Chopin: Scherzi

On this CD:

1. Waltz for piano in A flat major, Op. 34/1, CT 208
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

2. Waltz for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 64/2, CT 213
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

3. Scherzo for piano No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20, CT 197
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

4. Scherzo for piano No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 31, CT 198
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

5. Scherzo for piano No. 3 in C sharp minor, Op. 39, CT 199
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

6. Scherzo for piano No. 4 in E major, Op. 54, CT 200
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

7. Barcarolle for piano in F sharp major, Op. 60, CT 6
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

8. Berceuse for piano in D flat major, Op. 57, CT 7
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Artur Rubinstein

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
Prelude In C Sharp Minor, Op. 45
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 Major, Op. 54

Amazon.com

Listening to these superb transfers of Ashkenazy's first complete cycles of the Ballades and Scherzos, which were recorded in the mid-1960s and have been out of the catalog for more than 20 years, is a startling reminder of why the Russian, then only in his 20s, became the dominant Chopin interpreter of his generation. While Ashkenazy's interpretive style had been anticipated by players such as Dinu Lipatti and Solomon, no one else had ever played so much Chopin with such selflessness. This is not to say that Ashkenazy's Chopin was bland, but that it eschewed histrionics and personal idiosyncrasies while missing none of the passion or emotional content of the music. His use of understatement in the G Minor Ballade brings the listener inside the work as more theatrical performances do not. In the F Minor Ballade, he creates an aura of mystery from the opening notes, sustains the labyrinthine narrative line with intensity and intimacy, and concludes with a passionate conquest of the coda. His equally inspired account of the other Ballades and all of the Scherzos make this one of the finest Chopin discs in the catalog. --Stephen Wigler

Customer Reviews:

Elegant, Understated Chopin.......2001-01-24

This is the first Ashkenazy recording of Chopin I've ever heard, and initially I was very surprised. I have Ashkenazy's Rachmaninoff and Beethoven, and his interpretations of both composers are very passionate and fiery, and of course technical challenges are not an issue for him. So you'd think with Chopin he'd really cut loose, especially since the Ballades and Scherzos give a pianist ample license to do so. Yet these interpretations are remarkably understated, and the attenuated passion here creates an entirely different listening experience of these pieces, since very few pianists can resist the temptation to rip into the first and third ballades, or the third scherzo. The consistency of Ashkenazy's vision is remarkable across these eight extremely varied pieces, which are drawn from every stage of Chopin's career, and they really grow on you after a while. Ashkenazy's approach works wonders on the final ballade and scherzo Chopin wrote, when the composer's moods became more introspective and ambiguous, and he was really testing the boundaries of romanticism. Both interpretations of these are superb in their aristocratic restraint and Ashkenazy's unfaltering grasp of the complex story each tells.

I'm not sure I'd recommend this as the one and only interpretation of the Ballades and Scherzos, but it's essential if you're really into these pieces and want a countervailing treatment to hold in opposition to the unbridled fury of Zimerman's rendition of the Ballades, or Pollini's blisteringly intense treatment of the Scherzos (ditto for Pollini's Ballades for that matter). At this very generous price it's luxury you can afford, and I don't think there's another recording of both the Scherzos and Ballades on one disc, with such a masterful pianist playing them.

Brilliant!..........!.......2000-07-03

Only three exclamation marks can express how powerful Ashkenazy's playing is. These days everybody plays the Ballades and Scherzi so it's hard to sift the "good" from the "bad". Of course, it's always a matter of taste, but few would say that Ashkenazy is a poor performer. He really is a hero for lovers of Chopin's music. The second Ballade (trk. 2) will send chills through your skin, especially at the point when the enchanted lake performs its strange magic and the piece reaches a climax into a funky mazurka-style...wow. Also, there has been no better interpretation of the Scherzo No. 2, its essence never lost to virtuosity (similarly the first Scherzo).

