Chopin Piano Concertos

1. Piano Concerto No 2 in F Minor Op 21: Maestoso

2. Piano Concerto No 2 in F Minor Op 21: Larghetto

3. Piano Concerto No 2 in F Minor Op 21: Allegro Vivace

4. Piano Concerto No 1 in E Minor Op 11: Allegro Maestoso

5. Piano Concerto No 1 in E Minor Op 11: Romance: Larghetto

6. Piano Concerto No 1 in E Minor Op 11: Rondo: Vivace

Chopin Piano Concertos,Fryderyk Chopin,Heinrich Schiff,Philharmonia Orchestra of London,Nikolai Demidenko,Hyperion,Chamber Music & Recitals,Classical,Classical Composers,Concerto,Piano Concerto

Average customer rating: Readings that combine imagination, charisma, and incredible technique Argerich - the finest Majestic grandeur & quiet intimacy beautiful recording Definition of self-recommending?

Chopin, Liszt: Piano Concertos / Martha Argerich, London Symphony Orchestra Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Liszt | Liszt, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Argerich, Martha | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Martha Argerich Plays Chopin: The Legendary 1965 Recording Debut Recital / Martha Argerich Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 / Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23 Prokofiev, Ravel: Piano Concertos, etc / Martha Argerich J.S. Bach: Toccata, Partita, English Suite 2/ Martha Argerich ASIN: B000001GS1 Release Date: 1996-09-17

Tracks:

1. Concerto #1 in E minor: Allegro Maestoso
2. Concerto #1 in E minor: Romance, Larghetto
3. Concerto #1 in E minor: Rondo, Vivace
4. Concerto #1 in E flat:Allegro maestoso
5. Concerto #1 in E flat:Quasi Adagio
6. Concerto #1 in E flat:Allego marziate animato

Amazon.com

There has never been a more exciting pianist that Martha Argerich. Throughout her career, any appearance by her guarantees sellout crowds and an evening of memorable, not to say insane, music making. She has always drastically limited her repertoire--about a dozen concertos, a few more solo and chamber works--and will not perform or record solo recitals at all any more. But every single thing that she has recorded is a prime recommendation, plain and simple. She's one of the very few artists whose recordings one should collect just because of whom she is: unique and incomparable. These two concertos perfectly illustrate her gifts as an interpreter. Your ears will be glued to your speakers. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Readings that combine imagination, charisma, and incredible technique.......2007-02-25

Is the ever comical David Hurwitz doing Argerich any good by saying that a more exciting pianist has never existed (has he heard Liszt in person)? Or that every one of her recordings is a prime recommendation (come now)? We get the idea that he likes the layd. These relatively early recordings of the Chopin and Liszt First Concertos are a pendant to her Prokofiev and Ravel with Abbado, two other brilliant recordings.

What makes me admire them is that neither work is first-rate, and both have achieved the status of tin-plated warhorses. Therefore, it takes something special to hold one's attetnion. Abbado's conducting is fine but not eye-opening. Ms. Argerich is a different matter: she plays with wonderful imagination and originality. There's barely a measure of music that doesn't sound new; she has the amazing ability to draw you into her own inner world, making you feel that you are eavesdropping on art in the making. Needless to say, all the essential flash and fire are also in place. Highly recommended

Argerich - the finest.......2007-01-12

Everything Martha Argerich does is outstanding. She is the female equivalent of Horowitz

Majestic grandeur & quiet intimacy.......2005-11-22

Argerich and Abbado, both recording in their youth, in 1968, have perfectly captured both the majestic grandeur of the allegro movements and the quiet intimacy of the adagios in these two piano concertos. I was extremely pleased at the clarity of the sound, especially given that this is an analog recording made more than 35 years ago. The balance between the orchestra and the soloist is one of the best that I have ever heard on the several versions of the Chopin Concerto that I have. I thoroughly enjoyed the Liszt as well. Argerich's scintillating style is a sheer pleasure to listen to and Abbado brings out the very best of the London Symphony Orchestra. The two, orchestra and soloist, complement each other perfectly. The outstanding sound quality of this recording may in part be due to the fact that it was recorded at Wahthamstow Town Hall, in the outskirts of London. According to the CD notes, this recording location was specifically chosen because the hall's acoustics have a high reputation. Recommended without reservation, and with complete enthusiasm.

beautiful recording.......2004-04-17

I like Argerich's Rachmaninoff, so I thought to try her Chopin, and I was not disappointed. She plays the Chopin concerto with both verve and lilting melody. It is a delight to listen to. The orchestra is up to Argerich's standards, as is the quality of the recording. It was hard to believe that this was an analog recording from the 1960s. The music of the Chopin concerto was more to my taste than the Liszt, but I still liked it very much; they are a good pairing on the CD.

Definition of self-recommending?.......2000-12-16

In Argerich's selective discography, her Chopin stands out. She has performed this concerto many times, and recently recorded it digitally with Dutoit for EMI. I frankly don't see a whole lot to separate them -- both are infused with Argerich's unique combination of impetuosity and repose. This is a masculine Chopin, not some salon charmer, strongly chorded, and virile and glittering in passage work. I cannot think of any other pianist who has played this work with such individuality. Abbado, too, is an excellent accompanist, alert and intelligent, despite the distinctly minor role he has in proceedings.

The Liszt has similar virtues, with a marvellous sense of ebb and flow. It really stakes out the virtues of this work as an inventive composition of the first-rate, rather than hollow virtuosity. What's so good about the Argerich performance is that although she dominates the work, one still feels acutely a sense of struggle and spontaneity that seems absent from today's young lions. Again, well accompanied. Well recorded, too. If you can't find the Argerich collection, this disk is a mandatory acquisition.

Average customer rating: Best recording of the concertos out there! A tender and delicate Chopin Very good but certainly not Chopin Brilliant. Marvellous. Astonishing. A profound, masterful interpretation

Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Zimerman, Krystian | ( Z ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Chopin: 4 Ballades/Barcarolle, Op.60/Fantasie in F Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 Liszt: Piano Concertos Nos.1 & 2; Totentanz Ravel: The Piano Concertos; Valses nobles et sentimentales Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 ASIN: B00002DE0S Release Date: 1999-11-02

Tracks:

1. Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 1 In E minor, Op.11: Allegro maestoso
2. Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 1 In E minor, Op.11: Romance - Larghetto
3. Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 1 In E minor, Op.11: Rondo - Vivace

Tracks:

1. Concerto For Piano and Orchestra No. 2 In F minor, Op.21: Maestoso
2. Concerto For Piano and Orchestra No. 2 In F minor, Op.21: Larghetto
3. Concerto For Piano and Orchestra No. 2 In F minor, Op.21: Allegro vivace

Amazon.com

Chopin's two piano concertos have long been admired more as pianistic vehicles than as integrated works for piano and orchestra. But in his revelatory new recording, Krystian Zimerman suggests otherwise: The opening orchestral tuttis have so much more light, shade, orchestral color, and detail, you wonder if they've been rewritten. Every gesture, every instrumental solo is so specifically characterized that by the time the piano makes a dramatic entrance, the pieces have become operas without words. One may wonder if Chopin intended that. In fact, he knew bel canto opera in his native Poland, but the more positive proof is that the music has so much more to say when treated this way. Some will find the performances disturbing: The interpretations are so much more about content than form, and there's so much tempo and rhythmic flexibility, that the music sometimes seems unmoored and adrift. But upon repeated listening, the sense of fantasy is so beguiling that you wonder if you could ever go back to more conventional performances. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

Best recording of the concertos out there! .......2007-05-01

I searched the web and stores in general for many years trying to find something better... better does not exist in this case.

