Chopin Recital

Track Listings

1. Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Allegro Maestoso

2. Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Scherzo. Molto Vivace

3. Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Largo

4. Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Finale. Presto, Ma Non Tanto

5. Andante Spianato Et Grande Polonaise Brillante In E Flat Major,Op.22 Andante Spianato. Tranquillo

6. Andante Spianato Et Grande Polonaise Brillante In E Flat Major,Op.22 Grande Polonaise. Allegro Molt

7. ÉTude In A Minor, Op.10 No.2

8. ÉTude In G Flat Major, Op.10 No.5

9. ÉTude In A Minor,Op.25 No.11

10. Nocturne In B Flat Minor, Op.9 No.1

11. Nocturne In E Flat Major, Op.9 No.2

12. Nocturne In F Sharp Major, Op.15 No.2

13. Impromptu No.4 In C Sharp Minor, Op.66 -Fantaisie-Impromptu-

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This is not your grandfather's Chopin playing! Chinese pianist Yundi Li won the 2000 Warsaw International Chopin Competition at the age of 18. His debut album comes with a small portfolio of hi-tech androgynous fashion photos of the pianist. Li's playing is hi-tech, too. He handles the most difficult music in this recital (like the finale of the Third Sonata and the Grande Polonaise) with disarming ease, tossing off complex passagework with apparent ease. Interpretively, Li is definitely a modern Chopinist, de-emphasizing the poetic aspects of the music in favor of momentum and structure--although his tone is always pleasing, never edgy. Listeners used to the more traditional Chopin styles of Rubinstein and Cortot may find this disconcerting. For those accustomed to Argerich or Pollini in Chopin, Li merely takes their styles a step further. Even if we wind up retreating eventually to the Rubinstein tradition, Li offers a perspective that many will find bracing, and he is extremely well presented by DG's realistic recording. --Leslie Gerber

Tracks:

No. 3 C Sharp Minor, Op.39: Scherzo No. 3 In C Sharp Minor, Op.39
Rhapsody, Op.79: No.1 Agitato In B Minor
Rhapsody, Op. 79: No. 2 Molto passionato, ma non troppo allegro In G Minor
Toccata, Op. 11
Jeux D'Eau: Tres doux
Barcarole In F Sharp Major, Op. 60
Hungarian Rhapsody No.6: Tempo Giusto - Presto - Andante - Allegro - Presto
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Lento assai - Allegro energico
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Grandioso
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Cantando espressivo
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Pesante - Recitativo
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Andante sostenuto
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Quasi Adagio
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Allegro energico
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Piu mosso
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Cantando espressivo senza slentare
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Stretta quasi Presto -- Presto -- Prestissimo
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Andante sostenuto - Allegro moderato - Lento assai

Amazon.com essential recording

Classical music people, critics in particular, have a reputation for being grumpy, and this disc illustrates why. It's called Martha Argerich Debut Recital. Now, what does this tell you about it? Nothing, that's what. And the title isn't even correct! Actually, there's more material here than appeared on her debut recital, not the least of which is a stunning Liszt Sonata in B minor, which is the major work on the disc. When one of the two or three greatest living pianists turns in a performance of a major work like the Liszt Sonata that has been generally acclaimed, you would think that her record company would somehow get that piece of news into the title of the recording. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Martha shows up.......2007-07-22

If you are a piano afficionado, especially solo piano, you're gonna wanna hear Martha play.

WOW! Absolutely stunning!.......2007-01-16

I just bought this disc and was blown away by it. It was everything I thought it would be and then some. It has to be one of the great piano recital CDs of all time. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed with this.

Undeniably Argerich.......2006-11-08

Any one interested in knowing how piano should be played and can be played should get this CD. When I first heard the CD, I was surprised already by her debut recital Argerich has mastered such a distinctive style. I must disagree with the reviewer below who describe this as not imaginative, for nothing could be further from the truth. Argerich's playing is clearly her own, and no one else's. If one wants to hear a technically perfect but emotionally empty playing of Chopin, many of the newer artists would happily fill that bill. And for the record, Horowitz can make plenty of mistakes too, but that doesn't take the charm away from listening to his playing.
That being said, this is one of the most turbulent, drenching rendition of Chopin there is. I love it.

