The Prokofiev piano catalogue grows ever bigger. Here are two more surveys; one of the complete sonatas, and one commencing a complete survey of all Prokofiev's piano music. Frederic Chiu's three-CD set of the complete sonatas on Harmonia Mundi contains some fine performances—performances that on the whole possess sensible, well-chosen tempos, great digital accuracy and dexterity, nice tonal range and, on occasions, fleeting flashes of inspiration. So why can't I get excited about them? I am hesitant to describe them as jejune or bland—that would be a disservice to Chiu's undoubted talent—but generally I found little in the way of excitement in these somewhat 'safe' performances. The best of the set, I feel, are his readings of the Second, Fourth and Eighth Sonatas, though even these trail some way behind my overall recommendations for these works. The Second Sonata receives a lean, ascetic reading, characterized by a certain rhythmical rigidity; not as athletically bouncy or dynamic as say Douglas or Berman, but a well-crafted reading none the less; the Vivace finale provides an ideal example of Chiu's impeccably clean fingerwork. An ascetic leanness also distinguishes his reading of the Fifth Sonata, though I was less convinced of its suitability here, especially sampling it directly after Berman's lyrical account on Chandos (my first choice in this work). Neither was I convinced by his rather matter-of-fact approach to the 'bluesy' second movement either, which seems to miss a great deal of detail that Berman and others have so effectively brought out—Chiu's overly impetuous tempo seems to be the main culprit here. The Fourth Sonata finds him digging deeper below the music's surface (especially in the darkly brooding first movement) and is generally the most rounded performance on the first disc. Particularly notable are his probing account of the Andante assai and his ebullient, high-spirited reading of the finale.
Chiu's readings of the late sonatas (with perhaps the exception of the Eighth) do very little to excite me at all. I suppose it depends on how you like middle to late Prokofiev to sound, but personally I find Chiu's freeze-dried, highly mechanical approach rather lacking in depth, power and subtle colour gradations. This is particularly noticeable in the Sixth Sonata, which is delivered in a very monotone manner with very little contrast between movements. The first movement strikes me as just a shade too impersonal and detached (both artistically and pianistically) which results in a very uninvolving performance for the listener. There's some respite from this (though not totally) in the Tempo di walzer movement, and, in the toccata finale, one can certainly marvel once again at his digital clarity, but generally everything is experienced from a safe distance. Much the same can be said of the Seventh Sonata, though I have to add that I find his approach to the precipitato finale exceptionally exciting and involving, especially his atmospheric dynamic phrasing at bars 26-32 and 83-89. The Eighth Sonata strikes me as the most satisfying of Chiu's readings of the late sonatas. Though not displacing the top contenders on disc (foremost of which is Richter's classic account on DG) it is given an admirably cohesive and well-structured performance, and here, more than anywhere else in the set, I began to hear more personal interaction between performer and music. The Ninth Sonata, however, is given a somewhat lacklustre performance, and nowhere equals McLachlan's fine account on Olympia. Once again Chiu's clarity of execution is much to be admired in movements two and four, but his lack of attention to detail and colour and his tendency to over-wallow in the slower movements seem to me to be severe misjudgements as far as this work is concerned. The recorded quality throughout the set is rather dry and wanting in atmosphere.
Oleg Marshev's Prokofiev is the complete antithesis of Chiu's. Marshev prefers the dynamic, full-throated volcanic approach (though he is certainly not afraid to allow lyricism into the music when called upon to do so) and he is also more of a charismatic performer, allowing greater interaction between pianist and music, and hence greater involvement for the listener. Volume One of his complete survey opens with a commanding, virtuosic performance of the Sixth Sonata which compared to Chiu simply teems with detail and subtle nuance. The second movement Allegretto is delivered with tremendous flair and elan in the outer sections, and the phlegmatic third movement is beautifully paced and crafted. Marshev unleashes the full power of his formidable armoury in the tumultuous finale, where in the closing bars he almost hits boiling-point in terms of sheer virtuosity; his performance may not quite reach those of Kissin or Pogorelich but this is certainly a recording that I would be happy to live with. In contrast, the early Dumka (here receiving only its second recording) is given a beautifully poised and effortless reading, and the same can be said of Marshev's extremely fine account of the Visions fugitives, which can be added to the growing throng of commendable recordings in the catalogue. Marshev concludes the first volume with a stunning account of the Seventh Sonata, which to my mind approaches Pollini's classic recording for its breadth of vision, dynamic control and sheer virtuosity; pianistically it has all one could wish for—superb rhythmic impetus, tremendous force, wonderful phrasing and in the slower, more reflective moments beautiful tonal control and expressive nuance. The fearsome, toccata finale can only be compared to Pollini's scorching reading for its accuracy and heart-pounding excitement, and indeed after his recording this would be my clear first choice. Recording is full bodied.
Marshev's second disc is every bit as impressive as his first. The short, youthful First Sonata can only be played for what it is, a tremendous outpouring of late-romantic gesture—and that's exactly how Marshev tackles it; the result is one of the most authoritative and impassioned, romantic performances on disc so far. Berman's account on Chandos has been my first choice up to now, but I have no hesitation in promoting this newcomer as my primary recommendation. Berman of course is the obvious point of reference for the shorter pieces presented on this disc too, and although Marshev's performances of The tales of an old grandmother and the Four Pieces, Op. 3 and Three Pieces, Op. 59 do not possess the same degree of delicate shading and coloration as Berman's, they are nevertheless imbued with great sensitivity and poise; the Op. 59 pieces, I thought, were particularly well drawn and enjoyable. Sadly, Marshev lets the side down rather badly in the first movement of the Eighth Sonata (allegro moderato, bar 90 onwards), where he goes against the written pianissimo and piano markings by playing mezzo forte and forte—no one has ever quite matched Richter's spellbinding reading of this passage. That flaw is a pity, when in all other aspects this is a very fine performance, not least his exceptionally serene and lyrical account of the slow movement. The recorded sound of both volumes has a slightly over-resonant bloom (especially in the more forceful passages), but otherwise is nicely focused and warmly atmospheric. I greatly look forward to future instalments in this cycle.'