The Complete Chopin Nocturnes (2-CD's)

Editorial Reviews
Harold C. Schonberg, FI, July 1998
It's the finest collection of complete Nocturnes ever recorded. The instrument cannot be played more perfectly.

ARG JulyAug. 1998
Records like this will stand a long time as the best you can get. No complete set is as satisfying.

Album Description
Grammy® award-winner, Earl Wild, in a magnificent new recording of all 21 Chopin Nocturnes. Stylish and impassioned. (DDD) Recorded 1996. Mastered using 20-Bit State-of-the-Art Technology — HDCD Encoded

The Complete Chopin Nocturnes (2-CD's)

Tracks:

Nocturnes: No. 1 In B Flat Minor, Op. 9 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 2 In E Flat, Op. 9 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 3 In B, Op. 9 No. 3
Nocturnes: No. 4 In F, Op. 15 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 5 In F Sharp, Op. 15 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 6 In G Minor, Op. 15 No. 3
Nocturnes: No. 7 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No.1
Nocturnes: No. 8 In D Flat, Op. 27 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 9 In B, Op. 32 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 10 In A Flat, Op. 32 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 11 In G Minor, Op. 37 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 12 In G, Op. 37 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 13 In C Minor, Op. 48 No. 1

Tracks:

Nocturnes: No. 14 In F Sharp Minor, Op. 48 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 15 In F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 16 In E Flat, Op. 55 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 17 In B, Op. 62, No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 18 In E, Op. 62 No. 2
Nocturnes: No. 19 In E Minor, Op. 72 No. 1
Nocturnes: No. 20 In C Sharp Minor, Op. Posth.
Nocturnes: No. 21 In C Minor, Op. Posth.
Impromptus: No. 1 In A Flat Major, Op. 29
Impromptus: No. 2 In F Sharp Major, Op. 36
Impromptus: No. 3 In G Flat Major, Op. 51
Impromptus: No. 4 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 66

Amazon.com

Claudio Arrau considered the Nocturnes among Chopin's deepest, most searching works, rather than mere descriptive mood paintings, and he plays them that way. The same can be said vis-à-vis Arrau's Impromptus, with brooding textures and cosmic breadth that leave the drawing room behind. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Great set, with a couple let-downs........2007-05-31

Having owned the set for about a year now, I'm sorry to be giving it four stars, as Arrau brings something special to almost every one of Chopin's nocturnes. In short, his playing is occasionally labored, but for the most part he does carry melodic lines very well (and has a very natural and satisfying sense of rubato). The recorded sound isn't terrific, and all things considered I'm giving the CD four stars.

I'd like to add that I don't understand some other reviewer's complaints about heavy breathing or extraneous noises, as on my high-end speaker system I hear nothing out of the ordinary.

Serious sound issues.......2007-05-16

Most other reviewers here are, thankfully, much better qualified to review Mr Arrau's talents and interpretative strategies than I. However, what no one has mentioned up here (to my knowledge anyway) is the abysmal static issue on both discs. Almost every ten seconds a static wave obtrudes itself onto the sound--you can anticipate it and you will cringe every time you hear it (at least I did). It makes Chopin's beautiful numbers unbearable at parts, for Chopin relies so much on a pure and clear atmosphere of pensive motion--and this cannot be maintained on discs encumbered with such noxious static. Stand warned.

You must, among others, have this set........2006-11-24

Arrau's playing is unique, a throwback to the age of the romantic virtuoso of a century long gone. This set is rightfully famous, and is, with the 60's collection by Rubinstien and the 90's set by Pires, the three I have always most loved and recommended, though each is very different in its approach. Of the three, Rubinstein's is the most faithful to the "letter" of Chopin's score, but even then, Rubinstein's indomitable personality shines through. Pires takes some liberties with speed and dynamics-- so she rests nominally in the middle.

Then there is Claudio Arrau, and I agree with another reviewer that the pianist indeed treats each note as if matters. Does he dwell too much, slide into notes, take different dynamic turns, play with a rubato just this side of Paderewski or Busoni, and bathe the music in pedal at times?--yes, all of that. But let's face it, there is no "right" Chopin, and no recorded collection that is the be-all--because if so, it would sell Chopin's genius far short of its due. I and others choose to listen to all the above sets on their own terms and love all of them-- likewise the Cortot, and available selections of Horowitz, Godowsky, Friedman, Hofmann, etc. (Not to mention more recent, sublime interpretations in the concert hall by Tzimon Barto.) In any event, this 70's Arrau set holds its own,in its own way, with any and all of the above.

For years, this was the set I listened to on LP, both at home and transferred to cassette to play in the car. Rubinstein's later became a favorite for me, finally Pires's. For purposes of sound, either of the latter two are preferable, but sound is definitely a secondary issue. Regarding that, I must say that the CD remastering of the Arrau has heightened not only the breathing issues, but also the too-close miking of the keyboard, so that, especially in one channel of the stereo mix, the sound the piano mechanism itself is often heard. That's close miking, too close really, but so what. I can live with it and with Arrau's exchange of breath for the individual quality of his music.

In summary, this set should be in every collection, but so should the others, and perhaps three or four more that could be mentioned-- Cortot, perhaps Ashkenazy and Zimmerman too. Why so many? These pieces are part of the bedrock of romantic pianism, and far deeper in intellectual and spiritual intent than they are often credited with. On that, I agree with Arrau, that Chopin starts here, and should, after a wide foray, also finish here.

Returning the "night" to the night piece.......2006-09-10

Arrau's playing of the Chopin nocturnes emphasizes the extent to which these wonderfully well-crafted works belong to the realm of the night in all its Romantic mystery and, especially, longing (what an odd-seeming word for the 21st century!). Despite what some have claimed, his exquisite rubato is always musically justified and recalls Chopin's pupil Mikuli's comment that "Chopin's rubato possessed an unshakeable emotional logic. It always justified itself by a strengthening or weakening melodic line, by exaggeration or affectation." Always observing a fine cantilena, Arrau repeatedly works wonders in these marvellous pieces, making each into its own unique little self-contained variegated musical universe. In doing so, he fully realizes Liszt's apt depiction of Chopin as "a divine aristocrat, a feminine archangel with prismatic wings!"

Don't know what to make out of it.......2006-06-07

I've always had mixed feelings about Arrau's playing. While at times it can be indescribably beautiful and revealing, which is often the case with his sublime, if controversial, interpretations of Liszt, Arrau nonetheless seems to lack the necessary technique (I don't think that's the case) or the proper understanding to play certain works. Even though his uncanny ability to grasp the spirit of each composer whose music he plays is widely stressed, I think he's not that respectful of Chopin's music on this record - he does turn it into something else. To be sure, Chopin's works are obviously open to various interpretations and it would be risky to finger such or such pianist as having reached the 'true', 'real' Chopin - no one knows exactly what Chopin sounded like and the best we can do here is guessing - but this openness can't be understood as meaning that anything goes, that one interpretation is as good as the other, that there are no bounds or limits to interpretation. Here I think Arrau overasserts himself at the expense of what we know about Chopin's musical identity, as it were, though we can surely be proven wrong in the future. Who knows?

