# Scriabin, piano sonatas



## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

I have like five different versions...One is Marc-André Hamelin, the other are Michael Ponti, Ruth Laredo, Evelyn Dubourg and Hakon Austbo, I have some by Sofronitsky...but not all of them. I have seen some comments and apparently *Maria Lettenberg *is the very best but hard to find.

I want something pure as the Scriabin I've listened to once. Incredibly sweet and incredibly violent when required...

Do you have any ideas...But please, I would like some proves...(samples would be greatly appreciated) no...imagination...and if possible not so hard to get.

Thanks a lot.

Martin Pitchon

P.S. Maybe I should be glad with the Hamelin one, if it is the case please let me know...I won't search any more...

I'm confused.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Martin - the recording of the Skryabin sonatas I have is by the late John Ogdon. I can't compare his performances to any others you mention as it's the only one I have but as Ogdon himself could often be a tempestuous and capricious individual you may want to seek him out to see if he does the music any justice. There is a 2-disc set still (I think) available on EMI which also contains various other Skryabin piano works (including 'Vers la flamme').


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

Well...I went to Amazon.com and your album is the cheapest you can find (9.99$), but the examples are "there" but not available. The guy turned 70...there is a recording saying that.

http://www.amazon.com/Scriabin-Pian...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1291770490&sr=1-1

Thank you.

Martin Pitchon


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## MJTTOMB (Dec 16, 2007)

Personally I'm a big fan of the Ashkenazy and Horowitz recordings, all of them available on itunes.

Recently I wrote a pretty big article on Scriabin's late works and those were the recordings I used.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

There are not bad...But still not the best...

Until now the Hamelin one seems better than those you mention. But thanks anyhow. I don't want Itunes stuff, not mp3, regular CDs...

Hamelin sounds technically perfect but his soul seems a bit cold. Ruth Laredo is not bad, I like it...but I'm not a specialist...I think.

Thanks again

Martin


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## MJTTOMB (Dec 16, 2007)

I'm not a fan of the Hamelin recordings. His technique is nearly perfect, but I feel he pushes some of the pieces too far. Particularly, I dislike the way he plays the climax of the 4th piano sonata. To me, Ashkenazy's recordings are far more balanced and far more true to the spirit of Scriabin.


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## Lipatti (Oct 9, 2010)

What do you guys think of Gould's interpretation of the F-sharp minor sonata? I'm familiar with Ashkenazy's recording only, but I found such a cheap CD of Scriabin's third coupled with Prokofiev's seventh that I decided to buy it.

By the way, amazon.co.uk has the complete set of sonatas performed by Ashkenazy at 10£. Seems like a bargain.


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## Sebastien Melmoth (Apr 14, 2010)

Lipatti said:


> _What do you think of Gould's interpretation of the F-sharp minor sonata [i.e., the Fifth]?_


Finest ever recorded; GG's Third, as well.

For a complete Sonata cycle I still prefer Szidon's DG issue:

original issue:
http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Sonatas-Fantaisie-Op-Early/dp/B00000E4S3/ref=cm_lmf_tit_15

reissue:
http://www.amazon.com/Scriabin-Complete-Piano-Sonatas-Alexander/dp/B0001ZWGII/ref=cm_lmf_tit_17

Marta Deyanova's complete Mazurka cycle remains the acme:
http://www.amazon.com/Alexander-Skriabin-Mazurkas-Deyanova/dp/B0000037G7/ref=cm_lmf_tit_6

Ugorski has a new Sonata cycle out:
http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Sonatas-1-10-Scriabin/dp/B003CM8VBI/ref=cm_lmf_tit_40

Sorry, but these people who are pimping Maria Lettenberg have no credibility with me.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*Szidon*

Bad comments...8th place. I already have the Hamelin version (a guy from here, Quebec...LOL) and it is considered the best about the ones you can find.

Nobody gave him more than 2 stars..

Thank you for your suggestion anyhow, it seems very inexpensive...

Sincerely

Martin


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

*Szidon* is great and unusual in the 1st Sonata, he gives it a broader and much more monumental expression than any other, to my knowledge; it is perhaps the highlight of his set. *Sofronitsky*´s 3rd is my preferred, just the right forward-moving tempo, expression and some wild phrasing; his 10th is also very good, as most of his Scriabin recordings. I prefer Sofronitsky´s to *Gould*´s, his phrasing is sometimes "wrong" to my ears, but it is not uninteresting.

*Horowitz* is very good in general in Scriabin, and *Ashkenazy*´s is a fine overall set too.
As regards the more-or-less complete-sonatas I have the Szidon, Ashkenazy and *Ponti * sets. Ponti can be good now and then, and plays Scriabin´s complete works, but in the sonatas Ashkenazy is usually better. IMO.

