Chopin: Ballades

On this CD:

1. Ballade for piano No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23, CT 2 (Four Ballades)
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Idil Biret

2. Ballade for piano No. 2 in F major, Op. 38, CT 3 (Four Ballades)
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Idil Biret

3. Ballade for piano No. 3 in A flat major, Op. 47, CT 4 (Four Ballades)
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Idil Biret

4. Ballade for piano No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52, CT 5 (Four Ballades)
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Idil Biret

5. Berceuse for piano in D flat major, Op. 57, CT 7
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Idil Biret

6. Etude for piano in F minor, KK IIb/3, CT 38 (Trois nouvelles études)
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Idil Biret

7. Etude for piano in A flat major . KK IIb/3, CT 39 (Trois nouvelles études)
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Idil Biret

8. Etude for piano in D flat major KK IIb/3, CT 40 (Trois nouvelles études)
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Idil Biret

9. Fantasy for piano in F minor/A flat major, Op. 49, CT 42
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Idil Biret

10. Galopp for piano in A flat major, KK IVc/13
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Idil Biret

11. Largo for piano in E flat major, KK IVb/5, CT 49
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Idil Biret

12. Funeral march for piano in C minor, Op. 72/2
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Idil Biret

13. Cantabile for piano in B flat major, KK IVb/6, CT 9
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Idil Biret

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

a good collection of classical music........2007-01-10

If you enjoy piano music, you should have this CD.

As Good As It Gets.......2006-03-24

Rubinstein was in his prime when these versions of the Chopin Ballades and Scherzos were recorded in 1959. Curiously, although this was his third version of the Scherzos, he had never before recorded the Ballades.

Rubinstein was temperamentally well suited to these works, moreso than in the Mazurkas and Preludes. The narrative aspect of the Ballades suited his intuitive sense of structure well. At this point in his career, Rubinstein had known these pieces for six decades. It is no wonder, therefore, that he performs them more convincingly than, say, Kissin does on his recent recording.

The Scherzos are outright virtuoso works. Rubinstein would occasionally perform all four in concert, back-to-back. Any other pianist would have been exhasted by the effort. Not Rubinstein, who posessed a seemingly inexaustable reserve of energy. The pianist is just as on top of these pieces, technically, as any of his colleagues, and much more attuned to them musically.

The sound, made from original three channel tapes produced by RCA's legendary Jack Pfeiffer, is spectacular in this new SACD edition--sounding every bit as lifelike as the best of today's digital recordings.

This is the one to get!

Great performances and sound.......2004-11-28

Highly recommended. Rubinstein's performances of the Ballades are lyrical, and the Scherzos exciting. The difference with previous issues is the SACD sound, which adds just that much more realism, the sense that the sound is "truer." A wonderful disc both artistically and sonically.

Chopin: 4 Ballades/Barcarolle, Op.60/Fantasie in F

Average customer rating:

Not my cup of tea.
Love it!
Can it get any better than this...?
Great work, but could go little further
A very personal approach, but the competiiton is fierce

Chopin: 4 Ballades/Barcarolle, Op.60/Fantasie in F

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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

Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Claude Debussy: Préludes
Liszt: Sonata for piano in Bm; Lugubre Gondola No1&2
Chopin: 4 Ballades, 4 Scherzi / Ashkenazy
Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2

ASIN: B000001G8Q
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Balladen: No.1 in g, op.23
4 Balladen - Ballades - Ballate: No 2 F-dur Op. 38
4 Balladen - Ballades - Ballate: No. 3 As-dur Op. 47
4 Balladen - Ballades - Ballate: No. 4 f-moll Op. 52
4 Balladen - Ballades - Ballate: Barcarolle Fis-dur Op. 60
4 Balladen - Ballades - Ballate: Fantasie f-moll Op. 49

Amazon.com

Krystian Zimerman's Chopin is big. He plays this music with a great dynamic range and huge contrasts, with little of the shading we love in Rubinstein's Chopin. Except for the Barcarolle, these are pretty big pieces, so Zimerman doesn't exactly overwhelm the music. It's just very 20th- century Chopin, not on the composer's original scale, but not badly done either. I think this disc would sound a lot better in a large listening room than in a small one, however (or in your car). The recording is too close up; we could have used more distance from the piano. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Not my cup of tea........2007-05-30

I am not a great enthusiast of Chopin, but consider his Ballades the best of his compositions both in depth of emotions and lyricism.
Hence I am a rather keen listener of this category of Chopin. I bought Mr. Zimmerman's disc with high hopes, being Chopin Ballades played by a Polish pianist that is both young (1990 recorded) and eminent.
However, I must admit that I did not enjoy this disc.
The playing isn't bad at all, but it is a matter of taste.
The ballades are too straightforward in emotions. The Barcarolle hardly sounds like one such - Argerich had a much much finer rendition of the same piece, much more moving and vivid.
However, I think with maturity and time, Mr. Zimmerman would be able to come up with a newer and more profound version of the same pieces.
I look forward to it.

Love it!.......2006-04-04

As explained in the brief but adequate notes accompanying this recording, the term "ballade" also suggests some poetry and this is 'reading' proves it. I LOVE the way that Zimerman pours over these pieces...like the delicate but vivid watercolours that I envision them to be! The rubato is to die for and the piano, while close, is full and warm. Only by way of comparison, while I'm also a fan of Ashkenazy's interpretations, his piano has a metallic ring that is absent from say Zimerman and Pollini recordings. But back to the present set, in particular the Ballade No. 4 f-moll op. 52 is a lover's caress....languid but never lazy.

I have searched for exactly this interpretation. Not to everyone's taste maybe but after the unrushed but pristine brilliance of Pollini's Ballades, this is the PERFECT counterpoint. My Chopin Ballades are now complete.

