Hot New Pianists

[Todd]

Over the last month or so, I've been busily listening, re-listening, and re-listening yet again to all three solo discs by Herbert Schuch.  I already covered the Schumann / Ravel disc in greater detail, and further hearings have cemented it as one of the best discs of the year for me.  His other two discs are pretty much as good.  

The disc of two Schubert sonatas and music by Helmut Lachenmann has one of the best recordings of the great G Major sonata I've heard.  Schuch takes the opening movement slowly, yet there's a nervous energy and intensity that makes it seem to move along quickly.  Apparently he worked with Alfred Brendel a bit on his approach to Schubert, and there's a certain analytical feel to some of the playing, but it's married to a tonal refinement and dynamic shading that the older pianist could never match.  Start to finish it is nearly mesmerizing.  The D537 is also superb, but here his approach is just perhaps a little too serious, a little too heavy.  It's nonetheless superb stuff.  The two works by Lachenmann are not quite as good.  The Five Variations on a theme by Schubert makes for a okay if perhaps somewhat forgettable listen, but Schuch's playing makes me wonder how he would fare in Schoenberg.  Incredibly, I think.  Guero isn't even music, with Schuch strumming the piano strings.  It shouldn't have been included to mar the disc.  Still, the Schubert is amazingly good.

His newest disc is themed, focusing on "night" music.  Generally, I'm not into themed discs, and this doesn't make me change my mind, but the individual works are more than worth hearing.  Schumann's Op 23 Nachtstücke starts off the disc, and once again Schuch displays an affinity for the composer's music, with tonal and dynamic flexibility that suits the pieces perfectly.  Heinz Holliger's Elis – Drei Nachtstücke is another modernist piece that once again makes me want to hear Schuch play some Schoenberg.  Fortunately, the music is better than Lachenmann's.  Next up is Scriabin's 9th Sonata, and here there's much to admire.  Large dynamic swings; gorgeous, almost infinitely variegated tone; ample intensity: this is an extremely fine recording.  I still ultimately prefer the near frenzy of John Ogdon, but I welcome this take with open arms, or ears.  Next is Gaspard de la nuit, and it's another blockbuster reading.  Schuch displays absolute keyboard command, but he never plays in an empty, flashy manner.  Everything sounds easy.  His fast playing is effortless and clear.  His slow playing in Le Gibet, is beautiful and haunting.  And his Scarbo is a tour de force of pianism.  Pogorelich is possibly still my favorite version here, but who knows if that will last.  The disc closes with Mozart's KV 540 Adagio, and Schuch turns out to be a fine Mozartian, though of a more vigorous sort.  

It's a rare pianist whose first three recordings are all of this level, at least in my listening experience.  I can only hope that he continues to record at this level, and that he performs locally.  I've got to hear this guy in recital.  

(And Oehms seems to find good pianists: the company also records Michael Endres, he of the great Mozart and Weber and Schubert, though recordings of this last composer were for Capriccio.  Perhaps it's time I investigate Micheal Korstick's Beethoven.)

[bhodges]

Todd, just last week I heard (and watched) Schuch playing the Beethoven Choral Fantasy with John Nelson and the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, from the Festival de Saint-Denis.  You can watch it here.  I thought he was superb (with the caveat that I haven't heard that many performances of this piece). 

--Bruce

[Wanderer]

Todd, thanks for the detailed account on Schuch. I recently got his Schumann/Ravel and Nachtstücke recital discs and was impressed by his effortless, nuanced and powerful pianism, especially in Kreisleriana and Ondine. I guess I ought to investigate the Schubert/Lachenmann issue at some point, too.

[MishaK]

Decide for yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcGdy4Whtrc
My first impression is: so-so.

I'd have to second that. I heard Yuja Wang live here in Chicago with Dutoit last year and was not terribly impressed. She played the Prokofiev 2nd. It's not that she has nothing to say musically, it's just that it is very piano-centered, if you understand what I mean. She treats the music mostly as a showcase for her technical abilities and doesn't interact with the orchestra to produce a whole "Gesamtkunstwerk". I don't hear dialogue, I don't hear the piano sing and create voices and colors other than that of the piano. She doesn't seem to reflect on the music as music, outside of the technical challenges of the piano. She isn't a sonority magician at the keyboard. Not yet at least. She has the technique and the musical understanding, but at her current stage, to me, she doesn't say much that others haven't said better or more convincingly (and sometimes those others didn't even need such prodigious technical skills to do so).

Last season I also heard Trpčeski - Tchaikovsky 1 with Morlot. Again, a lot of potential, but not quite there yet. Again, massive technical skill, but a lack of readiness to drop his protective psychological shield and share with us who he really is deep inside. There is a certain nonchalance to his playing that glosses over the real 'meat' in the works he plays. He never really takes us to the abyss and never risks much interpretively. Once again, a lot of potential but not yet realized.

