Recording Review #70: Mercurial Mahler

Mahler: Symphony No. 1. Paavo Järvi, conductor; Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. Alpha Classics ALPHA1166. 

This recording is a classic mismatch between conductor and work. Paavo Järvi has a lot going for him: his intensity, earnestness, and first-rate ear for detail come immediately to mind. But he's a very specific kind of interpreter. Essentially he's a patchwork quilter who'll often craft a phrase or period in a fairly self-contained manner before moving on to the next one. Unfortunately he tends not to be interested in every phrase or period equally. This means that while there are often remarkable things happening from area to area, it's accompanied by a rather feebler grip of the long arc. Such an atomistic approach works well in music by Debussy or Stravinsky, but I find it uncongenial for Romantic repertoire that requires a certain narrative sweep. The result is a Mahler 1 that falls short as a complete experience despite its many attention-grabbing moments. 

Like other reviewers, I was impressed at the start of my first listen. The beginning is suitably mysterious, notwithstanding distant trumpets I think could be more audible, and woodwind calls that sometimes come off over-articulated. But when the main theme ("Ging heut' morgen übers Feld") begins, it's admirably robust. A brisk and driving start is not a bad thing here. Then I suffered my first major jolt as the climactic point arrived. True to habit, Järvi belabors the tipping point. The whole stretch from shortly after Rehearsal 23 to the peroration beginning at measure 352 is over-milked and aesthetically inconsistent with the preceding pace of the movement. The burst of energy from there until the end gushes forth too quickly and incongruently; we lose some important details. (This isn't the first time I've heard Järvi conduct that way. His recent Mendelssohn symphonies I reviewed for Classical Candor see him similarly breathless in some of the rapid passages of Nos. 3-4.) It's an unfortunate quirk I'd wish he'd forego. 

The second movement is better, though I wish Järvi would ease up in the trio a bit. Also, though he is not alone in doing so, he over-emphasizes the forte dynamic on the first note. Maybe Mahler wanted to establish a strong downbeat, but too many conductors (Bernstein included) traumatize this pitch with a treatment closer to sf or ff. This kind of kills the ländler feeling, especially when it takes a measure or two to establish a steady tempo afterward. And anyway, the initial dynamic is no different than the single fortes in the measures immediately following. We don't need it singled out. 

I'll have to reuse the word "belabored" for the third movement. I can't think of a better one. Mahler's initial tempo direction specifically says "ohne zu schleppen" (WITHOUT DRAGGING). Dear readers, is this not among the slowest and draggiest beginnings that you can recall? Then there is the weirdly muted second section. This should be moonlit and magical; instead it feels like the conductor isn't comfortable with its frank sentiment. I haven't much more to say about the return of the A material. What stood out to me most here is Järvi (true to his quirk) rushing through the klezmer-like intrusion in a way that saps its effect. 

Identifying everything I think is wrong with the finale performance could fill a dedicated essay. Instead I'll be as succinct as possible. This is where Järvi's lack of architecture and feeling for the epic hits most sorely. The opening salvo is slightly held back while moments of relative repose are sometimes overworked. Some of the string passagework at the beginning and elsewhere sounds almost mechanical. Some of the most passionate utterances feel somehow muffled. A good example is that Rehearsal 44, where the height of the emotional build is clipped and the overall payoff stunted. It just reinforces that the heart at the center of this thing isn't there. 

A negative feature of this recording is its chopping up of the symphony's four movements across 16 tracks. Ostensibly this is to help the listener quickly go to "bookmark" moments in the work. But I found that this merely accentuates the tendencies I just discussed, and betrays how the conductor treats (or doesn't treat) the sections in their totalities. If this was Järvi's decision, it's extremely telling. If it wasn't, it might as well have been. 

Verdict: Not Recommended

Recording Review #69: Imbued Impromptus

 

Schubert: Impromptus Opp. 90 & 142. Eric Lu, pianist. Warner Classics 2173286931.

It's always interesting to watch how the careers of International Chopin Piano Competition winners unfold. This recording is the first release after Eric Lu's victory at the latest such contest in 2025. But it is the second Schubert disc he has produced for Warner, the first appearing in 2022 and featuring the D. 784 and 959 sonatas plus the D. 915 Allegretto (Warner 5054197298127). Having listened to both recordings, I must say that it is easy to see why Mr. Lu took fourth prize in the 2015 event and won outright in 2025. His occasionally expansive tempos may take some getting used to, but they are underpinned by unmistakably sensitive musicianship. I watched a substantial number of the 2025 Chopin Competition performances (via YouTube), and I had no doubt all along that Lu would at least be in the prize-winner conversation. Schubert Impromptu recordings are plentiful, but here again Lu distinguishes himself. 

My first thought as the initial track (Op. 90, No. 1 in C Minor) played was, "wow, he's taking the molto moderato part of the tempo direction solemnly to heart." But as with the sonatas disc, I stuck with it and before long was coaxed into Lu's way of seeing things. This is gentle, velvety pianism extremely well suited to the repertoire. I quickly decided I could live with some extra deliberation. And on it went through both of the sets. Time and again Lu comes up with another shading to color one of many tender moods. Of course Op. 142/2 in A-flat is one of those pieces with which we're overly familiar. But somehow Lu plays the middle section more ethereally than I have ever heard it. The B-flat variations in the same set exude grace and next-level delicacy. 

Somehow Lu accomplishes all of this and more while truly living up to these miniatures' shared title: his playing sounds spontaneous without being capricious. It's as if he's discovering new things to say from piece to piece, and from measure to measure. Moreover, they nearly always seem to be the right things, even when we haven't quite experienced them before. Nor does he disappoint in the more dramatic moments, as the stormier portions of Op. 90, Nos. 2 and 4 show. It's just that they're sometimes a bit outclassed by his instinct for intimacy.

Lu is one of those special performers with the ability to make us experience well-worn repertoire completely afresh. I admire many interpretations of these pieces, with those by Krystian Zimerman (DG 423 612-2), Maria João Pires (DG 457 550-2), and Alfred Brendel (Philips 411 040-2) probably being my favorites. Honestly, I think I have to add Lu's to the group. They have grabbed ahold of me and not let go. I like them a little more with every listen. Where will his recording career take him next? It's just something else to look forward to. 

Verdict: Warmly Recommended

Recording Review #68: Mikhail's Mess

Chopin: Preludes, Op. 28; Scriabin: Preludes, Op. 11. Mikhail Pletnev, pianist. Deutsche Grammophon 486 745-5.

Often the people most corrosive to the viability of classical music are its own practitioners. Take this recording for instance. I can see little use for it beyond gratifying the performer's whims and titillating bored novelty-seekers. Certainly someone wishing to become familiar with these pieces will be poorly served. The playing is willfully mannered and the sound unnecessarily muffled, the latter thanks to a puzzling decision to use analog recording technology. Yes, there are a few fine moments. But they are islands in a sea of soupy mess. The whole thing is unworthy of a great performer like Mikhail Pletnev, even taking into account his famous variability. 

This Chopin set is the worst. The murky sound brings everything down, but eccentric interpretive decisions do the music itself a far greater disservice. In one respect this stems from a good intention: bringing out the melody. Pletnev does so VERY well, and occasionally achieves satisfactory results. One example is No. 19 in E-Flat, in which the tune sings clearly while the background beautifully shimmers. That's not easy to do. But in other settings the difficulty of actually hearing everything else can become a problem. The tune is the thing (as RVW said), yes. But when subordinate voices recede so severely, as they often do in Nos. 1, 2 and 8, melodic projection becomes too much of a good thing. 

More inexcusably, Pletnev frequently just ignores score markings. This happens most in the louder and more impassioned selections/stretches. The intense No. 5 is a good example. First, we hardly reach a forte dynamic in the whole piece, nor do we really hit a Molto Allegro tempo. Then there is the weird staccato or portamento-like articulation in the bass where none is indicated. The whole thing is limp, meek, and obviously outside the character Chopin suggests. But this is just one instance. The agitato moods elsewhere in the preludes (e.g. in Nos. 8, 14, 16, and 24) get replaced by a mumbly, even comatose approach. Combine this with occasionally messy peddling and excessive rubato and you have interpretations that positively pale in comparison with those by the likes of Argerich, Moravec, or Pollini. 

The Scriabin set comes off slightly better, mostly because the cloudy recording sound, combined with Pletnev's muted approach, are better withstood by an often languid character. The pianist also manages to find something of a pulse for some of the quicker ones, such as we see in his Nos. 3 and 18. (Sometimes, not always.) But while Pletnev never previously recorded Chopin's Op. 28 group, he did set down Scriabin's Op. 11 (see Erato 5452472, and the Virgin re-release) almost 3 decades ago. This latter rendition radiates strength and color to a degree that frankly indicts the present account. The one is earnest and breathtaking; the other evokes enervated cynicism. 

