Hitoshi Asaoka ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>Donald Satz <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>>...  I opened the BIS disc of Freddy Kempf playing Schumann, and I
>>noticed that two cd's were in the case.  They were identical - Kempf
>>playing Schumann.
>
>I heard him for the first time at the John Ogdon Gala Recital in London
>at the end of June.  He played only "Humoreske", that is included in that
>CD and that is said to be his fovorite.  His performance was the best
>among pianists (John Lill, who disappointed me very much by playing stiff
>Shumann's Fantasie, Ogdon's wife, Ovchinikov, etc.) who showed up at that
>night.

I heard him at the Wigmore Hall in April.

He played Beethoven Op.111, which was a complete mess:  he is not ready for
this work and should certainly not have played it in public.  I nearly fell
asleep.

Schumann's Carnaval was much better, although he seems to concentrate more
on the moment than the overall form.

Rachmaninov's Sonata No.2 was the best thing he did and I'm disappointed
BIS decided torecord him in Schumann, where he was good, rather than the
Rachmaninov, where he was excellent.

Deryk Barker
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