The Composer Pianists

Virtuosic and inspired playing - a pianophile's wet dream

Most of us think of blistering bravura and gravity-defying virtuosity when we think of Marc-Andre Hamelin. After all, the guy is known for launching himself into the most difficult piano repertoire in the history of piano music (although he has yet to tackle Sorabji's monstrous Opus Clavicembalisticum). In the area of conquering technical demands, Hamelin is simply one of the greats, if not THE great. However, I believe he can often be a superb interpreter, too. Look at Alkan's Souvenirs Trois Morceaux Op. 15, Medtner's sonatas, and even the Schumann Symphonic Etudes. When he is passionate and intelligent with his introspections on the pieces he plays, the addition of his indomitable virtuosity makes him a colossus of a musician.

The numerous 3-star reviews below are rather baffling. I understand that some may dislike his overwhelming focus on technical supremacy. This has been an Achilles heel at times; his Alkan Op. 39, for instance, was a complete disaster and embarrassment because he went for technical perfection instead of full-blooded passion (like Jack Gibbons). On this recording, though, Hamelin fuses both technical superiority and subtle emotional details, producing some truly inspired renditions of these pieces. And the pieces here are really all over the place; most of these were new to my ears. The main highlights here are, in my opinion, the following: Scriabin's Poeme tragique, Haydn-Alkan's Andante from the Surprise Symphony, Busoni's Fantasia on JS Bach, and Medtner's Improvisation No. 1.

I agree with another reviewer here that it's ridiculous for Hamelin to pepper his own compositions, his etudes, throughout the disc, as if they have as much merit as Scriabin or Rachmaninov. However, I actually like Hamelin's etudes. Their dense polyphonic textures and dizzying passagework makes for wonderful musical escapades. His Prelude and Fugue is a tireless dissonant storm of notes, but there is also substance of musical interest as well. But Hamelin shines best in the works of other composers. His rendition of Scriabin's Poem tragique is both spirited and brooding; his ability to make the chordal bass accompaniment echo is quite satisfying. The Alkan transcription of Haydn's Andante from the Surprise Symphony is sheer delight. Alkan's fidelity to the endearing Haydn melody is pleasing, and his daring virtuosic episodes are marvelous.

The most profound work on this recording is Busoni's Fantasia on JS Bach. It's hard to believe this haunting music of extreme pathos is from Busoni's pen; when not ensconced in contrapuntal webs, the music sounds like late Liszt. There are scarcely any moments of fanfare or volatile passagework; instead, this cerebral music gently traverses through some Bach themes and various melancholy digressions. Thus I must restate my confusion regarding some of the other reviewers who lambaste Hamelin's performance. How can one not hear Hamelin's sincere emotional outpouring here? Such a heart-felt, sublime, and discerning execution is priceless.

The other works here are just as notable, but it would be exhausting for both myself and the reader to continue with commentary. Suffice it to say, his Medtner and Rachmaninov are outstanding; the Sorabji piece is peculiarly interesting and the Feinberg Berceuse extremely eerie and mysterious. In short, all of these pieces are pianistic treats. My only problem is the placement of Hamelin's etudes. I don't think his compositions are substantial enough to be placed side-by-side with Scriabin or Sorabji. I think he might have paid a better homage by giving us Henselt, Rubinstein, Lyapunov or Tausig pieces instead.

Bottom line: For pianophiles, this is an impressive powerhouse of a recording. On it, Hamelin showcases some splendid obscurities with a mighty unbeatable virtuosity and yes, even poetic feeling. Every piece here has something memorable or even great about it, so I have to disagree with some of the naysayers about the music's worth. Busoni's Fantasia alone is worth the price of this disc. March 7, 2007

Marc "the composer" Hamelin

Hamelin has included repertory here which other pianists won't (and technically can't) touch and which is well worth getting to know: for example the Alkan Haydn transcription (oh, for a Naxos-type comprehensive series of the complete mad-scientist Alkan transcriptions, to upstage Marco Polo's Alkan series!), and the Godowsky Toccata (Marco Polo seems to have stopped its Godowsky project too soon).
Hamelin is an important pianist and it is well to hear him document in a perfect-recording format playing that can be assumed to be his ideal. What that ideal is is quickly apparent: many notes, many voices, great speed, and much sustain pedal to make notes and voices possible when they otherwise wouldn't be. Hamelin often realizes his ideal: listen to his Alkan transcription of the Beethoven c concerto on his Wigmore album. But more often his ideal is at the expense of the music: for example, his Alkan etudes are a vapid blur of notes, rather interesting, impressionistic...but not Alkan; if you want to hear Alkan listen to Jack Gibbons' recording of the op 39. As for this recording, the best points of comparison of Hamelin with other pianists are his Rachmaninoff and Scriabin tracks. And I think anybody who loves Rach and Scrib will prefer just about any other pianist to Hamelin's smeared, facile renditions.
Hamelin has included 3 of his own piano compositions on this recording: all 3 are all full of notes and many contrapuntal voices and played at great speed with cleverly helpful sustain pedal effects; all 3 are undistinguished in any other way. So here we get Hamelin as a composer, and it's good to have a sense of Hamelin as a composer, because quite astounding claims have been made for him as a composer.
It turns out that this cd is an adjunct to the book "The Composer Pianists" by Robert Rimm in which it is claimed for Hamelin a status as composer on a par with Busoni, Alkan, Rachmaninoff and other revered "composer pianists".
The claim is grotesque. Hamelin is a middleaged concert pianist who has (as far as I can tell) in his entire life of composing, produced a set of unpublished piano studies. And now he has presented this cd to document his own status as a "composer pianist". The fact that he seems to believe that he compares favorably as even a trancriber with the likes of Samuel Feinberg, to say nothing of comparing himself as a composer with Busoni, suggests a mental pathology far more serious than vanity.
So why my generous 3-stars (and generous it is)? Because this is a sumptuous Hyperion production, and because if you can get it in the used or sale bin it's worth having as a gentle freak: Hamelin is the colorless Spider-man of the piano; some of his repertory is still unavailable on any other recording; and of course some of his repertory may never be available on any other recording. November 23, 2006

Nothing Special Here

He is a well educated pianist who indeed has a great technical capability, however I think his music lacks color, charisma and poetry. After listening Horowitz I would not listen him again, and if techical ability is a starting point I prefer Volodos better. July 29, 2006

Some difficult repertoire

I have bought several Hamelin CDs recently - this one, Scriabin and Liszt. All are benchmarks for technique. Perhaps the ease with which he navigates the obstacles is the problem, I just don't get the feeling that his heart is in it. And I'm tired of hearing his recurring mantra about how virtuosity is artistry in itself. I don't agree. Perhaps I just don't "get along" with his style well enough. I think he's trying too hard to be different. If you want to hear breathtaking technical performance and excellent recorded sound, then by all means, this is a great choice. Most of the selections are either rhythmically or harmonically "angular" and may not be easy to listen to for first timers. If you are up for something different, this is a good choice to consider.

April 29, 2006

Astonishing listening

Hamelin is astonishing in his readings of these works- I especially enjoy the Scriabin, Busoni, Feinberg, and Medtner. His playing delivers subtle dynamics and the pure intensity of an inspired artist.
If you truly love to hear the most difficult piano works played the way they were envisioned by their composers, listen to Hamelin. January 28, 2002

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