In sum, this has all the trappings of a vanity project. Flashes of greatness are present, as are glimpses into a keen musical personality. But when the self-indulgence is ratcheted so high, I stop caring about talent and imagination. I groan to think of the more constructive things Pletnev could have been doing instead. If you're new to these pieces, or just want to hear some good performances, pass this one over and partake of the many other fine options you have. 

Verdict: Not Recommended

Nikolai Kapustin (1937-2020): A Discography by Work

I've heard and played through enough of Nikolai Kapustin's pieces to feel comfortable calling him one of the great pianist-composers in music history. For me he's right up there with Chopin, Scriabin, and Rachmaninoff in this regard. The melodic distinctiveness and sheer exuberance of his best work give me no qualms at all about saying this. Western music critics still largely haven't caught on. (They're often some of the last to do so with composers of a more popular appeal.) But performers are starting to, especially those from the Far East - an area of the world that is currently doing much to carry the Western classical music torch. (Recall the recent International Chopin Piano Competitions, for instance.) More power to them!

Some of this you can see in the discography I have created below. By now it is apparent that items such the Op. 40 etudes, the Op. 53 preludes, and the Second Piano Sonata are already contemporary classics. And I was surprised at how much some of the chamber music is being recorded. But it's also true that large stretches of Kapustin's vast output await substantial exposure. My list isn't exhaustive; there are many fine self-published recordings I haven't included. Likewise, there are some wonderful captures of live performances available on YouTube that I skipped, but which I invite the curious to peruse. (One of these is of the Third Piano Concerto, an extraordinary work I hope receives a commercial recording very soon.) Nonetheless this list is hopefully enough to give the curious a good start, and to provide an idea of both the strengths and many holes in the body of recordings for this composer. If you find a error or an obvious omission, please leave a comment. I hope you enjoy. 

Op 3: Variations for Piano Solo and Big Band (1962)

• Capriccio C5528. 2024. Frank Dupree, pianist. Jakob Krupp, bassist. Meinhard 'Obi' Jenne, drummer. Dominik Beykirch, conductor. SWR Big Band. SWR Symphonieorchester.  

Op. 8: Toccata for Piano Solo and Orchestra (1964)

• Capriccio C5528. 2024. Frank Dupree, pianist. Jakob Krupp, bassist. Meinhard 'Obi' Jenne, drummer. Dominik Beykirch, conductor. SWR Big Band. SWR Symphonieorchester.  (Originally released as a single for download: Capriccio C2007. 

Op. 14: Concerto No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra (1974)

• Capriccio C5528. 2024. Frank Dupree, pianist. Jakob Krupp, bassist. Meinhard 'Obi' Jenne, drummer. Dominik Beykirch, conductor. SWR Big Band. SWR Symphonieorchester.
• Melodiya RCID14722846. 2019. Dmitry Masleev, pianist. Vladimir Lande, conductor. Siberian State Symphony Orchestra. 

Op. 16: Nocturne for Piano and Orchestra (1972)

• Capriccio C5528. 2024. Frank Dupree, pianist. Jakob Krupp, bassist. Meinhard 'Obi' Jenne, drummer. Dominik Beykirch, conductor. SWR Big Band. SWR Symphonieorchester.  

Op. 25: Concert Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra (1976)

• Capriccio C5528. 2024. Frank Dupree, pianist. Jakob Krupp, bassist. Meinhard 'Obi' Jenne, drummer. Dominik Beykirch, conductor. SWR Big Band. SWR Symphonieorchester.  

Op. 26: Daybreak ("Sunrise") for Piano (1976)

• Capriccio C5439. 2022. Frank Dupree Trio. (Arranged for jazz trio.)
• Melodiya С60 28239 000. 1989. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist.
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5002. 2005. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 
• Piano Classics PCL0082. 2015. Sukyeon Kim, pianist. 

Op. 28: Suite in the Old Style for Piano (1977)

• Hyperion CDA67433. 2004. Marc-André Hamelin, pianist. 
• Melodiya С60 28239 000. 1989. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist.
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5002. 2005. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 
• Triton OVCT-00143. 2018. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. (Same as Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5002?)

Op. 36: Toccatina (1983)

• Ars Produktion ARS38517. 2012. Evelyn Hilschmann, pianist.
• Hello Stage HLSCD005. 2018. Jacqueline Leung, pianist. 
• Hyperion CDA67275. 2001. Marc-André Hamelin, pianist. 
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5002. 2005. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 
• Piano Classics PCL0082. 2015. Sukyeon Kim, pianist. 
• Sony 19075875102. 2018. Roman Rofalski, pianist.

Op. 39: Piano Sonata No. 1 ("Sonata-Fantasia") (1984)

• Hyperion CDA67159. 2000. Steven Osborne, pianist. 
• Melodiya С60 23759 008. 1986. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 
• Piano Classics PCL0098. 2015. Sun Hee You, pianist. 
• Quartz QTZ2139. 2022. Yuki Negishi, pianist. 
• Triton OVCT-00143. 2018. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 40: Eight Concert Études (1985)

• ABC Classics ABC4816463. 2017. Tatiana Kolesova, pianist. (No. 7 only.)
• Ars Produktion ARS38151. 2014. Mario Häring, pianist (Nos 1-3 and 5 only.)
• Berlin Classics 0301407BC. 2020. Luisa Imorde, pianist. (Nos. 3 and 6 only.)
• Capriccio C5439. 2022. Frank Dupree Trio. (Nos. 1-2, and 7-8 only, arranged for jazz trio.)
• Da Vinci Classics C01051. Ayano Kamei, pianist. (No. 1 only.)
• Deutsche Grammophon 483 627-0. 2018. Yuja Wang, pianist. (No. 3 only.)
• Deutsche Grammophon 486 743-7. 2025. Nobuyuki Tsujii, pianist. 
• Divine Art DDX21130. 2025. Ophelia Gordon, pianist. 
• Hyperion CDA67433. 2004. Marc-André Hamelin, pianist. 
• Melodiya С60 23759 008. 1986. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 
• Navona Records NV6503. 2023. Allison Brewster Franzetti, pianist. (Nos. 1 and 8 only.)
• Naxos 8.570532. 2008. John Salmon, pianist. (Nos. 5-7 only.)
• Naxos 8.572272. 2011. Catherine Gordeladze, pianist. 
• Non Profit Music NPM1011. 2010. Daniel Del Pino, pianist. 
• Onyx 4222. 2021. Yeol Eum Son, pianist. 
• Orchid Classics ORC100367. 2025. Maiko Mori, pianist. 
• Piano Classics PCL0082. 2015. Sukyeon Kim, pianist. (Nos. 1-3, and 6-8 only.)
• Piano Classics PCL0098. 2015. Sun Hee You, pianist. (Nos. 1 and 7 only.)
• Russian Compact Disc RCD13049. 2022. Nikolai Petrov, pianist. (No. 7 only.)
• Solfa Recordings SR1404100. 2015. Cristina Casale, pianist. (No. 1 only.)
• Sony 19075875102. 2018. Roman Rofalski, pianist. (No. 1 only.)
• SWR Music SWR19002CD. 2016. Christine Rauh, cellist. Ni Fan, vibraphonist. (Arrangements of Nos. 5 and 8 by C. Rauh for cello and vibraphone.)
• Wergo WER74052. 2022. A Bu, pianist. 
• Willowhayne Records WHR039. 2016. Yasmin Rowe, pianist. (No. 6 only.)

Op. 41: Variations (1984)

• Capriccio C5439. 2022. Frank Dupree Trio. (Arranged for jazz trio.)
• Centaur CRC3636. 2022. Martin Kesuma, pianist. 
• Challenge Classics CC72804. 2019. Marie François, pianist. 
• Hyperion CDA67433. 2004. Marc-André Hamelin, pianist.
• Melodiya С60 28239 000. 1989. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist.
• MSR Classics MS1559. 2015. Reed Tetzloff, pianist.
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5002. 2005. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 
• Odradek Records ODRCD356. 2017. Yu Mi Lee, pianist. 
• Onyx 4222. 2021. Yeol Eum Son, pianist. 
• Paraty 314124. 2014. Fanny Azzuro, pianist. 
• Piano Classics PCL0082. 2015. Sukyeon Kim, pianist. 
• Piano Classics PCL0098. 2015. Sun Hee You, pianist. 
• Solo Musica SM324. 2019. Anna Kavalerova, pianist. 
• Wergo WER74052. 2022. A Bu, pianist. 

