Ingrid Fliter - Chopin Waltzes

Started by Holden, March 17, 2010, 02:58:42 AM

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Holden

Has anyone heard this


I got it out of the library today for a listen just to see what it was like (as I do with a number of CDs). I was very surprised by the quality of her playing and more importantly by her ability to be able to connect with Chopin and his music.

I love Chopin both as a pianist and a listener. He is unique and so is the sound and music he created which gave so much scope for interpretation. I have all the great Chopin pianists on CD including Cortot, Rubinstein, Rachmaninov, Solomon, Ashkenazy, Hofmann, Fiorentino, etc. The problem is that no pianist has really come forward to take their place. We've been in a state of hiatus for a number of years now with no clear candidate emerging. I had great hopes for the young Kissin but he faded. The last 4 Chopin comp winners are not impressive and behind that was Zimmermann who's recorded very little Chopin since his win.

When I finally hear a young pianist who has what I sense as that Chopin touch it is very refreshing. Her rhythmical sense with Chopin is excellent and the subtle use of rubato reminds me of Rubinstein. It's her lack of affectation that really stands out, especially compared to the man who beat her into second place in the 2000 comp - Yundi Li. To me Li is all show and no depth. Fliter has a much deeper appreciation of the music.

OK, she doesn't outdo my Chopin Waltz favourites - Ashkenazy, Anievas and (begrudgingly) Lipatti live - but she is a breath of fresh air.

I read a number of reviews of this CD and most were positive. The few that weren't couldn't define what it was they didn't like, they just made comparisons to older performers. These are the sort of morons that the music industry should get rid of. OK, you don't have to like performance but at least be able to explain why.

Anyway if anyone here has heard this CD I'd be interested in your comments on Fliter the Chopin pianist.
Cheers

Holden

kishnevi

I have this CD--general reaction is, nothing very special about it that perks up my ears.
As for young pianists with a penchant for good Chopin--try Rafal Blachacz (hope I spelled his name correctly!)

Scarpia

How many recordings of these trifles do we need?  Whenever they make a significant advance in recording technology someone should volunteer to record them again.  No more.   :D

Mandryka

#3
Quote from: Scarpia on March 17, 2010, 09:03:12 PM
How many recordings of these trifles do we need?  Whenever they make a significant advance in recording technology someone should volunteer to record them again.  No more.   :D

Yes -- quite a few are just dances for elegant princesses. Salon bonbons.

But  quite a few of the waltzes have some pretty intersting music in them too -- and there are many recent interpretations which offer very radical and refreshing and challenging perspectives.


Examples -- Cyprian Katsaris and Zoltan Kocsis.

And if you go back in time there are some extraordinary waltz performances from may of the ususal suspects: Sofronitsky, Richter, Cziffra, Roesenthal, Cortot, Fiorentino,  Pletnev, Samson François.

Filter I have not heard.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Bulldog

Quote from: Scarpia on March 17, 2010, 09:03:12 PM
How many recordings of these trifles do we need? 

Hundreds - they are very popular with folks who like to go ballroom dancing.


Herman

Quote from: Holden on March 17, 2010, 02:58:42 AM

I got it out of the library today for a listen just to see what it was like (as I do with a number of CDs). I was very surprised by the quality of her playing and more importantly by her ability to be able to connect with Chopin and his music.



I have not heard Fliter, but I did recently get Alexandre Tharaud's Complete Waltzes, which I find quite good. It's 2006 Harmonia Mundi disc.

The advantage of getting a new recording, is that you get 19 wlatzes instead of the classic 14 all the old guys (Rubnstein, Lipatti &c) used to play.

Tharaud throws in a homage waltz of Mompou's and doesn't play the Waltzes in canonic order (a big plus). Big minus, he doesn't wear a dress like Fliter's.

Todd

I haven't heard Fliter's disc of the complete Waltzes, though I do have her earlier Chopin disc (see below) and have mixed feelings about it.  She can certainly play well, and her playing is certainly attractive at times, but she didn't knock it out of the park for me.  Her approach to rhythm doesn't always work for me, and a few times I though she could do with more energy. 

