Prokofiev: Visions fugitives

1. Visions fugitives (20), for piano, Op. 22
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
with Olli Mustonen

2. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 1, Praeludium
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

3. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 2, Fuga prima in C
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

4. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 3, Interludium primum
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

5. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 4, Fuga secunda in G
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

6. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 5, Interludium secundum
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

7. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 6, Fuga tertia in F
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

8. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 7, Interludium tertium
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

9. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 8, Fuga quarta in A
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

10. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 9, Interludium quartum
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

11. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 10, Fuga quinta in E
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

12. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 11, Interludium quintum
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

13. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 12, Fuga sexta in E flat
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

14. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 13, Interludium sextum
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

15. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 14, Fuga septima in A flat
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

16. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 15, Interludium septimum
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

17. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 16, Fuga ocatava in D
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

18. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 17, Interludium octavum
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

19. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 18, Fuga nona in B flat
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

20. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 19, Interludium nonum
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

21. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 20, Fuga decima in D flat
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

22. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 21, Interludium decimum
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

23. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 22, Fuga undecima in B: Canon
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

24. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 23, Interludium undecimum
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

25. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 24, Fuga duodecima in F sharp
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

26. Ludus tonalis, cycle of 25 pieces for piano No 25, Postludium
Composed by Paul Hindemith
with Olli Mustonen

Tracks:

Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 5 In G Major: 1. Allegro con brio
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 5 In G Major: 2. Moderato ben accentuato
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 5 In G Major: 3. Toccata - Allegro con fuoco (piu presto che la prima volta)
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 5 In G Major: 4. Larghetto
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 5 In G Major: 5. Vivo
Sonata For Piano No. 8 In B Flat Major: 1. Andante dolce - Allegro moderato - Andante
Sonata For Piano No. 8 In B Flat Major: 2. Andante songando
Sonata For Piano No. 8 In B Flat Major: 3. Vivace - Allegro ben marcato - Andantino - Vivace
Visions fugitives op.22: No. 3, No. 6, No. 9

Amazon.com essential recording

Sviatoslov Richter was a friend of the composer, and he played all of this music in Prokofiev's presence. His performances have since acquired almost cult status among pianists--a reputation they richly deserve. The Fifth Piano Concerto is a pithy, technically difficult work in five short movements, which Richter plays as though he had composed them himself. The Eighth Sonata, by contrast, was composed during the Second World War, and the contrast between simple lyricism and horrifying violence leaves no doubt whatsoever as to what the composer was attempting to describe. These mid-price reissues sound better than ever, and artistically speaking, they are priceless. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 5 / Sviatoslav Richter.......2006-08-31

excellent recording. prompt service frm amazon

Concerto Not Quite Perfect.......2006-03-11

Don't get me wrong these performances, esp. the ones forom the keyboard have all of the energy, stength and heart that you would expect from Richter. I can not find one fault with his playing here. It is the recording itself that I have an issue with. The recording balance in the concerto is way off. The piano is always (incorrectly) projected as being louder than the orchestra. If you've ever been to a paiano concerto concert, you know that this is simply not true. Therefore, I give it 4 stars.

Prokofiev and Richter's pianistic magic.......2002-11-23

Prokofiev considered his 5th Piano Concerto to be unjustly neglected at the expense of his ever-popular 3rd. On the evidence of this September 1958 recording, he was right! Richter and the Warsaw National Philharmonic are flawless and sparkling with the spirit of Prokofiev, a light, urbane wit seldom heard since Mozart. The 8th Sonata is another spirit entirely, perhaps Prokofiev's most profound and complex work. There are gentle passages following turbulence and darkness that are of the utmost beauty, and Richter's playing is a marvel.

Other than his 2nd Symphony, Prokofiev's modernist impulse is clearest in his works for piano. The 7th and 8th Sonatas especially are masterworks of the early 20th century, and Richter's is THE 8th!

Definitive Eighth.......1999-12-25

I usually have in mind a list of the ten greatest piano recordings of all time. Luckily, having no particular label affiliation, I am compelled to make my choices solely by personal preference, Millenial Collections notwithstanding. The Fifth Concerto is rarely if ever, played. Richter's version is superb. But the Eighth Sonata receives the most excruciatingly beautiful performance. The lyricism, drama, colour are all qualities in this performance that have remained with me for decades. An essential recording for anyone who loves the piano.

Prokofiev: The Five Piano Concertos; Overture on Hebrew Themes

Average customer rating:

Not only for the performances and the recording quality --
Sheesh
I guess the score doesn't matter
Piano could stand out a little more
awesome and terrifying

Prokofiev: The Five Piano Concertos; Overture on Hebrew Themes

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3 / Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini / Muti, Gavrilov
Prokofiev Plays Prokofiev
Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos 1-5; Wedding Cake Caprice-Valse
Shostakovich: The Complete Symphonies - Mariss Jansons (10 CD)
Prokofiev: The Five Piano Concertos

ASIN: B000002S09
Release Date: 1992-09-29

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No 1 In D Major, Op.10: I. Allegro Brioso
Piano Concerto No 1 In D Major, Op.10: II. Andante assai
Piano Concerto No 1 In D Major, Op.10: III. Allegro scherzando
Piano Concerto No 2 In G Minor, Op.16: I. Andantino - Allegretto
Piano Concerto No 2 In G Minor, Op.16: II. Scherzo (vivace)
Piano Concerto No 2 In G Minor, Op.16: III. Intermezzo (allegro moderato)
Piano Concerto No 2 In G Minor, Op.16: IV. Finale (allegro tempestuoso)
Piano Concerto No.3 In C Major, Op.26: I. Andante - Allegro
Piano Concerto No.3 In C Major, Op.26: II. Theme et variations
Piano Concerto No.3 In C Major, Op.26: III. Allegro ma non troppo