A tender and delicate Chopin.......2007-04-08

Mr. Zimerman and his Polish Festival Orchestra have produced a very fine recording of the Chopin Piano Concertos No. 1 and 2. Mr. Zimerman has hand picked young Polish musicians to form this orchestra. While it is quite possible for the musicians who are not Polish to completely succeed in interpreting Chopin, I think that it does help if one absorbs Chopin with the mother's milk, so to speak. Mr. Zimerman plays piano and also conducts. He lets the orchestra flourish. They produce a big wave of intricate music. One can hear that the musicians in the orchestra are pouring their hearts and creativity out. One can feel the freedom of the orchestral expression. The orchestra follows the gentleness and the lyricism of Mr. Zimerman's interpretation.

Mr. Zimerman will immediately touch your heart. He is a great master of Chopin.

Mr. Zimerman plays beautifully, with delicate soft dynamics. He achieves the full emotional effect without any over-expressions. He goes softer and more delicate in many places in which others may add more sound and strength. His effect wins.

My favorites are the Rondo from the Concerto No.1, in which Mr. Zimerman plays energetically and with determination, but without any harshness of tone, and the Maestoso from the Concerto No. 2. In the latter the orchestra initially goes for less sound, rather than for the bigger sound often heard in other orchestras. There is a vein of Chopin's sadness that would be lost if the orchestra were too bright. The piano enters dramatically, but then becomes whimsical, and later quite sad. More moods follow. This is the most beautiful movement. After the great introduction and the middle part the momentum is lost. It is regained towards the end of the movement, but one could feel the recovery. I guess there is a trade-off when one uses the tempo changes as a way to express subtle points in music. The loss of the musical momentum could be possibly looked at positively, as a stopping point for the reflection, but I did not like it. Here is where the stick of an external conductor would be welcome.

All in all, this is a great recording, characterized by finesse, tenderness, lyricism, and gentleness, and a nice capture of the dramatic moments. It is Chopin at its best.

Very good but certainly not Chopin.......2006-06-05

This is a very very good Piano Concerto interpretation and execution. However Krystian Zimerman, despite being as polish as Chopin, does not rise to the ocassion at all times during the Chopin Piano Concertos, and I have to say, the playing is excellent, the interpretation is supreme, but this is not Chopin by a long shot.

Take the first movements of both concertos, staring with #1. An Allegro Maestoso is supposed to be played like an Allegro Maestoso not like a scherzo or a molto maestoso. He does this flip from a blue feeling to a rhapsody playing (and viceversa) that sounds more like Listz or Brahms than a 19 year old passionate prodigious. The second concerto's frist movement again is filled with waves that sometimes make you feel you're listening to a Largetto and again a rhapsody, which this is not. Just listen to Ashkenazy play Chopin solo works and you will likely understand the man himself. Magaloff is also a reference for Chopin's playing.

A better version ? Although I'm not fond of Arrau playing Chopin, I own and prefer his version of both concertos, mostly because of the solist. If you haven't listened to them, I recommend you to do so, as his playing comes in more fluid, natural and consistant with the sheet -and with Chopin's personality-. The orchestation of Zimerman is excellent, and have to admit superior than Arrau's + London which feels somewhat missplaced at times, but as I said the piano execution is not Chopin.

All in all a very good piano concerto for someone who hasn't listened to other interpretations, so don't be surprised if you find superior versions.

Brilliant. Marvellous. Astonishing........2006-02-08

These are undoubtedly the best Chopin's concerti ever recorded. Even if I knew no other performance, after hearing this recording I'd know it's perfect. Until I first heard it, I hadn't ever thought a Polish orchestra could be so excellent. One of the reviewers, Ms Zbikowska (przy okazji, pozdrawiam) wrote she bought these CDs because of patriotic duty :) I'm also Polish, but since I consider most of music pieces to be rather beyond nationality, our Ferdek Ch. will never be my favourite composer because of his nationality :)

Instead, I bought this CD because of Zimerman, who in my opinion is the best today's pianist. I am not disappointed, moreover, I have been rewarded more than I counted for. It's difficult to describe (how can we describe music not to lose something from its beauty and depth)...

Just listen to the slow theme in the 1st movement of the E minor concerto, no matter performed by the orchestra alone or Zimerman with the orchestra. God, when I heard it, this was the first time I ever thought of Chopin's concertos: 'This isn't a sweet, candy-style music, this is real, pure beauty!' Zimerman really feels this music, understands it, thus knows how to play it. And these young talented people from the orchestra... I want them to become our National Philharmonic players! I know Zimerman "trained" them long, but the effect is absolutely unimaginable! In the samples you can hear, how they start each of the concertos. (To be honest, my favourite parts of Chopin's concerti have always been the orchestral exposition of the 1st movements with the first few minutes with the piano) Listen to it. E.g. the unusual beginning of the F minor: quiet, passionate... Then a mighty 'tutti' moment, and then it's moving, accelerating... THIS is the way it should be played! Other example: listen to the very 11-12th second of the beginning of the E minor. This might seem to be a detail at first, not worth mentioning... but how dead and boring seem immediately all other recordings! Here is the passion...

Someone contemporary to Chopin said he was more Polish than any of Frenchmen was French or any of Germans - German... I don't know whether the opinion that the music of a composer is played best by his compatriots is true in all cases, but IMO it is in the case of Chopin - and these recordings confirm it.

Don't care about people who complain about the lack of "spontaineity". There is no room for spontaineity where everything is perfect as is Chopin's head!

Buy these recordings. You cannot be disappointed.

Thanks and sorry for my, perhaps wrong, English spelling or other errors :)

P.S. Deutsche Grammo should pay me for advertisement. :)

A profound, masterful interpretation.......2005-12-06

These concertos were written by a young man in love. In 1830, at the age of 19, Chopin was smitten with the young Polish soprano Konstancja Gladkowska, and he credits her as the inspiration for his two Concertos for Piano and Orchestra, composed during that year. He wrote to a friend: "This is a young, pretty person, who plays, because, perhaps unfortunately, I have my ideal that I have been faithfully serving for six months already without speaking to her, of whom I dream, in honor of whom is the adagio to my concerto..." The youthful, melancholic passion of his first, yet unrequited love is certainly reflected in the concertos, especially in the slow movements, which Chopin described in the following words: "It is rather romantic, peaceful, melancholic. It should give the impression of a loving glance at a place which brings a thousand dear memories to mind. It is a kind of reverie on a beautiful vernal night, by moonlight."