Tracks:

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 Major, Op. 54
Berceuse In D Flat Major, Op. 57
Barcarolle In F Sharp Major, Op. 60

Customer Reviews:

Maybe ok for Pollini fans..........2003-11-21

Well, if this recording is any evidence, it's no urban legend. Pollini's rendering of the scherzi is percussive, uningratiating, coldly brilliant, and as dry a performance of Chopin as I could imagine. I don't get it. Maybe you gotta be under 50 to be a Pollini fan. There are surely better CD's of this music around...Rubinstein, to be sure. Not that I don't respect Pollini...his Schoenberg is another story entirely.

powerful, poetic and everything in between.......2001-10-22

There's an urban legend about Pollini, surely created by people who never heard him play, that he's "cold", "mechanical" etc. Nothing can be more wrong. Pollini is a pianist that his utmost concern is to convey what the composer had in mind as faithfully as possible, and he's humble enough and capable enough to do so as much as it is humanly possible. The articulation and phrasing are subtle, in many cases, but they are there, and very much so. One doesn't have to be a professional musician to realize how much joy and deep understanding of the music there is in his recordings, right from the very early ones. e.g. the Chopin 1st piano concerto that he recorded at the age of 18 (!), right after winning first prize at the Chopin competition in Warsaw (to my humble opinion - the best recording of this work). The works on this CD present a wide range of Chopin's compositional style - from the wonderfully energetic and direct first scherzo, to the elusive and almost impressionistic fourth scherzo, the beautiful berceuse, which unfolds a theme with variations that feels like a chinese landscape scroll and the monumental barcarolle. Pollini has the acuity of mind/ear/hands to match his interpretation to each and every one of the pieces. On a personal level of preference - the second scherzo gets a better treatment, I believe, from Pollini's compatriot, the late Benedetti-Michelangeli, but Pollini's performance is still a great one, and the rest of the CD is simply perfect.

Bravo! You'll never hear these great pieces played better!.......1998-10-20

If you've never bought any Pollini recordings before, this is a good one to start with. The performances are so totally perfected -- beautifully expressive, subtle and refined. The Berceuse and Barcarolle are among the most beautiful classical recordings I have ever heard. If you like this one, try the Beethoven Concertos collection that includes the "Choral Fantasy," or the Beethoven Sonatas collection containing "The Tempest," "Walstein," and "Les Adieux." Pollini is truly a modern day master.

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Marketing hype?
Fine Chopin Scherzi and Impromptus from Yundi Li
Agree with many music critics
Precision versus Passion: An Early Stage of a Career
Exquisite and Sensitive Playing

Chopin: Scherzi/Impromptus

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0002SZVUO
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Tracks:

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 Major, Op.54
Impromptu No.1 In A Flat Major, Op.29
Impromptu No.2 In F Sharp Major, Op.36
Impromptu No.3 In G Flat Major, Op.51

Amazon.com

Yundi Li is being groomed for superstardom. He's got the looks, youth, and keyboard athleticism to fill that role, but on the basis of this all-Chopin disc (and his previous Chopin and Liszt recitals), he still lacks the interpretive maturity that translates into staying power. His B minor Scherzo, for example, comes off as excessively sectional, and its central section lacks poetry. Other works here fare better, but his attention appears focused on pianistic fluency and dazzling finger work, often at the expense of a full measure of emotional communication. The Impromptus, lovely as they are in places, tend to blandness. Li compensates for his lack of depth and spontaneity with a beautiful tone, remarkably even runs, and precise articulation at high speeds, attributes which should be sufficient for many. If you're looking for the rhetorical, probing grandeur of an Arrau or the emotional directness of a Rubinstein you'll look elsewhere. But if you're in tune with Pollini's detached, objective Chopin and enjoy hearing a skilled pianist perform impressive technical feats on the instrument, you'll want this disc. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Marketing hype?.......2006-05-30

When I read all comments, I have a bad feeling about the future of classical music. All these comparisons of Yundi Li's recordings with old masters like Rubinstein, Pollini, Argerich and Zimerman sound radiculous. First of all what recordings are they compering to? Second, compering CD's is quite deceiving.
This recording is just a finger work.
I was fortunate to listen live to the above mentioned masters many times in the past and I listened to Yundi twice in the last two years. He is certainly a great technician but he represents a new generation of pianists who opt for a technical beauty instead of delving deeper. His performance lacked of any emotional communication. He is simply not in the same league what old masters and I seriously doubt that he ever be.
It's been already six years since he won Chopin Competition and his repertoire is very limited. He travels and plays the same program over and over again. That's a danger for young artists who sign the contract with an artist management agency in early stages of their career. This young artist has certainly a great potential. I don't know who advises him but he should follow Pollini's and Zimerman's career path. After winning the Chopin Competition at the same age what Yundi Li, they disappeared for some time and reemerged much later as matured artists.
Unfortunately, in today's world young artist are subject to huge pressure which is overwhelming them. I wish Yundi very well but it is difficult to evolve as an artist while preparing your work and fitting everything into your concert schedule.

