Frederic Chopin: 12 Études, Op. 10/12 Études, Op. 25

On this CD:

1. Etude for piano in C major, Op. 10/1, CT 14
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

2. Etude for piano in A minor, Op. 10/2, CT 15
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

3. Etude for piano in E major, Op. 10/3, CT 16
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

4. Etude for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 10/4, CT 17
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

5. Etude for piano in G flat major, Op. 10/5, CT 18
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

6. Etude for piano in E flat minor, Op. 10/6, CT 19
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

7. Etude for piano in C major, Op. 10/7 CT 20
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

8. Etude for piano in F major, Op. 10/8, CT 21
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

9. Etude for piano in F minor, Op. 10/9, CT 22
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

10. Etude for piano in A flat major, Op. 10/10, CT 23
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

11. Etude for piano in E flat major, Op. 10/11, CT 24
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

12. Etude for piano in C minor ("Revolutionary"), Op. 10/12, CT 25
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

13. Etude for piano in A flat major, Op. 25/1, CT 26
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

14. Etude for piano in F minor, Op. 25/2, CT 27
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

15. Etude for piano in F major, Op. 25/3, CT 28
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

16. Etude for piano in A minor, Op. 25/4, CT 29
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

17. Etude for piano in E minor, Op. 25/5, CT30
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

18. Etude for piano in G sharp minor, Op. 25/6, CT 31
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

19. Etude for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 25/7, CT 32
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

20. Etude for piano in D flat major, Op. 25/8, CT 33
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

21. Etude for piano in G flat major, Op. 25/9, CT 34
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

22. Etude for piano in B minor, Op. 25/10, CT 35
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

23. Etude for piano in A minor, Op, 25/11, CT 36
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

24. Etude for piano in C minor, Op. 25/12, CT 37
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by John Bingham

Tracks:

Chopin And The Soul Of The Piano - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Berceuse, Op.57 - Idil Biret
Chopin The Pole - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Polonaise in g - Idil Biret
Early Education - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Vars On A German Air - Idil Biret
Encounters With The Polish Peasantry - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Mazurka in G - Idil Biret
Chopin As Industrious Pupil - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Son in c (Opening) - Idil Biret
He Finds His True Voice As A Composer - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Rondo A La Mazur, Op.5 - Idil Biret
The Fun-Loving Teenager - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Ecossaise, Op.72 No.3 - Idil Biret
Onset Of Illness And The Death Of A Sister - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Nocturne in e - Idil Biret
Hats Off, Gentlemen! A Genius! - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Vars On 'La Ci Darem La Mano', Op.2 - Idil Biret
The Influence Of Paganini - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Souvenir De Paganini - Idil Biret
The First Etudes - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Etude in c#, Op.10, No.4 - Idil Biret
Success In Vienna - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Nocturne in c# - Idil Biret
Chopin In Love - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Polonaise - Idil Biret
Stagnation, Celebrity And The First Con - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Con in f, Op.21 - Idil Biret
Return Of Vitality And Inspiration - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Con in e, Op.11 - Idil Biret
Farewells And The Final Departure From Poland - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser

Tracks:

Europe And Chopin In Crisis - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Scherzo No.1 in b - Idil Biret
Arrival In Paris - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Waltz in E flat, Op.18 - Idil Biret
Paris, Politics, Poles And Performance - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Impromptu in A flat, Op.29 - Idil Biret
Chopin And The Opr - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Andante Spianato, Op.22 - Idil Biret
Chopin And Kalkbrenner - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Etude in G flat, Op.10, No.5 - Idil Biret
The Cholera Epidemi; The Fashionable Teacher - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Etude in C minor, Op.10, No.12, The 'Revolutionary' - Idil Biret
Teaching In Earnest - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Etude in a, Op.25, No.4 - Idil Biret
Souplesse Avant Tout! - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Nocturne in b flat, Op.9, No.1 - Idil Biret

Tracks:

The Woodzinska Affair - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Nocturne in B, Op.32, No.1 - Idil Biret
An Elegant, Pale, Sad Young Man - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Nocturne in D flat, Op.27, No.2 - Idil Biret
George Sand And A Majorcan Winter - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Prlds, Op.28 - Idil Biret
Misanthropy, Hypocrisy And Prejudice - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Mazurkas - Idil Biret
At Nohant: An Idyllic And Creative Summer - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Impromptu in F# - Idil Biret
The Idyll Continues - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Sonata in b flat: Funeral March And Finale - Idil Biret

