John Ogdon - Scriabin: Piano Music (2006)

John Ogdon's 1971 recordings of Alexander Scriabin's piano sonatas and other works for piano may not be the first choice of devotees of the mystical Russian composer, but this EMI Classics twofer is highly recommended at the affordable reissue price. Those well-acquainted with Scriabin's music will likely hold particular recordings as indispensible -- Roberto Szidon's on Deutsche Grammophon, Vladimir Ashkenazy's on London, and Marc-André Hamelin's on Hyperion are celebrated sets -- yet in terms of technique and interpretation, Ogdon's performances are every bit their equal and should not be discounted for being less touted. Despite his reputation for great physical force and crashing dynamics, Ogdon was fully capable of playing with a delicate touch and a veiled tone, both of which are essential to Scriabin's visionary style; in conveying the poetic nuances and volatile eruptions of the sonatas, preludes, and character pieces, Ogdon showed that they depend on much more than technical brilliance or muscular prowess to be effective. The chronological sequence on this compilation will be helpful to newcomers who wish to understand the progressive development of Scriabin's musical language, and the variety of pieces presented here demonstrates Scriabin's fluid approach to form. The analog sound of this collection is pleasant and clean enough for most listeners' purposes, though high-end audio equipment may reveal some faint tape hiss. ~ Blair Sanderson