Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937)

[Mandryka]

I have been unable to resist the temptation to buy John Bingham's Szymanowski as an mp3 even though it's only available from poor quality places like Amazon and Apple. The preludes are streaming, but what interests me is the sonata.


It is a really outstanding performance, not surprisingly given John Bingham's track record of being an outstanding piano player.

But spoilt somewhat by the poor mp3

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

But spoilt somewhat by the poor mp3

Still the album looks very interesting. I will purchase the recording upon returning to the USA. Have a great Christmas, Mandryka!

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I have been unable to resist the temptation to buy John Bingham's Szymanowski as an mp3 even though it's only available from poor quality places like Amazon and Apple. The preludes are streaming, but what interests me is the sonata.


It is a really outstanding performance, not surprisingly given John Bingham's track record of being an outstanding piano player.

An obituary article and a blog note about John Bingham.


https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/dec/15/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

http://www.mvdaily.com/articles/2000/10/pycbnghm.htm

[Albion]

I don't have much Szymanowski on the shelves now, just "King Roger" and the fourth symphony conducted by Rattle on EMI, I had more at one point and must get around to stocking up again because I've never heard anything that I don't like (the "Stabat Mater" is sensational). Two of my favourite 20th century operas are "King Roger" and Bartok's "Bluebeard's Castle" - great stuff...

 

[Skogwald]

I must thank some of you in this thread: Based on your suggestions, I've been listening to that Ibragimova/Tiberghien record and it sounds exceptional!

Next up: Symphony no. 4

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I have been unable to resist the temptation to buy John Bingham's Szymanowski as an mp3 even though it's only available from poor quality places like Amazon and Apple. The preludes are streaming, but what interests me is the sonata.


It is a really outstanding performance, not surprisingly given John Bingham's track record of being an outstanding piano player.

Nice, sensitive performance. The composition of the sonata is too similar to Scriabin and it makes me feel uncomfortable a little.

[Mandryka]

Nice, sensitive performance. The composition of the sonata is too similar to Scriabin and it makes me feel uncomfortable a little.

Yes it is like Scriabin in Bingham's hands.

[Mandryka]

Yes it is like Scriabin in Bingham's hands.

But less so in the hands of Daniel Grahmam which remains the most interesting performance of the sonata I have heard.  Here

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DWwPLKWgPSQ

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

But less so in the hands of Daniel Grahmam which remains the most interesting performance of the sonata I have heard.  Here

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DWwPLKWgPSQ

Ok, I will check it tomorrow. Apropos of John Bingham, I thought that his Chopin Etudes recording was nice. I will check his two Beethoven recordings this week. It appears that he was originally from a worker/blue collar class family. He doesn't look like so!

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

But less so in the hands of Daniel Grahmam which remains the most interesting performance of the sonata I have heard.  Here

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DWwPLKWgPSQ

The harmony, scales, and bass notes are evidently Scriabinesque. Vigorous performance whereas I prefer Bingham's mysticism.

[Mandryka]

Zwitacz/Salajczyc Szymanowski op 46 songs - sensual exotic music, I like her voice, I feel like I should be smoking an opium pipe while listening.

[Mandryka]

The harmony, scales, and bass notes are evidently Scriabinesque. Vigorous performance whereas I prefer Bingham's mysticism.

I'm with you now about John Bingham's op 36 sonata. Be sure to check his Chopin op 27/2 nocturne, on an all Chopin recording with the second sonata on Meridian.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I'm with you now about John Bingham's op 36 sonata. Be sure to check his Chopin op 27/2 nocturne, on an all Chopin recording with the second sonata on Meridian.

Yes, nice playing. I like the entire album.

[Brian]

I've been very much enjoying the Arthur Rubinstein selections and the violin sonata and other works as recorded by David Oistrakh in various live and studio performances.

This evening just played four of the Op. 50 mazurkas from the Rubinstein box. Now I want to hear the whole set! Looks from @amw like the Anna Kijanowska cycle is the place to start, but there is also one newer recording:



Anyone heard that one? On amw's rec I will likely also pick up Pontinen. Pontinen has recently recorded all the violin works with Sueye Park (2023), but only two miniatures on that recital are not included in the Oistrakh recordings.

P.S. It seems Korean women performers have a real affinity for Szymanowski...Sueye Park, Sinae Lee, and there is also a recital by Sang Mi Chung.

