Scriabin: The Complete Piano Sonatas

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Canadian pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin is one of the most fascinating and rewarding artists working today. It's fashionable in classical music circles to complain about the fact that all of the great artists are dead, and that no one matches the achievements of generations past. This is nonsense, and Hamelin offers convincing proof. He is without a doubt one of the two or three most technically accomplished players alive. But more than that, he's so thoroughly musical that more often than not you aren't even conscious of his frequently insane virtuosity. Every single one of his records is worth owning, and this complete set of Scriabin sonatas in no exception. If you're a piano fan, you must hear it. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

scriabin is not chopin........2006-09-17

scriabin is not chopin. yes, his first sonata definitely shows some influence, architecture-wise. but wasn't mahler influenced by beethoven? beethoven by mozart? mozart by bach? bach by buxtehude? and yet we hear completely different tones of music.
so it comes to stand that we should definitely not expect something chopinesque. scriabin is scriabin - the insane narcissist who believed that his music will bring apocalypse... the madman virtuouso with small hands.
people criticize szidon for banging on the keys. for me, his playing is not banging but thundering - and thundering is what scriabin needs at places.
at delicate passages, szidon conveys the ominous portent characteristic of scriabin. beautiful yes - but scriabin's sonatas are characteristically dark and brooding. even the white mass is less blissful than, say, his mazurkas (a much earlier set of compositions).
ashkenazy, while immaculate as always tone-wise, does not capture the spirit. laredo plays scriabin like chopin. sofronitsky is my first choice, but he didn't record the complete sonatas (but you must get his vista vera cd's!!) i'd say taub's set is also a superb set. and hamelin's as well (he never misses a mark in any of his sets, by the way. truly a superb performer). but szidon's scriabin is, say, more apocalyptic. and apocalyptic scriabin was.

Solid, but outclassed.......2006-04-08

I have quite a few sets of the Scriabin sonatas, and I've heard a number of recordings from pianists who didn't record the complete cycle. Here are my suggestions:

G# minor post. - Hamelin
Eb minor post. - Glemser or Coombs
1st - Kocyan and Ashkenazy
2nd - Koycan and Glemser
3rd - Laredo and Horowitz. Also Taub and Sofronitsky
4th - Taub, Sofronitsky
5th - Horowitz, Taub, Hamelin
6th - Richter, Taub
7th - Glemser, Laredo
8th - Ashkenazy, Szidon or Laredo
9th - Sofronitsky, Horowitz, Glemser
10th - Horowitz, Taub

Avoid: Ogdon and Ponti.

Szidon's set is solid generally, but if I were to get only one sonata set, I'd get Taub's and supplement it with disc 1 of Glemser's Scriabin sonatas.

An over-rated set.......2006-02-17

I have had these records for many years. I bought them because, in the 90s, they were recommended as the best available. Being unfamiliar with Scriabin's music, I hoped I would get to appreciate that composer. I never did, until recently I thought maybe it was the interpretation that did not do justice to them.

How right I was! Browsing through a few clips on Amazon, I came across Ruth Laredo. I was captivated. Here the important notes came to the fore, and the accompanying figures receded. I still wonder that I could have ever tolerated Szidon's "herds of charging elephants", which muddied the waters whenever the music became turbulent or passionate. Laredo, by contrast, gives us a flowing and beautiful line, always clarifying and not obscuring the composer's intent.

Buy this set only if you're a "completist": it contains some early work missing from the Laredo set and this - to be fair -Szidon plays well enough

Stephen Fox (UK)

ABSOLUTELY THE FINEST COMPLETE SCRIABIN SONATA CYCLE........2005-08-08

Since Glenn Gould unfortunately did not record for posterity Scriabin's Sonatas Nos. 6-10, (he did record the very best realization of No. 5), Szidon's set here is absolutely the finest cycle available.

Recorded in the 1970s, DGG has here re-released Szidon's performances with crystal clarity in a very inexpensive 3 disc set: great bargan! Great Art!!

There are a couple of cycles available out there; but you can believe: this is the best.

