Chopin

[op.110]

Etudes and Preludes - Pollini
Nocturnes - Rubinstein

Can't make a decision for concerti.

Argerich's recording with Rostropovich is up there for PC No. 2;

(Speaking of Argerich, I dislike her PC 2 recording with Dutoit.)

[Herman]

Etudes and Preludes - Pollini

Pollini's Preludes aren't really all that great. The Arrau on APR, the Bolet on GPOC are really the ones to go for.

[Herman]

This weekend I chanced upon an interesting 2cd, with a Mazurka pen-intégrale (41 of 'em) by the French-Polish pianist (and composer) Milosz Magin, whose story is he was embarking on a great pianist career when he broke his left wrist in a car crash, in 1963. It looks like he recorded most of Chopin's works after he'd recuperated, between 1970 and 1975, for Decca, and theyhave been issued on Accord  -  except these cds seem to have vanished from the market completely.

This is not the top of Chopin interpretation, but after two days I would at least rate Magin higher than Waszowki. Magin has a very interesting rubato and some of his mazurkas are very good. even though these are studio recordings he doesn't shy away from dramatic pauses. In a couple of mazurkas (17 / 2 is wonderful) I wouldn't put him far behind the stereo Rubinstein, though Magin never has the overt demonism of Rubinstein at his best. I sure would like to get hold of another Chopin disc of this pianist.

[karlhenning]

Most interesting, thanks, Herman.

[Drasko]

I sure would like to get hold of another Chopin disc of this pianist.

Should be able to get 10 disc box from French vendors for around 50-60 euros, or single disc with waltzes and few standalone pieces for about 10 euros, also from France.

[Ten thumbs]

This is not the top of Chopin interpretation, but after two days I would at least rate Magin higher than Waszowki. Magin has a very interesting rubato and some of his mazurkas are very good. even though these are studio recordings he doesn't shy away from dramatic pauses. In a couple of mazurkas (17 / 2 is wonderful) I wouldn't put him far behind the stereo Rubinstein, though Magin never has the overt demonism of Rubinstein at his best. I sure would like to get hold of another Chopin disc of this pianist.

Speaking of which, the following eye-witness report by one of Chopin's pupils is interesting:
'In keeping tempo, Chopin was inflexible and it will surprise many to learn that the metronome never left his piano. Even in his much-slandered rubato, one hand, the accompanying hand, always played in strict tempo, while the other - singing, either indecisively hesitating or entering ahead of the beat and moving more quickly with a certain impatient vehemence, as in passionate speech - freed the truth of the musical expression from all rhythmic bonds.'
There are passages where I have found this approach to be most effective. Of course the 'accompanying hand' may sometimes be the right.

[ezodisy]

Should be able to get 10 disc box from French vendors for around 50-60 euros, or single disc with waltzes and few standalone pieces for about 10 euros, also from France.

I used to have that box. You know I normally don't mind bad recorded sound--it's not the pianist's fault that equipment in the '30s was in its infancy--but I draw the line when sound is just plain badly recorded, as is the case with the Magin set, or much of it anyway. I think they put the microphones inside the piano and closed the lid, 'cause it hurts. I don't remember much about the set, maybe the mazurkas were the best of the lot.

[Herman]

That's interesting. I don't have a problem with the sound.

Considering this is a seventies Decca recording, it's remarkable they had the piano tuned before recording. In the case of Ashkenazy they didn't always have time for getting the piano right.

And, no I'm not getting a 10 cd box. All I would like to have is the Preludes disc  -  I don't need more Polonaises.

[jwinter]

What's a good entry level book on Chopin?  A good biography would be great, but I'm more interested in something that also discusses the music, though hopefully in an accessibly non-technical way, as I don't read music.

[Herman]

Jim Samson, Chopin in the Master Musician series.

Not too many note examples. It covers the life, but focuses primarily on the music.

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=samson&bi=0&bx=off&ds=20&kn=master&sortby=2&tn=chopin&x=0&y=0

[jwinter]

Jim Samson, Chopin in the Master Musician series.

Not too many note examples. It covers the life, but focuses primarily on the music.

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=samson&bi=0&bx=off&ds=20&kn=master&sortby=2&tn=chopin&x=0&y=0

Thanks Herman!

[Lethevich]

Another random question (sorry!): Have the piano concertos ever been recorded in 2 piano transcription? This type of performing was popular for a lot of symphonic music in the 19th century, and while I don't want to be all cliché abd bash the orchestral parts in these works, I would be interested to hear the music in a style Chopin was more comfortable with...

[Lethevich]

Question #2:

I've developed an inane problem with Chopin, especially in the Mazurkas, where I am now unable to sit and listen to them sequentually - instead I find myself repeating one that has just played, sometimes many times, until I get my fill then turn off. This means that I am excessively familiar with the early ones (especially op.6), but at the same time don't seem to feel cheated about this.

I don't find this impulse for repetition in any other composer for piano, does anybody else have this "problem" with Chopin?

[Maciek]

I don't think there's anything odd about it. They are short but contain lots of musical substance (the textures are quite lean but there's still a lot happening on many levels). It makes a lot of sense to listen to them the way you do (listening to lots of short but rich pieces in sequence means one is bound to miss many details; or else become over-satiated very fast).

Interesting that there's still no feedback re your first question. I'm aware of several chamber performances of the concertos: piano + string quintet or quartet (which was supposedly one of the ways these were played back then - and one of the reasons why they are orchestrated the way they are). But I can't think of a single two piano recording...

[Lethevich]

Ooh, thanks for the double answers A chamber version of the concertos would make a lot of sense, providing the pianist has some restraint.

[DarkAngel]

Wasowski mazurkas
listening to short samples of entire mazurka set at Amazon, very nice performance of these devilishly hard works, has that synchopated swoop/delay down very nice which gives it that dance momentum.......most versions sound muddled and confused. The cost however as mentioned is absurd 

Best mazurkas I have heard that you can afford are on the old EMI Rubinstein set......
In his younger days Ruby was much more a virtuoso performer with plenty of dramatic flare, as he aged his Chopin became more refined and smoothed out......this put a dull edge on his later mazurkas and they lost the early magic

[DarkAngel]

For modern sound and just a 10 mazurka selection, Michelangeli has locked in the correct rythm on these.

[Maciek]

Another random question (sorry!): Have the piano concertos ever been recorded in 2 piano transcription?

I think George was listening to one of the PCs in that form a couple of days ago (I think I saw it on WAYLT? can't find it now). George, was it you? Could you fill in the details?

[Opus106]

Another random question (sorry!): Have the piano concertos ever been recorded in 2 piano transcription?

I can say with certainty that at least one of them has been.
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=211361

[Maciek]

That's the one! And it was George!