Average customer rating:

The Best Digital Recording of Chopin's Nocturnes
Nocturnes with Barenboim...
Very nice
This is the standard for the Nocturnes
Life Inspiring

Chopin: The Complete Nocturnes

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words, etc.
Chopin: Waltzes
Chopin Polonaises
Mozart:The Complete Piano Sonatas and Variations
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas

ASIN: B000007ODX
Release Date: 1998-06-09

Tracks:

Nocturnes In B Flat Minor, Op. 9 No. 1: Larghetto
Nocturnes In E Flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2: Andante
Nocturnes In B Major, Op. 9 No. 3: Allegretto
Nocturnes In F Major, Op. 15 No. 1: Andante Cantabile
Nocturnes In F Sharp Major, Op. 15 No. 2: Larghetto
Nocturnes In G Minor, Op. 15 No. 3: Lento
Nocturnes In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 1: Larghetto
Nocturnes In D Flat Major, Op.27 No.2: Lento Sostenuto
Nocturnes In B Major, Op.32 No. 1: Andante Sostenuto
Nocturnes In A Flat Major, Op. 32 No. 2: Lento
Nocturnes In G Minor, Op. 37 No.1: Andante Sostenuto

Tracks:

In G Major, Op. 37 No. 2: Andantino
In C Minor, Op. 48 No. 1: Lento
In F-Sharp Minor, Op. 48 No. 2: Andantino
In F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1: Andante
In E-Flat Major, Op. 55 No. 2: Lento sostenuto
In B Major, Op. 62 No. 1: Andante
In E Major, Op. 62 No. 2: Lento
In E Minor, Op. Post. 72 No. 1: Andante
In C-Sharp Minor, Op. Post.: Lento con gran espressione
In C Minor, Op. Post.: In C Minor, Op. Post

Customer Reviews:

The Best Digital Recording of Chopin's Nocturnes.......2006-08-20

Daniel Barenboim's 1981 recording of Chopin's complete Nocturnes is your best option if your are seeking a modern full digital recording of these works. Barenboim's performance is intimate and almost reserved when compared to other famous Nocturnes recordings by Arrau, Moravec, and, to a lesser extent, Ashkenazy. Some reviewers have , quite wrongly I believe, criticized Barenboim's performance has technically sound but unemotional and workmanlike. On the contrary, Barenboim has captured the essential essence of a nocturne which is an intimate "night-piece". It is this quiet and intimate night conversation between piano and listener which I feel Barenboim has captured like no other. It is not that Barenboim's performance is any greater or lesser than Arrau, Moravec or Ashkenazy - it is simply that he has taken on a more intimate presentation of Chopin's nocturnes. Barenboim has presented us with a unique perspective of these works and you cannot ask anymore than this from an artist. If recording quality is an issue for you when you purchase your music, then the digital sound engineering of the Barenboim recording far surpasses the sound quality found on the more dated Arrau and Moravec performances.

Nocturnes with Barenboim..........2005-10-05

Not being familiar with Chopin's music (other than the Polonaise - Polish Air), I must admit that his compositions (particularly the nocturnes) are among some of the best classical music that I've been privileged to hear. This is an excellent collection - 2 for 1, can't be beat! Barenboim does an excellent job in the presentation of these pieces. Thanks to this CD, I can get work done (at work, no less!). Highly recommended!

Very nice.......2005-03-17

Probably the best complete set of the nocturnes you can get. Barenboim does a lovely job. Beautiful pieces, beautiful interpretations, beautiful sound. Highly recommended.

This is the standard for the Nocturnes.......2005-02-16

In comparing other performaces to Barenboim's DG disc, I find that he captures the mood and essence of the nocturnes like no other has done. These pieces are not difficult to play, and being a virtuoso does not add to the interpretation of these pieces. Sure others certainly have had more dazzling performances and cleaner fingerwork than Barenboim, but this served to distract more than enhance this style of music--afterall, these pieces are for small, intimate audiances, not large concert halls. Barenboim is almost self-less in these pieces--I can do no better to explain it than this.

Life Inspiring.......2003-10-13

After reading the other reviews, I cant say that I will be able to provide the same kind of insight, however my experience with this cd run deep and I thought I should share. I first discovered the Nocturnes when I was a student at berklee for jazz. I was so involved with jazz I had little time to persue classical. A friend gave me the Nocturnes and I became obsessed. For a month straight I went to classes with diffrent numbers from the disc stuck in my head each day, and I could hardley wait to get out of my last class and endundge with the Nocturnes.
The way Chopin writes sounds very personal and intimate to me. I was first very imperssed with the composetions and not concerned about how the performer was interperating the songs, however it is my humble opinon that Daniel Barenboim performes the Nocturnes beautiflly. He played them well enough to motivate me to become frequent listner to classical. Now Chopin influences me in my own writing. Not only have the nocturnes influenced me from a musical stand point, this music has been very nessary in the past to get me through hard times.
I recommend this disc to anyone who is a music lover and is looking for somthing inspiring.

Average customer rating:

At least 16 / 19 well spent hours
Enlightening but slighly blemished
Chopin - Luisada, Jean-Marc
Chopin - Luisada, Jean-Marc
Learn, learn, learn!

Chopin: Complete Edition
Krystian Zimerman , Claudio Arrau , Stefan Askenase , Anatol Ugorski , Maurizio Pollini , Jean-Marc Luisada , and Zilberstein, Lilya
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00001X58Z
Release Date: 1999-10-12

Amazon.com

On the 150th anniversary of his death, Deutsche Grammophon released this impressive box set featuring the complete works of Frédéric Chopin. Spread out over 17 CDs, it contains some truly big-name artists--Argerich, Pollini, Barenboim, and Ashkenazy--and a few you've probably never heard of. The majority of the set's nine volumes contain some music newly produced for this undertaking, and a few items (Chopin's songs, for instance) were recorded specifically for this collection. A well-illustrated book is included--it contains an essay, dateline, and illustrations--and each volume in the set gets its own liner notes. The music? It varies from great to less than great, but most of it is worth hearing. Those accustomed to Rubinstein's readings of the Mazurkas will find those played by Jean-Marc Luisada less fluid and lacking Rubinstein's power. Chopin's songs, seldom heard and filled with elements of Polish folk dances and the less-than-stellar lyrics of the composer's friend Stefan Witwicki, get a college try here by soprano Elzbieta Szmytka. They sound as good as you'll hear anywhere (if you can find them). It probably goes without saying that Martha Argerich's rousing 26 Préludes are some of the set's more exciting moments. But, really, the entire collection is solid. It should be noted that budget label Naxos has released its own Chopin edition at less than half the price of this set. With Idil Biret as the only performer on that set, you miss out on some of the diverse performances and personalities found here. Also, to please those of us who already own favorite performances of these works, each two-CD volume in the Complete Chopin Edition can be purchased individually. Bravo. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