Op. 45: Motive Force for Piano (1985)

• Capriccio C5439. 2022. Frank Dupree Trio. (Arranged for jazz trio.)
• Melodiya С60 28239 000. 1989. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist.
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5002. 2005. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 46: Big Band Sound(s) for Piano (1986)

• Capriccio C5439. 2022. Frank Dupree Trio. (Arranged for jazz trio.)
• Divine Art DDX21130. 2025. Ophelia Gordon, pianist. 
• Melodiya С60 28239 000. 1989. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist.
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5002. 2005. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 47: Contemplation (Meditation) for Piano (1987)

• Berlin Classics 0301407BC. 2020. Luisa Imorde, pianist.
• Divine Art DDX21130. 2025. Ophelia Gordon, pianist. 
• Melodiya С60 28239 000. 1989. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist.
• Navona Records NV6503. 2023. Allison Brewster Franzetti, pianist. 
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5002. 2005. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 49: Sinfonietta (1986)

• Capriccio C5495. 2023. Frank Dupree and Adrian Brendle, pianists. (For piano four hands.)
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5030. 2010. Masahiro and Yukari Kawakami, pianists. (For piano four hands.)

Op. 50: Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra (1987)

• Albany TROY1861. 2021. Michael Pendowski, alto saxophonist. Jeremy Samolesky, pianist. (Arranged for alto saxophone and piano.)

Op. 53: 24 Preludes in Jazz Style (1988)

• Berlin Classics 0301407BC. 2020. Luisa Imorde, pianist. (Nos. 4-5 and 9 only.)
• Capriccio C5439. 2022. Frank Dupree Trio. (Nos. 1, 3-4, 6-9, 11, 13, 15, 19, and 23 only, arranged for jazz trio.)
• Cedille CDR 90000 149. 2014. Kuang-Hao Huang, pianist. (Nos. 4, 18-19, and 23 only.)
• Deutsche Grammophon 486 456-7. 2024. Yuja Wang, pianist. (Nos. 10-11 only.)
• Divine Art DDX21130. 2025. Ophelia Gordon, pianist. (Nos. 4-5, 11, 16-19, and 23 only.)
• Hänssler Classic HC22083. 2023. Dora Deliyska, pianist. (Nos. 6 and 11-12 only.)
• Hyperion CDA67159. 2000. Steven Osborne, pianist. (Nos. 3, 5, 7, 9-13, 15, 17-19, and 23 only.)
• Melodiya С60 28999 007. 1989. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist.
• Naxos 8.570532. 2008. John Salmon, pianist. (Nos. 11-13, and 17-18 only.) 
• Naxos 8.572272. 2011. Catherine Gordeladze, pianist. 
• Sony 19075875102. 2018. Roman Rofalski, pianist. (Nos. 2 and 16 only.)
• Willowhayne Records WHR041. 2017. Dominic John, pianist. (No. 19 only.)
• YBT 0002. 2015. Aveline Gram, pianist. (Nos. 11-12 only.)

Op. 54: Piano Sonata No. 2 (1989)

• Hyperion CDA67159. 2000. Steven Osborne, pianist.
• Hyperion CDA67656. 2008. Marc-André Hamelin, pianist.  
• Naxos 8.570532. 2008. John Salmon, pianist. (Movement II only.)
• Onyx 4222. 2021. Yeol Eum Son, pianist. 
• Piano Classics PCL0082. 2015. Sukyeon Kim, pianist. 
• Russian Compact Disc RCD13049. 2022. Nikolai Petrov, pianist. (Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga MKM 157. 2004.)
• Sony 19075875102. 2018. Roman Rofalski, pianist.
• Triton DICC-26073. 2001. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 56: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 4 (1989)

• Capriccio C5437. 2021. Frank Dupree, pianist. Case Scaglione, conductor. Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn. 

Op. 57: Chamber Symphony (1990)

• Capriccio C5437. 2021. Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn. 

Op. 58: Andante for Piano (1990)

• Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga MK 417051. 1992. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5002. 2005. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 
• Piano Classics PCL0082. 2015. Sukyeon Kim, pianist. 

Op. 59: 10 Bagatelles (1991)

• Hyperion CDA67433. 2004. Marc-André Hamelin, pianist. (No. 9 only.)
• Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga MK 417051. 1992. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 
• Naxos 8.570532. 2008. John Salmon, pianist. (Nos. 2, 5, and 8 only.)
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5003. 2005. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 
• Piano Classics PCL0098. 2015. Sun Hee You, pianist. (Nos. 6 and 9 only.)

Op. 60: Piano Sonata No. 4 (1991)

• Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga MK 417051. 1992. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 61: Piano Sonata No. 5 (1991)

• Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga MK 417051. 1992. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 62: Piano Sonata No. 6 (1991)

• Ars Produktion ARS38542. 2017. Hanna Shybayeva, pianist. 
• Hyperion CDA67433. 2004. Marc-André Hamelin, pianist.
• Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga MK 417051. 1992. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 63: Cello Sonata No. 1 (1991)

• Brilliant Classics 95560. 2017. Duo Perfetto. 
• Classical Records CR-126. 2008. Alexander Zagorinsky, cellist. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 64: Piano Sonata No. 7 (1991)

• Piano Classics PCL0098. 2015. Sun Hee You, pianist. 
• Triton OVCT-00017. 2004. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist.

Op. 65: Berceuse for Piano (1991)

• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5003. 2005. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 
• Triton OVCT-00153. 2018. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. (Same as Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5003?)

Op. 66: Three Impromptus for Piano (1991)

• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5016. 2009. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. (No. 2 only.)
• Triton OVCT-00017. 2004. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist.

Op. 67: Three Etudes for Piano (1992)

• Triton OVCT-00017. 2004. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist.

Op. 68: Five Études in Different Intervals (1992)

• BIS-2004. 2015. Clare Hammond, pianist. 
• Hyperion CDA67433. 2004. Marc-André Hamelin, pianist.
• Triton OVCT-00176. 2020. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 69: Viola Sonata (1992)

• Sono Luminus DSL-92186. 2015. Eliesha Nelson, violist. James Howsmon, pianist. 

Op. 70: Violin Sonata (1992)

• Linn CKD664. 2021. Roberts Balanas, violinist. Siqian Li, pianist. 
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5030. 2010. Hayato Takenaka, violinist. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 71: Capriccio for Piano (1992)

• Antes Edition BM319306. 2020. Catherine Cordeladze, pianist. 
• Triton OVCT-00163. 2019. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 72: Concerto No. 5 for Piano and Orchestra (1993)

• Capriccio C5495. 2023. Frank Dupree, pianist. Dominik Beykirch, conductor. Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. 
• Triton OVCT-00163. 2019. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. Norichika Iimori, conductor. Japan Century Symphony Orchestra. 

Op. 73: 10 Inventions for Piano (1993)

• Berlin Classics 0301407BC. 2020. Luisa Imorde, pianist. (No. 9 only.)
• Triton OVCT-00163. 2019. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 74: Concerto No. 6 for Piano and Big Band (1993)

• Capriccio C5528. 2024. Frank Dupree, pianist. Jakob Krupp, bassist. Meinhard 'Obi' Jenne, drummer. Dominik Beykirch, conductor. SWR Big Band. SWR Symphonieorchester.  

Op. 75: Humoresque for Piano (1994) 

• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5003. 2005. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5014. 2008. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 77: Piano Sonata No. 8 (1995)

• Elettroformati 3615935856805. 2018. Carlo Levi Minzi, pianist. 
• Triton OVCT-00176. 2020. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 78: Piano Sonata No. 9 (1995)

• Triton OVCT-00176. 2020. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 79: Intrada and Finale for Sextet (1995)

• Triton OVCT-00163. 2019. Akane Otsuka, flutist. Naoki Yoshikawa, oboist. Takefumi Kikuchi, violist. Yoji Sato, contrabassist. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. Ryotaro Shigemoto, drummer. 

Op. 81: Piano Sonata No. 10 (1996)

• Elettroformati 3615935856805. 2018. Carlo Levi Minzi, pianist. 
• Triton OVCT-00143. 2018. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 82: 24 Preludes and Fugues (1997)

• Berlin Classics 0301407BC. 2020. Luisa Imorde, pianist. (No. 22 only.)

Op. 84: Cello Sonata No. 2 (1997)

• Brilliant Classics 95560. 2017. Duo Perfetto. 
• Classical Records CR-126. 2008. Alexander Zagorinsky, cellist. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 
• Genuin GEN89150. 2010. Eckart Runge, cellist. Jacques Ammon, pianist. 
• SWR Music SWR19002CD. 2016. Christine Rauh, cellist. Benyamin Nuss, pianist. 

Op. 85: Cello Concerto No. 1 (1997)

• Capriccio C5362. 2020. Eckart Runge, cellist. Frank Strobel, conductor. Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. 

