Frédéric Chopin: The Romantic Piano

1. Barcarolle for piano in F sharp major, Op. 60, CT 6
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
with Vladimir Shakin

2. Mazurka for piano in B major, Op. 63/1, CT 89
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
with Vladimir Shakin

3. Mazurka for piano in F minor, Op. 63/2, CT 90
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
with Vladimir Shakin

4. Mazurka for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 63/3, CT 91
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
with Vladimir Shakin

5. Polonaise-fantasy for piano in A flat major, Op. 61, CT 156
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
with Vladimir Shakin

6. Berceuse for piano in D flat major, Op. 57, CT 7
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
with Vladimir Shakin

7. Mazurka for piano in A minor, Op. 59/1, CT 86
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
with Vladimir Shakin

8. Mazurka for piano in A flat major, Op. 59/2 CT 87
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
with Vladimir Shakin

9. Mazurka for piano in F sharp minor, Op. 59/3, CT 88
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
with Vladimir Shakin

10. Nocturne for piano in B major, Op. 62/1, CT 124
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
with Vladimir Shakin

11. Nocturne for piano in E major, Op. 62/2, CT 125
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
with Vladimir Shakin

12. Polonaise for piano in A flat major, Op. 53, CT 155
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
with Eva Smirnova

Frédéric Chopin: The Romantic Piano,Fryderyk Chopin,Eva Smirnova,Vladimir Shakin,Sony,Barcarolle for Keyboard,Berceuse for Keyboard,Chamber Music & Recitals,Classical,Classical Composers,Classical Music,Coll. of Character/Single-Movement/Misc. Works for Keyb.,Keyboard,Polonaise for Keyboard

Average customer rating: Lost is Found, finally Martha Argerich CD Fabulous recording Excellent A restored jewel in the Argerich catalog

Martha Argerich Plays Chopin: The Legendary 1965 Recording Martha Argerich Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Nocturnes | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Argerich, Martha | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Argerich, Martha | ( A ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Debut Recital / Martha Argerich Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 / Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23 J.S. Bach: Toccata, Partita, English Suite 2/ Martha Argerich Chopin, Liszt: Piano Concertos / Martha Argerich, London Symphony Orchestra Chopin: 26 Préludes, etc / Martha Argerich ASIN: B00000IWVS Release Date: 1999-05-18

Tracks:

1. Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: I. Allegro maetoso
2. Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: II. Scherzo: Molto vivace
3. Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: III. Largo
4. Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: IV. Finale: Presto, non tanto
5. Mazurka No.36 In A Minor, Op.59 No.1
6. Mazurka No.37 In A-flat, Op.59 No.2
7. Mazurka No.38 In F-sharp Minor, Op.59 No.3
8. Nocturne No.4 In F, Op.15 No.1
9. Scherzo No.3 In C-sharp Minor, Op.39
10. Polonaise No.6 In A-flat, Op.53

Amazon.com's Best of 1999

Record-label politics prevented this awesome recording of Argentinean pianist Martha Argerich from being released for 34 years. The spitfire musician delivers a powerful set of Chopin's best-loved works that still sounds riveting today. Intense and gorgeous. --Jason Verlinde

Amazon.com essential recording

How can it be that a recording by one of today's indisputably unequaled pianists performing some of her prime repertory--made fresh within months of her triumph in the 1965 Warsaw International Chopin Competition--could languish for decades in the vaults before its official release? Chalk it up to the exclusivity clauses of rival recording companies and legal constraints from which not even Wotan with the help of Loge could extricate himself. Thankfully this belated EMI release--recorded in a few sessions at the Abbey Road studios--is finally available.

It's a significant complement to Argerich's other accounts of Chopin on disc. From the white-hot intensity of Argerich's way with the composer, you can easily extrapolate a sense of what had recently wowed the jury in Warsaw. The Argentinean pianist undertakes the Third Sonata as a vast, big-voiced, far-reaching statement that encompasses both molten power and moments of almost unbearably intimate lyricism (listen closely to her gestures of illumination in the Largo). With a characteristically unforced spontaneity, Argerich sounds the shattering chords that launch the finale (recorded in one take); her sense of flow in the Nocturne No. 4 is a perfect mesh for the illusion of improvising that is so central to Chopin. She commands the logic--both emotional and musical--of the composer's skittish turns in the Scherzo No. 3 and crafts three of the mazurkas into perfectly chiseled character pieces. The sheer force of Argerich's personality might seem overwhelming to those accustomed to a tamer Chopin--listen to how she dives into the A-flat Polonaise--but it's always at work dusting off tired clichés and uncovering the music's expressive wealth. For those who know about Argerich's artistry, this disc is indispensable; anyone who has yet to make that enviable discovery will find it (together with the Argerich anthology in Philips' Great Pianists series) a great place to begin. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Lost is Found, finally.......2007-07-08