At least 16 / 19 well spent hours.......2004-10-11

In my opinion there is no more effective way to ruin a great musical performance than to record it in front of an audience who cannot control their coughs. The first disc starts out with a 1979 live recording of Chopin's first piano/orchestra concerto featuring pianist Krystian Zimerman and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. The performance is good, but doesn't allow the listener full concentration,--and therefore not full enjoyment--as a distracting and annoying audience can be heard coughing, sneezing, and clearing their throats even above the orchestra's playing in mezzo forte - it gets worse, of course, at dynamically quieter musical parts. Other distractions, like chairs creaking, cracking and squeaking, pages being turned probably inches away from a microphone (perhaps to give the page-turner a chance to say "Did you hear that? That was me,") and people stomping/dropping things (?) add to the incapability of the listener's full enjoyment. I've heard much worse, however, but considering that the recording technique is no older than 25 years, this is on the verge of being unacceptable. Sure - there can be a certain charm in hearing such "humanity" on a recording, especially when it's older, but I don't think many would disagree that this is a bit too much. Hearing the opening of piano/orchestra concerto no.2, and knowing that the 18+ hours of music to come aren't going to be interrupted by coughs, is a big relief. My favorite Chopin interpreter is--and might always be--Rubinstein; his playing is straight forward, he cuts to the chase quickly, yet somehow manages to leave room for sensitivity and emotion. His performances, of course--since he never recorded a note for Deutsche Grammophon,--are not included in this "complete edition," so aside from suggestions that certain waltzes are missing, that is something that makes this boxed set incomplete for me. Pollini's general interpretation of Chopin is in my opinion, as in many others', quite weak in comparison to Argerich's, Zimerman's, or the passionate playing of Daniel Barenboim. Here Pollini performs Etudes, Scherzos, Sonatas and Polonaises. At times, during the Etudes of op. 10, I feel like I'm getting more Maurizio than I am getting Fryderyk, even though the performance (especially on no.3) may invite feelings of thriving despite the performer's occasional roaring in the left channel. The Scherzos feature some troublesome factors; first and foremost the sound (of this 1990 recording) isn't at all as good as one would expect. It's far worse than several older recordings of this set - at only six seconds into the first Scherzo (op.20) one can't avoid acknowledging obvious distortion - the recording has clearly been done with too much input level. Clips noises continue throughout the grainy and dull sound picture of these pieces. Second of all, the noises Pollini makes while playing can be quite off putting. At times he sounds like a boy with a voice just breaking experiencing climax of coition, and as we all know, Chopin had a prudish aversion to overt sexuality. One reason why Pollini's performance of the Scherzos being called "troublesome" might be harsh, is that musically he handles them ok, and I'd think that's what's essential, but Deutsche Grammophon has made the odd decision of including Pollini's recording of Sonata no. 2, op.35 (a.k.a. "Funeral March") from 1984 in this set, instead of Argerich's recording from 1975. First of all, Argerich's version has clearer sound (at least on the newly refurbished "The Originals" edition...but then again, that was released in 2002,) but second of all, and more importantly, her playing is far more straight forward during the first part of the Sonata (Grave,) whereas Pollini shows too much mercy both for strong dynamics and tempo throughout. Furthermore he's on the verge of playing parts of the March suggesting "lento," as if it read "rubato" (it's a MARCH!) His performance of Piano Sonata no.3 is also a bit lifeless, but the hour long disc of Polonaises recorded 1975 he handles surprisingly well (the occasional phlegmatic karaoke-roars may need a little time getting used to, though.) Several of these interpreters make some less musical noises while playing - Zimerman, for instance, breathes heavily through the nose after each and every completed phrase throughout all off his performances (although it can't be heard with orchestra.) When listening to his solo performances in head phones, the constant snuffling can distract and annoy quite a bit, but I know that I do the exact same thing when I play, myself, so perhaps I shouldn't complain until I've managed to rid the inconvenient problem myself. Besides Pollini's Polonaise interpretations, there's another (76 minute long) disc of Polonaises featuring mainly Ugorski, but also Argerich. Something that seems odd to me is that the sound quality of Argerich's 1974 recording once again is superior to a newer recording - in this case to the 1999 recording of Ugorski, which doesn't feature much middle in the sound picture, but uneven soughing and clip noises! Both their performances (but especially Argerich's,) are about as enjoyable as Chopin interpretations can be, I'd think, as is the technically and musically perfect, touching and mesmerizing Nocturne interpretations of Daniel Barenboim, recorded in 1981 - his playing here equals close to two hours of pure magic. While being a Rubinstein fan, I'm going to have to say that Barenboim's way of playing the Nocturnes is just how I think they should be played; they call for this somewhat gentle touch mixed in with their brutal sincerity, but I suggest for those who (especially) enjoy the Etudes, Sonatas and Scherzos to listen to Rubinstein's recordings of the works (available on RCA's Rubinstein Collection, vol. 26, vol. 45 and vol. 46.) Pollini is, of course, a fine performer, but I'd suggest listening to his interpretations of Prokofiev's and Stravinsky's work instead.
Rubinstein recorded the preludes (op.28) in their entirety only once, in 1946, which means that they aren't available in RCA's collection with preferable sound quality, but on this set Martha Argerich delivers a great performance of the 26 preludes (no.1-24, op.28, plus 25, op.45, and 26, op. 35,) recorded in 1975. One prelude that in my opinion should always be played as slow and gentle as possible is no.15 (a.k.a. "The Raindrop Prelude.") What I'd like to describe as a prefect version of the piece is performed by--despite my having done a lot of research--a, to me unknown performer, but runs at 6:08 minutes. Argerich rushes the whole piece a bit (the drops fall too closely -) the fact that her version runs at 4:51 should say a lot. Of the approximately 20 different performances I've heard of this particular prelude (obviously one of my favorites,) Argerich's is the shortest, and lays somewhere in the swamp among other "medium integral" versions. She delivers exciting performances of the other preludes, though - the first time I heard them, I hit repeat on my CD player, and listened to nothing else for three days.
The Mazurkas, here performed by Jean-Marc Luisada and Lilya Zilberstein, are performed--while beautifully--quite carefully and loosely. For those who'd like a more restrained performance of the pieces, RCA's Rubinstein Collection, vol. 50, is recommended.
Besides all the music for only piano(s,) Chopin also composed 80 minutes worth of chamber music, which here is performed by Beaux Arts Trio, et al. He also wrote 45+ minutes worth of songs, which here is performed by soprano Elzbieta Szmytka and pianist Malcolm Martineau on a 1999 performance. I don't feel qualified to comment on solo singing in Polish, but while I don't care for the occasional close-to-full effect vibrato, I like Martineau's piano playing and the almost folksy melodies and arrangements. This music distinguishes itself by far from the rest of the music in the set. Translations to several languages of the lyrics to the 19 songs are included.
The stereophony on all recordings is great, the overall sound quality on all discs (when considering the years of the recordings) I'd give a 4/5, but still rate the whole package 9/10 - I'd think that some (both older and newer) recordings could have been transferred better, while some sound superior to what you'd dare dream of. This is definitely the best complete edition of Chopin's music available, and perhaps the best collection of works available on disc by any classical composer. A lot of work has been put into the set's design, the sound, and certainly the amount and accuracy of interesting info given in the enclosed illustrated 140 page hard-cover book (of which a fifth is written in English) and in the 40-60 page booklets (also illustrated) included in each volume; practically everything you'll ever need to know about the composer (and these recordings) is included here along with all the music he wrote. Well worthy of your time and money.