Op. 86: Trio for Flute, Cello, and Piano (1998)

• Ars Produktion ARS38097. 2011. Trio Panta Rhei. 
• Ars Produktion ARS38641. 2023. Tetrapod Ensemble. 
• Ars Produktion ARS38644. 2024. Trio Revolution. 
• Champs Hill Records CHRCD023. 2011. Emanuel Ensemble. 
• Decca 487 719-1. 2024. Cocomi, flutist. Haruma Sato, cellist. Atsushi Yamanaka, pianist. 
• IBS Classical IBS22019. 2019. Joan Enric Lluna, clarinetist.  Salvador Bolón, cellist. Juan Carlos Garvayo, pianist. (Arranged for clarinet, cello, and piano.)
• Naxos 8.579024. 2019. Immanuel Davis, flutist. Pitnarry Shin, cellist. Timothy Lovelace, pianist. 
• Non Profit Music NPM1405. 2014. Trío Arbós. (Version for Piano Trio.) 
• Triton DICC-26067. 2001. Alexander Korneev, flutist. Alexander Zagorinsky, cellist. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 88: String Quartet (1998)

• Capriccio C5369. 2020. Clair-Obscur Saxophone Quartet. (Arranged by Christoph Enzel for saxophone quartet. Designated as Op. 88a.)
• Triton DICC-26067. 2001. Vladimir Spektor and Alexander Chernov, violinists. Svetlana Stepchenko, violist. Alexander Zagorinsky, cellist. 

Op. 89: Piano Quintet (1998)

• Capriccio C5369. 2020. Elisaveta Blumina, pianist. Clair-Obscur Saxophone Quartet. (Arranged by Christoph Enzel for piano and saxophone quartet. Designated as Op. 89a.) 
• Triton DICC-26067. 2001. Vladimir Spektor and Alexander Chernov, violinists. Svetlana Stepchenko, violist. Alexander Zagorinsky, cellist. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 91: Divertissement for Two Flutes, Cello, and Piano (1998)

• Naxos 8.579024. 2019. Immanuel Davis and Adam Kuenzel, flutists. Pitnarry Shin, cellist. Timothy Lovelace, pianist. 
• Triton DICC-26067. 2001. Alexander Korneev and Marina Rubinstein, flutists. Alexander Zagorinsky, cellist. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 92: Suite for Piano (1999)

• Triton OVCT-00176. 2020. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 93: Introduction and Scherzino for Cello Solo (1999)

• Triton DICC-26073. 2001. Alexander Zagorinsky, cellist. 

Op. 96: Elegy for Cello and Piano (1999)

• Ars Produktion ARS38597. 2022. Konstantin Manaev, cellist. Danae Dörken, pianist.
• Brilliant Classics 95560. 2017. Duo Perfetto. 
• Dreyer Gaido DGCD21136. 2021. Oliver Mascarenhas, cellist. Johannes Nies, pianist.
• Genuin GEN89150. 2010. Eckart Runge, cellist. Jacques Ammon, pianist. 
• Solo Musica SM416. 2022. Kirill Timofeev, cellist. Evgeny Sinaiski, pianist. 
• SWR Music SWR19002CD. 2016. Christine Rauh, cellist. Benyamin Nuss, pianist. 
• Willowhayne Records WHR047. 2017. Yelian He, cellist. Yasmin Rose, pianist. 

Op. 97: Burlesque for Cello and Piano (1999)

• Ars Produktion ARS38597. 2022. Konstantin Manaev, cellist. Danae Dörken, pianist.
• Art Infini MECO1019. 2020. Nobuo Furukawa, cellist. Toshiya Shioiri, pianist. (Arranged by Toshiya Shiori.)
• Berlin Classics 885470027098. 2022. Eckart Runge, cellist. Jacques Ammon, pianist. 
• Brilliant Classics 95560. 2017. Duo Perfetto. 
• Dreyer Gaido DGCD21136. 2021. Oliver Mascarenhas, cellist. Johannes Nies, pianist.
• Genuin GEN89150. 2010. Eckart Runge, cellist. Jacques Ammon, pianist. 
• Solo Musica SM416. 2022. Kirill Timofeev, cellist. Evgeny Sinaiski, pianist. 
• SWR Music SWR19002CD. 2016. Christine Rauh, cellist. Benyamin Nuss, pianist. 
• Willowhayne Records WHR047. 2017. Yelian He, cellist. Yasmin Rose, pianist.

Op. 98: Nearly Waltz for Cello and Piano (1999)

• Ars Produktion ARS38597. 2022. Konstantin Manaev, cellist. Danae Dörken, pianist.
• Brilliant Classics 95560. 2017. Duo Perfetto. 
• Dreyer Gaido DGCD21136. 2021. Oliver Mascarenhas, cellist. Johannes Nies, pianist.
• Genuin GEN89150. 2010. Eckart Runge, cellist. Jacques Ammon, pianist. 
• Solo Musica SM416. 2022. Kirill Timofeev, cellist. Evgeny Sinaiski, pianist. 
• SWR Music SWR19002CD. 2016. Christine Rauh, cellist. Benyamin Nuss, pianist. 
• Willowhayne Records WHR047. 2017. Yelian He, cellist. Yasmin Rose, pianist.

Op. 99: Duet for Alto Saxophone and Cello (1999)

• Capriccio C5369. 2020. Christoph Enzel, alto saxophonist. Peter Bruns, cellist. 
• Pavlik Records PS 0506-2-131. 2022. Ladislav Fanzowitz, alto saxophonist. Ken-Wassim Ubukata, cellist.
• SWR Music SWR19002CD. 2016. Christine Rauh, cellist. Peter Lehel, alto saxophonist. 
• Triton DICC-26073. 2001. Alexei Volkov, alto saxophonist. Alexander Zagorinsky, cellist. 

Op. 100: Sonatina for Piano (2000)

• Berlin Classics 0301407BC. 2020. Luisa Imorde, pianist.
• Hyperion CDA67433. 2004. Marc-André Hamelin, pianist.
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5003. 2005. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 
• Onyx 4222. 2021. Yeol Eum Son, pianist. 
• Triton OVCT-00153. 2018. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. (Same as Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5003?)

Op. 101: Piano Sonata No. 11 ("Twickenham") (2000)

• Elettroformati 3615935856805. 2018. Carlo Levi Minzi, pianist. 
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5016. 2009. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 
• Triton OVCT-00153. 2018. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. (Same as Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5016?)

Op. 102: Piano Sonata No. 12, Op. 102 (2001)

• Elettroformati 3615935856805. 2018. Carlo Levi Minzi, pianist. 

Op. 103: Concerto for Cello and Strings No. 2 (2002)

• Melodiya MELCD1002483. 2016. Alexander Zagorinsky, cellist. Alexander Loskutov, conductor. Chamber Orchestra of the Vologda Philharmonic Society.
• SWR Music SWR19002CD. 2016. Christine Rauh, cellist. Nicholas Collon, conductor. Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern.

Op. 104: Concerto for Two Pianos and Percussion (2002)

• Capriccio C5495. 2023. Frank Dupree and Adrian Brendle, pianists. Meinhard 'Obi' Jenne, drummer. Franz Bach, percussionist. 
• Non Profit Music NPM1011. 2010. Ludmil Angelov and Daniel Del Pino, pianists. Neopercusión.

Op. 105: Concerto for Violin, Piano, and String Orchestra (2002)

• Capriccio C5437. 2021. Rosanne Philippens, violinist. Frank Dupree, pianist. Case Scaglione, conductor. Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn. 

Op. 108: Paraphrase on the Theme of Paul Dvoirin for Piano (2003)

• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5002. 2005. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 
• Triton OVCT-00153. 2018. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. (Same as Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5002?)

Op. 110: Piano Sonata No. 13 (2003)

• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5016. 2009. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 111: Gingerbread Man for Piano (2003)

• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5014. 2008. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 112: (The) End of the Rainbow for Piano (2003)

• Capriccio C5439. 2022. Frank Dupree Trio. (Arranged for jazz trio.)
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5014. 2008. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 113: Wheel of Fortune for Piano (2003)

• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5016. 2009. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 114: No Stop Signs for Piano (2003)

• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5016. 2009. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 115: Fantasia for Piano (2003)

• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5014. 2008. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 117: Spice Island for Piano (2003)

• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5014. 2008. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 118: Paraphrase on 'Aquarela do Brasil' by Ary Barroso for Piano (2003)

• Capriccio C5439. 2022. Frank Dupree Trio. (Arranged for jazz trio.)
• Divine Art DDX21130. 2025. Ophelia Gordon, pianist. 
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5003. 2005. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5014. 2008. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 
• Piano Classics PCL0082. 2015. Sukyeon Kim, pianist. 