You have to listen to this Lizst sonata.......2006-07-05

Before this performance I thought that I did not like the sonata because no other pianist could keep its many parts and segments together from the beginning to the end. This is the only performance that does that for me. When I listened to it for the first time, I broke up in tears. Argerich's interpretation is mezmerizing. Buy it! Any serious music collector should have this CD.

Unbelievably Amazing..........2006-06-16

I've never paid attention to the Liszt Sonata until I heard this recording. I canNOT BELIEVE some people are calling her without soul or "muddy"... This is the single most inspiring and shocking CD. Really gives you chills when you listen to it. Makes your heart beat faster.

Average customer rating:

The definitive "Pictures at an Exhibition"
terrible coughs.
The Most Memorialand Quoted Piano Recital from the 1950's
The best interpretation of "Pictures at an Exhibition" I have heard
Great but the worst recording i hear

The Sofia Recital 1958

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000523QI
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: I Gnomus
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: II II vecchio castello - Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: III Tuileries
Pictures At An Exhibition: IV Bydlo
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: Ballet des poussins dans leurs coques
Pictures At An Exhibition: VI Samuel Goldenberg und Schmuyle
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: VII Limoges: le marche'
Pictures At An Exhibition: VIII Catacombae: Sepulchrum romanum - Cum mortius in lingua mortua
Pictures At An Exhibition: La Cabe sur des pattes de poule
Pictures At An Exhibition: La Grande Porte de Kiev
Moment Musical in C Major, D780 no.1
Impromptu In E Flat Major, D899 No,2
Impromptu in A Flat Major
Etude In E Major, Op.10 no.3
Valse oubliee No.1 In F Sharp Major
Valse oubliee No.2 In A Flat Major
Etude d'execution transcendante No.5
Etude d'execution transcendante No.11
Prelude In G Sharp Minor, op.32 no.13

Customer Reviews:

The definitive "Pictures at an Exhibition".......2007-04-30

Not much more I can add to this. If you have any interest in the original piano version of "Pictures" at all then this is the one to get. Try Muti's for an excellent version of the piece as orchestrated by Ravel(Along with a great "Rite of Spring"; dirt cheap too)- Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibiton; Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring.

Nobody else understands "Pictures" as well as Richter and in his hands time melts and you are taken on a journey you will not soon forget. Richter pushes and pulls this piece wherever he wants and we the listeners are happy to follow him where he chooses to take us.

The piano sound is quite good for its time. Fairly full and with a good dynamic range. Unfortunately the audience seems to have a case of infectious coughing. Similar to the live Wartime recordings of Furtwangler in that respect. You get used to it though, and either way it doesn't matter in the hands of a performance of this stature.

There's a reason that you can still buy this nearly 50(?!) years after it was recorded. Not only are people still talking about this recital, but we are still waiting for a recording to match it in modern sound without audience interruptions. I suspect we may have to wait a long, long time.

terrible coughs........2006-11-16

there are two recordings that would've perhaps been much more appreciated had there not been several people who coughed their way through the entire concert. the furtwangler 1942 recording of Beethoven's sixth symphony and this one.
jesus. i'm not one to complain about coughing, but we have issues here. was it communism?? really, were russians this worse off???????

things set aside, the performance itself.. is magical.

i can't add much more to previous reviewers except this: expect one of the worst recordings from the 1950's... if you brainwash yourself into believing this is one of those naxos or pearl remastered 1920s recordings, you'll find yourself much more pleased.

