This recording is spectacular. This is the first classical recording on M*A recordings. All of M*A recordings are brilliant. They capture the essence of the instrument, which is so important because much of the work is done on world music with instruments we might not be accustom to.
I love this composition and it is difficult to write a review without comparison to Glen Gould's performances. Suffice to say, this captures the instrument so much more realistically (and doesn't have any humming going on) that I find myself sinking into the performance. Eto Ema's performance throughout is technically superb, but lacks a little on the performers signature to the piece, which is why I gave it a 9. That might be positive to some people, but I tend to prefer individual emotion of the performer--their own signature, so to speak. Gould certainly gives us that, but yet I still prefer this recording.
The piano is one of the most difficult instruments to capture, probably due to all of the harmonics. Todd Garfunkle of M*A uses a simple 2 mic direct to DAT, and has done a magnificent job of capturing this vintage 1903 Steinway D. As an owner of a 1878 Steinway B, I know what it should sound like--and it does. This is technically the best recording of a piano I've ever heard. Available on both vinyl and CD.
I love this composition and it is difficult to write a review without comparison to Glen Gould's performances. Suffice to say, this captures the instrument so much more realistically (and doesn't have any humming going on) that I find myself sinking into the performance. Eto Ema's performance throughout is technically superb, but lacks a little on the performers signature to the piece, which is why I gave it a 9. That might be positive to some people, but I tend to prefer individual emotion of the performer--their own signature, so to speak. Gould certainly gives us that, but yet I still prefer this recording.
The piano is one of the most difficult instruments to capture, probably due to all of the harmonics. Todd Garfunkle of M*A uses a simple 2 mic direct to DAT, and has done a magnificent job of capturing this vintage 1903 Steinway D. As an owner of a 1878 Steinway B, I know what it should sound like--and it does. This is technically the best recording of a piano I've ever heard. Available on both vinyl and CD.