Chopin Recordings

[aquablob]

who's the first one?

That was the trick!

The first two I didn't like much. On one of them, don't remember which, the term all-fingers comes to mind. Not sure who played any of these

I'm not surprised that if you didn't like No. 2, you also didn't like No. 1 (or vice versa) — both Cziffra!

I understand your criticism; though I adore Cziffra's recordings of the Chopin waltzes in general, his 64/1s are not the gems of the sets. I do enjoy them more than you do, however. Different gears for different ears, I suppose!

[orbital]

I have an interesting g sharp minor prelude that I want to put up for your guesses, but it is not with me at the mom 

[George]

I have an interesting g sharp minor prelude that I want to put up for your guesses, but it is not with me at the mom 

Nevertheless, I have a guess. 

Weissenberg?

[orbital]

Nevertheless, I have a guess. 

Weissenberg?

No, but one clue is that it will not be easily guessable (not because the pianist is not well known, but because the playing is quite out of her/his style)

[ezodisy]

Nevertheless, I have a guess. 

Weissenberg?

lol!

Did W record much Chopin? The piano concerti, and I used to have a rare live disc from Italy of him playing PC 2 (I think) and other rarely played Chopin works with orchestra. And he recorded Nocturnes, and the two sonatas. I don't remember much else now. Don't think he tried any preludes.

[George]

lol!

Did W record much Chopin? The piano concerti, and I used to have a rare live disc from Italy of him playing PC 2 (I think) and other rarely played Chopin works with orchestra. And he recorded Nocturnes, and the two sonatas. I don't remember much else now. Don't think he tried any preludes.

I am not sure, I was just joking because I know that he is one of Alain's pet pianists. 

[Herman]

Ran into a copy of the Op 28 Preludes by the Latvian pianist Dina Joffe, who was runner up to krystian Zimerman at the 1975 Chopin Competition. It's on the Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga label you're all familiar with, and the rec is from 1988. (This is all assuming it's not just another Joyce Hatto rec.)

At first the playing is rather stodgy, but as the cycle progresses one either gets into Joffe's style or she gets into the music, and there are a couple of rather good pieces. Her tone is terrific, though. I'll have to listen again this weekend.

Anybody else ever got to hear her?

[Mandryka]

Just managed to download for free lots of nice Chopin by Andrezej Wasowski from e-music. Quite a thing since the CDs cost a fortune in the UK.

[orbital]

I have an interesting g sharp minor prelude that I want to put up for your guesses, but it is not with me at the mom 

OK, here it is.

The ending is chopped off to discourage cheating 

[mp3=200,20,0,center]http://www.karaktera.com/brooklynpizza/prelude12.mp3[/mp3]

[aquablob]

No clue, but I like it!

[Drasko]

The ending is chopped off to discourage cheating 

Outrage!!! O tempora, o mores! Coitus interruptus! Et cetera, et cetera...

First thought was Cherkassky, but since you said it's someone playing outside usual self, no idea.

[ezodisy]

I don't know it but I'll go with Perahia

[aquablob]

I'm gonna go with Richter... I have no idea if he ever recorded this prelude, but you mentioned that this performance is out of character, and I've heard some of Richter's Chopin. Doesn't sound anything like this! (I suppose I could say the same for pretty much anybody! )

[orbital]

 

First thought was Cherkassky, but since you said it's someone playing outside usual self, no idea.

The playing reminded you of Cherkassy's general style? You may be right there. The "outside usual self" thing may merely be my interpretation of the pianist in question though. I am sure there are many who find her/his general approach warmer (big hint here  ) than I do.

I don't know it but I'll go with Perahia

No. Why him?

I'm gonna go with Richter... I have no idea if he ever recorded this prelude, but you mentioned that this performance is out of character, and I've heard some of Richter's Chopin. Doesn't sound anything like this! (I suppose I could say the same for pretty much anybody! )

Not Richter either. This pianist -unlike Richter- is a superb Chopin player (docks down to dodge the bullets about to arrive from George) 

The answer is:
Francois

[George]

Not Richter either. This pianist -unlike Richter- is a superb Chopin player (docks down to dodge the bullets about to arrive from George) 

I don't think Richter is a superb Chopin player, actually. I don't think it's terrible either. Somewhere in between.

[Herman]

Ah, right, François. I thought this prelude was a mess, so that makes sense.

[ezodisy]

Ah, right, François. I thought this prelude was a mess, so that makes sense.

welll that is partly why I thought Perahia. To me it sounded like a rather unconvincing attempt to sound poetic, or whatever, which is how I think (or thought) of Perahia's Chopin recordings. I do like quite a lot of Francois' Chopin though

[orbital]

Ah, right, François. I thought this prelude was a mess, so that makes sense.

Really? I am quite fond of his Chopin. I find him a little more distant than the music generally requires, but at times he brings a personal touch such as the case here.
I don't like it when the preludes (particularly the faster ones) are played like etudes.  Unlike them they have plenty of space for taking risks. All the better if the risks pay off, but in the end, they are judgment calls of course.

[Mandryka]

That Sirota disc might be the most deeply beautiful playing I've ever heard. I don't know why but there feels something very profound about it (but without any affectation or conceit). Anyway I once asked Allan Evans if there'd be another Sirota release and I think he said they were planning one. Obviously nothing has happened. Even another volume with Tiegerman, scheduled as upcoming for quite some time, still hasn't come out. You do have a couple other options for more Sirota. I bought this set from Japan:

http://www.hmv.co.jp/product/detail/1080712

and unfortunately it wasn't very good. Sound is awful, really really bad, and the Chopin performances didn't seem all that good (it includes an earlier Ballade 4 which I didn't find as convincing). I was thinking that he'd give an interesting performance of Schumann's Sym Etudes but they were all uniformly slow without any contrast and for me it didn't work at all. I wouldn't recommend buying this.

The other option is this which I've never found:

http://www.amazon.com/Sirota-plays-Chopin-Schumann-Others/dp/B00000G2ID/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1234095107&sr=1-8

I know this isn't really the right place to post this, but I've been listening to Sirota's Beethoven and Schubert disc all week, and once again, it's comming to the non-existant desert island.

This man was an amazing pianist.

[nut-job]

Recently finished listening to Maria Tipo's recordings of the Nocturnes.  Nicely done, an effortless, poetic sound, very satisfying.