Mendelssohn: Sonata for Piano; Prelude & Fugue; Variations Sérieuses; Rondo Capriccioso
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CD Details
Composer: Felix [1] MendelssohnPerformer: Murray Perahia
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1990-10-25
Music Label: Sony
Soundtracks:
- Sonata For Piano, Op. 6: I - Allegretto con espressione
- Sonata For Piano, Op. 6: II - Tempo di Menuetto - Piu vivace - L'istesso tempo I
- Sonata For Piano, Op. 6: III - Recitativo - Andante - Allegretto con espressione - IV - Molto allegro e vivace - Allegretto con espressione
- Prelude & Fugue, Op. 35, No.1
- Variations serieuses, Op. 54
- Rondo capriccioso, Op. 14
Music reviews of Mendelssohn: Sonata for Piano; Prelude & Fugue; Variations Sérieuses; Rondo Capriccioso
Music Review: THE Mendelssohn piano recording
Rating: 5 Stars
In the sea of Mendelssohn recordings out there, which usually constitute the ubiquitous Midsummer Night's Dream, the Piano Concerti, the Violin Concerto and the famous pair of symphonies, it's so refreshing to see some attention actually given to Mendelssohn's first-rate solo piano compositions. Although his piano works are uneven and rather Classical in design, there are some astounding gems in his opus. Having heard every solo piano composition of Mendelssohn's through the five volume series of Naxos, I feel qualified to make the following bold statement: this Perahia recording captures the best of Mendelssohn's piano works and is played better than anyone else I've heard.
I do want to say, however, that Mendelssohn still has other piano pieces worth delving into. The Op. 105 and 106 Sonata, the Op. 33 Caprices, the entire Op. 35 Preludes and Fugues, and his Op. 104 Preludes and Etudes are remarkable pieces that belong in the spotlight. But for the novice to Mendelssohn and especially for those giving his piano works a first try, you simply cannot find a better CD than this one. And I must say Perahia is exactly the kind of daredevil virtuoso that these particular pieces of Mendelssohn's need in order to shine. Perahia invokes both stormy passion and intelligent phrasing when attacking these outstanding marvels of the repertoire.
You won't find a better interpreter for the Op. 6, a Sonata with Beethovenian furor and passion. Perahia infuses this work with his Romantic expressiveness and technical power, which creates a most satisfying and dramatic result. Frith's and Jones's performance found on other labels is no where close to reaching Perahia's plane. In the first movement, Perahia transmogrifies with careful dynamics what might have been a series of soft mechanical arpeggios into ghostly vapors. In the Recitativo, Perahia gives a passionate and thoughtful rendition; he is not afraid to be tempestuous and still remain faithful to Mendelssohn's suave melodic ideas. In the Rondo Op. 14, you can expect an immaculate performance of this delightful work. It's a war-horse in the repertory and I've heard a good-many pianists play it: I honestly believe Perahia surpasses them all in both technique and overall delivery.
The Op. 35 Prelude and Fugue is another example of Perahia's monumental technique combined with a pure understanding of Mendelssohn's mood, a thing which often eludes many pianists. The Prelude is a surging work of gorgeous harmonies; the Fugue is at first dignified, but soon becomes a robust tour-de-force. And all of these musical aspects are illuminated because of Perahia's breathtaking powers as a pianist and above all a musician. While Perahia takes the Variations Op. 54 at a slower pace than what some may be used to, he does this to really emphasize the crescendi and tempi increases found in the later variations. Perahia gives each variation a distinct dynamic and articulation; but all the while he is biding his time for the grandiose last few minutes of the work, which surely contains Mendelssohn's most exhilarating passages of piano music.
Bottom line: This recording is the essential introduction, if not the only exposure, you'll ever need to Mendelssohn's piano music. "Best of soandso" CD's tend to be subjective, but this particular CD is truly the greatest compilation of piano works from Mendelssohn. It's one thing if a mediocre and unknown pianist recorded these, but it's truly a gift to the piano discography to have the stellar Murray Perahia record these. He showcases the colossal momentum, brilliant passages, and elegant beauty of Mendelssohn's best piano music. Highly recommended.
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Description of Mendelssohn: Sonata for Piano; Prelude & Fugue; Variations Sérieuses; Rondo Capriccioso
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