Hamelin - Godowsky: Strauss Transcriptions and Other Waltzes

Poor sound quality

This disc contains some very excellent performances of rarely heard music by Godowsky. The performances are compelling to listen to, accurate representations from the score, and captures the varying characters of mood. There are no hesitations anywhere and music, not piano-playing, is heard throughout. This is excellent musicianship that all performers should strive for.

However, there is the issue, by no fault of the performer, of poor sound quality. It diminishes the performances to quite an extent that repeated listening becomes a laborious chore just to accustom the ear to it.

The poor sound engineering by Simon Eadon makes this CD sound like an old LP transferred to CD. There isn't any resonance, the bass is barely audible, the treble tones are muffled, and it generally lacks life. This causes the projection of the music to suffer severely. Another example of this, Hamelin's previous release, Hamelin: In a State of Jazz, also engineered by Eadon, suffers the same fault.

Overall, these are excellent performances capturing the individual qualities of the music. But the quality of sound leaves so much to be desired in any modern recording.

November 3, 2008

Hamelin triumphs again

In this recording, Godowsky's imaginative approach to transcription and his virtuosic pianistic skills are equally matched by Marc-Andre Hamelin's unrivalled artistry. Indeed, while I have heard some of these pieces dismissed by others as mere 'salon music', under Hamelin's care they emerge as works of substantial merit, as appropriate to the concert platform as any major work. And what often sounds like a physical struggle in the hands of some pianists, emerges here as part of Hamelin's bread and butter diet. Not a negative comment about his playing skills, I hasten to say; but an indication that he makes it possible for the listener to move beyond the momentary illusion of finger fireworks and enjoy the mood and imagery evoked by Godowsky's creative flair. My hope is that other pianists will give serious consideration to including the best of these pieces in their repertoire. In the meantime, top marks to Hamelin for bringing more of Godowsky's work to our attention. August 13, 2008

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