Chopin's Nocturnes in the best possible sound?

[Mark]

I have three sets of Chopin's Nocturnes (all 21 of them), and will no doubt add more to my collection. Of the three I own (Tipo, D'ascoli and Barenboim), only one has sound quality that I particularly like (Tipo). What I'd really like is the complete Nocturnes in the best possible sound. Not particularly fussy about performance at this stage, just sound. Any links to samples would be terrific.

Thanks in advance.

[bhodges]

How about...

Angela Hewitt?

--Bruce

[Mark]

Excellent call, Bruce. Thank you! Added to the wish list (in SACD, naturally ).

[bhodges]

Excellent call, Bruce. Thank you! Added to the wish list (in SACD, naturally ).

My pleasure.  Further...I did a review, here.

Caveat: I'm not claiming she's necessarily "the best" in these, interpretively speaking - others have heard much more Chopin than I - but I do like her approach, and the sound is great.

--Bruce

[Drasko]

http://shop.castleclassics.co.uk/acatalog/Chopin___Nocturnes.html

Ciccolini / Cascavelle

I'll try upload you one tomorrow (which one would you like?)


Any thoughts on Amoyel, anyone?

[Mark]

My pleasure.  Further...I did a review, here.

Caveat: I'm not claiming she's necessarily "the best" in these, interpretively speaking - others have heard much more Chopin than I - but I do like her approach, and the sound is great.

--Bruce

I'm curious about ALL approaches to these works, Bruce, so there are NO bad performance recommendations for me. After all, I'm the guy who loves the Barenboim (though many think me mad for it).

I'll check out your review later, thanks.

http://shop.castleclassics.co.uk/acatalog/Chopin___Nocturnes.html

Ciccolini / Cascavelle

I'll try upload you one tomorrow (which one would you like?)

Thank you - very kind. Either No. 5 or No. 11, if you'd be so kind?

[George]

Ciccolini / Cascavelle

Strongly seconded!

[Drasko]

Thank you - very kind. Either No. 5 or No. 11, if you'd be so kind?

http://rapidshare.com/files/45459969/Track_No05.mp3.html

[Mark]

http://rapidshare.com/files/45459969/Track_No05.mp3.html

Thanks for this!

Listening to it and then switching to the MP3 sample of the Hewitt, it's easy to hear that both sets have better sound than any I currently own. So both can join my wish list.

Thanks again, chaps.

[sidoze]

I would suggest you don't buy the Hewitt recording. It's awful. You already have the most beautiful recording around--Tipo--and could add Ciccolini if you want beautiful readings in excellent sound (and he plays a Fazioli). Hewitt's is a joke though, don't even bother unless you dislike Chopin.

Anyway the sound on the Tipo recording is perfect for her lush sonority. I don't see what the problem is. The very question about best sound for Chopin is totally irrelevant anyway. This isn't orchestral music, and the best Chopin pianists are dead and gone and usually in poor to awful sound. I think you're missing the point if you want good sounding Chopin recordings, and you will have very little appreciation of the composer this way.

[The Emperor]

I only have the Maria João Pires one, and i quite like it.

[Josquin des Prez]

Vladimir Feltsman is my favored contemporary performer of those works. A must have all around actually.

[Mark]

I would suggest you don't buy the Hewitt recording. It's awful. You already have the most beautiful recording around--Tipo--and could add Ciccolini if you want beautiful readings in excellent sound (and he plays a Fazioli). Hewitt's is a joke though, don't even bother unless you dislike Chopin.

Anyway the sound on the Tipo recording is perfect for her lush sonority. I don't see what the problem is. The very question about best sound for Chopin is totally irrelevant anyway. This isn't orchestral music, and the best Chopin pianists are dead and gone and usually in poor to awful sound. I think you're missing the point if you want good sounding Chopin recordings, and you will have very little appreciation of the composer this way.

Tony, thanks for this. I completely take on board your comments, and appreciate that you're among this board's chief Chopin champions. You'll also note that the Tipo is my favourite of the three recordings I have. I'm not saying that the recorded sound is terrible, just that I'd like to hear these works against a 'cleaner' background.

You describe Hewitt's efforts as 'a joke'. You must have your reasons, and I'd be interested to hear these.

[Soundproof]

As a recording curiosity you may want to listen to Idil Biret's versions on Naxos - quite a lot of room to the sound, must have been a conscious choice, very different from any other version I've heard. Get the feeling the sound is coming to me from a pavillion.
http://www.audiolunchbox.com/album?a=25651

Complete contrast to the very close in sound of Arthur Rubinstein's Nocturnes on the Great Pianists' series. Sounds as if he's playing it for himself in his study.

I've always liked Alexis Weissenberg's Nocturnes which I have from the same series. Again an open piano compared to Rubinstein's more intimate sound -- very commanding playing. (Op. 62 1&2/9 2) Dry sound compared to Biret's drowning piano.

And then there's Evgeny Kissin's Chopin recording in Carnegie Hall - Volume 1 (Op 32/27 1&2). You hear the room, but it's extremely interesting how the sound propagates, and manages to be intimate at the same time.

[SonicMan46]

I would suggest you don't buy the Hewitt recording. It's awful...................

Mark - I'd have to agree w/ Tony on the Hewitt recordings of the Nocturnes - bought this for almost nothing through the BMG site - listened once and was not impressed (and I do own Hewitt in some of her performances of Baroque composers) - sold her set some time last year!

Over the years, I've had at least a half dozen or more recordings of these works, but the one I currently own and have liked the most is the Moravec performances - however, I've not heard Tipo, at least yet, but have her in other composer's works, so I'd certainly be curious - Dave 

[Mark]

Thanks, Dave.

And thanks, Soundproof. Not least, for making me aware of Audio Lunchbox - a site from which I'm now downloading all of Naxos' Bruckner Symphonies (Tintner) for just a few quid, thanks to their 50 free download credits introductory offer.

[Drasko]

Thanks in advance.

Thank you!

I'll check out your review later, thanks.

Thank you - very kind.

Thanks for this!

Thanks again, chaps.

Tony, thanks for this.

Thanks, Dave.

And thanks, Soundproof.

This has to be some sort of record.

[Mark]

This has to be some sort of record.

Thanks, Drasko.

[Drasko]

Thanks, Drasko.

Don't mention, any time 

[George]

Thanks, Drasko.

I LOL!!!!! 

Thanks!!