Average customer rating:

terrible.
Better sound and less pounding than Ashkenazy
Clean playing, but somewhat musically inept
Technically amazing, but not quite "Magical"
Listen to it properly!

Scriabin: The Complete Piano Sonatas
Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin , and Marc-Andre Hamelin
Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B00000300U
Release Date: 1996-04-10

Tracks:

The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op 6: Allegro con fuocoso
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op 6: crochet = 40
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op 6: Presto
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op 6: Funebre
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No 2 (Sonata-Fantasy) in G sharp minor, Op 19: Andante
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No 2 (Sonata-Fantasy) in G sharp minor, Op 19: Presto
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No 3 in F sharp minor, Op 23: Drammatico
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No 3 in F sharp minor, Op 23: Allegretto
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No 3 in F sharp minor, Op 23: Andante
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No 3 in F sharp minor, Op 23: Presto con fuoco
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Fantaisie, Op 28
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No 4 in F sharp major, Op 30: Andante
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No 4 in F sharp major, Op 30: Prestissimo volando

Tracks:

The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No 5, Op 53: Allegro. Impetuoso. Con stravaganza. - Languid - Presto con allegrezza
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No 6, Op 62: Modere
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No 7 'Messe Blanche', Op 64: Allegro
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No 8, Op 66: Lento - Allegro agitato
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No 9 'Messe Noire', Op 68: Moderato quasi andante
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonata No 10, Op 70: Moderato - Allegro
The Complete Piano Sonatas: Sonate-Fantaisie in G sharp minor, Op posth

Amazon.com

Canadian pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin is one of the most fascinating and rewarding artists working today. It's fashionable in classical music circles to complain about the fact that all of the great artists are dead, and that no one matches the achievements of generations past. This is nonsense, and Hamelin offers convincing proof. He is without a doubt one of the two or three most technically accomplished players alive. But more than that, he's so thoroughly musical that more often than not you aren't even conscious of his frequently insane virtuosity. Every single one of his records is worth owning, and this complete set of Scriabin sonatas in no exception. If you're a piano fan, you must hear it. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

terrible........2006-11-11

okay i know that low ratings usually get "not helpful" votes, but i must say what i must say.

a pianist is not a person with fast hands. a pianist is an artist. a pianist must convey a sense of drama, and in the case of scriabin's music, a sense of fiery pathos.

in this aspect, hamelin is terrible. i never liked his playing.. it has this mannered sheen to it.
his medtner is also terrible.. but tozer's and demidenko's medtner sonatas were just so horrendous that i have to resort to hamelin.
his "the people united will never be defeated" is also horrible. compared to drury who manages to make every variation sound like a ,well, a VARIATION, hamelin just pounds the right keys and somehow manages to sound cool but NEVER, EVER conveys that the variations are variations on the theme.

his scriabin is similarly terrible. take his first sonata for instance. where's the pathos?? where's the anguish? you have fast hands zipping through notes... listen to kocyan, szidon, or taub and you'll know what i mean.
the fourth sonata, perhaps one of scriabin's most lyrical, sounds a little better. but this is only because the fourth sonata is by nature a slow piece that requires sheen. hamelin got lucky.
the latter sonatas are just completely terrible. hamelin makes them sound like boulez or something.

i agree with the review below who says that the szidon set is the best out there. and it is now available, as part of the dg trio set.

ladies and gentlemen, please, technique is not everything. and hamelin just proves it over, and over again.

Better sound and less pounding than Ashkenazy.......2006-04-29

I have bought several Hamelin CDs recently - this one, Liszt and the Composer Pianists. All are benchmarks for technique. Perhaps the ease with which he navigates the obstacles is the problem, I just don't get the feeling that his heart is in it. And I'm tired of hearing his recurring mantra about how virtuosity is artistry in itself. I don't agree. While I'm happy to hear how he avoids the pounding that Ashkenazy inflicts on Scriabin, he could use more of Vladimir's emotion. Perhaps I just don't "get along" with his style well enough. I think he's trying too hard to be different. If you want to hear breathtaking technical performance and excellent recorded sound, then by all means, this is a great choice.

