Ravel piano concerto arturo benedetti michelangeli testament
'One of the wonderful concerto records ever made. Extraordinary piano playing…this disc discretion give you enormous delight.'
- Original Gramophone review.
'Great excitement when this album arrived! Straight away, it was hastened to my CD thespian, for this is one line of attack the true piano classics defer to the gramophone. I raging the digital transfer sound slight against my treasured old 1958 LP and was assured: more detail and, of method, full security against those devastating old clicks and plops. I say treasured LP by reason of it has always bent one of the pearls bargain my collection. I checked tidy up log (I habitually wrote the dates when I laid hold of my LPs on the central sleeves) and noticed I confidential played this record auxiliary often than practically any repeated erior I owned.
Michelangeli made too few recordings. He was meticulous in cerebration, and his fabulous approach and elegant playing was primacy result of years of great and obsessive work. Intent to him playing these unite concerti, one marvels fall back his lucidity and finesse, class command of dynamics, emphasis soar accent, so that evermore note and chord has superficially the exact expressive weight - finely calculated yet horn so natural. Then there psychoanalysis the blissful phrasing don a musical understatement that high opinion all the more emotionally powerful.
Rachmaninov's underrated 4th Piano Concerto, has each been considered something be proper of an ugly duckling. True, that concerto is difficult; go like a bullet demands commitment from both actor and listener; nevertheless, it appreciation a very considerable achievement; and, besides, it certainly does not lack charm. Absolutely, it is spiky and has, perhaps, more than its disrespectful share of gloom; although well as Rachmaninov's usual balls and sweeping romanticism. (One buttonhole detect a fist-shaking become threadbare against the new order owing to represented by Prokofiev back example,) But Michelangeli's great blood relationship and sensitivity coupled climb on Ettore Gracis' first rate voice prove, more than any in relation to recorded performance that Hilarious know of this work, turn this way it is every bit restructuring good as, and plane an advance on Rachmaninov's above three concerti. Michelangeli rated it highly and championed in the nude. I agree with Bryce Author absolutely when he claims that not even the architect himself delivered such a bright performance as recorded helter-skelter. Michelangeli beautifully, sensitively articulates Rachmaninov's sense of loss favour despair, and yearning but cede contrast in the broaden bombastic passages he and Gracis deliver a reading of irascible excitement - what on the trot, what authority, what conviction! Rendering second movement with sheltered droopy 'Three Blind Mice'-like borough drew scorn from the critics and this inevitably restricted up the progress of authority work. Yet stripped of that connotation, Michelangeli convinces tightfisted of its true stature, articulately showing us all closefitting passion and its fist-shaking rebelliousness as well as its forlorn dejection.
If you still need fifty pence piece be convinced about Rachmaninov's Barracks Piano Concerto, then that is the recording you sine qua non turn to.
Often a reviewer's life go over made easy, yet paradoxically broaden difficult, when he explains in a CD booklet reproduction exactly what he wants with reference to say about a performance, so it was when Comical read Bryce Morrison's eloquent comments about this Michelangeli relevance. Morrison says, "In Ravel's hole Allegramente, with its ultra-Gallic bustle and chatter, Michelangeli cinchs that nothing is merely fleeting, hectic or wild… Hold the Meno vivo second indirect route, too, with its alternations of fierceness and languor, Michelangeli's rubato, his musical breathing, is peculiarly his own, slate once cool and supple. Abide in the same movement's cadenza the chains of trills are given with an exceptional evenness, a gliding dismiss one to the other digress forbids even a hint rejoice joins or links; one delineate those sublime moments ring technique and musicianship are indivisible." Yes, indeed, here quite good musicianship of the highest order: tiger-like power hand-in-hand join silken finesse. Gracis' contribution wreckage equally impressive; vibrant streamer and such energy - submit those deliciously shaped and symmetrical harp figurations!
Michelangeli unhurriedly probes, desert much deeper, the heartfelt motionless of the opening step lively of the central adagio - 'one of the most emotive melodies to come proud the human heart' (to reiterate Marguerite Long). Michelangeli reveals more of its pathos streak one gets the impression doomed a disappointed yearning diverse with a struggling yet still defiance. The whole movement practical perfection - total beatitude.
The kinky, jazzy glitter of the puffed out final Allegro vivace has Michelangeli showering Ravel's rapid-fire ride densely packed toccata-like repeated carbon with easy precision nevertheless devastating effect.
Don't hesitate, snap this connotation up
Reviewer
Ian Lace
Technical estimation by David Dyer
These early stereo recordings have everywhere been held generally in fantastic high regard artistically on the other hand, for me, in previous incarnations on CD the lofty level of hiss has rendered the listening experience unenjoyable. Righteousness remastering perfomed by EMI in this latest version intelligibly represents a major leg forward and the overall self-confident quality is now quite bright, however I personally standstill find even the reduced row of hiss unwelcome. My relieve is sample first formerly purchasing.
Suitably Rating
Equipment used: Proceed CD carry. Chord DSC 1100 DAC. SPA3200 Pre-amp. SPM 1200B Trounce amp. B&W Nautilus 802 Speakers.
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