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.4 In B Flat Major, Op.53,'For The Left Hand': I. Vivace
Piano Concerto No.4 In B Flat Major, Op.53,'For The Left Hand': II. Andante
Piano Concerto No.4 In B Flat Major, Op.53,'For The Left Hand': III. Moderato
Piano Concerto No.4 In B Flat Major, Op.53,'For The Left Hand': IV. Vivace
Piano Concerto No.5 In G Major, Op. 55: I. Allegro con brio
Piano Concerto No.5 In G Major, Op. 55: II. Moderato ben accentuato
Piano Concerto No.5 In G Major, Op. 55: III. Toccata (allegro con fuoco)
Piano Concerto No.5 In G Major, Op. 55: IV. Larghetto
Piano Concerto No.5 In G Major, Op. 55: V. Vivo
Overture on Hebrew Themes, Op. 34
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 1. Lentamente
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 2. Andante
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 3. Allegretto
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 4. Animato
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 5. Molto giocoso
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 6. Con eleganza
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 7. Pittoresco
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 8. Commodo
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 9. Allegretto tranquillo
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 10. Ridicolosamente
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 11. Con vivacita
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 12. Assai moderato
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 13. Allegretto
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 14. Feroce
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 15. Inquieto
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 16. Dolente
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 17. Poetico
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 18. Con una dolce lentezza
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 19. Presto agitatissimo e molto accentuato
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: No 20. Lento irrealmente

Customer Reviews:

Not only for the performances and the recording quality --.......2005-12-07

-- I even like the cover art!

Sheesh.......2003-11-05

I'm reading the reviews here because I just adore this recording and wonder why it's so rarely the recommended choice in CD guides, etc... Maybe there are individual moments in other recordings that surpass individual moments here, but as a whole I don't think any of the other sets are nearly as effective.

But anyway - the review below really annoyed me so I just wanted to weigh in: Beroff's is a really lovely rendition of the Visions Fugitives, and the "ppp" in question (that prompted my fellow reviewer to impress us all with his lordly inability to tolerate philistinism by hurling his CDs into the trash like the filth they are) - ahem - the "ppp" in question applies WITHOUT ANY DOUBT only to the inner voice - I don't know what edition Mr. Landkamer has, but the two that I just looked at both make special effort to place the "ppp" on the page in a way that communicates this. It also bears mentioning that this "ppp" does not appear in the first edition at all.

In conclusion: this set is an amazing deal and, regardless of what people say about Ashkenazy or Argerich or Richter or whomever else, is utterly satisfying. It's one of the few recordings of Prokofiev I've heard where the performance is GENUINELY CONVINCED of the idea that this music is utterly coherent and human. Even supposedly "sensitive" Prokofiev performances often underestimate the fluidity of his musical expression and decide to let things seem thorny and chaotic rather than doing the work necessary to clarify the enigmatic elements. Beroff and Masur are so in tune with the spirit of Prokofiev's screwball jokes and whimsically meandering emotions that you feel you're hearing the piece direct from the composer. Very rare thing, that. There are no more and no fewer fireworks in these performances than Prokofiev put in the score - which is plenty! - and I don't know about you but that's how I like my classical recordings.

I guess the score doesn't matter.......2003-04-26

A few minutes ago, for lack of anything better to do, I put on the Visions Fugitives as played by Michel Beroff on this CD. In bar 14 there is a two-note pickup starting a repeat of the opening melody, here marked "p semplice". Then, on beat 1 of the next bar, the marking is "ppp" implying that the repeat of the theme is to *begin* like a routine restatement but then shift without warning into a new, quieter dreamlike realm. Beroff makes ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGE at the ppp. It might as well not be there. These CD's are about to go into the trash.

There, gone.

Addendum (5/31/03)...I purchased another recording of Visions Fugitives, by Boris Berman, and he played this part the same way. Looking again at the score, I think I can see why...the ppp is being interpreted as applying only to the chromatically winding inner voice. I'm not certain that's right, but it's at least not completely unreasonable. Sorry, Michel, I take it all back.

(11/28/03) in response to my courageously anonymous fellow reviewer ("music fan" above) the edition I have is MCA and the ppp is placed between the upper an lower staves but somewhat above-center. I'm not sure this qualifies as a special effort to communicate the intent.

Piano could stand out a little more.......2002-09-21

I agree with other reviewers this is a very good recording, of very difficult works. But it is especially good for the orchestral part. I am not saying Beroff is not a good pianist dont get me wrong. I am just saying there is better.
For the piano (and those are PIANO concertos my friends :) I have to say that I like the Ashkenazy/Previn recording better especially for #2 and #3 The piano sounds much clearer and less hesitating. The opening of 4th movement of #2 for example is 100 times better as played by Ashkenazy. Those chords are so much more precisely dropped. The orchestra though in many passages is more overwhelming (as it should be in this piece) in the Beroff/Masur recording.
If you want the complete set. Get both this recording and the Ashkenazy/Previn. They complement one another really well.
Now if you want the best recording of #3. You want to get the Argerich/Abbado recording. It ROCKS its is way above any other. Better rythmic precision , better phrasing, faster tempo. It is just amazing.