One of the most remarkable things about Chopin is that as a composer he grew to his full potential very early in life. By the time he composed these concertos at the age of just 19, he had already developed his own completely unique pianistic idiom, quite unlike any composer before or since: like Athena springing forth fully formed from the head of Zeus. The mazurka in the finale of the Second Concerto; the romantic nocturne-like slow movements; the graceful, delicate, aristocratic embellishments: it's all pure, unadulterated Chopin. He never composed a single piece of music that did not feature the piano, and he was the author of only a small handful of works for piano and orchestra. Preferring to work in the smaller forms, Chopin is not so much remembered today for his orchestrations, which are sometimes even re-composed by those who find fault with them. But one must remember that the piano concertos were written as a labor of love, and that even if the orchestrations are not perfect, they should be treated delicately and with the same love that Chopin himself put into them.

This is the sensitive new approach that Krystian Zimerman and the Polish Festival Orchestra adopt in their landmark interpretation of the Chopin Piano Concertos. Zimerman hand-picked each and every member of his orchestra from among the finest young musicians in Poland, with the specific purpose of holding a world tour of the concertos on the 150th anniversary of Chopin's death. This recording is the result of that tour, and is nothing short of a visionary musical masterpiece. As both conductor and soloist, Zimerman blends the orchestral sound perfectly with his own performance, capturing every nuance with adroit delicacy, perfectly dovetailing every phrase. I never doubted Zimerman's virtuosity before, but this recording fixes him firmly in my mind as one of the greatest pianists of our time. His attitude towards the music is truly one of love and humility before the composer, rather than "How fast can I play this?" or "How can I use this piece to show off?" His attention to detail is amazing: listening to his performance one gets the sense that he has come to a complete understanding of Chopin's music, capturing the idiom of the composer perfectly, and leaving the listener feeling a profound sense of "rightness." The music on these discs leaves a very lasting impression, and I encourage anyone interested to listen to these recordings and experience the definitive interpretation of Chopin's Piano Concertos.

Average customer rating: Excellent performance and sound quality at a great price! Perfection! Ecstasy Classic Chopin

Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music New York Philharmonic Orchestra | ( N ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1/Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No.2 Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 92, 94 & 96 Tchaikovsky & Mendelssohn Violin Concertos Rachmaninoff: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3 Liszt: Piano Sonata in B minor; Paganini Etudes; Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13; Transcendental Etude No. 10 ASIN: B00005YP9Q Release Date: 2002-01-29

Tracks:

1. Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 11: I. Allegro Maestoso - Emil Gilels
2. Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 11: II. Romance: Larghetto - Emil Gilels
3. Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 11: III. Rondo: Vivace - Emil Gilels
4. Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 2 In F Minor, Op. 21: I. Maestoso - Andre Watts
5. Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 2 In F Minor, Op. 21: II. Larghetto - Andre Watts
6. Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 2 In F Minor, Op. 21: III. Allegro Vivace - Andre Watts

Customer Reviews:

Excellent performance and sound quality at a great price! .......2007-05-11

This CD is one of my favorite versions of Chopin's piano concertos 1 & 2. Emil Gilels is a world class pianist from Russia. He displays outstanding musicianship in the E minor concerto. He plays the 1st and 3rd movement with much passion and fire; the 2nd movement is absolutely beautiful. He is complemented well by Ormandy & the Philadelphia Orchestra. (If you want another great performance of the E minor concerto, you may want to check out Martha Argerich on the DG "Legendary Recordings" label)

Andre Watts does a great job on the F minor concerto and he is backed up well by Thomas Schippers & the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Watts plays the F minor beautifully and gracefully.

The sound quality is great, especially with the remastered sound. You can't get any better than this at this price. Highly recommended, even if you already have a good version of these concertos. It compares well with the versions done by Martha Argerich, Maria Jao-Pires, and Tamas Vasary (which I also own).

Perfection!.......2007-02-15

I sought after this album because I am a huge fan of Emil Gilels. It is worth noting that Eugene Ormandy at this time took over one of the finest string sections in orchestral history from predecessor Leopold Stokowski. This is important in that the E minor concerto showcases the strings as much as it does the piano. The E minor concerto was played as expected; Gilels is a rare balance of technique and interpretation. At first I was disappointed that the CD did not have Gilels' playing the F minor concerto. I had never heard of the conductor Thomas Schippers before and was a little skeptical on how the performance would be. What I love about the Chopin concertos is how important the orchestra and piano interact with each other. Schipper exhibited masterful control over the orchestra and struck an amazing balance with Watt's performance. This was an inspiring performance of the concerto. Both recordings are historic, the first showcasing a legendary pianist coupled with one of the finest string sections of the 20th century. The next showcasing the short lived career of Thomas Schippers, who at one point in his life was considered one of the "100 most influential men in America." Both recordings were digitally remastered in pristine stereo sound with very little hiss and no scratches.

Ecstasy.......2005-06-22

What can I add? I even don't know the Watts/Schippers 2nd concerto, but the Gilels/Ormandy 1st alone is enough to carry my five stars. Ormandy had a rare ability to let his soloists be carried away with the music and around middle of the first movement Gilels reaches ecstasy! How perfectly boring the much praised Argerich/Dutoit sounds, compared to this performance!

Classic Chopin.......2003-07-16

In the 1950s and 60s, CBS/Columbia (now Sony Classical) had the great fortune to have three of America's best orchestras and their conductors on its recording roster -- Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra. Nearly a half-century later, sadly only Leonard Bernstein remains a name that even the non-classical music world knows well. But in the world of the compact disc, this is a wonderful thing, because while Leonard Bernstein analog stereo recordings sell at mid-price, classic performances by Ormandy and Szell are regulated to the budget line. Well, my friends there is justice because the vast majority of these "budget line" recordings are not only amazing, but some are still considered definitive more than 40 years later! This golden-age stereo recording of Chopin's 1st Piano Concerto by Ormandy and the Philadelphians with pianist Emil Gilels is one of the best performances of the piece available. The added treat here is conductor Thomas Schippers (who died tragically young, leaving us precious few recordings) leading the New York Philharmonic with pianist Andre Watts. With both Concertos squeezed together on one CD, you've got a classic disc. Never did something of such high quality come at such a small price. Enjoy!

Average customer rating: Be careful. Rubinstein's Chopin in Living Stereo

Chopin:Rubinstein Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 [Hybrid SACD] Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Rachmaninoff: Piano concerto No. 3; Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3 [Hybrid SACD] Brahms, Tchaikovsky: Violin Concertos [Hybrid SACD] Rhapsodies [Hybrid SACD] Mahler: Symphony No. 4 [Hybrid SACD] César Franck: Symphony in D Minor; Igor Stravinsky; Pétrouchka [Hybrid SACD] ASIN: B0009U55SS Release Date: 2005-07-26

Customer Reviews:

Be careful........2006-03-31

I have never heard such bad recording from technical side. I do not know if it's bad remastering or no remastering at all. It's unacceptable for CD quality not even mentioning about SACD. Sounds beautiful but poor quality.

Rubinstein's Chopin in Living Stereo.......2006-03-26

Rubinstein recorded the Chopin Concertos numerous times. This version of Chopin's first Concerto is particularly successfu, partly thanks to the sensitive accompaniment of the New London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Stanislaw Skrowaczewski. Tempos are well-judged, phrasing is supple and natural, virtuosity is there, but not for its own sake. The sound on the original LP and the first CD issue was plagued by dropouts at the beginning of the Concerto--these have been smoothed over remarkably. Balance between orchestra and piano has also been improved.

