Mikhail Pletnev

[weissenberg2]

He seems to only be conducting for the next few years. Does anyone know if he retired from playing the piano?

[retrouvailles]

All I have to say is good riddance. I couldn't stand his way of playing. It was so overly showy, but in a shoddy sort of way at the same. He was only good when he was a young pianist, in my opinion. He has always had an amazing technique, but he had more musical facility when he was younger, and he wasn't as crazy. He sort of went the other way that Pogorelich did in his older days, it seems. I think he a pretty good conductor, so it might be interesting to see him doing that more.

[neardn]

I don't think so. Didn't he release a new album of piano music last year?

His Op. 81a is very... pretty.

[weissenberg2]

I don't think so. Didn't he release a new album of piano music last year?

His Op. 81a is very... pretty.

He did, it was a two pianos with Martha Argerich. He may have retired in between the time between the recording and now though.

[communist]

All I have to say is good riddance. I couldn't stand his way of playing. It was so overly showy, but in a shoddy sort of way at the same. He was only good when he was a young pianist, in my opinion. He has always had an amazing technique, but he had more musical facility when he was younger, and he wasn't as crazy. He sort of went the other way that Pogorelich did in his older days, it seems. I think he a pretty good conductor, so it might be interesting to see him doing that more.

I think your just trying to annoy people. If you are going to get mad at people for insulting Hamelin don't insult other great pianists other people like. Pletnev may be showy but that does not get in the way of his artistry. Hamelin shows off more than Pletnev.

[imbetter]

Mikhail Pletnev is quite simply one of the great pianists of our time.

[allthumbs]

Does anyone know if he retired from playing the piano?

Does one ever retire from playing the piano once bitten by the bug?

Maybe from public performances, although I'm sure he plays for friends.

[danmor]

I doubt he's really retired from the professional pianist world...
He's probably do a reuion tour some year. Except he rarely comes to the U.S. 
 :oYou should check out his Live at Carnegie Hall album! (2001)

[communist]

I doubt he's really retired from the professional pianist world...
He's probably do a reuion tour some year. Except he rarely comes to the U.S. 
 :oYou should check out his Live at Carnegie Hall album! (2001)

the voices he brings out in Chopin scherzo no.1 is incredible. His Beethoven sonata op.111 is the best IMO. All of the encores he played (I.E. a Moszkowski etude, Scarlatti sonata K.9, Rachmaninoff etude-tableau op.39 no.5, Scriabin poeme op.32 no.1 and Balakiriev Islamey) were all fantastic.

[retrouvailles]

I think your just trying to annoy people. If you are going to get mad at people for insulting Hamelin don't insult other great pianists other people like. Pletnev may be showy but that does not get in the way of his artistry. Hamelin shows off more than Pletnev.

No, I just have that opinion of Pletnev, and a lot of people I know don't like either Hamelin or Pletnev. I get mad when people don't like Hamelin for stupid reasons. If they have a good reason to hate him or someone else, well, then that's fine. And yes, I believe Pletnev's showiness gets in the way of his artistry, if one can say he has any. He has artistry when he conducts though, I think.

[communist]

No, I just have that opinion of Pletnev, and a lot of people I know don't like either Hamelin or Pletnev. I get mad when people don't like Hamelin for stupid reasons. If they have a good reason to hate him or someone else, well, then that's fine. And yes, I believe Pletnev's showiness gets in the way of his artistry, if one can say he has any. He has artistry when he conducts though, I think.

By showiness to do you mean his tendency to bang and play faster than required?

[retrouvailles]

By showiness to do you mean his tendency to bang and play faster than required?

Yeah, exactly. I can't stand that in a lot of pianists, and Pletnev just overdoes it. I can understand it if it is at a huge climax or something, but not all the time.

[communist]

Yeah, exactly. I can't stand that in a lot of pianists, and Pletnev just overdoes it. I can understand it if it is at a huge climax or something, but not all the time.

I know what you mean. His Pictures at an Exhibition is savage.

[imbetter]

The way he treats Pictures at an Exhibition is just uncalled for I agree.