Clean playing, but somewhat musically inept.......2006-04-08

Hamelin is has superb technical skills, but he doesn't play most of Scriabin's music better than the best Scriabin interpreters I've heard. Sofronitsky. Horowitz. Taub. Glemser. Ashkenazy. Laredo. Richter. Some of the problems are: the anticlimactically slow tempo at the end of the 7th sonata, the 1st movement of the 1st sonata is played too quickly, and most of the pieces just aren't played with any fire. As another reviewer mentioned, the 9th sonata is particularly bland. Only the 5th sonata and the G# minor posthumous sonata are exceptional. (I say the G# minor is exceptional because the other performances I've heard aren't very good.) The sixth is played with unusual precision and atheleticism, but where's the mystery?

Here's a breakdown for my suggested recordings of the sonatas, based on those I've heard:

G#m posthumous: Hamelin.

Ebm posthumous: Glemser.

No. 1: Kocyan, then Ashkenazy, then Taub. Kocyan tells a story. Ashkenazy is passionate. Taub is darker.

No. 2: Kocyan, then Glemser or Sofronitsky, then Ashkenazy. Kocyan's fluidity takes it, but Sofronitsky is artistic. Glemser's first movement is beautiful.

No. 3: Laredo or Horowitz. Then Glemser or Taub. Then Ashkenazy or Sofronitsky.

No. 4: Taub or Sofronitsky. The latter has more artistry, the former a more coherent and appropriate tone.

No. 5: Horowitz or Taub. The former has electric genius, the latter has wonderful refinement. Hamelin's is excellent (definitely his best Scriabin performance). I've heard that Richter's is great, but I don't have it.

No. 6: Richter (genius but bad sound quality), then Taub. Hamelin's is excellent and lacking simultaneously.

No. 7: Glemser, then Laredo. The former brings out all the complexity with precision, the latter is sharp and clear. I have not heard Richter's.

No. 8: Ashkenazy. Then Szidon or Laredo. I've read that Sofronitsky's is good, but I don't have it.

No. 9: Sofronitsky, then Horowitz (all versions), then Glemser, then Szidon and Taub.

No. 10: Horowitz or Taub. Same contrast of styles between the pianists as the fifth sonata. Like the fifth, this is Taub's other brilliant performance.

Other pieces:

Fantasy in B minor: Glemser
Vers la flamme: Sofronitsky or Horowitz, then Laredo.
Piano concerto: Ugorski/Boulez, then Ashkenazy/Maazel. Both are excellent, but I give the edge to Ugorski.
Poem of Ecstasy: Maazel
Prometheus: Ashkenazy/Maazel

Technically amazing, but not quite "Magical".......2006-02-03

Perhaps I am not the best to judge. I am only 16, and I have not heard much by Scriabin. However, I have a classical music collection of aver 12 hundred songs, so I have a basic idea of how to interperate this.

The first 5 Sonatas and the Fantasie (Op. 28) are incredible. These sonatas require a mix of both technical perfection (I have seen the scores) and good interpretation. However, I believe that these first pieces are mainly based on the pianism aspect, as the pieces are brought to life by the melody notes within the chords and scales, which an average pianist cannot do. Sonata Number 5 is absolutely stunning in its Beauty, and Sonata Number 1 has a harsh sound to it which, acording to the inside of the cover, reflect well what Scriabin was trying to express.

However, the last sonatas on the disc don't quite do it for me. It is not the extreme dissonance that bothers me, it is that it is played with no expression. When I hear the pieces, Hamelin seems like he is almost bored while playing them, especially Number 9 which, played by Horowitz, I love. Sure, his pianism is astounding. I have never heard anyone play the notes as perfectly as he does, but it certainly lacks emotion.

So I give this 4 out of 5 stars for the first 5 Sonatas and the amazing playing, but if you are looking for good interpretations of the later ones, this may not be the best choice.