The Second Concerto is somewhat less successful. Here, Rubinstein is partnered by Alfred Wallenstein, his favored accompanist during the 1950s and early 1960s. Wallenstein secures reasonable playing from the Symphony of the Air, then long past its earlier glory as the NBC Symphony Orchestra. Purists should be warned that, at Rubinstein's insistence, the violins do not play "sui ponticello" as Chopin indicated in the last movement. Rubinstein's playing is fine, but the overall enjoyment of the performance is hampered by the sonic picture, which remains synthetic and dryish--despite the best efforts at SACD remastering. The later version with Ormandy is to be preferred over this one.

Average customer rating: Disappointment Great Performances Argerich's Finest Recording of Chopin's Piano Concertos Too much for me. :) Fire and ice

Chopin: Piano Concertos nos. 1 & 2 / Dutoit, Argerich Frédéric Chopin , Charles Dutoit , Martha Argerich , and Orchestre symphonique de Montréal Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Martha Argerich Plays Chopin: The Legendary 1965 Recording Chopin, Liszt: Piano Concertos / Martha Argerich, London Symphony Orchestra Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 / Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23 Chopin: 26 Préludes, etc / Martha Argerich Maria João Pires - Chopin · The Nocturnes ASIN: B00000IWVP Release Date: 1999-05-18

Tracks:

1. Piano Concerto No.1 In E Minor, Op.11: I: Allegro Maestoso
2. Piano Concerto No.1 In E Minor, Op.11: II: Romanze. Larghetto
3. Piano Concerto No.1 In E Minor, Op.11: III: Rondo. Vivace
4. Piano Concerto No.2 In F Minor, Op.21: I: Maestoso
5. Piano Concerto No.2 In F Minor, Op.21: II: Larghetto
6. Piano Concerto No.2 In F Minor, Op.21: III: Allegro Vivace

Amazon.com

Martha Argerich is one of our supreme pianists, and this disc shows her almost at her best. Every phrase is beautifully considered and executed, but there is still plenty of spontaneity in her playing. Alas for the flowers of youth. A couple of decades ago, Argerich played this music (on two separate Deutsche Grammophon recordings) with even more fervor and spontaneity, and the accompaniments were more incisive and more clearly recorded than these. As Chopin wrote these concertos so early in his career, one can't help thinking that Argerich's earlier performances are more appropriate to the music. Still, with playing of this caliber, one can't merely set it aside. As a mature reconsideration of these concertos, this disc is well worth hearing--after you already know the earlier versions. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Disappointment.......2004-08-13

I usually like both Argerich and Dutoit, but EMI has not done either of them justice, and to me, Argerich sounds less involved than in other recordings. The real drawback, though, is the sound. Decca provided Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony with clear, open sound that made their recordings enjoyable. To me, EMI's sound here is indistinct, bordering on muddy at times. Orchestral detail is lost, and on a couple of occasions the piano just disappears behind the orchestra. I bought this recording expecting something special, but was quite disappointed.

Great Performances.......2002-09-05

The two piano concerti by Chopin have been staples of the concert hall for many years. However, this is only the second recordings of these concerti by Martha Argerich. Ms. Argerich summons up all of the poetry and pathos that has made Chopin's concertos so popular over the years. She is ably supported by Charles Dutoit and the Orchestre symphonique de Montreal, who fulfil their role as accompaniment well and even manage a bit of acceleration in the Second concerto (first movement) almost as if to catch Ms. Argerich by surprise. Having had the pleasure of hearing Ms. Argerich play the Beethoven Second concerto in person, I know she can drive the concerto along. So here the orchestra gets a turn. When this disc was reviewed by Gramophone the comment was made that it seemed less a studio recording than a relaxed concert performance. I would agree. The concertos come of as the luxuriously tuneful works that they are with brilliant keyboard work by Martha Argerich. This recording is among the best of Chopin's concertos and I highly recommend it.

Argerich's Finest Recording of Chopin's Piano Concertos.......2001-11-27

Martha Argerich's performances of both concerti are spellbinding, incredible displays of passion. Her technical skills at the keyboard are absolutely phenomenal too. Indeed, I doubt I have heard her play these Chopin concertos as skillfully as she does here. However, Dutoit comes across as a somewhat reluctant accompanist, in awe with her performances. He doesn't quite lead the Montrealers in brilliant performances of the orchestral scores. Still, this deserves my strong recommendation as one of the finest recordings of Chopin's piano concertos, if only because of Argerich's superb performances.

Too much for me. :).......2000-12-01

Lithe, sparkling, transparent, impressionistic--this recording is an outpouring of incredible delicious sound and it all reaches me so sublimely. It is the one piece of music I feel insecure writing about because I am so completely drawn into the moment, into the flow of the music. The orchestra and the piano are interwoven like the early sunset glow caressing a meadow's grasses. The slow movement of in the E minor is like a lullaby sung tenderly and quietly and with loving intimacy. In total both concerti seem to be played in an understated way, not with bravado, but with irresistible momentum. Dutoit and Argerich flow.

Fire and ice.......1999-12-08

Argerich plays with all her customary passion and flying fingers. But what I dislike about this recording is the fact that Dutoit's realization of the orchestral parts is rather dull. If you want to hear the true glory of these works, get the Perahia/Mehta CD (Sony). Perahia is every bit Argerich's equal while being more tasteful (IMHO), and Mehta's conducting is both powerful and vivid.

Average customer rating: Old Muse BORRING decent performance of the Chopin Concerti Very nice Chopin Magnificent Performance

Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos.1 & 2 Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Mendelssohn: Piano Concertos Liszt: The Two Piano Concertos; The Piano Sonata Frederic Chopin: Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3 Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 Beethoven: The Five Piano Concertos ASIN: B0000026Q1 Release Date: 1990-03-30

Tracks:

1. Concerto No.1 For Piano & Orchestra, Op.11: I. Allegro Maestoso
2. Concerto No.1 For Piano & Orchestra, Op.11: II. Romanze: Larghetto
3. Concerto No.1 For Piano & Orchestra, Op.11: III. Rondo: Vivace
4. Concerto No.2 For Piano & Orchestra, Op.21: I. Maestoso
5. Concerto No.2 For Piano & Orchestra, Op.21: II. Larghetto
6. Concerto No.2 For Piano & Orchestra, Op.21: III. Allegro Vivace

Amazon.com

I suppose if I had to choose a single recording coupling both of Chopin's concertos, it would be this one. Perahia is a sensitive, extremely persuasive artist who understands his own particular gifts better than anyone. He's not a muscle-bound virtuoso by any means--neither was Chopin, for that matter. All of Perahia's interpretations are finely graded, carefully prepared, and sensitive to the music's every nuance, but they never sound stiff or studied. In fact, his natural eloquence and grace at the keyboard makes him an ideal Chopin pianist, though he has been very selective in the music that he has actually recorded. Here then is a superb example of artist and composer in perfect harmony with one another. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Old Muse.......2007-07-21

The piano is excellent, wonderful touch and flow. The orchestra sounds as if it is coming from another source without the same audio quality.