Enlightening but slighly blemished.......2004-07-05

I commend DG on producing this comprehensive and thoughtfully packaged/annotated collection of Chopin's output. In it one can appreciate the wondrous manner in which Chopin at once appeased the conservative appetites of the Paris salon set while revolutionizing the genre of piano music in both traditional and more intimate forms.

The greatest virtue of this collection is the opportunity to hear more obscure elements of Chopin's collected ouevre. He wrote some lovely chamber music and wrote highly effective variations with and without orchestra. Among his 17 songs are a few gems.

As for the strength of the performances, some of them are rightly considered definitive. I love Zimerman in the piano concerti, Argerich owns the Op. 28 preludes, and I find in Pollini's scherzos the unbridled energy and interpretive depth required by these challenging pieces. Even if Daniel Barenboim's nocturnes do not set any records, they are well-done and completely satisfying.

I was less enthusiastic about Pollini's readings of the latter 2 piano sonatas, which I find prosaic on the whole. I was equally underwhelmed by Bunin's impromptus, which again betray interpretive rather than technical deficiencies. My greatest disappointment is Jean-Marc Luisada's controversial readings of the mazurkas. An unwieldy rubato rules the day here, and distorts the harmonic language to the point that it sounds like Debussy or Ravel's frequent (and unshakeably French-sounding) evocations of Spain. I much prefer any of the Rubinstein mazurka sets, which are colorful but rhythmically mindful of their namesakes.

Properly supplemented in the more familiar repertory (mazurkas, impromptus, sonatas, in particular), I believe this set is indispensable to anyone who appreciates or seeks a broader understanding of Chopin the composer. I recommend it highly.

Chopin - Luisada, Jean-Marc.......2002-04-14

I am a professional Pianist and Piano-pedagoge trained at the University of Graz and Vienna (Austria).
It seems as often reviewers/critics/listeners have the same opinions: I wonder if it isn't in some cases the old story of the Emperors new clothes - nobody dares to have a different opinion, as they do not want to appear stupid.
Some of the reviewers here, didn't like Luisadas performances of the Mazurkas. I hold the heretical opinion that Jean-Marc Luisadas performances are much better than Rubinsteins (I possess the three different complete Mazurka recordings of Rubinstein). There are few pianists that like Luisada know how to treat the piano as a truly polyphonic instrument, with absolute control of every line, and at the same time being able to emphasise every harmonic detail - giving every chord its differing and appropriate degree of tension. Furthermore he understands how to display the different moods and characters of the music. All these factors make Luisadas performances extremely colourful. Every Mazurka with Luisada is a unique experience.

Ps. Other recordings do occasionally wet the critical appetite: For instance the everywhere highly acclaimed Chopin recordings with Pollini are often musically awful, the Etudes opus 10 nr. 1 and opus 25 nr. 1 are examples. For the complete Etudes, buy Boris Berezovsky's recording for Teldec, it surpasses Pollini by far. Ds.

Chopin - Luisada, Jean-Marc.......2002-04-14

Learn, learn, learn!.......2000-10-16

This box set is a must for any lover of piano music.

DG deserves praise for coming with an excellent set of records as well as presentation of the booklets. It is breathtaking to have the opportunity to really know Chopin so well.

Performers are first rate and speak for themselves, and for the price of 8 CD's you get the whole collection. Yes, you can get in some cases better performances, but overall you can find a better compilation. Naxos has its own, and I am going to exchange it with a friend, problem will be to get mine back!

Tracks:

No.13 in C minor, Op.48,No.1
No.20 in C sharp minor, Op.posth.
No.5 in F sharp Major, Op.15,No.2
No.9 in B Major, Op.32,No.1
No.19 in E minor, Op.72,No.1 (posth.)
No.18 in E Major, Op.62,No.2
No.3 in B minor, Op.9,No.3
No.12 in G Major, Op.37,No.2
No.10 in A flat Major, Op.32,No.2
No.8 in D flat minor, Op.27,No.2
No.1 in B flat minor, Op.9,No.1
No.6 in G minor, Op.15,No.3

Tracks:

No.14 in F sharp minor, Op.48,No.2
No.17 in B Major, Op.62,No.1
No.2 in E flat Major, Op.9,No.2
No.15 in F minor, Op.55,No.1
No.16 in E flat Major, Op.55,No.2
No.7 in C sharp minor, Op.27,No.1
No.4 in F Major, Op.15,No.1
No.11 in G minor, Op.37,No.1
No.21 in C minor, Op. posth.

Album Description

Grammy® award-winner, Earl Wild, in a magnificent new recording of all 21 Chopin Nocturnes. Stylish and impassioned. (DDD) Recorded 1996. Mastered using 20-Bit State-of-the-Art Technology — HDCD Encoded

Customer Reviews:

Very nice.......2006-02-12

What is more lovely and soothing than a Chopin nocturne? Oh my, it's like a warm summer night with jasmine wafting by on a breeze, like a whisper of silk against your skin ....

Don't know anything technical about this stuff, but the artist and recording seems pretty darn good. I know I sure enjoy it! :)

The Mount Everest of Nocturnes?.......2004-09-19

Are these the best complete nocturnes ever recorded? Is it possible that these masterpieces in miniature could be played with even more poetry, artistry and passion than the revered recording by the late Artur Rubenstein?

