Chopin: 21 Nocturnes

On this CD:

1. Nocturne for piano in B flat minor, Op. 9/1, CT 109
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

2. Nocturne for piano in E flat major, Op. 9/2, CT 109
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

3. Nocturne for piano in B major, Op. 9/3, CT 110
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

4. Nocturne for piano in F major, Op. 15/1, CT 111
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

5. Nocturne for piano in F sharp major, Op. 15/2, CT 112
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

6. Nocturne for piano in G minor, Op. 15/3, CT 113
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

7. Nocturne for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 27/1, CT 114
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

8. Nocturne for piano in D flat major, Op. 27/2, CT 155
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

9. Nocturne for piano in B major, Op. 32/1, CT 116
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

10. Nocturne for piano in A flat major, Op. 32/2, CT 117
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

11. Nocturne for piano in G minor, Op. 37/1, CT 118
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

12. Nocturne for piano in G major, Op. 37/2, CT 119
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

13. Nocturne for piano in C minor, Op. 48/1, CT 120
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

14. Nocturne for piano in F sharp minor, Op. 48/2, CT 121
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

15. Nocturne for piano in F minor, Op. 55/1, CT 122
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

16. Nocturne for piano in E flat major, Op. 55/2, CT 123
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

17. Nocturne for piano in B major, Op. 62/1, CT 124
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

18. Nocturne for piano in E major, Op. 62/2, CT 125
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

19. Nocturne for piano E minor, KK IV/b, CT 128
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

20. Nocturne for piano in C sharp minor, KK Anh.Ia/6 (doubtful)
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

21. Nocturne for piano in C minor, KK IVb/8, CT 128
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

22. Nocturne for piano in E flat major, Op. 9/2, CT 109 Ornamented version
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by David Allen Wehr

Tracks:

24 Preludes, Op.28: I - C Major
24 Preludes, Op.28: II - A Minor
24 Preludes, Op.28: III - G Major
24 Preludes, Op.28: IV - E Minor
24 Preludes, Op.28: V - D Major
24 Preludes, Op.28: VI - B Minor
24 Preludes, Op.28: VII - A Major
24 Preludes, Op.28: VIII - F Sharp Minor
24 Preludes, Op.28: IX - E Major
24 Preludes, Op.28: X - C Sharp Minor
24 Preludes, Op.28: XI - B Major
24 Preludes, Op.28: XII - G Sharp Minor
24 Preludes, Op.28: XIII - F Sharp Major
24 Preludes, Op.28: XIV - E Flat Minor
24 Preludes, Op.28: XV - D Flat Major 'Raindrop'
24 Preludes, Op.28: XVI - B Flat Minor
24 Preludes, Op.28: XVII - A Flat Major
24 Preludes, Op.28: XVIII - F Minor
24 Preludes, Op.28: XIX - E Flat Major
24 Preludes, Op.28: XX - C Minor
24 Preludes, Op.28: XXI - B Flat Major
24 Preludes, Op.28: XXII - G Minor
24 Preludes, Op.28: XXIII - F Major
24 Preludes, Op.28: XXIV - D Minor
Prelude In C Sharp Minor, Op.45
Prelude In A Flat Major
Impromptu In A Flat Major, Op.29
Impromptu In F Sharp Major, Op.36
Impromptu In G Flat Major, Op.51
Fantaisie-Impromptu In C Sharp Minor, Op.66

Tracks:

Ballade No.1 In G Minor, Op.23
Ballade No.2 In F Major, Op.38
Ballade No.3 In A Flat Major, Op.47
Ballade No.4 In F Minor, Op.52
Scherzo No.1 In B Minor, Op.20
Scherzo No.2 In B Flat Minor, Op.31
Scherzo No.3 In C Sharp Minor, Op.39
Scherzo No.4 In E Minor, Op.54

Tracks:

3 Nocturnes, Op.9: I - B Flat Minor
3 Nocturnes, Op.9: II - E Flat Major
3 Nocturnes, Op.9: III - B Major
3 Nocturnes, Op.15: I - F Major
3 Nocturnes, Op.15: II - F Sharp Major
3 Nocturnes, Op.15: III - G Minor
2 Nocturnes, Op.27: I - C Sharp Minor
2 Nocturnes, Op.27: II - D Flat Major
2 Nocturnes, Op.32: I - B Major
2 Nocturnes, Op.32: II - A Flat Major
2 Nocturnes, Op.37: I - G Minor
2 Nocturnes, Op.37: II - G Major

Tracks:

2 Nocturnes, Op.48: I - C Minor
2 Nocturnes, Op.48: II - F Sharp Minor
2 Nocturnes, Op.55: I - F Minor
2 Nocturnes, Op.55: II - E Flat Major
2 Nocturnes, Op.62: I - B Major
2 Nocturnes, Op.62: II - E Major
Nocturne In E Minor, Op.72 No.1
Nocutrne In C Sharp Minor
Nocturne In C Minor

Tracks:

12 Etudes, Op.10: I - C Major
12 Etudes, Op.10: II - A Minor
12 Etudes, Op.10: III - E Major
12 Etudes, Op.10: IV - C Sharp Minor
12 Etudes, Op.10: V - G Flat Major 'Black Key'
12 Etudes, Op.10: VI - E Flat Minor
12 Etudes, Op.10: VII - C Major
12 Etudes, Op.10: VIII - F Major
12 Etudes, Op.10: IX - F Minor
12 Etudes, Op.10: X - A Flat Major
12 Etudes, Op.10: XI - E Flat Major
12 Etudes, Op.10: XII - C Minor 'Revolutionary'
12 Etudes, Op.25: I - A Flat Major
12 Etudes, Op.25: II - F Minor
12 Etudes, Op.25: III - F Major
12 Etudes, Op.25: IV - A Minor
12 Etudes, Op.25: V - E Minor
12 Etudes, Op.25: VI - G Sharp Minor
12 Etudes, Op.25: VII - C Sharp Minor
12 Etudes, Op.25: VIII - D Flat Major
12 Etudes, Op.25: IX - G Flat Major
12 Etudes, Op.25: X - B Minor
12 Etudes, Op.25: XI - A Minor 'Winter Wind'
12 Etudes, Op.25: XII - C Minor

Tracks:

2 Polonaises, Op.26: I - C Sharp Minor
2 Polonaises, Op.26: II - E Flat Minor
2 Polonaises, Op.40: I - A Major
2 Polonaises, Op.40: II - C Minor
Polonaise In F Sharp Minor, Op.44
Polonaise In A Flat Major, Op.53
Polonaise-fantaisie In A Flat Major, Op.61

Tracks:

3 Polonaises, Op.71: I - D Minor
3 Polonaises, Op.71: II - B Flat Major
3 Polonaises, Op.71: III - F Minor
Polonaise In B Flat Minor
Polonaise In G Flat Major
Polonaise In G Minor
Polonaise In B Flat Major
Polonaise In A Flat Major
Polonaise In G Sharp Minor

Tracks:

Waltz In E Flat Major, Op.18
3 Waltzes, Op.34: I - A Flat Major
3 Waltzes, Op.34: II - A Minor
3 Waltzes, Op.34: III - F Major
Waltz In A Flat Major, Op.42
3 Waltzes, Op.64: I - D Flat Major
3 Waltzes, Op.64: II - C Sharp Minor
3 Waltzes, Op.64: III - A Flat Major
2 Waltzes, Op.69: I - A Flat Major
2 Waltzes, Op.69: II - B Minor
3 Waltzes, Op.70: I - G Flat Major
3 Waltzes, Op.70: II - F Minor
3 Waltzes, Op.70: III - D Flat Major
Waltz In E Minor (1830)
Waltz In E Major (1829)
Waltz In A Minor (?1843)
Waltz In A Flat Major (1827)
Waltz In E Flat Major ('Sostenuto', 1840)
Waltz In E Flat Major (1829 - 1830)

Tracks:

4 Mazurkas, Op.6: I - F Sharp Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.6: II - C Sharp Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.6: III - E Major
4 Mazurkas, Op.6: IV - E Flat Minor
5 Mazurkas, Op.7: I - B Flat Major
5 Mazurkas, Op.7: II - A Minor
5 Mazurkas, Op.7: III - F Minor
5 Mazurkas, Op.7: IV - A Flat Major
5 Mazurkas, Op.7: V - C Major
4 Mazurkas, Op.17: I - B Flat Major
4 Mazurkas, Op.17: II - E Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.17: III - A Flat Major
4 Mazurkas, Op.17: IV - A Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.24: I - G Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.24: II - C Major
4 Mazurkas, Op.24: III - A Flat Major
4 Mazurkas, Op.24: IV - B Flat Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.30: I - C Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.30: II - B Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.30: III - D Flat Major
4 Mazurkas, Op.30: IV - C Sharp Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.33: I - G Sharp Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.33: II - D Major
4 Mazurkas, Op.33: III - C Major
4 Mazurkas, Op.33: IV - B Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.41: I - C Sharp Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.41: II - E Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.41: III - B Major
4 Mazurkas, Op.41: IV - A Flat Major

Tracks:

3 Mazurkas, Op.50: I - G Major
3 Mazurkas, Op.50: II - A Flat Major
3 Mazurkas, Op.50: III - C Sharp Minor
3 Mazurkas, Op.56: I - B Major
3 Mazurkas, Op.56: II - C Major
3 Mazurkas, Op.56: III - C Minor
3 Mazurkas, Op.59: I - A Minor
3 Mazurkas, Op.59: II - A Flat Major
3 Mazurkas, Op.59: III - F Sharp Minor
3 Mazurkas, Op.63: I - B Major
3 Mazurkas, Op.63: II - F Minor
3 Mazurkas, Op.63: III - C Sharp Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.67: I - G Major
4 Mazurkas, Op.67: II - G Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.67: III - C Major
4 Mazurkas, Op.67: IV - A Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.68: I - C Major
4 Mazurkas, Op.68: II - A Minor
4 Mazurkas, Op.68: III - F Major
4 Mazurkas, Op.68: IV - F Minor
Mazurka In A Minor ('a Emile Gaillard', 1840)
Mazurka In A Minor ('Notre temps', 1840)
Mazurka In B Flat Major (1826)
Mazurka In G Major (1826)
Mazurka In A Flat Major (1834)
Mazurka In C Major (1833)
Mazurka In B Flat Major (For Alexandra Wolowska, 1832)
Mazurka In D Major (1832)
Mazurka In D Major (?1820)
Mazurka In F Minor, Op.68 No. 4 - Vladimir Ashkenazy

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.2 In B Flat Minor, Op.35: I - Grave - Doppio movimento
Piano Sonata No.2 In B Flat Minor, Op.35: II - Scherzo
Piano Sonata No.2 In B Flat Minor, Op.35: III - Marche funebre
Piano Sonata No.2 In B Flat Minor, Op.35: IV - Finale: Presto
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: I - Allegro maestoso
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: II - Scherzo: Molto vivace
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: III - Largo
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: IV - Finale: Presto, non tanto
Fantaisie In F Minor, Op. 49