Fine Chopin Scherzi and Impromptus from Yundi Li.......2006-04-03

Young Chinese pianist Yundi Li demonstrates yet again that he is a rapidly maturing artist of great depth and sensibility in this fine recording of Chopin's Scherzi and Impromptus. Without question, the greatest asset he brings now to his playing is his formidable technique, which is shown to be playing of ample dexerity, that others have remarked does seem to be "weightless" (This remark is noted in the liner notes of this CD recording.). Indeed, Li's performances of these Chopin pieces compare quite well with the intellectually probing playing shown by Pollini. Those interested in far more dramatic, fiery interpretations of these scores should turn elsewhere to the likes of Argerich, and especially, Arrau and Rubinstein, but still I regard Li's interpretations as equally valid as theirs. Much to his credit, Li has shown that he has ample emotional sensibility to become a great interpreter of Romantic piano music; a trait I have seen missing from his peer Lang Lang, whose performances of Chopin's, Liszt's, and Schumann's music are a far cry from those I've heard in Li's recordings. Indeed, I believe that Yundi Li seems more respectful of Chopin's intentions for these works, than Lang Lang, yet Li also manages to put his own personal stamp in his performances of the Scherzi, emphasizing not only his subtle, poetic playing, but also its fiery, dramatic intensity when it is required in these scores. Moreover, I am especially impressed with the wonderful tones he produces in his playing, without resorting to much usage of the pedal; these are clear and quite lovely to hear. The sound quality is quite superb, offering the listener the intimacy of a recital in one's own room.

Agree with many music critics.......2005-06-25

Fully agree with many music critics that Scherzi/Impromtus played by Yundi Li is full of original interpretations and passion which Lang Lang is always lacking of. 'Soulless' is how some music critics described music played by Lang Lang. To me, Lang Lang is merely playing notes with precision.

Precision versus Passion: An Early Stage of a Career.......2005-06-25

Without question Yundi Li is a pianist with the gift. At this stage in his career he is refining his technique and offers Chopin (in this recording) with technical virtuosity and clarity of tone and pedaling. This is crisp, highly delineated playing that is refreshing to the ear. Certainly many other young pianists with his good looks well captured by sensitive photographers, dignified stage presence, and nobility of style have fallen victim to the dangers of pushing a career too fast: it is difficult not to follow the call of stardom.

But I think the young Yundi Li is pacing himself well. While he at this point does not play with the passion and the heart of the masters, he does communicate the finite details of the works of the composers he performs. To this listener's ear the passion is under the surface and will radiate when the works he is performing gel a bit longer. Being a follower of the 'true romantic pianists' these may be strong presumptions, but Li has a quality of involvement rather than detachment that seems to promise the soul of the works will follow.

It is perhaps unfair to compare Li with his contemporary Lang Lang, but both are young gifted artists and both are climbing the ladder of success. Audiences love them both even though they are polarized: Li is the cool authoritative technician while Lang Lang is the fiery passionate performance artist. And we may take our pick depending on personal preference and repertoire. For now, this CD of Lundi's Chopin Scherzi and Impromtus is a refined and elegant recording. Recommended. Grady Harp, June 05

Exquisite and Sensitive Playing.......2005-05-30

"This is not just playing, but story-telling.. . He has a steely technique that always serves the music and never shows off for its own sake." - Kenneth LaFave

I have to say that the more I listen to this CD, the more I admire Yundi Li's impeccable technique and his fresh interpretation. His translucent, pearl-like keyboard sound in this DG fine recording make this CD tremendously enjoyable.

Wonder why, four months after the CD was released in the US, Amazon.com has not posted more editorial reviews. There are many reviews in both print and web media. I would like to paste a few here and hope they are helpful.

Listen to this radio review online:
The Arizona Republic CD of the week
http://www.kbaq.org/music/cdreviews/20050109
by Kenneth LaFave

Chicago Tribune,
John von Rhein
Published March 20, 2005
Only 18 when he won the Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2000 (the youngest contestant ever to win the gold medal), the Chinese pianist Yundi Li dispatches this recital with a panache, poetry and musicality that mark him as a commanding Chopin interpreter.

