Sergio Fiorentino

Started by Holden, September 26, 2007, 04:05:32 PM

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Holden

An earlier thread on pianists has prompted this one. I have a number of recordings by this pianist and all range from very good to exemplary. Fiorentino had a wide repertoire ranging from Bach upwards. He was especially good with the Romantic composers but whoever he played he always had something interesting to say. Top recordings from him IMO include:

Schumann Fantasy in C Op 17 (both of them)
Chopin sonata in B flat minor
Schubert sonatas and Impromptus
Rachmaninov - complete Preludes
All of his Liszt

Now all the recordings I have are on the APR label and they keep finding more stuff that he's done. Now here's the caveat. Concert Artists/Fidelio also has a considerable respository of SF recordings but as this is the same label that promoted Joyce Hatto, how can I be sure that these really are Fiorentino recordings?

This site gives an indication of the recordings that Fiorentino made during his life. How many are still available is anybody's guess.
Cheers

Holden

Don

Quote from: Holden on September 26, 2007, 04:05:32 PM
Now all the recordings I have are on the APR label and they keep finding more stuff that he's done. Now here's the caveat. Concert Artists/Fidelio also has a considerable respository of SF recordings but as this is the same label that promoted Joyce Hatto, how can I be sure that these really are Fiorentino recordings?


I wouldn't acquire a thing from Concert Artists.  Their website still has the Hatto discs on full display - screw 'em.

m_gigena

Quote from: Don on September 26, 2007, 04:15:05 PM
I wouldn't acquire a thing from Concert Artists.  Their website still has the Hatto discs on full display - screw 'em.

And as I posted in the Con(cert) Artist thread. The Chopin Mazurcas they released as Fiorentino have already been identified as coming from other pianist.

After Fiorentino's death, Concert Artist released many "Fiorentino" treasures, apparently from sources that had been completely ignored during the pianist's lifetime. It seems WBC was fortunate enough to find master tapes and recordings that not even the old Sergio knew he had played.

George

I was just made aware of this Fiorentino website. Well worth checking out:

http://www.fortepianos.org/elumpe/mpegfiles.htm

Mandryka

#4
There are some works which he plays very distinctively: eccentric interpretations no doubt but very committed. His Bach 4th Partita is like that. Also maybe Kreisleriana. And I think Chopin Op 28/2.

Some of the early Fiorentino has failed to make much of an impact on me. So maybe I should listen again to his Symphonic Etudes, for example.

Apart from his Bach , the other album which made a very strong long term impact on me was the one called Contemplative Liszt. Partly this is becaue it's so unusual to have that type of music all together on a single CD like that. It's a very nice CD when you're in the mood -- but I wouldn't like to say how well the performances would bear comaprison with Richter, for example.

Then there is the German concert. 

I just set up a little playlist with the fugue from Op 110 -- Fiorentino's from Germany, Arrau's (EMI) and Edwin Fsicher's. Fiorentino didn't come off well in the comparison I'm afraid, even though it is clearly nicely played. It was flatter than either of Arrau or Fischer -- less dramatic, less interesting in fact.


Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

springrite

Certainly the Bach, Schumann Fantasie and the Franck. I don't like his Chopin as much, and his later recordings are far more to my taste than the "early years" ones.

Much of his recordings released by APR are available at BRO.
Do what I must do, and let what must happen happen.

mc ukrneal

Quote from: springrite on August 15, 2010, 11:55:37 PM
Certainly the Bach, Schumann Fantasie and the Franck. I don't like his Chopin as much, and his later recordings are far more to my taste than the "early years" ones.

Much of his recordings released by APR are available at BRO.
I've picked up a couple of these to much success - a disc of Shcumann and Liszt. Both are excellent.
Be kind to your fellow posters!!

Herman

Quote from: Don on September 26, 2007, 04:15:05 PM
I wouldn't acquire a thing from Concert Artists.  Their website still has the Hatto discs on full display - screw 'em.

I never fell for the Hatto hoax; a sick old lady recording every single paino composer that ever lived? Ya right.