The Most Memorialand Quoted Piano Recital from the 1950's .......2005-12-15

Svaitoslav Richter is the quintiessential pianist of the 20th century. This epic live recording of the Mussorsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" stands as the supreme recording of the piano version ever recorded. Although some will argue that Horowitz recorded of his this piece with is its numerous interpretative changes is also notable but is mearly a flashey more superficial rendition than Richter's. Richter here captures this pieces mistical and heavenly appeal so perfectly it seems its nuances are forever engrained in your mind. The Promenade is so stately and energetically expressed it seemingly gives us permission to enter a heavenly 30 minute musical forum. The variation number 5, 8, 10 and the next to last are my favorites. Being a pianist (and I use that term loosely) this recording has taught me so much with regards to vivid imagery. For example the next to last variation leaves me with the impression that it is someone taking the road to heaven and finally arrives at its gates. Then is looking at the Gates of Heaven as they Open. A grand moment in any life. Richters imagery is so perfectly unbalanced that he leaves us on edge to anticipate each colorful moment. This is truely my favorite recording in classical piano because it is so awe inspiring.

The best interpretation of "Pictures at an Exhibition" I have heard.......2005-11-17

Wow.

If the vivid imagery Richter creates in this live performance isn't enough to bring tears to your eyes, the technical prowess will certainly send you searching for the "repeat" button on your cd player.

Richter, as always, delivers an emotional and monumental performance.

Great but the worst recording i hear.......2005-10-01

fisrt of all excuse me for my bad englih, i m french ;o)
A concert recording can't be perfect, this is the worst i hear. All the people are ill and the record man was probably far as 50m of the piano behind a door.
So, Why three stars ?
because i love this music and nobody play it as Richter this day.
Great music, Great moment...

Average customer rating:

A Divine Revelation
Fantastic

Dinu Lipatti: Besancon Recital
Dinu Lipatti , Frederic Chopin , and Johann Sebastian Bach
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Piano Concertos

ASIN: B0001HAHPA
Release Date: 2004-03-23

Tracks:

I. Prelude
II. Allemande
III. Courante
IV. Sarabande
V. Menuet I & Menuet II
VI. Gigue
I. Allegro Maestoso
II. Andante Cantabile Con Espressione
III. Presto
No.3 In G Flat
No.2 In E Flat
No.5 In A Flat Op.42
No.6 In D Flat Op.64 No.1
No.9 In A Flat Op.69 No.1
No.7 In C Sharp Op.64 No.2
No.11 In G Flat Op.70 No.1
No.10 In B Minor Op.69 No.2
No.14 In E Minor Op.Posth.
No.3 In A Minor Op.34 No.2
No.4 In F Op.34 No.3
No.12 In F Minor Op.70 No.2
No.13 In D Flat Op.70 No.3
No.8 In A Flat Op.64 No.3
No.1 In E Flat Op.18

Customer Reviews:

A Divine Revelation.......2005-06-14

Everyone who knows what they are talking about agrees: Dinu Lipatti was heaven sent. Cortot thought so, so did Walter Legge and countless others. This recording is nothing short of the last and greatest divine revelation Lipatti gave us. The Schubert G Flat Major impromptu is one of the most amazing performances around. If you are a pianist, you must listen to Lipatti to understand what piano playing means.

Fantastic.......2004-07-08

One of the most classic recitals in music history, played by a GOD.

Average customer rating:

Great expressive power
Highly original player in a brilliant set - the packaging less so.
Exquisite
Making music or faking it?
Amazing

Chopin Recital

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Yundi Li: Liszt
Chopin: Scherzi/Impromptus
Vienna Recital
Chopin, Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1
Yundi Li: Live in Concert

ASIN: B00005UVZB
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Allegro Maestoso
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Scherzo. Molto Vivace
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Largo
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Finale. Presto, Ma Non Tanto
Andante Spianato Et Grande Polonaise Brillante In E Flat Major,Op.22 Andante Spianato. Tranquillo
Andante Spianato Et Grande Polonaise Brillante In E Flat Major,Op.22 Grande Polonaise. Allegro Molt
ude In A Minor, Op.10 No.2
ude In G Flat Major, Op.10 No.5
ude In A Minor,Op.25 No.11
Nocturne In B Flat Minor, Op.9 No.1
Nocturne In E Flat Major, Op.9 No.2
Nocturne In F Sharp Major, Op.15 No.2
Impromptu No.4 In C Sharp Minor, Op.66 -Fantaisie-Impromptu-