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.1 In C Minor, Op.4: I - Allegro maestoso
Piano Sonata No.1 In C Minor, Op.4: II - Minuetto - Trio
Piano Sonata No.1 In C Minor, Op.4: III - Larghetto
Piano Sonata No.1 In C Minor, Op.4: IV - Finale: Presto
Variations sur un air national allemand - E Major (1826)
Rondo In C Minor, Op.1
3 Ecossaises, Op.72 No.3: I - D Major; II - G Major; III - D Flat Major
Rondo 'a la Mazur' In F Major, Op.5
Marche funebre In C Minor, Op.72 No.2
Contredanse In G Flat Major (?1827) - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Rondo In C Major, Op.73 - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Variations In D Major For Piano Duet (1826) - Vladimir Ashkenazy

Tracks:

Variations In A Major ('Souvenir de Paganini', 1829)
Variations brillantes In B Flat Major, Op.12
Rondo In E Flat Major, Op.16
Bolero In A Minor, Op.19
Cantabile In B Flat Major
Variation In E Major
Largo In E Flat Major
Allegro de concert In A Major, Op.46
3 Nouvelles Etudes (1837): I - F Minor
3 Nouvelles Etudes (1837): II - A Flat Major
3 Nouvelles Etudes (1837): III - D Flat Major
Tarentelle In A Flat Major, Op.43
Fugue In A Minor (1841 - 42)
Albumblatt in E Major (1843)
Op.74 No.2: Wiosna - Spring
2 Bourrees (1846): I - G Minor; II - A Major
Galop Marquis
Berceuse In D Flat Major, Op.57
Barcarolle In F Sharp Major, Op.60

Customer Reviews:

My experience of this CD.......2007-04-04

My hats off to this CD collection! It was worth it!!! Chopin is a true genius for the piano, on this collection.

Beautiful!.......2006-08-18

This is a beautifully played collection of Chopin's work. It was a birthday gift,
and I listen to bits of it every day. I have yet to find a favorite
CD, as each is so lovely. It is well worth the price.

Well worth the money. Wonderful! Wonderful!.......2006-06-10

I am not a classical music expert but I am an expert when it comes to a great product. I have listened to the works of rubenstein and Horowitz, but nothing is comparable to this great collection of polands favorite son. The nocturnes are dreamy and romantic. The other pieces though not as mesmerizing have plenty of depth and feeling. This is a collection that you will listen to over and over again. Although this music is great anytime, it's especially meaningful during a light rainfall. Go ahead and make this investment. It's only $100.00. For the next 100 days save a dollar and you will have it paid for. I promise you won't be sorry. Excellent! Excellent!

Best investment to make.......2006-05-21

In my opinion, this is the apex of classical music. You will not find a better CD for Chopin or any piano recordings. There may be plenty of comparable CDs, but nothing can claim to surpass this.

Although some pieces are not as good as those by other artists, Ashkenazy's interpretations of Chopin are the best I've ever heard. Add in his amazing technical performance and you've got some sublime music.

Listening to these pieces have immensely helped my own Chopin reportoire. I don't play to mimic Ashkenazy, but I use his insights and apply my own style over that and end up with something exponentially better than what I could produce on my own.

The price is something you have to seriously consider. A hundred bucks. Yeah, that's a lot of money, but that's 48 cents per song. And you'll listen to these songs dozens of times, at least, I guarantee. Plus it's a great deal... if you were to get all the Ashkenazy-Chopin CDs available on Amazon, overlapping pieces as little as possible, you'd pay $30 more and still not have everything.

This is an investment for life and will definitely remain one of my favorite CD sets for decades. Decades. A hundred bucks for decades of amazing music. This stuff is larger than today, larger than life.. music this good is something you can't afford to pass up because of temporary financial difficulties.

A great pianist interpreting the most inspired composer ever !.......2005-09-15

Lets imagine that Chopin himself has recorded his own compositions in a perfectly clear CD. I am sure that some classical music reviewers would say "This is not the way Chopin is meant to be played". These classical music "pundits" are very intolerant.

Interpretation and emotion feeling is also a matter of taste, so that the only one who can give a final answer is Franois (Frederic).

Ashkenazy is gifted with a phenomenal technique, a great pianist. So that this collection is for sure 5 stars. Enjoy it.

Ah, if you like to see piano technique in action, listen to Georgy Cziffra's interpretation of Etude op. 10 no. 4. (Search the album in my reviews.)

Arthur Rubinstein plays Chopin [Box Set]

Average customer rating:

THE GREATEST OF CHOPIN PIANISTS
The greatest interpretation
Not such a great album
Love it.
RECORDING QUALITY IS A FACTOR

Arthur Rubinstein plays Chopin [Box Set]

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Barcarolles | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Box Sets at 30% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Arthur Rubinstein: Ludwig Van Beethoven Piano Sonatas
Arthur Rubinstein - Chopin 19 Nocturnes (Vol. 49)
Great Recordings Of The Century - Dinu Lipatti
Schubert: The Piano Sonatas
Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos

ASIN: B000002S59
Release Date: 1994-03-15

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 1 In E minor, Op. 11: Allegro maestoso risoluto
Piano Concerto No. 1 In E minor, Op. 11: Romanze (Larghetto) -
Piano Concerto No. 1 In E minor, Op. 11: Rondo vivace
Piano Concerto No. 2 In F minor, Op. 21: Maestoso
Piano Concerto No. 2 In F minor, Op. 21: Larghetto
Piano Concerto No. 2 In F minor, Op. 21: Allegro vivace
Waltz In C Sharp Minor, Op. 64, No. 2
Nocturne No. 1 In B Flat Minor, Op. 9 No. 1
Nocturne No. 2 In E Flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2
Nocturne No. 3 In B Major, Op. 9 No. 3

Tracks:

Nocturne No. 4 In F Major, Op. 15 No. 1
Nocturne No. 5 In F Sharp Major, Op. 15 No. 2
Nocturne No. 6 In G Minor, Op. 15 No. 3
Nocturne No. 7 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 1
Nocturne No. 8 In D Flat Major, Op. 27 No. 2
Nocturne No. 9 In B Major, Op. 32 No. 1
Nocturne No. 10 In A Flat Major, Op. 32 No. 2
Nocturne No. 11 In G Minor, Op. 37 No. 1
Nocturne No. 12 In G Major, Op. 37 No. 2
Nocturne No. 13 In C Minor, Op. 48 No. 1
Nocturne No. 14 In F Sharp Minor, Op. 48 No. 2
Nocturne No. 15 In F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1
Nocturne No. 16 In E Flat Major, Op. 55 No. 2
Nocturne No. 17 In B Major, Op. 62 No. 1
Nocturne No. 18 In E Major, Op. 62 No. 2
Nocturne No. 19 In E Minor, Op. 71 No. 1 (posth.)

Tracks:

Waltz In A-Flat Major, Op. 34, No. 1
Mazurka In F-Sharp Minor, Op. 6, No.1
Mazurka In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 6, No.2
Mazurka In E-Major, Op. 6, No.3
Mazurka In E-Flat Major, Op.6, No.4
Mazurka In B-Flat Major, Op. 7, No. 1
Mazurka In A-Minor, Op. 7, No.2
Mazurka In F-Minor, Op. 7, No. 3
Mazurka In A-Flat Major, Op. 7, No.4
Mazurka In C-Major, Op. 7, No. 5
Mazurka In B-Flat Major, Op. 17, No.1
Mazurka In E-Minor, Op. 17, No. 2
Mazurka In A-Flat Major, Op. 17, No. 3
Mazurka In A-Minor, Op. 17, No. 4
Mazurka In G-Minor, Op. 24, No. 1
Mazurka In C-Major, Op. 24, No. 2
Mazurka In A-Flat Major, Op. 24, No. 3
Mazurka In B-Flat Minor, Op. 24, No. 4
Mazurka In C-Minor, Op. 30, No. 1
Mazurka In B-Minor, Op. 30, No. 2
Mazurka In D-Flat Major, Op. 30, No. 3
Mazurka In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 30, No. 4
Mazurka In G-Sharp Minor, Op. 33, No. 1
Mazurka In D-Major, Op. 33, No. 2
Mazurka In C-Minor, Op. 33, No. 3
Mazurka In B-Minor, Op. 33, No. 4
Mazurka In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 41, No. 1
Mazurka In E-Minor, Op. 41, No. 2
Mazurka In B-Major, Op. 41, No. 3
Mazurka In A-Flat Major, Op. 42, No. 4
Mazurka In G-Major, Op. 50, No. 1
Mazurka In A-Flat Major, Op. 50, No. 2
Mazurka In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 50, No. 3

Tracks:

Mazurka In B-Major, Op. 56, No. 1
Mazurka In C-Major, Op. 56, No. 2
Mazurka In C-Minor, Op. 56, No. 3
Mazurka In A-Minor, Op. 59, No. 1
Mazurka In A-Flat Major, Op. 56, No. 2
Mazurka In F-Sharp Minor, Op. 56, No. 3
Mazurka In B-Major, Op. 63, No. 1
Mazurka In F-Minor, Op. 63, No. 2
Mazurka In C-Sharp minor, Op. 63, No. 3
Mazurka In G-Major, Op. 67, No. 1
Mazurka In G-Minor, Op. 67, No. 2
Mazurka In C-Major, Op. 67, No. 3
Mazurka In A-Minor, Op. 67, No. 4
Mazurka In C-Major, Op. 68, No. 1
Mazurka In A-Minor, Op. 68, No. 2
Mazurka In F-Major, Op. 68, No. 3
Mazurka In F-Monor, Op. 68, No. 4
Mazurka In A-Minor, Op. Posth. (A son ami Emile Gaillard)
Mazurka In A-Minor, Op. posth. (Notre temps)
Scherzi In B-Minor, Op. 20
Scherzi In B-Flat Minor, Op. 31
Scherzi In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 39
Scherzi In E-Major, Op. 54

Tracks:

Barcaolle In F-Sharp Major, Op. 60
Berseuse In D-Flar Major
Polonaise In C-Sharp Major, Op. 26, No. 1
Polonaise In E-Flat Major, Op. 26, No.2
Polonaise In A-Major, Op. 40, No. 1
Polonaise In C-Minor, Op. 40, No. 2
Polonaise In F-Sharp Major, Op. 44
Polonaise In A-Flat Major, Op. 53 (Heroic)
Polonaise In A-Flat Major, Op. 61 (Polonaise-Fantaisie)
Andante splanato & polonaise brillante In E-Flat Major, Op. 22

Customer Reviews:

THE GREATEST OF CHOPIN PIANISTS.......2007-03-01

These are the earlier discs of Rubinstein's Chopin, recorded by HMV in London during the 1930's. It is less complete than his later recordings for RCA - no Sonatas, no Ballades, no Etudes. The sound is naturally of its time - but in many ways more natural than the sharply-lit, slightly edgy piano sound RCA favoured in the 50's and 60's. Nevertheless, these are the Chopin performances I return to most.

