I wrote:

>>Godowsky: Piano Sonata in e; Passacaglia (44 variations, cadenza and
>>fugue on the opening of Schubert's 'Unfinished' Symphony)
>>
>>Marc-Andre Hamelin, piano
>>Hyperion CDA67300
>>
>>Summary: Big ideas, big music, big performances

Deryck Barker:

>Scott doesn't mention Hamelin's previous recording of the Passacaglia,
>but then I'm not sure how well distributed this early 90s CBC disc was.
>
>It would be interesting to compare, but the disc also included a number
>of the studies after Chopin and MAH's complete set on Hyperion outclassed
>the earlier handful in every way, so I'd be surprised if this doesn't
>trump the earlier performance too.

Actually I have that CD, too. It's from 1988. And the Passacaglia is
somehow softer-edged, less forward-moving than the current recording. I
MUCH prefer the new one. I certainly agree with Deryck about the newer
(complete) recording of the Godowsky-Chopin elaborations. It's hard to
imagine them better played.

Scott Morrison