Volodos in Vienna

Volodos in Vienna is a piano recital performed by Arcadi Volodos in 2009 at the Goldener Saal of the Musikverein Wien. Gramophone magazine rated this performance in its CD version as the best instrumental recording of 2010. The program includes:

1. Scriabin: "Prélude in B flat minor op. 37/1"

2. Scriabin: "Prélude in B flat minor op. 11/16"

3. Scriabin:  "Danse languide in B flat minor op. 51/4"

4. Scriabin:  "Guirlandes in B flat minor op. 73/1"

5. Scriabin: "Feuillet d'album op. 45/1"

6. Scriabin: "Sonata in B flat minor No. 7 op. 64" ("Messe blanche")

7. Ravel Valses nobles et sentimentales (complete)

8. Schumann Waldszenen (Complete)

9. Liszt "Après une Lecture du Dante" from Années de Pèlerinage 2 (Dante Sonata)

10. J.S. Bach "Sicilienne" from D Minor Concerto

11. Tchaikovsky "Lullaby in A Storm" from Children's Songs

Released 2010, disc has 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. Grade A+

In 1997-1999, the 25-year old, lean-and-mean-looking Volodos released several smash hit recital CDs. But after that his career seemed to falter as he got lost in the cloud of numerous gifted pianists. Now, considerably heavier, he's back in the spotlight again with the first piano recital on HDVD. After warming up with some 2-minute préludes, Volodos tackles the Scriabin Messe blanche Sonata. I happen to have a CD of this, recorded by Marc-André Hamelin in 1995, which may be considered one of the definitive recording of Messe blanche in stereo high-fidelity sound. So I compared this to the Volodos version with and without the video picture. I was shocked to hear how limited and restrained my treasured Hamelin version sounds when compared to the Volodos report. I attribute this to three factors. First, surround sound is more full and vivid than the stereo sound. (Once again I'm surprised by much HDVD improves the sound as well as the pictures.) Second, Volodos is admired for both his accurate technique and his ability to wring poetry out every bar. He demonstrates this prowess in his performance of Messe blanche. Last, Volodos is expressive physically (constantly swaying about and making innumerable faces as if talking to himself). I think this makes an impression that supports what you hear even if you later turn off the video picture. Later in the program, Volodos plays another of my favorites, the stupendous Liszt Dante Sonata from Years of Pilgrimage, Vol. 2. Here there's no need to compare the video to any CD. Volodos is in a different orbit as he threatens, with his hulking bulk and huge hands, to to destroy a Steinway grand. Awesome. (Liszt, they say, actually did break up pianos.) There's noting to criticize about the rest of the program, except to note that it lasts only 89 minutes. This would be appropriate for a CD, but I think it's a bit skimpy for a Blu-ray disc that can hold so much more material. I suggest it would have been a good idea to include some studio recordings of other material by Volodos.  I originally give the grade of A- to this disc because the program was so short. But Sony dropped the price and I upped the grade  to A+, which it always deserved.