Can it get any better than this...?.......2006-02-16

I absolutely LOVE this cd, it is definitely one of my "desert island" discs. For this recording Zimerman again used his own Steinway, which has such a great, warm sound.
Some may find his tempi on the slow side, but that's more a question of personal taste. However, I can hardly think of a better, more beautiful way to play the 4th ballade, it's absolutely stunning, what a sound, what a music! I've heard it better maybe once, by Zimerman live in concert in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Great work, but could go little further.......2005-11-27

Zimerman's rendition of the Chopin Ballades are well crafted and probing. However, he could vary his style and phrasing a bit. For example, the G minor's entrance could use some more color and momentum (his is as slow is it gets). The F minor and Fantasie are also static during the beginning. I agree with Mr. Gabrowski that Ivan Moravec's recording is more compelling and spontaneous. Fortuanately, DG's digital sonics compell me to listen to this recording every once in a while.

A very personal approach, but the competiiton is fierce.......2005-11-01

Zimerman is Polish, a Chopin specialist of note, and a sometime conductor who founded an orchestra named after his immortal countryman. But this set of Ballades is exactly as reviewer John Grabowski says, a bit too tame and literal.

I have no idea where the official Amazon reviewer is coming from--Zimerman doesn't play the Ballades as big pieces (go to Kissin and Pollini for that), and as for being far away from Rubenstein's style, Zimerman's stiffness and dryness often remind me of Rubenstein. In fact he avoids much of the drama and passion in these great works. As to tempi, Zimerman is a minute slower than Pollini in the first three Ballades, two minutes slower in the Fourth Ballade and the F minor Fantasy. But that still puts him in the same range as Kissin and many others.

There's a lot of clipped, terse playing here, but also a lot of arbitrary pauses for effect, and Zimerman imposes his own temperament in terms of rubato and phrasing. The result is more than a bit calculated. I realize that there are those who love Zimerman as much as I love Pollini, but overall this isn't a Chopin CD I treasure.

Chopin: 4 Ballades; Fantaisie, Op. 49; Prelude, Op. 45

Average customer rating:

Making a case for Pollini in the Ballades?
Played as only Pollin could play them
Pollini sings, and you'll regret if you don't hear him
Pollini's Chopin Ballades : Craftmanship and nothing else
Awesome fluency

Chopin: 4 Ballades; Fantaisie, Op. 49; Prelude, Op. 45

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music

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

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

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ASIN: B00001X58L
Release Date: 1999-10-05

Tracks:

Ballade No.1 In G Minor Op.23: Largo - Moderato - Presto con fuoco
Ballade No.2 In F Major Op.38: Andantino - Presto con fuoco - Agitato - Tempo I
Ballade No.3 In A Flat Major Op.47: Allegretto
Ballade No.4 In F Minor Op.52: Andante con moto
Prelude In C Sharp Minor Op.45: Sostenuto
Fantasie In F Minor Op.49: Marcia. Grave

Amazon.com

This disc is typical of Pollini's Chopin playing. There is always feeling in the music, and it is consistently expressive, in Pollini's patrician way. But if you want to hear a pianist getting his hands dirty in this music, this is definitely not the disc for you. Pollini's poetry is always refined; even his stormy outbursts are elegant. Although the Fantasie seems underpowered--and Pollini, with his extraordinary technique, still takes an unwritten extra beat for comfort when he has to skip from the top of the keyboard to the bottom--the remaining performances are extraordinary enough in their way to be well worth hearing, providing their own unique perspective on Chopin. Just don't expect the passion of Rubinstein. At 48:16, this is quite short measure for a contemporary full-price CD. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Making a case for Pollini in the Ballades?.......2005-11-01

Piano recitals tend to bring out good reviewers here at Amazon, but Pollini's Chopin Ballades haven't been well described yet. Each reviewer seem to have strong thumbs-up or thumbs-down opinions. They declare that Pollini is either in top form or has lost his touch completely.

As to the bare facts, Pollini plays all these works faster than the norm--Kissin, who recorded the Ballades in 1998 (RCA), roughly contemporaneous with this 1999 DG release, takes a full minute more for each piece, and Emanuel Ax, in his excellent 1990 RCA release, is almost as slow.

Pollini plays a rich-toned instrument caught close up. There is no air around the piano at all, which accentuates his intensity--these are controlled, almost breathless readings with a minimum of gentle rubato compared to other Chopin specialists like Rubenstein and Moravec. Kissin is also recorded closely on a fine-sounding instrument, although not of this caliber. Ax is given average sound with no special delight in the piano's sonorities.

Pollini doesn't intrude with an overt display of personal expression. For some listeners this disqualifies him, since Chopin playing going back to the age of Paderewski, Rachmaninoff, and Cortot has used the score as a starting point for the pianist's own extempore inspirations in tempo, phrasing, and emotional display. Pollini interpretss the Ballades as heroic, somewhat extroverted pieces--much closer to Beethoven than we usually hear. He is careful to avoid sounding nonchalant, informal, dainty, improvisatory, or fussy. In short, Pollini doesn't re-compose the music.

Kissin also plays the Ballades as big-boned, heroic pieces, but he uses more individual expression than Pollini--he slows down as much as he wants in order to give his own expressive touch free rein. Fortunately, his persoanl ideas are very convincing and musicl. Ax is passionately romantic, especially in the first Ballade, and in addition has a remarkable control over rubato--he's the overlooked contender here.

So, what is the case for Pollini in particular? Anyone who has heard this pianist live knows that he relies not at all on charm or superficial appeal. One is expected to sit up and pay close attention to Pollini's extraordinary ability to carry a piece straight through, in one intense arc of concentration. He uses his right and left hands so independently that there is never an accompaniment--something important is happening in one or both hands at every second. The overall result is mesmerizing--he has a hypnotic effect on audiences, in common with Michelangeli. If you want to be riveted in a breathtaking sweep from first note to last, no one excels Pollini in these works.

