I have decided finally get some of this pianists work and see what I have been missing. I have the Brilliant Classics box on the way and have borrowed a Rachmaninoff Vista Vera CD, a Scriabin Sonatas CD on Classound and the Urania LvB/Schubert 2CD set.
Here's a link to old Sofronitsky thread on the old forum (http://www.good-music-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,458.0.html)
Here's a link to an old discussion of the Brilliant set (and others) from this forum (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,6939.0.html) Perhaps when Drasko returns we can merge the two threads?
How about you? What do you think are the essential Sofronitsky CDs? :)
I've yet to be convinced that Sofronitsky is the real deal. Richter, who called him a God, is a far better pianist IMHO.
Quote from: Mandryka on March 13, 2009, 10:29:19 PM
This is my favourite.
I very much like his Beethoven and Schumann on this disc.
The Liszt/Schubert song transcription is very highly thought of and it's certainly worth hearing. But for my taste it's a bit too full of cloying expressivo. If you like it there's a CD with lots of them on Vista Vera. Someone's uploaded it on youtube if you want to check it out.
This is all referring to the CD in the attachment, right?
Quote
I'm not sure what to think of his Chopin Mazurkas. I know that the cognescenti rave about them, lauding his rhythmic sense etc.
But me -- I prefer others, to be honest. Michelangeli and Jonas for example. Pianists with a lighter touch.
I am sure that I will get shot down for saying this (but what the hell.) For me the Mazurkas don't have the right poetry. The right zal.
I look forward to hearing his Mazurkas when my Brilliant Box arrives. Those are works that I only enjoy with certain pianists, so it will be great to discover another pianist whose Mazurkas I enjoy.
Quote from: Holden on March 13, 2009, 11:22:32 PM
I've yet to be convinced that Sofronitsky is the real deal. Richter, who called him a God, is a far better pianist IMHO.
My initial impressions of the pianist were along these lines, but then my initial impressions of Richter (you might recall) were very much the same. For this reason, I have decided to listen to a lot more of this pianist's performances. Of those that Sofronitsky recorded, I hope to try as many different composers as possible.
Though his roster cannot be compared to that of Richter, I hold Sofronitsky with a higher esteem. Perhaps because he mostly recorded composers that I listen to a lot.
With Scriabin, he is incomparable IMO. His Schumann (particularly his Schumann recital CD), and Chopin (the mazurkas and nocturnes he recorded) are generally my close to top choices. You also have to hear what he has done with the Liszt-Schubert song transcriptions in that Brilliant Box set :o
The only less-than-stellar performance I've heard from him was his Chopin preludes which lack inspiration and are even dull sometimes.
Quote from: George on March 14, 2009, 04:24:44 AM
This is all referring to the CD in the attachment, right?
I look forward to hearing his Mazurkas when my Brilliant Box arrives. Those are works that I only enjoy with certain pianists, so it will be great to discover another pianist whose Mazurkas I enjoy.
Yep
I hope you enjoy his Mazurkas. I'm sure you know Michelangeli (I love the way the performances seem to pear them down to their essentials), and if you don't know Jonas PM me. If you're not allergic to historical sound then she is very special.
Maybe I've heard the wrong performances. Yes, I thought his Scriabin was brilliant but I will definitely pass on his Beethoven and his Chopin.
I've heard this this
(http://www.russiandvd.com/store/assets/product_images/imgs/front/31309.jpg) (http://www.russiandvd.com/store/assets/product_images/imgs/front/31290.jpg)
and this
(http://www.russiandvd.com/store/assets/product_images/imgs/front/46348.jpg)
None of the three made any real impression, including Carnaval, Schubert D960 and the Rachmaninov. OK, maybe one listening isn't enough but I can usually pick up on a pianist on first hearing.
Quote from: Holden on March 13, 2009, 11:22:32 PM
I've yet to be convinced that Sofronitsky is the real deal. Richter, who called him a God, is a far better pianist IMHO.
Of the two, I'd definitely take Sofronitsky. In fact, I consider him my favorite pianist of the 20th century.