I also have to defend the much maligned Bang Bang a little. He played Chopin 1 here two and a half years ago with Frühbeck the Burgos and it was quite different from what I had seen and heard him do in the past. The histrionics were gone. He was composed and concentrated at the piano with no bizarre gestures (that now seems to be the exclusive domain of Fazil Say). There was introspection, a genuine interaction with the orchestra and some uncanny control of dynamics and colors. It was unconventional and very much his own interpretation and not always coherent, but not at all uninteresting or unmusical. Yes, he's overmarketed to a sickening degree, but give the guy some space and don't beat him up all the time and he might turn out quite decently. He's coming to Ravinia to play Prokofiev in a week. I wasn't planning on going, but Symphonie fantastique is the remainder of the program and I can never refuse that work (Eschenbach conducts). I'll report on how he does this time.

Speaking of Ravinia and 'hot new pianists", this upcoming program caught my attention:

First Concertos of Russian Masters
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
8:00 PM

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
James Conlon, Conductor
Lise de la Salle, Piano
Olga Kern, Piano
Joyce Yang, Piano
Chris Martin, Trumpet

Shostakovich:   Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 35
Prokofiev:         Piano Concerto No. 1 in D-flat Major, Op. 10
Rachmaninoff:   Piano Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp Minor, Op. 1

Should be an interesting opportunity to hear three young pianists in one evening. Has anyone ever heard any of the three?

[Joe_Campbell]

What a great write up, OM! It's interesting to hear your thoughts about her, since I've never heard her perform live.

As for the upcoming concert, I've heard of Olga Kern. Her story is quite inspiring, actually, and you can follow it through some great competition videos on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8KKn9Is1Wk

It looks like at least one of the other pianists is a van cliburn finalist as well.

I have a recording of Olga playing Brahm's Paganini etudes, but I haven't listened to it in a while. You've prompted me to remedy this, though!

[Air]

This is a wonderful find, such passion and insight in the Schumann fantasia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpvZ1l2CfTY

Ms. Buniatishvili truly has such underrated talent, if she ever releases a CD you know that I'll be the first to buy one.  One of the best fantasia's i've ever heard, up there with Richter's.

[Herman]

I like that performance of the Schumann Fantaisie, too. I watched the vid yesterday for the umpteenth time. No doubt it helps she looks like she's really into it.

[Air]

I like that performance of the Schumann Fantaisie, too. I watched the vid yesterday for the umpteenth time. No doubt it helps she looks like she's really into it.

... It actually helps me in competitions to look "really in to it", judges really fall for the prodigy looking facial expressions fast.

No doubt Ms. Buniatishvili is sincere though, she's definitely not the female Lang Lang, THAT would be Uchida. (though I personally love her)

[Dancing Divertimentian]

This is a wonderful find, such passion and insight in the Schumann fantasia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpvZ1l2CfTY

Ms. Buniatishvili truly has such underrated talent, if she ever releases a CD you know that I'll be the first to buy one.  One of the best fantasia's i've ever heard, up there with Richter's.

Yes, she certainly has Schumann in her blood! Thanks for the link, George!

[Air]

Yes, she certainly has Schumann in her blood! Thanks for the link, George!

As far as I'm aware, my name's not George, but your welcome anyways!

For those who are curious, she didn't win the competition, she finished 3rd. 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

As far as I'm aware, my name's not George, but your welcome anyways!

For those who are curious, she didn't win the competition, she finished 3rd. 

Hoot!! It's the avatar that threw me! Our man George used to use this very pic for his avatar and frequently uses some variation of a Richter pic. Thought it was him. Sorry.

[Aeolian harp]

Been watching the recorded BBC television coverage of the recent Leeds final. They are showing them Miss World style, in reverse placing order.

Can't say any of them have impressed me so far. The 6th placed finalist's Emperor was a bit of a disaster from the opening. The Rach 2 was pedestrian & uninspiring. Kadouch in 4th with his Emperor was mannered, & despite Ortiz's praises, I didn't particularly like it.

[MN Dave]

Anyone exciting and new, piano peoples?

[Todd]

Anyone exciting and new, piano peoples?

Kateryna Titova.  Nice playing, easy on the eyes.  (I'm not a big Rach fan; Rach devotees may dislike her.)

[MN Dave]

Wishlisted! Thanks.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

A youngster not deserving his obscurity, Wojciech Kocyan:





His trademark: wonderfully big technique without steamrolling over important subtleties. His big, colorful tone is captured perfectly by Dux's roomy yet crystal clear sonics. (Haven't heard any other disc by him, though).

[MN Dave]

Wishlisted! Thanks.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

A youngster not deserving his obscurity, Wojciech Kocyan:

Though I should point out that not every musician DESIRES the jet-set lifestyle.

[MN Dave]

Though I should point out that not every musician DESIRES the jet-set lifestyle.

Amen.  0:)

[Brian]

If you go to Naxos Music Library > Labels > The Cliburn, you can listen to every performance from the 2009 and 2013 Van Cliburn Piano Competitions.

Right now I'm going through the 2013 first place winner, Vadym Kholodenko. Here's what I'm hearing him play in the two preliminary rounds:

Adams - China Gates
Bach/Siloti - Prelude in E minor
Beethoven - Sonata No. 30
Stravinsky - Three Mvts. from Petrushka

The Beethoven's just started. The Bach/Siloti prelude was exquisite.