BORRING.......2007-06-16

Frankly Kissin's recording from when he was a child is more pleasing to listen to for me. Granted I believe that the F-Minor is better performed here than the E-Minor however I wouldn't tell anyone to buy this recording - the stars are great but, the recordings overall subpar - esspecially Concerto No. 1.

decent performance of the Chopin Concerti.......2006-02-09

I found this reading of the two Concerti very facile and nimble. I suppose this is appropriate for Chopin, but even still, some of the luxuriant, sensuous qualities could have been more emphasized.

Perahia's technique is indeed fluent, but perhaps a little too much so. For example, the development sections in the first movements of both Concerti are not dramatic enough.

I agree that Mehta's accompanying is weak.

Very nice Chopin.......2005-12-01

Not much to say about this magnificent performance. Perahia is superb, flowing, beautiful, lyrical. It is so wonderful to hear a pianist play with such lack of abruptness (listen to Zimmerman and Ax). Perahia has some of the nicest/cleanest trills and best left hand/right hand balance when playing unison. The slow movements in both of the concertos are just amazingly beautiful - Perahia is literally hovering/floating over the piano. To play so smoothly is a large technical feat. GREAT CD.

Magnificent Performance.......2005-10-31

I recently purchased this CD through Amazon.com. For a live performance, the audio quality of this CD is superb. While I admire any musician who tries to do justice to Chopin's intricate compositions, this performance is truly magnificent. Murray Perahia's rendition of both concerti is the best I've ever heard -- here is a man who really understands Chopin. I appreciate the fact that he interprets Chopin without imposing his own personality on the music -- and that is rare quality these days. As far as the performance of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra is concerned, no praise is necessary -- they are simply one of the best orchestras in the world, and their performance on this CD is up to their usual impeccable standards.

This is a must-have recording. I highly recommend it.

Average customer rating: It's Analog, But He's Digitally Right On More outstanding Chopin from an unjustly neglected pianist this is the chopin to buy. BRILLIANT!!! Vasary's Chopin Etudes - Finally on CD.

Chopin: Piano Works [Etudes - Impromptus - Sonatas - Concertos - Mazurkas - Polonaise - Berceuse] Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Impromptus | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Chopin: Piano Works [Nocturnes - Waltzes - Ballades - Scherzi] Rachmaninov: The Complete Piano Concertos Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Debussy: Favorite Piano Works Chopin: Sonata in B-flat minor, Berceuse, etc. ASIN: B0009F2EN2 Release Date: 2005-08-09

Tracks:

1. No.1 In C Major: Allegro
2. No.2 In A Minor: Allegro
3. No.3 In E Major: Lento Ma Non Troppo
4. No.4 In C Shapr Minor: Presto
5. No.5 In G Flat Major: Vivace
6. No.6 In E Flat Minor: Andante
7. No.7 In C Major: Vivace
8. No.8 In F Major: Allegro
9. No.9 In F Minor: Allegro, Molto Agitato
10. No.10 In A Flat Major: Vivace Assai
11. No.11 In E Flat Major: Allegretto
12. No.12 In C Minor: Allegro Con Fuoco
13. No.1 In A Flat Major: Allegro Sostenuto
14. No.2 In F Minor: Presto
15. No.3 In F Major: Allegro
16. No.4 In A Minor: Agitato
17. No.5 In E Minor: Vivace
18. No.6 In G Sharp Minor: Allegro
19. No.7 In C Sharp Minor: Lento
20. No.8 In D Flat Major: Vivace
21. No.9 In G Flat Major: Allegro Assai
22. No.10 In B Minor: Allegro Con Fuoco
23. No.11 In A Minor: Lento-Allegro Con Brio
24. No.12 In C Minor: Molto Allegro, Con Fuoco
25. Allegro Assai Quasi Presto
26. Andantino
27. Tempo Giusto
28. Allegro Agitato

Tracks:

1. I. Grave-Doppio Movimento
2. II. Scherzo
3. III. Marche Funebre
4. IV. Presto
5. I. Allegro Maestoso
6. II. Scherzo. Molto Vivace
7. III. Largo
8. IV. Finale. Presto Non Tanto
9. Allegro Non Troppo
10. Allegretto
11. Lento
12. Vivace
13. Introduction And Variations On A German National Air ('Der Schweizerbub') In E Major, Op.Posth.
14. Poco Mosso
15. Andante
16. Maestoso

Tracks:

1. I. Allegro Maestoso
2. II. Romance. Larghetto
3. III. Rondo. Vivace
4. I. Maestoso
5. II. Larghetto
6. III. Allegro Vivace

Customer Reviews:

It's Analog, But He's Digitally Right On.......2007-03-11

I first listened to Tamás Vásáry rendition of Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor in the late 1960s when I was 15 or 16 years old, studying piano and very much interested in "big time" younger pianists. The concerto came to me as a gift from Dad on a DG vinyl pressing of decent quietness and dynamic range, and it quickly became my favorite classical record. Vásáry appeared to be 30 years old or so back then--a bit of an Eastern European analog of our own Van Cliburn, though with a style I preferred to the young Texan's, especially in the Chopin.

Now that you know the nostalgic side of this, I can say that this set of CDs comes through very, very well audially (considering that the original recordings were made in the 1960s). It appears that DG may have recorded the concertos at 30 inches per second on reel-to-reel tape, hence there are no instances of tape oversaturation and distortion, and the background hiss while present, does not directly compete with even the quieter passages. DG clearly devoted its then-best technical efforts to this then-young artist. And with reason.

Vásáry has a reputation as a phenomenal technical and interpretative virtuoso, and this comes through in the recordings. His young fingers are forever fluid but precise, and for sheer joyful tunefulness, Vásáry's interpretations fit Chopin's spirit wonderfully well. Younger ears than mine may fault the late-1960s' audio quality, but the sheer musicality and precision of playing places these recordings near the top of the heap. The fact that the set is attractively priced helps make this set a great gift for a lover of music trying to build a basic classical library. This is Chopin wonderfully played.

More outstanding Chopin from an unjustly neglected pianist.......2006-12-16

As with his recordings of the Scherzi and ballades, Vasary proves himself one of a handful of really great Chopin interpreters. I found his Etudes far more 'poetic' (yes, these etudes are no mere studies in barn-storming virtuosity) than Perahia's, his sonatas as involving as Ashkenazy's and nearly all the other pieces on par with the best. Maybe most remarkable are the two concertos that I hadn't heard since their days as LPs in the 1960s. They sound every bit as good now, and, for my money, they would be the versions to choose among all others. I hear Vasary several times over the years in concert hall, but unfortunately he never really repeated those pianistic marvels of his youth. To be treasured.

this is the chopin to buy........2006-10-21

when i put cd 1 in my audio and played track one, i was taken by surprise. i've been weaned on pollini's etudes, and thought them definitive. but etude no. 1 from the op. 10 sets is completely different form pollini's. simply put, there's no pollini pounding in vasary.
vasary's playing may strike you as fragile. there certainly is an amorphous sound to it, compared with the straight-out expression of confidence in pollini and the almost burdensom romanticism in kissin. vasary's chopin does not wear it's heart out on the sleeve, if you catch what i'm trying to say. no where else would you find such dignity, such poignant playing.
rubinstein perhaps represents a suitable alternative precisely because he presents different perspectives of chopin. rubinstein's chopin is inspired and masculine. vasary's chopin is full of feminine dreaming.
you'll get hooked once you check these out. horowitz and kissin don't stand a chance against vasary. rubinstein, pollini, and argerich (with her unorthodox, fiery expressions) are good supplements.