THE ANSWER: Possibly, depending on your taste.
In a back to back listening, I find that although Earl Wild's awesome technique outshines Rubenstein in certain difficult runs and passages, Rubenstein on the whole has a slightly better feel for these pieces, although not in all cases. In a cold breakdown, I'd have to give Rubenstein a 60-40 advantage.

Still, Wild's supreme use of pedal, judicious use of rubato, and delicacy of phrasing catapults this recording into the pantheon of all-time greats, heads above Vasary, Moravec, and Ashkenazy (all notable, though lesser, recordings).

All in all, one of the 2 best (along with Rubenstein) complete nocturne recordings ever put to disk.

A must have for all Chopin lovers, nocturne lovers, and humans with a pulse and a credit card.

Average customer rating:

Also Remarkable!

Chopin: The Complete Nocturnes

Manufacturer: Divine Art
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Chopin: Complete Scherzi and Impromptus
Vivaldi: Griselda
Wagner: Götterdämmerung
Matilde Di Shabran - Juan Diego Florez
Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs

ASIN: B000CFX5ZK
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Customer Reviews:

Also Remarkable!.......2006-05-10

Please see my very favorable comments on D'Ascoli's Chopin playing in my review of his performances of the Schezi and Impromptus. They apply to these discs as well.

Average customer rating:

The Greatest of Music--Certainly Not of Playing
5 stars for value, 4 for performance, 3 for packaging and mastering
Worth the price, but you get what you pay for
Great!
Good Quality for the Price!

Chopin: Complete Piano Music
Idil Biret , Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra , and Robert Stankovsky
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bourees | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Ecossaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Galops | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Rachmaninov: Piano Music (Box Set)
Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas
Brahms: Works for Solo Piano
Schubert: The Piano Sonatas
Liszt: Piano Works

ASIN: B00001NTN0
Release Date: 1999-09-28

Tracks:

Ballades - Berceuse - Fantaisie - Trois nouvelles des - Galop Marquis - Largo - Marche fune - Cantabile
Ballade No.2 In F Major, Op.38
Ballade No.3 In A Flat Major, Op.47
Ballade No.4 In F Minor, Op.52
Berceuse In D Flat Major, Op.57
No.1 In F Minor
No.2 In A Flat Major
No.3 In D Flat Major
Fantaisie In F Minor, Op.49
Galop Marquis In A Flat Major
Largo In E Flat Major, BI 109
Marche Funebre
Cantabile In B Flat Major

Tracks:

Etudes
No.2 In A Minor
No.3 In E Major
No.4 In C Sharp Minor
No.5 In G Flat Major, 'Black Keys'
No.6 In E Flat Minor
No.7 In C Major
No.8 In F Major
No.9 In F Minor
No.10 In A Flat Major
No.11 In E Flat Major
No.12 In C Minor, 'Revolutionary'
No.1 In A Flat Major
No.2 In F Minor
No.3 In F Major
No.4 In A Minor
No.5 In E Minor
No.6 In G Sharp Minor
No.7 In C Sharp Minor
No.8 In D Flat Major
No.9 In G Flat Major
No.10 In B Minor
No.11 In A Minor, 'Winter Wind'
No.12 In C Minor

Tracks:

Mazurkas - Volume 1
No.2 In C Sharp Minor, Op.6/2
No.3 In E Major, Op.6/3
No.4 In A Flat Minor, Op.6/4
No.5 In B Flat Major, Op.7/1
No.6 In A Minor, Op.7/2
No.7 In F Minor, Op.7/3
No.8 In A Flat Major, Op.7/4
No.9 In C Major, Op.7/5
No.10 In B Flat Major, Op.17/1
No.11 In E Minor, Op.17/2
No.2 In A Flat Major, Op.17/3
No.13 In A Minor, Op.17/4
No.14 In G Minor, Op.24/1
No.15 In C Major, Op.24/2
No.16 In A Flat Major, Op.24/3
No.17 In B Flat Minor, Op.24/4
No.18 In C Minor, Op.30/1
No.19 In B Minor, Op.30/2
No.20 In D Flat Major, Op.30/3
No.21 In G Sharp Minor, Op.30/4
No.22 In G Sharp Minor, Op.33/1
No.23 In D Major, Op.33/2
No.24 In C Major, Op.33/3
No.25 In B Minor, Op.33/4
No.26 In C Sharp Minor, Op.41/1

Tracks:

Mazurkas - Volume 2
No.28 In B Major, Op.41/3
No.29 In A Flat Major, Op.41/4
No.30 In G Major, Op.50/1
No.31 In A Flat Major, Op.50/2
No.32 In C Sharp Minor, Op.50/3
No.33 In B Major, Op56/1
No.34 In C Major, Op.56/2
No.35 In C Minor, Op.56/3
No.36 In A Minor, Op.59/1
No.37 In A Flat Major, Op.59/2
No.38 In F Sharp Minor, Op.59/3
No.39 In B Major, Op.63/1
No.40 In F Minor, Op.63/2
No.41 In C Sharp Minor, Op.63/3
No.42 In G Major, Op.67/1
No.43 In G Minor, Op.67/2
No.44 In C Major, Op.67/3
No.45 In A Minor, Op.67/4
No.46 In C Major, Op.68/1
No.47 In A Minor, Op.68/2
No.48 In F Major, Op.68/3
No.49 In F Minor, Op.68/4
No.50 In A Minor, Op. Posth.
No.51 In A Minor, Op. Posth.

Tracks:

Nocturnes - Volume 1
E Flat Major, Op.9, No.2
B Major, Op.9, No.3
F Major, Op.15, No.1
F Sharp Major, Op.15, No.2
G Minor, Op.15, No.3
C Sharp Minor, Op.27, No.1
D Flat Major, Op.27, No.2
B Major, Op.32, No.1
A Flat Major, Op.32, No.2
C Minor, B.I. 108
C Sharp Minor, B.I. 49

Tracks:

Nocturnes - Volume 2
G Major, Op.37, No.2
C Minor, Op.48, No.1
F Sharp Minor, Op.48, No.2
F Minor, Op.55, No.1
E Flat Major, Op.55, No.2
B Major, Op.62, No.1
E Major, Op.62, No.2
E Minor, Op.72, No.1 (Posth.)