Op. 120: Piano Sonata No. 14 (2004)

• Non Profit Music NPM1011. 2010. Ludmil Angelov and Daniel Del Pino, pianists. (Version for two pianos?)

Op. 121: Vanity of Vanities for Piano (2004)

• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5014. 2008. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 122: Two Etude-Like Trinkets for Piano (2004)

• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5014. 2008. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 123: Paraphrase on 'Blue Bossa' by Kenny Dorham for Piano (2004)

• Capriccio C5439. 2022. Frank Dupree Trio. (Arranged for jazz trio.)
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5014. 2008. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 125: Flute Sonata (2004)

• Cantilena Records 101. 2025. Laurel Zucker, flutist. Gabriel Sanchez, pianist. 
• Naxos 8.579024. 2019. Immanuel Davis, flutist. Timothy Lovelace, pianist. 
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5030. 2010. Akane Otsuka, flutist. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist.

Op. 126: Divertissement in Four Movements for Piano Trio (2005)

• Avi Music 8553277. 2013. Beethoven Trio Bonn. 
• Non Profit Music NPM1405. 2014. Trío Arbós. 

Op. 127: Piano Sonata No. 15 ("Fantasia quasi Sonata") (2005)

• Naxos 8.570532. 2008. John Salmon, pianist. 

Op. 128: Introduction and Rondo for Piano (2006)

• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5016. 2009. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 129: Paraphrase on Dizzy Gillespie's 'Manteca' for Two Pianos/Four Hands (2006)

• Divine Art DDX21130. 2025. Ophelia Gordon, pianist. (Version for solo piano?)
• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5030. 2010. Masahiro and Yukari Kawakami, pianists. 
• Non Profit Music NPM1011. 2010. Ludmil Angelov and Daniel Del Pino, pianists. 

Op. 130: Countermove for Piano (2006)

• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5014. 2008. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 131: Piano Sonata No. 16 (2006)

• Nippon Acoustic Records NARD-5014. 2008. Nikolai Kapustin, pianist. 

Op. 133: Six Little Preludes for Piano (2007)

• Triton OVCT-00143. 2018. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 137: Good Intention for Piano (2009)

• Triton OVCT-00153. 2018. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 138: Sleight of Hand for Piano (2009)

• Triton OVCT-00153. 2018. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 142: Piano Trio No. 2 (2010)

• Non Profit Music NPM1405. 2014. Trío Arbós. 

Op. 143: Piano Sonata No. 19 (2011)

• Triton OVCT-00153. 2018. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 145: Tea for Two for Two Pianos/Four Hands (2012)

• Genuin GEN25933d. 2025. Fedorova & Takser Piano Duo. 

Op. 152: A Pianist in Jeopardy for Piano (2013)

• Triton OVCT-00153. 2018. Masahiro Kawakami, pianist. 

Op. 156: A Little Duo for Flute and Cello (2014)

• Naxos 8.579024. 2019. Immanuel Davis, flutist. Käthe Jarka, cellist. 

Op. 161: Moon Rainbow for Piano (2016)

• Berlin Classics 0301407BC. 2020. Luisa Imorde, pianist.
• Onyx 4222. 2021. Yeol Eum Son, pianist. 

Recording Review #67: Altered Ambience

Jóhannsson: Piano Works – From Englabörn. Alice Sara Ott, pianist. Deutsche Grammophon 486 674-4.

In an older edition of his Record Shelf Guide to Classical CDs and Audiocassettes (which, alas, I don't have at hand), Jim Svejda made this remark or something close to it: "For those who think that minimalism is the dim-witted musical rip-off that it probably is..." I seem to recall that this was in the course of praising John Adams as an exception to his dislike of the subgenre. Well, I wonder what he'd think of "ambient" music, which often makes minimalism (and especially post-minimalism) seem positively robust by comparison. I don't know what to make of it categorically myself. Is it art music? Is it classical music? (I'm pretty sure it should count as music.) But I do know what I like. 

Do I like the late Jóhann Jóhannsson's "ambient" (or ambient-adjacent) music? Yeah, sometimes. He was very adept at creating moods and, while I have not watched any dramatic productions that use his work, he usually accomplished what he set out to do musically, whether or not one takes it seriously. I'm a solid fan of his Orphée album, for instance. It shows that Jóhannsson knew how much he could repeat his slight ideas before losing the listener's (or at least my) goodwill. At other times I find his shtick a bit irritating, though. And I'm afraid the original Englabörn is an example. It isn't the melodic or harmonic ideas I find objectionable, it's the timbres of the instruments he uses there: grating and slightly pretentious. 

But here we don't have that problem, because the versions of three Englabörn pieces that Alice Sara Ott performs are for piano alone. Usually I am not terribly interested in arrangements, but this is one rare case where I think the arrangement improves upon the original. In experiencing these on the piano, we are not distracted by unfortunate timbral dressings. We can hear the bare pitch elements in better relief. And they hold up extremely well in the hands of Alice Sara Ott, whose silky sound is well suited to her task. 

It also helps that there are only three selections in this release, which together don't quite last 10 minutes. So we're not talking about a substantial investment of time. Actually, I could have named this review "'Ulta'ed Ambience." Because not only do we hear arranged versions of the original tracks, but I was also able to do a whole re-listen of this release while waiting for my wife to finish buying make-up at Ulta. Convenient, huh?

But seriously: optimally presented on the piano, this is attractive music. Maybe it's not the deepest or most complex stuff out there. Maybe Jóhannsson didn't quite have the melodic invention of Philip Glass. But it's satisfying if enjoyed for what it is. And Ott makes the venture so much easier. 

Verdict: Recommended

Scarlatti on the Piano: A Playlist

In a recent review, I remarked that we are "still living in the Wild West" of Domenico Scarlatti sonata recordings. One doesn't really get a sense of this until confronted with the task of making a playlist that includes all 555 works in the cycle. The impression only deepens when limiting oneself to piano (or pianoforte) performances. True, some sonatas have plenty of recordings featuring piano, especially favorites like K. 96 and K. 380. But, again as I quipped in that review, the body of Scarlatti's sonatas is a bit like the ocean: large parts of it are infrequently traversed. For selection after selection what one sees is a very limited choice featuring almost solely the same 1-3 pianists who have recorded whole (or almost whole) cycles, prominently Carlo Grante (on the Music and Arts label) and Christoph Ullrich (on Tacet). Both are fine pianists who consistently offer excellent performances. Then there are many wonderful installments in Naxos's nearly-complete series, featuring multiple pianists. But as I listened to sonata after sonata, it became clear to me that the differences between even these few performers were often very appreciable, and there is a whole lot of room for new interpretations by enterprising artists looking for ideal repertoire. True, a decent number of "big names" (Perahia, Pletnev, Weissenberg, Haskil, Hewitt, and especially Horowitz) have delved into the Scarlatti repertoire with stunning results. But in making this playlist it also became clear that their traversals have been quite limited. If I'm being negative, it's a collective indictment of skilled pianists everywhere that so much remains to be said in music that has been around for hundreds of years and consistently delights when it's tried. 

For this playlist, my selection criteria were simple: I tried to balance variety, availability, and (let's face it) my own taste. I soon tired of repetitive choices between Grante, Ullrich, and whichever Naxos performer happened to be at hand. (This is no fault of theirs!) I also tried to include as many Big Name performances as possible without simply picking them automatically. There are a fair number of self-published options available via Spotify and Apple Music, and I generally avoided these...especially since many sounded MIDI-derived or otherwise undistinguished. With that said, here are the 156 pianists I managed to include in my list: 

