On Sunday, February 2, 2014 at 12:45:41 PM UTC-8, AB wrote:
> Lets talk positive for now:-))
> recently I took out the Cherkassky Great Pianists of the Century for another listen. Now TD has been excoriated at times for his selection and omission of certain pianists, the selection of recordings, etc. While it would be easy to add my brand of criticisms I see no purpose in that.......
>
> Like Kreisler, C. is also a musical miracle, (in such a crowded field) he still stands out in certain facets of pianism.
>
> The only doubts I have about this particular collection (all Chopin) is the inclusion of the complete etudes. His technique is clearly not strong enuf for some of them. he does not have an easy, facile mechanism in spite of his reputation as a 'virtuoso'. But the more lyrical etudes are done with absolute, rare beauty and here as in almost all the other recordings he is provided with a fine sounding, properly prepared piano.
> among the most spectacular examples of his unique musicality is the Mazurka in D. Nobody, including Rubenstein can play this kind of music with such grace and perfect timing.
> The preludes, again with the exception of the few really virtuosic ones are just gorgeous, also the piano..
> The biggest surprise is the B minor sonata. At first, the leisurely tempo was sort of unsettling, but after a while, the logic of his phrasing enabled me to accept this approach. Never, ever does he destroy the musical line ( in contrast to Argerich, for example, who just massacres the music, not because she plays so fast but because of the lack of 'logic' (as I call it) .
> And the beauty. the sound sends chills up my spine . The glory and beauty of the sound of a piano is truly represented in this particular recording.
> Why is Cherkassky so fascinating (at least for me) in spite of his occasional struggles in the sonata and other pieces..... it is the sheer beauty of his playing, the voicing of the chords, the little shifts in tempo ( a lot like Kempff, BTW), the SUBTLE bringing our of the lesser voices, the incredible ear he must have had and most important for me, the beauty of his tone (when he has the right instrument)
>
> AB

https://groups.google.com/u/1/g/rec.music.classical/c/9so_iGjdk1U

By coincidence I played op 111/ii (not Schumann, Beethoven) on Friday. It is really very good, probably one of the “great” op 111/ii’s.

Op zondag 11 september 2022 om 11:03:57 UTC+2 schreef Mandryka:
> By coincidence I played op 111/ii (not Schumann, Beethoven) on Friday. It is really very good, probably one of the “great” op 111/ii’s.

I agree with your "it is really very good". I didn't know Cherkassky ever recorded a Beethoven sonata.

Henk

On Sunday, September 11, 2022 at 2:47:40 PM UTC-4, hvt...@xs4all.nl wrote:
> Op zondag 11 september 2022 om 11:03:57 UTC+2 schreef Mandryka:
> > By coincidence I played op 111/ii (not Schumann, Beethoven) on Friday. It is really very good, probably one of the “great” op 111/ii’s.
> I agree with your "it is really very good". I didn't know Cherkassky ever recorded a Beethoven sonata.
>
> Henk

There's a Pathetique from 1974 on BBC Legends.

I've got op 27/1, the sound taken from the video of a concert with a Kreisleriana. I've not heard the Schumann for years but back in the day I used to think it was really special.

Op zondag 11 september 2022 om 21:17:59 UTC+2 schreef Frank Berger:
> On Sunday, September 11, 2022 at 2:47:40 PM UTC-4, hvt...@xs4all.nl wrote:
> > Op zondag 11 september 2022 om 11:03:57 UTC+2 schreef Mandryka:
> > > By coincidence I played op 111/ii (not Schumann, Beethoven) on Friday.. It is really very good, probably one of the “great” op 111/ii’s.
> > I agree with your "it is really very good". I didn't know Cherkassky ever recorded a Beethoven sonata.
> >
> > Henk
> There's a Pathetique from 1974 on BBC Legends.

Thanks! If it is in Legends, I must have it - and must have forgotten it.

Henk

Op zondag 11 september 2022 om 21:34:08 UTC+2 schreef Mandryka:
> I've got op 27/1, the sound taken from the video of a concert with a Kreisleriana. I've not heard the Schumann for years but back in the day I used to think it was really special.

Many thanks. I'll see if I can find it somewhere. I do have a Kreisleriana by Cherkassky but probably not the one you are referring to.

Henk

Op zondag 11 september 2022 om 22:18:03 UTC+2 schreef HT:
> Op zondag 11 september 2022 om 21:34:08 UTC+2 schreef Mandryka:
> > I've got op 27/1, the sound taken from the video of a concert with a Kreisleriana. I've not heard the Schumann for years but back in the day I used to think it was really special.
> Many thanks. I'll see if I can find it somewhere. I do have a Kreisleriana by Cherkassky but probably not the one you are referring to.
>
> Henk

PS I have the 27/1 too - on Nimbus.

Henk

On Sunday, September 11, 2022 at 9:30:05 PM UTC+1, hvt...@xs4all.nl wrote:
> Op zondag 11 september 2022 om 22:18:03 UTC+2 schreef HT:
> > Op zondag 11 september 2022 om 21:34:08 UTC+2 schreef Mandryka:
> > > I've got op 27/1, the sound taken from the video of a concert with a Kreisleriana. I've not heard the Schumann for years but back in the day I used to think it was really special.
> > Many thanks. I'll see if I can find it somewhere. I do have a Kreisleriana by Cherkassky but probably not the one you are referring to.
> >
> > Henk
> PS I have the 27/1 too - on Nimbus.
>
> Henk

There’s an interesting old discussion here about his etudes, I’m reading it as I’m listening and yes, I can see what Tom Deacon meant by the potential downside of an overriding approach to beautiful sound, it’s very clear, in op 28. But the op 28 is nevertheless really enjoyable for me this evening, not just because of the sound, but because of a sense of real engagement with the music making. He seems to transmit a sort of genial intensity.

It probably helps that I don’t know the music as well as the John Gavin and Tom Deacon or AB, or it’s performance on record, so I’m much less critical. I’m not listening to it like a judge at a competition!