Quote from: Holden on March 14, 2009, 02:09:52 PM
Maybe I've heard the wrong performances. Yes, I thought his Scriabin was brilliant but I will definitely pass on his Beethoven and his Chopin.
For me, Sofronitsky and Scriabin are a match made in heaven. And no, it has nothing to do with Sofronitsky being Scriabin's son-in-law.
Quote from: Bulldog on March 14, 2009, 02:37:19 PM
For me, Sofronitsky and Scriabin are a match made in heaven. And no, it has nothing to do with Sofronitsky being Scriabin's son-in-law.
I hate to be the one to bring this up but Sofronitsky was never Scriabin's "son-in-law". Scriabin died when Sofronitsky was fourteen.
This is one of those strange campfire tales that's been repeated so often it has become legend. But it's untrue.
Yes, Sofronitsky eventually married Scriabin's eldest daughter but by then Scriabin had been dead four or five years. I suppose Sofronitsky could be said to be linked to Scriabin posthumously but since the two never met how far could that really get him? It certainly didn't give him "mythical" inroads into Scriabin's aesthetic. How could it?
Anyway, for me Sofronitsky is fine in Scriabin but by no means the last word. Perhaps when there was less competition on disc Sofronitsky could hold court as "the" Scriabin specialist but for my money there are plenty of latter-day pianists who seriously challenge and even trump Sofronitsky's so-called "hegemony" in this repertoire: Kocyan, Gavrilov, Csalog, Pizarro, Richter, even Ashkenazy.
I love Sofronitsky's Copin, and certainly prefer him to Michelangeli, who tends to project the pale, effeminate Chopin. And I prefer Sofronitsky's Chopin to Richter's too.
I like his Schumann and his Scriabin, too.
Quote from: Holden on March 14, 2009, 02:09:52 PM
Maybe I've heard the wrong performances. Yes, I thought his Scriabin was brilliant but I will definitely pass on his Beethoven and his Chopin.
I've heard this this
None of the three made any real impression, including Carnaval, Schubert D960 and the Rachmaninov. OK, maybe one listening isn't enough but I can usually pick up on a pianist on first hearing.
Recently I acquired a Beethoven / Sofronitsky CD. I never heard anything so contrieved and mannered. Quite unremarcable.
Quote from: Herman on March 15, 2009, 07:22:18 AM
I love Sofronitsky's Copin, and certainly prefer him to Michelangeli, who tends to project the pale, effeminate Chopin.
Interesting; I never thought of Michelangeli's Chopin as "effeminate."
Quote from: aquariuswb on March 15, 2009, 08:58:18 AM
Interesting; I never thought of Michelangeli's Chopin as "effeminate."
Webster's defination of effeminacy is:
2 : marked by an unbecoming delicacy or overrefinement
Macho may be a good word for Sofronitsky's way with Chopin. Hairy chested. Chopin with a big bazonga.
More seriously, to my mind Michelangeli's way with the Second Sonata and the late Prelude (opus 40something), for example, are amongst the greatest things on record.
Even now, just thinking about it, I marvel at the tones he produces for the second subject of the funeral march, and the rhythms in the final movement. And the intensity.
Refined certainly. Delicate -- I don't think that's the best way of describling it because his Chopin is not weak and feable. It's strong and beautiful.
And certainly not unbecoming or overrefined.
Quote from: Mandryka on March 15, 2009, 10:17:09 AM
I have a friend who says he can tell the difference between male and female pianists just by the way they play. But that's bull surely!
The only way to resolve the matter is to put your friend to the test. If he passes, then it's not bull.
Quote from: Bulldog on March 15, 2009, 10:20:33 AM
The only way to resolve the matter is to put your friend to the test. If he passes, then it's not bull.
I deleted that post and replaced it because I thought it wasn't helpful.
The reference was to a friend who thought he could tell the sex of a pianist just by listening.
And I have tested him. And he gets it right 50% of the time.