BRILLIANT!!!.......2006-01-17

I am surprised to find that my experience is very similiar to the other reviewer of these works!Listening in my car to a Deutsche Grammophone cassette,a compilation of CHOPIN piano pieces by several Artists,I was completely taken by surprise to listen to 2 of Chopin's Nocturnes and one of His ETUDES-WINTER WIND being played Like no other Performer that I have heard(I have listened to Ivan Moravec's Nocturnes and Juana Zayas's Etudes as well as Murray Perahia.The Playing by this unknown Artist was much more flowing and natural,spontaneous.The Etude was a Tour De Force,with Stunning Vitality.I was eager to get back Home just to find out who this Supreme Artist was!I peered through the inlay of the cassette through my reading Glasses.I found the name TAMAS VASARY against those Pieces!
I am glad that the complete set of Etudes and Nocturnes by this Supreme Artist is Available now on CDs.I need to ask my friends in the USA to get it for me!

Vasary's Chopin Etudes - Finally on CD........2005-09-05

Back in 1981, I stumbled upon an unlabeled cassette recording of the Chopin op. 10 Etudes. Greatly impressed, I spent the next eighteen years searching and listening to dozens of recordings of the Etudes in an effort to identify the pianist and recording. Meanwhile, I was finding no match for the sheer musicality of what I was hearing on the cassette. At last I discovered that the mystery pianist was Tamas Vasary, in a recording he made in the 1960's and available once again as part of this freshly-released, 3-CD box set. Here one will find technique and pianism aplenty as Vasary demonstrates his mastery of the assorted technical problems found in the Etudes. But unlike many pianists, some of whom see the mastery of these problems (or, in some cases, the avoidance of them) as the end or goal in playing the Studies, Vasary keenly perceives, and never loses sight of, the truth, beauty and poetry behind this music, and compromises nothing in his pursuit. In the playing of that counterpoint passage in op. 10 #4, for example, one will not hear the pedal being used as a crutch, or whitewash, as it often is in this instance. Rather, one will hear, with perfect clarity combined with a wonderful, round tone, music of a composer who was, after all, a great fan and disciple of that master contrapuntist, J.S. Bach. A first regard for musicianship and, above all, a love for the music itself, clearly is in evidence in Vasary's recording. Get it - even though you already have a recording of the Etudes.

Average customer rating: For the first, in E minor A wise choice! Worth every penny A bargain worth owning

Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos.1 & 2 Chopin: The Complete Nocturnes And Impromptus Liszt: The Two Piano Concertos; The Piano Sonata Mendelssohn: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2; Violin Concerto Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto Op35; Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Op77 ASIN: B000003F4Q Release Date: 1991-07-05

Tracks:

1. Concerto No. 1, Op. 11: Allegro Maestoso
2. Concerto No. 1, Op. 11: Romanze: Larghetto
3. Concerto No. 1, Op. 11: Rondo: Vivace
4. Concerto No. 2, Op. 21: Maestoso
5. Concerto No. 2, Op. 21: Larghetto
6. Concerto No. 2, Op. 21: Allegro Vivace

Customer Reviews:

For the first, in E minor.......2006-10-19

The E minor concerto is the reason to buy this CD, not the 2nd concerto in F minor.
My former favourite of the 1st concerto in E minor is Emil Gilels under the same conductor and orchestra, an earlier and more intense performance, but not as cozy and refined as the present one with Ax. Now I like both, the Ax/Ormandy and the Gilels/Ormandy. It is the first movement that gives such a kick by Gilels/Ormandy, whereas the Ax/Ormandy is better, warmer and - in one sense - more meaningful as a whole.

The 2nd in F minor however is not performed good enough. The reason for this opinion of mine is that I know it performed by Lamoureux Concert Association Orchestra with Clara Haskil at the piano, conducted by Igor Markevitch - a magic performance, both warm and yet with much more energy and joy! I have never come across anything that compares to it.
When it comes to the Perahia/Mehta-recording of both concertos, some reviewers claim that Mehta's conducting is a little lacklustre, so I don't take the risk of buying it. By the way, Clara Haskil and Markevitch don't leave anything to be desired as far as I am concerned. You shouldn't be without that one, although you get a lot "bonus-performences" with the buy, as it is one of many performances collected on two CDs for the price of one. Amazon-search: Favourite Piano Concertos, Vol.1.

A wise choice!.......2006-08-15

Emanuel Ax is actually one of the last champions pianists around Chopin `s work. His Chopin is far to be the traditional approach of languidness, soulful lyricism and tearful nostalgia. He adds heroic scope, bright glitter and that so missed sense of the span that seems an inexistent word in the lexicon of the great majority of the actual players.

His majestic playing is not only captivating but engaging. In past reviews I have told about my desert island choice: Samson Francois and Louis de Froment with the Luxembourg Orchestra. Nevertheless, this is a very attractive choice among the most distinguished, refined and filled of personality performances in the last years.

Go for this.

Worth every penny.......2002-04-03

I bought this album because it contains a piece I have long searched for. In the old movie, "Splash", there is a scene in which a music box containing tiny dancing figurines plays a lovely theme, which is then taken up and played in a variation for violins. This theme is the "Romance" of the Chopin piano concerto #1. It is sublimely rendered in this edition, and a delight to listen to the delicate cascades and flirtations. The entire collection, really, is a joy to hear again and again with its intricate and graceful themes.

A bargain worth owning.......2001-09-18

I am an unabashed fan of Chopin's E minor concerto. I grew up with the recording by Czerny-Stefanska, incorrectly attributed to Dinu Lipatti. Her style and temperament sets the tone for my preferences.

Emanuel Ax's recording has remained one of my favorites despite collecting many others. He communicates beautifully in this recording. There is a section toward the end of the first movement of the E minor that sounds to me as if the piano is pleading, or searching for sympathy and understanding. I often listen to that section to hear if the pianist can communicate that section well. Emanuel Ax touches me when he plays that section. He understands and conveys that message well. His second movement is lyrical and poignant and the last movement is played with seeming effortlessness, joy, playfulness and always with full attention to the singing quality of Chopin's writing. The F minor concerto is also very well performed.

My only reservation about this disc, and the one reason that I continued to search for other recordings after owning this one, is that at times the woodwinds sound out of tune when playing along with the piano. This is especially noticeable in the last movement of the E minor.

I found the recording by Garrick Ohlsson on Arabesque label to be equally satisfying, but that recording is full-price. I prefer Ax's recording to Zimerman's most recent recording (also full-price). I also prefer Ax's performance to Rubinstein's recording with Skrowaczewski (E minor), Perahia/ Mehta (though I prefer Perahia/ Mehta for the F minor concerto), Kissin's recording (although it is truly amazing given his tender age), Tirimo/ Glushcheko, Argerich/ Abbado, Argerich/ Dutoit, Simon/ Beissel (and I am a serious admirer of Abbey Simon's playing) and Pires/ Krivine (though this also has some beautiful playing, marred only by the lack of momentum at times). I even prefer it to my old Czerny-Stefanska recording. Ax's new recording with Mackerras cannot sustain my interest because I am disappointed by the sound of the period instrument. Otherwise his playing remains fine.

