Notes and Editorial Reviews
For the most part Arcadi Volodos' recital from the Musikverein Wien on March 1, 2009 is about sensuality and tone painting, as aptly demonstrated by the four short Scriabin works that open the program. He plays the Op. 11 No. 16 Prélude (slow unison octaves that quote Chopin's Op. 35 Marche Funebre) slowly, freely, and colorfully. Tonal allure abounds throughout the Scriabin Seventh sonata, together with Volodos' careful attention to the composer's specific expressive intentions, from "avec trouble" to "joyeux" and the like. A strong, purposeful intent informs the pianist's affetuoso touches in Ravel's Valses nobles et sentimentales: for example, the first movement's
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italicizations, the fifth movement's lingerings, and the humorous lope he brings to the sixth's ascending three-note motive.
However, the real Volodos magic happens in the recital's second half, beginning with one of the most ravishing performances of Schumann's Waldszenen I've encountered since Richter's reference 1956 studio recording. The meltingly appropriate rubato and tonal inflections in the first piece's opening bars signify that we're in for a special event. Jäger auf der Lauer's cannily gauged detached chords, unflappable rapid unison runs, and rhythmically vivacious central section take your breath away, as does Volodos' creamy, non-pedaled legato touch in Einsame Blumen. The pianist paces Verrufene Stelle slowly and articulates the dotted rhythms in multi-leveled dynamic plateaus that suggest the aural equivalent of three-dimensional chess. Vogel als prophet lingers in the ear long after the little bird flies away, on account of Volodos' unerring timing and proportioned tempo fluctuations.
Volodos' considerable resources as a colorist, plus his innate affinity for Liszt's sweeping rhetoric and "piano as orchestra" sound world, breathe vibrant, theatrical life into the Dante Sonata, which often can sound like an endless octave etude. Three lyrical encores provide gentle decompression for an obviously enthralled audience and hopefully for home listeners. The slightly distant yet warm sonics accurately reflect what Volodos sounds like from choice seats in a world-class concert venue.
– Jed Distler, ClassicsToday.com
A shattering memento of what was clearly an astounding concert. Volodos draws colors from the piano that others can only dream of.
– Gramophone
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Works on This Recording
1.
Preludes (4) for Piano, Op. 37: no 1 in D flat major by Alexander Scriabin
Performer:
Arcadi Volodos (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1903; Russia
Date of Recording: 03/01/2009
Venue: Musikverein Wien
Length: 2 Minutes 1 Secs.
2.
Preludes (24) for Piano, Op. 11: no 16 in B flat minor by Alexander Scriabin
Performer:
Arcadi Volodos (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1888-1896; Russia
Date of Recording: 03/01/2009
Venue: Musikverein Wien
Length: 2 Minutes 16 Secs.
3.
Pieces (4) for Piano, Op. 51: no 4, Danse languide by Alexander Scriabin
Performer:
Arcadi Volodos (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1906; Russia
Date of Recording: 03/01/2009
Venue: Musikverein Wien
Length: 1 Minutes 4 Secs.
4.
Dances (2) for Piano, Op. 73: no 1, Guirlande by Alexander Scriabin
Performer:
Arcadi Volodos (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1914; Russia
Date of Recording: 03/01/2009
Venue: Musikverein Wien
Length: 3 Minutes 14 Secs.
5.
Sonata for Piano no 7 in F sharp major, Op. 64 "White Mass" by Alexander Scriabin
Performer:
Arcadi Volodos (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1911; Russia
Date of Recording: 03/01/2009
Venue: Musikverein Wien
Length: 12 Minutes 25 Secs.
6.
Valses nobles et sentimentales by Maurice Ravel
Performer:
Arcadi Volodos (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1911; France
Date of Recording: 03/01/2009
Venue: Musikverein Wien
Length: 14 Minutes 3 Secs.
7.
Waldszenen, Op. 82 by Robert Schumann
Performer:
Arcadi Volodos (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1848-1849; Germany
Date of Recording: 03/01/2009
Venue: Musikverein Wien
Length: 21 Minutes 3 Secs.
8.
Années de pèlerinage, deuxième année, S 161 "Italie": no 7, Après une lecture du Dante by Franz Liszt
Performer:
Arcadi Volodos (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1837-1849; Weimar, Germany
Date of Recording: 03/01/2009
Venue: Musikverein Wien
Length: 17 Minutes 2 Secs.
9.
Concerto for Organ solo in D minor, BWV 596 (after Vivaldi): Sicilienne by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performer:
Arcadi Volodos (Piano)
Period: Baroque
Written: 1708-1717; Weimar, Germany
Date of Recording: 03/01/2009
Venue: Musikverein Wien
Length: 3 Minutes 28 Secs.
10.
Children's Songs (16), Op. 54: no 10, Lullaby in a storm by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Performer:
Arcadi Volodos (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1883; Russia
Date of Recording: 03/01/2009
Venue: Musikverein Wien
Length: 3 Minutes 32 Secs.
11.
Pieces (3) for Piano, Op. 45: no 1, Feuillet d'album by Alexander Scriabin
Performer:
Arcadi Volodos (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1904-1905; Russia
Date of Recording: 03/01/2009
Venue: Musikverein Wien, Großer Saal
Length: 1 Minutes 58 Secs.
Featured Sound Samples
Waldszenen (Schumann): No 1: Eintritt im Walde
Waldszenen (Schumann): No 8: Jagdlied
Années de pèlerinage, deuxième année, "Italie" (Liszt): No 7: Après une lecture de Dante
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