Tracks:

Piano Sonatas
Menuetto
Larghetto
Fianle
Grave - Doppio Movimento
Scherzo
Marche Funebre: Lento
Finale: Presto
Allegro Maestoso
Scherzo: Molto Vivace
Largo
Finale: Presto, Non Tanto

Tracks:

Polonaises - Volume 1
E Flat Minor, Op.26, No.2
A Major, Op.40, No.1, 'Military'
C Minor, Op.40, No.2
F Sharp Minor, Op.44
A Flat Major, Op.53, 'Heroic'
A Flat Major, Op.61, 'Polonaise-Fantaisie'

Tracks:

Polonaises - Volume 2
B Flat Major, Op.71, No.2
F Minor, Op.71, No.3
G Minor, BI 1
B Flat Major, BI 3
A Flat Major, BI 5
G Sharp Minor, BI 6
B Flat Minor, 'Adieu', BI 13
G Flat Major, BI 36
Andante Spianato
Grande Polonaise

Tracks:

Preludes (Including "The Raindrop) - Barcarolle - Bolero
No.2
No.3
No.4
No.5
No.6
No.7
No.8
No.9
No.10
No.11
No.12
No.13
No.14
No.15
No.16
No.17
No.18
No.19
No.20
No.21
No.22
No.23
No.24
Prelude In A Flat Major, Op. Posth.
Prelude In C Sharp Minor, Op.45
Barcarolle, Op.60
Bolero, Op.19
Bourree I
Bourree II
Wiosna
Feuille D'Album
Fugue

Tracks:

Rondos and Variations
Rondo A La Mazurka, Op.5
Rondo, Op.16
Rondo, Op.73
Mazurka In G Major, BI 16
Mazurka In B Flat Major, BI 16
Mazurka In B Flat Major, BI 73
Mazurka In C Major, BI 82
Mazurka In A Flat Major, BI 7
Mazurka In D Major, BI 4
Variations Brillantes, Op.12
Variations On A German Air
Variations On A March From Bellini's I Puritani
Variations 'Souvenir De Paganini'
Variations In D Major For Two Pianos

Tracks:

Scherzi and Impromptus - Allegro de concert
No.2 In B Flat Minor, Op.31
No.3 In C Sharp Minor, Op.39
No.4 In E Major, Op.54
No.1 In A Flat Major, Op.29
No.2 In F Sharp Major, Op.36
No.3 In G Flat Major, Op.51
No.4 In C Sharp Minor, Op.66, 'Fantaisie-Impromptu'
Allegro De Concert, Op.46

Tracks:

Waltzes - Contredanse - Ecossaises - Tarantelle
In A Flat Major, Op.34/1
In A Minor, Op.34/2
In F Major, Op.34/3
Valse In A Flat Major, Op.42
Valse In D Flat Major, Op.64/1, 'Minute'
Valse In C Sharp Minor, Op.64/2
Valse In A Flat Major, Op.64/3
Valse In A Flat Major, Op.69/1, 'L'adieu'
Valse In B Minor, Op.69/2
Valse In G Flat Major, Op.70/1
Valse In F Minor, Op.70/2
Valse In D Flat Major, Op.70/3
Valse In A Flat Major, BI 21
Valse In E Major, BI 44
Valse In E Minor, BI 56
Valse In A Minor, BI 150
Valse In E Flat Major, BI 133, 'Sostenuto'
Valse In E Flat Major, BI 46
Contredanse In G Flat Major, BI 17
No.1 In D Major
No.2 In G Major
No.3 In D Flat Major
Tarantelle In A Flat Major, Op.43

Tracks:

Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2
Romanza: Larghetto
Rondo: Vivace
Maestoso
Larghetto
Allegretto Vivace

Tracks:

Fantasia on Polish Airs - Krakowiak - Variations on "Li darem la mano" Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise
Air: Juz Miesiac Zaszedi: Andantino
Theme De Charles Kurpinski: Allegretto
Kujawiak: Vivace
Allegro Maestoso
Scherzo: Molto Vivace
Introduction: Largo
Tema: Allegretto
Variation I: Brillante
Variation II: Veloce, Ma Accuratamente
Variation III: Sempre Sostenuto
Variation IV: Con Bravura
Variation V: Adagio - Alla Polacca
Introduction: Andantino Quasi Allegretto
Rondo: Allegro Non Troppo

Amazon.com

This 15-disc set, recorded from 1990 to 1992, is a truly complete survey of Chopin's piano music, including juvenilia and the works for piano and orchestra. It may not be quite the triumph of Biret's Brahms set, in which the performances are competitive with the best to be heard anywhere. But all of this playing is thoroughly worthy of the music, and Biret's technique is strong enough to deal with such hurdles as the Études and Scherzi without flinching. Her style is a bit more straightforward than that of the most famous Chopin poets (such as Rubinstein and Cortot), making these recordings a particularly good bet for students and listeners who are first learning to love Chopin. One can often come up with a (more expensive) recording that expresses even more of the poetry of the music than Biret does: Moravec's Nocturnes, Rubinstein's Mazurkas, Zayas's Études, and so on. And occasionally some of the lesser-known music (such as the First Sonata) might be better skipped except by scholars and curious listeners who want to know why these pieces are so obscure. But finding 15 well-filled CDs of such great music, in such excellent performances, so well recorded, for such an absurdly low price becomes an irresistible bargain. Even connoisseurs who know the great Chopin recordings of the past may well find these recordings a refreshing alternate view of the music. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

The Greatest of Music--Certainly Not of Playing.......2007-05-11

Having been listening to Chopin's celestial piano music ever since I was a young boy, I will probably never stop marveling at the pure beauty of his unique way of conjuring up those dangerously memorable themes, harmonies and figurations. There are days when one of his Etudes, Preludes, Mazurkas or Nocturnes just starts playing itself inside my head, to the extent that I simply have to get to my hi-fi equipment. Whilst still young, I purchased a large amount of Naxos CDs, of which Chopin's piano music account for a major part. Today, I still find a great deal of pleasure in Szekely's Ballades, Scherzos, Waltzes, Sonatas and Concertos (though not as much in his Etudes), in Szokolay's Barcarolle and Fantaisie-Impromptu as well as in Zartitzkaya's Polonaise-Fantaisie.

Of course, playing any well written piano music is difficult--that is to do it so well that the music emerges as an autonomous being. In the case of Chopin, it is even more difficult as his music is composed with such flexibility and plasticity that the chances of going wrong are so immense. Generally, Ms Biret avoids going so much wrong that the result is less than adequate. Alas, though, there are a number of occasions where her playing is not worthy of preserving on disc--most notably the Allegro de Concert, the Barcarolle, the Nocturnes, the Mazurkas, and most of all the Etudes (this certainly not what the music says!--cf. e.g. Op 10 Nos 1, 8 & 12 or Op 25 Nos 3, 8 & 11). So, what is then the problem with Biret's Chopin playing? Well, it can rather neatly be summed up in that it is driven by her very own erratic will rather than the natural force inherent in the music. This implies highly eccentric tempos and rubatos, exaggerated sforzandos, weird pedaling, stiff keystroke, and a clumsy technique that simply is not refined enough to handle the music.

Considering the fact that the 13-disc Ashkenazy set (Decca--review pending) is available at virtually the same price (even less on amazon.com!), there is really no rational motivation whatsoever acquiring the Biret set. Ashkenazy is always good, sometimes great; Biret is mostly functional, sometimes poor. For Chopin playing of out-and-out excellence, one needs to turn to the likes of Argerich, Ohlsson, Pletnev, Perahia, Zimerman, Demidenko or Rubinstein.