Listen to it properly!.......2006-01-01

Previous reviewers have pointed out that Hamelin plays these pieces somewhat conservatively. Far from being the weakness I think this is the greatest strenth of this set. What Hamelin does is to render the sound and structure very clearly and openly. I think this does the sonatas far more justice than playing them as if they were the whims of a madman. All the sonatas are very tightly (and classically) structured, Scriabin was innovative and iconoclastic harmonically, but the sonatas adhere closely to traditional sonata form.

The trouble with performers like Szidon or Horowitz is the sheer ego of their performances. In Horowitz's case, this exhibits itself as a messy exuberance that often results in bizarre distortions that simply draw attention to the fact you are listing to VLADIMIR HOROWITZ - PIANO GENIUS. Which doesn't help to gain a greater understanding of Scriabin's music.

Szidon's problem is a little more serious, he simply doesn't have the technique to cope with these demanding pieces. He blurs great portions and his rhythms are slapdash and self-conscious. It really is Scriabin playing at its worst - cultivating a erroneous mythology about Scriabin that he was some kind of wacky mystic, whose music you don't really need to perform carefully because it exists in its own little world and the rules of musicianship dont apply.

Marc-Andre Hamelin, who has publically said that he wont perform or record pieces about which he feels he has nothing new to say, does Scriabin the greatest service. By taking him seriously as a musician and playing his works with an accuracy and clarity woefully lacking in most Scriabin interpretations.

As a result of this approach, Hamelin reveals in a much more profound way the mystery and wonder of Scriabin's later sonatas. With miraculous pedalling and touch, he creates extraordinary sounds, rich in colour and drama. He evokes like no other pianist Scriabin's singular ability to create music not of this earth

Average customer rating:

Lean and mean Scriabin ... you know you like it!
Save your weekly three BigMac's and buy this CD set instead! top recommendation. cheap, cheap, cheap!!! :D
Bleah
Sloppy, bombastic, and with poor sound quality
Idiomatic and expressive Scriabin

Scriabin: Complete Sonatas
Michael Ponti , and Scriabin
Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00007J4SK
Release Date: 2002-12-10

Tracks:

Sonata-Fantasy In G-Sharp Minor Op. Posth.
Allegro Appassionato
Andante
Presto
Allegro Con Fuocoso
Presto
Funebre
Andante
Presto
Drammatico
Allegretto
Andante
Presto Con Fuoco
Alegro. Impetuoso. Con Stravaganza - Languido - Presto Con Allegrez

Tracks:

Andante
Prestissimo Volando
Modere
Allegro
No. 1: Allegro Fantastico
No. 2: Allegretto
No. 3: Molto Vivace
Lento - Allegro Agitato
Moderato Quasi Andante
Moderato - Allegro
Poeme No. 1
Poeme No. 2
Vers La Flamme Op.72
No. 1: Guirlandes
No. 2: Flammes Sombres
No. 1: Douloureux Dechirant
No. 2: Tres Lent 'Contemplatif'
No. 3: Allegro Drammatico
No. 4: Lent, Vague, Indecis
No. 5: Fier Belliqueux

Customer Reviews:

Lean and mean Scriabin ... you know you like it!.......2007-05-06

The wide divergence of review comments about this CD reflects the difference of opinion and preference for how Scriabin's music should be played. As a member of the Scriabin Society of America, I've personally seen and heard many different interpretations of many of these sonatas ... along with strong opinions voiced both pro and con.

In the end, it all comes down to whether you like your Scriabin lean and taut ... or prefer him broad and expansive. I come down on the "lean" side, which is why I enjoy these performances. Michael Ponti misses some notes here and there, but when your Scriabin is almost going off the edge, that's what happens. Scriabin should never sound "pretty" -- especially in the Sonatas. Yes, there are moments of sheer exquisiteness to savor, but ultimately this is music that stretches the bounds of tonality and rattles the structural cage, trying to break free.

