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Laredo: Scriabin – Complete Piano Sonatas (2 CD, FLAC)

Laredo: Scriabin - Complete Piano Sonatas (2 CD, FLAC)
Laredo: Scriabin – Complete Piano Sonatas (2 CD, FLAC)

Composer: Alexander Scriabin
Performer: Ruth Laredo
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (image+cue)
Label: Nonesuch
Size: 604 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

01. Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 6 (1893): Allegro con fuoco
02. Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 6 (1893): Andante
03. Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 6 (1893): Presto
04. Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 6 (1893): Funebre
05. Etude in C-sharp minor, Op. 2, No. 1 (1887-9)
06. Sonata No. 2 (Sonata-Fantasy) in G-sharp minor, Op. 19 (1892-97): Andante
07. Sonata No. 2 (Sonata-Fantasy) in G-sharp minor, Op. 19 (1892-97): Presto
08. Eight Etudes, Op. 42 (1903): No. 1 in D-flat major
09. Eight Etudes, Op. 42 (1903): No. 2 in F-sharp minor
10. Eight Etudes, Op. 42 (1903): No. 3 in F-sharp major
11. Eight Etudes, Op. 42 (1903): No. 4 in F-sharp major
12. Eight Etudes, Op. 42 (1903): No. 5 in C-sharp minor
13. Eight Etudes, Op. 42 (1903): No. 6 in D-flat major
14. Eight Etudes, Op. 42 (1903): No. 7 in F minor
15. Eight Etudes, Op. 42 (1903): No. 8 in E-flat major
16. Sonata No. 3 in F-sharp minor, Op. 23 (1898): Drammatico
17. Sonata No. 3 in F-sharp minor, Op. 23 (1898): Allegretto
18. Sonata No. 3 in F-sharp minor, Op. 23 (1898): Andante
19. Sonata No. 3 in F-sharp minor, Op. 23 (1898): Presto con fuoco
20. Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp major, Op. 30 (1903): Andante
21. Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp major, Op. 30 (1903): Prestissimo volando
22. Sonata No. 5 in F-sharp major, Op. 53 (1907): “Poem of Ecstasy”: Allegro; Impetuoso; Con stravaganza
23. Sonata No. 6, Op. 62 (1911-12): Modere: mysterieux, concentre
24. Desir, Op. 57, No. 1 (1907)
25. Caresse dansee, Op. 57, No. 2 (1907)
26. Sonata No. 7, Op. 64 (1911-12): “White Mass”; Prophetique
27. Sonata No. 8, Op. 66 (1912-13): Lento
28. Sonata No. 9, Op. 68 (1912-13): “Black Mass”: Moderato quasi andante; legendaire
29. Sonata No. 10, Op. 70 (1912-13): Moderato: tres doux et pur
30. Vers la flamme, Op. 72 (1914)

Sensuous Interpretation of Scriabin’s Sonatas

Over the years I have heard live or have procured various pianistic performances of Scriabin’s music played by the likes of Hamelin, Ashkenaszy, Horowitz, Richter; yet I have always preferred Ruth Laredo’s sensuous, broad,subtle approach to Scriabin’s masterpieces. I still believe her “Vers la Flamme” performance is the best for its unique passionate,even erotic persuasions. To be frank, I’m primarily interested in Scriabin’s “late” period and have absorbed the beauty and “sensuosity” of sonatas 6 through 10. Listeners and critics vary in their recommendations, their approval or otherwise of the increasing performances of the sonatas now available to the interested listener. Almost all the masters have dominated the bravura format,as Scriabin’s works are developed within extraordinary technical demands and exigencies. Hamlin probably reigns supreme, at least,according to most of the reviewers I’ve read. Opinions will vary, to be sure; reviews may be tendered by professional, musical critics; or, they may simply be reflections, opinions, and reactions of individual listeners intensely focused on Scriabin’s inordinately complex music. A problem with the Laredo recording unfortunately, is that it’s a”carry over’ from an earlier performance recorded in the 1970’s. Despite the audio problems, I still love the Laredo dedication to the inordinate, complex virtuosic demands. Her playing remains faithful, to a large extent, to the ever mysterious, subtle, if not lascivious, voluptuous, qualities which all too often haunt those demonic Scriabinesque harmonies. The performances are smooth and not overly percussive,as I have noted in later recorded performances.

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