Leopold Godowsky - Sonata in E minor, 5th Mvt. (part 1/2)

[MrFrenchBulldog]

Dear Lexasepa:

I have Scherbakov's recording of the sonata. While many of his recordings do not excite me, it is really his take on the Lyapunov Transcendental Etudes that casts him into the limelight. I am preparing the 6th one - "The Tempest" - for recital, and it is stupefying to follow the score while listening to him play it. He infuses it with all the fire one could want!

[MrFrenchBulldog]

I didn't know this sonata was so demanding. But it's sheer beauty would be a big impetus to work through its technical landmines.

[brianCIM]

one of my close friends recorded this piece and his recording actually came out right before this hamelin recording and his recording i think is slightly better than hamelin's. his name is adam aleksander and he is a miraculous pianist. this piece is insanely difficult. he almost had a nervous breakdown trying to prepare it. if you get a chance look him up. of course hamelin is fantastic also. thank you for this post maffei90. godowsky was a fascinating pianistic mind.

[MrFrenchBulldog]

Can you tell me what specifically is difficult about the piece? Did Mr. Aleksander perform it in recital?

[abmsghost]

If you can read music I suggest you have a look at the score.The biggest problem is keeping everything together and make sure the audience does not lose interest.

[MrFrenchBulldog]

I do own the score now, and yes, it is very thick writing. Very hard to conceptualize and manage technically. That renders Aleksander and Hamelin all the greater for their brilliant efforts.

[abmsghost]

Your friend is indeed a fantasti pianist.But to sa y that his performance is slightly better puts you in the category of people who favour because of a personal relationship.Rest assured that nobody and I repeat NOBODY comes close to Hamelin.The biggest miracle with MAH is his sound and phrasing.Marc is superior because he never suffers nervous breakdowns during preparation.Just have a look at his repertoire.Overwhelming.But ,I repeat AA is an amazing pianist.

[brianCIM]

i am not in that category of people. i honestly like adam's better. i own pretty much everything hamelin has recorded and i truly admire him but his playing never radiates warmth to me. i am not knocking him in any way. i have heard him in recital 3 times but sometimes it seems to me that the more difficult piece the better he plays. i heard him play the schubert b-flat sonata and although not bad in anyway, it was just kind of hum-drum. his tone(good as it is) just doesn't project. no offense

[MrFrenchBulldog]

I enjoy Mr. Aleksander's recording more than the others as well. I think it correct to say both his and Hamelin's recordings are in the same class....i.e., top tier.

[lexarsepa]

@MrFrenchBulldog If you are interested I can post Scherbakov's recording. I do think that Aleksander's recording is a bit superior, but it is still interesting.

[MrFrenchBulldog]

Alas, to claim an artist is less in stature due to personal travails is as off-the-mark as it is to say that one is superior because s/he does not. To impose this system of thinking, Schumann and Rachmaninoff would be at the very bottom of the list. Clearly that is absurd.