Vladimir Sofronitsky: Great Pianists of the 20th Century, Vol. 91 - Chopin & Scriabin

A legend By "lampros" on August 6, 2000 Talking about Sofronitsky is talking about a legend almost unknown in the west. Richter called him a God, and Gilels said he was the best among pianists. According Gavrilov, Richter and Gilels were nothing compared to Sofronitsky. For me, Nikolayeva and Sofronitsky are the most spiritual and poetic russian pianists of this century, more metaphisical Tatyana, more romantic Sofronitsky. Chopin and Scriabin were two of his most beloved composers ( i especially regret the lack of Schumann on these cds since Vladimir was at his best playing Schumann). I wasn't a Scriabin fan until i knew Sofronitsky . His presentation of Scriabin is far from those of Richter and Horowitz. Sofronitsky understands Scriabin in a very romantic way, almost byronian, and he makes clear all the nightmares and horror that exists in that music. Sometimes it sounds like the music of solitude, sometimes like in Vers la Flame yoyu can feel the mephistophelic smell, all the dumb dangers of the romantics.I'm just guessing but i think our pianist was a solipsist and you Scriabin was also a solipsistic. Ok, i agree all this is very subjectiv. What it's not subjectiv at all, is the beauty of the sound, full of armonics, the extraordinary pianissimi, the personal use of the rubato, and the steamy quality of his romantic performance. A must for any piano or Scriabin-lover