Medtner: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 50

“Sudbin's playing is vivacious” The Guardian, 27th November 2009 ***

“It is a huge asset to have a pianist of Sudbin’s stature and sensitivity championing music that can lie unpardonably overlooked by the wayside... Sudbin’s compelling performance... gives new life to a version [of the Rachmaninov] that has a breadth and passionate dynamism all its own.” The Telegraph, 23rd November 2009 *****

“…exhilarating, barnstorming, spine-tingling performance [of the Rachmaninov]… Sudbin… stresses the work's connection to… Medtner's… Second Concerto… Sudbin… sets his individual stamp on this rhythmically vital and superbly constructed score. BIS's recording is absolutely outstanding. The North Carolina Symphony play as if possessed...” BBC Music Magazine, January 2010 *****

“…Sudbin's relatively low-key playing, never leaves you in doubt of his musicianship and dexterity.” Gramophone Magazine, February 2010

“This splendid disc is given a fine recording, good orchestral playing from a Scottish orchestra under a Polish conductor and, above all, truly coruscating and poetic playing from the brilliant young Russian pianist Nikolai Demidenko. Medtner was a contemporary and friend of Rachmaninov; he settled in Britain in the 1930s, and like Rachmaninov he was an excellent pianist. But while the other composer became immensely popular, Medtner languished in obscurity, regarded as an inferior imitation of Rachmaninov who wrote gushing music that was strong on gestures but weak on substance. The fact is that he can be diffuse (not to say long-winded) and grandiose, and memorable tunes are in short supply, so that his music needs to be played well to come off.
When it is, there's much to enjoy, as here in Demidenko's hypnotically fiery and articulate accounts.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“The strong Russian flavour of the ornate writing is evident, as is the composer's masterly understanding of the piano. Listening to the composer himself in the Second's first molto cantabile atempo, ma expressivo or the Third's dolce cantabile is to be made doubly aware of his haunting and bittersweet lyricism. The streaming figuration in the Second Concerto's Romanza is spun off with deceptive ease, a reminder that while Medtner despised obvious pyrotechnics he was a superb pianist. Two exquisitely played encores are included (the ambiguous poetry of the A minor Arabesque could be by no other composer), and the 1947 recordings have been superbly remastered.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“Virtuosic and brilliant playing from Konstantin Scherbakov.” Penguin Guide