The ONE Chopin Nocturnes Cycle to Rule Them All!

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

I'll vote for Tamás Vásáry.  Admittedly, this is partly a sympathy vote as I believe he should be represented here.  His is one of the most poetic readings on record - granted, the recording leaves much to be desired, but I think it's The One performance that Frédéric himself would give the nod to. 

[George]

Arrau

[mn dave]

We have a new contender and it's tied up at the top.

Moravec 8
Arrau 8
Rubinstein ('60s) 4
Wild 1
Yokoyama (Sony) 1
Tipo 1
Pires 1
Ciani 1
Vásáry 1

[Todd]

We have a new contender and it's tied up at the top.

Moravec 8
Arrau 8

(But that's possibly a bit misleading, because here, Moravec must take precedence, just as air must take precedence over water.)

[mn dave]

(But that's possibly a bit misleading, because here, Moravec must take precedence, just as air must take precedence over water.)

You didn't even vote for him.

[Todd]

You didn't even vote for him.

True, but that doesn't make my post any less accurate.

[George]

(But that's possibly a bit misleading, because here, Moravec must take precedence, just as air must take precedence over water.)

Why should Moravec take precedence? And why isn't putting him first in the list giving him precedence?

I think Moravec excels in the Ballades, but in the Nocturnes Arrau is in a league of his own.

[George]

Moravec 5
Arrau 2  (I'm with Sammy)
Wild 1
Yokoyama (Sony) 1

Which sets do you have, Dave?

[Ken B]

I'll vote for Tamás Vásáry.  Admittedly, this is partly a sympathy vote as I believe he should be represented here.  His is one of the most poetic readings on record - granted, the recording leaves much to be desired, but I think it's The One performance that Frédéric himself would give the nod to.

Danke. I called him out but had to vote Arrau. But he is splendid in these.

[aquablob]

I voted for Moravec, but Arrau is a very close second for me.

[mn dave]

Which sets do you have, Dave?

The top two. And all the Rubinstein.

[Holden]

Arrau is too fussy in this music for me to even consider him. As I've said previously I don't like Chopin with an overdose of rubato and that describes the Arrau (and others).

[aquablob]

Arrau is too fussy in this music for me to even consider him. As I've said previously I don't like Chopin with an overdose of rubato and that describes the Arrau (and others).

Arrau is glorious. So say we all.

[Wakefield]

Arrau is too fussy in this music for me to even consider him. As I've said previously I don't like Chopin with an overdose of rubato and that describes the Arrau (and others).

Absurd.

[Ken B]

Arrau is too fussy in this music for me to even consider him. As I've said previously I don't like Chopin with an overdose of rubato and that describes the Arrau (and others).

Fussy but too much rubato? Is that like tall but lacking in height?

[Mandryka]

Arrau's rubato doesn't seem at all unnatural to me, on the contrary. I don't think the studio set shows him at his best, there's a live nocturne on an Ermitage CD which is tremendous.

As far as Moravec's studio set is concerned,  it's gorgeously conceived, immaculately executed and boring as fuck. Like Arrau he does better in the live recordings, the ones from Brussels.

[G. String]

Arrau is too fussy in this music for me to even consider him. As I've said previously I don't like Chopin with an overdose of rubato and that describes the Arrau (and others).

I agree. Arrau's approach to Nocturnes is over-emphatic and tiresome.

[king ubu]

What do you guys mean by "fussy"? Looking up the word in dictionaries doesn't really help much. If "fussy" is used as over-exact, too careful, then tell me how "too much rubato" goes together with that? Not sure what other possible meanings of "fussy" would imply with regard to Arrau's interpretation of Chopin's Nocturnes ... fancy? complicated? finicky? scrupulous? Please enlighten me 

[Drasko]

What do you guys mean by "fussy"? Looking up the word in dictionaries doesn't really help much. If "fussy" is used as over-exact, too careful, then tell me how "too much rubato" goes together with that? Not sure what other possible meanings of "fussy" would imply with regard to Arrau's interpretation of Chopin's Nocturnes ... fancy? complicated? finicky? scrupulous? Please enlighten me 

Can't speak for others, for me fussy is such attention to detail which disrupts overall architecture and especially flow.

As for favorite nocturnes cycle definitely Rubinstein, but one of the earlier sets , let's say '49/50 one.

[Sergeant Rock]

Can't speak for others, for me fussy is such attention to detail which disrupts overall architecture and especially flow.

As for favorite nocturnes cycle definitely Rubinstein, but one of the earlier sets , let's say '49/50 one.

Good to see you again, Drasko 

Sarge