I find *Hamelin* a bit too cold. *Ugorski* would be very interesting to hear, though his recording of the piano concerto is not that special; there I prefer *Bashkirov*. Haven´t heard *Laredo*, *Dubourg* or *Deyanova* either.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

There is something fuked up when it comes to sound of Szidon's recording. I think it's not his playing, but work of recording studio crew. It's similiar to Chopin's Ballades as performed by Pollini. I'm not an expert on this subject but I can tell you that whatever is the cause of this unclear, remote and hazy sound quality it can take away all pleasure from listening.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

The challeng is/will be to play well all of them. Sofronitsky without discussion is the best and I have whatever he played...But he didn't play all of them. I have Dubourg, she is quite good indeed. Deyanova is awesome but not complete.

Martin


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## Eusebius12 (Mar 22, 2010)

I rate Horowitz #1 in all things pertaining to Scriabin..although I find Sofronitsky more 'correct' at times, Horowitz is by far the most incandescent, and Szidon (of ones I've heard) is not too far behind. Also, no mention of Richter in this thread? Somehow he is not as idiomatic as some of the others, but he certainly plays the music deftly and has much more soul than Hamelin, who is definitely a mecanicus in this music (althougha n impressive one) whose every touch seems pre-planned and calculated. To me, in music of such inspired incandescence, a feeling of spontaneity is essential. Hamelin aint got that I'm afraid, as amazing as it is technically..


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*Horowitz...not found*

Just some pieces not the 10 sonatas....apparently.

Martin

I think I'll stay with my 5 versions then, each one has something good. I like the Evelyne Dubourg for many of them...Ruth Laredo is not bad...Hamelin technically is good...about hi soul...I have as many Sofronitsky and Richter I could have...

Martin


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## Eusebius12 (Mar 22, 2010)

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=A13285F3CEE6A495&playnext=1&v=c8T-aM6jmGw


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

If we're going to mention Richter, the 2nd and the 5th sonatas are an absolute must. The recording from Prague on the big box set I think I even prefer to most of Sofronitsky's Scriabin, barring one or two.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

I have Richter and Sofronitsky versions. I was trying to have all the jewels in a single box, apparently this is impossible.

Thank you anyhow.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*excellent purchase!*

I've just bought the best version for complete piano pieces by Scriabin.

Maria Lettberg. I bought one, they still have one. The price is better than great!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...8&s=music&qid=1293649678&sr=1-1&condition=new

Martin


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

I only read 'page 2' of this thread, so I don't know if John Bell Young has been mentioned. He is a very, very good (and not conventional) interpreter of Scriabin, and at least some of his recordings are findable on the Internet.

JBY is an interesting person, with strong opinions that he has not been shy about expressing over the years. His public persona reminds me of one of my brothers, the memory of whom I cherish.


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## Rangstrom (Sep 24, 2010)

I have a mixed selection on LP (Horowitz, Ashkenazy, Berman, Kuerti and Laredo), but just got the Hamelin set on CD. I'm slowly going through them all and while I am still leaning toward Horowitz the Hamlin set is very impressive.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*Critics about Hamelin*

Hamelin is consider one of the best interpreters for the sonatas...Nevertheless many people reproches that the guy is too mechanical and has a very technical approach. It is difficult indeed to play the first sonata well and the 10th well....Scriabin evolved a lot and he changed a lot...The first has to be played as Chopin...the last as Alban Berg or worse...

Scriabin, died in 1915 and it is the most modern composer for his time, even more than Schönberg....(this is just MY opinion)

He could never realized his dream...The final mystery was audio-visual with the orchestra in the middle and all the public sorrounding...He died in 1915!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!

Maria Lettberg plays his sonatas but all his piano music (8 CDs and not just 2 for the sonatas)...I listened to a copy a friend let me and I loved her style, very personal and very passionate too. In 3 more weeks I'll have it.

Martin


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## Pimlicopiano (Oct 23, 2014)

A huge no to Hamelin - who cares if it's note perfect, he just doesn't get to the heart/spirit of the music. Ashkenazy and Richter recordings are vital listening and are very fine. Horowitz is as well. There are some live recordings of Shura Cherkassky playing Scriabin. His live version of the 4th sonata will blow your head off. Don't stick with just one pianist's interpretation.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Pimlicopiano said:


> A huge no to Hamelin - who cares if it's note perfect, he just doesn't get to the heart/spirit of the music. Ashkenazy and Richter recordings are vital listening and are very fine. Horowitz is as well. There are some live recordings of Shura Cherkassky playing Scriabin. His live version of the 4th sonata will blow your head off. Don't stick with just one pianist's interpretation.


I agree. Also unmoved by Hamelin's Ives Concord Sonata performance.


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