Chopin

[raduneo]

Although I don't think this approach really worked well for me in his Ballades, it sure works well in the Scherzos. Really well!

I listened to the 1st Scherzo on Youtube and you were right, Francois owns this piece. I was left speechless!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBVqtQxep68

Lastly, I wanted to thank everyone. You have been very helpful. This is quite a great forum!

[George]

Thanks! Well, as far as I know his Piano Concertos don't stand among the best of the 19th century. It is true that the piano part is very good. Eitherway, I LOVE both concertos. (Pollini for the 1st and Zimmerman for the 2nd).

I adore Zimerman in both works, at least his recording with the Polish Orchestra. Absolute heaven!

[George]

I listened to the 1st Scherzo on Youtube and you were right, Francois owns this piece. I was left speechless!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBVqtQxep68

And as good as he is, Sofronitsky is even better!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oKa9UoyeFc

[Novi]

Can we talk about the 2nd Scherzo as well?


http://www.youtube.com/v/A6rSA4xL5EU

[Philoctetes]

Best way to listen to Chopin:

http://www.youtube.com/v/ASUbdZW8Ys0

[George]

Can we talk about the 2nd Scherzo as well?


http://www.youtube.com/v/A6rSA4xL5EU

Sure - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADtDcNPMckE 

[raduneo]

It may not be the best interpretation, but it is the one I like best:

Helene Grimaude in the 1st Ballade:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upQ911nlCzw

From the ones I read it is the most dramatic, most sweetly romantic, and there is a nice sense of flow. Ashkenazy's was also quite on the romantic side, but he is a little slow for my liking. (I think I am programmed to like the interpretation that most resembles what I heard in the movie Impromptu about Chopin's life - starring Hugh Grant. Quite a good movie actually: there's also Delacroix, Liszt and of course George Sand). There is a scene where George Sand walks around the hallway of a mansion. All of a sudden, she hears the 1st ballade from behind a closed door: she leans against the door and starts listening more closely, and letting the music do the rest...

Another interpretation that I found impressive so far is the Moravec. It is a somewhat slow interpretation, until the climaxes, when it lets loose, but has a very dark and deep sound: I had no idea this Ballade could sound that way: Moravec has a strong vision for this piece. It is however not an interpretation that I would listen often to: it is not what I look for in this piece.

Isn't it great how great interpreters can bring a piece alive in different ways?

[Karl Henning]

. . . what I heard in the movie Impromptu about Chopin's life - starring Hugh Grant. Quite a good movie actually. . . .

A fine movie, indeed!

[Holden]

Can we talk about the 2nd Scherzo as well?


http://www.youtube.com/v/A6rSA4xL5EU

Superb - one of the best I've heard and while we are talking about Ballade #1 - this is from the same recital

http://www.youtube.com/v/XKwN_7LnXHw

BTW, how do you insert the actual Youtube video directly?

[Philoctetes]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKwN_7LnXHw

flash= 425, 350
Delete watch?
Delete the = sign next to the view and insert a /

[BobsterLobster]

...
But I did recently come across Vladmir Feltsman's Chopin recordings, his ballades would have to be my second choice.

[asin]B003UFLYUW[/asin]

On Spotify:
http://open.spotify.com/album/7cGz8VJ4ZzmGSjTGlg4tSS

Nobody's going to give this one a try on Spotify or say anything about it? Well, you're all missing out... unless you tell me otherwise...

[Holden]

Nobody's going to give this one a try on Spotify or say anything about it? Well, you're all missing out... unless you tell me otherwise...

They are also available for a listen on NML so I'll give them a try there and report back

[Holden]

Chopin is one of the composers I admire most dearly. I like almost everything from him. It really shows that he was a perfectionist: his music is consistently of high quality I find (ok not including his orchestral works). The Nocturnes are in my opinions some of the best piano pieces on the planet.

Of all the Berceuse's I have heard, there is one from Cortot (on an EMI classics disc) that I enjoy most.

Does anyone know any really good interpretations for the Fantaisie Impromptu (and the Impromptus in general) ?

I am also trying to find good interpretations of the Ballades (I like Ballade 1 played by Helene Grimaud so far).

Any help would be MUCH appreciated.