When I saw both she and Alice Sara Ott were releasing the Waltzes, I opted for Ms Ott on the basis of her earlier Liszt Transcendental Etudes disc.  Ott's approach is far less fiery than I though it would be, and sounds a bit contrived at times, and not always waltz-like. 

Were only DG to reissue Zimerman's early recording of the Waltzes this year.


The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

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

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Drasko

Quote from: Herman on March 18, 2010, 05:24:18 AM
Big minus, he doesn't wear a dress like Fliter's.

You think it would look good on him? Haven't heard Tharaud's waltzes but do like his preludes, some very interesting ideas he has there. One of the more memorable among younger players. Didn't like few snippets I heard of his new Chopin disc released for Virgin though.

Quote from: Todd on March 18, 2010, 08:01:23 AM
Were only DG to reissue Zimerman’s early recording of the Waltzes this year.

If he'd to release anything it would be nice. I have jaw-dropping bootleg of his Chopin b-flat sonata, he's been playing it for ages but no recording ever announced. What happened to his Bacewicz DG disc, it was advertised as ready to hit the stores and then just pulled?

Scarpia

Quote from: Drasko on March 18, 2010, 08:42:15 AMIf he'd to release anything it would be nice. I have jaw-dropping bootleg of his Chopin b-flat sonata, he's been playing it for ages but no recording ever announced. What happened to his Bacewicz DG disc, it was advertised as ready to hit the stores and then just pulled?

I think the Waltzes being referred to are a 1978 LP that was never issued on CD.

Zimerman, he was the one who would start his US recitals with a stern lecture to the audience on how the US is evil.  Maybe he became concerned that we would get our hands on the recording and use it to further are agenda of world hegemony.   ::)

Todd

Quote from: Scarpia on March 18, 2010, 08:49:21 AM
I think the Waltzes being referred to are a 1978 LP that was never issued on CD.



Indeed it is.  His early Mozart LP never made it to CD either (at least that I have seen).  Pity, he was quite a good pianist when he was young.

Zimerman may have to lecture less as he has apparently decided to stop performing in the US altogether.  (Of course, that was last year before the Obama adminstration decided to not deploy part of the missile shield to Mr Zimerman's native Poland, so maybe the US is a slightly less evil country now.)
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

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

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Scarpia

Quote from: Todd on March 18, 2010, 08:59:59 AMZimerman may have to lecture less as he has apparently decided to stop performing in the US altogether.  (Of course, that was last year before the Obama adminstration decided to not deploy part of the missile shield to Mr Zimerman's native Poland, so maybe the US is a slightly less evil country now.)

Well, I wonder if he can get a visa now, after all that. 

Franco

Quote from: Todd on March 18, 2010, 08:01:23 AM



I think it quite an achievement by Ms Fliter to play so well without the aid of arms.

Scarpia

Quote from: Franco on March 18, 2010, 09:24:54 AM
I think it quite an achievement by Ms Fliter to play so well without the aid of arms.

We can only imagine what she uses.   ;D

Herman



Quote from: Drasko on March 18, 2010, 08:42:15 AM
You think it would look good on him?

Well, surely his people can photoshop just as good as her's.



More seriously, I don't think EMI is doing her a service with these images. I would never buy a cd with such a bizarre bimbette picture.

George

Quote from: Franco on March 18, 2010, 09:24:54 AM
I think it quite an achievement by Ms Fliter to play so well without the aid of arms.

;D :D ;D

Post of the day.

Holden

Quote from: Todd on March 18, 2010, 08:01:23 AM

When I saw both she and Alice Sara Ott were releasing the Waltzes, I opted for Ms Ott on the basis of her earlier Liszt Transcendental Etudes disc.  Ott's approach is far less fiery than I though it would be, and sounds a bit contrived at times, and not always waltz-like. 



I've heard the Ott disc and am in agreement with you about them being very contrived as opposed to Fliter who tries to let the music flow more naturally.

The Anievas Waltzes I had on LP were also played non chronologically but the CD has them in correct Opus order. For me it is a toss up between Ashkenazy and Anievas.
Cheers

Holden

kishnevi

I listened to this CD again tonight.  It's somewhat better than I remembered it, but still in her hands it remains merely superb salon music.