Michelangeli

[AB]

sometime in the late 1960s I bought tickets for ABM and eagerly anticipated the concert. Of course he cancelled but miraculously he did play, IIRC in late 1969. Well it was quite a disappointment, a very indifferent recital, little energy, etc.
But that is not what ABM can be at his best.... today I received a beautiful version ( I have heard this recording many times before)
There are very few piano recordings that I'm truly in awe of , but this is one, it actually is 'perfect', just like Trump's phone conversation with the Ukranian president Zilensky:-)).
From the powerful first perfectly struck chords,the gorgeous scales, the logical musicality, various colors and just as importantly, a wonderful piano, perfectly tuned and voiced, not a note out of place with its neighbors, full sonoroties from bottom to top. The piano sound makes such an impact.......
this is one of the miracles of our recorded legacy.
AB

[gggg...@gmail.com]

But are those miracles real or artificial?

[AB]

> > From the powerful first perfectly struck chords,the gorgeous scales, the logical musicality, various colors and just as importantly, a wonderful piano, perfectly tuned and voiced, not a note out of place with its neighbors, full sonoroties from bottom to top. The piano sound makes such an impact.......
> > this is one of the miracles of our recorded legacy.
> > AB
>
> But are those miracles real or artificial?

I wonder, are YOU real or artificial?

AB

[graham]

Well, what is it?

[JohnGavin]

I saw him in 1966 at Carnegie. It was the most memorable concert of my life. He was in a class by himself.

[uof...@gmail.com]

What pieces are on this miraculous recording?
What's the label and catalog #?
Did you have too much to drink?

[AB]

I always drink before i read your posts......
my friend did not provide the label, etc.,but a recording is available on EMI that also contains Brahms Paganini variations
AB

[paoloa...@gmail.com]

On Friday, January 24, 2020 at 6:26:14 PM UTC-5, JohnGavin wrote:
> I saw him in 1966 at Carnegie. It was the most memorable concert of my life. He was in a class by himself.

There are a few available recordings from the 1966-68 North America tours, some on cd some not. As in most cases when dealing with ABM's discography, locations and dates are subject to considerable uncertainty:

1966 Jan 8 New York (Philharmonic Hall) BEETHOVEN --- Piano Concerto No.5 in E flat, Op.73 "Emperor", New York Philharmonic Orchestra, William Steinberg cond [Memories HR 4368/9]

1966 Jan 15 Chicago BEETHOVEN --- Piano Concerto No.5 in E flat, Op.73 "Emperor", Chicago Symphony Orchestra, André Previn cond

1966 Jan 21 New York (Carnegie Hall) BACH --- Partita No.2 in d BWV1004: Chaconne (arr Ferruccio Busoni BV B24) / BEETHOVEN --- Sonata No.32 in c, Op.111 / DEBUSSY --- Images I / Images II / CHOPIN --- Berceuse in D flat, Op.57 / Scherzo No.2 Op. 31 / MOMPOU --- Cancion y Danza No.1 / Cancion No.6 / CHOPIN --- Waltz No.17 / SCARLATTI --- Sonata L483 / GRIEG --- Lyric Pieces, Op.68: No.5 `Bådnlåt (At the Cradle, Au Berceau)

1966 Mar 21 ? New York (Carnegie Hall) BEETHOVEN --- Sonata No.3 in C, Op.2 No.3 [Legend LGD 120. According to cd recorded 21 Jan 1966]

1967 Feb 26 Boston SCARLATTI --- Sonata in c Kk11 L352 / Sonata in C Kk159 L104 / Sonata in A Kk322 L483 / Sonata in d Kk9 L413 "Pastorale" / Sonata in b Kk27 L449 / BEETHOVEN --- Sonata No.3 in C, Op.2 No.3 / DEBUSSY --- Children's Corner / CHOPIN --- Mazurka No.22 in g sharp, Op.33 No.1 / Mazurka No.20 in D flat, Op.30 No.3 / Mazurka No.25 in b, Op.33 No.4 / Fantasie in f, Op.49 / DEBUSSY --- Images, Première série (`Reflets dans l'eau' and `Hommage à Rameau' only)

1967 Mar 9 Montreal (Téâtre Maisonneuve) CHOPIN --- Mazurkas in f, A flat, g sharp, D flat, f sharp / Ballade No.1 in g, Op.23 / Grand Polonaise brillante précédée d'un Andante spianato, Op.22

1968 Nov 26 New York (Carnegie Hall) CLEMENTI --- Sonata in B flat, Op.12 No.1 / SCHUMANN --- Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op.26 / RAVEL --- Valses Nobles et Sentimentales / Gaspard de la Nuit [St-Laurent Studio YS19-2414/2415-2]

1968 Dec 7 New York (Hunter College) CLEMENTI --- Sonata in B flat, Op.12 No.1 / SCHUMANN --- Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op.26 (incomplete) / RAVEL --- Valses Nobles et Sentimentales / Gaspard de la Nuit

1970 Feb 24 Toronto (CBC Studios) BEETHOVEN --- Sonata No.3 in C, Op.2 No.3 [DVD VAI 4213]

[Andy Evans]

Thanks to this thread I realised that Michelangeli had recorded the Ravel Valses Nobles, and listening to the Tokyo recording as I write.

[JohnGavin]

Thanks to this thread I realised that Michelangeli had recorded the Ravel Valses Nobles, and listening to the Tokyo recording as I write.

He didn’t actually record that concert. It was actually a broadcast recording or some kind of pirate. I know it’s in stereo, which suggests radio. Also, none of his Gaspsrds are studio recordings. I don’t think he approved of the numerous pirates.

[Andy Evans]

On Tuesday, 28 January 2020 16:46:42 UTC, JohnGavin wrote:
> Thanks to this thread I realised that Michelangeli had recorded the Ravel Valses Nobles, and listening to the Tokyo recording as I write.
>
>
> He didn’t actually record that concert. It was actually a broadcast recording or some kind of pirate. I know it’s in stereo, which suggests radio. Also, none of his Gaspsrds are studio recordings. I don’t think he approved of the numerous pirates.

Having listened all the way through I was very disappointed indeed. I think his conception of the work is misguided. Michelangeli could be almost mathematical in the way he could deconstruct a piece and reconstruct it in an order that suited his conception. I like the way this works with Debussy's Preludes, for instance, but I don't feel Valses Nobles needs to be dissected. For me it needs romance, wit and charm. Plenty of all these in Rubinstein's version and others too, but none that I can hear with Michelangeli. Not what I expected after enjoying his celebrated Ravel Piano Concerto, though funnily enough I prefer my Katchen recording of that. Not many Michelangeli performances that disappoint, but for me this is a real clunker.

[JohnGavin]

Not what I expected after enjoying his celebrated Ravel Piano Concerto, though funnily enough I prefer my Katchen recording of that. Not many Michelangeli performances that disappoint, but for me this is a real clunker.

I’m a huge fan, but this particular performance struck me as overly harsh. There’s a pirate from 1952 which is much better, but unfortunately the sound is dismal.

[Mandryka]

It’s years since I’ve heard the Tokyo valse, I don’t recall anything other than its seriousness, which I appreciated at the time. Having said that, Rubinstein is very good in this, as AB pointed out. Richter too I think, in Hungary.

Re Ravel (I’m rambling now) I recently discovered Huseyin Sermet’s extraordinary Gaspard, streaming everywhere.