Idil Biret - Chopin - Naxos Release

[mahler10th]

I would appreciate anyones comments on Idil Beret's Piano interpretations of Chopin.  It seems she recorded much of her 15 disk Naxos set with some hostility / politics going on behind the scenes, and the release wasn't really well met.  Some of the reviews talk about this being nothing but a 'very good introduction to Chopin.'  Other reviewers elsewhere actually like it, but not so many.
Well.  I recently came to enjoy some of Liszts piano works, and am entering the World of piano pieces (which have never been my forte.)  Question is, what is it exactly that is wrong with Idil Berets set which prompts so many reviewers to quote Rubinstein (etc) as benchmarks, to which Berets output is a mere piano tinkling.
OR (and I hope there is a case here),  is the Beret / Chopin combination actually quite good, and is sadly overlooked?  I have opp of buying the set, but I'm wary of reviews elsewhere.

[Harry]

The set is not bad at all John. The interpretation is good at its best, and sometimes like in the preludes not so good. Its a mixed blessing.
The sound is a let down in some of the recordings.
Frankly I would not buy the set, because there are better alternatives like Magaloff or Harasiewicz, the last one released for 19,95 euro's and by far superior to Biret.

[mahler10th]

Frankly I would not buy the set, because there are better alternatives like Magaloff or Harasiewicz, the last one released for 19,95 euro's and by far superior to Biret.

Invaluable.  Thanks Harry.

[Dr. Dread]

That's funny. I remember a warm reception when these discs first came out.

I have the first four volumes and find nothing to bitch about. The discs are easily sampled at Naxos' site.

It's "Biret," by the way.

[mahler10th]

That's funny. I remember a warm reception when these discs first came out.

I have the first four volumes and find nothing to bitch about. The discs are easily sampled at Naxos' site.

It's "Biret," by the way.

Okay, okay Golf Ball eyes, I don't know how to spell Turkish names.
(Your Avatar has got to be from that Star Trek episode of a golf ball eyed reptilian horror which Kirk beamed down to - a planet where there were crystals growing?  Love it.)

[mahler10th]

Outstanding.  My brother and I talked about that episode for months after first seeing it in 1974.  The creature was so unconvincing we called it 'Golf Ball' eyes. 
Hang on...my God, you've changed your avatar and removed the Kirk/Creature picture... people may read this thread now and believe that I have lost my mind completely, calling you golf ball eyes for no reason!

[Dr. Dread]

Outstanding.  My brother and I talked about that episode for months after first seeing it in 1974.  The creature was so unconvincing we called it 'Golf Ball' eyes. 

Ha. I deleted the image so as not to pollute your Chopin thread.

Anyway, I think that episode was based on a story called "Arena" by Fredric Brown. In high school, this sf story impressed me.

[Opus106]

am entering the World of piano pieces (which have never been my forte.) 

*Quietly leaves without disturbing the thread further*

[jwinter]

I picked up the Harasiewicz set last week, and while I haven't listened to the whole thing yet, I think I could safely recommend it as a low-cost introduction to Chopin.  He doesn't quite approach the sensitivity that you get with Rubinstein, who has an undeniable charm, style and authority in this music, but it's very well-played and his interpretations are solid if occasionally lacking in the passion and romanticism that many look for in Chopin.

As for Biret, I've heard her Preludes and a disc or so of popular pieces.  They were both good, but neither made much of an impression on me.  It hasn't made me want to go out and get the rest of the set, although perhaps her strengths lie elsewhere.

To sum up, if I were looking for a set to give a relatively complete intro to Chopin, I'd go with the stereo Rubinstein (if you catch the Chopin bug you will eventually need this anyway -- it's as essential a purchase as I can think of).  If I was on a tight budget, I'd take Harasiewicz.  If I had a little more to spend, I'd also consider Ashkenazy (more complete than either of the above), or perhaps add Cziffra as a compliment to Rubinstein (his Etudes are very good, which is the one conspicuous item that Rubinstein doesn't cover).

A lot of folks will say to skip the whole box set route and pick individual recordings, but personally I like the idea of getting it all at once from a single pianist as an introduction, and then expanding out in the works you really like.

Hope that helps

[Bulldog]

The set is not bad at all John. The interpretation is good at its best, and sometimes like in the preludes not so good. Its a mixed blessing.

I think Biret's performance of the Preludes is exceptional.  She gives the pieces the x-ray treatment while fully conveying emotional content.

[orbital]

 They were both good, but neither made much of an impression on me.  It hasn't made me want to go out and get the rest of the set, although perhaps her strengths lie elsewhere.

Yes, Brahms 

Biret's set was my sort of introduction to Chopin. I don't listen to her recordings much any more, but I think hernset is more complete than almost all other pianists' if I'm not mistaken. All those small dances, etc. are included. For the price it is a sensible purchase IMO.

[Herman]

For the price it is a sensible purchase IMO.

There's always confusion about these recommendations of Naxos material.

Do people mean Biret (for instance) is a great Chopin pianist, or Jandos a great Beethoven interpret, or are the Kodaly a must-have Haydn quartet; or do they mean it's great value for the small Naxos price?

I suspect in most cases they mean the latter, and wish people would be more explicit about this.

[Bulldog]

There's always confusion about these recommendations of Naxos material.

Do people mean Biret (for instance) is a great Chopin pianist, or Jandos a great Beethoven interpret, or are the Kodaly a must-have Haydn quartet; or do they mean it's great value for the small Naxos price?

I suspect in most cases they mean the latter, and wish people would be more explicit about this.

Okay, I'll be more explicit.  My opinion that Biret's recording of the Preludes is exceptional has nothing to do with price.  Is she a great Chopin pianist?  I haven't heard enough of her other Chopin recordings to answer that one.

[Holden]

This is what I would recommend for a starter Chopin set and you can get it much cheaper than this. I've seen it in stores for less than half the price.

[Brian]

I was able to pick up an 11-CD box of Rubinstein's stereo Chopin recordings from Amazon for US$30. This would be my absolute top recommendation.

I have several volumes of the Idil Biret series, which incidentally did receive warm reviews on initial release:
Etudes - disappointing. The acoustics are kind of blurred because the microphones seem to be quite a great distance from the piano. Ms Biret has trouble with some of the more technically demanding etudes. She's never outstanding and when I got my second recording of these works, it was often revelatory.
Concertos - very fine playing, even though I am not a fan of the music. The orchestra is acceptable.
Preludes - I haven't listened to this one very much, but it did not make an impression.
I have also heard a couple nocturnes and mazurkas, which did not compel me to go out and buy the CDs.

The other posters are correct that Ms Biret's strengths lie elsewhere - specifically in her outstanding Brahms. I have yet to sample her Rachmaninov at length...

[Dr. Dread]

I like her Ballade No. 1 a lot.

[springrite]

Well, I have ONE disc, that was because I wanted the first sonata and it was the only one that was easily available at the time. Biret is more than a servicable pianist on most of the repertoire she plays. Occasionally they are indeed very good. But it is rare. Most of the time, her recordings are good for the price, especially before NAXOS prices were raised.