Chopin Recordings

[Mandryka]

I thought I'd listen to some Barcarolles, largely because a friend  mentioned Gieseking's and I'd forgotten about it. And yes he paints a very beautiful picture postcard of a boat on the water. I was also surprised by how much I enjoyed a late one from Cortot, in Vol 3 of the APR series - it really does feel like he's sight reading it in your living room. Mistakes, but I don't care.

The big surprise was Pletnev's recording. No picture postcard, that performance. This is great pianism: Pletnev can communicate stuff which matters, and he has ideas of his own about the music. What a loss it would be if he's stopped performing and recording solo piano music.


The whole experience has made me realise how much I  despise impressionism in music. I think that it is a move in the wrong direction: music is an interesting art form precisely when it isn't a representation of the external world.  In Op 60  I feel that Pletnev and Sofronitsky are deeper just because they don't paint an external image -- whatever Chopin's intentions may have been, or whatever the performance traditions are.

Here's the Pletnev I like so much

http://www.youtube.com/v/KKp7NtDueOY

And here's the  Gieseking, which I would say is shallower.

http://www.youtube.com/v/Kfx4kG9qCnU

[Holden]

This site brings up some very interesting contenders for the Barcarolle

http://www.forte-piano-pianissimo.com/ChopinBarcarolle.html

[Mandryka]

This site brings up some very interesting contenders for the Barcarolle

http://www.forte-piano-pianissimo.com/ChopinBarcarolle.html

Thanks -- the Pouishnoff is epic and completely new to me. This is a pianist to explore I suspect -- there's quite a bit on youtube.

[George]

Scheduled for release on 17 October 2011

More info here:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Testament/SBT1473

[Clever Hans]

Scheduled for release on 17 October 2011

More info here:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Testament/SBT1473

Can't wait for this.

[Holden]

I've already purchased this on preorder - like the rest of you I can't wait to hear this recording!

[Holden]

Thanks to Naxos Music Library I got to listen to this last night. I think that Sudbin is one of the best of the new pianists around nowadays and eagerly await all his new recordings. I'm afraid I was underwhelmed with the whole CD.

We've talked in previous posts about being able to 'play' Chopin and it's a skill that some pianists have and others don't. Sudbin just doesn't appear to understand how to play Chopin. He plays the music very simply without trying to overdo the rubato and it's a style with Chopin that I like but it just doesn't resonate with me.

For those who have access to NML/COL/MOG have alisten and say what you think

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Momo Kodama's Chopin recital is one of those discs that comes along every once in a while which instantly separates itself from the rest of the pack.

Recognizable is a distinct musical personality with startlingly fresh ideas and integrity to burn.

Interesting to me is her appearance: waif-like, innocent, pensive. Interesting because it stands in direct opposition to her playing: bold, penetrating, with big, sweeping gestures. This is not limp Chopin. But neither is it overblown (not by a long shot). She simply knows how to plug into the romantic, troubled heart of the music, giving it a strong, confident feel. Her's is not the salon-esk variety of Chopin, thankfully.   

Yes, it's an expensive disc but forget it. MP prices are more reasonable, however.



[asin]B0013GBD9W[/asin]

[Mn Dave]

Momo Kodama's Chopin recital is one of those discs that comes along every once in a while which instantly separates itself from the rest of the pack.

Recognizable is a distinct musical personality with startlingly fresh ideas and integrity to burn.

Interesting to me is her appearance: waif-like, innocent, pensive. Interesting because it stands in direct opposition to her playing: bold, penetrating, with big, sweeping gestures. This is not limp Chopin. But neither is it overblown (not by a long shot). She simply knows how to plug into the romantic, troubled heart of the music, giving it a strong, confident feel. Her's is not the salon-esk variety of Chopin, thankfully.   

Yes, it's an expensive disc but forget it. MP prices are more reasonable, however.

Hm. Same pieces here on Spotify.



Different cover?

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Hm. Same pieces here on Spotify.



Different cover?

Did a little searching.