Li has something of his own to bring to the four Scherzos. The easy brilliance of his pianism is apparent from the bravura opening of the Scherzo No. 1, with its rippling arabesques and glittering runs. The second scherzo, in which formidable chordal sequences and scales are set off by quieter, more graceful pages, evinces power and nuance that set Li apart from many of today's younger firebrands. The third and fourth scherzos are delicate, subtly complex creations; here Li's flexibility puts him fully inside the sensibility of Chopin.

The pianist acquits himself equally well in the three Impromptus, with their tricky dancelike passages and subtle contrasting themes. Let's hope Li's management lands him a recital appearance in downtown Chicago before long.

The Weekend Australian, January 22, 2005,
CLASSICAL
Murray Black
Chopin: Scherzos, Impromptus
CHOPIN was my first great love," says Chinese pianist Yundi Li -- and it shows. Of course he has the formidable technique you'd expect from a wunderkind: dazzling runs and passages, razor-sharp clarity, brilliant articulation, remarkable dynamic control. More important, though, is his warmth, intelligence and sure grasp of structure, thereby realising the individual character of each work. His scherzos are strong and supple: Li contrasts the often fiery outer sections with sensitive explorations of the melancholic middle passages. The well-paced impromptus are delicate and imaginative. Best of all is Li's cantabile and legato phrasing which, when matched with the sustained beauty of his tone, allows the music to breathe and flow. Outshining Arrau's listless octogenarian readings (Philips), Li's Chopin stands comparison with the best: Rubinstein, Pollini, Freire and Ashkenazy

NYTimes Jan. 16, 2005
Anthony Tommasini
Chopin: Scherzos, Impromptus

DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON has been promoting the young Chinese pianist Lang Lang to the sky. One slogan reads: "The future of classical music has arrived. His name is Lang Lang."

But Mr. Lang is not the only young Chinese pianist on Deutsche Grammophon's roster. Yundi Li won the prestigious Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2000, when he was 18. To judge from his new recording, a Chopin program offering the four scherzos and the three impromptus, Mr. Li's technique is as brilliant as Mr. Lang's but more refined, and Mr. Li is the more probing and sensitive musician.

There is plenty of white-hot virtuosity in his accounts of the scherzos. In the hell-bent opening of the Scherzo No. 1 in B minor, Mr. Li takes off in a bolt of demonic energy and doesn't let up until the somber second theme. The notes whiz by with uncanny clarity, yet Mr. Li brings out bass lines and inner voices beautifully. He uses Chopinesque rubato liberally yet tastefully. His expressive nuances are balanced by a generally cool temperament.

The overplayed Scherzo no. 2 in B flat minor sounds wonderfully fresh in his muscular, no-nonsense performance. Scurrying passagework and gossamer textures enrich his impressive account of the Scherzo No. 4 in E, though Mr. Li might profit from listening to the 1959 recording by Arthur Rubinstein, who takes time to smell the roses. Mr. Li's maturity comes through best in his tender accounts of the impromptus.

That he is a sweetly handsome young man with an appealing stage manner gives him another leg up. But I would be more reassured about his artistic depth if I saw more names of living composers (or even composers after Ravel) on his CD and recital programs. But he is already a serious and accomplished pianist. It's encouraging to know that he is making time to continue his studies in Germany

.

CHOPIN : Four Scherzi; 13 Preludes from Op. 28 - Richter

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CHOPIN : Four Scherzi; 13 Preludes from Op. 28 - Richter

Manufacturer: Regis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli plays Mozart, Chopin, Brahms, etc. (Box) [Germany]
Sviatoslav Richter Plays Schubert

ASIN: B0009WYYJ2
Release Date: 2005-06-10

Tracks:

No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20 - Presto con fuoco
No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 31 - Presto
No. 3 in C sharp minor, Op. 39 - Presto con fuoco
No. 4 in E, Op. 54 - Presto
No. 4 in E minor
No. 5 in D major
No. 6 in B minor
No. 7 in A major
No. 8 in F sharp minor
No. 9 in E major
No. 10 in C sharp minor
No. 13 in F sharp major
No. 19 in E flat major
No. 11 in B major
No. 2 in A minor
No. 23 in F major
No. 21 in B flat major

Product Description

Fryderyck Chopin (1810-49)

The Four Scherzi

13 Preludes from Opus 28

Sviatoslav Richter (1915-97) - piano

Chopin: Piano Sonatas #2 & 3, Ballades, Op. 23,38,47 & 52, Scherzi Op. 20, 31, 39 & 54; Cecile Ousset

