Bach; Beethoven; Scriabin: Piano Works

Advantages: Little known music played extremely well
Disadvantages: Music has harsh dissonances and is not easy to understand

...This is another outstanding performance by Marc-Andre Hamelin, once again championing the piano works of a little known composer. Hamelin plays with imagination and variety, bringing to life this very difficult to understand music. The style of the music is post-Scriabin. Just as Scriabin took his starting point from Chopin, so Roslavets takes his starting point from late Scriabin, developing it in his own way. For those not familiar with the music of Scriabin, he was a late nineteenth century, early twentieth century composer, mainly of piano music and orchestral music. Scriabin's early music is based on the music of Chopin, and similar to Rachmaninoff's. His later music is more mystical, associated with his mystical religious ideas. He is famous for his "Poem of Ecstasy", a work he wrote as he moved into his late period... Read review

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Advantages: Top performance of range of virtuoso piano works
Disadvantages: A little too much virtuosity to listen to all in one sitting

...of the music. This CD is highly recommended for anyone who wishes to listen to a selection of piano music by each of these composers, being performed by a living representative of this school. Hamelin has done a great service to these composers in this and other recordings, in making their music accessible and breathing new life into it. It also provides inspiration for ambitious amateur pianists, like me, who may wish to try to play some of these works. The only disappointing aspect of the selection is that there are not many slow, expressive, lyrical works. One or two works such as a slow Rachmaninov prelude, or an expressive prelude or etude by Scriabin would have been welcome. However, a very wide range of music is covered in one CD. It would be interesting to hear other outstanding pianists put together a similar set of pieces on one... Read review

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Advantages: Wide range of little-know music played live by world-class pianists
Disadvantages: None for those who enjoy classical Piano Solo music

...was influenced by Tchaikovsky, and his music is sometimes described as being similar to that of Alexander Scriabin (a contemporary of Catoire) but "without the neuroticism". Catoire's music has flowing melodies, and some with virtuoso passages. It is in some ways similar to that of the French composer Gabriel Faure, in its gentle reserve, and that it requires many listenings before it can be fully appreciated. Hamelin has recorded a large selection of Catoire's works for piano (on Hyperion). Again it is interesting to listen his more spontaneous performances here, compared with the studio recordings. Hamelin has also contributed to promoting Catoire's music by assisting in the publication of "The Complete Piano Music of Georgi Catoire". Hamelin plays a selection of four works by Catoire, some slow and introspective, some more extrovert... Read review

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