Once you've heard Ponti's take on Sonatas 4 and 5 -- or the Black and White Mass Sonatas for that matter -- you'll never again be satisfied with a merely "correct" or "poised" reading. That's selling Scriabin WAY too short ... but it's what 80% of the other pianists do. Oh yeah, but they might get all the notes correct.

Save your weekly three BigMac's and buy this CD set instead! top recommendation. cheap, cheap, cheap!!! :D.......2006-08-08

this complete sonatas box cannot be directly compared with competing recordings, such as Ashkenazy or Hamelin, because..it has many more pieces and sonatas(!): 10 sonatas, 2(!) early sonatas in G-sharp minor, and in E-flat minor, 3 Etudes op.65, 2 Poemes op.71, Verslaflamme op.72, 2 Danses op.73, 5 Preludes op.74. What a shame that Hamelin did not include E-flat minor sonata on his expensive hyperion release, oh well. Although i own the Hamelin set yet, for years, i also bought this Ponti set. For two simple, clear, reasonable reasons: [1] the VoxBox costs only 5EUR's (+3EUR shipping) in Amazon's caimanzone, which is a ridiculously low price (I paid 35EUR's for Hamelin!), so i have nothing to lose! Here in Germany I get three BigMac@McDonald's for 8EUR's, which equals one dinner for me :P, so I better save on the saturated fats and acids and calories and get the Ponti VoxBox. [2] the VoxBox complements/supplements my other PontiPlaysScriabin-VoxBox which lacks those later preludes, etudes, poemes and danses, and I dont want to miss these little pieces. well, at least not for the sake of 8EUR's.
Ponti's playing is less crisp and impetuous than Hamelin's but who of you would ever dare to complain after having saved three big macs and gained such an attractive jewecase box? No, for 8EUR's i cannot and will not complain. This was definitely one of the best deals in my collector's career. Thanks to amazon, thanks to its caimanzone :)
Total times of the two discs are 79:08, 79:35.

Bleah.......2005-11-15

If I could have given this 0 stars I would have. Ponti shows us that it is possible to get a large proportion of the notes right and still make absolutely no sense of the music. The only way I can describe the 7th sonata is laughable. The opening bars alone make it obvious that the pianist has little knowledge of beautiful tone on the piano. I know there is a lack of recordings of the 7th sonata specifically, but any other recording is miles better. The best I have heard is Joseph Villa's.

Sloppy, bombastic, and with poor sound quality.......2005-06-11

I can't accept wrong notes unless the performance is live, even though his crazed performance of the youthful E flat minor sonata (with the wrong final movement, by the way) is interesting, although ultimately unsatisfying. There are two sets of the Scriabin sonatas to avoid. Ogdon's and Ponti's. Like Ponti, Ogdon seriously lacks polish and hits some wrong notes, too. His performances are coarse, harsh, and difficult to listen to at all. Of the two sets, I'd rather listen to Ponti's.

Here's a breakdown for my suggested recordings of the sonatas, based on those I've heard:

G#m posthumous: Hamelin.

Ebm posthumous: Glemser.

No. 1: Kocyan, then Ashkenazy, then Taub. Kocyan tells a story. Ashkenazy is passionate. Taub is darker.

No. 2: Kocyan, then Glemser or Sofronitsky, then Ashkenazy. Kocyan's fluidity takes it, but Sofronitsky is artistic. Glemser's first movement is beautiful.

No. 3: Laredo or Horowitz. Then Glemser or Taub. Then Ashkenazy or Sofronitsky.

No. 4: Taub or Sofronitsky. The latter has more artistry, the former a more coherent and appropriate tone.

No. 5: Horowitz or Taub. The former has electric genius, the latter has wonderful refinement. Hamelin's is excellent (definitely his best Scriabin performance). I've heard that Richter's is great, but I don't have it.

No. 6: Richter (genius but bad sound quality), then Taub. Hamelin's is athletic and precise, but there is little mystery.

No. 7: Glemser, then Laredo. The former brings out all the complexity with precision, the latter is sharp and clear. I have not heard Richter's.

No. 8: Ashkenazy. Then Szidon or Laredo. I've read that Sofronitsky's is good, but I don't have it.

