Medtner from Sudbin

[Alan Howe]

I am in seventh heaven - having just discovered Yevgeny Sudbin's two magnificent recordings of Medtner PCs on BIS - No.1 coupled with Tchaikovsky's PC1, and No.2 coupled with Rachmaninov's PC4 (in the original version).

Not only is Sudbin's pianism incredible in itself, but Medtner's PCs are given the sort of treatment that elevate them from shadowy contemporaries of Rachmaninov's PCs to a new level - passionate, wide-ranging, utterly fascinating works. The accompaniments - not by the usual suspects in terms of orchestras or conductors - are stunning, maybe because there is no element of routine about them.

I just hope that No.3 is planned to complete the cycle. All lovers of stupendous piano-playing, sell whatever shirts you have left and get these recordings...

[chill319]

The Medtner 2/Rachmaninov 4 disc is apparently not yet available in the U.S. As a stopgap, the BIS site streams unusually generous samples of the music: precisely half of each movement.

I find Medtner 2 immediately appealing -- "passionate, wide-ranging, utterly fascinating," as Alan writes above. The original Rachmaninov 4 is not nearly so long as the composer's descriptions make it sound. It's about 10 minutes shorter than Rachmaninov 3, for example.

[TerraEpon]

The Medtner 2/Rachmaninov 4 disc is apparently not yet available in the U.S. As a stopgap, the BIS site streams unusually generous samples of the music: precisely half of each movement.

They do that for ALL their CDs (by contrast, Naxos only allows 1/4th, even though Naxos hosts the BIS ones). Of course, it's also in very crappy compressed sound, so it's certainly no substitute. Great way of seeing if you want something...

So how do the BIS recordings compare to the Hyperion and Chandos sets? (I own the former)

[Alan Howe]

Sudbin in PC2 is much subtler and more sensitive than the barnstorming Demidenko, but with no lack of pianistic wizardry. The accompaniment feels more symphonic in scale too - making the piece seem altogether bigger in scale. For me it is a revelation. I really can't comment on PC1 because I don't know it well enough: suffice it to say that the new recording by Subin exhibits the same qualities as No.1

[Peter1953]

I have both Naxos CDs (Medtner's 3 PCs and the Piano Quintet), played by Konstantin Scherbakov (never heard anything else by him) and the Moscow Symphony Orchestra. Honestly, I've never liked any of the Medtner PCs, but reading your posts, I wonder if the performance has something to do with my antipathy?

[TerraEpon]

Scherbakov is quite good in both Rachmaninov and Shostakovich, so I'm surprised he'd be bad in Medtner. I never heard that disc though, to my memory.

[DennisS]

Hi TerraEpon

I have to agree with you re-Scherbakov and the Medtner PCs on Naxos. I have both cds and enjoy listening to them. I listen to them however only occasionally. I can therefore understand those who say that they do not like perhaps the pianist's interpretation in this case.Opinions on music are afterall subjective as many have said so often on this forum.

Cheers
Dennis

[Peter1953]

Well, I cannot say that Scherbakov doesn't play Medtner good enough. I think I need to listen to his PCs again and who knows... I haven't listened to these works for a couple of years and maybe it's my prejudice and nothing else.

[FBerwald]

I think Scherbakov's Medtner No. 2 is just great(Demidenko's tempo in the Ist movement - Toccata seems a bit too rushed for me). I agree with DennisS - openion in music is subjective!
for eg. I find Marc-Andre Hamelin's Rubinstein Piano Concerto No.4 very clinical (also Brahms No. 2) whereas Joseph Banowetz' version on Marco Polo is simply gorgeous!!!!

[Peter1953]

I find Marc-Andre Hamelin's Rubinstein Piano Concerto No.4 very clinical (also Brahms No. 2) whereas Joseph Banowetz' version on Marco Polo is simply gorgeous!!!!

FBerwald, I agree with you not for 100%, but even for 200%..! Well, you know what I mean. And I'm sure Rubinstein himself prefers Banowetz and would ask Hamelin: "why are you in some passages in such a hurry?"

I think I've compared the Medtner PCs with Rachmaninov. Contemporaries, but they composed totally different concertos. The difference in themes, development, in short, the whole created atmosphere in their PCs, especially both 2nds, is, at least for me, enormous. But this thread is a good reason for me to listen again to Medtner.

[Amphissa]

 
I guess I'll be my typical contrary self. I found Scherbakov's recording of Rachmaninoff so routine and the audio of that Naxos recording so dreadful, that I refuse to buy anything else by Scherbakov on Naxos.

There are plenty of other alternatives to Scherbakov -- Tozer, Nikolaeva, Zukov, etc. But I'll be interested to hear the Sudbin, because I generally like his playing.

[FBerwald]

Dear Peter1953
My idea is like this.... The sensuous colours and harmonies of Rachmaninoff will appeal to anyone immediately where as Medtner is Soul-music!!!