The Early Scriabin - Stephen Coombs

[cherub_rocker1979]

What do you guys think of this CD? I think it's awesome, especially the Sonata in E-flat Minor, op. posthumous and the Allegro appassionato, op. 4.

[pabst]

Honestly, one of the most flaccid piano playing ive ever heard, really. The only positive thing about it is the obscurity of the repertoire portrayed. There are several better recordings of the op.4 an op. posth., such as Szidon and Ponti, but sadly they arent that great either.   

[superstition2]

Ponti's recording of the "sonata" is wrong because he replaced the first movement with Scriabin's Allegro Appassionata. I can't understand why people continue to recommend Ponti. Not only is the sound quality bad, the playing is bombastic and hardly poetic.

The Coombs disc isn't bad. I think Glemser may have a slight edge on the Eb minor sonata and I prefer Hamelin's performance of the G# minor sonata.

[stevie]

the finale i heard ponti play randomly was awesome, very aggresive and fart.

but what ive heard of coombs is indeed, good, but 'flaccid' is the word

[cherub_rocker1979]

I really can't listen to Ponti's recording, the sound is so bad.

[pabst]

Ponti's recording of the "sonata" is wrong because he replaced the first movement with Scriabin's Allegro Appassionata. I can't understand why people continue to recommend Ponti. Not only is the sound quality bad, the playing is bombastic and hardly poetic.

The Coombs disc isn't bad. I think Glemser may have a slight edge on the Eb minor sonata and I prefer Hamelin's performance of the G# minor sonata.

I really have no idea why people say the sound is bad, maybe because I have a stereo system connected to my computer and I can fix pretty much anything, I imagine it sounds horrible on computer speakers, donno... And no Ponti didnt mix the two works, the recording label did - just check his Alllegro Appassionato track and you will see its the first movement of the Sonata, while the 1st movement is in reality  the op. 4. Simple mistake.

[superstition2]

but what ive heard of coombs is indeed, good, but 'flaccid' is the word

If you want flaccid, get Paley's etudes on Naxos. That's flaccid!

[stevie]

If you want flaccid, get Paley's etudes on Naxos. That's flaccid!

hahaha, i randomly have them....and yes, flaccid

lane is great in the etudes, but i wish gavrilov woudvle recorded more scriabin....pasrticularly the complete etudes

[cherub_rocker1979]

I enjoy Paley's recording as much as Lane's.  I don't see why everything has to be played so fast.  I never play at my fastest speed, I always play a little bit slower than I think I should.  Clara Schumann used to say that pianists play everything too fast. 

[superstition2]

It's not the speed that's the problem. It's the slurring... the blandness.

No one can touch Horowitz in short Scriabin, although Sofronitsky came close.

As for Clara Schumann... her music is tedious and banal, at least the Naxos disc I have is.