Rubinstein's natural affinity with Chopin is legendary. He seemed always able to capture precisely the right degree of rubato at exactly the right moment in these pieces. And he had a unique ability in his countryman's music to balance the lyrical with the impassioned, what seems completely spontaneous with what is clearly deeply considered. The Nocturnes here are, I think, the best you'll hear anywhere on disc. In the greatest of them - the Opp.37 & 48 sets, for example - Rubinstein gets the contrast between the dreamy nocturnal outer sections with the darker, more impassioned central sections just right. These are not salon miniatures in his hands but big works, if not in length then in content. And no-one can match Rubinstein in the elusive diversity of this complete set of Mazurkas. The two Concerti both have Barbirolli as the sympathetic conductor, following Rubinstein's lead in the ebb and flow of phrases and whole sections of these gorgeous and often maligned works. Interestingly the recording of Concerto No.2 (actually the first composed) dates from before the pianist's famous withdrawal from public performance to reconstruct his technique and his approach, that of Concerto No.1 from after. Perhaps one can detect a touch more maturity and refinement in his approach to the latter, but they are both ravishing performances.

Many of the performances on these 5 discs are the greatest Chopin you're likely to hear. And the ear soon adjusts to the somewhat old-fashioned recorded piano sound. This is a highly desirable set for any lover of Chopin and/or great piano playing.

The greatest interpretation.......2007-02-17

The interpretation is stunning. Mono - but no matter for solo piano - and a wee bit hissy but still quite superb.

Not such a great album.......2007-01-12

This album was recorded from records as you can hear the scratches and skips. Don't recommend it!

Love it........2006-06-22

This is my favorite album. I think that not even Rubinstein's later recordings attain this quality of musical involvment.

There is a fair amount of background noise, but the music helps to forget it rather quickly overall.

RECORDING QUALITY IS A FACTOR.......2005-02-10

Otherwise, I would have given 5 stars. The fact that these have a hiss (and you can practically hear him close the piano on several numbers) should be mentioned. I guess we are spoiled to audio quality, but this is an expensive collection and this fact was glaringly omitted. That said, I have enjoyed the recordings, in spite of the very audible hiss.

Meditation: Classical Relaxation (Box Set)

Average customer rating:

Relaxing music at its finest!
Get it for $9.99 at Sam's Club!
Beautiful, moving music! You'll recognize many of the pieces
Meditative, But Not Boring
A Bargain and Beautiful

Meditation: Classical Relaxation (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Masters of Classical Music (Box Set)
Classics for Relaxation and Meditation
Chopin For Relaxation
Beethoven for Relaxation
Vivaldi for Relaxation

ASIN: B000001VUT
Release Date: 1991-10-11

Tracks:

Canon
Andante From Piano Concerto No. 21: Elvira Madigan
Coppelia: Notturno
String Quintet In C: Adagio - Schubert
Orchestral Suite No. 3: Air - Bach
Clarinet Concerto: Adagio
Symphony No. 8 'Unfinished': Andante con moto - Schubert
Concerto, Op. 9 No. 2: Adagio
Orpheus And Eurydice: Dance Of The Blessed Spirits

Tracks:

Thais: Meditation
Romance In G, Op. 26
The Last Spring
Minuet
Serenade, Op. 3 No. 5
Poeme, Op. 41 No.6
Elegiac Melody No. 1
Serenade For String Orchestra: Elegia
I Love You
La Gioconda: Dance Of The Hours

Tracks:

Adagio
Romance In F Minor, Op. 11
Peer Gynt: Solveig's Song
Romance For Violin No. 2 In F, Op. 50
Rosamunde: Ballet Music In G
Symphony No. 5: Adagietto

Tracks:

Peer Gynt: Morning
Standchen (Serenade)
Mozartiana Suite: Preghiera (Ave Verum)
Moonlight Sonata: Adagio sostenuto
Piano Concerto No. 23 in A: 2nd Movement
Rosamunde: Intermezzo
Violin Concerto In E Minor: 2nd Movement
Serenade For String Orchestra: 1st Movement
L'Arlesienne, Suite No. 2: Intermezzo
Concierto De Aranjuea: 2nd Movement
Trout Quintet: Theme And Variations

Tracks:

The Tales Of Hoffmann: Barcarolle
Valse Triste
Liebestraum No. 3 In A Flat
Minuet
Oboe Concerto In D Minor: Oboe Concerto In D Minor (Excerpt)
Piano Sonata No. 8: Pathetique: 2nd Movement
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo sinfonico
Christmas Oratorio: Sinfonia
Ave Maria
Horn Concerto No.3: 2nd Movement
Symphony No. 1: 3rd Movement
Traumerei
Peer Gynt: Ase's Death
Xerves: Largo
Symphony No. 9: From The New World: 2nd Movement

Tracks:

Swan Lake
Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Romance
Nocturne In B Major, Op. 9 No. 3
Madama Butterfly: Humming Chorus
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Notturno
Symphony No. 35: Haffner: Andante
Carmen Suite No. 1: Intermezzo
Piano Sonata In B-Flat Major, D.960: Andante sostenuto
Sinfonia Concertante In E Flat Major: Andante
Piano Concerto No. 2: Larghetto

Tracks:

Impromptu In G Flat Major
Evening Song
Serenade No. 1: Adagio non troppo
The Merry Peasant
Flute Quartet In G Major
Symphony No. 7: Allegretto
Cradle Song
Quartet in G Major: Theme And Variations
Barcarolle: The Seasons: June
Symphony No.36 'Linz': Poco adagio

Tracks:

Prelude In C Minor - Meditation
Piano Concerto In A Minor: Adagio - Meditation
Flute Concerto No. 2: Adagio non troppo - Meditation
Andante - Meditation
Impromptu In B Flat Major - Meditation
Clair de lune - Meditation
Divertimento In D, K.251: Andantino - Meditation
Caro mio ben - Meditation
Piano Concerto No. 9: Jeunehomme: Andante - Meditation
Theme And Variations - Meditation

Tracks:

The Sleeping Beauty: Panorama
Waltz, Op.39 No.15
Flute Concerto In G Minor: Andante
Impromptu In A Flat
Violin Concerto No. 5: Adagio
Symphony No. 3: Allegretto
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2: Andante
Piano Sonata No. 3: Largo
Suite No. 1: Intermezzo
Piano Concerto No. 3: Largo

Tracks:

La Traviata: Act 1: Prelude
Kinderscenen: Foreign Countries And People
Chanson triste
Symphony No. 5: Andante
La Campanella
Flute Concerto in B Flat: Adagio
Piano Sonata No. 2: Funeral March
Symphony No. 94: Surprise: Andante
Concerto for Flute and Harp: Andantino
Symphony No. 6: Pathetique: Adagio lamentoso

Customer Reviews:

Relaxing music at its finest!.......2005-10-14

This is a GREAT 10-CD set!The performances are top-notch, the music is varied, and the feelings engendered are wondrously beautiful.

Get it for $9.99 at Sam's Club!.......2005-06-22

Very nice set of CD's, very beatiful and relaxing, but don't pay $27, get it for $9 at Sam's Club. I know this will be censored but come on, how can you guys charge those saps that much! Amazon should try to find the best price for its customers, even if it sends them to different vendors. Censoring this message is a crime, DON'T DO IT. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Beautiful, moving music! You'll recognize many of the pieces.......2004-02-24

John Cheng's review, below, said it's "an undeniable bargain," and I whole heartedly agree! I especially LOVE Volume 5. I have a Typing/Resume business, and I listen to Volume 5 ALL the time on my computer while I'm doing my work. It inspires me to be creative and calms me down when I'm stressed.

I would say I've _easily_ listened to Volume 5 at least 100 times, and I'm still not tired of it. That's amazing for me, because I'm also a musician (singer/pianist) and I get bored easily. I actually found the Volume 5 CD at a Thrift store, and loved it so much that I bought the whole set recently. So I've only listened to a few of the other CD's in this set, so far, and they're also great.

This is NOT boring music. My clients and family have heard it also, and they've also mentioned how soothing and wonderful these pieces are. Most of you will probably recognize a lot of these songs! You'll be saying, "OH! I remember THIS one! I haven't heard this for YEARS!!!"

It's well worth the money for 10 very full CD's!!! Try it! You won't be disappointed!

Happy listening!
Betty, Owner of Betty's Desk Typing Service and Quality Resumes

Meditative, But Not Boring.......2002-06-21

Here's the deal: If you check out the individual CDs of this collection, you'll pay way too much. That said, compare this price, and realize it is a steal at twice the price.

The list of selections is immense. 101 selections. Most of it you've heard before, but that's OK. Despite the various cute names -- quite creative -- "Vol. 9"!... you can load your CD player and enjoy them without feeling a transition of style.

It's true these aren't meditative in the sense of a Gregorian chant. Anyone familiar with classical music will recognize the composers and various movements to know this. What is true is that you can sit down and write Amazon reviews with it in the background quite comfortably. No weird interpretations, just the music as you know it.

It is also meditative in the sense of popping on it your portable player as you go for a Sunday afternoon walk. The music has just the right pacing: no quite aerobics class, but not ready for the office elevator either.

The box and jewel cases are not that flimsy kind of thing often associated with box sets. It sounds silly to review the jewel cases, but I'm frustrated with the ones I've received lately that have no meat to them. This'll do the job.

I fully recommend "Meditation: Classical Relaxation, 10 Volume Set [BOX SET].

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

A Bargain and Beautiful.......2002-02-28

This is a wonderful collection of some of my most favorite classical selections. Most I already own, but still like having these all together. I could only wish that the recording level was the same for all selections. Yes, some are written to be softer, but I found it often necessary to turn the volume up or down for different selections. But aside from this minor preference, the quality, the choices, and the price are all super.

Average customer rating:

At least 16 / 19 well spent hours
Enlightening but slighly blemished
Chopin - Luisada, Jean-Marc
Chopin - Luisada, Jean-Marc
Learn, learn, learn!