awesome and terrifying.......2002-09-21

This CD is another example of good price, comprehensiveness, and outstanding quality combining to make a powerhouse recording. I cannot overstate how dazzling Beroff's performance is. To hear pianistic technique at its pinnacle, just listen to the cadenza of the Second Concerto's opening movement--it'll take your breath away (you'll swear that it cannot be played by just a single player--examining the score will compound the disbelief). Beroff's swift hammering, mastery of dynamics, and perfect grasp of both Prokofiev's wit and rage, will have you coming back to this CD set for years. Concerto No. 3, by the way, is the best performance I've heard besides that given by Martha Argerich. With expert performance by Maestro Masur and the Gewandhaus Orchestra, these five neoclassical works have rarely received such musical justice. The second CD also features Prokofiev's delightful ethnographic chamber piece, "Overture on Hebrew Themes," as well as his solo piano work, "Fugitive Visions" (not quite as notable as, say, his late sonatas). I consider this CD set one of the best in my collection, and I recommend it without any reservations.

Glenn Gould Edition: Chopin / Mendelssohn / Scriabin / Prokofiev

Average customer rating:

Glenn Gould Edition: Chopin / Mendelssohn / Scriabin / Prokofiev
Scriabin is Gould's best
superlative scriabin and prokofiev.
New visions around old musical patterns!
THE BEST AND NOT-BEST OF GOULD

Glenn Gould Edition: Chopin / Mendelssohn / Scriabin / Prokofiev

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Glenn Gould Edition: Berg, Krenek, Webern, Debussy & Ravel
Mozart: The Complete Sonatas; Fantasias, K397 & K475
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 1 - Nos, 1-3, 5-10, 12-14
Glenn Gould Edition: Schumann & Brahms
The Glenn Gould Edition: Ludwig Van Beethoven Piano Sonatas, Volume II

ASIN: B0000028NQ
Release Date: 1995-06-27

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No. 3 In B Minor, Op. 58: I. Allegro maestoso
Piano Sonata No. 3 In B Minor, Op. 58: II. Sscherzo. Molto vivace
Piano Sonata No. 3 In B Minor, Op. 58: III. Largo
Piano Sonata No. 3 In B Minor, Op. 58: IV. Finale. Presto non tanto
Songs Without Words (Seletion) - Op. 19 No. 1 In E major: Andante con moto
Songs Without Words (Selection) - Op. 19 No. 2 In A Minor: Andante expressivo
Songs Without Words (Selection) Op. 85 No. 2 In A Minor: Allegro agitato
Songs Without Words (Selections) Op. 85 No. 5 In A Major: Allegretto
Songs Without Words (Selection) Op. 30 No. 3 In E Major: Adagion non troppo
Prelude In C Major, Op. 33 No. 3: =88
Prelude In E-flat Major, Op. 45 No.3: Andante
Prelude In F Major, Op. 49 No. 2: Bruscomente irato
Feuillet d'album, Op. 58: Con Delicatezza
Vision Fugitive, Op. 22 No. 2: Andante

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No. 3 In F-sharp Minor, Op. 23: I. Drammatico
Piano Sonata No. 3 In F-sharp Minor, Op. 23: II. Allegretto
Piano Sonata No. 3 In F-sharp Minor, Op. 23: III. Andante - attacca
Piano Sonata No. 3 In F-sharp Minor, Op. 23: IV. Presto con fuaco - Maestoso
Piano Sonata No. 5 In f-sharp Minor, Op. 53: Allefro. Impetuoso. Con stravaganza - Languido - Presto con allegrezza - Presto tumultuoso esaltato - Allegro impetuoso - Languido - Presto giocoso - Allegro fantastico - Prestissimo - Allegro
Piano Sonata No. 7 In B-Flat Major, Op. 83: I. Allegro inquieto - Andantino
Piano Sonata No. 7 In B-Flat Major, Op. 83: Andante caloroso
Piano Sonata No. 7 In B-Flat Major, Op. 83: Precipitato
2 Morceaux, Op. 57: No. 1: Desir
2 Morceaux, Op. 57: No. 2: Caresse dansee

Customer Reviews:

Glenn Gould Edition: Chopin / Mendelssohn / Scriabin / Prokofiev.......2007-05-17

I am totally satisfied with the condition of the cd and it was delivred promptly and in perfect condition.

Thank you very much.

Scriabin is Gould's best.......2007-05-10

I've finally heard a recording of Glenn Gould some of which I like. The Scriabin pieces suit his talents perfectly. As other reviewers have stated, the Chopin sonata is just plain weird, and who cares about the Mendelssohn? Prokofiev is one of my favorite composers for piano, and I borrowed these disks just to hear what Gould would do to him. In the end, I'm ambivalent; there's plenty of dash, but not much sonority to Gould's performance. His piano is indisputably a hammer-clavier. The bottom line is that I much prefer Richter.

superlative scriabin and prokofiev........2006-12-18

Gould didn't like Chopin's sonatas. It kinda shows. He takes a satirical approach to the music - it is fascinating, in a way, but don't buy this cd for the chopin sonata.
Buy it for the Scriabin and Prokofiev. The Prokofiev 7th is especially fulfilling. Simply superlative. Pollini or Richter's accounts each have their own merits, but Gould nails the sonata with a clear idea of where the composer intends to take us with all those dissonant and percussive music.
The Scriabin fifth is also the best i've heard. Gould takes a different approach and puts the sonata against the metronome, with a steady pulse and all that. surprisinly, it works, and what you have is an amazingly legible reading of a normally illegible piece of apocalyptic music.