No. 9: Sofronitsky, then Horowitz (all versions), then Glemser, then Szidon and Taub.

No. 10: Horowitz or Taub. Same contrast of styles between the pianists as the fifth sonata. Like the fifth, this is Taub's other brilliant performance.

Other pieces:

Fantasy in B minor: Glemser
Vers la flamme: Sofronitsky or Horowitz, then Laredo.
Piano concerto: Ugorski/Boulez, then Ashkenazy/Maazel. Both are excellent, but I give the edge to Ugorski.
Poem of Ecstasy: Maazel
Prometheus: Ashkenazy/Maazel

Idiomatic and expressive Scriabin.......2004-06-10

Mr. Ponti reached a high peak with these set of Scriabin Sonatas. It's very difficult to find out the set as a whole. In this sense we must recognize the huge effort for recording these works, are decissive if you want to know the intimate world of Alexander Scriabin a passionate and troubled musician.
The wide frequency of emotions covered in these Sonatas are showed by Ponti, with flowness , deep honesty an conviction.
Acquire this set if you really love Scriabin piano music.

Average customer rating:

Scriabin: Complete Piano Sonatas

Manufacturer: Brilliant
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00007E9Y1

Alexander Scriabin: The Complete Piano Sonatas

Average customer rating:

Way too much praise for a very average set of performances
Solid performances, compressed sound
Provocative, enlightening
Masterful technique
Romantic piano music masterfully performed

Alexander Scriabin: The Complete Piano Sonatas

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000005IWW
Release Date: 1996-11-19

Tracks:

Sonata No. 1 In F Minor, Op. 6: Allegro con fuoco
Sonata No. 1 In F Minor, Op. 6: Andante
Sonata No. 1 In F Minor, Op. 6: Presto
Sonata No. 1 In F Minor, Op. 6: Fune
Etude in C-sharp minor, Op. 2, No. 1
Sonata No.2 (Sonata-Fantasy) In G-Sharp Minor, Op. 19: Andante
Sonata No.2 (Sonata-Fantasy) In G-Sharp Minor, Op. 19: Presto
Eight Etudes, Op. 42: No. 1 In D-Flat Major
Eight Etudes, Op. 42: No. 2 In F-Sharp Minor
Eight Etudes, Op. 42: No. 3 In F-Sharp Major
Eight Etudes, Op. 42: No. 4 In F-Sharp Major
Eight Etudes, Op. 42: No. 5 In C-Sharp Minor
Eight Etudes, Op. 42: No. 6 In D-Flat Major
Eight Etudes, Op. 42: No. 7 In F Minor
Eight Etudes, Op. 42: No. 8 In E-Flat Major
Sonata No. 3 In F-Sharp Minor, Op. 23: Drammatico
Sonata No. 3 In F-Sharp Minor, Op. 23: Allegretto
Sonata No. 3 In F-Sharp Minor, Op. 23: Andante
Sonata No. 3 In F-Sharp Minor, Op. 23: Presto con fuoco
Sonata No. 4 In F-Sharp Major, Op. 30: Andante
Sonata No. 4 In F-Sharp Major, Op. 30: Prestissimo volando

Tracks:

Sonata No. 5 In F-Sharp Major, Op. 53: Sonata No. 5 In F-Sharp Major, Op. 53: 'Poem Of Ecstasy'
Sonata No. 6, Op. 62.: Sonata No. 6, Op. 62. Modere: mysterieux, concentre
Desir, Op. 57, No. 1
Caresse dansee, Op. 57, No. 2
Sonata No. 7, Op. 64: Sonata No. 7, Op. 64. 'White Mass', Prophetique
Sonata No. 8, Op. 66: Sonata No. 8, Op. 66: Lento
Sonata No. 9, Op. 68: Sonata No. 9, Op. 68. 'Black Mass' Moderato quasi andante: legendaire
Sonata No. 10, Op. 70: Sonata No. 10, Op. 70. Moderato: tres doux et pur
Vers la flamme, Op. 72

Customer Reviews:

Way too much praise for a very average set of performances.......2007-05-16

This set is mostly valuable for being comprehensive as the performances are somewhat wan. Laredo also experiences technical difficulties here and there. Finally, the sound quality of the performance is below average. That said, I'm glad to own it because it includes some unusual pieces and brings all of these wonderful sonatas together.

