Search - Mussorgsky, Bronfman :: Pictures at an Exhibition

Highly recommendable

Timothy F. Ortlieb | USA | 02/06/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There aren't too many recorded piano versions of Pictures at an Exhibition which feature all on one disc virtuosic playing, excellent sound and fidelity to the score, but this is one of them. Richter was simply volcanic in his 1958 live recording but that recording is marred by poor sound. Bronfman's broader, more refined, and less volatile approach suits the music beautifully. Bronfman is exciting too, bringing plenty of tone color, and there's never any doubt that his technique is equal to the work's demands. The same can be said for the Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky couplings, which are far more than mere fill-ups as they are rarely recorded. In Bronfman's hands, Stravinsky's Petrushka Movements have all the flair and virtuosity these fiendishly difficult pieces demand--the orchestra is barely missed--and the Tchaikovsky piece takes on a colorfully Russian flavor. Excellently rich but clean sound."

Simply excellent

Pablo Pellegrini | Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires Arge | 04/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am 47 and since my childhood I heared many times Pictures at an exhibition. But with this version I was really impressed for the first time. The pianissimos and fortissimos are really touching. Each piece played with its particular nuances as it must be played.

In Petrushka and Dumka Bronfman shows us his brilliant and wise performance too. He undoubtly knows the secret to transmit the russian spirit. Bravo Mr. Bronfman!"