New visions around old musical patterns!.......2006-05-08

After a quarter of Century from his death, Gould `s fame is still increasing. Glenn Gould constituted for Canada and the rest of the world, the new prototype of the rebel generation of the piano. He literally demolished barriers and imposed a new approach in what concerns to play Bach.

This album constitutes a true rarity in all senses. This is a repertoire that few or nothing has to do with him. From his interview of 1959, he stated clearly he did not like Chopin at all, according him, Frederick was not a good composer and just a superb miniaturist. But in the early seventies something deep inside changed and decided to play the Third Piano Sonata and these selected pieces of Mendelssohn.

For all those purists this approach, surely may be not pleasantly well received. It' s an Anti Romantic approach, Gould was always an enfant terrible and these works must be listened taking into account this statement.

His Scriabin is fabulous; enigmatic and loaded of a dark poetry. His Prokoviev is extremely interesting.

And please remember: All new art demands the extinction of the established order. That explains that, behind the ashes of the Romanticism, the Impressionism was borning : Death and transfiguration.

THE BEST AND NOT-BEST OF GOULD.......2004-12-30

These two discs, both made when Gould was in his late 30's or turning 40, are different in origin. The first, containing the Chopin sonata, the Mendelssohn and some Scriabin and Prokofiev, is of broadcasts over CBC. More Prokofiev and Scriabin on disc # 2, but studio recordings this time, done in New York. There is some wonderful playing here, indeed most of it is superb. The downer is the Chopin sonata - oh dear me, this will never do.

Loquacious as ever, Gould lets the world know about Chopin's shortcomings as a composer in large-scale forms. Until I heard the sonata from him I wasn't bothered by this, because he sometimes pontificates on some work to its disfavour and then gives a cracker of a performance, as with Bach's Italian concerto and Chromatic Fantasy. This time the omens were right - he doesn't like Chopin's B minor sonata and it shows. Just to complete the party, Sony apologise for some of the recorded quality on the broadcast disc, and this piece is the one where it's below par. I would not have recognised Gould's highly individual touch, normally unmistakable, from it. The first movement is the worst - far too slow and played with an artificial clarity. The last movement might have been interesting on another day, with the same choppy distinctness in the rondo theme the first time round but with more pedal when it recurs, but it doesn't work for me on this occasion. The two middle movements are better, but the scherzo needs more brilliance and the largo sounds uninvolved. My thoughts reverted enviously to the bright-eyed innocence of Cziffra in both movements.

Once done with that I was back with the great player I bought this set to hear. Most of the Mendelssohn and most of the smaller Scriabin and Prokofiev numbers are new to my collection, which is no model of planning or order. I was delighted instantly by Gould's freshness and clarity in the first Song Without Words, a beautiful and convincing counterbalance to the more romantic account of it that I have on LP from the great Guiomar Novaes, who now seems to be largely forgotten. Everything goes right for me from here on, although Gould's handling of the first movement in the Scriabin sonata # 3 raised my eyebrows a bit. I am used to Horowitz and Ashkenazy in this work. Both take the movement considerably faster, but there is no tempo indication, and Gould strikes me as a natural Scriabin stylist, something I would also say of Horowitz but much less of Ashkenazy. What the composer does say is `Drammatico', and this quiet approach is not my own idea of being dramatic, although Gould does admittedly build up the tone in the latter stages of the movement. The other Scriabin sonata is simply terrific, and in Prokofiev's fearsomely difficult 7th sonata Gould turns in a performance of dumbfounding virtuosity, as he does on another recording of it that I have from him.

Gould's playing is playing that I respond to strongly in general, and this is a set I respond to strongly in general too. On the first disc the recorded quality improves after that sad Chopin, although there is a certain amount of tape-noise in the background. I have no problems at all with the recorded quality on the second disc, and the multi-lingual liner note has an easy job in being informative and interesting owing to the considerable help it gets from the garrulous Mr Gould himself.

Stravinsky: Apollo; Concerto fro strings; Prokofiev: 20 Visions fugitives

Average customer rating:

Stravinsky: Apollo; Concerto fro strings; Prokofiev: 20 Visions fugitives

Manufacturer: Onyx Classics UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3; Poulenc: Organ Concerto; Barber: Toccata Festiva
Music of Peter Lieberson: Rilke Songs, The Six Realms, Horn Concerto

ASIN: B000LV6CNM
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

Naissance D'Apollon
Variation D'Apollon: Apollon Et Les Muses
Pas D'action: Apollon Et Les Trois Muses
Variation De Calliope
Variation De Polymnie
Variation De Terpsichore
Variation D'apollon
Pas De Deux: Apollon Et Terpsichore
Coda: Apollon Et Les Muses
Apotheose
I. Vivace
II. Arioso
III. Rondo
I. Lentamente
II. Andante
III. Allegretto
IV. Animato
V. Molto Giocoso
VI. Con Eleganza
VII. Pittoresco
VIII. Commodo
IX. Allegretto Tranquillo
X. Ridicolosamente
XI. Con Vivacita
XII. Assai Moderato
XIII. Allegretto
XIV. Feroce
XV. Inquieto
XVI. Dolente
XVII. Poetico, Andantino
XVIII. Con Una Dolce Lentezza
XIX. Presto Agitatissimo E Molto Accentuato
XX. Lento Irrealmente

Average customer rating:

Exceptional Prokofiev
A Self-Recommending 3CD Set
A must for fans of Prokofiev piano music
Prokofiev pianism to perfection

Prokofiev by Nissman
Sergey Prokofiev , and Barbara Nissman - pianist
Manufacturer: Pierian
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Customer Reviews:

Exceptional Prokofiev.......2007-03-19

Nissman's playing is exceptional on several levels. First, there is the intelligence and study that rings through. It is obvious that she is detail oriented and scholarly in her interpretive decisions. For example she treats the two versions of the 5th sonata differently. The revised 5th sonata is treated with an understanding that the revision occurred much later in Prokofiev's life when his approach had shifted. Second, her playing is technically clean and polished - you can hear every detail. Lastly, and most importantly, her playing is soulful and revealing. A great artist can make music where others fail to see it. Bronfman is a fine performer, however his 4th sonata doesn't hold a candle to Nissman's. She brings out nuances and subtleties that are glossed over by Bronfman. In fact her rendition of the 4th sonata is worth of any accolade by the classical recording industry (namely Penguin rosettes and the like). It baffles me that this cycle is not on the radar screen of more music guides. It would be on my desert island CD list without a question.