[Mandryka]

I've been very much enjoying the Arthur Rubinstein selections and the violin sonata and other works as recorded by David Oistrakh in various live and studio performances.

This evening just played four of the Op. 50 mazurkas from the Rubinstein box. Now I want to hear the whole set! Looks from @amw like the Anna Kijanowska cycle is the place to start, but there is also one newer recording:



Anyone heard that one? On amw's rec I will likely also pick up Pontinen. Pontinen has recently recorded all the violin works with Sueye Park (2023), but only two miniatures on that recital are not included in the Oistrakh recordings.

P.S. It seems Korean women performers have a real affinity for Szymanowski...Sueye Park, Sinae Lee, and there is also a recital by Sang Mi Chung.

I think Szlezer is outstanding, colourful and lots of variety, I prefer him to Kijanowska. Haven't heard the Pontinen as far as I recall.

[Mandryka]

I think Szlezer is outstanding, colourful and lots of variety, I prefer him to Kijanowska.

But he's not as good as Kaori Bingham!

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

But he's not as good as Kaori Bingham!

Yes, plus Pawel Kamasa.

[Maciek]

Now, your mentioning of the recording of Demeter as "perfect" seems even more odd.

I was searching for something on the forum and came upon the above post and... good grief!, it left me quite stunned. I've only quoted the one sentence out of pity for myself. I have little memory of this and have no idea what was happening, but surely there exist kinder, gentler ways of expressing dissent and aesthetic dissatisfaction. And I see that it is already a "toned done" version (great typo in the original that I'm leaving, because it's ridiculous)!

Val, if you're around: I apologize. The vitriolic attitude was completely uncalled for. Anyone is entitled to their opinion and surely there's no reason to set one's personal musical likes and dislikes as some sort of universal standard. (I'm sure that was my belief back then as well, but clearly I had trouble putting it to practice - I wonder how it is nowadays...)

And I owe Szostek-Radkowa an apology too. Her important role in the history of singing in Poland is beyond any doubt. For crying out loud: she is the woman who sung the premieres of both versions of Lutosławski's Iłłakowiczówna settings, Baird's Poświatowska settings (which, incidentally, were dedicated to her) and Jessica in Baird's opera Jutro! She's had an immensely successful career. To make my outburst even more bizarre, I personally owe her a lot in that she was one of the first singers I ever heard live and actually appreciated. In fact, for quite a while I could certainly have been called a fan of her singing. In the early days of my interest in and love for classical music, she's one of the performers who played a very important role. For that, I owe her a debt of gratitude. So whatever caused my irritation at the time of writing the above post, I think I could and should have expressed it in terms not quite so disparaging.

Hopefully, better late then never is true.

As atonement, I am currently listening to her 5-CD Polish Radio box set, which includes, among other things, a recording of Szymanowski's op. 32 Davidov settings on disc 2 and a version of the Kasprowicz settings orchestrated by Grzegorz Fitelberg on disc 3. One thing leads to another in these things, as we all know, so I have lined up some more performances of the Kasprowicz to stream, including 2 more singers I'm very fond of: Malewicz-Madey and Ewa Podleś (I have her singing some Szymanowski with her husband at the piano, but don't remember owning anything with orchestral accompaniment). And also, yes, Szostek-Radkowa, but with a different orchestra and conductor (on the CD it's Maksymiuk, the stream has Robert Satanowski).

[DavidW]

I, too, have found ancient posts I made and winced at how awful my posts were. Welcome back, Maciek!

[Cato]

As atonement, I am currently listening to her 5-CD Polish Radio box set, which includes, among other things, a recording of Szymanowski's op. 32 Davidov settings on disc 2 and a version of the Kasprowicz settings orchestrated by Grzegorz Fitelberg on disc 3. One thing leads to another in these things, as we all know, so I have lined up some more performances of the Kasprowicz to stream, including 2 more singers I'm very fond of: Malewicz-Madey and Ewa Podleś (I have her singing some Szymanowski with her husband at the piano, but don't remember owning anything with orchestral accompaniment). And also, yes, Szostek-Radkowa, but with a different orchestra and conductor (on the CD it's Maksymiuk, the stream has Robert Satanowski).

Welcome back, Maciek!

Amen!  Maciek is back!  And thanks for the recommendations!