Played as only Pollin could play them.......2002-03-09

The four Ballades are Chopin's greatest masterworks. In fact, in my opinion, besides Beethoven's late sonatas, they are the greatest works for piano ever written. However, they are incredibly demanding pieces to play. Not only do they require the utmost technical virtuosty, they also require an extremely keen sensitivity to musical nuances and just an overall excellent level of musicianship. Very few pianists can surpass the technical demands of these pieces, much less understand the nuances that make these pieces so incredibly powerful, personal, and emotional. The great Vladimir Horowitz said that the first ballade was the most difficult piece for him to play convincingly. Rubinstein played passionately, yet he was never one of the truly great technical pianists, so his playing of the ballades was always short of great. Pollini's is the first recording of the ballades that I've ever heard that is truly convincing. He is obviously unmatched in pure technical ability, but beyond that he adds such heart to his playing and elicits the greatest emotion from the depths of the nuances that Chopin wrote in these masterpieces. The only pianist who i think compares in the playing of the ballades is Ivan Moravec, but his recordings are difficult to come by. Get this recording. You've never heard the ballades played this well. chopin would be proud.

Pollini sings, and you'll regret if you don't hear him.......2001-09-25

Like many others, I was waiting for Pollini's interpretation of these extremely serious Chopin music, which happen to be my most favorites of Chopin after Preludes. After several passes into his interpretation I couldn't help admiring how beautifully he have made them sound. I have heard some other performers play them, such as Zimmerman, Arrau and Rubinstein, but none of them impressed me as this one. The first ballade (my most favorite) was an exception, and I prefer Michelangeli which, in his only Chopin recording with DG, made the most beautiful interpretation of this piece. The second ballade is specially impressing. The caressing main melody line, as well as the dramatically violent middle part has never been played this effective before. Third and fourth ballades are also real delights, when you come to notice the emotional generosity that Pollini puts into them. Pollini's presentation of prelude Op.45 captures you so deeply that you can hardly forget this experience. Pollini tells everything that there is to say in ballades, and you're forced to remember that he's one of the best musicians.

Pollini's Chopin Ballades : Craftmanship and nothing else.......2001-07-31

Already owning various of Pollini's Chopin recordings, i was looking forward to being impressed by this release of some of my favorite piano works. And i was - but unfortunately for the wrong reasons. When you listen to records from modern pianists such as Kissin, Zimermann, Argerich, i think it is fair to take their technique for granted - and in this recording as usual, Pollini's technique is fabulous and probably second to none. So, when i hear a performance of any of these artists, i am searching for their interpretative insights, for any new ideas they may bring into the works, or to see how emotionaly involved they can be with the music. And here is where Pollini's lack of involvement makes this recording somewhat dissapointing. He plays everything at top speed and seems to be tossing the works one after another as if to get the work done. It is amazing that at this speed he is able to balance the works and also remain detailed, but that is pretty much all there is here: sound, technique, craftmanship, but the playing as it is should leave most knowledged listeners cold and wishing for more passionate performances.

Awesome fluency.......2001-06-04

Pollini is a strange artist: sometimes he's on song, at other times he sounds cool and uninvolved. This affliction can strike him at any time, with any composer: his Chopin sonatas are glorious, while the polonaises are chilly. His Schubert D959 sonata is outstanding, the D960 a dutiful run through.

On this CD he is really on form, happily enough. In fact I can't recall hearing a more exciting and awesome performance of the Ballades. All his tempi are fast (anyone who can despatch the Fourth Ballade in under ten minutes is pushing back the boundaries of piano playing), and the interpretations are ferocious. But he still maintains his poise and immaculate pianism throughout. Recording quality is excellent: vivid in a pleasing acoustic (the Herkulesaal in Munich).

So would I recommend this CD as a first choice? Probably not: that would be Krystian Zimerman's excellent set, also on DG. His readings are straighter than Pollini's (but full of imagination), and the CD is better filled. Wonderful sound as well. But Pollini would be an superb choice as a second set, particularly as the interpretations are unlike any other I've heard.

Another to consider is Ashkenazy's jam-packed Decca Legends CD which has both the Ballades and the Scherzi, and is at midprice. The 1963/4 recordings have been superbly remastered.

Customer Reviews:

Get anything Grigory Sokolov recorded .......2006-07-29

Grigory Sokolov is definitely one of the most underrated pianist for the past few decades, and I truly believe he is the best still around.

Currently there are two CD boxes( each contains 5 CDs)and one DVD (Live in Paris) available in the market. This is one of the CD set, including some previously single release. Because of his reclusive personality and unwilling to record (perhaps due to perfectionism) , he never had contract with major labels and therefore lots of people were not aware of him. However, the one single DVD is good enough to do him justice--you have to see it to believe it.

He is one of the best classic pianists ever, along with Gilels, Richter, etc----definitely the best still around. If you have not heard of him, get both CD sets and DVD--that will be the best investment for your classic music collection and years of enjoyment. And if one of us get lucky, we might still be able to see him one stage one day.