Quote from: Mandryka on March 15, 2009, 10:17:09 AM
Webster's defination of effeminacy is:
2 : marked by an unbecoming delicacy or overrefinement
Macho may be a good word for Sofronitsky's way with Chopin. Hairy chested. Chopin with a big bazonga.
Macho Chopin? Isn't that an oxymoron?
Quote from: Mandryka on March 15, 2009, 10:17:09 AM
Webster's defination of effeminacy is:
2 : marked by an unbecoming delicacy or overrefinement
Macho may be a good word for Sofronitsky's way with Chopin. Hairy chested. Chopin with a big bazonga.
:D
I
would describe Michelangeli's Chopin as "refined," though neither
overly nor
unbecomingly so; delicate? no!
Quote from: premont on March 15, 2009, 07:56:20 AM
Recently I acquired a Beethoven / Sofronitsky CD. I never heard anything so contrieved and mannered. Quite unremarcable.
Really.
I like his Andante Favouri (on Russian Disc) and I was wondering whether to buy more of his Beethoven.
Did your record include the Andante Favouri?
Quote from: premont on March 15, 2009, 07:56:20 AM
Recently I acquired a Beethoven / Sofronitsky CD. I never heard anything so contrieved and mannered. Quite unremarcable.
Never heard anything so...? Aren't you the guy with about 50 sets of Beethoven sonatas, most of which are by second-rate (or beyond) pianists? Give me a break. Sofronitsky's Beethoven might not be to one's taste or even very good, but neither is this comment.
Vista Vera seems to have released most of the Denon Sofronitsky sets (many of which are still available from Japan).
Quote from: donwyn on March 14, 2009, 08:28:39 PM
I hate to be the one to bring this up but Sofronitsky was never Scriabin's "son-in-law". Scriabin died when Sofronitsky was fourteen.
This is one of those strange campfire tales that's been repeated so often it has become legend. But it's untrue.
Yes, Sofronitsky eventually married Scriabin's eldest daughter but by then Scriabin had been dead four or five years. I suppose Sofronitsky could be said to be linked to Scriabin posthumously but since the two never met how far could that really get him? It certainly didn't give him "mythical" inroads into Scriabin's aesthetic. How could it?
Anyway, for me Sofronitsky is fine in Scriabin but by no means the last word. Perhaps when there was less competition on disc Sofronitsky could hold court as "the" Scriabin specialist but for my money there are plenty of latter-day pianists who seriously challenge and even trump Sofronitsky's so-called "hegemony" in this repertoire: Kocyan, Gavrilov, Csalog, Pizarro, Richter, even Ashkenazy.
Technically he was still the son-in-law though, which is what I think Mr Dog meant. I think it was in the GPOC set where they told the story of Sofronitsky's parents not allowing him to go to a Scriabin recital because he was sick on the night, and that apparently was his last chance (not that anyone knew at the time of course). By the way, Kocyan, Csalog, who are they? Hungarian pianists?
I watched the film The Pianist last night and for whatever reason I grabbed some Sofronitsky straight after. Not sure why, but hearing him play some of the Mazurkas just felt so right....
His recordings of Chopin, Scriabin and Schumann are some of the treasures of my CD collection. Love 'em! (Not to mention the Liszt, Schubert...)
Quote from: Mandryka on March 15, 2009, 10:38:41 AM
Did your record include the Andante Favouri?
No, only Sonatas. It is some years ago, as far as I recall none of the named or popular ones.
Quote from: ezodisy on March 15, 2009, 11:47:59 AM
Technically he was still the son-in-law though, which is what I think Mr Dog meant.
Agreed, there's no denying the technicalities of the situation. But sadly this technicality has been used to cloud the REALITY of the situation. Which is: there is no link between Scriabin and Sofronitsky. The two never met, Sofronitsky never studied with Scriabin, and Sofronitsky never heard his "father-in-law" play.
By the time Sofronitsky married Elena papa Scriabin had been dead for years.