Average customer rating:

Sound fine on original

Chopin: Piano Sonatas #2 & 3, Ballades, Op. 23,38,47 & 52, Scherzi Op. 20, 31, 39 & 54; Cecile Ousset
Frederic Chopin , and Cecile Ousset
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Martha Argerich Plays Chopin: The Legendary 1965 Recording

ASIN: B0000CE7FO
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Tracks:

I. Grave
II. Scherzo
III. Marche Funebre
IV. Presto
Presto Con Fuoco
Presto
Presto Con Fuoco
Presto

Tracks:

I. Allegro Maestoso
II. Scherzo
III. Largo
IV. Finale: Presto
No. 1 - Largo
No. 2 - Andantino
No. 3 - Allegretto
No. 4 - Andante Con Moto

Amazon.com

This 2-CD set presents some of Chopin's most beloved masterpieces--the two great Sonatas and the complete Scherzi and Ballades--in splendid performances. Perhaps the most immediately striking characteristic of Cécile Ousset's playing, apart from her consummate mastery of the instrument, is its extraordinary clarity and transparency, no matter how full the texture. She must use the pedal very sparingly. Her passage-work is brilliant, her runs are like chains of flawless pearls, no matter how fast the tempo. Even the Presto Finales of the two sonatas are crystal clear. Every line stands out, and the balance between her hands is perfect. Musically, her most immediately striking characteristic is her uninhibited, surging romanticism. She has the courage to follow the dictates of her heart, pushing forward and pulling back with the ebb and flow of the music; she also freely changes the tempo along with its changing moods, but her transitions are always poised and controlled, and there is plenty of time to enjoy and caress melodic and harmonic details. Above all, she brings out all of Chopin's mercurial emotions, from inward reverie and melancholy, mysteriousness, elfin delicacy, majestic grandeur and solemnity, poetry, ardor, humor, to soaring ecstasy and serene resignation. Unfortunately, she is badly served by the recorded sound, which is harsh, clangorous and tinny; though she obviously commands a large range of colors and nuances, they must be surmised rather than being actually heard. The recordings were originally made in 1987 and 1988, this compilation dates from 2003; surely the beauty of the music and the high quality of the playing deserve better technological results. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Sound fine on original .......2006-06-28

I have the original CD of the 3rd Sonata and the Ballades. The sound is great on that CD and like Edith Eisler said, the performances are superb. At the super low price, this double CD is an absolute bargain.

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Chopin: The Four Scherzi; Variations

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0007DBXHY
Release Date: 2005-03-08

Chopin: Scherzi; Impromptus [Hybrid SACD]

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Chopin: Scherzi; Impromptus [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mozart: Piano & Violin Sonatas [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B0002SZVUY
Release Date: 2005-04-12

Tracks:

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 Major, Op.54
Impromptu No. 1 In A Flat Major, Op.29
Impromptu No. 2 In F Sharp Major, Op.36
Impromptu No. 3 In G Flat Major, Op.51

Chopin: 4 Scherzi; Polonaise No. 6; Ballade No. 3; Berceuse [United Kingdom]

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Chopin: 4 Scherzi; Polonaise No. 6; Ballade No. 3; Berceuse [United Kingdom]
Nelson Freire
Manufacturer: Apex
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sonata 2/Etudes/Barcarolle

ASIN: B00021SUGS
Release Date: 2006-04-14

Tracks:

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 Major, Op.54
Polonaise No.6 In A Flat Major, Op.53
Ballade No.3 In A Flat Major, Op.47
Berceuse In D Flat Major, Op.57
Prelude In C Sharp Minor, Op.45
3 Ecossaises, Op.72 No.3

Chopin: Scherzi and Impromptus; Allegro de concert

Average customer rating:

Fabulous impromptus but something's lacking in the Scherzi

Chopin: Scherzi and Impromptus; Allegro de concert

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Chopin: Rondos and Variations

ASIN: B00000J8XX
Release Date: 1999-09-28

Tracks:

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
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#, Op.66, 'Fant-Impromptu'
Allegro De Concert, Op.46

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous impromptus but something's lacking in the Scherzi.......2007-03-15

Idil Biret's recordings for Naxos are not only extensive and diverse, but usually of high quality. Her Berlioz-Liszt, Rachmaninov, and especially Brahms, have all been outstanding. Her excursion into Chopin's music has also produced some phenomenal results: the Mazurkas, Etudes, Variations etc. And on this particular recording, Biret is completely successful with the Impromptus and the marvelous, if underrated, Allegro de concert. However, her executions of the Scherzi are messy, disjointed, and overwhelming with idiosyncratic staccato.