Nowadays, Naxos certainly knows how to record the piano (e.g. for Glemser in Scriabin, Prokofiev and Schumann). The recordings given to Biret are, if consistent, among the ugliest ever given to the instrument. The sound is sharp, boxy and clunky, making the piano sounding more like a digital Yamaha than a Bösendorfer concert grand (indeed it is--not a Steinway).

5 stars for value, 4 for performance, 3 for packaging and mastering.......2006-08-01

I got this box set because I wanted to have all of Chopin's piano music without investing in the redundancies of various artists' recordings. In that respect the price value is unbeatable. Much has been said about Idil Biret's playing and it is fine enough.

The packaging is unimaginative. You get the fifteen individual CDs of the series tucked in a slip case. That's a lot of jewel box plastic and shelf space that could have been cut down to at least half. The booklets give thumbnail analyses of the works, but much of the historical background is repeated. Fifteen iterations of "Iterpreting Chopin" and Biret's biography is just a waste of paper. Naxos has made its name with quality, no-frills, budget releases. They may have done a cost analysis against repackaging but there seems little consideration toward the end user experience.

The mastering is careless. In the Variations and Sonatas, for instance, the attack for one track happens at the tail end of the previous track. This becomes evident and annoying when listening on an mp3 player. You get First movement-S[squib-pause]econd movement resumed. If the track indexing was done by an automated system they should have calibrated it a few milliseconds earlier. If it was done by a human, shame on you.

Worth the price, but you get what you pay for.......2005-07-28

Ms. Gerber sums it up very well above: the playing is not what you'd find from Rubinstein, Cortot, or Ashkenazy, but it is still better than many recordings out there, and is a tremendous bargain.

Chopin only wrote one piece in his entire life that didn't include the piano, so a collection this complete of his piano music is a fascinating look into Chopin's creative life, and as a study in music history, it is worth the time. Nevertheless, people who are searching out definitive performances of more familiar works should probably search elsewhere.

Now, I am not a professional music critic, and I would never say that you should trust me over the critics. In fact, much of the acclaim this set receives is merited. Her first and fourth ballades are fine performances, and the scherzi and polonaise in A flat are well executed. That being said, I personally found several other performances to be large disappointments. (For the record, her recording was not universally praised, and some of the favourable reviews, like mine, are somewhat back-handed, but overall the set was a critical success.)

In particular, I couldn't help but think that the Berceuse, third ballade, several of the preludes, the First Concerto, and the Barcarolle were mediocre. In the Barcarolle, Biret's tempi are erratic and constantly changing, sometimes in the opposite way as Chopin indicated! (Where Chopin writes "poco piu mosso" at the transition to the B section, Biret slows to a crawl) Her dynamics are similarly strange and sometimes backward, and the climax is rushed and unmoving. For the third Opus 28 Prelude in e minor--probably one of the best-known preludes after the Raindrop in D flat--Biret takes almost a full measure's worth to play the opening figure (which is written to last one beat), and then proceeds to choose an allegretto tempo despite Chopin's directions to play slowly. She indulges here, and throughout much of the rest of the CDs, in a rubato that breaks momentum and makes it very difficult to follow the melody. It is as if a singer were to take a breath in the middle of important words--it quickly becomes hard to understand a thing she was saying.

It is true that many performers deviate from the score, sometimes in ways that enhance the musicality of the performance. Indeed, even Chopin was reported to play with dynamics that were different than the ones he himself wrote in the score, but Biret's indulgences take away from, rather than add to, the performances. I personally found many of the interpretative decisions to be distracting, or even unmusical.

I don't mean this to sound at all mean-spirited, but if I were to sum up my feelings of this set in one sentence, it would be this:

It is worth every dollar of its relatively low price.

Great!.......2005-02-13

I really enjoyed listening to Biret's approach of chopin on these 15 discs. I have heard other pianists play and i personally find every one of them comparable and each have their own pros and cons. The price of this influenced me over the grammophon's boxset.

Good Quality for the Price!.......2003-05-26

This 15-CD set, covering all of Chopin's piano solo music, is the only complete set out there, and at a bargain price, it is one of the best sets out there that everyone should have.

Some of the playing and interpretations are controversial, such as the lack of noticable dynamics in the nocturnes and other pieces. However, overall, the quality and the price is hard to beat.

Biret is a world-class pianist, with lots of experience. While this set doesn't bring out all of Chopin's character, it is still a new view of Chopin to many pianists out there, and for the price, it is a must-have for everyone out there/

Complete Nocturnes
Average customer rating:

Chopin himself!

Complete Nocturnes
Chopin , and Feltsman
Manufacturer: Urtext Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000065UKJ
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Tracks:

Three Nocturnes, Op.9: Nocturne In B Flat Minor
Three Nocturnes, Op.9: Nocturne In E Flat Major
Three Nocturnes, Op.9: Nocturne In B Major
Three Nocturnes, Op.15: Nocturne In F Major
Three Nocturnes, Op.15: Nocturne In F Sharp Major
Three Nocturnes, Op.15: Nocturne In G Minor
Two Nocturnes, Op.27: Nocturne In C Sharp Minor
Two Nocturnes, Op.27: Nocturne In D Flat Major
Two Nocturnes, Op.32: Nocturne In B Major
Two Nocturnes, Op.32: Nocturne In A Flat Major
Two Nocturnes, Op.37: Nocturne In G Minor
Two Nocturnes, Op.37: Nocturne In G Major

Tracks:

Two Nocturnes, Op.48: Nocturne In C Minor
Two Nocturnes, Op.48: Nocturne In F Sharp Minor
Two Nocturnes, Op.55: Nocturne In F Minor
Two Nocturnes, Op.55: Nocturne In E Flat Major
Two Nocturnes, Op.62: Nocturne In B Major
Two Nocturnes, Op.62: Nocturne In E Major
Three Nocturnes, Op.72: Nocturne In E Minor
Three Nocturnes, Op.72: Nocturne in C Sharp Minor
Three Nocturnes, Op.72: Nocturne In C Minor
Barcarolle, Op.60
Berceuse, Op.57

Customer Reviews:

Chopin himself!.......2003-06-24

I have Chopin's Nocturnes with the great masters (Rubinstein, Ashkenazy...); and when I hear them, I can "see" them in my mind playing. But when I hear Vladimir Feltsman, I can't picture him playing, but Chopin himself. A friend of mine, when she heard this recording, put it in other words: "He's not a pianist --she said--, he's a medium!"