Chopin: Complete Edition
Krystian Zimerman , Claudio Arrau , Stefan Askenase , Anatol Ugorski , Maurizio Pollini , Jean-Marc Luisada , and Zilberstein, Lilya
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bourees | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Ecossaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Galops | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Barcarolles | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Liszt: Piano Works
Bach: Complete Works - 155 CD Box Set
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Complete Works (170 CD Box Set)
Chopin: The Piano Works
Haydn: The Masterworks [Box Set]

ASIN: B00001X58Z
Release Date: 1999-10-12

Amazon.com

On the 150th anniversary of his death, Deutsche Grammophon released this impressive box set featuring the complete works of Frédéric Chopin. Spread out over 17 CDs, it contains some truly big-name artists--Argerich, Pollini, Barenboim, and Ashkenazy--and a few you've probably never heard of. The majority of the set's nine volumes contain some music newly produced for this undertaking, and a few items (Chopin's songs, for instance) were recorded specifically for this collection. A well-illustrated book is included--it contains an essay, dateline, and illustrations--and each volume in the set gets its own liner notes. The music? It varies from great to less than great, but most of it is worth hearing. Those accustomed to Rubinstein's readings of the Mazurkas will find those played by Jean-Marc Luisada less fluid and lacking Rubinstein's power. Chopin's songs, seldom heard and filled with elements of Polish folk dances and the less-than-stellar lyrics of the composer's friend Stefan Witwicki, get a college try here by soprano Elzbieta Szmytka. They sound as good as you'll hear anywhere (if you can find them). It probably goes without saying that Martha Argerich's rousing 26 Préludes are some of the set's more exciting moments. But, really, the entire collection is solid. It should be noted that budget label Naxos has released its own Chopin edition at less than half the price of this set. With Idil Biret as the only performer on that set, you miss out on some of the diverse performances and personalities found here. Also, to please those of us who already own favorite performances of these works, each two-CD volume in the Complete Chopin Edition can be purchased individually. Bravo. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

At least 16 / 19 well spent hours.......2004-10-11

In my opinion there is no more effective way to ruin a great musical performance than to record it in front of an audience who cannot control their coughs. The first disc starts out with a 1979 live recording of Chopin's first piano/orchestra concerto featuring pianist Krystian Zimerman and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. The performance is good, but doesn't allow the listener full concentration,--and therefore not full enjoyment--as a distracting and annoying audience can be heard coughing, sneezing, and clearing their throats even above the orchestra's playing in mezzo forte - it gets worse, of course, at dynamically quieter musical parts. Other distractions, like chairs creaking, cracking and squeaking, pages being turned probably inches away from a microphone (perhaps to give the page-turner a chance to say "Did you hear that? That was me,") and people stomping/dropping things (?) add to the incapability of the listener's full enjoyment. I've heard much worse, however, but considering that the recording technique is no older than 25 years, this is on the verge of being unacceptable. Sure - there can be a certain charm in hearing such "humanity" on a recording, especially when it's older, but I don't think many would disagree that this is a bit too much. Hearing the opening of piano/orchestra concerto no.2, and knowing that the 18+ hours of music to come aren't going to be interrupted by coughs, is a big relief. My favorite Chopin interpreter is--and might always be--Rubinstein; his playing is straight forward, he cuts to the chase quickly, yet somehow manages to leave room for sensitivity and emotion. His performances, of course--since he never recorded a note for Deutsche Grammophon,--are not included in this "complete edition," so aside from suggestions that certain waltzes are missing, that is something that makes this boxed set incomplete for me. Pollini's general interpretation of Chopin is in my opinion, as in many others', quite weak in comparison to Argerich's, Zimerman's, or the passionate playing of Daniel Barenboim. Here Pollini performs Etudes, Scherzos, Sonatas and Polonaises. At times, during the Etudes of op. 10, I feel like I'm getting more Maurizio than I am getting Fryderyk, even though the performance (especially on no.3) may invite feelings of thriving despite the performer's occasional roaring in the left channel. The Scherzos feature some troublesome factors; first and foremost the sound (of this 1990 recording) isn't at all as good as one would expect. It's far worse than several older recordings of this set - at only six seconds into the first Scherzo (op.20) one can't avoid acknowledging obvious distortion - the recording has clearly been done with too much input level. Clips noises continue throughout the grainy and dull sound picture of these pieces. Second of all, the noises Pollini makes while playing can be quite off putting. At times he sounds like a boy with a voice just breaking experiencing climax of coition, and as we all know, Chopin had a prudish aversion to overt sexuality. One reason why Pollini's performance of the Scherzos being called "troublesome" might be harsh, is that musically he handles them ok, and I'd think that's what's essential, but Deutsche Grammophon has made the odd decision of including Pollini's recording of Sonata no. 2, op.35 (a.k.a. "Funeral March") from 1984 in this set, instead of Argerich's recording from 1975. First of all, Argerich's version has clearer sound (at least on the newly refurbished "The Originals" edition...but then again, that was released in 2002,) but second of all, and more importantly, her playing is far more straight forward during the first part of the Sonata (Grave,) whereas Pollini shows too much mercy both for strong dynamics and tempo throughout. Furthermore he's on the verge of playing parts of the March suggesting "lento," as if it read "rubato" (it's a MARCH!) His performance of Piano Sonata no.3 is also a bit lifeless, but the hour long disc of Polonaises recorded 1975 he handles surprisingly well (the occasional phlegmatic karaoke-roars may need a little time getting used to, though.) Several of these interpreters make some less musical noises while playing - Zimerman, for instance, breathes heavily through the nose after each and every completed phrase throughout all off his performances (although it can't be heard with orchestra.) When listening to his solo performances in head phones, the constant snuffling can distract and annoy quite a bit, but I know that I do the exact same thing when I play, myself, so perhaps I shouldn't complain until I've managed to rid the inconvenient problem myself. Besides Pollini's Polonaise interpretations, there's another (76 minute long) disc of Polonaises featuring mainly Ugorski, but also Argerich. Something that seems odd to me is that the sound quality of Argerich's 1974 recording once again is superior to a newer recording - in this case to the 1999 recording of Ugorski, which doesn't feature much middle in the sound picture, but uneven soughing and clip noises! Both their performances (but especially Argerich's,) are about as enjoyable as Chopin interpretations can be, I'd think, as is the technically and musically perfect, touching and mesmerizing Nocturne interpretations of Daniel Barenboim, recorded in 1981 - his playing here equals close to two hours of pure magic. While being a Rubinstein fan, I'm going to have to say that Barenboim's way of playing the Nocturnes is just how I think they should be played; they call for this somewhat gentle touch mixed in with their brutal sincerity, but I suggest for those who (especially) enjoy the Etudes, Sonatas and Scherzos to listen to Rubinstein's recordings of the works (available on RCA's Rubinstein Collection, vol. 26, vol. 45 and vol. 46.) Pollini is, of course, a fine performer, but I'd suggest listening to his interpretations of Prokofiev's and Stravinsky's work instead.
Rubinstein recorded the preludes (op.28) in their entirety only once, in 1946, which means that they aren't available in RCA's collection with preferable sound quality, but on this set Martha Argerich delivers a great performance of the 26 preludes (no.1-24, op.28, plus 25, op.45, and 26, op. 35,) recorded in 1975. One prelude that in my opinion should always be played as slow and gentle as possible is no.15 (a.k.a. "The Raindrop Prelude.") What I'd like to describe as a prefect version of the piece is performed by--despite my having done a lot of research--a, to me unknown performer, but runs at 6:08 minutes. Argerich rushes the whole piece a bit (the drops fall too closely -) the fact that her version runs at 4:51 should say a lot. Of the approximately 20 different performances I've heard of this particular prelude (obviously one of my favorites,) Argerich's is the shortest, and lays somewhere in the swamp among other "medium integral" versions. She delivers exciting performances of the other preludes, though - the first time I heard them, I hit repeat on my CD player, and listened to nothing else for three days.
The Mazurkas, here performed by Jean-Marc Luisada and Lilya Zilberstein, are performed--while beautifully--quite carefully and loosely. For those who'd like a more restrained performance of the pieces, RCA's Rubinstein Collection, vol. 50, is recommended.
Besides all the music for only piano(s,) Chopin also composed 80 minutes worth of chamber music, which here is performed by Beaux Arts Trio, et al. He also wrote 45+ minutes worth of songs, which here is performed by soprano Elzbieta Szmytka and pianist Malcolm Martineau on a 1999 performance. I don't feel qualified to comment on solo singing in Polish, but while I don't care for the occasional close-to-full effect vibrato, I like Martineau's piano playing and the almost folksy melodies and arrangements. This music distinguishes itself by far from the rest of the music in the set. Translations to several languages of the lyrics to the 19 songs are included.
The stereophony on all recordings is great, the overall sound quality on all discs (when considering the years of the recordings) I'd give a 4/5, but still rate the whole package 9/10 - I'd think that some (both older and newer) recordings could have been transferred better, while some sound superior to what you'd dare dream of. This is definitely the best complete edition of Chopin's music available, and perhaps the best collection of works available on disc by any classical composer. A lot of work has been put into the set's design, the sound, and certainly the amount and accuracy of interesting info given in the enclosed illustrated 140 page hard-cover book (of which a fifth is written in English) and in the 40-60 page booklets (also illustrated) included in each volume; practically everything you'll ever need to know about the composer (and these recordings) is included here along with all the music he wrote. Well worthy of your time and money.

Enlightening but slighly blemished.......2004-07-05

I commend DG on producing this comprehensive and thoughtfully packaged/annotated collection of Chopin's output. In it one can appreciate the wondrous manner in which Chopin at once appeased the conservative appetites of the Paris salon set while revolutionizing the genre of piano music in both traditional and more intimate forms.

The greatest virtue of this collection is the opportunity to hear more obscure elements of Chopin's collected ouevre. He wrote some lovely chamber music and wrote highly effective variations with and without orchestra. Among his 17 songs are a few gems.

As for the strength of the performances, some of them are rightly considered definitive. I love Zimerman in the piano concerti, Argerich owns the Op. 28 preludes, and I find in Pollini's scherzos the unbridled energy and interpretive depth required by these challenging pieces. Even if Daniel Barenboim's nocturnes do not set any records, they are well-done and completely satisfying.

I was less enthusiastic about Pollini's readings of the latter 2 piano sonatas, which I find prosaic on the whole. I was equally underwhelmed by Bunin's impromptus, which again betray interpretive rather than technical deficiencies. My greatest disappointment is Jean-Marc Luisada's controversial readings of the mazurkas. An unwieldy rubato rules the day here, and distorts the harmonic language to the point that it sounds like Debussy or Ravel's frequent (and unshakeably French-sounding) evocations of Spain. I much prefer any of the Rubinstein mazurka sets, which are colorful but rhythmically mindful of their namesakes.

Properly supplemented in the more familiar repertory (mazurkas, impromptus, sonatas, in particular), I believe this set is indispensable to anyone who appreciates or seeks a broader understanding of Chopin the composer. I recommend it highly.