Biret is stellar in the central lyrical interlude of the first Scherzo. But in the scherzo theme itself, she plays slow and with a disconnected phrasing: there are too many starts and stops without any legato. Even in the virtuosic ending, all her technical precision means nothing when she's not even engrossed in the passion of the music. I've heard so many bad renditions of the second Scherzo, but Biret actually does a fine job in this one. With the delicacy of a kitten's paw and the violence of a panther's claw, she demonstrates dynamic control in the central section, and a satisfying sonority in the scherzo theme. Unfortunately, she fails to deliver in the third Scherzo. She is above-average in the poetic central section, but she is completely inadequate in the framing scherzo theme. Towards the end she builds up some steam only to fail to make a cohesive stream out of the passagework. The fourth Scherzo is not that bad. Biret really delves into Chopin's pathos of the middle part; overall, she seems more inspired in this performance.

For some reason, Biret truly shines in the Impromptus. Her suave interpretation of the first Impromptu's opening theme and her ethereal articulation of Chopin's melancholy musings are distinctive. In the second Impromptu, Biret's delivery is a triumph. From the fragile opening to the booming crescendo of the march-like theme toward the middle, Biret displays top-notch poise and strength. The third Impromptu is almost as good as it gets: Biret's delectable phrasing and rubato definitely does justice to Chopin's angelic music. The Fantasie-Impromptu is not as special, but I've heard so many eminent pianists play this, that it's hard for Biret to match them. I think her greatest weakness is in the fast barnstorming moments; her manifestation of Chopin's sorrow in the slower bars is immaculate, though.

Last, but unquestionably not the least, is Chopin's sublime Allegro de concert Op. 46. I think Biret makes up for her inconsistencies and empty emotions in the Scherzi with her lovely realization of this piece. This lengthy but absolutely beautiful work is given the best treatment in Biret's hands. Biret's arsenal includes a full-blooded attack and a melting lyricism. She has completely regained that rich legato and warmth that was lacking in the Scherzi. In my estimation, this is the best piece on here, a breathtaking and often disregarded Chopin work.

Bottom line: For those interested in a superlative display of technical power and musicality in the Scherzi, look elsewhere. However, don't let that deter you from sampling her spellbinding interpretations of the Impromptus and the Allegro de concert.

Garrick Ohlsson - The Complete Chopin Piano Works Vol. 4 ~ Scherzi & Variations

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SCHERZI PATHETIQUE
Garrick Ohlsson continues his Chopin tradition...

Garrick Ohlsson - The Complete Chopin Piano Works Vol. 4 ~ Scherzi & Variations
Frédéric Chopin , and Garrick Ohlsson
Manufacturer: Arabesque Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Garrick Ohlsson - The Complete Chopin Piano Works Vol. 3 - Ballades
Garrick Ohlsson - The Complete Chopin Piano Works Vol. 1 ~ Sonatas
Garrick Ohlsson: The Complete Chopin Piano Works Vol. 10 - Etudes
Garrick Ohlsson - The Complete Chopin Piano Works Vol. 6 ~ Nocturnes
Garrick Ohlsson - The Complete Chopin Piano Works Vol. 5 ~ Polonaises & Impromptus

ASIN: B000000T84
Release Date: 1993-08-11

Tracks:

Scherzo In B Minor, Op.20
Scherzo In B-Flat Minor, Op.31
Scherzo In C-Sharp Minor, Op.39
Scherzo In E Major, Op.54
Variation VI From The Hexameron
Variations On A German Air, Op. post.
Variations On Je Vends De Scapulaires, Op. 12

Customer Reviews:

SCHERZI PATHETIQUE.......2002-01-03

For those of us familiar with these works--- the most eccentric of Chopin's "children"--- Ohlsson's playing might cause consternation, or delight, or both; but what is certain is that we are in the presence of a pianist whose artistry, willingness to sidestep convention, and whose breadth of psychological understanding reveal the heart, soul and intentions of compositional elements heretofore subverted or dismissed or ignored by the majority of his colleagues.