Tracks:

The Return To Paris - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Ballade No.4 in f - Idil Biret
Chopin Grows Moody, Petulant And Volatile - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Son No.3 in b, Op.58: Finale - Idil Biret
Failing Health And Mounting Tensions - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Barcarolle, Op.60 - Idil Biret
The Break With Sand; Illness; London - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Prld in F#, Op.28, No.8 - Idil Biret
Scotland, London, Paris; Decline And Death - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Polonaise in A flat, Op.53 - Idil Biret

Customer Reviews:

An excellent introduction to both the life and the work.......2001-08-10

Not having known very much at all about Chopin, I cannot vouch for the accuracy in the Naxos entry in their CD and cassette Biography series; but I can vouch for the enjoyment (NA 421912) afforded me.

Written and produced by Jeremy Siepmann, this audio-bio not only tells the strange story of Chopin's life but also includes generous examples of his music, drawn from the bottomless pit of Naxos musical CDs. An excellent idea was to use actors for the voices of Chopin (Anton Lesser), George Sand and other females in his life (Elaine Claxton and Karen Archer), and other male acquaintances (Neville Jason). It is the kind of reading that would fascinate even if the work were fictional.

His letters are particularly fascinating, especially as they are read dramatically by the small cast; and one would rather hear about all his faults--physical and psychological--from people who knew him well. Perhaps his strange epistolary relationship with his Titus is dwelt upon a bit too much, but such are the times (then and now).

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for reading.

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

Well, that may well be the case.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating:

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

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

Bourees | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Ecossaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Galops | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

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

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

ASIN: B00001X58Z
Release Date: 1999-10-12

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tracks:

Rondo, Op. 16
Rondo, Op. 73 in C Major
12 udes, Op. 10: I. ude in C Major: Allegro
12 udes, Op. 10: II. ude in A Minor: Allegro
12 udes, Op. 10: III. ude in E Major: Lento, ma non troppo
12 udes, Op. 10: IV. ude in C-sharp Minor: Presto
12 udes, Op. 10: V. ude in G-flat Major: Vivace
12 udes, Op. 10: VI. ude in E-flat Minor: Adante
12 udes, Op. 10: VII. ude in C Major: Vivace
12 udes, Op. 10: VIII. ude in F Major: Allegro
12 udes, Op. 10: IX. ude in F Minor: Allegro, molto agitato
12 udes, Op. 10: X. ude in A-flat Major: Vivace assai
12 udes, Op. 10: XI. ude in E-flat Major: Allegretto
12 udes, Op. 10: XII. ude in C Minor: Allegro con fuoco
Rondo a Mazur, Op. 5 in F Major: Vivace
Rondo, Op 1 in C Minor: Allegro
Rondo for 2 pianos, Op 73 in C Major: Allegro maestoso

Customer Reviews:

I'm a Chiu fan now.......2005-04-21

Superb renditions of these etudes. I've been listening to them over and over. Chiu's playing is clean and gorgeous. Bravo!

Original and interesting........2004-02-03

Frederic Chiu gives a strange fairy like rendition of Chopin's Etudes op.10 perfoming them with marked nuances, colours and originality and a dazzling technique. The result is really interesting though personally i love more the classical style applied to these pieces (Boris Berezovsky, Juana Zayas, Nikolay Lugansky, Andrei Gavrilov and Jean Frederic Neuburger). It is also really pleasant his performance on Rondos. A great cd!

Suave sophisticated Chopin.......2000-08-13

I've long enjoyed the music of Chopin and have listened to many interpreters. I would count Frederic Chiu among the best. His playing is crisp and clean, but with a lovely sense of lyricism and flair for nuance. The Op. 10 etudes are gorgeous and sound new. It's a treat to find the rondos together and performed so exquisitely. I highly recommend his latest recording, Chopin's Complete Mazurkas on Harmonia Mundi, as well. Both CD's offer brilliant piano sound.

