Mini-Blind Comparison: Chopin's Ballade No. 2

[Pat B]

My other two batches were going to be:

19-27: cherkassky - kissin - ohlsson - switala - perlemuter - arrau - tharaud - ashkenazy - biret

28-36: lortie - ax - hobson - feltsman - graffman - sheng - ousset - demidenko - glemser

I've heard about half of those. Which ones stand out to you?

[Ubiquitous]

That is some collection! Is Chopin a favorite?

I wouldn't say the favorite, but yes, one of my favorites. The first classical music that I've attentively listened to were his etudes and preludes

I've heard about half of those. Which ones stand out to you?

It depends. My favorites are Moravec, Perahia, Rubinstein and Zimerman. So, if I wanted to listen to brilliant, dramatic but overstated like Zimerman's I'd have preferred Ohlsson from the first. If I wanted overall "Chopinness", Ax would have led the second group. But none of them can get close to the nuances, shading and expressions of Rubinstein. Thanks for asking.

[Pat B]

It depends. My favorites are Moravec, Perahia, Rubinstein and Zimerman. So, if I wanted to listen to brilliant, dramatic but overstated like Zimerman's I'd have preferred Ohlsson from the first. If I wanted overall "Chopinness", Ax would have led the second group. But none of them can get close to the nuances, shading and expressions of Rubinstein. Thanks for asking.

Interesting! Of the six you mention, I have heard all but Ohlsson, and of the other five, I very much like Ax, Moravec, Rubinstein, and Zimerman. So I'd say our tastes are fairly similar. I'll try to hear Ohlsson and maybe give Perahia another go.

[Holden]

My favorites are Moravec, Perahia, Rubinstein and Zimerman. So, if I wanted to listen to brilliant, dramatic but overstated like Zimerman's I'd have preferred Ohlsson from the first. If I wanted overall "Chopinness", Ax would have led the second group. But none of them can get close to the nuances, shading and expressions of Rubinstein. Thanks for asking.

I've got quite a few versions of this myself and I always return to Rubinstein. And, like you, Moravec is my other choice. It's the simplicity of their playing while still conveying that this is Chopin you're listening to that makes them so good.