Both labels, Exton and Triton, apparently belong to the same parent company, Octavia Records Inc. Though I can't tell what distinguishes one label from the other or why the interchangeability. 

What do think of the performances?

[Mn Dave]

Did a little searching.

Both labels, Exton and Triton, apparently belong to the same parent company, Octavia Records Inc. Though I can't tell what distinguishes one label from the other or why the interchangeability. 

What do think of the performances?

I didn't get a chance to listen yet. This disc can me sampled in mp3 format on Amazon, if you're curious.

[Drasko]

Momo Kodama's Chopin recital is one of those discs that comes along every once in a while which instantly separates itself from the rest of the pack.

When was that recorded? I hazily remember Sidoze being wildly enthusiastic abut her Chopin, especially 3rd Scherzo, if I'm not mistaken, but that was at least five or six years ago.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I didn't get a chance to listen yet. This disc can me sampled in mp3 format on Amazon, if you're curious.

No, I already have it. It's the bee's knees. I though my posting about it piqued your curiosity about the disc.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

When was that recorded? I hazily remember Sidoze being wildly enthusiastic abut her Chopin, especially 3rd Scherzo, if I'm not mistaken, but that was at least five or six years ago.

Ah, yes, here's the discussion.

The disc was recorded in October, 2003.

[Mn Dave]

No, I already have it. It's the bee's knees. I though my posting about it piqued your curiosity about the disc.

I meant if you were curious about the discs being the same. Yes, your post piqued it. I hope to listen soon.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I meant if you were curious about the discs being the same. Yes, your post piqued it. I hope to listen soon.

[Drasko]

Ah, yes, here's the discussion.

The disc was recorded in October, 2003.

Aha, so it's the same recital as was discussed back then. Thanks. Can't recall what were my thoughts on it but most likely I still have a copy of of the disc somewhere, need to dig.

[Holden]

My copy of the Pollini Etudes on Testament has arrived and I'm listening to it now.

(Why no image tool?)

The DG Etudes that Pollini recorded have often been described as cold and somewhat unmusical and I can see where this came from. I must admit that when I heard them for the first time I went wow, this is amazing piano playing and even by today's standards it still is but when I compare it to the likes of Ashkenazy, Cortot and Anievas I can see where these pianists bring out the musical aspects of these works in far more detail than Pollini.

The first impression of this earlier performance is clarity. You can hear both hands and the way that Pollini gives emphasis to whichever one he chooses. The second impression is of facility, these pieces don't sound hard to play, they don't sound like the virtuoso works that they actually are. You are very aware of this in Pollini's DG recording. The third thing that strikes me is the lack of oversentimentality that we are used to in so many Chopin recordings. Op10/3 is played simply as it is written. There are no overdrawn pauses between phrases, no obvious use of rubato (though it is definitely there). I hear similarities in approach to the few etudes that Solomon recorded.

My first listen has me favouring Op 25 over Op 10. I was happy to skip through a couple of tracks in Op 10 but when I came to Op 25 I listened to it without wanting to skip over anything. I've now gone back to Op 10 for a more detailed listen and maybe I've been unfair to the initial opus but timw will tell.

Finally, I realise that I am listening to an 18 year old and this just blows me away. This is certainly much better than Pollini's DG recital and I would heartily recommend it. If I had one small criticism it would be that maybe the pianist could have used a slightly wider range of dynamics though maybe this is down to the recording engineer. I'll listen to Ashkenazy (Moscow 1960) later to make some comparisons. I am really glad that I bought this recording.

[Peregrine]

Ah, yes, here's the discussion.

The disc was recorded in October, 2003.

Those were the days! Still haven't purchased the Kadama disc, but then Chopin has been off my radar for quite some time. Perhaps this will re-ignite my enthusiasm...

The Pollini disc also sounds very exciting. Thanks for the write up, Holden.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Still haven't purchased the Kadama disc, but then Chopin has been off my radar for quite some time. Perhaps this will re-ignite my enthusiasm...

She'll definitely make you listen to this music with fresh ears, something a great artist ought to be able to do.