Chopin - Luisada, Jean-Marc.......2002-04-14

I am a professional Pianist and Piano-pedagoge trained at the University of Graz and Vienna (Austria).
It seems as often reviewers/critics/listeners have the same opinions: I wonder if it isn't in some cases the old story of the Emperors new clothes - nobody dares to have a different opinion, as they do not want to appear stupid.
Some of the reviewers here, didn't like Luisadas performances of the Mazurkas. I hold the heretical opinion that Jean-Marc Luisadas performances are much better than Rubinsteins (I possess the three different complete Mazurka recordings of Rubinstein). There are few pianists that like Luisada know how to treat the piano as a truly polyphonic instrument, with absolute control of every line, and at the same time being able to emphasise every harmonic detail - giving every chord its differing and appropriate degree of tension. Furthermore he understands how to display the different moods and characters of the music. All these factors make Luisadas performances extremely colourful. Every Mazurka with Luisada is a unique experience.

Ps. Other recordings do occasionally wet the critical appetite: For instance the everywhere highly acclaimed Chopin recordings with Pollini are often musically awful, the Etudes opus 10 nr. 1 and opus 25 nr. 1 are examples. For the complete Etudes, buy Boris Berezovsky's recording for Teldec, it surpasses Pollini by far. Ds.

Chopin - Luisada, Jean-Marc.......2002-04-14

Learn, learn, learn!.......2000-10-16

This box set is a must for any lover of piano music.

DG deserves praise for coming with an excellent set of records as well as presentation of the booklets. It is breathtaking to have the opportunity to really know Chopin so well.

Performers are first rate and speak for themselves, and for the price of 8 CD's you get the whole collection. Yes, you can get in some cases better performances, but overall you can find a better compilation. Naxos has its own, and I am going to exchange it with a friend, problem will be to get mine back!

Tracks:

Prlds, Op.28: No.1 in C
Prlds, Op.28: No.2 in a
Prlds, Op.28: No.3 in G
Prlds, Op.28: No.4 in e
Prlds, Op.28: No.5 in D
Prlds, Op.28: No.6 in b
Prlds, Op.28: No.7 in A
Prlds, Op.28: No.8 in f#
Prlds, Op.28: No.9 in E
Prlds, Op.28: No.10 in c#
Prlds, Op.28: No.11 in B
Prlds, Op.28: No.12 in g#
Prlds, Op.28: No.13 in F#
Prlds, Op.28: No.14 in e flat
Prlds, Op.28: No.15 in D flat
Prlds, Op.28: No.16 in b flat
Prlds, Op.28: No.17 in A flat
Prlds, Op.28: No.18 in f
Prlds, Op.28: No.19 in E flat
Prlds, Op.28: No.20 in c
Prlds, Op.28: No.21 in B flat
Prlds, Op.28: No.22 in g
Prlds, Op.28: No.23 in F
Prlds, Op.28: No.24 in d
Prld No.25 in c#, Op.45
Prld No.26 in A flat, Op. Posth.
Impromptus: No.1 in A flat, Op.29
Impromptus: No.2 in F#, Op.36
Impromptus: No.3 in G flat, Op.51
Impromptus: No.4 in c#, Op.66 'Fant-Impromptu'

Tracks:

Waltzes: No.1 in E flat, op.18 'Grande Valse Brillante'
Waltzes: No.2 in A flat, Op.34 No.1 'Valse Brillante'
Waltzes: No.3 in a, Op.34 No.2
Waltzes: No.4 in F, Op.34 No.3 'Valse Brillante'
Waltzes: No.5 in A flat, Op.42 'Grande Valse'
Waltzes: No.6 in D flat, Op.64 No.1 'Minute'
Waltzes: No.7 in c#, Op.64 No.2
Waltzes: No.8 in A flat, Op.64 No.3
Waltzes: No.9 in A flat, Op.69 No.1 'Valse De L'adieu'
Waltzes: No.10 in b, Op.69 No.2
Waltzes: No.11 in G flat, Op.70 No.1
Waltzes: No.12 in f/A flat, Op.70 No.2
Waltzes: No.13 in D flat, Op.70 No.3
Waltzes: No.14 in e, Op. Posth.
Waltzes: No.16 in A flat, Op. Posth.
Waltzes: No.15 in E, Op. Posth.
Waltzes: No.19 in a, Op. Posth
Waltzes: No.18 in E flat, op. Posth.
Waltzes: No.17 in E flat, op. Posth

Tracks:

Ballades: No.1 in g, Op.23
Ballades: No.2 in F, Op.38
Ballades: No.3 in A flat, Op.47
Ballades: No.4 in f, Op.52
Barcarolle in F#, Op.60
Fant in f, Op.49

Tracks:

Scherzos: No.1 in b, Op.20
Scherzos: No.2 in b flat, Op.31
Scherzos: No.3 in c#, Op.39
Scherzos: No.4 in E, Op.54
Polonaise No.7 in A flat, Op.61 'Polonaise-Fant'

Tracks:

Nocturnes: No.1 in b flat, Op.9 No.1
Nocturnes: No.2 in E flat, Op.9 No.2
Nocturnes: No.3 in B, Op.9 No.3
Nocturnes: No.4 in F, Op.15 No.1
Nocturnes: No.5 in F#, Op.15 No.2
Nocturnes: No.6 in g, Op.15 No.3
Nocturnes: No.7 in c#, Op.27 No.1
Nocturnes: No.8 in D flat, Op.27 No.2
Nocturnes: No.9 in B, Op.32 No.1
Nocturnes: No.10 in A flat, Op.32 No.2
Nocturnes: No.11 in g, Op.37 No.1

Tracks:

Nocturnes: No.12 in G, op.37 No.2
Nocturnes: No.13 in c, Op.48 No.1
Nocturnes: No.14 in f#, Op.48 No.2
Nocturnes: No.15 in f, Op.55 No.1
Nocturnes: No.16 in E flat, Op.55 No.2
Nocturnes: No.17 in B, Op.62 No.1
Nocturnes: No.18 in E, Op.62 No.2
Nocturnes: No.19 in e, Op.72 No.1
Nocturnes: No.20 in c#, Op. Posth.
Nocturnes: No.21 in c, Op. Posth.

Tracks:

Pno Con No.1 in e, Op.11: I. Allegro Maestoso
Pno Con No.1 in e, Op.11: II. Romance: Larghetto
Pno Con No.1 in e, Op.11: III. Rondo: Vivace
Pno Con No.2 in f, Op.21: I. Maestoso
Pno Con No.2 in f, Op.21: II. Larghetto
Pno Con No.2 in f, Op.21: III. Allegro Vivace

Customer Reviews:

Stunning.......2004-06-01

This has to count as the definitive recording of these works. Arrau captures both the outer gentility and the inner power of Chopin's work, and always strikes the perfect balance between the two. These recordings are phenomenal--worth the investment twenty times over.

Essential Chopin at a Price for Everyone.......2003-07-14

I have always been an admirer of Claudio Arrau and his extraordinary pianism. His were the first Beethoven sonatas I ever bought, and the quality and quantity of his overall repertoire is mind-boggling. However, his Chopin has always stood out for me, and I have long treasured his Philips recordings of the Preludes, the Ballades, and the Nocturnes. While I have my fair share of Pollini, Rubinstein, Zimerman, and Ashkenazy, Arrau to me brings an extra dimension of meditative, searching spirituality to Chopin that is utterly unique and unforgettable. To me every Chopin piece tells a story or sketches within the space of a couple of minutes a strikingly vivid image in my mind, and Arrau is so in tune with the emotional tenor of every piece he plays. And of course his technique is such that he handles all the major hurdles that pieces such as the Ballades throw in the way of pianists. While the Nocturnes, the Impromptus, and the Piano Concerti have been available on CD for a long time, the others here (the Waltzes, Scherzi, and most importantly the Ballades and Preludes)have not. I have been eagerly awaiting a release such as this, since my tapes of the Ballades and Preludes are in appalling condition, and this price just can't be beaten. Everything here was recorded in the '70s, when Arrau was still at his best, and Philips always does a superb job of remastering, so one need not worry about the sound quality. Don't forget too that there is also an early EMI recording of Arrau taking on the Etudes, which he didn't record for Philips and is worth having, although I don't think Arrau beats out Pollini's '70s DG interpretation in this department (I do however think that Arrau's Preludes and Ballades are second to none). I also have to say that I prefer Zimerman's early concerti with Giulini and the LA Philarmonic to the concerti here. Overall though, Arrau's achievement with Chopin as exhibited here is remarkable in every department, and whether you're new to Chopin or casting around for another interpretation of pieces you already know, Arrau will win you over. This release is a true bargain too. Thanks Philips!

Average customer rating:

A very very average work!
Great recordings
For Chopin lovers, to be sure...

Chopin: 21 Nocturnes; 26 Préludes

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Chopin: Polonaises & Waltzes
Chopin: Preludes & Nocturnes

ASIN: B000004193
Release Date: 1994-05-10

Tracks:

Nocturnes: No. 1 In B Flat Minor, Op. 9 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 2 In E Flat, Op. 9 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 3 In B, Op. 9 No. 3
Nocturnes: No. 4 In F, Op. 15 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 5 In F Sharp, Op. 15 No 2.
Nocturnes: No. 6 In G Minor, Op. 15 No. 3
Nocturnes: No. 7 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 8 In D Flat, Op. 27 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 9 In B, Op. 32 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 10 In A Flat, Op. 32 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 11 In G Minor, Op. 37 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 12 In G, Op. 37 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 13 In C Minor, Op. 48 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 14 In F Sharp Minor, Op. 48 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 15 In F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1

Tracks:

Nocturnes: No. 16 In E Flat, Op. 55 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 17 In B, Op. 62 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 18 In E, Op. 62 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 19 In E Minor, Op. 72 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 20 In C Sharp Minor (1830)
Nocturnes: No. 21 In C Minor (1837)
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 1 In C, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 2 In A Minor, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 3 In G, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 4 In E Minor, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 5 In D, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 6 In B Minor, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 7 In A, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 8 In F Sharp Minor, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 9 In E, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 10 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 11 In B, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 12 In G Sharp Minor, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 13 In F Sharp, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 14 In E Flat Minor, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 15 In D Flat, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 16 In B Flat Minor, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 17 In A Flat, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 18 In F Minor, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 19 In E Flat, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 20 In C Minor, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 21 In B Flat, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 22 In G Minor, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 23 In F, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: No. 24 In D Minor, Op. 28
Preludes, Op. 28: Prelude No. 25 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 45
Preludes, Op. 28: Prelude No. 26 In A Flat

Customer Reviews:

A very very average work!.......2006-02-04

This is a very average interpretation of Chopin's nocturnes. I was actually surprised to hear the melody being completely drowned by harmony at times! You'd expect a seasoned performer to do a much better job!

I own Nocturne sets by Rubinstein, Arrau and Barenboim and I prefer them in that order. I wouldn't want to list this work in my list. Sorry.

Great recordings.......2002-10-09

This Nocturnes and Préludes set is very good. If you are trying to familiarize with Chopin music this is a nice begining. Also if you are already familiarized, you will found a very highly performance. The Nocturnes are play with great sense, color and balance (just two of the set [stinks]: the 3 and 14.. I can't understand why Harasiewicz give us such a bad performance of this two). The Best set is Arrau's, and this fallow very close. About the Prélues, they're just great. The less satisfactory is the 24th, but even in this Prélude he made a great things. Harasiewicz is very poetical and in control here too. Great Set and Great Price!

