# Opinion on Marc-Andre Hamelin



## JLi (Jan 31, 2018)

I like him, but others see him as overrated. What do you think?


----------



## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

I like him too, and I'm sure others are much more overrated. :devil:


----------



## Holden4th (Jul 14, 2017)

He's probably in the top five list of those still currently playing. I rate him very highly


----------



## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

I have a number of his recordings (Catoire's piano music for instance), and yes, he's up there as far as I'm concerned. I don't find him overrated at all.


----------



## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

The guy's a freaking genius. He has technique to spare, plays anything he touches brilliantly. And best of all, he is willing to play repertoire long forgotten and ignored by others. He a great, great player, a great musician and a tremendous musical asset to the world. Not overrated at all. The range of his repertoire is amazing. A virtuoso of the highest order.


----------



## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

I've only heard him play on 13 things, and he sounded terrific on over half of them (listed below):

Liszt Etude No. 3 (S 144)
Chopin Ballade No. 3
Faure Nocturne 6
Medtner Piano Concerto No. 2
Medtner Sonata Romantica
Gershwin Concerto in F
CPE Bach Sonata in A (W 55 No. 4)

In some of the other six cases, it may be the composition itself that was not to my liking.


----------



## SuperTonic (Jun 3, 2010)

I'm not sure how well it is known, but can compose too.
He wrote the compulsory commissioned work for the Van Cliburn competition last year (2017).

Toccata "L'home arme"


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I have his CD with , Schumann: Carnaval, Papillons & Fantasiestücke but it never made me sitting and listening again. 
But if you like his playing, who cares what others think, just enjoy it.


----------



## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

JLi said:


> I like him, but others see him as overrated. What do you think?


Probably good in composers like Godowski and Busoni. Probably meh at best in composers like Schumann and Chopin and Liszt. The interesting question for me is whether he's a great interpretater of Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn. I leave it for others to comment, I find myself completely disoriented by his Mozart sonatas CD, for example, I don't know if it's good or bad.

I haven't heard any of his own music.


----------



## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Mandryka said:


> Probably good in composers like Godowski and Busoni. Probably meh at best in composers like Schumann and Chopin and Liszt. The interesting question for me is whether he's a great interpretater of Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn. I leave it for others to comment, I find myself completely disoriented by his Mozart sonatas CD, for example, I don't know if it's good or bad.
> 
> I haven't heard any of his own music.


My take on Hamelin is is similar to Mandryka's and Pugg's. Schumann's piano music is a big deal to me, and Hamelin doesn't appeal at all.


----------



## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

Seen him a couple of times on U Tube and was impressed. Haven't got any of his recordings though!


----------



## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

I agree with Bulldog. While he's undoubtedly very talented from a technical viewpoint, his playing seems to lack something in terms of emotional interpretation as far as I'm concerned. His Scriabin recordings, for example, don't even come close to those of Sofronitsky, Richter or Horowitz in my opinion. However, maybe I'm being unfair in comparing him to legends like them.


----------



## John Zito (Sep 11, 2021)

I'm a fan. I've heard him live twice, once in recital and once with the Cleveland Orchestra, and the recital was one of the best concerts I've ever heard. The program was a healthy mix of standard repertoire and "Hamelin repertoire":


 Haydn - Keyboard Sonata, Hob. XVI:35 (Landon 48)
 Feinberg - Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 2
 Feinberg - Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 1
 Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 23, Op. 57 
 Scriabin - Piano Sonata No. 7, Op. 64
 Chopin - Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 35
 Debussy - Images (Book 1), L. 110: Reflets dans l'eau
I remember the Feinberg and Beethoven best. I was unfamiliar with Feinberg, and he sold me on it pretty immediately, especially the first sonata. His performance of the _Appassionata_ was very exciting.

Sadly I haven't heard the vast majority of his recordings, either the ones that brought him to prominence (Godowski, Medtner, Alkan, etc) or the recent forays into standard stuff (Schubert, Chopin, Mozart, etc), but the recordings I have heard are among my favorites:









I downloaded his new CPE Bach album this morning, and apparently he has Fauré and Bolcom coming down the pike. Looking forward to both.


----------



## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

I thought the Mozart was enjoyable. I expect the CPE Bach will be similar.


----------



## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

While I wish my playing were even within dreaming distance of his staggering technique, I don't find I enjoy his use of the latter all that much. His Liszt "Paganini Etudes" sounded mannered to me and I found his Haydn Sonatas po-faced.


----------



## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

I find him great , bit eccentric like some other pianist but the Haydn sonatas his Liszt & Thalberg: Opera transcriptions & fantasies are great.
His Rite of Spring with Leif Ove Andsnes is outstanding.


----------



## justekaia (Jan 2, 2022)

I believe he is technically among the very best and manages to elicit enough emotion from the listener, without becoming syrupy. He delights us with seldom played repertoire and excels in the Haydn and Mozart sonatas as well as in Liszt. I listened to his new CPE Bach double album and really enjoyed his playing of this top-drawer composer. Among my top-five with Argerich, Kissin, Trifonov and Levit.


----------



## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Great technique, but not very individual playing to me.


----------



## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)




----------



## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

His recording of the *Liszt* _Sonata in B Minor_ is among the best, and I consider his best recordings are of the 19th century virtuosic repertory for piano. I am not as taken with his performances of Haydn.


----------



## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Phil loves classical said:


> Great technique, but not very individual playing to me.


I really don't agree for Schubert and late Beethoven (op 111, op 106) and Mozart and the later Haydn CDs and the Second Hungarian Rhapsody.


----------



## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Listen to this lovely Liszt


----------



## 96 Keys (Oct 21, 2021)

I love his playing and don't find hi to lack emotion at all. I've seen him in concert numerous times, and he was electrifying for the most part. The first time his recital opened with the Bach-Busoni Chaconne and closed with Alkan's Symphony for Solo Piano. Whew. Most recently was a few months ago and the main even was a staggering Beethoven "Hammerklavier." The only slightly disappointing concert was an at times phoned-in and not especially clean Rach 3. Everyone can can an off-night. I thoroughly enjoy my numerous recordings by him, especially his Alkan, Feinberg, Liszt, and his brand new CPE Bach. I met him once (actually sat by him without realizing it for a few minutes!) at a Jonathan Powell Sorabji concert! He was very pleasant and friendly.


----------



## fluteman (Dec 7, 2015)

chill782002 said:


> I agree with Bulldog. While he's undoubtedly very talented from a technical viewpoint, his playing seems to lack something in terms of emotional interpretation as far as I'm concerned. His Scriabin recordings, for example, don't even come close to those of Sofronitsky, Richter or Horowitz in my opinion. However, maybe I'm being unfair in comparing him to legends like them.


I agree as well. Despite his near superhuman technique, he is not one of my favorites.


----------