Which means the industry that's been erected around Sofronitsky as
"Scriabin's son-in-law and therefore endowed with special insight into the composer" has no real grounding. :-\
I admit it's fun to romanticize about it all but it's important to keep things in perspective.
QuoteI think it was in the GPOC set where they told the story of Sofronitsky's parents not allowing him to go to a Scriabin recital because he was sick on the night, and that apparently was his last chance (not that anyone knew at the time of course).
I've heard that story somewhere too.
QuoteBy the way, Kocyan, Csalog, who are they? Hungarian pianists?
Kocyan is Polish and Csalog is Hungarian:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41QTIKY2gHL._SS500_.jpg)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41NKTW6HS0L._SS500_.jpg)
I bought a bunch of the Vista Vera disks in Russia a couple years ago. Yes, his Scriabin is something special, and his Chopin is nice. But I really don't like the Rachmaninoff at all, and while the Beethoven OP. 111 shows some flashes of brilliance, overall I think it is quite uneven. It actually sounds as if he's getting tired halfway through it (not that anyone can blame him with all those pages of trills in both hands). He's another brilliant guy who hated to record, and was probably better live.
While Sofronitsky's Scriabin is legendary, I was just listened to the newly acquired Schumann recording and it's remarkable, and for me even better than the Scriabin! I listened to it three times in a row. Incredible stuff!
His Beethoven hasn't convinced me, but it is certainly not boring or unremarkable. In fact, maybe it is the fact that it is too much the opposite that left me somewhat uneasy. But I will listen to them again and see how I feel after a few listenings with some time lapse.
Quote from: donwyn on March 15, 2009, 05:30:52 PM
(http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/7bf9c8822580314ee600b69694ce424e/1451150.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41NKTW6HS0L._SS500_.jpg)
that looks interesting. The preludes & poems are my favourite Scriabin pieces so I'll watch out for that disc
For me, Sofronitski is the best Scriabin pianist ever. There is an all-Scriabin recital from 1960 at the Moscow Conservatory, which I believe is included on the Brilliant set, which is the summit of Scriabin playing as far as I am concerned. The problem always is the recording quality. BTW, the Volodos performance of Scriabin's 10th sonata live in a disc from a few years ago is brilliant.
Quote from: cosmicj on May 29, 2010, 11:23:38 AM
For me, Sofronitski is the best Scriabin pianist ever. There is an all-Scriabin recital from 1960 at the Moscow Conservatory, which I believe is included on the Brilliant set, which is the summit of Scriabin playing as far as I am concerned. The problem always is the recording quality. BTW, the Volodos performance of Scriabin's 10th sonata live in a disc from a few years ago is brilliant.
The other problem is in the incredibly lousy instruments VS was playing on.
Agree with both Herman & cosmicj. Yes - the 1960 recital is on the Brilliant box. At least, there is much Scriabin from 1/1960 on the first 2 discs. But recording dates for Sofronitsky seem to be rather uncertain - he's not had the attention of an Ates Tanin resolving the conflicts. And it's a shame the instrument and the recording aren't better, and that by this time he was a very sick man.
The pity of it is that, as far as I know, we have no recordings which fully do justice to his gifts. This 2-disc compilation on Urania gives some idea of just how good he was in his prime, and it contains some unusual and interesting works:
http://www.discogs.com/Vladimir-Sofronitsky-Liadov-Medtner-Scriabin-Prokofiev-Borodin-Debussy-Goltz-Glazunov-Liszt-Chopin-R/release/1448495
I've only two versions of the Schubert/Liszt Litanei S562 - Sofronitsky from (supposedly) October 1960 and Leslie Howard from 1994. Howard plays it with wooden ears. Tho I see some criticism of Sofronitsky's above for sentimentality, I'd disagree. Understated, bitter-sweet and thoroughly beautiful.