Alice Ader

Eteri Andjaparidze

Igor Ardašev

Martha Argerich

Racha Arodaky
Julius Asal

Emilio Aversano

Sergei Babayan

Andrea Bacchetti
MinJung Baek

Prisca Benoit

Daria van den Bercken

Kiki Bernasconi

Giulio Biddau

Sari Biro

Sveinung Bjelland

Virginia Black

Anthony di Bonaventura

Véronique Bonnecaze

Jeanne Bovet

Katia Braunschweiler

James Brawn

John Browning
Michelangelo Carbonara
Robert Casadesus

Gianluca Cascioli

Olivier Cavé

Vadim Chaimovich

Hae Won Chang

Pi-hsien Chen

Xueyuan Chen

Aldo Ciccolini
Maria Clementi

Federico Colli

Bice Horszowski Costa
Martin Cousin

György Cziffra

Lucas Debargue

Alessandro Deljavan

Nikolai Demidenko

Ece Demirci

Alberto Ferro

Terezie Fialová

Goran Filipec
Leon Fleisher

Homero Francesch

Benjamin Frith 

Marco Fumo

Sergio Gallo

Mathieu Gaudet

Walter Gieseking

Emil Gilels

Alon Goldstein 

Glenn Gould
Carlo Grante

Giuseppe Greco

David Greilsammer

Maria Grinberg

Duanduan Hao
Clara Haskil
Myra Hess

Angela Hewitt

Wataru Hisasue
Vladimir Horowitz

Chu-Fang Huang

Claire Huangci

Emanuil Ivanov

Jenő Jandó

Ivo Kahanek

Sang Woo Kang

Peter Katin

Sean Kennard

Eylam Keshet

Karel Kosarek

Käbi Laretei
Alicia de Larrocha

Dejan Lazić

Joanna Leach

Colleen Lee

Soyeon Kate Lee

Gabriele Leporatti

Michael Lewin

Carlo Lombardi
Beatrice Long

Kathleen Long

Andrea Lucchesini

John McCabe

Eri Mantani

Giovanni Mazzocchin

Barbara Meister

Charles Metz

Marcelle Meyer

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

Gabriele Micheli

Nina Milkina

Andrea Molteni

Sergio Monteiro 

Jurica Murai

Varvara Myagkova

Riccardo Natale

Francesco Nicolosi

Jacques Ogg

Pascal Pascaleff

Jaroslava Vernerová Pěchočová

Murray Perahia

Javier Perianes

Nikolai Petrov

Enrico Pieranunzi
Mikhail Pletnev

Georges Pludermacher

Ivo Pogorelich

Marianna Prjevalskaya

Anne Queffélec

Marcela Roggeri

Sonia Rubinsky 

Simone Sammicheli

Fazil Say

Konstantin Scherbakov
András Schiff

Barbora Krištofová Sejáková

Miroslav Sekera

Mordecai Shehori

Adam Skoumal

Inger Södergren

Mario Sollazzo

Vojtěch Spurný

Victor Stanislavsky 

Tamara Stefanovich

Bohumil Stehlík

Aniele Steininger

Gerda Struhal

Yevgeny Sudbin

Balázs Szokolay

Alexandre Tharaud

Maria Tipo

Dubravka Tomšič

Margherita Torretta

Fou Ts'ong
Christoph Ullrich

Alberto Urroz

Bruno Vlahek

Lev Vlasenko

Gottlieb Wallisch

Maria Walzer

Yuja Wang

Orion Weiss
Alexis Weissenberg

Daniel Wiesner

Jae-Yeon Won

Zhu Xiao-Mei

Artem Yasynskyy

Maurizio Zaccaria

Christian Zacharias

Evgeny Zarafiants

Carlo Zecchi

Aline Zylberajch

And here is the playlist: 

K. 1 in D Minor: Pletnev
K. 2 in G: Haskil
K. 3 in A Minor: Pletnev
K. 4 in G Minor: B. Long
K. 5 in D Minor: Horowitz
K. 6 in F: Haskil
K. 7 in A Minor: Clementi
K. 8 in G Minor: Pletnev
K. 9 in D Minor: Szokolay
K. 10 in D Minor: de Larrocha
K. 11 in C Minor: Szokolay
K. 12 in G Minor: Sudbin
K. 13 in G: Stefanovich
K. 14 in G: Hess
K. 15 in E Minor: Ullrich
K. 16 in B-Flat: Cousin
K. 17 in F: Schiff

K. 18 in D Minor: Grante

K. 19 in F Minor: Tomšič

K. 20 in E: Tipo
K. 21 in D: Sammicheli
K. 22 in C Minor: Grinberg
K. 23 in D: Casadesus
K. 24 in A: Pletnev
K. 25 in F-Sharp Minor: Horowitz
K. 26 in A: Frith
K. 27 in B Minor: Perahia
K. 28 in E: de Larrocha
K. 29 in D: Perahia
K. 30 in G Minor: Meyer
K. 31 in G Minor: Huangci
K. 32 in D Minor: Meyer
K. 33 in D: Horowitz
K. 34 in D Minor: Grante
K. 35 in G Minor: Haskil
K. 36 in A Minor: Gallo
K. 37 in C Minor: Frith
K. 38 in F: Ullrich
K. 39 in A: Horowitz
K. 40 in C Minor: Won

K. 41 in D Minor: C. Lee
K. 42 in B-Flat: Baek
K. 43 in G Minor: McCabe
K. 44 in F: Bjelland
K. 45 in D: Browning
K. 46 in E: Wiesner
K. 47 in B-Flat: Demirci
K. 48 in C Minor: Gallo
K. 49 in C: Zylberajch
K. 50 in F Minor: Carbonara
K. 51 in E-Flat: Pieranunzi

K. 52 in D Minor: Horowitz
K. 53 in D: Sammicheli
K. 54 in A Minor: Horowitz
K. 55 in G: Roggeri
K. 56 in C Minor: Sudbin
K. 57 in B-Flat: Ivanov
K. 58 in C Minor: Asal
K. 59 in A Minor: Gallo

K. 60 in G Minor: S.K. Lee
K. 61 in A Minor: Spurný
K. 62 in A: K. Long
K. 63 in G: Hewitt
K. 64 in D Minor: Tharaud
K. 65 in A: C.F. Huang
K. 66 in B-Flat: Grante
K. 67 in F-Sharp Minor: Molteni
K. 68 in E-Flat: S.W. Kang
K. 69 in F Minor: Hewitt
K. 70 in B-Flat: Stehlík

K. 71 in G: Ullrich
K. 72 in C: Tharaud
K. 73 in C Minor: Ts'ong
K. 74 in A: C. Lee
K. 75 in G: Cousin
K. 76 in G Minor: Huangci
K. 77 in D Minor: Pludermacher
K. 78 in F: Mantani
K. 79 in G: Tipo
K. 80 in G: S.W. Kang
K. 81 in E Minor: Shehori
K. 82 in F: Lazić

K. 83 in A: Ader
K. 84 in C Minor: Katin 
K. 85 in F: Ivanov
K. 86 in C: Gallo

K. 87 in B Minor: Hewitt
K. 88 in G Minor: Gallo
K. 89 in D Minor: S.W. Kang
K. 90 in D Minor: Grante
K. 91 in G: S.K. Lee
K. 92 in D Minor: Ullrich

K. 93 in G Minor: Deljavan
K. 94 in F: Skoumal
K. 95 in C: Colli
K. 96 in D: Horowitz
K. 97 in G Minor: Urroz

K. 98 in E Minor: Pogorelich

K. 99 in C Minor: Zaccaria
K. 100 in C: Ullrich
K. 101 in A: Cziffra

K. 102 in G Minor: Hao
K. 103 in G: Queffélec
K. 104 in G: Shehori

K. 105 in G: Debargue
K. 106 in F: Browning
K. 107 in F: Weissenberg

K. 108 in G Minor: Clementi
K. 109 in A Minor: Weissenberg

K. 110 in A Minor: S.K. Lee

K. 111 in G Minor: Grante

K. 112 in B-Flat: Zarafiants
K. 113 in A: Pletnev
K. 114 in A: Meyer
K. 115 in C Minor: Schiff

K. 116 in C Minor: Schiff
K. 117 in C: Ivanov
K. 118 in D: Francesch
K. 119 in D: Cascioli
K. 120 in D Minor: Goldstein
K. 121 in G Minor: Baek

K. 122 in D: Cousin
K. 123 in E-Flat: H.W. Chang
K. 124 in G: Zacharias
K. 125 in G: Perianes
K. 126 in C Minor: Jandó
K. 127 in A-Flat: Hisasue
K. 128 in B-Flat Minor: Perianes
K. 129 in C Minor: S.K. Lee

K. 130 in A-Flat: Deljavan

K. 131 in B-Flat Minor: Molteni
K. 132 in C: Tipo

K. 133 in C: McCabe
K. 134 in E: C. Lee

K. 135 in E: Walzer
K. 136 in E: C. Lee

K. 137 in D: Ivanov
K. 138 in D Minor: Molteni

K. 139 in C Minor: X. Chen
K. 140 in D: Hewitt
K. 141 in D Minor: Argerich
K. 142 in F-Sharp Minor: Z. Xiao-Mei
K. 143 in C: S.K. Lee
K. 144 in G: Ader
K. 145 in D: Browning
K. 146 in G: Szokolay

K. 147 in E Minor: Queffélec
K. 148 in A Minor: Wallisch
K. 149 in A Minor: Vlasenko
K. 150 in F: Ivanov
K. 151 in F: Ts'ong
K. 152 in G: Gallo
K. 153 in G: Grante
K. 154 in B-Flat: Keshet
K. 155 in B-Flat: Ullrich
K. 156 in C: Zaccaria
K. 157 in C: Gallo
K. 158 in C Minor: Stefanovich
K. 159 in C: Michelangeli
K. 160 in D: C.F. Huang
K. 161 in D: Browning