Grigory Sokolov - The (Almost) Unknown Major Pianist.......2005-11-09

One of the best-kept secrets in the piano world is the amazing Grigory Sokolov, a man in his fifties who won the Tchaikovsky Prize in 1966 at the age of sixteen. He has been somewhat reclusive. tending to play in Europe only, and has generally not made studio recordings, but among the cognoscenti his recitals are sought after and often sold out. All the music recorded in this five-CD box has been released on single CDs before (and as a box from Opus 111), and is here offered at budget price. I have owned three of the five previously. Earlier this year I also reviewed a marvelous DVD of a recital he gave in the Châtelet and filmed by the redoubtable Bruno Monsaingeon. Since Amazon has not yet included the contents of this box (or even told us how many CDs are included) I will list them now:

CDs 1 & 2: Bach: Art of Fugue; Partita No. 2

CD 3: Beethoven: Rondos in C Major and G Major, Op. 51; Rondo, 'Rage over a lost penny,' Op. 129; Sonata No. 4 in E Flat Major, Op. 7; Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101

CD 4: Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op. 28

CD 5: Brahms: Ballades, Op. 10; Sonata in F Minor, Op. 5

Possibly the most marvelous thing about Sokolov's playing is his variety of touch. He can play in a tiny whisper, with a lightning fast leggiero, with deep-in-the-keys but never clangy fortissimo. His legato is legendary and he tends to obtain it more by finger technique than with pedaling. One can argue with his interpretive choices but never with his musicianship or sincerity, and certainly not with his almost inhuman virtuosity.

All five CDs were recorded live in recital and in gorgeous sound. There does not appear to be much in the way of editing. There are a very few dropped notes, but on the whole the playing is incredibly accurate as well as being musicianly. His 'Art of Fugue' is rather a combination of some Romantic gestures coupled with a purity of tone that depends more on touch than on pedaling. His Brahms is a bit more Romantic but is not sentimental -- something is that is not easy to avoid in the Ballades particularly. His Beethoven is much the same. 'Rage over a lost penny' is the most exciting performance I've ever heard since I heard Brendel play it live in the 1960s. Sokolov, like Michelangeli (to whom he has been compared), does not play many of the Beethoven sonatas, but the ones he plays are his utterly.

The Chopin is the glory of this set. It sings, whispers and roars as need be. It is ultraromantic and yet is not maudlin or sickly sentimental. This is masculine Chopin.

At this bargain price this set is a must-have, I should think, for those who enjoy masterful playing and are willing to become acquainted with a heretofore unknown pianist sometimes called 'the new Sviatoslav Richter.'

Scott Morrison

Chopin: 4 Ballades, 4 Scherzi / Ashkenazy

Average customer rating:

Elegant, Understated Chopin
Brilliant!..........!

Chopin: 4 Ballades, 4 Scherzi / Ashkenazy

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music

$9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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

Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
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Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos 2 & 3 / Ashkenazy, Kondrashin
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ASIN: B000026D2Q
Release Date: 2000-04-11

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:

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
2. Nocturnes, Op. 48: I. C Minor
2. Nocturnes, Op. 48: II. F Sharp Minor

Tracks:

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
Nocturne In C Sharp Minor
Nocturne In C Minor
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

Customer Reviews:

Nice Set of Nocturnes.......2005-06-26

In my opinion, Chopin's Nocturnes and Ballades are some of the most beautiful repertoire ever written for the piano, and it doesn't necessarily matter who is playing them, so long as they are Chopin. Yes, I agree that pieces can be performed badly, and this hinders their quality significantly, but anyone who is a dedicated enough musician to have been recorded is obviously capable of performing the repertoire. There is no doubt that Ashkenazy is an incredible pianist, with great technique and versatility. Anyone could nitpick about the nuances of his playing, criticizing certain aspects or welcoming others. The obvious truth is that everyone's preferences and opinions are different, and therefore, there is no way that everyone could possibly be pleased by any one object. This is why you will find various negative reviews scattered among the praise, usuallytaking a shot at Ashkenazy's "stiff" or "emotionless" interpretations.

I find that, as a whole, this set of nocturnes is one of the best available for purchase. When I say best, I mean best for the value, quality of recording, completeness, and quality of playing. There may be other performers whose recordings I like a tiny bit more on some cases (particularly the C Minor Nocturne 48/1) but that doesn't bring down the quality of this set. The facts are, Ashkenazy is a perfectionist, like any other recorded pianist, and therefore there are no mistakes in his playing, the tempi and dynamics are well-thought out, as he has studied these pieces extensively, and the emotions are as ever-present as one could hope, for Ashkenazy has been performing for many years in concert settings, and piano is obviously the focal point of his life.

This is the only set I have found available at such a price which includes the Nocturnes and Ballades. Both cd's contain over 70 minutes of material, which is incredible for the price. As I said before, the recording quality is crisp, without the crackle and pop of some earlier recordings (Rubinstein) or the heavy breathing of others (Arrau). Criticisms and qualms about individual nocturnes aside, (and they are there) this is still one of the best sets around. There are many more good things to say about Ashkenazy's playing than bad ones, in my opinion. If you are expecting these interpetations to sound overly conservative, this is not the case. Ashkenazy is infamous for being very faithful to the score, which I think is very true about these nocturnes. Where rubato is indicated, he uses rubato. Where the score says accelerando, Ashkenazy plays faster. The dynamics and tempi are usually identical to the urtext editions. In this sense, Ashkenazy is conservative, because he does not show his own artistica style possibly as much as some others, but he is very respectful of Chopin, and is most concerned with playing these pieces the way the composer intended. In my opinion, this is superemly important and commendable. This is a great package of Nocturnes and Ballades, and Ashkenazy is reknowned for a reason.