Amazon.com

This is not your grandfather's Chopin playing! Chinese pianist Yundi Li won the 2000 Warsaw International Chopin Competition at the age of 18. His debut album comes with a small portfolio of hi-tech androgynous fashion photos of the pianist. Li's playing is hi-tech, too. He handles the most difficult music in this recital (like the finale of the Third Sonata and the Grande Polonaise) with disarming ease, tossing off complex passagework with apparent ease. Interpretively, Li is definitely a modern Chopinist, de-emphasizing the poetic aspects of the music in favor of momentum and structure--although his tone is always pleasing, never edgy. Listeners used to the more traditional Chopin styles of Rubinstein and Cortot may find this disconcerting. For those accustomed to Argerich or Pollini in Chopin, Li merely takes their styles a step further. Even if we wind up retreating eventually to the Rubinstein tradition, Li offers a perspective that many will find bracing, and he is extremely well presented by DG's realistic recording. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Great expressive power.......2007-06-09

There is a certain unruffled calmness at the center of Yundi's playing that I find remarkably attractive and enticing musically. Like all outstanding pianists, he plays from within and seems to know exactly what he's trying to express. I find his interpretations deeply idiomatic of the composer, and I believe this is something that cannot be taught; it is a gift that one must be born with. There will always be room in the world for such distinctive, mature and refined playing, no matter how young the performer.

Highly original player in a brilliant set - the packaging less so........2007-05-29

19 year old Chopin expert - one could not help comparing him with the big names in Chopin. But, did any of the big names managed to step forward in such a tender age as Yundi Li?
Youth, however, is not an excuse for his placement. Yundi Li has proved to the world that his own original interpretation of Chopin is valid - the almost zen like approach to the ethereal style of this composer, bringing forth both cyrstalline beauty and conviction.
Introverted and full of artistic talent, Mr. Li is destined to be one of the foremost standard bearers of fine arts in the 21st century. That said, the art direction by Universal records leaves much room for improvement, as amply demonstrated in this debut album of Yundi Li, and the most recent Beethoven album of his compatriot Lang Lang.
Rather than showing off the artistic character or the charisma of the performers, these two album's art direction savours of commercial propaganda and hype.
The pianists deserve better treatment than these.

Exquisite.......2006-06-24

Regardless of the hype and harm, this is a masterstroke by a prodigy who will have a secure future in recitals and recordings. These interpretations are at the same time euphoric and technically brilliant. It boggles the mind where this youngster will rise to as he continues to gain seasoning and experience. The exuberance that Yundi Li brings to his performances puts such a modern spin on these recordings that any criticisms start to sound like "old fogey-ism" at its worst. Give the young man his time. This is an auspicious debut. Let us give thanks.

Making music or faking it?.......2006-04-15

Yundi Li won the Chopin competition at 18. It must have been some athletics of the keyboard that year... Mr Li is musical but bears detestable manierism. Although from his own account, he studies scores and listen to others interpretation and chose what he likes, the tempo of the scherzo of the Sonata in B minor is again broken with a slow middle part that exists only in the mind of pianists who lack imagination: Chopin knew the effect he wanted and never indicated a change of tempo.
This is the art of representation: Mr Li plays at playing Chopin. It is similar to saying I read a book for the vocabulary and the grammatical structure but I ask other readers what it means.
In concert Mr Li proved a disappointment. Let's give it to him he seems better than his colleague Mr Lang at that sonata. This however doesn't mean much...
Recently, Yundi Li has been making the rounds with Mozart K330, Schumann Carnaval and Liszt Sonata in B minor. Despite acknowledging performances that are uninspiring at best, the critics keep massaging the ego of this pianist. This is another proof that marketing has taken over music making. It is a shame that no one has the intellectual honesty to make the call in New York, Vancouver or Toronto!

