanation about the music and the composers. 
The role of host is played by Michael Berkeley.
Incredibly good, informative.
There is also bonus short film "Russian Vunkerkins" by Irene Langemann.
Highly recommended.

I am very impressed with the young Russian pianists of the last twenty years Kissin not withstanding . I find them to be awesome technicians with dynamic contrasts that really stagger in their volume. My young Russians now are, Trifonov , Volodin , Sudbin , Kolestnikov ( a poet ) and most of all Volodos ( superlatives are not enough for him but will have to do . If you want to hear pure poetry listen to his new release of Schubert's Great A Major Sonata D959.

I have listened to all of Gulda's recordings, but never seen him until this:
Friedrich Gulda plays Mozart - Fantasia K397, Piano Sonatas K 333 & K576 (1995)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tXj_OsI-Z0

I am listening to "Piano Trio by Schumann op63" played by Arthur Rubinstein, Pierre Fournier and Henry Szering

through Sennheiser HD 800S headphone driven by Chord Dave and Mscaler.

It sounds very intimate through headphone than speaker.

Rachmaninoff’s Cello Sonata slow movement (3rd movement:)
 music shouldnt be this beautiful.

Rachmaninov: Concerto Elegiaque for Piano and Orchestra, orch. Kogosowski.
Premier recording by Jarvi with Detroit SO.
Quite good and very interesting.  Worth a listen.

Currentzis’  Mahler 6th ain't bad either.

@ei001h Currentzis T6 is an adrenalin-rush, the musical equivalent of white-water rafting. I was so carried along/carried away by it, I didn’t really notice those features you mentioned. All that being said, I certainly wouldn’t want it to be the only T6 in my collection...but it’s sure nice to have.

Very nice review of Angela Hewitt recital "Bach Odyssey"
in NYT, behind paywall here:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/03/arts/music/angela-hewitt-bach-review.html?action=click&module...
quote:

As a young woman she studied classical ballet and still remembers dancing in her bedroom to recordings of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos.

“I responded to the rhythm in the music,” she said in a 2017 interview with The Guardian. She has always made of point of bringing out the dance rhythms in Bach’s music, she explained. “I don’t have to think about it; it’s just part of me,” she said.

I find Trifanov’s performance of the 1st and 4th Concertos effective but the 2nd and 3rd not so much.  Its as though he’s sleepwalking through the 3rd, perhaps trying to be original.  Volodos’ rendering is wonderful. Katia is quite an imaginative pianist with a dazzling technique. 

twoleftears:

I’ve been listening to Currentzis Tchaikovsky 6th and while I find some aspects of it enjoyable (spotlight miking of instruments) while other aspects such as overuse of EQ and heavy compression ruin the whole piece. Close miking of strings make them sound very sharp and aggressive for the lack of a better word.  Zero dynamics in all 4 movements. The intensity of playing has no correlation to the volume. I think the mixing engineers overshadowed currentzis here.  It was probably made to sound great in AirPods. This guy definitely polarizes opinions. I'm thinking about attending his debut in NYC in November.

Daniil Trifanov just came out with a CD destination
Rachmaniov featuring Rach 3 and Rach 1. It’s available on Tidal. His 2nd and 4th concertos released earlier this year were quite good. Not sure what to make of his interpretation of the 3rd. I expected more from Trifanov. Has anyone heard it? Thoughts?

Khatia Buniatishvili’s Rach 3 blew me away. I believe the Russians are unmatched when it comes to Rachmaninov. Matsuev, Volods, Gavrilov, Gilels. All superb in my opinion. Not a fan of Rachmaninov’s own recording of his concertos. I don’t think he was pleased with them either.

I’ve been enjoying Volodos and Schubert. Also like Sofronitsky’s Schubert (the art of Sofronitsky). Are there any other sonically good recordings  of Sofronitsky? Any other masters of Schubert ?

On to Rach #2, Previn. The Telarc soundstage took a little getting used to: very wide, quite distant, but not very deep. Have to admit I’m enjoying #2 more than #1--the highlight there was actually Litton’s Isle of the Dead.

Schubert,

Yes, I was just going to post a reference to that Volodos  performance myself!
What a beautiful performance from this musician who first made his name with his incomparable transcendental technique.

@Schubert      Len I am just listening to Arkadi Volodos playing Schubert's Piano Sonata in A Major D959 and what a job he makes of it .
It is on Idagio at the moment and well worth a listen, also the sound is exemplary .

