Mussorgsky Tchaikovsky Pletnev - Pictures at an Exhibition Sleeping Beauty5 (26 tracks) +Album Reviews

Picture this!

Christopher P. Dunn | The Aloha State | 05/15/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mikhail Pletnev (pronounced "Pletnyof") has been astonishing listeners for years, since winning the 1978 Tchiakovsky Competition. Nonetheless, he is a little-known secret in the piano world, due in part to his performing hiatus during his 10yr tenure as conductor of the Russian National Orchestra (which is another astonishing accomplishment).Although Pletnev is now returning to the stage as a soloist (see his recently issued Carnegie Hall recital on DG), this disc of Mussorgsky and a Tchaikovksy trascription was originally issued in 1991. Most of us know Mussorgsky's "Pictures From An Exhibition" thanks to Ravel's orchestration; however, it was written for piano. Richter and others have recorded the original piano version, but none has come anywhere close to the profundity that Pletnev achieves. Sure, he plays the notes like anyone else, but the depth of feeling, the humor, the darkness, and the color that he conveys is simply astounding.Listen to the subtleties in "Tuileries," to the dark terror in "Hut on Hen's Legs," and to the extraordinary grandeur of the finale, "The Hero's Gate at Kiev." The wonderful thing about Pletnev is that he astonishes, not by being flashy and flip, but by plumbing the depths of the composition. He is conveying music, not his ego. And in this day and age, a brilliant pianist, who is nonetheless humble, is also a cause for celebration! I promise: if you listen to this recording, you will never listen again to the orchestral version! Who needs orchestration, when Pletnev provides all the color and transparency in the world?Now, on to Tchaikovsky. It is quite clever of Pletnev to program "Pictures" in its original piano version (almost a "reverse transcription," given the popularity of the Ravel), then to provide a piano transcription of excerpts of the orchestral "Sleeping Beauty." His transcription is brilliant. He paints a picture of the ballet and its story line as beautifully as did Mussorgsky."Pictures" is a walk through an exhibition of fixed paintings (hence the intervening Promenades to carry us from picture to picture), whereas "Sleeping Beauty" is acted in front of us, the fixed audience. Believe me when I say, that being fixed, or transfixed, is exactly how you will feel upon listening to this startling performance."

Worth importing from Europe

Joshua Appel | Peshastin, WA United States | 07/13/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

".... I have never heard the Pictures played like this by anyone, the depth and continuity of Pletnev's interpretation is still staggering to me. From FFF to PPP Pletnev evokes an astounding array of colors from his instrument (listen especially the to end of Bydlo)- it is truly symphonic pianism. The transcriptions from the Sleeping Beauty are equally astonishing (even better than his transcriptions from the Nutcracker Suite). Pletnev's attention to detail, understanding of nuance, dynamics, and fire simply overwhelm the listener. The bottom line is that this cd is indispensable - buy it before you have to sail the seven seas to get it."

Excellent!

Colin C. Brash | Claremont, NH USA | 03/07/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Pletnev does a truly incredible job playing both Mussorgsky's and Tchaikovsky's pieces. I am borrowing this from a friend at the moment, and will immediately get my own copy as soon as he realizes I still have it..."

A Pianistic Feast of Orchestral Colours Served in Demonstrat

C. Pontus T. | SE/Asia | 08/28/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Straight to the point: This is one of the most stupendous piano recordings made in the digital, analogue and stereo era! It does not only feature among the most accomplished attempts at turning the sound of a single piano into a whole orchestral palette but also among the most successful reworkings of established Romantic warhorses in the post-War period.

With that language, you probably think I'm just exaggerating. As a matter of fact, I'm not. Having been listening to thousands of piano recordings since the early 1990s, I can firmly confess that piano playing simply does not come any better than this. Give me Richter's legendary 1958 account of the Pictures, Horowitz's almost as legendary 1947 augmentation of the Pictures, or by all means any of Argerich's celebrated Tchaikovsky Firsts--though, all undeniably great they almost seem, if you may excuse the expression, somewhat monochrome next to Pletnev's virtual feast of pianistic colours.

Still not convinced? Let me provide a number of samples: the raw power unleashed in Bydlo; the end of Catacombae where the dark bass bass cord gradually fade away and resolve into the emerging magical sunstreams of Cum Mortuis in Lingua Mortua; at this point, do I even need to mention The Great Gate of Kiev, where the piano almost is being dissolved into a thunderous cluster of cosmic sounds. What about the Sleeping Beauty then? Just try the Intro's blistering roulades; the brief multi-hand-sounding Le Canari qui chante; or the poignant Adagio.

What about the sound, then? Well, I can happily tell you it also belongs to the category of 'best ever': atmospheric, brilliant, spectacular and still perfectly natural--in short a demonstration of how to record the piano instrument.

On this form, Pletnev is all you can ask for when it comes to pianism. I certainly don't want to finish on a low note; nonetheless, it is difficult not arriving at the conclusion that Pletnev's pianism possibly reached its culmination during his years with Virgin Classics in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Why? Because few if any of his more recent DG recordings even come close to achievements like this one--though, excluding his dazzling Pletnev Live at Carnegie Hall debut of November 2000, with a benchmark Islamey.

[This particular pressing seems out of print on amazon.com; no worries, both items are also included in Virgin's double bargain set coupled with excellent Pletnev versions of Tchaikovsky's Six Morceaux and The Seasons. Moreover, this particular pressing in fact can be acquired on arkivmusic.com., if at full price.]"

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