For Chopin lovers, to be sure..........2000-06-13

For some reason I just had a distinct urge to seek out some of this composer's material and ended up buying this solid representation of his work. It seems that all the well-known Nocturnes are here along with what appears to be the complete set of Preludes. That's quite amazing considering that this 2-CD set was under $20 when I bought it. As for the pianist, Harasiewicz may not be as widely recognized as other highly renowned Chopin experts, but his balanced, thoughtful playing gives me the feeling that he shouldn't have been overlooked from the start. This is a wonderful collection of some of the finest piano music ever composed. I'm grateful to have picked it up at all.

Average customer rating:

The idiosyncratic gaze!
Fascinating Chopin
The One and Only One Chopinist?
Excellent, Eccentric Chopin

Chopin: Piano Works, Vol. 3

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Barcarolles | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Debussy & Ravel: Piano Works - Samson Francois (6 CD's)
Symphonies 1-3 / Piano Concerto 1-4 / Isle of Dead
Liszt: Works for Piano and Orchestra
Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies & Tone Poems
Bach: Orchestral Suites & Concertos

ASIN: B00005MIZR
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Tracks:

Pno Conc No.1 in e, Op.11. I: Allegro Maestoso - Monte Carlo National Opera Orch/Luis Fremaux
Pno Conc No.1 in e, Op.11: II. Romanze: Larghetto - Monte Carlo National Opera Orch/Luis Fremaux
Pno Conc No.1 in e, Op.11: III. Rondo: Vivace - Monte Carlo National Opera Orch/Luis Fremaux
Pno Conc No.2 in f, Op.21: I. Maestoso - Monte Carlo National Opera Orch/Luis Fremaux
Pno Conc No.2 in f, Op.21: II. Larghetto - Monte Carlo National Opera Orch/Luis Fremaux
Pno Conc No.2 in f, Op.21: III. Allegro Vivace - Monte Carlo National Opera Orch/Luis Fremaux

Tracks:

Polonaise No.1 in c#, Op.26 No.1 - Pierre Barbizet
Polonaise No.2 in e flat, Op.26 No.2 - Pierre Barbizet
Polonaise No.3 in A 'Militaire', Op.40 No.1 - Pierre Barbizet
Polonaise No.4 in c, Op.40 No.1 - Pierre Barbizet
Polonaise No.5 in f#, Op.44 - Pierre Barbizet
Polonaise No.6 in A flat 'Heroique', Op.53 - Pierre Barbizet
Polonaise No.7 in A flat 'Polonaise Brillante', Op.61 - Pierre Barbizet
Andante Spianato Et Grande Polonaise in E flat, Op.22 - Pierre Barbizet

Tracks:

Polonaises Posthumes in d, Op.71 No.1 - Pierre Barbizet
Polonaises Posthumes in B flat, Op.71 No.2 - Pierre Barbizet
Polonaises Posthumes in f, Op.71 No.3 - Pierre Barbizet
Fant in f, Op.49 - Pierre Barbizet
Tarentelle in a flat, Op.43 - Pierre Barbizet
Barcarolle in F#, Op.60 - Pierre Barbizet
Rondo in C, Op.73 - Pierre Barbizet

Tracks:

Ballade No.1 in g, Op.23
Ballade No.2 in F, Op.38
Ballade No.3 in A flat, Op.47
Ballade No.4 in f, Op.52
Scherzo No.1 in b, Op.20
Scherzo No.2 in b flat, Op.31
Scherzo No.3 in c#, Op.39
Scherzo No.4 in E, Op.54

Tracks:

Valse No.1 in E flat 'Grande Valse Brillante', Op.18
Valse No.2 in A flat 'Valse Brillante', Op.34 No.1
Valse No.3 in a, Op.34 No.2
Valse No.4 in F 'Valse Brillante', Op.34 No.3
Grande Valse No.5 in A flat, Op.42
Valse No.6 in D flat, Op.64 No.1
Valse No.7 in c#, Op.64 No.2
Valse No.8 in A flat, Op.64 No.3
Valse No.9 in A flat, Op.69 No.1
Valse No.10 in b, Op.69 No.2
Valse No.11 in G flat, Op.70 No.1
Valse No.12 in f, Op.70 No.2
Valse No.13 in D flat, Op.70 No.3
Valse No.14 in e, Op. posth
Impromptu No.1 in A flat, Op.29
Impromptu No.2 in F#, Op.36
Impromptu No.3 in G flat, Op.51
Impromptu No.4 in c# 'Fant-Impromptu', Op.66

Tracks:

Son No.2 in b flat, Op.35: I. Grave - Doppio Movt
Son No.2 in b flat, Op.35: II. Scherzo: Presto, Ma Non Troppo - Piu Lento - Tempo I
Son No.2 in b flat, Op.35: III. Marche Funebre: Lento
Son No.2 in b flat, Op.35: IV. Finale: Presto
Son No.3 in b, Op.58: I. Allegretto Maestoso
Son No.3 in b, Op.58: II. Scherzo: Molto Vivace
Son No.3 in b, Op.58: III. Largo
Son No.3 in b, Op.58: IV. Finale: Presto, Ma Non Tanto
Mazurka No.1 in f#, Op.6 No.1
Mazurka No.2 in c#, Op.6 No.2
Mazurka No.3 in E, Op.6 No.3
Mazurka No.4 in e flat, Op.6 No.4
Mazurka No.5 in B flat, Op.7 No.1
Mazurka No.6 in a, Op.7 No.2
Mazurka No.7 in f, Op.7 No.3
Mazurka No.8 in A flat, Op.7 No.4
Mazurka No.9 in C, Op.7 No.5
Mazurka No.10 in B flat, Op.17 No.1
Mazurka No.11 in e, Op.17 No.2
Mazurka No.12 in A flat, Op.17 No.3
Mazurka No.13 in a, Op.17 No.4
Mazurka No.14 in g, Op.24 No.1
Mazurka No.15 in C, Op.24 No.2
Mazurka No.16 in A flat, Op.24 No.3
Mazurka No.17 in b flat, Op.24 No.4

Tracks:

Mazurka No.18 in c, Op.30 No.1
Mazurka No.19 in b, Op.30 No.2
Mazurka No.20 in D flat, Op.30 No.3
Mazurka No.21 in c#, Op.30 No.4
Mazurka No.22 in g#, Op.33 No.1
Mazurka No.23 in D, Op.33 No.2
Mazurka No.24 in C, Op.33 No.3
Mazurka No.25 in B, Op.33 No.4
Mazurka No.26 in c#, Op.41 No.1
Mazurka No.27 in e, Op.41 No.2
Mazurka No.28 in B, Op.41 No.3
Mazurka No.29 in A flat, Op.41 No.4
Mazurka No.30 in G, Op.50 No.1
Mazurka No.31 in A flat, Op.50 No.2
Mazurka No.32 in c#, Op.50 No.2
Mazurka No.33 in B, Op.56 No.1
Mazurka No.34 in C, Op.56 No.2
Mazurka No.35 in c, Op.56 No.3
Mazurka No.36 in a, Op.59 No.1
Mazurka No.37 in A flat, Op.59 No.2
Mazurka No.38 in f#, Op.59 No.3
Mazurka No.39 in B, Op.63 No.1
Mazurka No.40 in f, Op.63 No.2
Mazurka No.41 in c#, Op.63 No.3
Mazurka No.42 in G, Op.67 No.1
Mazurka No.43 in g, Op.67 No.2
Mazurka No.44 in C, Op.67 No.3
Mazurka No.45 in a, Op.67 No.4
Mazurka No.46 in C, Op.68 No.1
Mazurka No.47 in a, Op.68 No.2
Mazurka No.48 in F, Op.68 No.3
Mazurka No.49 in f, Op.68 No.4
Mazurka No.50 in a
Mazurka No.51 in a

Tracks:

Etudes, Op.10: No.1 in C
Etudes, Op.10: No.2 in a
Etudes, Op.10: No.3 in E
Etudes, Op.10: No.4 in c#
Etudes, Op.10: No.5 in G flat
Etudes, Op.10: No.6 in e flat
Etudes, Op.10: No.7 in C
Etudes, Op.10: No.8 in F
Etudes, Op.10: No.9 in f
Etudes, Op.10: No.10 in A flat
Etudes, Op.10: No.11 in E flat
Etudes, Op.10: No.12 in c
Etudes, Op.25: No.1 in A flat
Etudes, Op.25: No.2 in f
Etudes, Op.25: No.3 in F
Etudes, Op.25: No.4 in a
Etudes, Op.25: No.5 in e
Etudes, Op.25: No.6 in g#
Etudes, Op.25: No.7 in c#
Etudes, Op.25: No.8 in D flat
Etudes, Op.25: No.9 in G flat
Etudes, Op.25: No.10 in b
Etudes, Op.25: No.11 in a
Etudes, Op.25: No.12 in c
Nouvelles Etudes, Op.Posth: No.1 in f
Nouvelles Etudes, Op.Posth: No.2 in D flat
Nouvelles Etudes, Op.Posth: No.3 in A flat

Tracks:

Nocturne No.1 in b flat, Op.9 No.1
Nocturne No.2 in E flat, Op.9 No.2
Nocturne No.3 in B, Op.9 No.3
Nocturne No.4 in F, Op.15 No.1
Nocturne No.5 in F#, Op.15 No.2
Nocturne No.6 in g, Op.15 No.3
Nocturne No.7 in c#, Op.27 No.1
Nocturne No.8 in D flat, Op.27 No.2
Nocturne No.9 in B, Op.32 No.1
Nocturne No.10 in A flat, Op.32 No.2
Nocturne No.11 in g, Op.37 No.1
Nocturne No.12 in g, Op.37 No.2
Nocturne No.13 in c, Op.48 No.1

Tracks:

Nocturne No.14 in f#, Op.48 No.2
Nocturne No.15 in f, Op.55 No.1
Nocturne No.16 in E flat, Op.55 No.2
Nocturne No.17 in B, Op.62 No.1
Nocturne No.18 in E, Op.62 No.2
Nocturne No.19 in e, Op.72 No.1
Prlds, Op.28 No.1 in C
Prlds, Op.28 No.2 in a
Prlds, Op.28 No.3 in G
Prlds, Op.28 No.4 in e
Prlds, Op.28 No.5 in D
Prlds, Op.28 No.6 in b
Prlds, Op.28 No.7 in A
Prlds, Op.28 No.8 in f#
Prlds, Op.28 No.9 in E
Prlds, Op.28 No.10 in c#
Prlds, Op.28 No.11 in B
Prlds, Op.28 No.12 in g#
Prlds, Op.28 No.13 in F#
Prlds, Op.28 No.14 in e flat
Prlds, Op.28 No.15 in D flat
Prlds, Op.28 No.16 in b flat
Prlds, Op.28 No.17 in A flat
Prlds, Op.28 No.18 in f
Prlds, Op.28 No.19 in E flat
Prlds, Op.28 No.20 in c
Prlds, Op.28 No.21 in B flat
Prlds, Op.28 No.22 in g
Prlds, Op.28 No.23 in F
Prlds, Op.28 No.24 in d

Customer Reviews:

The idiosyncratic gaze! .......2006-08-17

Samson Francois' Chopin has overtly overtopped and even redefined the whole concept around Chopin's universe.