I've said this before but am happy to repeat it. Some of the best Chopin playing I've ever heard comes from Solomon Cutner on an excellent Testament CD. His Berceuse on that is non pareil IMO. The whole CD is worth getting and I imagine it might be available on Spotify

Sokolov's Fantasie Impromptu from an Amsterdam concert is just hair raising though I don't know if it is still available on CD but here it is on Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/v/qQ-pehPISqg

[raduneo]

I've said this before but am happy to repeat it. Some of the best Chopin playing I've ever heard comes from Solomon Cutner on an excellent Testament CD. His Berceuse on that is non pareil IMO. The whole CD is worth getting and I imagine it might be available on Spotify

Sokolov's Fantasie Impromptu from an Amsterdam concert is just hair raising though I don't know if it is still available on CD but here it is on Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/v/qQ-pehPISqg

Indeed this is the best! I also like the Arrau for some reason, it just clicks with me. I like him in the Impromptus in general.

And it turns out I LOVE Michelangeli in the Mazurkas.

[BobsterLobster]

Forgot to mention that Louis Lortie's Ballades, Nocturnes and Barcarolle on this CD are sublime:

[asin]B0072A4F3E[/asin]

This repertoire really suits his sensitive delicate playing, although perhaps at the expense of a tiny bit of fire. He does get the large-scale structure though which very few pianists get with Chopin.

I haven't heard volume 1 yet, but I'm really interested checking it out!

[Holden]

Indeed this is the best! I also like the Arrau for some reason, it just clicks with me. I like him in the Impromptus in general.

And it turns out I LOVE Michelangeli in the Mazurkas.

No, there is even better by Sokolov. I thought that this was the same as the one I have on a CD burned for me by a friend but it's not. The live performance from Amsterdam 27/02/05 is what I have and it's brilliant. Does anyone else have this recital? It includes the impromptus. I can't seem to find it on the web so maybe it's a bootleg.

[Drasko]

The live performance from Amsterdam 27/02/05 is what I have and it's brilliant. Does anyone else have this recital? It includes the impromptus. I can't seem to find it on the web so maybe it's a bootleg.

I have it. I think it was broadcast recording (sound is too good to be a bootleg) made by Sidoze or Herman, or maybe Jonkers, I can't remember anymore. I guess you got it from one of them as I don't think it was ever widely available online.

Same program from same year, but from Italy can be found on Russian sites:

http://hi-copy.livejournal.com/tag/sokolov

[Brian]

at the expense of a tiny bit of fire.

That was my main impression, Bobster. I'm in the middle of writing a fairly negative review for MusicWeb, I'm afraid; there is nothing really wrong with Lortie, but for every piece on the album there are 5 pianists I find more interesting... 

I liked Feltsman's ballades better; I remember them being sometimes 'mannered,' sometimes magical.

[BobsterLobster]

That was my main impression, Bobster. I'm in the middle of writing a fairly negative review for MusicWeb, I'm afraid; there is nothing really wrong with Lortie, but for every piece on the album there are 5 pianists I find more interesting... 

I liked Feltsman's ballades better; I remember them being sometimes 'mannered,' sometimes magical.

Thanks for the comment, I was wondering what other people's opinions would be.
I personally don't understand why Lortie is so undervalued, I think many of his albums are unfairly neglected.
In the Chopin, sure there are loads of pianists who ham it up and wring every drop of emotion out of it, usually with pained faces and raised shoulders, but Lortie captures the broad sweep and long-term structure of the Ballades... that's what makes the Ballades so special as opposed to Chopin's usual tendency towards salon music... and lets the music speak for itself. The problem, but also what I love about Lortie's playing is that he can sacrifice drama and fire for sensitivity and colour, but I usually find this to be a welcome and refreshing change.

I am a massive Lortie fan, if you hadn't gathered(!), I hope your review won't be too negative!

[Holden]

No, there is even better by Sokolov. I thought that this was the same as the one I have on a CD burned for me by a friend but it's not. The live performance from Amsterdam 27/02/05 is what I have and it's brilliant. Does anyone else have this recital? It includes the impromptus. I can't seem to find it on the web so maybe it's a bootleg.

Found it - I was looking for a CD but checking out downloads paved the way.

http://auudoza.typepad.com/blog/2011/10/sokolov-grigory-chopin-schubert-amsterdam-27-02-2005.html

I see that there is actually more than what I have on the CD I was sent.