Not to throw stones, but I really have to wonder whether any of the reviewers giving this set 5 stars are familiar with Scriabin and the many excellent performances of his piano works that have been made. This is a fallback CD set.

Solid performances, compressed sound.......2006-04-08

I have the following complete sets: Laredo, Taub, Ashkenazy, Hamelin, Mikhailov, Szidon, Ponti, and Ogdon. I have two discs of Glemser and Horowitz, and one disc of: Sofronitsky, Pletnev, Kocyan, Bogdonov, Florentino, Coombs, Trpceski, and Richter.

Here is my list of suggested performances of the sonatas, taken from those I've heard. They are ranked from left to right:

G#m posthumous: Hamelin.

Ebm posthumous: Glemser.

No. 1: Kocyan, then Ashkenazy, then Taub. Kocyan tells a story. Ashkenazy is passionate. Taub is darker.

No. 2: Kocyan, then Glemser or Sofronitsky, then Ashkenazy. Kocyan's fluidity takes it, but Sofronitsky is artistic. Glemser's first movement is beautiful.

No. 3: Laredo or Horowitz. Then Glemser or Taub. Then Ashkenazy or Sofronitsky.

No. 4: Taub or Sofronitsky. The latter has more artistry, the former a more coherent and appropriate tone.

No. 5: Horowitz or Taub. The former has electric genius, the latter has wonderful refinement. Hamelin's is excellent (definitely his best Scriabin performance). I've heard that Richter's is great, but I don't have it.

No. 6: Richter (genius but bad sound quality), then Taub. Hamelin's is athletic and precise, although not mysterious.

No. 7: Glemser, then Laredo. The former brings out all the complexity with precision, the latter is sharp and clear. I have not heard Richter's.

No. 8: Ashkenazy. Then Szidon or Laredo. I've read that Sofronitsky's is good, but I don't have it.

No. 9: Sofronitsky, then Horowitz (all versions), then Glemser, then Szidon and Taub.

No. 10: Horowitz or Taub. Same contrast of styles between the pianists as the fifth sonata. Like the fifth, this is Taub's other brilliant performance.

Other pieces:

Fantasy in B minor: Glemser
Vers la flamme: Sofronitsky or Horowitz, then Laredo.
Piano concerto: Ugorski/Boulez, then Ashkenazy/Maazel. Both are excellent, but I give the edge to Ugorski.
Poem of Ecstasy: Maazel
Prometheus: Ashkenazy/Maazel

Regrettably, the posthumous sonatas are not included and not every performance is outstanding, but it does offer a top-notch third sonata, a great seventh, and solid performances of the first, sixth, eighth, op. 42 etudes, and Vers La Flamme. The 5th sonata is not well-performed here. The 4th has a bouncy feel in the second movement, and the 9th begins with no mystery. The tight (not spacious) analog sound should be braved by Scriabin aficianados, but those new to his music should stick with Taub's complete set (also missing the posthumous sonatas, regrettably), at least at first.

Provocative, enlightening.......2006-01-05

I have recently discovered the music of Scriabin. Rather, shall I say re-discovered, as I have up until recently been only familiar with his orchestral music and not his works for piano. This is a splendid recording of some of the most interesting piano music ever written.

The first four sonatas are very much Romantic era music, with the 1st sonata being my favorite. The last six sonatas are extremely complex, yet moving and embody a great sense of mystery within them. It is clear to see how Scriabin was truly light years ahead of his time. These compositions beautifully illustrate the power of music to transfix the listener into experiencing nothing less than blissful paradise.