This is a better copy of the full Russian documentary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsiGgvlQrd0

Of course, I forgot to mention Rachmaninoff himself.

favorite musicians playing Rachmaninov:
Rachmaninov himself, Richter, Gilels, Gavrilov, Sofronitsky, Berman, Ashkenazy, Sokolov, Berezovsky, Argerich, Bolet, Biret, Trifonov, Rubinstein, Diev, Angelich, Osborne,   Kissin,   Weissenberg, Grimaud,   Lugansky, Graffman, Wild, Pizarro, Volodos, Ogdon, Cherkassky, Shelley, Van Cliburn.
Btw, there are some excellent documentaries:
Rachmaninoff Documentary The Harvest Of Sorrow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWG9euFgJ0U
Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff Documentary Part 01 of 07
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIee4loMEWo
BBC The Joy of Rachmaninoff Documentary 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHiUBBy2eMk

Rachmaninoff’s genius was always  recognized in Russia.  That tradition can be heard in the work of many current Russian conductors and pianists. 

After living through so many years of denigration by music’s so called keepers of the art, Rachmaninoff’s time has finally come.  There was a time he was shunned as second class “pop” classical music.  Now, all genres of his music are performed regularly on stage and recording studios.
Ashkenazy is probably my favorite interpreter.   But there’s no lack of good performers of his work.  I particularly like Pletnev as both conductor and pianist. He is a true lover of Rachmaninoff. Historically, his colleague, Eugene Ormandy’s renditions are wonderful.  Also, Andre Previn.

I love Mariss Jansen's  Rachmaninov especially the Symphonic Dances which he endows with gargantuan dynamic contrasts and to my mind lends itself to the work. He also seems to get the absolute best out of the many orchestras he conducts.

The recent outpouring of enthusiasm for Rachmaninov inspired me to embark on a run-through of his work.  Listening now to symphony no. with Litton, which sounds good to me and seems to get good reviews.  Besides Ashkenazy, do you like anyone else?  Jansons?  Or?

recluse, One of the best versions IMHO. This and his recording of Symphonic Dances have been my favorites since they first came out (on Vinyl). 

Roxy, do you have the companion recording of some of his solo piano music, titled "Banjo". I think Eugene List nailed this music, really brings it to life like no others (of which I'm aware) . :-)

I may be a little late on this post but I have a small obsession with Rachmaninov’s symphonies and my favorite recording of his first is by Ashkenazy with the  Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. London. 1984. DDD411657-2

@rvpiano       RV you might like to know that Roth has another great recording on Idagio at the moment, it's Richard Strauss -  Also Sprach Zarathustra this time with SWR Sinfonie Orchestra. He also plays a piece of Strauss that is so often overlooked Aus Italien. Both pieces deserve a listen.

For a truly ear opening experience, listen to Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique performed on original instruments from 1830, by Francois-Xavier Roth and his group Les Siècles. Of course this work was a true revolution in sound  when it was written, but not quite as magniloquent as when it’s played on modern instruments.
It really is instructive to hear it with the sonorities of the time in which it was written.  Not quite as bombastically fantastic as we usually hear it, but revolutionary and extraordinary nonetheless.

Its available on Idagio.

Vera Dulova, harp
Russian Performing School (1995)
Mozart, Donizetti, Saint-Saens, Ravel, Pascal
If you like pretty music, find this.

For pure joy on Vanguard the Eugene List The World of Louis Moreau Gottschalk along with Grand Tarantelle with Nibley and A Night in the Tropics with Abravanal is a must have. Less weighty but it will make you very happy.

A stellar rendition of one of the very greatest Chamber pieces . The piece itself is beyond comment .
May not be otherwise be recorded ?
https://youtu.be/g3k81__bwrM?t=13

A couple of days ago listened to the Bryden Thomson Enigma on Chandos and liked it a lot.  Will have to hunt down that other one.  Then I will never eradicate the Nimrod earworm.

Just listening to a great interpretation of Elgar's Enigma Variations which may interest you guys . It's the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by, Vasily Petrenko. Must say I am liking it , the slow movements are handled with great tenderness and the rip rollicking ones are very stirring.

Jcazador,

Thank you again for your revelations.
Jeux, to me, is fascinating and Debussy’s greatest work.  I cant stop listening to it.