K. 162 in E: Horowitz
K. 163 in E: Ts'ong
K. 164 in D: Ts'ong
K. 165 in C: Gallo
K. 166 in C: Ullrich
K. 167 in F: Pascaleff
K. 168 in F: Sammicheli
K. 169 in G: Meister
K. 170 in C: Sollazzo

K. 171 in G: Hao
K. 172 in B-Flat: Debargue
K. 173 in B Minor: Pletnev
K. 174 in C Minor: Bacchetti

K. 175 in A Minor: Schiff
K. 176 in D Minor: Bacchetti
K. 177 in D: Weiss
K. 178 in D: Natale
K. 179 in G Minor: Ullrich

K. 180 in G: H.W. Chang

K. 181 in A: S. Lee

K. 182 in A: Deljavan
K. 183 in F Minor: van den Bercken

K. 184 in F Minor: Horowitz
K. 185 in F Minor: Perianes
K. 186 in F Minor: Grante
K. 187 in F Minor: Zaccaria
K. 188 in A Minor: Clementi
K. 189 in B-Flat: Gallo
K. 190 in B-Flat: Milkina
K. 191 in D Minor: S.W. Kang
K. 192 in E-Flat: Debargue
K. 193 in E-Flat: Perianes
K. 194 in F: Sejáková

K. 195 in F: Cousin
K. 196 in G Minor: Debargue
K. 197 in B Minor: Horowitz

K. 198 in E Minor: Horowitz
K. 199 in C: Hao
K. 200 in C: Braunschweiler

K. 201 in G: Horowitz
K. 202 in B-Flat: Zacharias
K. 203 in E Minor: Urroz
K. 204 in F Minor: Keshet
K. 205 in F: Carbonara
K. 206 in E: Perahia
K. 207 in E: Ullrich
K. 208 in A: Schiff
K. 209 in A: Schiff
K. 210 in G: Ts'ong

K. 211 in A: Debargue
K. 212 in A: Perahia
K. 213 in D Minor: Pletnev
K. 214 in D: Pletnev
K. 215 in E: P. Chen
K. 216 in E: di Bonaventura
K. 217 in A Minor: Micheli

K. 218 in A Minor: Cousin
K. 219 in A: Carbonara
K. 220 in A: Weiss

K. 221 in A: Ullrich
K. 222 in A: Zaccaria
K. 223 in D: Ivanov
K. 224 in D: Wallisch 
K. 225 in C: Rubinsky 
K. 226 in C Minor: P. Chen
K. 227 in B Minor: Frith
K. 228 in B-Flat: Ullrich
K. 229 in B-Flat: Hao
K. 230 in C Minor: van den Bercken
K. 231 in C: Hao
K. 232 in E Minor: Bonnecaze
K. 233 in E Minor: Weissenberg
K. 234 in G Minor: Colli
K. 235 in G: K. Long
K. 236 in D: Ivanov
K. 237 in D: Cousin
K. 238 in F Minor: Asal
K. 239 in F Minor: Mazzocchin
K. 240 in G: Ullrich
K. 241 in G: Ferro
K. 242 in C: Debargue

K. 243 in C: Pascaleff
K. 244 in B: Leporatti
K. 245 in B: Mantani
K. 246 in C-Sharp Minor: Sudbin
K. 247 in C-Sharp Minor: Perahia

K. 248 in B-Flat: Keshet
K. 249 in B-Flat: Ivanov
K. 250 in C: Grante
K. 251 in C: Ullrich
K. 252 in E-Flat: Pascaleff
K. 253 in E-Flat: Won
K. 254 in C Minor: Sekera

K. 255 in C: Won
K. 256 in F: Ts'ong
K. 257 in F: Struhal
K. 258 in D: Debargue
K. 259 in G: Tomšič

K. 260 in G: Horowitz
K. 261 in B: Jandó

K. 262 in B: Molteni
K. 263 in E Minor: Perianes
K. 264 in E: Zaccaria
K. 265 in A Minor: Weiss
K. 266 in B-Flat: Ardašev

K. 267 in B-Flat: Keshet
K. 268 in A: Steininger

K. 269 in A: Hao
K. 270 in C: Carbonara
K. 271 in C: Grante
K. 272 in B-Flat: Cousin
K. 273 in B-Flat: Ullrich
K. 274 in F: Bovet
K. 275 in F: Ivanov
K. 276 in F: Kosarek
K. 277 in D: Nicolosi
K. 278 in D: Södergren

K. 279 in A: Queffélec

K. 280 in A: Ullrich
K. 281 in D: Sejáková

K. 282 in D: Zylberajch
K. 283 in G: Pletnev
K. 284 in G: Pletnev
K. 285 in A: Baek
K. 286 in A: Filipec
K. 287 in D: Cousin
K. 288 in D: Spurný

K. 289 in G: Monteiro

K. 290 in G: S.K. Lee
K. 291 in E Minor: Brawn
K. 292 in E Minor: Aversano

K. 293 in B Minor: Baek
K. 294 in D Minor: Torretta
K. 295 in D Minor: Grante
K. 296 in F: Huangci
K. 297 in F: Ullrich
K. 298 in D: Grante
K. 299 in D: Murai
K. 300 in A: Costa
K. 301 in A: Yasynskyy

K. 302 in C Minor: Debargue
K. 303 in C Minor: Horowitz
K. 304 in G: Ts'ong
K. 305 in G: Ullrich
K. 306 in E-Flat: Ullrich

K. 307 in E-Flat: Pascaleff
K. 308 in C: Debargue
K. 309 in C: Struhal
K. 310 in B-Flat: Monteiro
K. 311 in B-Flat: Kennard
K. 312 in D: Carbonara
K. 313 in D: Scherbakov
K. 314 in G: Ullrich
K. 315 in G Minor: Fialová 

K. 316 in F: Vlahek
K. 317 in F: Grante
K. 318 in F-Sharp: Bjelland
K. 319 in F-Sharp: Horowitz
K. 320 in A: Pěchočová
K. 321 in A: Keshet
K. 322 in A: Haskil
K. 323 in A: Mantani
K. 324 in G: Goldstein
K. 325 in G: Greco
K. 326 in C: Weiss
K. 327 in C: Browning
K. 328 in G: Ullrich

K. 329 in C: Ullrich
K. 330 in C: Struhal
K. 331 in B-Flat: Monteiro
K. 332 in B-Flat: Cousin
K. 333 in D: Vlahek
K. 334 in B-Flat: Ullrich
K. 335 in D: Ullrich
K. 336 in D: Hao

K. 337 in G: Hao
K. 338 in G: Greco 
K. 339 in C: Grante
K. 340 in C: Sammicheli
K. 341 in A Minor: Monteiro
K. 342 in A: Lucchesini
K. 343 in A: Debargue
K. 344 in A: Nicolosi
K. 345 in D: Cousin
K. 346 in D: Yasynskyy
K. 347 in G Minor: Shehori 
K. 348 in G: Wallisch

K. 349 in F: Monteiro
K. 350 in F: Ullrich
K. 351 in B-Flat: Ullrich
K. 352 in D: Keshet
K. 353 in D: Greco

K. 354 in F: Monteiro
K. 355 in F: Kennard
K. 356 in C: Gieseking
K. 357 in C: Grante
K. 358 in D: Yasynskyy
K. 359 in D: Filipec
K. 360 in B-Flat: Scherbakov
K. 361 in B-Flat: Zaccaria

K. 362 in C Minor: Shehori
K. 363 in C Minor: Shehori
K. 364 in F Minor: Shehori
K. 365 in F Minor: Prjevalskya
K. 366 in F: Biro
K. 367 in F: Shehori
K. 368 in A: Struhal
K. 369 in A: Mazzocchin
K. 370 in E-Flat: Cousin
K. 371 in E-Flat: Bonnecaze
K. 372 in G: Kennard
K. 373 in G Minor: Sudbin
K. 374 in G: Sejáková
K. 375 in G: Monteiro
K. 376 in B Minor: Ogg
K. 377 in B Minor: Demidenko
K. 378 in F: Say

K. 379 in F: Ts'ong
K. 380 in E: Fleisher 
K. 381 in E: Zacharias
K. 382 in A Minor: Fumo
K. 383 in A Minor: Goldstein
K. 384 in C: Zacharias
K. 385 in C: Ullrich
K. 386 in F Minor: Perianes
K. 387 in F Minor: Biddau
K. 388 in D: Wiesner
K. 389 in D: Zaccaria
K. 390 in G: Hao

