Chopin's mazurkas

Started by jwinter, August 02, 2012, 12:07:21 PM

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Mandryka

Quote from: hvbias on November 13, 2022, 02:17:23 PM
Michel Block's late in life Mazurkas are like Wasowski, these are both only in small doses for me, those tempi can be a bit much in the Mazurkas. For me Block's best Chopin are his DG recordings from the early 60s.

edit: I haven't heard the Block Chopin Institute CD, last I checked it wasn't on Qobuz.

Block is responsible for the worst Chopin performance I've ever heard - the barcarolle. About 15 minutes of it I think.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

staxomega

#281
Quote from: Mandryka on November 16, 2022, 09:11:06 AM
Block is responsible for the worst Chopin performance I've ever heard - the barcarolle. About 15 minutes of it I think.

I have not, I believe that is on the Chopin OM Recordings CD, I bought it years ago and there were some pinholes or flaking and wouldn't rip so the seller told me to bin it. I can't even imagine 15 minutes for the Barcarolle. Block is also responsible for not just the worst Tempest Sonata I've heard but the worst Beethoven Piano Sonata performance I've heard. I have no idea why he would make decisions like these extreme tempi, he was still capable of playing at a very high level late in life as evidenced by the Liszt Harmonies poetiques et religieuses, Granados, Albeniz, Scriabin (most beautiful/poetic second sonata, unmatched in those qualities), etc. It's a bit maddening because when he was "on" he was easily one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.

Mandryka

Quote from: Mandryka on July 06, 2022, 11:17:36 PMBack to this for the first time in 7 years and what I said before is what I'd say now. Not for me in my current state of mind, but it may well be for someone else. It's a bit buttoned up - maybe a bit overthunk. The sound is state of the art studio processed piano.

Back to Fialkowska today, the second time this year, that makes three times in 8 years. And I think my two posts about it are accurate - it is deeply felt and nuanced and yet, at the same time, buttoned up. Deeply felt like Henry James and Jane Austen. I like it very much, it needs to be experienced.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Dry Brett Kavanaugh

Quote from: Mandryka on December 04, 2022, 11:47:50 PMBack to Fialkowska today, the second time this year, that makes three times in 8 years. And I think my two posts about it are accurate - it is deeply felt and nuanced and yet, at the same time, buttoned up. Deeply felt like Henry James and Jane Austen. I like it very much, it needs to be experienced.

For some reason, its not for me AS OF NOW. Maybe her touch. Overall very straightforward performance. I may change my mind soon.

Mandryka

Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Dry Brett Kavanaugh

Quote from: Mandryka on December 09, 2022, 08:33:52 AMAnia Dorfmann's Chopin Waltzes sound OK actually -- tender

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mhWulDdje6igMahV-CUFgMbn0ip2Nn_h4

The fast-tempo works sound cool and elegant. I would personally like more sensitivity, and a slight twist, in mid/slow tempo pieces (ie. No.10 B min waltz). They may have them and I maybe missing them though.

Checked Shebanova's Mazurkas recently. Fairly good, if not amazing, performance. Again I wanted more nuances and darkness. I thought that the Italian professor in my previous post sounded pretty good.




AaronSF

I've enjoyed Nikita Magaloff's mazurkas.  They are very elegantly played...which I'm guessing may not be to everyone's taste.  Worth a listen, though.


Dry Brett Kavanaugh

#287
ESL's Valses proffer a nice change. She presents her own unique and lyrical world, and she doesn't give a dxxx about what others think about it. There is something attractive in her performance.

As for Simon, I don't know about his Preludes, but I like his sensitive, and somewhat oblique, Mazurkas. Maybe I'm biased by the novel, cool cover art.








Mandryka

#288
Quote from: AaronSF on December 09, 2022, 01:23:35 PMI've enjoyed Nikita Magaloff's mazurkas.  They are very elegantly played...which I'm guessing may not be to everyone's taste.  Worth a listen, though.