A Self-Recommending 3CD Set.......2004-03-12

Many of us remember the excitement at the appearance, in the late 1980s, of Barbara Nissman's recordings of the complete Prokofiev piano sonatas on Newport Classics. It was the first complete set ever released, as far as I know, and was immediately a best seller. Unfortunately, though, the Newport CDs are no longer in print. Enter Pierian Records. Pierian Records is a non-profit company, run pretty much as a one-man show by Karl Miller in Austin, Texas and 'dedicated to the preservation of historic recordings and obscure literature.' They have released a number of recordings by Barbara Nissman, surely one of our best American pianists. [See my review of her Liszt B minor sonata CD.] Nissman is a specialist in the piano music of Prokofiev, Ginastera, and Bartók and has, in fact, written a book about the piano music of the latter. She wrote the extremely helpful notes for this 3CD set. I have heard her play most of the Prokofiev sonatas (as well as various smaller pieces) in recital and can assure you that she conveys these pieces as well as anyone before the public today. It is true that some of the pianistic big guns have recorded some of the sonatas - Richter, Cliburn, Horowitz, Argerich - and a newer virtuoso pianist, Bernd Glemser, has recorded the lot. But Nissman's traversal has stood the test of time.

This set contains all nine sonatas (plus the small bit of Sonata 10 that survives), including the two versions of Sonata 5. Also included are the Four Pieces, Op. 4; Sarcasms, Op. 17; Visions Fugitives, Op. 22, and the Toccata, Op. 11. Some highlights: A blistering Toccata. The opening statement of the first of the three 'War Sonatas,' Sonata 6. The whole of Sonatas 7 and 8, and particularly the more forceful aspects of both of them, and not forgetting the casually swinging walking tenths of No. 7's slow movement. Both versions of Sonata 5 (so often derided as inferior; Nissman makes a case for both versions). An insouciant performance of the sweetly neoclassic Sonata 9, so reminiscent of the Classical Symphony written decades before.

If you're in the market for a complete set of these epochal sonatas - perhaps the most important set of piano sonatas of the 20th century - you should strongly consider these.

CD1=74:46
CD2=70:58
CD3-64:30

Scott Morrison

A must for fans of Prokofiev piano music.......2003-03-28

This 3 CD set includes all of the Prokofiev piano sonatas (including both versions of No. 5 and the tiny, interesting fragment of No. 10) along with the complete Visions Fugitives, Sarcasms, the Four Pieces (Op. 4), and Toccata. All are extremely well performed, and the recording is excellent (a surprise, since this is a re-issue of an '80s Sony digital recording, and many of those were unbearably harsh-sounding).

Ms. Nissman demonstrates a very high degree of musicianship on these recordings. Literally every one of these performances is a candidate for best-ever recording of the particular piece. Considering the biggies with whom she is competing (e.g., Pogorelich in Sonata No. 6, Horowitz in No. 7, Richter in No. 8), that's saying a lot. Throw in the good modern recording, and buying this set becomes a no-brainer for people who like Prokofiev's piano music.

I can hardly wait for Nissman's forthcoming Prokofiev Piano Concertos series, especially No 2, which has never had a totally satisfactory recording (if only someone could combine the good points of Browning's and Feltsman's versions of that one).

Prokofiev pianism to perfection.......2002-03-05

Although this was the first recording of the complete Prokofiev sonatas (undertaken in 1989), it is still for me the yardstick by which all subsequent versions are measured. Although this unjustly underrated United States pianist is a renowned Prokofiev expert she wears her scholarship joyously with an exuberance and spontaneity that lunges out of the speakers. The angularity, muscularity and acrobatics that embody Prokofiev's unpredictability are conveyed with such wit and bravura flourish. Her high sensitivity to shaping of lyrical line shows Barbara Nissman having a love affair with the most fecund melodist of the twentieth century. It's this very enthusiasm and close identity with the core of Prokofiev's style that set these performances alight. A bouquet for Pierian Recording Society in archiving this classic set of CDs and saving them permanently from the deletions axe. Ian Dando, music critic New Zealand Listener.

Average customer rating:

Sanroma: Greatest Almost-Unknown Pianist of the Century

Piano Masters: Jesus Maria Sanroma

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Jesus Maria Sanroma, Vol. 2

ASIN: B00004R8MB
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Customer Reviews:

Sanroma: Greatest Almost-Unknown Pianist of the Century.......2005-02-26

Jesus Maria ("Choo Choo")Sanroma used to stay at our home in Coconut Grove (Miami), Florida..when on tour. My father was a Baldwin Piano dealer and Choo Choo was a Baldwin artist...and they were fast friends. He was master of the great Baldwin SD-10 concert grand piano. Both Jose Iturbi and Artur Rubenstein told my father that Sanroma was probably the best of all of them.
Unfortunately, his Gershwin tours, which were astounding, allowed illiterate classical snobs to discount his talents. However, within this album you will experience the fire and passion of this amazing artist. A great & kind man. And from, proudly, Purto Rican parentage.