Amazing.......2005-02-26

These are great! Ashkenazy is definentley one of the great Chopin interpreters. All of the people who say that Ashkenazy has no emotion in his playing are wrong! Ashkenazy has a beautiful tone in his playing. His interpretations are also great. He is the thinking man's pianist. If you don't understand what I am saying, I am saying that he plays with perfect technique and he thinks the piece through intellegently and he dosen't go for the big flash while playing. This might be one ofthe reasons why people say he is emotionless. He still has emotion even if he dosen't do that thing where you sway while playing and you move way to much (that is a stupid thing to do because it dosen't help and it can hurt your technique while playing). The only person who has played Chopin better than Ashkenazy is Emanuel Ax (I am not saying that Rubinstein and Horowitz etc. are worse than Ashkenazy, they are just as good, but they all are different. Emanuel Ax has the most beautiful tone I have ever heard. Sadly not many Ax recordings exist anymore. Ashkenazy plays the Nocturnes beautifully especially F minor. Chopin plays the Ballades with the same beauty heard in the Nocturnes and (once again) the F minor ballade (no. 4) is one of, if not the best recording I have ever heard. So to summarize Ashkenazy does have a beautiful tone and an intellegent approach to Chopin, so this is a great buy!

rather devoid of emotions.......2002-12-15

I bought this cd last year. I heard so much about Ashkenazy, and his face is anywhere in music stores.
I think this cd is among the big disappointments I periodically listen to. To do Ashkenazy justice, I have to say there are some older recordings that I still treasure, such as the Rachmaninoff preludes, of the suites for 2 pianos of the same composer, but they are all recordings of the early 70's.

Not much, instead, I manage to treasure of this new Ashkenazy
Regarding this particular Chopin recording, consider, for example, the Prelude in C minor, op. 48 No.1. Its second part is a wild galloping towards a forseeable tragic end, but in Ashkenazy fingers it reduces to a mere pretty lyric piece. It is truly emotionless. This Chopin played by Ashkenazy sounds somewhat like Baudelaire or Apollinaire read in german with a metronome stuck in Largo. And even sober!
What is Chopin worth, I ask, when you leave all his stormy contrapunt out? The rest of the collection surely has a nice cover, but leaves me totally emotionless.

I understand that, as Arrau once said, "Chopin should be played like Mozart and Mozart like Chopin", but why can't someone play Chopin just like Chopin?

A collection that I find really giving Chopin some justice, instead, sometimes not too popular, is the one Nocturnes playes by Dame Moura Lympany, or the Etudes played by Gavrilov, tough, you understand, it can be a matter of taste.

This CD is good........2000-06-10

(I hate writing titles for these reviews.) Anyway, I couldn't disagree more with the reviewer below. Ashenazy is, next to Rubinstein, one of the best Chopin interpreters around. He is not "dry," merely subtle, suggesting rather than declaring, which is what Chopin had in mind with these mood pieces. His technique is flawless but he never flaunts it as some other pianists I have heard do. The ballades are excellent and played at perfect tempos.

Ashkenzy?.......1999-09-03

I bought this CD as a reference as I am learning Chopin's nocturnes. I don't think Ashkenazy as that great a Chopin player. He's playing is relatively dry compared to other pianists. Take Mikhail Pletnev for example. The recording isn't too good either. All in all, this is a great CD to purchase only if your budget is limited and you're not expecting to listen to this over and over again.

Average customer rating:

Three phases of a great Chopin player

Chopin: 4 Ballades; Scherzos; Mazurkas

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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Brahms: 7 Fantasies, Op. 116; 4 Piano Pieces, Op. 119; Sonata No. 2, Op. 2
Haydn: Piano Sonatas (Hob. 33, 36, 43, 45, 46)
Brahms: Handel Variations/Six Piano Pieces/Two Rhapsodies
Haydn:Piano Sonatas (Hob. 32, 34, 44, 49)
Brahms: Piano Sonata No. 3, Op. 5; Intermezzi, Op. 117

ASIN: B000BKDO3Y
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Tracks:

Ballade No.1, Op.23, In G Minor
Ballade No.2, Op.38, In F Major
Ballade No.3, Op.47, In A-Flat Major
Ballade No.4, Op.52, In F Minor
Scherzo No.1, Op.20, In B Minor
Scherzo No.3, Op.39 In C-Sharp Minor
Mazurka, Op.24 No.2, In C Major
Mazurka, Op.56 No.3, In C Minor
Mazurka, Op.59 No.1, In A Minor
Mazurka, Op.59 No.2, In A-Flat Major
Mazurka, Op.59 No.3, In F-Sharp Minor

Tracks:

Andante Spianato/Grand Polonaise Brillante, Op.22
Nocturne, Op.62 No.1, In B Major
Scherzo No.2 Op.31, In B-Flat Minor
Scherzo No.4, Op.54, In E Major
Etude In F Minor
Etude In D-Flat Major
Etude In A-Flat Major
Polonaise-Fantaisie, Op.61, In A-Flat Major

Amazon.com

Emanuel Ax here offers a fine selection of Chopin, showcasing every aspect of the great Polish composer. The G Minor Ballade is played as poetically as the Scherzos are played expressively, with some of the more chaotic moments presented in the most melodious way. Ax rarely showboats and is mostly interested in Chopin's long lines. His tone is always warm and never brittle; the argument could be made that some of the music is emotionally thornier than Ax acknowledges, but he nonetheless is always communicative, underlining the harmonic daring of the music this latter trait particularly in the mazurkas. The two CDs are programmed for variety and it works--listening straight through never tires the ear or the sensations. The sound is big and rich. Highly recommended. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Three phases of a great Chopin player.......2006-06-14

I think Emanuel Ax has settled into routine playing as he's aged, but these are premiere Chopin interpretations from two decades ago. Now that Sony and BMG have merged their classical divisions, it's possible to issue Ax's excellent 1985 reading of the four Ballades--the best ever done by an American--with a 1988 recital of Mazurkas and the four Scherzi. The first recital was originally on RCA, the second on Sony. But just to confuse things a bit more, the readings here of Scherzos #2 and #4 are dropped in from an even earlier RCA recording.

The provenance won't matter that much to the general listener, who will be happy with the budget price for probably the best Chopin two-fer on the market. Begin listening with the four Ballades, where Ax is at his most impassioned and inspired. Even three years later, when he got to Scherzos #1 and #3, he had become more refined and relaxed, less a romantic risk-taker. He's remained that way ever since, but here at least we can hear Ax in his glory. Faithful as I am to Pollini and Kisin in this repertoire, this collection often rises to their heights.