There are other well-known recordings that I do not own that deserve to be compared to Ax's recording (Zimerman/ Guilini and the early Pollini recording come to mind). I have heard both of these and I believe they do not displace Ax in my list of recommendations. I also own a true recording of Lipatti, a highly individual recording by Samson Francois on EMI, and a recording by Rosina Lhevinne. These are each fine accounts that spark interest in part because of their historical value, but do not displace Ax's performance.

Many of the recordings in my collection are full-priced. This bargain disc is a bargain in the best sense of the word -- delivering a performance worth having, apart from its price, at a price that cannot be ignored.

Average customer rating: Thibaudet and Gergiev A fun listen, glamorous and self-indulgent Romantic Piano Music Fresh, Vibrant Playing Of Grieg's and Chopin's Scores

Grieg and Chopin: Piano Concertos Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Grieg, Edvard | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Thibaudet, Jean-Yves | ( T ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: The Chopin I Love Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 Jean-Yves Thibaudet ~ Mendelssohn - Piano Concerto No. 1 & 2 · Variations sérieuses, op. 54 · Rondo capriccioso, op. 14 Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2; Paganini Rhapsody Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto Nos. 1 & 3 ASIN: B00004U5BH Release Date: 2000-09-12

Tracks:

1. Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 16: I - Allegro Molto Moderato
2. Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 16: II - Adagio
3. Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 16: III - Allegro Moderato
4. Piano Concerto No. 2 In F Minor, Op. 21: I - Maestoso
5. Piano Concerto No. 2 In F Minor, Op. 21: II - Larghetto
6. Piano Concerto No. 2 In F Minor, Op. 21: III - Allegro Vivace

Amazon.com

The Grieg piano concerto is one of those works that are hindered by their own popularity. It has been a constant feature of concert life for so long that it is sometimes dismissed as an old warhorse, making it difficult to approach it with fresh ears. Yet that is what Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Valery Gergiev have managed to do here, to judge from the results. From the very opening chord, which somehow gives an almost Hollywood feel to the famous descending piano passage that starts the work, there is a sense of discovery that you don't expect to find in such a well-known piece. The dramatic bluster is all there. But so is some very delicate playing from both soloist and orchestra. Chopin's second piano concerto (the first to be written, but the second to be published) is no stranger to our concert platforms, either, and again we get a fresh, unhackneyed reading. As with the Grieg, Thibaudet's entrance is dramatic, and both soloist and conductor seem to take pleasure in bringing out the romanticism. If you have any doubts, try the deliciously lyrical Larghetto movement, and they will be instantly dispelled. --Keith Clarke

Customer Reviews:

Thibaudet and Gergiev.......2007-04-12

These two concerti provide an interesting manner in which to hear one of Europe's greatest orchestras, and its colorful director. Behind Thibaudet's playing, which is melodic and and commanding in the Grieg, lyrical and playful in the Chopin, one can sense a wild animal striving to step gracefully beside its trainer instead of pounce as it is wont. The Chopin especially seems to bring out a tamer side of both orchestra and conductor, although I prefer the Grieg for its arresting chords from the soloist himself, and the crescendoes so beautifully done at the finale of the A Minor. Bravo, Maestro and M. Thibaudet!

A fun listen, glamorous and self-indulgent.......2007-01-31

Thibaudet has made recordings of move music, and this might as well be one. The Grieg is played for gloss and ardor, a perfect background for the romantic climax of a luscious Angelina Jolie film. Expect lots of self-conscious pushing and ulling from both Thibaudet and Gergiev, and yet in the end, given what a tired old thing the Grieg concerto is, this glamorizing works. It turns the piece into fun again. I had a much better time listening to this version, particularly because of the stupendous sound, than "serious" versions by Andsnes, Fleisher, etc. A solid four stars for this performance.

The Chopin Second Concerto is much weaker than the First, which was composed later despite their numbering. Other than being genericlly romantic, it shares little with the Grieg, but Thibaudet plays both works more or less the same, with a delicate, pointed Gallic touch. Gergiev, who throws himself into the Grieg, seems like a fish out of water here, I'm sorry to say, providing a clean but routine accompaniment (not that Chopin gives him that much to work with). I had little fun here, and Thibaudet, for all his French credentials, plays with decidedly less finesse and sparkle than AArgerich, Zimerman, and half a dozen others. A lackluster three stars for the Chopin.

Romantic Piano Music.......2002-04-24

One of the most famous opening lines in all music, graceful, arching melodies and full-bodied romantic sentiment throughout. This is Grieg's Piano Concerto in a nutshell. Thibaudet, Gergiev and the Rotterdam Philharmonic do a fantastic job of capturing the energy and pleasure of this score. The sound quality is superb. The piano shines but never is out of balance with the orchestra. Gergiev should get a special mention for his orchestral support, lilting and effectual. Gried has probably never sounded better - both sensitive and when necessary, passionate. The Chopin Piano Concerto does not have the same visceral melodic thrills as does the Grieg, but it is extremely pleasant going down. Chopin provides the polished piano technique that Grieg does not - however his orchestral colors are a little stiff. Overall though, this is an well programmed disc with outstanding performances and sound quality to boot.

Fresh, Vibrant Playing Of Grieg's and Chopin's Scores.......2001-10-18

Thibaudet gives polished, dramatic performances of Grieg's and Chopin's Second Piano Concertos. These are crisp, novel interpretations in which Thibaudet plays with ample warmth and brilliance. Gergiev and the Rotterdam Philharmonic yield warm, passionate performances which underscore Thibaudet's dramatic playing. This young French pianist's playing sounds as elegant as any I have heard from the likes of Brendel or Kovacevich, without missing any of the scores' dramatic tension. Clearly this is a fine coupling of both familiar piano concertos that is definitely worth owning.

Average customer rating: RUN - not walk - to pick this up!! From the sublime to the merely good. Meh... In spite of... Great Piano Concerto Collection

Favourite Piano Concertos, Vol.1 Manufacturer: Philips ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Liszt | Liszt, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Dichter, Misha | ( D ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Minnesota Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Liszt, Franz | ( L ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Dichter, Misha | ( D ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Minnesota Orchestra | ( M ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Favourite Piano Concertos, Vol.2 Lalo, Saint-Saëns: Cello Concertos Brahms, Tchaikovsky: Violin Concertos [Hybrid SACD] Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 1 Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 2 ASIN: B0000069CV Release Date: 1998-03-17

Tracks:

1. Concerto No. 21 In C, KV 467 (Elvira Madigan): 1. Allegro
2. Concerto No. 21 In C, KV 467 (Elvira Madigan): Andante
3. Concerto No. 21 In C, KV 467 (Elvira Madigan): Allegro vivace assai
4. Concerto No. 2 In F Minor, Op. 21: Maestoso
5. Concerto No. 2 In F Minor, Op. 21: Larghetto
6. Concerto No. 2 In F Minor, Op. 21: Allegro vivace
7. Concerto No. 1 In E Flat, S. 124: Allegro maestoso - Liszt
8. Concerto No. 1 In E Flat, S. 124: Quasi adagio - Liszt
9. Concerto No. 1 In E Flat, S. 124: Allegretto vivace - Allegro animato
10. Concerto No. 1 In E Flat, S. 124: Allegro marziale animato - Liszt

