Search - Scarlatti, Schiff :: 15 Sonatas

Sensitive playing, remote sound

05/01/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There is great technical skill in Schiff's playing. Here he has also chosen some of Scarlatti's most affecting pieces, especially K513 and K516, in my opinion. They are played with a tenderness that is quite arresting.



I have several CD's of Scarlatti Sonata's by other pianists but somehow keep coming back to this one for the subtle mix. There is simply not an uninteresting piece and the order in which they are played seems deliberate for the cumulative effect it has on the listener.



The only reason I do not give the CD 5 stars is the sound quality. The recording seems to have been made in an empty concert hall with the microphone about 20 feet away. There is too much reverberation for my taste. This seems to be a trademark with Schiff as I have several of his recordings which have this same characteristic (especially Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words).



It is actually a shock to listen to someone like Glenn Gould (playing either Scarlatti or anything else) and then put this on. One yearns for that same clarity in the piano sound but, unfortunately, it is missing here to a large extent.



Otherwise this is a fine CD."

Precision + empathy

Roger L. Sayer | MUKILTEO, Washington USA | 10/13/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Andras Schiff is one of my favourite pianists. He has a brilliant technique together with a deep understanding of the music he is to perform. This is evident from his introductions to the DVD of Bachs English Suite. I am sure that the same preparation went into this Scarlatti recording. It's a good recording (sound wise) and this coupled with Andsas's playing makes it delight to listen to."