Average customer rating:

a masterwork
Three stars for the sound and for hitting the notes.
A virtuoso performance
Great as Kissin Carnegie Hall Recital
Gidion Graveland

Chopin: 4 Ballades / Perahia

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Brahms: Piano Sonata No. 3, Rhapsodies, Intermezzo, Capriccio

ASIN: B000002A6J
Release Date: 1995-01-24

Tracks:

Ballade No.1 In G Minor, Op.23
Ballade No.2 In A Minor, Op.38
Ballade No.3 In A-Flat Major, Op.47
Ballade No.4 In F Minor, Op.52
Grande Valse Brillante In E - Flat Major, Op. 18
Grande Valse In A - Flat Major, Op. 42
Nocturne In F Major, Op. 15 No. 1
Mazurka In A Minor, Op. 17 No. 4
Mazurka In A Minor, Op. 17 No. 4
Mazurka In D Major, Op. 33 No. 2
Etude In E Major, Op. 10 No. 3
Etude In C -Sharp Minor, Op. 10 No. 4

Amazon.com

Chopin's Ballades are imaginary short stories that leave the plot to the listener's imagination. The trick to a successful performance of such freeform compositions depends on the pianist's ability to realize all the color and variety of the various episodes while at the same time retaining control over the narrative structure of each piece. In short, it requires a classical poise and balance in projecting the relationship between form and content. This is just the sort of thing that Murray Perahia does so well. He has a firm overview of each work as a whole, but also a keen enjoyment of the music's often ornate details. The result is wholly satisfying both emotionally and intellectually. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

a masterwork.......2006-10-21

This disc has everything going for it. First of all it is simply not possible to hear too much Chopin in one's lifetime. He was amongst the very best melodists in all of music history; his harmonizations are gorgeous, complex, and highly chromatic; and in terms of pianism qua pianism his music is perfectly idiomatic. As for Perahia's performances, they are masterworks. They won't be everyone's favorites (they are not amongst the most rhapsodic and romantic of readings), but they are conceived and realized with immense skill and sophistication.

Furthermore the programming here presents a very good cross-section of Chopin's pieces, from the ballads to the waltzes, mazurkas, nocturne, and etudes. Each of these genres has its own distinct character, making this an excellent introductory Chopin disc; an interesting essay in the liner notes describes the different poetic effects each of these genres seeks to realize. Buy one without delay.

Three stars for the sound and for hitting the notes........2004-06-26

This recording came as a great disappointment to me. I had wanted ballades, not concertos. This recording seems to miss the point of these pieces completely. The sudden changes in dynamics and the constant changes in tempo almost completely obliterates the line of the music. The ballades have their own drama, but of a more modest and poetic scale. I don't think the extra Lisztian dynamics present on this recording are a blessing.

One of the finest recordings of the Ballades I've heard were by Gary Graffman, but alas those are not available on CD as yet.

A virtuoso performance.......2003-01-27

The Ballades are played with technical flawlessness, energy, and brilliance. However, in some passages his playing seems to lack sufficient emotion. Perhaps some would consider this restraint and dispassionateness a virtue. But I tend to favor a more Rachmaninoffian emphasis on melody lines. Chopin, after all, was a Romantic composer. On the whole, though, highly recommended.

Great as Kissin Carnegie Hall Recital.......2003-01-02

As I said in my previous review about Kissin playing at Carnegie Hall I love that CD but I would put at second place this CD from Murray Perahia. It's really amazing! The first Ballade touched my deeply. Expecially the biginning it's of tremendous power and sweetness. The second also it's very intimistic and meditative and the third will touch you in dept right to your soul. The fourth is excellent as well.
I highly raccomend this CD to everyone who loves Chopin and I would suggest to buy this CD together with the Kissin one that it's another unmissible masterpiece.
A greeting to all my friends around the world
Luca

Gidion Graveland.......2002-10-22

Murray Peraiah is with Krystian Zimmerman the best living pianist on earth. This disc shows you why. Sit in your chair, close your eyes and you will be brought to another planet.

Chopin: The Four Ballades, Berceuse, Barcarolle, Scherzo No. 4

Average customer rating:

More reflective, less impetuous, still great
Listen it without concept
There is better
The line between pianism and interpretation
incredible - but be careful...

Chopin: The Four Ballades, Berceuse, Barcarolle, Scherzo No. 4
Evgeni Kissin
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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Chopin: 24 Preludes, Op. 28; Sonata for Piano No. 2, Op. 35; Polonaise, Op. 53
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Chopin, Volume 1
Schubert: Piano Sonata in B-flat; Schubert-Liszt: Four Songs; Liszt: Mephisto

ASIN: B00000IWWE
Release Date: 1999-05-18

Tracks:

Ballade No. 1, Op.23 In G Minor
Ballade No. 2, Op.38 In F
Ballade No. 3, Op.47 In A-Flat
Ballade No. 4, Op.52 In F Minor
Berceuse, Op.57
Barcarolle, Op.60
Scherzo No. 4, Op.54 In E

Amazon.com essential recording

Ever since the start of his career as a sensational child prodigy, Kissin has displayed a strong affinity for the music of Chopin, in concert and on numerous records. Here he performs a program of substantial pieces: the four ballades, written several years apart and not conceived as a group, which nevertheless complement one another through their contrasts as well as their shared narrative and descriptive atmosphere; the lovely, peaceful berceuse; the swaying, rocking barcarolle; and the brilliant, witty Scherzo No. 4. Throughout, Kissin's effortless virtuosity, his beautiful, singing tone, his command of voicing, dynamics, touch, color, and legato are phenomenal; cascades of notes flow from under his fingers with the speed and glittering lightness of dancing waters; his build-ups achieve orchestral sonorities. Musically, he seems to have lost some of his irresistible earlier spontaneity; the dramatic nature of the ballades encourages exaggeration, and the liberties sound a bit planned. However, the berceuse is a simple, expressive lullaby; the barcarolle surges to a grand climax; the scherzo sparkles with humor--its middle part projects a plaintive, ardent yearning. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

More reflective, less impetuous, still great.......2005-11-01

Among modern versions, I think only personal preference divides Kissin's Chopin Ballades from those by Pollini, Ax, and Zimerman, although others would also add Perahia to the list (he's too tame and correct for me). Kissin was 27 when this CD came out, but his early virtuosic impetuosity--as evidenced in his 1993 Carnegie Hall Chopin recital, also on RCA--has been replaced with reflectiveness. In fact these are slower than average Ballades, a full minute slower in each one than Pollini.

