Search - Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli :: 1942-1943

A great cd though old quality of recordings (1942/43)

12/09/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Four stars just for the quality of recordings... not obviously high. In fact these pieces were recorded on 22 Janury 1943 (Grieg - Bach - Tomeoni) and 9 September 1942 (Scarlatti and Chopin)when Michelangeli was 22/23 years old. The young pianist is anyway perfect in all the renditions. His touch is so clean and precise, his perfect style is recognizable though these are his early appearances. The years to come will place the Maestro in the legendary list of the Piano Immortals with his matchlees renditions of Debussy, Ravel and Chopin.
I recommend this cd because it is a rare item with rare recordings. All pieces are really beautiful! It includes the celebrated "Berceuse" (Chopin) played splendidly!!"

Just 36 minutes, but impressive enough

hjonkers | The Netherlands | 01/04/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here are some very fine wartime performances of the young Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli. This pianist had something irresistible in his playing. Even if he played dull music, it still sounded fine because of his breathtaking tone. It's interesting to hear that he already played with such a beautiful touch when he was only in his twenties. Whether he plays Grieg or Scarlatti, he always has that stunning ability to play everything 'well'. The recording quality of the pieces is what you'd expect from the 40's, but the background hiss does not really affect Michelangeli's sound, so I don't care about it. The Scarlatti is performed with great nuance and a rainbow full of colours, and it's equally astonishing to hear Michelangeli play as it didn't cost him the least effort to perform this -quite difficult- music. Same is true for the included Allegro of the almost forgotten composer Pellegrino Tomeoni. But Michelangeli approaches the piece as if it is really great music, and when listening to him, you'll wonder why this piece is such a rarity. But there's also the Italian Concerto by Bach. Michelangeli doesn't play it with the same intensity as in Glenn Gould's stunning performance. Instead, his huge colours and great nuances are a great showcase for the use of a piano in baroque music. The disc is completed with Grieg and Chopin. Michelangeli's performance of 'Erotik' is perhaps a bit on the affectionate side, but very impressively so. The Berceuse is superbly controlled and shaded, and it's hard to think of a better performance of this piece. Michelangeli's nostalgic touchin the concluding Mazurka works wonders, too. The only real drawback of the disc is its short length: it lasts only 36 minutes. Those thirty-six minutes, however, were more than enough to impress me greatly."