Re: Hamelin's Chopin

On 15 Jan., 21:48, Lionel Tacchini <lionel.tacch...@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
On 14 Jan., 14:45, td <tomdedea...@xxxxxxx> wrote:





On Jan 14, 5:44 am, her...@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

On 13 jan, 23:31, JohnGavin <dagd...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

 My view is that he seems to be miscast in Chopin.

I have a couple Hamelin recordings  -  none in the virtuoso repertory
-  and I never play them after trying to get to like them.

Even though I don't know his Chopin playing I would suggest the
problem is not that he just happens to be miscast or something in
Chopin. I think the hopin, just like his Haydn, shows he is an
unmusical pianist. Great technique and everything, but just no musical
expression whatsoever. The more exposed the music gets the more this
will show.

I am trying  to understand what you really mean by "musical
expression".

MAH is not one to wear his heart on his sleeve. Ever. So, you will
never hear the simpering and swooning which is the "expression" of a
Cherkassky. No, not even in the Strauss-Godowsky paraphrases, and
there is a possibility of comparing them, as Shura recorded one of
them.

He tends to play music rather straight, allowing the score to speak.
And he is absolutely meticulous about observing every indication in
the score. Listen to his Iberia and follow along with the score. You
will be amazed to see the most minute detail observed correctly.

What I hear in the snippets at jpc hints at a wealth of subtleties
which cannot possibly be in the scores.
Little rubato but a constant shaping through tone and volume nuances
which is just as well a way of being "expressive" or "rhetorical". It
gives no account of how this sums up over a movement of course but
there is nothing mechanical in it and it makes me curious to hear
more.

I do hear rhetoric in the beginning of the 3rd sonata.
Track 9 at http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/hnum/8566341

Lionel Tacchini
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Hamelins Chopin
    ... problem is not that he just happens to be miscast or something in ... Chopin. ... never hear the simpering and swooning which is the "expression" of a ... He tends to play music rather straight, ...
    (rec.music.classical.recordings)
  • Re: Tanenbaum plays Carcassi: / Casals
    ... One evening, when they were all assembled in the salon, Liszt played ... "Play it yourself then," said Liszt, rising from ... "With pleasure," answered Chopin. ... a bit of liberty is warranted. ...
    (rec.music.classical.guitar)
  • Re: Martha Argerich: New York CH 1981
    ... Why did she study with Askenase? ... He's the man of the Mozartian Chopin ... I have never heard Askenaze play one ... I listened to the Youtube Argerich g minor Ballade a few ...
    (rec.music.classical.recordings)
  • Re: Tanenbaum plays Carcassi: / Casals
    ... One evening, when they were all assembled in the salon, Liszt played ... "Play it yourself then," said Liszt, rising from ... "With pleasure," answered Chopin. ... a bit of liberty is warranted. ...
    (rec.music.classical.guitar)
  • Re: Chekasskys Chopin Preludes
    ... Chopin, and the least overtly dramatic reading I've heard. ... I am very intrigued by what you wrote, which concertos did Cherkassky ... The first occasion was around 1966, the orchestra not too good, and my ... having to play with such lesser players. ...
    (rec.music.classical.recordings)