Blind test for Chopin's Nocturne Op. 37 No. 1

[staxomega]

Seeing if there is any interest to do a blind test for Op. 37 No. 1. I have about 15 sets that I could pull from that aren't prewar, I think it would only make sense to leave these out as many people wouldn't like the sound of them.

[Selig]

I think there haven't been any blind tests since I joined the forums but I'd like to partake in one, whatever the repertory!

Chopin, well, I'm especially blind when it comes to this composer 

Current favourites: Moravec, Tipo. But no strong convictions!

[Brian]

Absolutely! I don't know this specific nocturne well, which is an advantage to me, some of them I've heard too often recently and want to give them a rest. But not this one.

Plus, with the holiday season approaching, I'll have some extra free time to give them all a listen. Excited.

[staxomega]

Excellent, I'd like to participate as well so if someone that isn't planning to doesn't mind unlabeling the files then we can be good to go. I chose this one because I think it's a great piece and I was quite surprised to see that one from my favorite complete cycles actually fared quite poorly in 37/1.

[amw]

Chopin nocturnes aren't really my thing with a few exceptions (32/2, 48/1, 55/1 and 2, 62/1 and 2), but I have accumulated several recordings of these as well so if there's anything in particular you want to add to the comparison and need help sourcing it, let me know.

[staxomega]

Chopin nocturnes aren't really my thing with a few exceptions (32/2, 48/1, 55/1 and 2, 62/1 and 2), but I have accumulated several recordings of these as well so if there's anything in particular you want to add to the comparison and need help sourcing it, let me know.

Thank you, I appreciate it. I've counted 19 that I could include, and none that are prewar or on period instruments that might cause them to get struck out early on. Only missing one big name pianist that I think I am going to leave off.

All the ones you've listed seem to open themselves up to more interpretive variation so I might reconsider this. 

[amw]

There's nothing wrong with 37 no. 1 to be clear, it's just not a piece I have ever been especially interested in, because I personally have a "late Chopin" thing and love those complex endlessly interlocking phrases that are virtually impossible to interpret etc.

[Holden]

As a lover of Chopin's music and especially his Nocturnes I'm a starter. I have versions of this by a number of pianists. If some of those are included will I be able to pick them?

Just as a matter of interest, why this particular nocturne?

[aukhawk]

Please count me in.  I'm not particularly an admirer of this music but I do like a blind listening.

[staxomega]

As a lover of Chopin's music and especially his Nocturnes I'm a starter. I have versions of this by a number of pianists. If some of those are included will I be able to pick them?

Just as a matter of interest, why this particular nocturne?

You can PM me if you'd like any included, my selection includes all popular selections except one, which I feel that cycle as a whole was more of a draw at the time given the fewer number of complete cycles, also that set is in storage and I don't particularly want to dig for it. I'm hesitant to list the pianists I'm planning to use to minimize any type of bias.

I like this piece as it sounds truly night time, there aren't any wild changes in dynamics and I love the middle section. If it's successful I'm up for running more, with the short duration of these pieces we should be able to get through them quickly. I saw your thread on 48/1 being one of the pinnacles of the Nocturnes which I do agree with.

I am going to listen to a few more back to back to make sure 37/1 is suitable, ie enough variation in performances and doesn't turn into that going to the optometrist and asking to choose between 1,2 then 3,4 and really all look extremely similar

[JBS]

I'm interested. This coming week is extremely work intensive for me (retail) but I'm presuming you won't be starting the test before Christmas.

[Valentino]

Count me in. Blind tests are great. I participated in a couple of M's back when and haven't done it since he got the boot.

[Cato]

Seeing if there is any interest to do a blind test for Op. 37 No. 1. I have about 15 sets that I could pull from that aren't prewar, I think it would only make sense to leave these out as many people wouldn't like the sound of them.

Yes, I will participate!  One of my former students is a Professor of Music and an expert on Chopin and Liszt: I would like to send the results to him!

I recall the epic Bruckner Symphony #6 "blind listening" from some years ago!  Great fun!

If I had the technical knowledge (and equipment?) for extracting excerpts from recordings, I would organize such a contest myself.

[staxomega]

I'm interested. This coming week is extremely work intensive for me (retail) but I'm presuming you won't be starting the test before Christmas.

I can start it after Christmas. Would people prefer if I waited until after New Years as well?

[aukhawk]

As soon as you like, for me.  Christmas is obviously a busy time for many people - but for others (me) we have all the time in the world. 

[staxomega]

aukhawk sent me a very helpful PM on logistics of only doing a single nocturne. I hadn't considered that past blind tests had several movements per piece.

This was my thinking when starting the thread (now with a revised total of 16 performances):

4 groups of 4 nocturnes, eliminate 1 in each group
Rescramble into 4 groups of 3, eliminate 1 in each group
Rescramble into 2 groups of 3, one group of 2 - eliminate 1 in each group
Rescramble into final 5 - pick a winner

This requires hearing the same performance a minimum of four different times. I'm not sure how appealing that is? With the benefit that these blind tests have ran for very long periods in the past and this wouldn't turn into a job.

With two different nocturnes aukhawk proposes

With a single piece of music IMHO you can't really do more than 2 rounds.  Assume 18 (to 21) samples and you have these sort of options:
3 groups of 6 (or 4 of 5), take the best 2 of each (ruthless!).
Grand Final of 6 (or 8 ).

If you use a 2nd Nocturne for variety you can maybe have 3 rounds N1 - N2 - N1 for the final:
N1 - 3 groups of 6, reject 2 from each.
N2 - 2 groups of 6, take the best 3 from each.
N1 - Grand Final of 6.

I like this as well because as it turns out my 16 selections (could be increased for some reason) are all taken from complete cycles, with the exception of some not having the posthumous works.