Customer Reviews:

some parallels.......2005-07-10

The idea of creating a "nocturnal anthology" is an excellent one, and I wonder how nobody has thought of it until very recently. Van Oort's creation is not entirely unique. Similar disk entitled "Nocturnal World" and performed by Dimiter Terziev has appeared recently on the market, thus making the comparison between the two projects unavoidable.

The first and most obvious difference is that van Oort's project is by far more comprehensive. The four CD package includes the complete set of Chopin and Field nocturnes plus little known nocturnes by Pleiel, Clara Schumann, Glinka, Alkan and others. This vast repertoure and the use of period instruments gives van Oort's project certain academic or a "collector's choice" aura. In contrast, Terziev's approach is apparently more oriented towards finding some sort of architectonic continuity wthin a single disk. He includes only twelve nocturnes by eight composers. Interestingly enough, the two performers show remarkable dissimilarity of choice. Except for the usual suspects of Chopin and Field, Terziev's disks contains two practically unknown late nocturnes by Liszt, as well as nocturnes by Faure, Scriabin, and three XX century composers writing in a late-romantic idiom. It is rather interesting that both performers have chosen to avoid the famous Liszt's "Liebestraum" and the other 2 nocturnes in the same opus, as well as the famous Grieg's "Notturno". Regarding the performance, both van Oort and Terziev are sensitive and intelligent interpreters. They have their magical performances (e.g. van Oort's entire 4th disk or Terziev's Vladigerov), and a few that sound somewhat superficial (van Oort's Chopin Op. 72 No.1 or Terziev's Chopin Op. 27 No. 1).

Yet, as a whole, these are disks certainly worth having and listening to again and again in your special "nocturnal" moments.

The Complete Piano Music of Sergei Rachmaninov

Average customer rating:

Endless pleasure

The Complete Piano Music of Sergei Rachmaninov

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Canons | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Schumann: The Complete Piano Works (Box Set)
Shostakovich: The Complete Symphonies - Mariss Jansons (10 CD)
Not Too Late

ASIN: B00000DUE6
Release Date: 1993-09-01

Customer Reviews:

Endless pleasure.......2007-01-24

Fortunately for my pocketbook, I listen to these recordings now mostly from my iTunes library or on my iPod. I say fortunately because I would have long since worn them out. Few of my hundreds of CDs have given me as much pleasure over many years as these. I don't doubt that one can find individual performances of many of these works that may top Shelley's, but for sheer, consistent quality in both interpretation and sound this set is hard to beat. While I have many Rachmaninov recordings by Russian performers, I find myself coming back to Shelley's by preference most of the time. Only in the case of Alexis Weissenberg's characteristically manic DG performance of the two piano sonatas do I find myself regularly drifting from Shelley.

Shelley's recordings of the piano concertos with Bryden Thomson and the Scottish National Orchestra are likewise solid and thoroughly enjoyable as are his three recordings, with various singers (notably Sergei Leiferkus), of the wonderful Rachmaninov Lieder.

Average customer rating:

Idel Biret plays the Chopin Nocturnes

Chopin: Complete Piano Music, Vol. 5

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Chopin: Complete Piano Music, Vol. 6

ASIN: B00001YVCN
Release Date: 1999-09-28

Tracks:

Nocturne in b flat, Op.9, No.1
Nocturne in E flat, Op.9, No.2
Nocturne in B, Op.9, No.3
Nocturne in F, Op.15, No.1
Nocturne in F#, Op.15, No.2
Nocturne in g, Op.15, No.3
Nocturne in c#, Op.27, No.1
Nocturne in D flat, Op.27, No.2
Nocturne in B, Op.32, No.1
Nocturne in A flat, Op.32, No.2
Nocturne in c, B.I. 108
Nocturne in c#, B.I. 49

Customer Reviews:

Idel Biret plays the Chopin Nocturnes.......2006-09-27

For many listeners, the nocturnes are quintessential Chopin, with their dreamlike, reflective character, long, singing melodic lines, exquisite ornamentation, long light runs, trills, turns and arpeggios. Chopin composed nocturnes throughout his creative life. The earliest nocturne with an opus number the nocturne in E minor, opus 72 dates from 1827, Chopin's 17th year, while the final nocturnes of opus 62 were composed in 1846, three years before Chopin's death. Chopin's nocturnes encompass a wide variety of moods and feelings from the dreamy and reserved to the angry and passionate. They are generally in three-part form, with an opening section presenting the themes, a contrasting middle section, which varies widely among the nocturnes, and a recapitulation of the opening material, which also varies a great deal among the works and is sometimes omitted or drastically altered in form. The nocturnes are the most songlike of Chopin's compositions, and an awareness of the long vocal lines is essential to the performer and the listener.

The nocturnes have been recorded many times, but the version by the Turkish pianist Idel Biret is one of the best. Biret recorded the complete works of Chopin for Naxos between 1990 -- 1992, and she received the Grand Prix du Disque Chopin 1995. With so many recordings by better-known artists, Biret still has not received the attention she deserves. She plays the nocturnes with a beatiful singing style, with grace and with reserve. Chopin's work is a combination of romantic feeling and classical form. It is difficult for the performer to avoid the temptation to overinterpret. But Idel Biret allows the music to sing and speak through her, with singing tone, lovely phrasing, light runs, and a measured use of rubato. This CD, and its companion, is a joy to hear.

Biret has recorded the nocturnes on two volumes, with this volume, no. 1, including the ten nocturnes from opus 9 (1830-31) through opus 32 (1836--1837) together with two early works without an opus number. The opus 9 nocturnes include the familiar nocturne in E flat major, opus 9. no. 2, which will be familiar to most listeners. Overexposure has made this lovely work sound hackneyed, but Biret gives it a reading of innocence, simplicity, and directness which made me think I was coming to it for the first time. But pay attention to the other two works of the opus 9 set, which are even more beautiful and original and far less known than their companion.

The three nocturnes of opus 15 include the well-known opus 15 no. 2 in F-sharp major, with elaborate runs and figurations in its main theme together with the nocturne in g minor, no. 3, which is one of Chopin's easier compositions. I have attempted it, and it is suitable for fellow amateur pianists.

The nocturne in C sharp minor, opus 27 no 1 is one of Chopin's finest with a dreamlike opening section that blossoms into a moment of passion before it fades away. Its companion piece in D flat major is frequently performed. It opens with a widely-spaced left hand arpeggio which accompanies a highly melodic and ornamented theme. The two nocturnes of opus 32 include the simple and lyrical no. 1 in B major, and a delicate, dancelike nocturne in A-flat major, no. 2.

Chopin's nocturnes are among those rare works which enchant those listeners new to music and which continue to reveal their beauties as one's musical appreciation deepens. Idel Biret's performances on Naxos are an outstanding way to get to know the nocturnes.

Robin Friedman

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