And as far as modern Scriabinists go, Kocyan and Csalog are both very fine, and these two I think quite outstanding in a field with no shortage of players (Hamelin, Piers Lane, Eric Le Van, Pascal Amoyel and others):
http://www.discogs.com/Scriabin-Yevgeny-Sudbin-Yevgeny-Sudbin-Plays-Scriabin/release/1429826
http://www.discogs.com/Alexander-Melnikov-Scriabine-Oeuvres-Pour-Piano/release/1399857
Quote from: k-k-k-kenny on May 29, 2010, 09:50:35 PM
The pity of it is that, as far as I know, we have no recordings which fully do justice to his gifts.
It certainly is true that some of his best performances are marred by bad sound -- like the Schumann Fantasie and Appassionata from the Moscow Conservatory.
On the other hand there are some pretty fantastic recordings, in pretty good sound, on pretty good instruments. I'm thinking of the Tokyo Chopin recital discs on Denon; all three Russian Piano School CDs; the Beethoven sonata recordings Arlecchino; the Symphonic Etudes , Chopin, Schubert and Schubert/Liszt on Classound.
These include some of his very finest performances -- the 1960 Chopin Op. 20 scherzo and Mazurkas; the 1949 Chopin Barcarolle, and Nocturnes Op 27/1 and Op 48/1; the 1953 Beethoven Pastoral Sonata; the 1960 Schubert Impromptu D899/4; the 1946 Prokofiev Op.31 (Grandmother's Tales.)
And sometimes, even though the sound is a bit soviet, you can hear exactly what he's doing. And the interpretation is so extraordinary that it's worth the trouble. Example -- the 1952 Beethoven Op. 57.
But maybe you were just thinking of Scriabin!?
Some I have, but not any of the Denon or Arlecchino - I shall keep a look out for them. True, as you say, that a on good number of these you can tell what he's doing. And what he's doing is superb. I still wish we had something of the sound quality obtained for the best of his compatriots - though much of Richter, Gilels, Nikolayeva is of iffy quality, too.
Quote from: k-k-k-kenny on May 30, 2010, 06:13:02 PM
Some I have, but not any of the Denon or Arlecchino - I shall keep a look out for them. True, as you say, that a on good number of these you can tell what he's doing. And what he's doing is superb. I still wish we had something of the sound quality obtained for the best of his compatriots - though much of Richter, Gilels, Nikolayeva is of iffy quality, too.
Yes. Both the Denon Tokyo Celebration concerts and the Arlecchino Beethoven are worth having.
Part of the problem is that he avoided the studio until, for health reasons, he could no longer give live concerts.
In the last couple of years of his life he gave quite a large number of studio recitals which were well recorded by Melodiya. I would say that some of them are up to the standard that Gilels & Co. got from Melodiya. (Some of the recordings on Russian Piano school, for example)
These late studio recordings are really interesting, partly because he had announced that his idea of how to play Chopin's music had changed. He said he wanted to be "more simple, more free, more severe"
In a way these later concerts – which are all in pretty good sound – are a summit. They certainly are relatively austere, and, to my ears, they are often tragic and intense readings.
Still, the earlier recordings, bad sound and all, show another, more lively side.
Many of these earlier concert recordings are compromised by poor source materials. But the worst of it is Vista Vera's stupid transfer policy. They cut out higher frequencies, thus producing a highly violated and unnatural piano sound. My advice is that for Sofronitsky, avoid Vista Vera if you can.
Quote from: Mandryka on May 31, 2010, 01:03:46 AM
Denon Tokyo Celebration concerts
What does
Tokyo Celebration concerts mean?
QuoteMy advice is that for Sofronitsky, avoid Vista Vera if you can.
But you can't. They've released recently two volumes of Scriabin Museum recitals which include some stuff previously not existing in Sofronitsky's dicography - incandescent Chopin 1st Ballade and disappointing 4th, for instance. Sound is fair to poor.
Quote from: Drasko on May 31, 2010, 12:07:44 PM
What does Tokyo Celebration concerts mean?
I believe the two 1949 concerts on Denon (25 Nov and 20 Oct) were part of a festival celebrating the 100th anniversary of Chopin's death. Quite why I believe this I don't know – but I have definitely read it somewhere!