However WBC should be thrown in jail for what he did to Fiorentino's legacy. It was totally unnecessary to release fake recordings of this prolific pianist.

George

Quote from: springrite on August 15, 2010, 11:55:37 PM
Much of his recordings released by APR are available at BRO.

Indeed. And they are well worth grabbing while we can. I got all the ones they had.

Mandryka

I collected together a handful of recordings of Hommages à Rameau recently.

I like this music, so I was curious about how my favourite pianists played it. Who played with  seductive sonorities? Who told a  convincing and logical story? Who was personal?

The playlist was big, including  Moravec, ABM, Richter, Paul Jacobs, Arrau, Rev , Gilels, Fiorentino

I'm still listening really – so far Arrau, Rev and ABM have made the strongest impression – especially Arrau.

And one other – a surprise. That's Sergio Fiorentino. Stunning Debussy playing I think –logical storytelling,  beautiful sounding.

It made me wonder, do any of you know any other Debussy by Fiorentino?  The Hommage I was listening to is from a CD of radio performances mostly – the CD with Kreisleriana and Ravel's Valses. I think the Fiorentino yahoo group once published some of his Debussy – did anyone download it?
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

George

Quote from: Mandryka on August 15, 2010, 11:46:36 PM
Some of the early Fiorentino has failed to make much of an impact on me.

Have you heard this one? Some lovely playing here:

"I can't live without music, because music is life." - Yvonne Lefébure

Mandryka

#11
Quote from: George on August 02, 2011, 07:45:31 PM
Have you heard this one? Some lovely playing here:



Yes and in the past I've enjoyed it. It is relentlessly contemplative. I made that comment about not liking early SF much before I had heard his Chopin etudes and Walzes. I 'm still keen to hear the nocturnes and any Debussy there may be around. I still like his Ravel and Kreisleriana -- though I suspect I am the only one.

It's interesting the way he plays these two nocturnes so differently -- he's clearly really thought about this music. I'm not sure that I like the slow start of Op 48/1 but it takes off in the end.

http://www.youtube.com/v/NSc0Erju62o

I wonder what the people who like Bach here think about his Partita 4. >:D
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Moonfish

What are your thoughts on Fiorentino's later recordings?

[asin] B005WIKRTO[/asin]
"Every time you spend money you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want...."
Anna Lappé

Cosi bel do

Well, I love Fiorentino's recordings no matter how old they are (or he was). It's quite sad really that he kind of only recorded in his youth, during the 60s, and in his old days, at the end of the 90s. But it is a joy in both cases.

These Berlin sessions have two qualities you don't find in the earlier recordings. Fiorentino never played in a virtuosity-only, showy way, but in these later recordings he show a stronger care for very precise and subtle sound control, which recalls at times Michelangeli's work (in Brahms Ballades for instance, a score in which I would have liked to hear the late Fiorentino). The other good point is that the quality of the sound is really great, which is not always the case in most of his first recordings.

In my opinion, even if everything is good in this set, the strongest parts are the Schumann (the Fantasie is among the very best performances, with Richter's in Prague, and Annie Fischer's in London), Liszt's sonata, and also the César Franck. The rest is excellent too (except maybe the two Schubert sonatas but they are still good performances). So, as I saw you just bought it, an excellent purchase, really ;)

Volume 2 of the Piano Classics edition is great too, but be careful, CD 6 is actually the same than the Liszt CD in volume 1, which is not really pleasing.

Holden

Many of these recordings have been previously released by APR. They are uniformly excellent and as Cosi said, this is among the very best performances of the Op 17 Fantasie.
Cheers

Holden

Moonfish

Quote from: Cosi bel do on October 26, 2014, 11:42:10 AM
Well, I love Fiorentino's recordings no matter how old they are (or he was). It's quite sad really that he kind of only recorded in his youth, during the 60s, and in his old days, at the end of the 90s. But it is a joy in both cases.

