Alexei Sultanov Prokofiev Piano Sonata No.7 1st.mov.

[cctunes1]

This has nothing to do with Prokofiev's vision. It races over everything to the point of losing the whole line, a la Argerich. Try early Glenn Gould.

[utubuser10]

@cctunes1 i thought this was argerich...

[fredericfranc]

...I get audio on only one channel, and my computer is NOT at fault...but anyway...you definitely want to campare this to the TWO renditions of this sonata by Richter, here on the YT. Richter knew Prokofiev personally and worked with him (actually knew him VERY SLIGHTLY, Richter makes that "VERY SLIGHTLY" very clear in his,shall we say, memoirs), but still...Sultanov's Prokofiev here is sort of something....but it is something very, very removed from Rihter's...not exactly so amazing, right?

[Gflapcamel]

@keenanonie - except for the part about the "hard parts", I agree with you. Something about his performance, his approach, just doesn't appeal to me. Especially his 3rd mov, where it's so fast that the technique blots out the actual music. Yes, some passages are brilliant, but they don't cohere well.

[Starwalker6978]

I real personality at the piano! Good technique as well!

[Pianobelgium]

To elrondsch: I'm pretty sure that Prokofiev never recorded this sonata.

To keenanonie: I don't think that he's slowing down in the difficult places; I would rather say the opposite. I would say the difficult places in this movement are at 3min42 and the passage at 4min32, where he's not slowing down at all.

Indeed, he's very free, but in a way it is very acceptable as he is showing smart piano playing with very personal ideas.

[elrondsch]

@Pianobelgium ok=) but if you listen to his recordings of his own toccata, or sonata n4 or concerto n3 - he still doesnt follow most of his own markings=)

[pianodudette]

very good performance! I'm adicted to this piece, my boyfriend is learning it :)

[fullyfatty]

I love it!

[keenanonie]

An example of incredible pianism. But, please, this performance is extremely juvenile. There's nothing artistic about playing the more manageable parts as loud as possible and then slowing down for the hard parts. What's worse is his habit of starting phrases slowly then speeding way up. Don't get me wrong; pianistically, he does some impressive things, but the interpretation is full of disregard for the cohesion of the movement and for Prokofiev's interpretive indications.

[elrondsch]

have you ever heard prokofiev's own recording of this sonata? he doesn't follow any of his own marks. he plays it as it should sound for him. and sultanov does the same for himself. dont think that he slows down because of the hard parts) he feels it that way.

[freeqwerqwer]

he's fabulous.

[vit2122]

Maybe iti is the best of Sultanov But... Iti is Shit but not Prokofiev...!

[chusomen]

Very nice. Best interpretation I've heard of Sultanov so far.

[dereczynski]

beatiful and very organic perfomance

this man had true talent

and o communicative gift like few

[KeeneTxSoccerClub]

his wife plays with our orchestra camerata in keene, texas she is an excellent celloist soloist her name is dace sultanov.

[John11inch]

I respect the power, but jeeze >> He's really taking rubato a bit too far with those tempi. Comes a bit dysjunct for my taste.

[biegel88]

Quite fine! he should be remembered!! Met him in NY once after his Carnegie Hall recital--delightful young man!

[toni8675]

This guy was a great pianist. Excelent interpretation.

[guboub]

I could not help but notice that he gave up the exaggerated gesture compared to the Van Cliburn competition. Energy is more wisely spent when directed to the keyboard...

[uhrkraft]

This guy would wipe the floor with your ass..

[irishrob21]

who are you? why is your comment relevant? why does the observation that a certain gesture was ommitted compared to another competition elicit such an ignorant response?

i can only assume that if you took this mild criticism personally enough to reply in a childish and brainless manner that you must be a personal friend or perhaps family member of alexei sultanov. perhaps even his mother - that is the only person close enough to him to be so foolish as to take guboub's statement as an insult.

[Flo9o]

This has to be one of his last performances, after a stroke his left side was paralyzed...

[Flo9o]

I loooove this interpretation!!

5 Stars

[vocalpianist]

this is awesome, I would love to hear him play the concerti =]

[sagalat]

Imagine him doing the Prok CONCERTI? Probably would be as good or better than Bronfman

[parazsdavid]

Since Bronfman is no good at all it is very likely!

[Mafxman]

genial'noe ispolnenie

[nadir2331]

this interpretation is absolutely wonderful and creative