Amazing.......2005-07-22

If one was as precise as to give the time such as:

"the crescendos at mm. 10 and 11 of the first movement, and again at mm. 21-22",

he should at least indicate which piece of the music in this CD he was refering to. It is AMAZING to read so much weird comments by some reviewer.

You can certainly distinguish with your eyes closed music played by Yundi Li from that by Lang Lang as you are able to distinguish easily an insightful playing from that played by a robot.

The following passage given by one reviewer best reveals the depth of understanding of Chopin's music by Yundi Li:

"Technique, then, is not so much the point. What is far more captivating and compelling in Li's playing is its Romantic impulse, its communication of essences: its musical vibrancy. His greatest strength lies in the representation of Chopin's diverse utterances, ranging from melancholy to a longing for death, from heart rending lyrical moments to heart-shattering outbursts. He understands the composer's world of emotion and is not stingy with the use of extreme rubati, which serve only to reinforce his wholly personal insights into this music. Yundi Li adds a new shading to something long familiar, uncovers new facets that reflect the work in a different light. He joins the long list of interpreters in the truest sense of that word: as a medium between the work and the audience".

Average customer rating:

Alfred Brendel in Recital

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Schumann: Papillons; Introduction & Allegro appassionato; Schubert: Piano Sonata in B flat major, D. 960

ASIN: B000KGGLC0
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Tracks:

Tema: Vivace-Variation 1: Alla Marcia Maestoso
Variation 2: Poco Allegro
Variation 3: L'Istesso Tempo
Variation 4: Un Poco Piu Vivace
Variation 5: Allegro Vivace
Variation 6: Allegro Ma Non Troppo E Serioso
Variation 7: Un Poco Piu Allegro
Variation 8: Poco Vivace
Variation 9: Allegro Pesante E Risoluto
Variation 10: Presto
Variation 11: Allegretto
Variation 12: Un Poco Piu Moto
Variation 13: Vivace
Variation 14: Grave E Maestoso
Variation 15: Presto Scherzando
Variation 16: Allegro
Variation 17: Allegro
Variation 18: Poco Moderato
Variation 19: Presto
Variation 20: Andante
Variation 21: Allegro Con Brio-Meno Allegro
Variation 22: Allegro Molto (Alla 'Notte E Giorno Faticar' De Mozart)
Variation 23: Allegro Assai
Variation 24: Fughetta: Andante
Variation 25: Allegro
Variation 26: Piacevole
Variation 27: Vivace
Variation 28: Allegro
Variation 29: Adagio Ma Non Troppo
Variation 30: Andante, Sempre Cantabile
Variation 31: Largo, Molto Espressivo
Variation 32: Fuga: Allegro
Variation 33: Tempo Di Minuetto Moderato

Tracks:

Andante Spianato & Grande Polonaise In E Flat Major, Op.22
Variations Serieuses, Op.54
No.3: Meine Seele Bangt Und Hofft Zu Dir (Moderato, Un Po Maestoso)
No.6: Erscheinung (Andante Amoroso)
I. Etwas Lebhaft Und Mit Der Innigsten Empfindung (Allegretto Ma Non Troppo Con Intimissimo Sentimento)
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Artur Rubinstein: The Last Recital for Israel

Average customer rating:

Rubinstein at his worst
Ruby's Fire Still Burning

Artur Rubinstein: The Last Recital for Israel

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

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ASIN: B000003F8Y
Release Date: 1992-10-09

Tracks:

Sonata, Op. 57: Allegro Assai
Sonata, Op. 57: Andante Con Moto
Sonata, Op. 57: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Fantasiestucke, Op. 12: Des Abends - Evening
Fantasiestucke, Op. 12: Aufschwung - Flight Of Fancy
Fantasiestucke, Op. 12: Warum? - Why?
Fantasiestucke, Op. 12: Grillen - Whims
Fantasiestucke, Op. 12: In Der Nacht - In The Night
Fantasiestucke, Op. 12: Fabel - Fable
Fantasiestucke, Op. 12: Traumeswirren - Tangled Dreams
Fantasiestucke, Op. 12: Ende Von Lied - Song's End
La Plus Que Lente
Pour le piano: Prelude - In A Minor
Etude, Op. 25, No. 5
Etude, Op.10, No.4
Nocturne, Op. 15, No. 2
Polonaise, Op. 53 'Heroic'

