Best Scriabin´s 5th sonata interpretation

[piazzo23]

I only know Ashkenazy´s and Richter´s.
I feel Ashkenazy´s, although I didn´t listen to other´s, is insurpassable.
It has careless freedom and imagination.

Could you recommend me some others?

[thierry13]

I have Hamelin's video, and of course, it is AMAZING ! I didn't hear any of ther one's you mentioned, but I'm sure Hamelin is better.

[pita bread]

Hamelin's a great pianist with amazing technique, but his interpretations of late Scriabin works do nothing for me. I can say about the same for Askenazy and Richter.

For the 5th sonata, I prefer Horowitz, Sofronitsky, and Laredo.

Horowitz has all the fire and passion you'll ever need. Sofronitsky brings out the beastial side of human nature in his recording. Laredo starts a bit too slow, but has an absolutely massive final climax/orgasm.

[quantum]

Also try Laredo and Horowitz. 

There are some wonderful moments in Horowitz but at times it can be a bit harsh and there are some "augmentations" of added flashiness he does that I don't like.  Scriabin had specific sounds and evoked feelings in mind, which don't benifit from virtuosic concert-like flashiness. 

Some may call Laredo's interpretation dull on first listen, but upon multiple listenings you may warm up to the recording.  Ditto to what Pita Bread says.

You may also with to check out Taub (although I haven't heard it). 

[prometheus]

I really like how Richter plays it. The ending of this piece is amazing, and Richter augments its strenght.

[alhimia]

I've heard a live recording by Arcadi Volodos of this sonata and it's amazing. His sound and color are very unique.
In fact, all his scriabin is impressive to me.

[arensky]

For me,

1. Ashekenazy/Richter, both are extraordinary.
2. Horowitz
3. Roberto Szidon, a Brazilian pianist who recorded the complete sonatas in the 70's or 80's

I've never heard the Sofronitsky, but everything he does is brilliant, particularly Scriabin.

I've never heard Laredo's, but I do not care for her playing of anything, I can't imagine I would like it.

[brahmsian]

Horowitz

[pabst]

3. Roberto Szidon, a Brazilian pianist who recorded the complete sonatas in the 70's or 80's

I'm surprised someone mentioned him. I've had his Sonatas box for a long time, never really valued it until the 5th or 10th listen. At first It seemed like a cliburn type, no special technique, too much use of pedal, slow tempos - but then, after giving some time, I could notice how he made them sound so different, so totally different, and that's when I started to value this kind of approach. And I won't consider it simply "a good alternative" anymore, but would regard it as high as to rank it "in my a top 5".

Back on topic, Richter's great, and so is Laredo (imho). Laredo has great inner-voicings - it's something you can check on her rach 2nd sonata aswell.

[pita bread]

The only thing I dislike about the Horowitz recording is that he re-scores the 3 on 4 polyrhythm chord passages near the end as tremolos. While the tremolo gives a good vibration, the polyrhythms that Scriabin wrote give the passage a more warm, human feel, like two hearts beating closely together while being engulfed in ecstasy.

[mikey6]

I like Ogdon's.