Tracks:

1. Concerto No. 5 in E flat, Op. 73 < >: Allegro
2. Concerto No. 5 in E flat, Op. 73 < >: Adagio un poco mosso
3. Concerto No. 5 in E flat, Op. 73 < >: Rondo. Allegro
4. Concerto symphonique No. 4, Op. 102: Scherzo
5. Concerto No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 18: Moderato
6. Concerto No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 18: Adagio sostenuto
7. Concerto No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 18: Allegro scherzando

Customer Reviews:

RUN - not walk - to pick this up!!.......2006-10-30

I purchased this CD set on eBay for less than $2 some time ago. Reviews here on Amazon are usually written by people who buy the CD from Amazon, but this set has brought me so much pleasure that I am obliged to - nay, MUST - write a review here to spread the word. :)

I have been a classical aficionado for the last 6 years or so, and have to date accumulated a collection of >150 classical CDs. Artistic merit aside, I am picky about recorded quality; most of my listening is done through headphones (AKG k501), so poor sound quality in a CD is a big no-no for me.

I'll get sound quality out of the way first then - the SQ on this set varies from good to excellent. Sometimes the miking may come across as a little too warm (Rachmaninov) or a wee bit hollow sounding (Chopin), but there is nothing major to complain about here. There is a spot of easily noticed distortion in the first 10 seconds of the Emperor (more on that later).

I originally purchased this set for just one performance in particular - Clara Haskil's Chopin #2. This particular performance has been out of print for some time and was last available as part of an exorbitantly priced set (Clara Haskil: Legacy) that is now impossible to find.

In a nutshell, Haskil's performance alone is worth the full price of the entire set. The playing in the 2nd movement is absolutely magical - Haskil interprets Chopin with a delicacy and refinement that is difficult to put into words. Her playing brings to mind something my old piano teacher once told me - "Anyone can play Chopin, but few can play Chopin well". The way the solo melodic line is strung together at ~41 seconds into the 2nd movement will send shivers down your spine. Beauty too rich for use / for earth too dear, indeed.

But wait - there's more!

Imagine my surprise when another of the performances in this set turned out to be a 'sleeper hit': Brendel's Beethoven #5 ("Emperor"). I quickly grew to prefer Brendel's Emperor over my 'reference' recording - Pollini with Abbado (part of a very expensive DG 3CD set!). Brendel plays with more emotion and warmth - his Emperor comes off as truly majestic when compared to Abbado, who comes off as a little more magisterial and cold. There is a spot of piano clatter about 10 seconds into the first movement, but it is nothing major and certainly does not detract from the beautiful playing that follows.

Unfortunately Brendel's Elvira Madigan comes across as faaaaar tooooo slooooowwwww (for my taste). The playing is mannered, and there is none of the wiry elegance that should (in my opinion) characterise interpretations of music written during the Classical period. I much prefer my Pires with Abbado on DG for this concerto.

Janis's Rachmaninov #2 is worth a mention as well. Tape hiss on this recording is noticeable on headphones, but not overly prominent. There are few options for the Rach 2nd nowadays - Ashkenazy's warhorse is the usual (and nearly unanimous) recommendation.

Byron Janis was (in?)famous due to his being one of Vladimir Horowitz's two 'officially' recognised pupils, yet I find little Horowitz in this interpretation. There is none of the bravado and bold impulsiveness that characterised Horowitz's earlier work, no awkward mannerisms that characterised his middle work and none of the introspectiveness and coolness that characterised his late work.

What you will get instead is a well-measured and 'polite' Rach #2 with rather melancholy overtones, I find. Certainly a viable alternative to the Ashkenazy mentioned earlier, but a choice subject to personal taste. I prefer my own copy on Naxos by Jando.

I am not familiar with the Litolff and the Liszt, so I shall reserve comment on their respective readings. They are both well recorded though - warm and expansive.

From the sublime to the merely good........2006-04-27

This collection is an absolute steal. Three of the concerto recordings are unsurpassed. The Haskil Chopin is legendary, Richter's Liszt is colossal and Janis's Rachmaninoff is absolutely formidable. Brendel's recordings of Mozart and Beethoven are on a lesser level of achievement, but never less than good.

It should be noted that the Liszt and Rachmaninoff are Mercury Living Presence recordings, and if you've never heard a recording with only 3 well-placed mics, they do sound different from the usual 25-plus microphone recordings we are usually blessed (cursed) with.

At this price, one of the absolute CD bargains of all time.

Meh..........2006-03-28

This collection serves as a descent introduction to some great piano concertos, but the performances are not the best and the recording quality of most of them leaves much to be desired for me. I learned my lesson with regards to the 'best of' classical collections. Personally I'd rather have gotten great recordings of great performances of great classical pieces for a little more money.

In spite of..........2005-06-21

The problem with a heterogeneous collection like this one is that you may like some of the concertos, but not all. I have never found any better recording of Chopin's 2nd concerto than the one with Haskil/Markevitch, so this alone is worth the price, hence my five stars - only for that one! Brendel on Mozart's 21st is also one of many nice accounts. The others are not good enough, if you ask me. Chopin's 2nd by Haskil/Markevitch carries the stars; it is pure magic!

Great Piano Concerto Collection.......2003-07-03

Back in the days before I became a serious collector of classical music, I had this title. What a wonderful introduction it was for me, and if all you are looking for is some first rate performances of some of the best loved Piano Concertos ever written, then this disc is for you. Of course, I no longer own this CD, but I still have all of the individual performances (save the Litolff by Dichter/Marriner) on more comprehensive collections -- the Mozart on the Philips Duo of the "Great Mozart Piano Concertos" featuring Brendel and Marriner, the Chopin on the now o.o.p. Clara Haskil Legacy Vol. 2, the Liszt on a recently reissued Philips 50 title, the Beethoven on the new 3CD Universal Trio collection, and the Rach 2 on good old Mercury Living Presence -- and they are still among my favorites. If you buy this set, just be prepared to upgrade like I did.

Track Listings:

1. Cinema:Silent Film Music by J.S. Zamecnik
2. Classical Piano
3. Complete Solo Piano Music
4. Composers' Voice Portrait
5. Crossings
6. Die Orgeln im Dom zu Bantzen
7. Disseminate Ostrava/Kontradictionaries/Disseminate Q-02
8. Dunhill - Bantock - Stanford : Violin Sonatas / Stanzeleit
9. Duo Forza
10. Elgar: In the South; Walton: Partita; Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

10,000 Stones

Callas Sings Rossini & Donizetti Arias [Import] [Limited Edition]

Deuces Wild

Un Faux Pas!

Cosmic Grooves: Virgo

Crossroads

Chambre Avec Vue [Import]

British Organ Music

Country Superstar Christmas 3

Charlie Ventura in Concert Featuring the Charlie Ventura Septet [Live]

Counterfeit² [Enhanced]

Democracy [Import]

Club and Home Entertainment, Vol. 2

J.C. Bach: Symphonies Op.3

Blues Bred in the Bone