Customer Reviews:

Rubinstein at his worst.......2000-03-12

I cannot imagine Artur Rubinstein ever consenting to the release of this disc, considering how selective Rubinstein was about his recordings (fans would eat their hearts out if they know what remains unreleased in the RCA vaults). The concert begins with Beethoven's "Appassionata" in a performance so sloppy, disjointed, and filled with memory lapses that one wonders how Rubinstein didn't just give up and go home then. Naturally, the audience goes berzerk over his gallery playing. Things go downhill from there. There is gusto and fire in plenty here, but little in the way of technical control. The video has the saving grace of allowing the viewer to actually SEE Rubinstein in action, but the CD lacks that. The sound, taken from a videotape of a 1975 recital in Pasadena, California, is very poor. RCA has done a grave disservice to Rubinstein by releasing this disc.

Ruby's Fire Still Burning.......1998-12-27

One has to listen to the last concert for Israel a few times to fully grasp the intensity that Artur Rubinstein put into this album. The frailty of old age doesn't slow him down at all and it is one of his true "live" recordings. You can tell the audience was an awe of the greatest pianist that ever lived.

Average customer rating:

Some Pictures Never Fade
Lovely
unforgettable "Pictures"
A Phenomenal and fortunate find.
Technically flawed recording nevertheless has gems in it.

Frick Collection Recital

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Piano Sonata (1941): Vivace
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Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: The Gnome
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: The Old Castle
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: Tuileries
Pictures At An Exhibition: Bydlo
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks
Pictures At An Exhibition: Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyle
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: Limoges - The Market
Pictures At An Exhibition: Catacombs
Pictures At An Exhibition: Con mortuis in lingua mortua
Pictures At An Exhibition: The Hut on Fowl's Legs
Pictures At An Exhibition: The Great Gate At Kiev
About Foreign Lands And People (No 1 - Kinderszenen, Op. 15)
Sonata, K.380 - L.23, In E

Customer Reviews:

Some Pictures Never Fade.......2004-12-06

The now deceased Sviotoslav Richter has long enjoyed the title as interpreter supremo of Moussourgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. Very recently, Yevgeny Kissin, who is no slouch himself, entered the fray with his own recording. It is one of music's little ironies that modern-day critics still quibble over which of of these two prodigiously talented Russian pianists owns what might be the most prodigiously Russian mainstay of the piano literature, when this prize should have gone to an American over 50 years ago. The world is a remarkable place, and the short-lived William Kapell was a remarkable pianist.

Sadly, Kapell's record suffers from every conceivable technical disadvantage. It was recorded live at New York's Frick Collection months before his death in 1953. The source material is a poorly preserved, "bootleg" tape. From all indications, the Frick recital was recorded over something else which remains faintly audible at virtually all times. To top it all off, the piano is slightly out-of-tune! It is no exaggeration to float the term "disastrous" with respect to the original production merits of this album.

The performance is another matter entirely. Despite ostensibly insurmountable odds, Kapell's recording of "Pictures at an Exhibition" deserves the gold. Kapell did not indulge virtuosity for virtuosity's sake. Within each piece, he exposed colors and motifs in such bold relief that each "Picture" seemed more vibrant on his badly recorded piano than on most accounts of the fully-orchestrated version.

In comparison, Richter and Kissin's recordings sound decidedly dull. They may lean more muscle into it and rarely miss a note,but Richter and Kissin persistently gloss over passages that Kapell tenaciously probed.

Kapell's achievement on this album didn't end with Moussourgsky. He performed engaging accounts of Schumann and Chopin, and charged nobly through Aaron Copland's intriguing if not entirely gratifying Piano Sonata.