This Argerich Chopin performance, recorded by EMI in 1965 while she was actually under contract to DG is formidable for an artist so early in her career. Both the artistry and sound are superb and it's a shame we fans had to wait so long for this recording to appear. These Chopin performances completely justify the competition judges decision to award her the grand prize at the 1965 Warsaw International Chopin Competition. It's a collection must have!

Martha Argerich CD.......2007-06-12

Excellent service -- speedy, just as described, well-packaged. I'd definitely buy from this seller again.

Fabulous recording.......2007-04-12

A most interesting history in the liner notes and a fabulous recording. One of the best for a piano CD collection.

Excellent.......2007-04-12

Only one word: Excellent.
Though someone might have different feeling, I'm crazy on this 1965 recording.

A restored jewel in the Argerich catalog.......2006-09-03

If I had to pick a single CD to win awed admiration for Martha Argerich, this Chopin recital would be it. Only 24 when she made these long-suppressed recordings, Argerich's musicality and dazzling technqiue defy belief. Every ounce of praise for her Third Sonata is deserved--it's spontaneous, flexible, intense, by turns tender and declamatory. The most blessed quality is that she doesn't bang or harangue us--not always the case in later years. Her sense of urgency doesn't become eckless; the bursts of excitment aren't oerly explosive.

My only caveat would be for audiophiles. Although an Abbey Road studio recording, you get the feeling somewhat that Argerich is performing in a boomy hall. Also, in the loudest fortes there's mircophone shatter. For many listeners these drawbacks won't matter a whit, not in the face of an undisputed keyboard genius.

Average customer rating: Try Ivo Pogerlich to Catch the Spirit of the Preludes Great Artist, Great Performance Turning the Chopin 2nd Sonata into the "Appassionata" Exciting pianism. Wonder!

Chopin: 24 Preludes, Op. 28; Sonata for Piano No. 2, Op. 35; Polonaise, Op. 53 Frederic Chopin Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Kissin, Evgeni | ( K ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | 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: Chopin: The Four Ballades, Berceuse, Barcarolle, Scherzo No. 4 Chopin, Volume 1 Evgeny Kissin: Beethoven, Franck, Brahms Chopin: Volume 2 (Sonata No. 3/Mazurkas) Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2; Etudes-Tableaux ASIN: B00002DE5F Release Date: 2000-02-08

Tracks:

1. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 1 in C major
2. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 2 in A minor
3. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 3 in G major
4. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 4 in E minor
5. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 5 in D major
6. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 6 in B Minor
7. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 7 in A major
8. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 8 in F-Sharp Minor
9. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 9 in E major
10. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 10 in C-Sharp Minor
11. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 11 in B major
12. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 12 in G-Sharp minor
13. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 13 in F-Sharp major
14. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 14 in E-Flat minor
15. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 15 in D-Flat major
16. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 16 in B-Flat Minor
17. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 17 in A-Flat major
18. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 18 in F Minor
19. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 19 in E-Flat major
20. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 20 in C Minor
21. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 21in B-Flat major
22. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 22 in G Minor
23. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 23 in F major
24. 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 24 in D Minor
25. Sonata No.2, Op. 35, in B-Flat Minor: Grave ; Doppio movimento
26. Sonata No.2, Op. 35, in B-Flat Minor: Scherzo
27. Sonata No.2, Op. 35, in B-Flat Minor: Marche funebre : Lento
28. Sonata No.2, Op. 35, in B-Flat Minor: Finale : Presto
29. Polonaise Op. 53, in A-Flat Major

Customer Reviews:

Try Ivo Pogerlich to Catch the Spirit of the Preludes.......2006-04-25

Kissin sounds as if he is in a rush.
Incidentally, this haste is not necessarily related to speed per se.
Pogorelich plays each Prelude at about the same nominal time, but he brings out a depth and lyricism lacking in this recording which may say more about Kissin's inner torment than about the message of the pieces.
Comparing the two is as if we were to juxtapose a mature master with an impatiant child.
See for instance the stark disparity in nuance in comparing Preludes no. 8, 16, 24 and of course 4 played by Pogorelich and Kissin respectively.
It goes without saying that Evgeny Kissin is a true prodigy and virtuoso who has brought us much joy (and for this we must be grateful), but here he misses the message.
Ivo Pogorelich and Claudio Arrau have captured the soul of Chopin in its tragic, true beauty. They have surrendered themselves to it in utter, complete devotion.

