Michael Ponti's Scriabin

[pabst]

Just wanna know what people think of this somewhat unknown pianist, what do you like-dislike about his playing? I just recently started to buy some of his recordings, after having listened to an old Tchaikovsky 1st on Vynil. I got his Rach 2nd sonata (this is deffo my fav recording of the work so far), his Scriabin Sonatas (most coherent set) and his Scriabin Etudes. About the Etudes, he has the most beautiful tone on every single one, a extremely calculated rubato and impeccable rythm - the rythm being what made me draw the conclusion that his is the best set out there for the etudes. Please tell me what you think, and what other sets you enjoy (scriabin etudes that is).

Thx

[arensky]

I have his Scriabin Concerto, It's excellent, stands up to Ashekenazy.Your observations about his rubato and tone are borne out in this recording. Have his Medtner 3rd Concerto and Sonata Tragique and Sonata op.22 on vinyl, my first Medtner I ever heard. There's some harsh tone and mushy passagework particularly in the Tragique but the temperment is excellent...have you examined this guy's discography? He's recorded huge segments of the standard literature,mostly for Vox Turnabout in the 1970's and 80's, including complete Schumann. My grad school teacher, who knew/knows him, called him "a music eater", one of those people with phenomenal memory and a big technique, enabling him to devour large parts of the literatre in the time most of us take to learn a single program. Never heard any of his Scriabin except for the Concerto.

Wonder what he's doing nowadays, haven't heard anything about him in a long time.....

[pabst]

Thanks for the info, I'll check the Scriabin concerto and the Medtner. Here are some highlights:

Rach 2nd Sonata 29meg
https://s54.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=16GJGOMK07JV01TVUF7WJ416D9

Few Scriabin Etudes & Fantasia 24meg
https://s37.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2KL0E9B8P0FLU1GTV4FCGNCVZ7

He might not be the best technically-wise, but he does do wonderul things.

[bearzinthehood]

I have his complete scriabin sans sonatas.  The recording quality is horrible, his performance is ok though IMO.  Cheap set though, still worth it.

[prometheus]

I heard the piano sounds thin almost like a harpsichord.

[pabst]

Few Scriabin Etudes & Fantasia 24meg

this was taken from the complete scriabin sans sonatas set, a Vox Box, and the quality is very good. Maybe they made a new edition n remastered it...

[mikey6]

I have his Liszt Transcendental studies - it is the brightest/harshest piano tone i've ever heard! That is to say, I don't like too much.

[superstition2]

Ponti is a mediocre pianist but his set is better than Ogdon's, which is abominable.

[mikey6]

but his set is better than Ogdon's, which is abominable.

I disagree.

[stevie]

shame the sound is so bad, the playing is often actually good, and sometimes VERY good

i ahve the 5cd set

[superstition2]

I disagree.

In what way?

To be fair, both pianists have a penchant for wrong notes and very coarse playing.

[mikey6]

I haven't heard Ponti's but I have Ogdon's complete sonatas - granted his loud sounds can be quite ugly but his mysterioso and generally his quiter colours are rather hypnotic.  The funeral march from the 1st sonata is deadly!
Personally I like it.