Sony Classical has now produced its first HDVD: Volodos in Vienna,
a piano recital by Arcadi Volodos with pieces by Scriabin, Ravel, Schumann, Liszt, Bach, and Tchaikovsky.
Performed live at the Großer Musikverein Wien. Released in 2010, disc has 5.1 Dolby Digital sound.
It is available now from Amazon in these countries:
USA,
UK,
Germany,
Canada, and
France.
[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 probably is considered 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 on our new titles.) 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 beautiful Steinway grand. Awesome. (Liszt, they say, actually did
break up a piano once in concert.)
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.
Because the program is so short, I give the grade of A- to this disc. If you have a
special interest in Volodos or any of the music on this disc,
the grade for you would be A+.
Henry McFadyen, Jr.
]