Kissin uses this extra room to ruminate, and luckily his poetic nuances are sensitive and convincing. When a blast of virtuosity is called for, he certainly supplies it, but mercurial fleetness isn't much in evidence. The Gramophone went into raptures over this CD, and I did too when I first heard it. The approach is large-scaled, the piano is a fine one and well recorded, and there is every evidence of Kissin's mastery.

On relistening, though, I wish Kissin had been less deliberate. Ax shows more spontaneous passion, Pollini more intense propulsiveness and virtuosic elan. This is sitll a superlative example of how well Kissin plays Chopin and always has, ever since he was ten or twelve. Highly recommended.

Listen it without concept.......2005-06-03

I don't like writings like this but i can't help myself after reading previous reviews to express my opinion here. First to be said is that I simply love Kissin's interpretation of Chopin. But why: it is absolutely free of any so called 'romantic interpretations' or skills how to perform this music. Kissin is playng his own way and if you've got your own concept of "how to play Chopin" before, you may have to get lost in his playing. But for me it's like adventure or experience follow his mind (& fingers) playing this amazing music. It is so modern! If you know Brad Mehldau quotations of Chopin, you have to see this is very similar to it. Of course, Mehldau's playng is full of rhythm, but there is the same point: beautiful music comming from the past, which can be really contemporary - through 'contemporary' playing of it. Well, Kissin sometimes acts like punk in this delightfull process, but his playing still offers the 'GOING THERE AND BACK AGAIN' experience.
So please listen it carefully and (if possible), through away all your concepts before experience this music.

There is better.......2004-06-12

There are numerous reviewers saying that Kissin "opened their eyes to Chopin's unique talent" and such. Well, if Kissin could do that with this set of recordings, buy Horowitz's Favorite Chopin volumes and let your mind be boggled. This is how I feel whenever I perform a piece . . . mushy, condensed, unclear. The unknowledgeable audience does not have any idea that the performance could have been better, but it could have! Let me tell you, Kissin is fantastic technically, but absolutely incomparable to Horowitz or even many others.

Buy this if you really want to. Kissin's G Minor Ballade is restrained, something entirely unacceptable in Chopin.

The line between pianism and interpretation.......2004-06-04

Kissin, albeit having a fantastic technical arsenal, in this recording, uses it for purely pianistic effect. Chopin's lucidity; the way his music ebbs and flows, is sacrificed, and thus the recording fails to captivate. What one really needs, in my opinion, in the Ballades, is a sense of a tale. Chopin, like Schumann, can really tell a story in the Ballades.
Think of the second Ballade. The atmosphere on the surface is gentle, and lyrical. Underneath this veneer of calm, though, there is a slightly obsessive, darker undercurrent to the piece. Kissin, totally fails to evoke this physcological undercurrent, whereas someone like Arrau or Moiseiwitsch, or even Tamas Vasary, brings to this music simultaeneously a technical accomplishment, wholly at the service of the music. Schumann spoke of the second Ballade,

"the music would inspire a poet to write words to it," he said, ironically, considering its possible poetical inspiration as a piece of music

Would Kissin's playing inspire a poet, or is his approach to abstract, too fantastic?
The line between pianism and artistry is perilous. A performance can sound musically impressive, yet technically lacking and vice versa; the music can be too safe, too technically impressive to offer any hidden insights. Some pianists tend to distort the music, adding their own expression, their own dynamics... Kissin, unfortunately, for me, at the moment seems of this tendency, along, sometimes, with Horowitz.
Horowitz and Kissin (not all of the time) bend around with the music until it is moulded into their own labrynth, and violate the music. Chopin was said, like Schubert to have despised the thumping of virtuosos. Kissen needs to heed this advice!
Those who admire this performer, really ought to listen to the playing of Vlado Perlemuter, a real poet in sound. He mastered a whole spectrum of tonal perspective, as a means to an end, and his playing of Chopin and Ravel,like Schnabels' Schubert, at it's best was incomparable.

p.s I heard Kissen play at the Proms in London. He played Brahms 2. The performance was sickening. It's delivery was at breakneck speed, and had little if any artistic insight. To quote Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (changing the original quotation's description of the music of an English composer with performer) his perfomance,

"underneath it's trumpery of Pinchbeck Brummagem-Benares nick-nackery, oozes with glutinous commonplace."Playing" (this is not Sorabji's word, but mine) like this always reminds one of those spurious "liqueur" chocolates grandly labelled "Grand Marnier", "Maraschino", Benedictine", leading one to expect the delicious gastronomic sensations, the incomparable marquis knows so well how to excite, but which are found actually to yield a horrid sickly sugary concoction- insipid and nauseating."

This reflects Kissin's style in a microcosm.

Buy it if you wish, but beware!!

incredible - but be careful..........2003-10-07

Kissin is a dazzling performer, and his versions of the ballades is essential for anyone building a library of classical piano music. However, Kissin, I'm going to venture to say here, is as unpianistic as Glenn Gould was. If Gould put everything under a microscope, Kissin approaches everything in panorama. Both are extremes, and both are perverse (which does not mean Gould wasn't a genius). Both pianists freely compromise a composer's intentions to fit their personal styles.

