Blind Comparison LIGHTNING ROUND: a Chopin etude!

[Sergeant Rock]

Darn.... I put Ohlsohn last and his is the boxset is the one I've just got.... 

Well, I ranked him second (and I love his Polonaises, the only Chopin of his I currently own)...so you can send the box to me. I'd probably love it 

Sarge

[Brian]

My own post from a year ago: "I thought Ohlsson's Sonata 2, Ballades, Nocturnes, and especially the Mazurkas were standout performances, while the Scherzi were a little too dry and unvirtuosic, and some of his romanticizing tendencies can become a little too-much. But overall it was a wonderful experience, and the disc with Ewa Podles singing the complete songs is simply divine."

And did I really call Pollini an unpassionate Chopin etudist....?!! oh dear.... 

Indeed, the second-biggest laugh I had while running this game - behind, of course, "If [Lang Lang]'s 2 I quit." 

Not to say you're wrong! You may after all be right. But I think your reaction sums it up.

[madaboutmahler]

Well, I ranked him second (and I love his Polonaises, the only Chopin of his I currently own)...so you can send the box to me. I'd probably love it 

Sarge

My own post from a year ago: "I thought Ohlsson's Sonata 2, Ballades, Nocturnes, and especially the Mazurkas were standout performances, while the Scherzi were a little too dry and unvirtuosic, and some of his romanticizing tendencies can become a little too-much. But overall it was a wonderful experience, and the disc with Ewa Podles singing the complete songs is simply divine."

haha Thanks for the feedback, Sarge and Brian. Listening again to his recording, and it's certainly not painful to listen to, despite a few accents I found too harsh. I'm still definitely very excited to hear his box set. I heard some of his Mazurkas and Waltzes and they were just outstanding.

Indeed, the second-biggest laugh I had while running this game - behind, of course, "If [Lang Lang]'s 2 I quit." 

Not to say you're wrong! You may after all be right. But I think your reaction sums it up.

haha, I can imagine! Quite shocked I thought that, even more so as I put Lang Lang first....!!   

[mc ukrneal]

I think this result shows exactly why blind listening can be so good. On the other hand, I would not read so much into it. Lang Lang did better in roughly 1 minute thirty seconds or so of music? His bigger issue for me is the long line, which I often have issues with in his playing. In a short piece, he can hide this. But if we look at more complex/longer pieces, I'd be interested if he can sustain this high level. That said, he's always had skills, and I think he is too easy a target to bash.

[betterthanfine]

Go me, I guessed Pollini right! Rightfully so, as he is one of my favourite pianists, especially in Chopin.

I'm echoing others here, but maybe it is indeed time to explore Lang Lang's recent recordings, heh. Who'd have thunk him to ever come out on top in a challenge like this!?

[Bogey]

I would have put Moravec #1 if I had not listened....however, I ranked him 5th.  Ouch.

My favorite was the lowest ranked 5th, KEMAL GEKIC.  Ha!  Thanks, Brian.

If Rubinstein would have been in the mix, I am sure I would have ranked him #1....Riiiiiiight.

[Bogey]

Hey Brian....how about a nocturne round?

[Octo_Russ]

Very enlightening, this was a great exercise, so in honour of placing Ivan Moravec first, i'm now buying this disc set, maybe we could have a Bach Prelude & Fugue next?

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Moravec was the third-place choice of 5 out of 15 voters. Two voters ranked him first, three voters ranked him last, and one of the two voters who ranked him first originally ranked him last!

Wow! Glad I listened again! Moravec is one of my favorite pianists.

Very interesting results. Thanks, Brian.

So let's see, I flip-flopped on Moravec and also sort of flip-flopped on Lang Lang. I guess that's what familiarity can do for a recording, either expose its strengths or its weaknesses. The initial "thrill" of Lang Lang's recording gave way to slight irritation as his "mannerism" intruded too much for me, whereas my disappointment at Moravec's seeming misstep made much more sense the second go-round.

Sheesh, I wonder what I'd think after a THIRD listen!

[Bogey]

Wow! Glad I listened again! Moravec is one of my favorite pianists.

Very interesting results. Thanks, Brian.