Quote from: Drasko on May 31, 2010, 12:07:44 PM
But you can't. They've released recently two volumes of Scriabin Museum recitals which include some stuff previously not existing in Sofronitsky's dicography - incandescent Chopin 1st Ballade and disappointing 4th, for instance. Sound is fair to poor.
Here's another reason
http://vistavera.com/index.php?productID=1613
In fact I haven't heard Volume 1 (I will do.) I have Vol 2 which I listen to a bit at a time (Very good Liszt there I think.)
Quote from: Mandryka on May 31, 2010, 12:53:03 PM
I believe the two 1949 concerts on Denon (25 Nov and 20 Oct) were part of a festival celebrating the 100th anniversary of Chopin's death.
I believe they were. You got me cofused with Tokyo bit.
QuoteHere's another reason
http://vistavera.com/index.php?productID=1613
Aha, so the third volume is out as well. I've got only the first one this far.
I quite enjoy Sofronitzky as a pianist. Just listened to
Chopin: Nocturnes
Beethoven: PS 28
Mendelssohn: Variations
from this great BC set
[asin] B001716JRE[/asin]
Quote from: Moonfish on May 27, 2014, 02:35:39 PM
I quite enjoy Sofronitzky as a pianist. Just listened to
Chopin: Nocturnes
Beethoven: PS 28
Mendelssohn: Variations
from this great BC set
[asin] B001716JRE[/asin]
I need to revisit this set. I heard it once when I got it and wasn't terribly impressed.
.
[asin] B001716JRE[/asin]
Revisiting this set and really enjoying it. So far, through about one and a half CDs of Scriabin. I could really do without the noise reduction used, but the performances are shining through.
What are the essential CDs by this pianist?
^
Wow, many thanks for that!!!
Quote from: Scherzian on February 21, 2015, 04:29:49 PM
10) some people think that the Philips 456 970-2 2-CDs set dedicated to Sofronitsky in their Great Pianist of the XXth Century series is way too bass-friendly, but I think it's very good; at least, there's no filtering in the higher end of the audio spectrum. The Scriabin disc contains pieces that, for the most part, have already been mentioned above....
Same performances or just works?
Don't forget, George, that Don Rice did some transfers a couple of years ago. One of them makes the 1951 Schuman fantasie a little more listenable.
One thing that I thought was interesting, I'm not sure if you have it, is the Chopin op 45 prelude. Another one you may like is the Prokofiev and Shostakovich recital from the Scriabin Museum. The Prokofiev sonata (7) has impressed me more each time I listen to it.
Thanks again!!
Quote from: Scherzian on February 21, 2015, 04:29:49 PM
12) the quite recent Melodiya release, a 2-CDs set with cat. No. MEL CD 10 02237, is again excellent, really among the best Sofronitsky reissues I've heard on CD. The second CD on this set is all-Scriabin; it contains some recordings that have never been available on CD elsewhere, but its last part contains (excellent) excerpts from the January 8/February 2, 1960 all-Scriabin recitals that have already been addressed above. The first CD in Melodiya MEL CD 10 02237 is devoted to a part of the above-mentioned January and February, 1960 Chopin studio sessions. But it also contains the complete studio session made on December 11, 1960---the last time Sofronitsky recorded in a studio: Scriabin's Sonata No.2, op.19 (first movement only), Schubert/Liszt's Litanei, and Liszt's Sposalizio; these are miraculous recordings. (The Schubert/Liszt and the Liszt are published here for the first time on CD, AFAIK.) Melodiya has made an extraordinarily good work here.
The above Melodiya set just arrived. At first, I thought that this CD was now redundant:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51LaPKqF7ZL.jpg)
But, after looking at the track listing, the above CD has the Op. 27 Nocturnes, the 4th Impromptu and the Barcarolle - none of which appear on the Melodiya set. And as you stated, the Liszt on the Melodiya is published for the first time, making both sets necessary for completeists. Not that we have any of those here, of course.... ;)
Like I said, we don't have any completists here.... ;)
Quote from: Scherzian on February 22, 2015, 03:08:13 PM
Philips 456 970-2 contains the following pieces by Scriabin (among `competing' reissues, I only mention those CDs that have already been listed above: in most cases, there do exist quite a few other editions of those same performances, but usually they are not, IMO, as satisfying as the Philips reissue from the engineering point of view):
1&2) Dances, op.73 No.1 and No.2, from a studio recording on January 6, 1959. Both performances are also available on Melodiya MEL CD 02237 (the most recent Sofronitsky set from Melodiya).