Prokofiev: Complete Music for Solo Piano

Average customer rating:

brilliant performances, but not quite perfect

Prokofiev: Complete Music for Solo Piano
Frederic Chiu
Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Gavottes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music

Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier
Brahms: Works for Solo Piano
Bach: Cello Suites
Prokofiev: The Complete Symphonies
Bartok: Complete Solo Piano Music

ASIN: B00005N8D6
Release Date: 2001-08-14

Customer Reviews:

brilliant performances, but not quite perfect.......2002-03-22

There is a wealth of great music on this disc, and all at an unbelievable price. The set does not start brilliantly, with a sonata set that sounds as though it has been recorded in his front room. Some of the playing is a bit woolly, but you can tell that his heart is there, especially in the 6th sonata, where the sparks positively fly. For my taste, the 8th starts off way too slow, and the exciting close of the first movement is too fast with way too much pedal, losing all detail. His antipathy towards the 1st sonata is obvious from the sleeve notes, and he plays it rather aggressively.
The sonata recordings come from the beginning of his recording career, and it becomes evident that his control has improved over time. The next disc, entitled `early fame' has an absolutely stonking `suggestion diabolique', the best I have heard on record, and his `toccata' is electric. His `sarcasms' are truly frightening, and the `juvenilia' provide a fascinating insight into the development of Prokofiev's piano music. There is a disc of violin and piano music in this set, and this is good, although I find myself wishing that Pierre Amoyal's tone were not so thin.
The pricing of this set confuses me, in the UK, these discs are available individually at full price, yet I bought the whole set at super budget price, and it is advertised as a super budget set. I was not initially pleased with this set, but I am now so glad that I bought it; it has opened my ears to so much wonderful piano music. I would have liked the inclusion of the fragment of the 10th sonata, though.

Average customer rating:

Echo Chamber
Masterful and sublime
good stuff
I Always Come Back to This One

Prokofiev: Complete Piano Music, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Prokofiev: Complete Piano Music, Vol. 1
Prokofiev: The Complete Piano Music, Vol. 6
Prokofiev: Piano Music, Vol. 4
Prokofiev: Vol. 3 of Complete Piano Music
Sergei Prokofiev: Piano Music, Volume 5

ASIN: B000000ALH
Release Date: 1992-10-28

Tracks:

Visions fugitives, Op. 22: I - Lentamente
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: II - Andante
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: III - Allegretto
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: IV - Animato - Pitenuto
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: V - Molto Giocoso
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: VI - Con Eleganza
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: VII - Pittoresco
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: VIII - Commodo
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: IX - Allegretto Tranquilo
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: X - Ridicolosamente
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: XI - Con Vivacit
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: XII - Assai Moderato
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: XIII - Allegretto
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: XIV - Feroce
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: XV - Inquieto
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: XVI - Dolente
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: XVII - Poetico
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: XVIII - Con una Dolce Lentezza
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: XIX - Presto Agitatissimo e Molto Accentuato
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: XX - Lento Irrealmente
Sarcasms, Op. 17: I - Tempestoso
Sarcasms, Op. 17: II - Allegro Rubato - Piso
Sarcasms, Op. 17: III - Allegro Precipitato - Un poco largamente
Sarcasms, Op. 17: IV - Smanioso - Piso - Poco pitenuto
Sarcasms, Op. 17: V - Precipitosissimo - Meno mosso subito - Andantino - L'istesso tempo
Tales Of An Old Grandmother, Op. 31: I - Moderato
Tales Of An Old Grandmother, Op. 31: II - Andantino
Tales Of An Old Grandmother, Op. 31: III - Andante assai
Tales Of An Old Grandmother, Op. 31: IV - Sostenuto - Pochissimo pimato - Molto andante
Sonata No. 7, Op. 83: I - Allegro Inquieto - poco meno - Andantino
Sonata No. 7, Op. 83: II - Andante Caloroso - poco pimato - Pigamente - un poco agitato
Sonata No. 7, Op. 83: III - Precipitato

Customer Reviews:

Echo Chamber.......2004-01-19

Was thrilled to see the other reviews here. I happened to come in here to write a review because I put this disc on for the first time in ages. I was insanely obsessed with this one for a long time. The Visions are mindblowing and Berman's version just blows the doors off every other one I've heard. He plays these pieces as the spooky, incredibly modern pieces that they are, mixing muddy, dissonant grumblings with hammering lyricism, holding the tempos in the hypnotic range. Prokofiev often had more musical ideas in a single piece than a lot of composers could muster in their lives. Visions ranks with the Piano Concerto #3 as one of the premiere assemblages of brilliant fragments in the history of music. And there are so many of them that when they're all over, you'll be sad, but you can just go back to the beginning again.

One other note here. Schoenberg and his ilk did a lot to discredit the modern Russians, claiming that they were just hacking out forms that had been long ago interred by more advanced practitioners (like himself of course). A lot of that has worn off, but revisionism has still not landed Prokofiev his just due. Nevermind his lyricism, which is a match for anyone else, but many of his ideas and forms are very interestingly modern in other ways. For instance, he was a master of idiom and turning pieces inside out based on their structural underpinnings. His first symphony was composed as an exercise based on the thought 'If Haydn were still alive, what would he compose?' and Prokofiev's answer was much the same thing, with a few amendments to his musical language. (A wonderful counter to Shoenberg's cretinous progressive/positivist views of musical history.) Also, many of his compositions use popular idioms and take them apart, turning them into farces, in a very interesting way. Ravel's La Valse got a lot of attention for lampooning the Waltz, but Prokofiev wrote some of the most beautiful waltzes ever, and yet they are tinged with irony, nay parody. This practice is on display in these pieces, and the result is similar to what became the dominant mode of exploration during the Cool Jazz period: taking popular pieces and pulling them apart and reconstructing them in other forms.