So let's see, I flip-flopped on Moravec and also sort of flip-flopped on Lang Lang. I guess that's what familiarity can do for a recording, either expose its strengths or its weaknesses. The initial "thrill" of Lang Lang's recording gave way to slight irritation as his "mannerism" intruded too much for me, whereas my disappointment at Moravec's seeming misstep made much more sense the second go-round.

Sheesh, I wonder what I'd think after a THIRD listen!

That's it!  Knee jerk reaction on my part.  Moravec is still #1 for my Chopin!  (Does pathetic back flip) Thanks, Don!

[zauberflöte]

I'm more embarrassed I had Moravec second to last than that my favorite was Lang Lang. I LOVE Moravec's Chopin and I called it unimaginative. I'll have to listen again. Either he was having a bad day or I was.
The reason I'm not embarrassed about missing Lang Lang was I haven't listened to him in a long time and listened only sporadically at best at anytime. I'm happy to give him another chance. Now I'm ready to compare him to Cortot. 
I think I need to lie down.
I also thought the Pollini might be Pollini. I like Pollini in the etudes. But while many of his are electrifying some lack poetry, notably this one and Op. 10, No. 3. 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

That's it!  Knee jerk reaction on my part.  Moravec is still #1 for my Chopin!  (Does pathetic back flip) Thanks, Don!

Good one, Bill!

So, what I'm hearing is, there's still hope!!!

[Bogey]

I have to say, that this does make me want to give Pollini a go, as I had him second.  Maybe the Etudes is were I start. 

Howevr, I feel very fortunate that Brian did not stick in Argerich.  Throwing her and Moravec under the bus in one fell swoop would have made me cancel my account here.

[Karl Henning]

However, I feel very fortunate that Brian did not stick in Argerich.  Throwing her and Moravec under the bus in one fell swoop would have made me cancel my account here.

(* chortle *)

[Lisztianwagner]

Wow, quite surprising results!
No.2 was my favourite, so the Lang Lang; I'm not mad about Lang Lang, but I have to say that I really enjoyed his performance of Chopin's etude, it was extremely well played. I'm a little speechless I ranked Pollini in the last position: among all those Chopin's interpreters, he's the one I know best.

Oh, no Ashkenazy?!?

[Holden]

I ranked Pollini first and for the reasons I listed in my previous post. I like my Chopin unmannered and unfussy and all the others were all guilty of making unnecessary tempo fluctuations which they might call rubato but I don't. As an aside, I listened to the Lang Lang on Spotify (before these results) and he doesn't do too bad a job on Op 25 but not good enough for me to rate it.

[Brian]

Time to wrap this up!

Two thoughts on Lang Lang that I felt were especially useful to me as I review the Lang Lang Chopin CD:

Lang Lang did better in roughly 2 minutes thirty seconds or so of music? His bigger issue for me is the long line, ...In a short piece, he can hide this. But if we look at more complex/longer pieces, I'd be interested if he can sustain this high level.

The initial "thrill" of Lang Lang's recording gave way to slight irritation as his "mannerism" intruded too much for me, whereas my disappointment at Moravec's seeming misstep made much more sense the second go-round.

Now, then as for future games! The Berlioz game is back up and running in round 2 right now. And...

maybe we could have a Bach Prelude & Fugue next?

I think that would be an excellent choice for this game! I know little to nothing about Bach's keyboard music, so this is a great idea for another GMGer to take up and lead.

By the way, Octo_Russ, that photo you posted is the cover, not just of the Moravec Chopin nocturnes, but specifically of my own personal copy! I wrote that MusicWeb review.

And speaking of nocturnes...

Hey Brian....how about a nocturne round?

Yes, yes, yes! In fact I already have a list of 10 pianists who will be competing in Chopin's Nocturne Op 48 No 1. It's my favorite of all the nocturnes, and one that offers up many interpretive pathways. Unfortunately after the current Berlioz game is through I'm due to take charge of a full-sized game focusing on Ravel's Gaspard de la Nuit,  so that Chopin nocturne will have to wait a few more months yet.

Many thanks for playing, everyone! And Neal with the final word...

I think this result shows exactly why blind listening can be so good.