Kissin has a fluid, liquid-silver tone, and a dynamic range obviously geared to the concert hall. He makes things sound big and spacious. His technique is so sophisticated that he has driven himself permanently to some misty, rarefied plateau in the sky. The result is that sometimes you feel nothing at all has happened. His performances never touch the ground.

Having said that, it IS a lovely place when you're up there with him. But it's impersonal. People that buy this album that don't own any other version should equip themselves with something a little more standard while they're at it. I have an affinity for Arrau's ballades. With Kissin, you miss the close Chopin, the dear Chopin.

Anyway, No. 2 is absolutely frightening. Sometimes you wonder if he's playing the same music...

Tracks:

No. 1 In A Minor
No.2 In A Flat Major
No.3 In F Sharp Minor
No.1 In B Minor
No.2 In F Minor
No.3 In C Sharp Minor
No.3 In A Flat Major
No.4 In F Minor, Op.52
No.5 In F Sharp Minor, Op.44
No.6 In A Flat Major, Op.53 'Polonaise Heroique'
Mazurka In F Minor, Op.68 No.4

Amazon.com

Anderszewski, having gained many favorable reviews for recordings of Bach and Beethoven, now proves his musicianship in Chopin. The first positive element in this recital is the programming. Discs of all Mazurkas or Polonaises may make it easy to find a piece on your shelves, but a varied program like this is much more intelligent programming for a listening experience. The performances are engrossing. Tonal beauty and variety, necessary for great Chopin playing, are in short supply today, but Anderszewski displays greater tonal control than the contemporary norm and adds an intelligent, penetrating, poetic approach to the music. The result is a thoroughly gratifying Chopin recital, highly recommended for home listening. Unless you drive a luxury sedan, though, keep this disc out of your car or you'll lose a lot of its wonderful subtlety to road noise. The so-called program notes are just a puff piece for the artist but Virgin's sound quality is excellent. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

A great Chopin stylist emerges.......2006-02-15

Now in his mid-thirties, the Polish piaanist Piotr Anderszewski has earned accolades from the outset, and in concert he is an enthralling performer. As he is here, in a miscellany of seven mazurkas, the last two Ballades, and two Polonaises. His musical style is quiet, measured, and inwrdly lyrical, as if he is singing to himself and we are eavesdropping.

It takes courage to play thrice-familiar music your own way. Fortunately, Anderszewski has a unique melodic gift, as free in its way as Cortot's or Rachmaninov's in their Chopin. In all, I'd rate this the best Chopin recital I've heard since Kissin made his Carnegie Hall debut over a decade ago.

Piotr Anderszewski: Yes, He really Is That Good!.......2005-12-11

A sleeping giant of the keyboard has firmly assured his credentials with this fine recording of fellow countryman Fryderyk Chopin's finest ballades, Mazurkas, and Polonaises. Hearing this young pianist progress in his command of Beethoven and Bach and Mozart, displaying a flawless technique, poetic vision, and an intuitive sense of each composer's intentions, begs the question 'but is he really consistently fine?'.

Listening to Anderszewski's Chopin erases all doubt that this once controversial personality might be all parade and no circus. Here is Chopin performed with all the fire and poetry, passion and bliss, introspection and attention to inner voices and details while controlling the overall architecture of this touch works. His sound is extraordinary and the recording captures that with faithful reproduction.

Passing through each of the generous pieces for individual review is unnecessary: that is the joy left for the listener. It is enough said that here is a recording by an artist of major importance who simply seems to have it all. And seeing him in concert only adds the beauty of his physical appearance to the joy of this playing! Highly recommended. Grady Harp, December 05

The material is Polish, but the cut is French.......2004-01-17

Let me start by saying that this is a truly outstanding Chopin recital - one of the best that I have heard over the last few years. Lasting for slightly more than 60 minutes, it begins with 6 late Mazurkas Op. 59 & 63, which are often considered to be musical idioms deeply rooted in Polish tradition. Prototypically, mazurkas are rustic dance forms, but in Chopin's oeuvre they are rather personal tone poems characterized by pathos, delicacy, and measured melancholy. Anderszewski is absolutely convincing in communicating idiosyncratic lyricism of these short pieces. He plays them with an overwhelming simplicity and tenderness, which showcases them as the most intimate musical journeys of the human soul.

The Ballades nos. 3 & 4 are among the most compelling and innovative works of Chopin. The A flat major Ballade Op. 47 is the essence of charm and warmth. Anderszewski focuses on conveying its epic narrative features while playing it with astonishing subtlety and poise. His performance is emotional yet full of classical restraint which confirms that with Chopin emotions are better expressed by underplaying rather than overplaying them. This interpretation of this work is as good as any you will find on record. The F minor Ballade Op. 52 is generally agreed to be one of the most sublime works of the romantic piano repertoire. For me it is the most sensual and intense work of Chopin verging on insanity and oblivion evoked by obsessive melody 'which probes the very coverts of the soul' as stated by Huneker. In this case Anderszewski's performance is perhaps not on a par with my favorite interpretations (Zimerman, Rubinstein, Horowitz), but nevertheless it is well worth hearing.

The Op. 44 & 53 Polonaises are works on a more epic scale. Anderszewski's playing here is again among the finest available (Rubinstein). As summarized by Andrew McGregor in the BBC CD Review it is 'some of the quietest, stillest Chopin you'll hear, which means Anderszewski doesn't have to pound the piano like a boxer on steroids to make a massive impact... and some of the most effective and beautiful moments are achieved through rubato, a momentary hesitation or a subtle lingering over a melodic phrase or cadence.' These works require stature, nobility and tension to communicate effectively, and here they are as prominent, noble and tense as can be.

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