These Berlin sessions have two qualities you don't find in the earlier recordings. Fiorentino never played in a virtuosity-only, showy way, but in these later recordings he show a stronger care for very precise and subtle sound control, which recalls at times Michelangeli's work (in Brahms Ballades for instance, a score in which I would have liked to hear the late Fiorentino). The other good point is that the quality of the sound is really great, which is not always the case in most of his first recordings.

In my opinion, even if everything is good in this set, the strongest parts are the Schumann (the Fantasie is among the very best performances, with Richter's in Prague, and Annie Fischer's in London), Liszt's sonata, and also the César Franck. The rest is excellent too (except maybe the two Schubert sonatas but they are still good performances). So, as I saw you just bought it, an excellent purchase, really ;)

Volume 2 of the Piano Classics edition is great too, but be careful, CD 6 is actually the same than the Liszt CD in volume 1, which is not really pleasing.

Thanks Cosi! It sounds as if you have been listening to Fiorentino's performances for a while. I figured that the price was right for exploring a pianist unknown to me (especially with the praise on this thread). I am also interested in his early Liszt recordings. Some reviews on Amazon pointed out that they were more slow and contemplative than the usual approach. Do you enjoy his Liszt?
"Every time you spend money you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want...."
Anna Lappé

Moonfish

Quote from: Holden on October 26, 2014, 12:00:32 PM
Many of these recordings have been previously released by APR. They are uniformly excellent and as Cosi said, this is among the very best performances of the Op 17 Fantasie.

I noticed that the APRs are still available at BRO! Looking forward to listening to his Schumann.
"Every time you spend money you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want...."
Anna Lappé

Cosi bel do

Quote from: Moonfish on October 26, 2014, 12:13:57 PM
Thanks Cosi! It sounds as if you have been listening to Fiorentino's performances for a while. I figured that the price was right for exploring a pianist unknown to me (especially with the praise on this thread). I am also interested in his early Liszt recordings. Some reviews on Amazon pointed out that they were more slow and contemplative than the usual approach. Do you enjoy his Liszt?

Yes, since I got this set when it came out I came back to it quite a few times. Before that, I only knew a small part of Fiorentino's recordings.

The late Liszt recordings might be slower than the norm, maybe (as several pieces in this set, but that doesn't make them less impressive). I wouldn't say that about his earlier recordings though, but this might need a precise comparison though (it happens I recently listened to the whole vol. 2). What struck me, above all, ils how this music is really incredibly easily rendered, with a perfect technique and sensitive playing that is never artifical or heavy (not at all like Berman's for instance, even if I personally like Berman's Liszt). Again, the comparison with Michelangeli's best recordings comes to mind, even if Liszt wasn't a favourite composer of ABM.

Anyway, good Liszt solo piano recordings are not very many (except in the sonata), so in any case one should not deprive himself of these...

Mandryka

#18
Quote from: Moonfish on October 26, 2014, 09:54:32 AM
What are your thoughts on Fiorentino's later recordings?

[asin] B005WIKRTO[/asin]

The Fantasy is very good. I'm also very fond of the  Chopin sonata 2. The Bach Partita 4 is sui generis - you'll either love it or loathe it. I remember the Schubert was excellent but it's never won a place in my heart - perhaps I'm not doing it justice. I have a better Chopin sonata 3 by him.

The thing that interests me most is the Debussy on CD 10. I haven't heard the Debussy in that box, but I have heard him play Images and I loved it. Unfortunately there's no way to get the Debussy without buying the box, which I'm not going to do.

About the Prokofiev,  Rachmaninov, Scriabin, Franck and Liszt, I know nothing.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Cosi bel do

Quote from: Mandryka on October 26, 2014, 12:48:12 PM
The Fantasy is very good. I'm also very fond of the  Chopin sonata 2. The Bach Partita 4 is sui generis - you'll either love it or loathe it. I remember the Schubert was excellent but it's never won a place in my heart - perhaps I'm not doing it justice. I have a better Chopin sonata 3 by him.
The Chopin sonata in this set is no. 3. I don't think I've heard about a sonata no. 2 by him ? Do you have any more information ?