3&4) Poems, op.32 No.1 and No.2, from a studio recording on October 31, 1958. None of those performances is on any of the CDs listed above.
5) Poem, op.72 (Vers la flamme), from the studio recording on January 6, 1959. This performance is also available on Diapason DIAP058 and on Melodiya MEL CD 02237.
6) Prelude, op.11 No.16, from a studio recording on October 31, 1958. This performance isn't on any of the CDs listed above.
7) Prelude, op.35 No.2, from a studio recording on October 31, 1958. Again, this performance isn't available on any of the CDs listed above.
8] Prelude, op.37 No.1, from a studio recording on October 31, 1958. Ditto.
9) First movement only of the Second Sonata, op.19 (`Sonata-Fantasy'), from a studio recording on December 11, 1960 (the last studio session). This performance is also available on Brilliant Classics BRIL 8975 (first CD) and on Melodiya MEL CD 02237.
10) Third Sonata, op.23, from a studio recording on September 12, 1958. This performance is also available on Diapason DIAP058 (it's a major recording).
11) Fourth Sonata, op.30, from the live performance on May 13, 1960. This performance is also available on Le Chant du monde LDC 278764, on Melodiya MEL CD 10 00747, and on Vista Vera VVCD-00014. (It's the only live performance that appears on Philips 456 970-2.)
12) Ninth Sonata, op.68, from a studio recording on September 12, 1958. This perfomance is also available on Diapason DIAP058.
Have you (or anyone else here) heard this set:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71ZQef7-M5L._SL600_.jpg)(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/713W9GZqchL._SL600_.jpg)
Thanks, Scherzian!
Does anyone have this more recent release by Melodiya? If so how are the performances/sound quality? It has the Jan 8/Feb 2 1960 Scriabin set as well, which I have on an inferior sounding release so I would like to upgrade this in sound quality. Thanks
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61KDTsFZ4LL.jpg)
Quote from: Scherzian on November 25, 2017, 06:35:45 AM
I have this box-set. For the most part, it contains the complete May 13, 1960 (Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Rachmaninov and Scriabin), and November 18, 1959 (all-Schumann) recitals. It also contains excerpts from the January 8/February 2, 1960 (all-Scriabin), November 26, 1951 (Debussy, Liszt, Liadov, Mozart and Prokofiev), June 11, 1955 (Prokofiev and Chostakovich at the Scriabin Museum), and June 8, 1958 (all-Scriabin) recitals. Then there's Andrei Konchalovsky documentary (without any Sofronitsky footage, of course). The documentary deals much more on musical and pianistic questions than on biographical data--something I personally find refreshing.
The choice of performances is superb throughout, IMO; but the excerpts from some recitals may also be frustrating, I suppose, depending on what you already have elsewhere. The sound quality is very good--probably as good as it can be, taking into account the vintage and sometimes difficult recording conditions. I'd say it's at least on the level of the Denon series. Some friends of mine claim that this recent Melodiya set is even better, sound-wise, than the corresponding Denon CDs, but I'm not sure I completely agree with them.
The case of the January 8 and February 2, 1960 all-Scriabin recitals is rather intricate; there's more detail in the discography here (https://sofronitskydiscographie.wordpress.com/). In any case, what has been released here by Melodiya, in this 5-CDs set, is nowhere near complete for those two Scriabin recitals. You may have more material from these two recitals if you buy this 5-CDs set and the previous 2-CDs set by Melodiya (MEL CD 10 02237); the latter is equally superb, performance-wise and sound-wise, IMO. But I think that the combination of the older Denon COCQ-83669/70 (2-CDs set) and Vista Vera VVCD-00014 still remains the best option if one wants to have the complete recordings from these two recitals. Sound-wise, Denon COCQ-83669/70 is excellent and Vista Vera VVCD-00014 is at least very good (it's one of their earlier VS releases, before they went the over-filtering road...).