Initially, I was amazed at the length of each Scherzo: No. 1-- 11:24; No. 2-- 12:21; No. 3-- 9:15; No. 4-- 12:32. I had never seen timings like this, and I wondered if Ohlsson could sustain these most fiery and erratic and luminous of Chopin's compositions without having the works disintegrate. "Heavenly length" is something I treasure; however, it takes an artist of great wisdom dedication and focus to maintain a musical force of such cohesion.

Naturally, I should have realized from his renditions of the Ballades (Vol. 3 in Arabesque's Chopin series) that Mr. Ohlsson does indeed possess the incredible pianism needed to interpret the Scherzi in a way no other performer would dare attempt. So intense is his concentration that even at radically slow tempi, with trio sections nearly at a crawl, these Scherzi are astoundingly dramatic, probing distillations of the composer's deepest conflicts, fears, longings.

Seldom would I have ever thought to call the Scherzi "sublime," but sublime they are, and it's unacceptable to think of them in any other terms under these circumstances. So often these works become merely hectoring bombasts under the clangorous fingers of pianists whose sole aim is to rivet or impress by pyrotechnique alone. This is what makes Ohlsson's performances that much more valuable emotionally and musically: his is a subtle casting of the Scherzi into compositions rich in elemental turmoil, unrelenting beauty, passionate displays of ecstatic yearning, pathos, finely-wrought melancholy, and even the most delicious episodes of sardonic hysteria. It is Olsson's "molding of form" that captures us, changes us, so that the Scherzi can never--- ever--- be heard in the same way, in the same sense, again. We come away from these performances deep in thought, deeply moved.

In contrast, the lighter variations that follow are a blessed balm, especially the Variations on a German Air (written by a sixteen-year-old Chopin in 1826!), played so charmingly by Mr. Ohlsson. And the Op. 12 Variations, too, of 1833, are simply delightful and delectably diverse in color and mood.

All-in-all, this is a fascinating CD--- and an excursion into the Scherzi which you will not soon forget, and to which you will be innumerably drawn.

The sound world inhabited by Mr. Ohlsson is as intimate and personal as is his playing. Both the Scherzi and Variations abound in the merits of both artist and engineer.

[Running time: 65:38]

Garrick Ohlsson continues his Chopin tradition..........1997-07-11

Garrick Olsson's bizarre, but strangely satisfying performance of Chopin (the composer he has long been identified with) is very similar to all his other Arabesque releases (so far up to 8 volumes) in the Chopin cycle. The CD also contains some of Chopin's less known works, the minor variations. Ohlsson delivers his usual high-quality performance, but there is much more to his polished playing than technique.

Ohlsson's interpretations of each piece are intensely personal, and very odd. If you're looking for pieces to compete with Arthur Rubenstein, Adam Haraciewicz, or Vladimir Horowitz, you won't find them here. His renditions are unlike any others you will ever find. Traditional readings of the pieces have been replaced with puzzling changes, though not unsatisfactory.

To start, Ohlsson's timing is quirky, choppy, and at times, spastic. It brings to mind the Chopin of Claudio Arrau, also unusual in his timing. Second, every scherzo is twice as long as usual. Fast and furious this is not. Ohlsson's playing is nostalgic, dramatic, sentimental, and always dreamy. The fast parts are slowed down by about a third from most recordings, and the slow parts by half. Yet this detracts little from the overall impression it leaves you with, for unless you have listened to twenty other scherzi recordings, you wouldn't know the difference.

The main question here is this: if you had to buy only one Scherzi recording, would this be it? I would say a tentative yes, with the understanding that this is not at all a standard recording, and definitly not how the composer himself would have played them. I would recommend Rubenstein's Ballade/Scherzi CD (watch out for the 3rd scherzo, however- it sounds uninspired), Any Horowitz recording, especially his 1986 recording of the 1st scherzo, and definitly anything by Adam Haraciewicz (Philips label), Van Cliburn (RCA Victor), and very possibly Claudio Arrau.

Keep close in mind that Ohlsson got a name for himself through his transcendental, emotional playing, and that's what you'll find here. A good album all around, not perfect, and certainly interesting. For anyone who likes Garrick Ohlsson, Chopin's Scherzi, Musicians (especially pianists), and anyone in for romantic, languid, dramatic piano music.

Summary: A good buy. Review: Evan Stephens END

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