I realize one is not supposed to cross-comment on other customer reviews, but I was rather surprised that one review panned "Pictures" and praised the Scarlatti. The Scarlatti was the only piece recorded over a span of tape beyond repair. This recording had to be "reconstructed" by manually splicing the notes missing from the "Frick" tape. It well may be that the Frick run-through was brilliant, but the Scarlatti heard here required rather agile post-production abracadabra.

This disc is a sad but provocative hint at what might have been had William Kapell lived more than one month beyond his 31st birthday. Buy it for the "Pictures," but decide for yourself if you want to invest further in RCA's valiant attempt to touch-up the few extant recordings of this brilliant and woefully underappreciated American pianist.

Lovely.......2003-11-10

This disk served as my introduction (and so far, my only exposure) to Kapell. I'd read favorable reviews and so decided to take the plunge (I was looking for a recording of "Pictures").
I would recommend this performance (recorded live at New York City's Frick Collection in 1953) to anyone, including newcomers to classical music. While Richter's Sofia reading of Pictures is in a class by itself, this one comfortably manages to more than hold its own. The other works are all beautifully played by someone who truly understands and "lives with" them; the Copland, which I'd never heard before, was a particular treat. The variety offered is especially nice--the listener travels backwards through time from the 20th Century to the 17th, with Kapell serving as masterful guide. The sonics are quite clean thanks to a super remastering job, allowing this disk to hold its head up in the company of more modern recordings.
Ironically, the lion's share of the performance consists of works composed by men who, like Kapell, died much too young. That his work remains available is his parting gift to us for which we should be grateful. Show your appreciation and respect by sampling his legacy--I promise you won't regret it. Highest recommendation.

unforgettable "Pictures".......2003-09-28

I disagree strenously with Frank Walker. I've heard quite a number of performances of "Pictures at an Exhibition" and Kapell's is by far the best. Where others offer an empty showy display of virtuosity with a rapid blur of sounds, Kapell brings out the melodies, revealing the beauty and intrinsic dramatic qualities of the various sections. Some of the sections are a real revelation, and others are just breathtaking. This is one of my very favorite piano CDs.

A Phenomenal and fortunate find........1999-08-27

The first and greatest of American pianists demonstrates his capabilites in a searing rendition of Pictures. The Copland sonata is down with a devastating conviction and drive. A must have for Kapell fans.(and that's with a 'K')

Technically flawed recording nevertheless has gems in it........1999-08-01

This mono recording was apparently recovered from a damaged tape, and despite the modern technology used to remaster it, the recording remains distractingly flawed. The piano has quite a "ringy" tone and its bass register sounds attenuated. But what is really annoying is the faint, background presence of some voices from a wholly separate recording (apparently inadequately erased from a previous tape-recording.)

Once you get over the recording flaws, the disc does have its moments. I would not include the "Pictures" rendition among them, although its performance is certainly adequate. The Copland piece is interesting, while the Chopin (which I normally find difficult to be enthusiastic about) is quite vibrant and is delicately nuanced.

Capell demonstrates his originality in the rendition of the deceptively simple (and far too brief) Scarlatti piece. He virtually breathes life into this Baroque harpsichord piece, amazingly, managing to do so with minimal reliance on the piano's inherently better amplitude dynamics.

Tracks:

Chopin: Scherzo No.2 in B flat Minor - 9:54
Schifrin: Le Moine Etourdi et L'Oiseau (BMI) - 1:14
Scarlatti: Sonata in D Major (Longo 641) - 3:59
Rachmaninoff: Prelude in B Minor (Opus 32, No. 10) - 4:50
Schifrin: Love Theme - The Competition (BMI) - 2:54
Scarlatti: Sonata in G Major (Longo 180) - 2:39
Scriabin: Etude in D sharp Minor (Opus 8, No. 12) - 2:40
Liszt: Concert Etude No. 3 in D flat Major "Un Sospiro" (1857) - 5:18
Chopin: Etude in C sharp Minor (Opus 10, No. 4) - 2:06
Chopin: Etude in G flat Major (Opus 10, No. 5) "Black Key" - 1:33
Brahms: Capriccio in F sharp Minor (Opus 76, No. 1) - 3:30
Gottschalk: Bamboula - 6:47

Album Description

Solo piano music from the motion picture "The Competition," starring Richard Dreyfus and Amy Irving, performed by sound track artist Lincoln Mayorga. This collection includes original piano music written for the film by composer Lalo Schifrin.