Anyway, for the Jan 8/Feb 2 '60 recitals any reissue is, IMO, better than the later releases by Vista Vera (VVCD-00137) and by Brilliant Classics; those latter two are, to my taste, over-filtered in the upper half of the spectrum (above ca. 8kHz), up to the point where I'm no longer able to listen with pleasure...
(I hope this is of some help; discographical data are complicated here... ;))
This was very helpful, thank you. I take it the DVD has English subtitles?
Bump. Good news:
Membran are now doing a Sofronitsky box, the content is luckily richer and quite different from the Brilliant one
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/from-moscow-with-love/hnum/9701165
I bought this 34CD Sofronitsky box a couple of month ago
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51RGVTOGGML.jpg)
It is between frustrating and atrocious. Frustrating because it is mostly a collection of his live concerts without any remastering or editing effort (the concert dates arent even mentionned). Because Sofronitsky repertoire was somewhat limited, he repeated the same pieces at many concerts. So the box contains Scriabin 2nd sonata 6 times, Liszt B minor 3 times, Moonlight 3 times etc. Atrocious because he often plays on terribly out of tunes pianos. In comparison, the pianos in french train station are in perfect tune.
My advice: avoid this box, as it gives a very poor image of this very respected pianist.
I think the Scribendum box was released in December 2019.
The recording dates are on the label's website; some are live, some are studio recordings.
https://www.scribendumrecordings.com/our-shop/4583959841/sc817-the-art-of-vladimir-sofronitsky---34cd/11414200
I've abstained buying it for economic reasons, but I might buy it some time in the future. Their Yudina set is almost complete, but not totally complete.
Regarding Sofronitsky, I've got the Brilliant Box, the Membran box (oncoming), and ~8 old Melodiya LPs. I still find the Scribendum attractive, though, in spite of the errors in his playing.
Melodiya released a very large LP collection of box sets with Sofronitsky's "complete recordings". They are rare; I've got one of those, vol.12, but I'm unsure how many there were; it seems at least 12 boxes, possibly more, or possibly less. This would suggest perhaps 60 LPs totally.
https://www.cdandlp.com/en/sofronitsky-vladimir/complete-recordings-vol.12-schubert-scriabin-chopin-ussr-melodiya-6lp-box-m43119-mint/lp-box-set/r118289536/
Vista Vera's Sofronitsky series seems to amount to 31 CDs
https://www.cdandlp.com/en/vladimir-sofronitsky/complete-vista-vera-recordings-31cd/cd-box-set/r117403255/
Quote from: MusicTurner on April 19, 2020, 12:53:50 AM
I think the Scribendum box was released in December 2019.
The recording dates are on the label's website; some are live, some are studio recordings.
https://www.scribendumrecordings.com/our-shop/4583959841/sc817-the-art-of-vladimir-sofronitsky---34cd/11414200
I've abstained buying it for economic reasons, but I might buy it some time in the future.
Did you (or anyone else) happen to buy this set? If you did, I am curious to hear what you think of it.
Quote from: George on November 13, 2020, 11:07:05 AM
Did you (or anyone else) happen to buy this set? If you did, I am curious to hear what you think of it.
No, I haven't bought it yet, am relatively satisfied with what I've got, & have to make priorities, also as regards shelf space ... the Scribendum is appararently available here for around DKK 500 /65 Euros.
Maybe others have it ?
Quote from: MusicTurner on November 13, 2020, 11:18:01 AM
No, I haven't bought it yet, am relatively satisfied with what I've got, & have to make priorities, also as regards shelf space ... the Scribendum is appararently available here for around DKK 500 /65 Euros.
Maybe others have it ?
OK, thanks.