As a matter of fact, Alfred Cortot, Dinu Lipatti, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli brought not only a refreshing vision but still better, new perspectives of interpretation, leaving behind the romanticism and approaching him under the idiosyncratic emblem of a bygone era. That's what the previous reviewers have denominated eccentric rather than interpretative renovation, where the dimension of every piece is considered in its own individuality and specific weight, where the concept of miniaturist composer has been substituted by the thinker poet, earning an organic quality and major dramatic scope.

I cannot think about another pianist who may phrase Chopin as Francois did it. So, please do me a favor and firmly decide to acquire it. You will surprise yourself!

Fascinating Chopin.......2006-02-17

I understand Francois was somewhat of an eccentric, and in a way his playing of these familiar great works are sometimes eccentric, for instance in the tempos of the first movement of the First Concerto and the first movement of the B-flat minor sonata. He is a great magician and poet, however, and these well-recorded readings have given me immense pleasure. Great for a more non-traditional look at Chopin, a composer that allows the performer a lot of leeway to engage in fluctuations of line and tempo without diminishing the works. The Noctures, Ballades, Concerti, Sonatas, Preludes, Polonaises and Etudes are wonderful. The Mazurkas seem pretty cold-hearted and are the low point of the set. However, the highs far outweigh the lows, and I highly recommend this modestly priced set as a very interesting alternative to more traditional approaches. A unique artist.

The One and Only One Chopinist?.......2005-01-25

Samson Francois is more well-known in Europe (or even in Asia) than in US.

Philips, advised by Alfred Brendel among others, presented Samson Francois as one of the greatest pianists of the century. In Philips' list, we do have some extraordinary Chopinists. Fridedman's Mazurkas are said to be unsurpassble, so are Cortot's Preludes & Etudes (or all his Chopin), or Lipatti's Waltzes. Or else, Hofmann's or Rachmaninov's Chopin are just marvelous. But those are historic recordings. While some prefer Moravec or even Arrau's Nocturnes, Rubinstein's Nocturnes, and particularly his Polonaises, like Agerich's Preludes are a sensation. Cziffra's Chopin is superb, so is Freire in general. But we can't leave out Samson as a leading Chopin interpreter.

Samson was perhaps the greatest of Cortot's pupils. From his Chopin Ballades, there are all-embracing colours (by the subtlety of using the pedal among other things) creating rainbow after rainbow. The harmonic suspensions as the nub of the Ballades adds so much to the potency of music. His Nocturnes, darkening the colours in the background creating the right atmostphere together with the poignancy of his narrative power, compare favourably with Arrau's. His Preludes may not be a fiery as Agerich's, but they are more bitter, so bitter that he is a type of his own...

The Nocturnes are recorded in '66. And in any event the earliest recording in the boxset was made in '54 and the re-mastering is so good that unless you make an effort, you won't be able to tell them from modern recordings and yet they are sold at bargain price. Grap it while it is still available.

Excellent, Eccentric Chopin.......2004-01-18

The Chopin "Piano Works" featured in this 10 CD set from EMI's "Budget Box Series" are excellent, yet eccentric. Those used to the romance and poetry of Rubinstein, the deliberateness and precision of Horowitz, or the power and grace of Pollini may well be in for a shock when it comes to Samson Francois' Chopin. The Piano Concertos, performed with Louis Fremaux conducting the Monte Carlo National Opera Orchestra from 1965 (and available as a single disc in EMI's "Great Recordings of the Century" series) are strikingly different from accounts I am more familiar with by Argerich, Bachauer and Gilels. To say their defining characteristic is that they are more French sounding is an understatement. The highlight of this set, which by the way is not a "complete" volume of all of Chopin's piano music, has to be the Ballades (though, like much of the material in this set they are in mono) and the Nocturnes (in stereo from 1966). In turn, the low point is most certainly the Mazurkas -- Artur, where are you when we need you? In all, this is certainly an amazing musical document, and at this budget price, a nice alternative to more accepted readings. But my five-star rating comes with the caveat that this Box Set is not for those looking for there one and only Chopin collection.

Average customer rating:

unfortunate

Leopold Godowsky

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Great Pianists (series) - Ignaz Friedman plays Beethoven, Chopin, Hummel, Mendelssohn, etc.
Benno Moiseiwitsch
Rudolf Serkin
Edwin Fischer 2
Byron Janis 2

ASIN: B00000IX8K
Release Date: 1999-05-11

Tracks:

Nocturnes: No.19 In E Minor, Op.72 No.1
Nocturnes: No.1 In B Flat Monor, Op.9 No.1
Nocturnes: No. 2 In E Flat, Op. 9 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 4 In F, Op.15 No.1
Nocturnes: No.5 In F Sharp, Op.15 No.2
Nocturnes: No.7 In C Sharp Minor, Op 27 No.1
Nocturnes: No.8 In D Flat, Op.27 No.2
Nocturnes: No.9 In B, Op.32 No.1
Nocturnes: No.11 In G Minor, Op.37 No.1
Nocturnes: No.12 In G, Op.37 No.2
Nocturnes: No.14 In F Sharp Minor, Op.48 No.2
Nocturnes: No.15 In F Minor, Op.55 No.1
Etude In G Flat, Op.10 No.5 'Black Keys'
Etude In G Flat, Op.25 No.9 'Butterfly'
Scherzo No.4 In E, Op.54
'Die Schone Mullerin': Morgengruss
'Winterreise': Gute Nacht
'Rigoletto' Paraphrase

Tracks:

Carnaval: 1. Preambule
Carnaval: 2. Pierrot
Carnaval: 3. Arlequim
Carnaval: 4. Valse noble
Carnaval: 5. Eusebius
Carnaval: 6. Florestan
Carnaval: 7. Coquette
Carnaval: 8. A. Replique - B. Sphinxes
Carnaval: 9. Papillons
Carnaval: 10. A.S.C.H - S.C.H.A (Letters dansantes)
Carnaval: 11. Chiarina
Carnaval: 12. Chopin
Carnaval: 13. Estrella
Carnaval: 14. Reconnaissance
Carnaval: 15. Pantalon e Colombine
Carnaval: 16a. Valse allemande
Carnaval: 16b. Intermezzo: Paganini
Carnaval: 17. Aveu
Carnaval: 18. Promenade
Carnaval: 19. Pause
Carnaval: 20. Marche des 'Davidsbundler' contre les Philistins
Piano Sonata In E Flat, Op.81a 'Les adieux': 1. Dans Lebewohl. Adagio - Allegro
Piano Sonata In E Flat, Op.81a 'Les adieux': 2. Abwesenheit. Andante espressivo-
Piano Sonata In E Flat, Op.81a 'Les adieux': 3. Das Wiedersehn. Vivacissimamente
Ballade In G Minor, Op.24
Piano Sonata No.2 In B Flat Minor, Op.35: 1. Grave. Doppio movimento
Piano Sonata No.2 In B Flat Minor, Op.35: 2. Schervo - Piu lento - Tempo I
Piano Sonata No.2 In B Flat Minor, Op.35: 3. Marche funebre. Lento
Piano Sonata No.2 In B Flat Minor, Op.35: 4. Finale. Presto

Customer Reviews:

unfortunate.......2007-03-29

I came to this recording with high expectations because of Godowsky's reputation as "a Buddha among pianists." The recordings were a terrible let-down for two reasons.

First is that the sound quality is extremely poor, making the music difficult to listen to (and this from an avid collector of historical recordings!). The hiss/buzz is extremely loud and the tone flat and colorless.

The second is that the playing just doesn't live up to Godowsky's reputation. He always did terribly in a recording studio, and never seemed to do justice to what he was capable of in live or private performance. Godowsky himself was aware of this shortcoming; he apparently wrote in a letter shortly before his death, "Do not judge me by my recordings!"

I wouldn't recommend buying this recording unless you have a particular interest in Godowsky or are trying to compile the whole Philip's set.

Average customer rating:

hmmmmm
Be prepared for lesser quality recording
You haven't really heard Chopin if you haven't heard Cortot!
A must for both Chopin lovers and piano enthusiasts
Must have!

Frédéric Chopin: Piano Works

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Barcarolles | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Alfred Cortot: The Master Classes
Liszt: Works For Piano
The Complete Chopin Recordings
Arthur Rubinstein plays Chopin [Box Set]
The Art of the Piano: Its Performers, Literature, and Recordings Revised and Expanded Edition

ASIN: B000002SBV
Release Date: 2002-08-05

Tracks:

Berceuse En Rl Majeur In D Flat Major, Op.57
Chant Plonais N 12 'Moja Piesczotka'
Etude En Sol Bl Majeur In G Flat, Op.10 N 5
Etude En Sol Bl Majeur In G Flat, Op.25 N 9
Etude En La Mineur In A Minor, Op.25 N 11
Impromtu N 1 En La Bl Majeur In A Flat Major, Op.29
Impromtu N 2 En Fa Di Majeur In F Sharp, Op.36
Etude En La Bl Majeur In A Flat Major, Op.25 N 1
Valse N 7 En Ut Diineur In C Sharp Minor, Op.64 N 2
Berceuse En Rl Majeur In D Flat, Op. 57
Ballade N 1 En Sol Mineur In G Minor, Op.23
Prdes Op.28 N 1 En Ut Majeur In C
Prdes Op.28 N 4 En Mi Mineur In Minor
Prdes Op.28 N 8 En Fa Di Mineur In F Sharp
Prdes Op.28 N 12 En Sol Di Mineur In G Sharp Minor
Prdes Op.28 N 17 En La Bl Majeur In A Flat Major
Prdes Op.28 N 19 En La Bl Majeur In E Flat Major
Prdes Op.28 N 24 En Rineur In D Minor
Sonate N 3 En Si Mineur In B Minor, Op.58 I Allegro Maestoso
Sonate N 3 En Si Mineur In B Minor, Op.58 II Scherzo (Allegro vvace)
Sonate N 3 En Si Mineur In B Minor, Op.58 III Largo
Sonate N 3 En Si Mineur In B Minor, Op.58IV Finale (Presto Non Tanto)

Tracks:

Prde En Sol Di Mineur In G Sharp Minor, Op.28 N 12
Nocturne En Mi Bl Majeur In E Flat, Op.9 N 2
Sonate N 2 En Si Bl Majeur In B Flat Major, Op.35: I Grave-Allegro
Sonate N 2 En Si Bl Majeur In B Flat Major, Op.35: II Scherzo
Sonate N 2 En Si Bl Majeur In B Flat Major, Op.35: III Marche Fune
Sonate N 2 En Si Bl Majeur In B Flat Major, Op.35: IV Finale (Presto)
Polonaise N 6 En La Bl Majeur In A Flat Major, Op.53
4 Ballades N 1 En Sol Mineur In G Minor, Op.23
4 Ballades N 2 En Fa Majeur In F MajorOp, 38
4 Ballades N 3 En La Bl Majeur In A Flat Major Op,47
4 Ballades N 4 En Fa Mineur In F Minor, Op.52
Fantaisie En Fa Mineur In F Minor, Op.49
Tarentelle En La Bl Majeur In A Flat, Op.43

Tracks:

Barcarolle En Fa Di Majeur In F Sharp, Op.60
12 Etudes Op.10 N 1 In C
12 Etudes Op.10 N 2 In A
12 Etudes Op.10 N 3 In E
12 Etudes Op.10 N 4 In c Sharp
12 Etudes Op.10 N 5 In G Flat
12 Etudes Op.10 N 6 In G Flat
12 Etudes Op.10 N 7 In E Flat
12 Etudes Op.10 N 8 In F
12 Etudes Op.10 N 9 In f
12 Etudes Op.10 N 10 In A Flat
12 Etudes Op.10 N 11 E Flat
12 Etudes Op.10 N 12 In C
12 Etudes Op.25 N 1 In A Flat
12 Etudes Op.25 N 2 In f
12 Etudes Op.25 N 3 In F
12 Etudes Op.25 N 4 In a
12 Etudes Op.25 N 5 In e
12 Etudes Op.25 N 6 In g Sharp
12 Etudes Op.25 N 7 In c Sharp
12 Etudes Op.25 N 8 In D Flat
12 Etudes Op.25 N 9 In G Flat
12 Etudes Op.25 N 10 In B Flat
12 Etudes Op.25 N 11 In a
12 Etudes Op.25 N 12 In c
Valses N 1 In E Flat, Op.18
Valses N 5 In A Flat, Op.42
Valses N 10 In b, Op.69 N 2
Valses N 14 In e, Op. Posth.

Tracks:

Piano Con No. 2 En f Op.21 I Allegro
Piano Con No. 2 En f Op.21 II Larghetto
Piano Con No. 2 En f Op.21 III Allegro Vivace
Impromptu No.3 In G Flat, Op.51
14 Valses No.1 In E Flat, Op.18
14 Valses No.2 In A Flat, Op.34 No.1
14 Valses No.3 In a, Op.34 No.2
14 Valses No.4 In F, Op.34 No.3
14 Valses No.5 In A Flat, Op.42
14 Valses No.6 In D Flat, Op.64 No.1
14 Valses No.7 In c Sharp, Op.64 No.2
14 Valses No.8 In A Flat, Op.64 No.3
14 Valses No.9 In A Flat, Op.69 No.1
14 Valses No.10 In b, Op.69 No.2
14 Valses No.11 In G Flat, Op.70 No.1
14 Valses No.12 In f, Op.70 No.2
14 Valses No.13 In D Flat, Op.70 No.3
14 Valses No.14 In e, Op. Posth.

Tracks:

24 Prdes Op.28 No.1 In C
24 Prdes Op.28 No.2 In a
24 Prdes Op.28 No.3 In G
24 Prdes Op.28 No.4 In e
24 Prdes Op.28 No.5 In D
24 Prdes Op.28 No.6 In b
24 Prdes Op.28 No.7 In A
24 Prdes Op.28 No.8 In f Sharp
24 Prdes Op.28 No.9 In E
24 Prdes Op.28 No.10 In c Sharp
24 Prdes Op.28 No.11 In B
24 Prdes Op.28 No.12 In g Sharp
24 Prdes Op.28 No.13 In F Sharp
24 Prdes Op.28 No.14 In e Flat
24 Prdes Op.28 No.15 In D Sharp
24 Prdes Op.28 No.16 In B Flat
24 Prdes Op.28 No.17 In A Flat
24 Prdes Op.28 No.18 In f
24 Prdes Op.28 No.19 In E Flat
24 Prdes Op.28 No.20 In c
24 Prdes Op.28 No.21 In B Flat
24 Prdes Op.28 No.22 In g
24 Prdes Op.28 No.23 In F
24 Prdes Op.28 No.24 In d
12 Etudes Op.10 No.1 In C
12 Etudes Op.10 No.2 In a
12 Etudes Op.10 No.3 In E
12 Etudes Op.10 No.4 In c Sharp
12 Etudes Op.10 No.5 In G Flat
12 Etudes Op.10 No.6 In e Flat
12 Etudes Op.10 No.7 In C
12 Etudes Op.10 No.8 In F
12 Etudes Op.10 No.9 In f
12 Etudes Op.10 No.10 In A Flat
12 Etudes Op.10 No.11 In E Flat
12 Etudes Op.10 No.12 In c

Tracks:

12 Etudes Op.25 No.1 In A Flat
12 Etudes Op.25 No.2 In f
12 Etudes Op.25 No.3 In F
12 Etudes Op.25 No.4 In a
12 Etudes Op.25 No.5 In e
12 Etudes Op.25 No.6 In g Sharp
12 Etudes Op.25 No.7 c Sharp
12 Etudes Op.25 No.8 In D Flat
12 Etudes Op.25 No.9 In G Flat
12 Etudes Op.25 No.10 In b
12 Etudes Op.25 No.11 In a
12 Etudes Op.25 No.12 in c
2 ChantsPolonais Op.75 (Transcription F.Liszt):Printemps ('Wiosna')
2 ChantsPolonais Op.75 (Transcription F.Liszt):L'Anneau ('Pierscien')
Nocturnes No.4 In F, Op.15 No.1
Nocturnes No.5 In F Sharp, Op.15 No.2
Nocturnes No.7 In c Sharp, Op.27 No.1
Nocturnes No.15 In f, Op.55 No.1
Nocturnes No.16 In E Flat, Op.55 No.2
3 Nouvelles Etudes Pour La Mode De Moscheles & Fs No.1 In f
3 Nouvelles Etudes Pour La Mode De Moscheles & Fs No.2 In D Flat
3 Nouvelles Etudes Pour La Mode De Moscheles & Fs No.3 In A Flat
Prde In c SHarp, Op.45

Customer Reviews:

hmmmmm.......2005-11-28

I have not purchased the CD but listened to the one minute sample of the first etude opus ten. I am not a fanatic diehard stickler for technique but there were at least 30 or so mistakes/slips. This makes me reluctant to purchase the disc.

Be prepared for lesser quality recording.......2005-11-15

I purchased this CD set on the advice of other reviewers because I wanted a collection of Chopin works and it seemed that Cortot was one of the best pianists who performed Chopin's works.

I cannot write about his musicianship compared with other artists--please read the other reviews. But I will say that if you're planning to purchase this set, be prepared that the quality of the recording is really not that good. I did not heed the warnings of the other reviewers. It sounds like Cortot is performing in the middle of a waterfall.

Perhaps this recording will grow on me, but I'm going to look elsewhere for a set of Chopin works that I would listen to on a regular basis.

Thanks for reading.

You haven't really heard Chopin if you haven't heard Cortot!.......2005-09-21

Well, that may well be the case.

Cortot had won open admiration of Schiff, Cziffra, Michelangeli, Arrau, Solti... just to name a few. His pianism and his Chopin included is so incisive, with myriad of hues from coming from his subtle touch. And the poignancy is such that it is pure poetic ecstasy all through.

Talking about this album, despite the fact that Cortot had a long performing and recording career, the real obstacle is the archive sound. In this album we can have almost the best recording possible, with better transfer than most other trade names by far, be it Naxos or Aura, or whatever for the price of something like Naxos!

Note however that there is some grumble that EMI should instead chose his Preludes recorded in the 30s rather than those of the 40s, and EMI shouldn't have chosen his B Minor Sonata of recorded in the 50s when Cortot was declining... But in the latters we have better recordings and they are more bewitching even if slightless less staggering. Likewise, Barbirolli's accompaniment here may not be the most ideal, yet it is so fresh and so alive to say the least. On the whole, the recording and transfer is much better than what we have in Rachmaninov's box set by RCA.

Enormously enjoybale with so much to learn. And for those find the archive sound hard to bear with, do bear in mind that the pianist whom Schiff listen to most is Cortot, and before Cortot, it was Schnabel!

A must for both Chopin lovers and piano enthusiasts.......2004-10-17

This box set, something very difficult to find in the real world, is a must(!) for anyone interested, historically speaking, in how these works should sound along with their evolution from the early 1900's to the present. Why is Cortot qualified for this role? His teacher was Louis Dermier, one of Chopin's last pupils and supposed one of his favourites. This means Cortot is in fact the grandson of the Chopin technique, learning from one who was directly intructed how to play these works. Beyond that, he is one of the most remarkable pianists of his or any time, often criticized from an overextensive rubato, but this is the essence of Cortot. He may be the most informed pianist of all time, not only dissecting the notes on the page, but the mind of the composer and the life at the time that each composition was invented.
Any enthusiast of Chopin must listen to these recordings with an open mind. At first you will shun them, unaccustomed to the way the pieces differ from today, but soon they will grow on you and you hear each piece as if for the first time, and yo realize how far off our modern pianists are from the truth of the music. Most are more tachnically perfect than Cortot, he was often missing or hitting wrong notes, but the emotion behind those notes is what is the real importance of the music, something lost in todays pianists. Someone once said I would rather hear a good pianists wrong notes than a bad pianists right ones. And I cannot think of a more perfect personification of that comment than Cortot. In my mind he ranks as one of the top five pianists of the recording era, along with Hofmann, Richter, Horowitz, Gilels, and Moiseiwitsch. But honestly, I find more enjoyment listening to Cortot than any other single pianist on record, and this cortot box set covers almost three fourths of his Chopin output, so if you enjoy this find his Emi References of the Impromptus, the two great pianists disc are wonderful transfers, the chamber music trio with Thibaudet and Casals, and for the real enthusiast with money, the prades festival contains his last recording which a perfectly flawed rendition of the Third Cello Sonata by Beethoven and a version of Bei Mannern(different than the naxos.)

Must have!.......2003-07-24

This collection includes about 75% of Cortot's Chopin Recordings, which makes it the best value for anyone who doesn't already have these recordings. Several redundant recordings of works provide a glimpse into Cortot's mental makeup, and shows us just how much of his musical ideas change over time. Add to that the fact that most of the recordings are wonderful to listen to, and you have a must have recordings!