Wilhelm Backhaus (piano) - Schubert "Trout" Quintet (with the International String Quartet) / Chopin: Waltz in D-flat Op. 64 No. 1; Etudes (Op. 10 No. 2, Op. 25, Nos. 2, 3, 11); Polonaise in A Op. 40 No. 1 / Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 / Brahms: Variations on a Theme of Paganini

Average customer rating:

An indispensable "Trout" for anyone interested in the work's performance history

Wilhelm Backhaus (piano) - Schubert "Trout" Quintet (with the International String Quartet) / Chopin: Waltz in D-flat Op. 64 No. 1; Etudes (Op. 10 No. 2, Op. 25, Nos. 2, 3, 11); Polonaise in A Op. 40 No. 1 / Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 / Brahms: Variations on a Theme of Paganini
Frederic Chopin , Franz Liszt , Johannes Brahms , Anton Rubinstein , Wilhelm Backhaus (piano) , and Andre Mangeot (violin)
Manufacturer: Biddulph Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000001ZFS
Release Date: 1997-12-16

Tracks:

Waltz in D flat, Op.64 No.1 'Minute'
Etude in a, Op.10 No.2
Etude in F, Op.25 No.3
Etude in f, Op.25 No.2
Etude in a, Op.25 No.11 'Winter Wind'
Polonaise in A, Op.40 No.1
Hungarian Rhap No.12
Vars On A Theme Of Paganini
Romance in E flat, Op.44 No.1
Polka in G, Op.
Pno Qnt in A 'Trout': I. Allegro Vivace
Pno Qnt in A 'Trout': II. Andante
Pno Qnt in A 'Trout': III. Scherzo: Presto
Pno Qnt in A 'Trout': IV. Andantino
Pno Qnt in A 'Trout': V. Finale: Allegro Giusto

Customer Reviews:

An indispensable "Trout" for anyone interested in the work's performance history.......2006-10-07

Once again Biddulph must be praised for bringing these recordings back to us. They are important and self-commending stuff for any collector interested in the past masters of the piano and/or early recordings of Schubert's chamber music (which is my case). Indeed this is a particularly significant "Trout"quintet as, if my records are right - which I do not guarantee - it is the first recording ever of Schubert's masterpiece (or at least the first one from the electric era), and as the notes from Biddulph point out, it is also one of Backhaus' rare appearances as a chamber musician.

As for the solo piano pieces, they were recorded in 1916 by a 32-year-old Backhaus. The sound is that of 78rpm from the acoustic era, with surface noise and all, but the piano comes out clearly. They include works, like the Liszt Hungarian Rapsody n° 12, which Backhaus never recorded again. The Chopin Waltz (played with some old-fashioned rubato) and Etude which open the CD are chained together as a single piece, with a few arpeggiated chords to allow for the change of tonality. The Brahms Paganini variations, Backhaus' first of three studio recordings made in the 78rpm era, are incomplete and comprise a selection of only 13 variations from both books, in order to fit on two 78rmp sides.

The 1935 recording of the "Trout" quintet by Schnabel and members of the Pro Arte Quartet has taken such pride of place in the pantheon of music critics and lovers that it has thrown back into oblivion all other versions that existed in the 78rpm era, almost leading one to believe that it had been the only on that medium. Far from it - which is altogether not surprising, given the universal popularity of Schubert's affecting composition. To limit myself to the pre-war years, my list includes Raucheisen and the Leipzig Quartet also from 1928, the London Quartet and Hobday in 1932, Elly Ney and the Strub Quartet in 1936 - and it is probably far from complete. Aside from Ney I doubt that there is any chance to see any of these back on CD, but it is great to be able to have Backhaus' for assessment - if only to gauge if Schnabel's later recording is so distinctly superior to it.

Not always. Where Schnabel does score is in the area of sonics. Overall the 1925 sound is thin and distant, the sonic equivalent of those old, sepia photos forgotten in a chest in the attic: it's like hearing not the actual thing, but recalling with nostalgia a long-gone memory of the thing. But don't get me wrong, it does afford clear instrumental definition nonetheless, and one adjusts easily.

Another difference between both recordings concerns repeats: Backhaus does none except those of the finale, and they are particularly amiss in the scherzo (3rd movement) and even more in the famous "Trout" theme and variations (4rd movement).