Yes, very nice fresh vibe. But somehow it doesn't do what the best can do, which is make me listen for some time. It's as if the style is too much the same all the same. He's not the only one!
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Mandryka

#289
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on December 11, 2022, 08:21:12 AMESL's Valses proffer a nice change. She presents her own unique and lyrical world, and she doesn't give a dxxx about what others think about it. There is something attractive in her performance.

As for Simon, I don't know about his Preludes, but I like his sensitive, and somewhat oblique, Mazurkas. Maybe I'm biased by the novel, cool cover art.









ESL is a bit of a challenge for me. It's as if there's not enough relief, not enough fizz and sparkle,  the same approach all the time. But I've made a mental note and will come back to it. It made me think of Arrau's Waltzes,  I have a positive memory of them.

Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Dry Brett Kavanaugh

#290
Quote from: Mandryka on December 14, 2022, 10:03:43 AMESL is a bit of a challenge for me. It's as if there's not enough relief, not enough fizz and sparkle,  the same approach all the time. But I've made a mental note and will come back to it. It made me think of Arrau's Waltzes,  I have a positive memory of them.




Good insights and you sound right. Ott and Lima present more variations, colors and occasional surprises. Just checked Ewa Pobłocka's mazurkas yesterday. It won't be my favorite, but her performance is very good and likable. Maybe just the tone of piano is not my thing. I'm sure some/many people will like the recording.





Que

Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on December 14, 2022, 11:20:11 AMMaybe just the tone of piano is not my thing.

Out of curiosity, I checked: it is a Steinway.

Dry Brett Kavanaugh

Quote from: Que on December 17, 2022, 01:20:18 PMOut of curiosity, I checked: it is a Steinway.

My respect to Steinway and the Allied Power industry. Sayonara.

Verena


So far I really like Sergey Dorensky's recording of the mazurkas. Was intrigued by an earlier recommendation by Howard. Just the right does of vibrato in my view. Might become favorites.
Don't think, but look! (PI66)

Mandryka

Quote from: Mandryka on August 18, 2019, 03:30:33 AM

What's distinctive about this one from Sergei Dorensky is that he has a symphonic style - lots of different timbres and big gestures - which he uses fairly liberally here to transform each mazurka into a something which sounds more like a Rachmaninov tableau than you might have been expecting.

Good enough sound, modern piano with a good steely timbre, I wonder if it was a soviet instrument.

Dorensky was, I believe, a well regarded teacher in the USSR. Does anyone know anything about him, his ideas and his pupils?

I'm glad you're exploring it, Verena. Here's what I said about it more than three years ago. I'd be very interested to hear what the other mazurka connoisseurs make of what he does.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Dry Brett Kavanaugh

Apropos of Dorensky:
Very good performance while it doesn't appeal to my personal preference. His timing is exquisite imo. Just like Fialkowska and Tsong, his touch is a little strong for my personal taste. The music sounds strong, less dark, and less enigmatic.
This is just about my personal taste, rather than his ability. In objective term, his performance is excellent.
As for connoisseurs, I miss Hvbias and hope he will come back.

Mandryka

#296
Totally agree about Dorensky, he's not for me.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Dry Brett Kavanaugh


Verena

Quote from: Mandryka on December 18, 2022, 07:12:28 AMI'm glad you're exploring it, Verena. Here's what I said about it more than three years ago. I'd be very interested to hear what the other mazurka connoisseurs make of what he does.
The big gestures which you mention are sometimes too much of a good thing for me, too. I think I mostly listen for the timing and that's what I love about his interpretation. Having listened to some mazurkas again today, I guess my favorites remain Maryla Jonas, Reisenberg, Rubinstein (on some days) and Boshniakovich. But he comes quite close.
Don't think, but look! (PI66)

Mandryka

#299
Quote from: Verena on December 18, 2022, 08:25:08 AMThe big gestures which you mention are sometimes too much of a good thing for me, too. I think I mostly listen for the timing and that's what I love about his interpretation. Having listened to some mazurkas again today, I guess my favorites remain Maryla Jonas, Reisenberg, Rubinstein (on some days) and Boshniakovich. But he comes quite close.

Big thumbs up for Boshniakovich from me! Such nobility, such elegance, such delicacy! The most Mozartian Chopin I've ever heard.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen