The Élégiaque Piano Trios - Rachmaninoff

FROM: “The PENGUIN Guide to Compact Discs & DVDs 2005/2006 Edition”

Published by Penguin Books: London, New York, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, South Africa; U.S. release date October 1, 2005.

From: Introduction (p. xiii): 

Our evaluation system may be summarized as follows:

*** An outstanding performance and recording in every way;
**   A good performance and recording of today’s normal high standard;
*     A fair or somewhat routine performance, reasonably well performed or recorded.

From: Rachmaninov Chamber Music listings (pp. 1024-1025): 

Trios elégiaques Nos. 1 in G minor., Op. 8; 2 in D min., Op. 9.

*** Tavros EPT 4516. Yoo, Sakharova, Arnadóttir.

An outstanding new coupling of the paired Rachmaninov Trios elégiaques from this impressive group of young musicians – Korean pianist Yung Wook Yoo, Russian violinist Julia Sakharova, with the warm-toned Icelandic cellist, Margarét Arnadóttir. They make a fine team and give performances that are as passionate as they are lyrically spontaneous.  The long elliptical first movement of Op. 8 is admirably shaped, and the pianist emerges with special distinction in the following even more extended set of variations. The D minor Trio is an elegy for Tchaikovsky and its atmosphere of Russian melancholy (the composer’s marking is lento lugubre) is richly caught, notably by the cellist. The recording is vividly up front – on one occasion the bass end of the piano is made to seem right on top of the listener – but the performances are so committedly vivid and alive that this debut CD must be welcomed with enthusiasm. (The disc is available from Tavros Records, 1187 Coast Village Road, 1-0288, Santa Barbara, California 93108, USA. Fax: 00-1-805-969-5749. E-mail: info@tavrosrecords.com).

Solo Piano Works - Chopin - Vassily Primakov

FROM: “The PENGUIN Guide to Compact Discs & DVDs 2005/2006 Edition”

Published by Penguin Books: London, New York, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, South Africa; U.S release date October 1, 2005.

From: Introduction (p. xiii):

Our evaluation system may be summarized as follows:

*** An outstanding performance and recording in every way;
**   A good performance and recording of today’s normal high standard;
*     A fair or somewhat routine performance, reasonably well performed or recorded.

From: Chopin Piano Music listings (pp. 351-352):

Ballades 1-4; Barcarolle; Berceuse; Fantaisie in F min.; Scherzo3 in C sharp min., Op.39

(N) **(*) Tavros 8253466528. Primakov (available from www.tavrosrecords.com)

Vassily Primakov was born in Russia but made his New York début in 2004, playing Rachmaninov’s formidable Third Concerto to considerable acclaim; and this is a remarkable first CD recital. He is an artist of immense talent and remarkable technical accomplishment. But like many Slavonic pianists, his very free and often mannered style brings a personalized degree of rubato that, even if it sounds spontaneous, is stretching the limits of interpretative license too far – as in the Fantaisie, which comes first in his programme. He is undoubtedly a natural Chopin pianist and, for all their willfulness, these beautifully played performances have magnetic poetic feeling. The Berceuse is exquisite, and the four Ballades have a flowing romantic ardour, balanced with moments of great delicacy, that is very appealing. But the C sharp minor Scherzo needs more structural cohesion, and he would do well to study Sviatoslav Richter’s recording of this piece to learn how poetic freedom and a planned overall view can hold the piece together. The other remarkable feature of this CD is the vivid presence of the recording, which, in a curious way is more real than real. One almost seems to have one’s head inside the keyboard (!), with the bass resonating richly. It is a curious effect but, although the piano timbre itself is full and true, the overall impression is not quite natural. But h-fi enthuasiasts will surely be using this as a larger-than-life demonstration disc.