Average customer rating:

Alexandre Dossin Piano Recital
Chopin , Liszt , Mozart , Schubert , and Alexandre Dossin
Manufacturer: Msr Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000C7PVQ
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Tracks:

Variations In D Major, K.573
Variations In D Major, K.573
Variations In D Major, K.573
Variations In D Major, K.573
Variations In D Major, K.573
Variations In D Major, K.573
Variations In D Major, K.573
Variations In D Major, K.573
Variations In D Major, K.573
Variations In D Major, K.573
Impromptu Op.90 No.2
Impromptu Op.90 No.4
Scherzo In B-Flat Minor, Op.31
Ballade In G Minor, Op.23
Apres Une Lecture Du Dante
Toccata Op.11

Average customer rating:

Laredo 's versatility superb in many styles

My Second Recital: Ruth Laredo, Piano

Manufacturer: Essay
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

My First Recital
Learning By Example Series, Vol. 1

ASIN: B00000083E
Release Date: 1994-01-28

Tracks:

Cant No. 147 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben': Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Son in A, K.331: Rondo Alla Turca
Sonata in F#, Op.78: Adagio Cantabile - Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Sonata in F#, Op.78: Allegro Vivace
Arabesque, Op.18
Pour Le Pno: Sarabande
Waltz in E, Op.39 No.2
Waltz in g#, Op.39 No.3
Waltz in e, Op.39 No.4
Waltz in E, Op.39 No.5
Waltz in A flat, Op.39 No.15
Intermezzo in E flat, Op.117 No.1
Mazurka in f#, Op.6 No.1
Waltz in c#, Op.64 No.2
Nocturne in f#, Op.15 No.2
Deux Morceaux, Op.10: Humoresque
Six Morceaux, Op.51: Natha-Valse
The Seasons, Op37b No. 6: Barcarolle (June)
Toccata

Customer Reviews:

Laredo 's versatility superb in many styles.......1999-09-13

This is a wonderful way to hear many different styles of classical music played by a true artist. Perfect for young listeners or anyone who wishes to hear familiar classics. A CD to treasure!

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Music Review

Napoleon

Bach - Super Hits: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring / Ormandy, etc

Any Resemblance Is Purely Coincidental

Tiny Angels - Songs Of Christmas Joy

Comin At Cha!

Avalon

Barnabe

Anthology [Original recording remastered]

Back on Track [Import]

Alive! [Live]

Atlantic Jazz: Post Bop

A Doce Presenca De... [Import]

Bad Boys II [Clean] [Soundtrack]

Jesus Said It!

The Blues Book

1. Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Allegro Maestoso
2. Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Scherzo. Molto Vivace
3. Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Largo
4. Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Finale. Presto, Ma Non Tanto
5. Andante Spianato Et Grande Polonaise Brillante In E Flat Major,Op.22 Andante Spianato. Tranquillo
6. Andante Spianato Et Grande Polonaise Brillante In E Flat Major,Op.22 Grande Polonaise. Allegro Molt
7. ÉTude In A Minor, Op.10 No.2
8. ÉTude In G Flat Major, Op.10 No.5
9. ÉTude In A Minor,Op.25 No.11
10. Nocturne In B Flat Minor, Op.9 No.1
11. Nocturne In E Flat Major, Op.9 No.2
12. Nocturne In F Sharp Major, Op.15 No.2
13. Impromptu No.4 In C Sharp Minor, Op.66 -Fantaisie-Impromptu-