Chopin Nocturnes

Started by Scarpia, January 28, 2010, 08:42:27 AM

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George

Quote from: Herman on January 29, 2010, 08:46:25 AM
Unfortunately I am not familiar with pre-war nocturne recordings by Cortot.

Quote from: Drasko on January 29, 2010, 08:54:48 AM
Are there any?

I found this on Naxos's website, but can't view the PDF (rear of CD) that shows the details about the Nocturnes within. http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.111245 I am at work or could just read it off the CD. Can someone view the PDF and post the details about the years of those Nocturne performances?

Mandryka

Quote from: George on January 29, 2010, 10:09:35 AM
I found this on Naxos's website, but can't view the PDF (rear of CD) that shows the details about the Nocturnes within. http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.111245 I am at work or could just read it off the CD. Can someone view the PDF and post the details about the years of those Nocturne performances?

It says that the only pre-war nocturne is Op 9/2.

This seems to be a good Cortot  discography :


http://fischer.hosting.paran.com/music/Cortot/discography-cortot.htm#Nocturnes
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Herman

I generally try to avoid using the word 'hysterical' in connection with women, but that's the impression I got. I had the set for a year and then dumped it. To me it sounded like she took the concept 'operatic' but left out the critical 'bel canto' part.

Scarpia

Quote from: Herman on January 30, 2010, 04:32:57 AM
I generally try to avoid using the word 'hysterical' in connection with women, but that's the impression I got. I had the set for a year and then dumped it. To me it sounded like she took the concept 'operatic' but left out the critical 'bel canto' part.

Ok, now we know that someone was hysterical, but we don't know who.   ???

Drasko

Pires fits the description closest.

Marc

Quote from: Herman on January 30, 2010, 04:32:57 AM
I generally try to avoid using the word 'hysterical' in connection with women, but that's the impression I got. I had the set for a year and then dumped it. To me it sounded like she took the concept 'operatic' but left out the critical 'bel canto' part.

Listen to the purity and clarity of Livia Rév's singing tone, and maybe you will love them girlz again. ;D

Coopmv

Quote from: Drasko on January 30, 2010, 07:02:45 AM
Pires fits the description closest.

Maria Joao Pires made an excellent DG recording on Nocturnes. I have played the set a number of times since I bought it a few months ago.  I just wonder when Helene Grimaud will try her hands on these works ...

SonicMan46

Thought that I'd like to join this thread -  :D

Moravec has been a favorite of mine for a number of years, but I certainly need to try others (and have culled out several collections in the past).

Earl Wild is my most recent addition - owned nothing by him until his recent death stimulated my interest - also have his Piano Transcriptions coming 'in the mail', which was the recipient of a Grammy Award in 1997.  So, any comments on this performance - so far, I'm enjoying his playing and interpretations of the Chopin works, rather subdued and nocturnal (like him rowing the canoe in the 'corny' cover art).   :)


Herman

Quote from: Coopmv on January 30, 2010, 07:29:09 AM
Maria Joao Pires made an excellent DG recording on Nocturnes. I have played the set a number of times since I bought it a few months ago.  I just wonder when Helene Grimaud will try her hands on these works ...

So you think Pires is female, Grimaud is too, so she ought to record the same stuff? That's subtle.

As I tried to explain above, after listening to "the set a number of times" I thought the Pires recording of the Nocturnes is problematic and is not up to the competition. However I'm glad if you think it's "excellent,' so Pires' effort has not been totally in vain.

Grimaud, not exactly known for her Chopin, might up the hysterics (and loud) ante, indeed. Let's hope she bides her time, though.

Mandryka

One old fashioned pianist who I feel rather ambivalent about in these nocturnes is Leopold Godowsky.

I think that there is a very special, rather  disarming, straightforwardness and purity about the approach.

What I am not convinced about is that there's enough variety in his style. I always start out by being excited about his nocturnes, but after two or three, I start to grow bored.

But that's maybe a bit philistine -- Godowsky's nocturnes are worth exploring I think.

BTW, I also played some by Wasowsky -- too sentimental for me, I'm afraid.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Todd

Being a Chopin year, there are going to be new recordings of the Nocturnes, and it looks like Yundi Li moved over to EMI and recorded them.  The set will be out in April.  Of more interest for me, Nelson Freire has also recorded them, and that set will be out in March. 
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

George

Quote from: Todd on February 11, 2010, 12:12:01 PM
Being a Chopin year, there are going to be new recordings of the Nocturnes, and it looks like Yundi Li moved over to EMI and recorded them.  The set will be out in April.  Of more interest for me, Nelson Freire has also recorded them, and that set will be out in March.

Yes, that Freire set should be nice.

samuel

An extremely underrated set is Elisabeth Leonskaja's on Teldec, her handling of the transitions from the gentler passages to the stormier ones is quite remarkable.

George



After owning and thoroughly enjoying a copy of this set for a few years, I finally found a legit copy to buy.

MichaelRabin

What is the preferred (i.e. best) set of these pieces? Arrau on Philips, Rubinstein on Naxos or the Moravec on Nonesuch? Or any others that you might like? Your musical and audio (sound) reasons please? Thanks.

George

Quote from: MichaelRabin on March 30, 2010, 06:20:12 AM
What is the preferred (i.e. best) set of these pieces? Arrau on Philips, Rubinstein on Naxos or the Moravec on Nonesuch?

Yes.  ;D

Quote
Or any others that you might like? Your musical and audio (sound) reasons please? Thanks.

Arrau remains my favorite. His indulgent, syrupy readings delight me every time I hear them. The sound is very good too. I should add that Arrau though veryhighly of the Nocturnes and it shows in his interpretations.

Scarpia

I was getting major Deja vu, then I realized (duh) I had started the recent thread myself.   You will find discussion related to your query here:

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,15721.0.html


Mandryka

#37
It's impossible to answer the question.

You can play these pieces in so many different ways.

I think it would be foolish to say that Weissenberg is better than Rubinstein, or that Rubinstein is better than Samson François, or that Samson François is better than Pollini.

These are all highly musical, well recorded, personal, intense performances. Despite their differences, none of them can be excluded for fundamental reasons.

They are incommensurables – and others would no doubt add others to the list.

All Weissenberg, Rubinstein, François, Pollini et al. have in common is a score to respond to – a score which profoundly underdetermines the performance.

My best advice is to listen to a selection of each of the above on youtube, see which tickles your fancy, and buy the CDs.

Alternatively say more about what you are looking for in terms of style – dreamy romantic, dramatic, objective, sentimental . . . and maybe someone can make some suggestions.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

George

Quote from: Mandryka on March 30, 2010, 08:10:17 AM
Alternatively say more about what you are looking for in terms of style – dreamy romantic, dramatic, objective, sentimental . . . and maybe someone can make some suggestions.

Freudian slip?  ;D

BTW, thanks very much for your post. I consider myself grateful to be able to correspond with such an open minded, mature individual. 

Ten thumbs

Quote from: Mandryka on March 30, 2010, 08:10:17 AM

Alternatively say more about what you are looking for in terms of style – dreamy romantic, dramatic, objective, sentimental . . . and maybe someone can make some suggestions.
I would say that it is highly unsatisfactory to play all of the nocturnes in the same style, whatever that may be. For instance there is a world of difference between the light and frisky Op55.1 and the expansive but occasionally dreamy Op55.2. I would expect a good pianist to bring out these differences.
A day may be a destiny; for life
Lives in but little—but that little teems
With some one chance, the balance of all time:
A look—a word—and we are wholly changed.