Search - Frederic Chopin, Sergey Rachmaninov, Franz Liszt :: Gabriela Montero en Concert à Montréal

Good Artist, Poor Recording.

Jeffrey W. Nicholas | Utah | 05/05/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Ms. Montero's a showstopper on the keyboard wherever she goes, but this particular performance was:

1] Poorly recorded, with the listner's vantage point much too distant (3rd balcony?)--requiring a severe boost on the volume control and even that didn't do much to gain any "immediacy" to the performance. Check out Martin Jones 3-CD recording of Percy Granger's piano works for that "front row" feeling and you'll see what I mean!

2] The piano (not specified in the credits) was sonically NOT the best concert grand that could have been obtained for her appearance, and the tuning--I felt--was slightly "off" to my ear, and didn't provide the instrument with the higher octave "stretch" that's so critical to a solo piano performance. Here again, the Martin Jones instrument--a Hamburg Steinway Concert Grand I believe--was beautifully prepared for the recording sessions.



Recommendation: I'd pass on this particular CD and consider buying her 2-CD offering that includes the bonus "improvisations" CD for which she has become famous, and rightly so."

Inconsistent live recital

Oldnslow | Seattle, Washington USA | 10/07/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"After enjoying Montero's 1998 Chopin recital on Palexa, I got ahold of her earlier live recording (contrary to Amazon the all- Chopin disc is a studio recording). This CD is a less consistent in my opinion, like many live recitals. The piano is also a little plummy sounding, though the ear quickly adjusts. The Chopin noctures are wonderful, but the two Polonaises sound a little heavy handed. The Rachmaninoff is wonderful. I especially liked the Sonata performance--powerful and well controlled. The Liszt Rigoletto paraphrase is also beautifully judged. Enjoyable, but I sense quite a bit of growth in this artist between this and her second CD. If forced to choose, I'd opt for the all-Chopin recital."

Talent, lyricism and expressiveness!

Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 08/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Gabriela Montero is an outstanding artist. She possesses the Dionysian touch, an imaginative romantic flight and careful phrasing. Personally I've been at least in twelve Concerts and Recitals during the nineties, and I had the immense honor to meet her and exchanging several standpoints.

Her Chopin reminds us to Rubinstein' s approach, very slender and romantic. I have problems with Rachmaninov ' s Second Sonata; I feel the First movement extremely restrained with very slow tempi with a certain lack of idiomatic expression in search of the romantic vein.

The Preludes well articulated and so Liszt `s Paraphrase on Verdi's Rigoletto.

This formidable Venezuelan pianist has a promissory future. She uses to make concerts in USA and for this moment (35) I'm sure she will display all her experience, undeniable potential and supreme musicality to shine in the firmament of the great pianists around the world.

Don't forget her name!

"