Yet, interpretively, both readings actually share much in common, starting a very similar choice of tempo in the opening Allegro, whose timings in both recordings are the same by the second. Though he begins inauspiciously by delaying by a beat the opening chord's right hand A, Backhaus' piano playing is cleaner than Schnabel's, who has a tendency to smear runs and smudge articulation. The feeling is lively and urgent rather than good-natured, though the strings elicit the requisite charm and lyricism. Backhaus' partner, violinist André Mangeot shows nice attention to Schubert's accent marks. In their exchange starting at 1:41 violin and cello produce some decidedly old-fashioned wailing phrasings but I actually find them quite effective in their melodramatic theatricality: Very much a silent movie representation of Pyramus and Thisbe whispering to each other from both sides of their wall. Likewise in the following Andante, Schnabel and partners are slightly more expansive than Backhaus and the International Quartet, but not dramatically so (for modern references, Backhaus is close to Rudolf Serkin's famous 1967 recording from Marlboro, while Curzon and Wiener Octet members in 1957 are more in the Schnabel-Pro Arte vein). In that approach, the rhythms in the 1925 reading have commendable tautness and bite, yet the moving cantilena starting at 1:24 lacks no feeling.

The ensemble then offers a boisterous scherzo, though not as snappily articulated as Schnabel and partners who, despite a slightly more stately tempo, sound sprightly enough thanks to their fine staccato articulation. But while Schnabel slightly relaxes tempo in the middle trio, Backhaus and partners maintain the same pace (with some less-than perfect ensemble), a preferable option in my opinion.

However it is in the 4th movement (the famous theme and variations) that Schnabel-Pro Arte's interpretive options seem preferable, thanks to wonderfully lively and good-humored tempos. By comparison, Backhaus and partners don't seem as taut and well integrated. The Trout "theme" is taken at a relaxed tempo and with a plaintive feeling, and at the end of the first ensuing variations they apply some not so well-judged end-of-movement slowdowns, but their coda is wonderfully lively and nimble. They top it off with a warm-hearted finale, not hurried and full of bonhomie, like the rearing of a parading horse, in relative contrast to Schnabel's more brisk and lively; I can't say that one is better than the other, they represent two different and equally valid interpretive options, for which representatives can be found throughout the subsequent recording history of the "Trout" (Brendel-Cleveland more in the Schnabel vein, Richter-Borodin closer to Backhaus). Anyway, Backhaus and the International Quartet belong on a par with Schnabel to the collection of anyone with an interest for the work's performance history.

Frederic Chopin: 12 Études, Op. 10/12 Études, Op. 25

Average customer rating:

Excellent performance!

Frederic Chopin: 12 Études, Op. 10/12 Études, Op. 25

Manufacturer: Meridian
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000025ZSD
Release Date: 1993-09-20

Tracks:

Etudes, Op.10: No.1 in C: Allegro
Etudes, Op.10: No.2 in a: Allegro
Etudes, Op.10: No.3 in E: Lento Ma Non Troppo
Etudes, Op.10: No.4 in c#: Presto
Etudes, Op.10: No.5 in G flat: Vivace
Etudes, Op.10: No.6 in e flat: Andante
Etudes, Op.10: No.7 in C: Vivace
Etudes, Op.10: No.8 in F: Allegro
Etudes, Op.10: No.9 in f: Allegro, Molto Agitato
Etudes, Op.10: No.10 in A flat: Vivace Assai
Etudes, Op.10: No.11 in E flat: Allegretto
Etudes, Op.10: No.12 in c: Allegro Con Fuoco
Etudes, Op.25: No.1 in A flat: Allegro Sostenuto
Etudes, Op.25: No.2 in f: Presto
Etudes, Op.25: No.3 in F: Allegro
Etudes, Op.25: No.4 in a: Agitato
Etudes, Op.25: No.5 in e: Vivace
Etudes, Op.25: No.6 in g#: Allegro
Etudes, Op.25: No.7 in c#: Vivace
Etudes, Op.25: No.8 in D flat: Vivace
Etudes, Op.25: No.9 in G flat: Allegro Assai
Etudes, Op.25: No.10 in b: Allegro Con Fuoco
Etudes, Op.25: No.11 in a: Allegro Con Brio
Etudes, Op.25: No.12 in c: Molto Allegro Con Fuoco

Customer Reviews:

Excellent performance!.......2005-11-08

After listening to Bingham's performance of these legendary piano pieces i can say that i'm positively surprised. This pianist well known in England but not so much outside plays with great convintion and ease these difficult works. Moreover he plays them with wonderful tone and control.
One of the best performance of Chopin's Etudes along with all these beautiful versions: Berezovsky, Lugansky, Neuburger, Gavrilov, Virsaladze, Magaloff, Perahia, Chiu and Zayas.