Masterful and sublime.......2003-03-31

Berman's interpretations are, as another reviewer opined, probably even better than what Prokofiev intended himself. The Visions fugitives are brief, flitting glimpses of Prokofiev's genius, and the 7th Sonata is churning as well. An amazing recording, and a great series

good stuff.......2001-04-26

Very worthwhile recording. Gorgeous sound, strong technique, compelling interpretations. My interest was the Visions Fugitives, and they are probably not the way Prokofiev would have done them - but I value this rendition as much as his own (he didn't record the complete set anyway).

I Always Come Back to This One.......1999-03-17

I buy lots and lots of classical CDs, and there are very few in the category of "I play them a lot." Maybe 5 or 10 max. This is one of them. The Visions Fugitives are a revelation. The Sonata #7 is always a surprise and a delight. This guy Berman plays Prokofiev like I don't know what. He plays Prokofiev better than Prokofiev. It's scary, how habit-forming this CD is. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Prokofiev: Complete Piano Sonatas; Visions Fugitives

Average customer rating:

Magnificent Prokofiev!!

Prokofiev: Complete Piano Sonatas; Visions Fugitives

Manufacturer: Ondine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Haydn: Piano Sonatas

ASIN: B00001W08D
Release Date: 1999-10-19

Tracks:

Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Lentamente
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Andante
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Allegretto
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Animato
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Molto giocoso
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Con eleganza
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: (Arpa) Pittoresco
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Commodo
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Allegretto tranquillo
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Ridicolosamente
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Con vivacita
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Assai moderato
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Allegretto
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Feroce
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Inquieto
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Dolente
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Poetico
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Con una dolce lentezza
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Presto agitatissimo e molto accentuato
Visions fugitives, Op. 22: Lento irrealmente
Piano Sonata No.1, Op.1
Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 14: Allegro, ma non troppo
Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 14: Scherzo (Allegro marcato)
Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 14: Andante
Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 14: Vivace
Piano Sonata No. 3, Op. 28

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No. 4, Op. 29 - (From Old Sketch Books): Allegro molto sostenuto
Piano Sonata No. 4, Op. 29 - (From Old Sketch Books): Andante assai
Piano Sonata No. 4, Op. 29 - (From Old Sketch Books): Allegro con brio, ma non leggiere
Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 38 - (Original Version): Allegro tranquillo
Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 38 - (Original Version): Andantino
Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 38 - (Original Version): Un poco allegretto
Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 82: Allegro moderato
Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 82: Allegretto
Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 82: Tempo di valzer lentissimo
Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 82: Vivace

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No. 7, Op. 83: Allegro inquieto
Piano Sonata No. 7, Op. 83: Andante caloroso
Piano Sonata No. 7, Op. 83: Precipitato
Piano Sonata No. 8, Op. 84: Andante dolce
Piano Sonata No. 8, Op. 84: Andante sognando
Piano Sonata No. 8, Op. 84: Vivace
Piano Sonata No. 9, Op. 103: Allegretto
Piano Sonata No. 9, Op. 103: Allegro strepitoso
Piano Sonata No. 9, Op. 103: Andante tranquillo
Piano Sonata No. 9, Op. 103: Allegro con brio, ma non troppo presto

Customer Reviews:

Magnificent Prokofiev!!.......2007-01-09

I heard the Prokofiev 7th Sonata on the radio in what was the most virtuoso spellbinding performance I had heard since Horowitz recorded it in the 1940s. When the announcer said the name of the artist, I had never heard of him, but I promptly wrote the name down. It was Matti Raekallio.

I finally (years after the fact) tracked down this set and immediately put in the 7th sonata to see if it was as great as I had remembered it. YEP! IT was and more! This, without a doubt, is one of the greatest 7th sonatas ever put on record. You've got to hear it to believe it. The final precipatato movement is taken at such a breaknect speed that it's hard to believe he can get through it...but get through it he does in spectacular fashion.

The rest of the performances are just as good in the set with an especially compelling rendition of the complete Visions Fugitives.

I also got another recording of Raekellio playing Liszt and Brahms paganini etudes and it is just as impressive. If you get a chance to hear this remarkable artist, please do so. You won't be disappointed!

Average customer rating:

Some gems in this collection of lesser-known Prokofiev

Gyorgy Sandor Plays Prokofiev

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Gyorgy Sandor Plays Prokofiev
Bartok: Complete Solo Piano Music
Gyorgy Sandor Plays Bartók
Bartok: Violin Concertos, Viola Concerto, 6 Duo for 2 Violins, Violin Rhapsodies; Yehudi Menuhin
Taneyev: Chamber Music

ASIN: B000001KCA
Release Date: 1994-08-15

Tracks:

Toccata, Op. 11
Ten Episodes, Op. 12: No. 1. March
Ten Episodes, Op. 12: No. 2. Gavotte
Ten Episodes, Op. 12: No. 3. Riguaudon
Ten Episodes, Op. 12: No. 4. Mazurka
Ten Episodes, Op. 12: No. 5. Capriccio
Ten Episodes, Op. 12: No. 6. Legend
Ten Episodes, Op. 12: No. 7. Prelude 'Harp'
Ten Episodes, Op. 12: No. 8. Allemande
Ten Episodes, Op. 12: No. 9. Humorous Scherzo (For 4 Bassoons)
Ten Episodes, Op. 12: No. 10. Scherzo
Five Sarcasms, Op. 17: No. 1
Five Sarcasms, Op. 17: No. 2
Five Sarcasms, Op. 17: No. 3
Five Sarcasms, Op. 17: No. 4
Five Sarcasms, Op. 17: No. 5
Chose en soi, Op. 45a
Chose en soi, Op. 45b
Music For Children, Op. 65: Morning - Promenade - Fairy Tale - Tarantella - Regrets - Waltz - Parade Of The Grasshoppers - Rain And The Rainbow - Tag - March - Evening - Moonlit Meadows)

Tracks:

Three Pieces, Op. 59: Promenade
Three Pieces, Op. 59: Paysage
Three Pieces, Op. 59: Sonatine Pastorale
Twenty Visions Fugitives, Op. 22
Tales Of An Old Grandmother, Op. 31: No. 1. Moderato
Tales Of An Old Grandmother, Op. 31: No. 2. Andantino
Tales Of An Old Grandmother, Op. 31: No. 3. Andate assai
Tales Of An Old Grandmother, Op. 31: No. 4. Sostenuto
Four Pieces, Op. 32: No. 1. Dance
Four Pieces, Op. 32: No. 2. Minuet
Four Pieces, Op. 32: No. 3. Gavotte
Four Pieces, Op. 32: No. 4. Waltz
Pensees, Op. 62: No. 1. Adagio Penseroso
Pensees, Op. 62: No. 2. Lento
Pensees, Op. 62: No. 3. Andante

Amazon.com

Most of this music is not well known. Prokofiev buried a lot of imaginative music in sets like Tales of the Old Grandmother and Visions Fugitives (not to mention such imaginatively titled sets as Three Pieces and Four Pieces). For those who love Prokofiev's blend of lyricism and cynicism, there are probably many wonderful discoveries to be made in this set. Gyorgy Sandor's recording is rather dated, and he doesn't play Prokofiev's most virtuosic music with the same fury as he does Bartók's. But he is a musician of great resource and integrity, and at the super-budget price his excursion into Prokofiev is a worthwhile investment. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Some gems in this collection of lesser-known Prokofiev.......2006-05-04

This useful collection acts as a pendant to Gyorgy Sandor's set, also on Vox, of the piano sonatas, sonatinas and early piano pieces. Containing all the original piano music not on the piano sonata set (though not Prokofiev's transcriptions of his and other people's music) it gives a good picture of the composer's development from around 1910 until his return to Russia in 1935.

Taking the works on the disc chronologically, we start with the virtuoso Toccata--a triumph of demonic Lisztian energy--before moving onto the Ten Episodes, op 12. This is still early Prokofiev, though his mature style is already here in miniature: ironically swaggering marches, motoric rhythms and gentle lyricism feature prominently amongst the short pieces here.

More modernist--in fact as modernist as the composer's solo piano music gets--are the Sarcasms, op 17. These works are considerably more harmonically dissonant (though always clearly tonal) and bristling with brutalist rhythms. While certainly a stylistic advance on the op 12 set, they are not as fine as the Visions Fugitives, op 22, surely the greatest of Prokofiev's non-sonata piano works. This set of 20 miniatures (some very short indeed) conveys a huge emotional and stylistic range in its 20-minute duration.

By the time of Prokofiev's next piano pieces, his style was already beginning to simplify. The Tales of an Old Grandmother, op 31, perhaps isn't the best example of this--these are pieces for the student, charming as they are--but the Four Pieces that immediately follow it certainly represent a clear distillation of the earlier style into music that is simple yet strongly characterised.

The rest of the works on these discs come from that ambivalent, difficult time when Prokofiev was tiring of life in the West and moving back home to Soviet Russia. Like much of the music from that period, it's often deeply conflicted emotionally, and though generally fairly simple in nature the harmonies are often strange and unsettling. The two op 45 pieces entitled Chose en soi (Thing in itself) are the most ambitious of the solo piano works of this era, both being expressively and structurally diverse--in contrast the op 59 set is a group of simple character pieces, while the Pensees, op 62, are unified by a slow, thoughtful manner. Finally, the Music for Children--Prokofiev's last original piano work not to be titled Sonata--dates from just after his return to Russia. These are delightful miniatures for younger pianists to play, but obviously do not add up to a major work.

Gyorgy Sandor is a more-than-reliable guide to these works. If he has does have to cede precedence to other pianists in individual works (Argerich in the Toccata, Richter in various of the Visions Fugitives and the composer himself in other pieces, for example) this is still a very reliable traversal of these works--and at the price, well-night unbeatable value.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Spare Shells [Import]

Bach: Das Kantatenwerk, Vol. 36

American Pop: An Audio History - From Minstrels To Mojo: On Record, 1893-1946 [Box set]

Music: Best 1200 [Import] [Limited Edition]

All Said & Done (Bonus Dvd)

Absent Friends, Pt. 1 [CD-single] [Import]

All About Love

Bartók & Schubert: String Quartets

20 Country Favorites

15 Autenticos Exitos Sones Jaliscienses

And a Whole Lotta You!

A Dog Day Afternoon: Live In The USA [Live]

A Winter's Tale: Arctic Symphony [Import]

Musings

Penguin Cafe Orchestra