Customer Reviews

Stravinsky: Piano Music - Sonatas / Serenade in A / Four Etudes

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The Naxos label is in competition with itself with this CD of Stravinsky solo piano music played by Victor Sangiorgio; they had issued a CD in 2001 with much the same repertoire played by Peter Hill. This one is considerably better than that one if only because the recorded sound of the piano is much better. But there are any number of CDs available on other labels that contain much the same music. They include fine volumes by Aleck Karis (an underrated pianist, in my view), Martin Jones, and even one by Stravinsky's pianist son, Soulima Stravinsky. This one, however, does not contain probably the most familiar work, the Three Movements from 'Petrushka'. This CD has the advantage of being offered at Naxos's bargain pricing.

As for the pieces contained here, the highlights are the two piano sonatas (the late-romantic 'Piano Sonata in F Sharp Minor' and the neo-classic work simply called 'Piano Sonata'); the rarely heard Etudes, Op. 7; and the trivial but utterly delicious Tango. Also we hear the rarely heard 'Serenade in A'. The familiar 'Circus Polka' and 'Piano Rag-Music' lead off the CD, but perhaps the droll humor of these pieces is just a little lacking in these performances.

Still, for anyone wanting to become familiar with the two piano sonatas as well as a host of miniatures, they could certainly do worse than get this disc.

Scott Morrison