K. 391 in G: Browning
K. 392 in B-Flat: Ullrich
K. 393 in B-Flat: Cousin
K. 394 in E Minor: Schiff
K. 395 in E: Schiff
K. 396 in D Minor: Colli
K. 397 in D: Huangci
K. 398 in C: Shehori
K. 399 in C: Greco
K. 400 in D: Metz
K. 401 in D: Black
K. 402 in E Minor: Schiff 
K. 403 in E: Schiff
K. 404 in A: Pletnev
K. 405 in A: Debargue
K. 406 in C: Ciccolini
K. 407 in C: Monteiro
K. 408 in B Minor: C. Lee
K. 409 in B Minor: Ullrich
K. 410 in B-Flat: Ullrich
K. 411 in B-Flat: Bonnecaze

K. 412 in G: Zaccaria 
K. 413 in G: Yasynskyy
K. 414 in D: Stanislavsky
K. 415 in D: Grante
K. 416 in D: C.F. Huang
K. 417 in D Minor: Sudbin
K. 418 in F: Greco
K. 419 in F: Kahanek
K. 420 in C: Vlasenko
K. 421 in C: Andjaparidze
K. 422 in C: Scherbakov
K. 423 in C: Shehori

K. 424 in G: Ferro

K. 425 in G: Tipo
K. 426 in G Minor: Schiff
K. 427 in G: Schiff
K. 428 in A: Hewitt
K. 429 in A: Södergren
K. 430 in D: Gould
K. 431 in G: Rubinsky 
K. 432 in G: Tipo
K. 433 in G: Greco
K. 434 in D Minor: Biddau 
K. 435 in D: Mantani
K. 436 in D: Lewin
K. 437 in F: Haskil
K. 438 in F: Leporatti
K. 439 in B-Flat: Weiss
K. 440 in B-Flat: Ferro
K. 441 in B-Flat: Benoit
K. 442 in B-Flat: Filipec
K. 443 in D: Chaimovich
K. 444 in D Minor: Jandó
K. 445 in F: Sammicheli
K. 446 in F: Biro
K. 447 in F-Sharp Minor: Perianes
K. 448 in F-Sharp Minor: Perianes
K. 449 in G: Schiff
K. 450 in G Minor: Pogorelich

K. 451 in A Minor: Myagkova
K. 452 in A: Baek
K. 453 in A: Deljavan
K. 454 in G: Babayan
K. 455 in G: Y. Wang
K. 456 in A: Gaudet
K. 457 in A: Arodaky
K. 458 in D: Hao
K. 459 in D Minor/Major: Grante 
K. 460 in C: McCabe
K. 461 in C: Leach
K. 462 in F Minor: Perianes
K. 463 in F Minor: Ferro
K. 464 in C: Skoumal
K. 465 in C: Goldstein
K. 466 in F Minor: Horowitz
K. 467 in F Minor: Hao
K. 468 in F: Debargue

K. 469 in F: Debargue
K. 470 in G: Cavé
K. 471 in G: Katin
K. 472 in B-Flat: Tharaud
K. 473 in B-Flat: Wallisch
K. 474 in E-Flat: Horowitz
K. 475 in E-Flat: Schiff
K. 476 in G Minor: Benoit
K. 477 in G: Debargue
K. 478 in D: Mantani
K. 479 in D: Sudbin
K. 480 in D: Ullrich
K. 481 in F Minor: Horowitz
K. 482 in F: Filipec
K. 483 in F: Ts'ong
K. 484 in D: Ts'ong
K. 485 in C: Greco
K. 486 in C: Filipec
K. 487 in C: Pogorelich
K. 488 in B-Flat: Skoumal
K. 489 in B-Flat: Ullrich
K. 490 in D: Browning
K. 491 in D: Horowitz
K. 492 in D: Torretta
K. 493 in G: Monteiro
K. 494 in G: Frith
K. 495 in E: Tipo
K. 496 in E: S. Lee
K. 497 in B Minor: Carbonara 
K. 498 in B Minor: Kahanek
K. 499 in A: Ardašev
K. 500 in A: Ts'ong
K. 501 in C: Pascaleff
K. 502 in C: Zacharias
K. 503 in B-Flat: Monteiro
K. 504 in B-Flat: Grante
K. 505 in F: Ullrich
K. 506 in F: Ullrich
K. 507 in E-Flat: Milkina
K. 508 in E-Flat: Greco
K. 509 in D: Ullrich
K. 510 in D Minor: Shehori
K. 511 in D: van den Bercken
K. 512 in D: Baek
K. 513 in C: Schiff
K. 514 in C: Aversano
K. 515 in C: Petrov
K. 516 in D Minor: Schiff 
K. 517 in D Minor: Lombardi
K. 518 in F: Schiff
K. 519 in F Minor: Schiff 
K. 520 in G: Pletnev
K. 521 in G: Debargue
K. 522 in G: Monteiro
K. 523 in G: Zecchi
K. 524 in F: Grante
K. 525 in F: Horowitz
K. 526 in C Minor: Debargue
K. 527 in C: di Bonaventura
K. 528 in B-Flat: Kahanek
K. 529 in B-Flat: Pogorelich
K. 530 in E: Yasynskyy
K. 531 in E: Greilsammer
K. 532 in A Minor: Molteni
K. 533 in A: Gilels
K. 534 in D: Debargue
K. 535 in D: Laretei
K. 536 in A: Skoumal
K. 537 in A: Perahia

K. 538 in G: Grante
K. 539 in G: Katin
K. 540 in F: Ts'ong
K. 541 in F: Hao
K. 542 in F: Scherbakov
K. 543 in F: Kennard
K. 544 in B-Flat: Schiff
K. 545 in B-Flat: Schiff
K. 546 in G Minor: Molteni
K. 547 in G: Horowitz

K. 548 in C: Frith
K. 549 in C: Deljavan
K. 550 in B-Flat: B. Long
K. 551 in B-Flat: Bernasconi
K. 552 in D Minor: Weiss
K. 553 in D Minor: Grante
K. 554 in F: Monteiro
K. 555 in F Minor: Sammicheli

Here is the Spotify link to this playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0vm0KeEUwwGWq76CZgXKkX?si=fMQ5bf-RRSmqqe4pU_aCDg

Feel free to copy this list to mix and match where you feel so moved. But also be careful: plenty of recordings have wrong K. numberings for certain sonatas. Even some of the more famous ones can be mislabeled: Horowitz's K. 54 is often given as K. 59, which is a different sonata. There are several traps for the unwary. If you see any errors here, please let me know. Thanks for reading!

Recording Review #66: Sumptuous Scarlatti

Domenico Scarlatti: Selected Keyboard Sonatas. Javier Perianes, pianist. Harmonia Mundi HMM902768. 

Here's another lesson in the value of repeat listens. My immediate impression on jumping right into the first sonata (K. 491, D Major) was "yuck, what is he doing!?" Compared to the steady, drier performance by Vladimir Horowitz that I was used to (see Sony SK 53460), Perianes's somewhat freer take initially came as a jolt. But I pressed on, and every subsequent selection in this well-chosen assortment of sonatas soothed my apprehensions...so much that when I went back to listen to K. 491 again I was significantly more amenable to what Perianes does with it. It took me a little while to embrace his vision for this music. I'm glad I finally did. 

What I eventually realized is that Perianes performs these works in an unapologetically pianistic manner, as opposed to following the commonly-adopted, neat-and-crisp approach that seems to carry the obligatory nod toward the harpsichord. The latter may be what I'm accustomed to, but the truth is that Perianes more closely realizes the implications of something I've long thought: Domenico Scarlatti had a strong proto-Romantic streak. It was Perianes's glowing performances of the slow numbers especially that helped convert me to his K. 491 and other quick ones. I've heard the famous K. 466 F Minor many times, but rarely so "nocturney" as it's played here. Other slow numbers with which I was less (or not) familiar – K. 185 (another F Minor) and K. 128 (one of just TWO Scarlatti sonatas in B-Flat Minor!) – come off similarly. 

Other highlights include the K. 492 D Major, which Perianes imbues with more color and life than in every other performance I remember hearing. Then there's perhaps the most famous Scarlatti sonata of all – K. 380 in E Major. I think I've already mentioned on this blog that the latter work reminds me of Christmas somehow. If I had heard it right after K. 491 during my first listen-through, I might not have had the heart to continue. But by this 13th track Perianes had basically won me over. It's still like Christmas to me, but maybe there are slightly different lights and ornaments on the tree. 

I've heard many Scarlatti albums by now, and a good deal of them contain a less-frequently-performed sonata that becomes a new favorite of mine. In this case the honor goes to the K. 193 E-Flat Major. What an amazing piece of different moods and hues! If I were to hunt down and listen (or re-listen) to other renditions of it, I feel confident by now Perianes's would more than hold its own. I'm grateful to him for showing me that there is plenty more to be experienced in performances of these 555 delights.  

Verdict: Highly Recommended