Masterful technique.......2003-03-04

Alexander Scriabin was one of the last of the great Russian Romantic school who became a leader of the modern vanguard. This recording traces that musical evolution brilliantly. Many have associated Laredo with the Baroque or Classical genre but with this CD she proves that there are apparently no areas in which she is not proficient.

The sounds produced here are nothing short of stupendous - from the loudest fortissimo to the quietest pppppp (that is a true marking). The technique is so completely masterful that one almost takes the devilish fingering, concorted chortds and fluttering dynamics for granted. The other outstanding feature of Scriabin's music is the continual "lift" as the music is in a constant state of key changes and transforming "rises".

This is an important CD in that it traces the development of an enormously talented yet ultimately irrational artist. One item of note is that his son, who was remarkably gifted, drowned as a young lad. Otherwise we might have had a father-son musical continuum, the maturation of which we can only surmise. Liked other commentators, I enjoyed the dark, stark cover.

To understand Scriabin one must understand the Sonatas and his reaction to them. One way to understand the Sonatas is by listening to this recording.

Romantic piano music masterfully performed.......2002-07-31

This amazing collection of Scriabin Piano works is deeply moving, challenging for the listener and brilliantly executed. Scriabin was a composer well ahead of his time in many ways, yet much of his early work is highly romantic and quite beautiful; However you can perceptably follow his development as his works become more modern in nature, and in places he foreshadows composers who would come later with dissonant and almost minimalistic passages.

I find Ms. Laredo's performances inspired and masterful. The works were recorded in 1970, far before the advent of digital reproduction, and occasionally the limitations of the equipment tell with sometimes too soft, sometimes too bright sound quality. I have been too fascinated and enthralled with the music and the performances to be seriously bothered by these minor annoyances.

Finally, I must say a brief word about the packaging, which is beautiful. The stark photograph of Scriabin against a fulignious black background is so tastefully done that I would love to purchase, frame and proudly display this artwork in my home.

Customer Reviews:

Good approach to Scriabin sonatas.......2006-09-10

I've heard a lot of Scriabin's sonatas performers: Hamelin, Horowitz, Szidon, Ashkenazy among others. Recently I bought Hakon Austbo playing Scriabin sonatas. I knew him from the Messiaen piano solo recordings. He plays all the Scriabin sonatas very well. I could find in every sonata what have already heard from others performers' recordings. Yes, I could. For a first approach to Scriabin sonatas is perfect. For whom, like me, wants to hear a very good playing and musical nuances, that is a good option too. That is why my 5 stars.

Hakon Austbo's Scriabin Sonatas.......2006-05-22

Complete sets of the Scriabin sonatas are not as unusual as they once were (e.g., Ashkenazy, Laredo, Hamelin, Szidon, Taub, Kasman). Austbo makes his contribution as well. Those who like a more docile timid approach to the sonatas will like Austbo's versions. Even in the fortissimo parts Austbo, at times, seems to play "quietly"; he plays with little volume. The recorded sound is not bad. Otherwise, Austbo's versions do not really stand out all that much. They are MUCH better than Yakov Kasman. But, unless one is merely interested in listening to and judging as many different recorded versions of the Scriabin sonatas that exist, Austbo's versions are not that interesting; stick with Hamelin or possibly Taub for complete sets. Otherwise, Austbo's pianism is much bettered served in the music of Messiaen. See Austbo's CDs of Messiaen's solo piano music--great performances well worth owning and at an affordable price (Naxos label).

Scriabin - Piano Sonatas (complete) - Hakon Austbo (2 CD Set)

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Scriabin - Piano Sonatas (complete) - Hakon Austbo (2 CD Set)

ProductGroup: Classical
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B0009BA07I

Alexander Scriabin: The Complete Sonatas for Piano, Vol. 2 - Sonatas 6-10 - Boris Berman

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Alexander Scriabin: The Complete Sonatas for Piano, Vol. 2 - Sonatas 6-10 - Boris Berman
Alexander Scriabin (Composer) , and Boris Berman (Piano)
Manufacturer: Music & Arts Program
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000024OZH
Release Date: 1993-11-01