[...]

Great Artist, Great Performance.......2006-02-20

Kissin is clearly one of the best pianists, perhaps the very best, to come along in recent years. He deserves the sobriquet, "the new Horowitz" although he is unique in his own right. His facility with the preludes is inspiring. However, I like a piano that has a mellower sound than the one on this recording. In some instances this one seemed a little too brilliant or lacking in overtones so as to detract a bit from the enjoyment of listening to this wonderful artist. Regardless, I'm happy to own this recording.

Turning the Chopin 2nd Sonata into the "Appassionata".......2005-11-08

In their different ways, both Pollini and Kissin play Chopin's big works, like the Second Sonata, as if they were Beethoven. On this CD Kissin enlarges the frame of the sonata to fit the Appassionata--and I excitedly went along. Carpers should remember that Horowitz distorted Chopin far more than Kissin ever could. RCA's inside-the-lid piano sound is unrealistic but adds to the thrill. Passage work like this can be heard only once in a lifetime. Five stars.

But the Preludes are another story. The world was once entirely on Kissin's side. Ten years ago he was considered an insightful, sympathetic Chopin interpreter who had a marvelous sense of touch to go with his world-dominating technique. (The evidence of his instinctive gifts is there from a Tokyo recital on Sony, made when Kissin was fifteen.) I don't hear that inspired interpreter in these Preludes, which despite dazzling moments are ham-handed and coarse. No more than anyone else do I know the reason for this change. We will have to hope that this adored artist steps back from the precipice of showmanship and begins to play with his heart once again. Three stars.

Exciting pianism........2005-01-20

This third Kissen Chopin recital to be issued certainly provides some exciting pianism. It is hard to imagine how ten fingers can be coordinated to produce the rippling effects in Prelude 3, the whirlwinds in Prelude 8, the headlong galloping in Prelude 16, and the terrifying swirl of sound in the Sonatas's finale. It is also hard to imagine how much one would need to pay in order to sit in such close proximity to the piano as it is recorded here. Never have I heard the three repeated notes at the bottom end of the keyboard sound as powerful as they do at the close of Prelude 24.

Chopin offers much more than opportunities for technical display, however, and few of these additional components are evident here. The tears below the surface of Prelude 4 are disregarded, the cantilena of Prelude 6 is more mechanical than vocal, and the Sonata's Scherzo is rushed rather than refined. Most successful is the Sonata's "Funeral March" - something I thought I never wanted to hear again. Perhaps the enforced slow tempo allows Chopin's voice to come through.

The engineers have captured the tension and excitement of Kissen's performances, but I am not sure that he has captured the essential refinement and eminently patrician qualities that typify Chopin's music.

Wonder! .......2004-12-16

Great!

I have never heard such "Finale.Presto" from his "Funeral Sonata"!! It's hallucinatory voyage through what is unknown for human beings. Amazing use of pedal and surpriseing tecnique, creating spectral, nightmare-like vision of the "after death". Amazing, really amazing! Kissin (and Chopin above all) express the inexpressible.

Average customer rating:

The Most Relaxing Chamber Music Album in the World ... Ever! Manufacturer: Angel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Septets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( 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 Franz Joseph Haydn | Haydn, Franz Joseph | ( H ) | 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 Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Vivaldi | Vivaldi, Antonio | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Trio Sonatas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Clarinet | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music English Horn | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Most Relaxing Cello Album in the World Ever The Most Relaxing Harp Album in the World... Ever! The Most Relaxing Violin Album in the World ... Ever! The Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever! The Most Relaxing Flute Album in the World...Ever! ASIN: B000AXWGZE Release Date: 2005-10-04

Tracks:

1. String Quartet in B-Flat, Op. 76 No. 4 Sunrise - II Adagio - Franz Joseph Haydn
2. Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 65 - III Largo - Frederic Chopin
3. Piano Trio No. 1 in B-Flat, D.898 - II Andante, un poco mosso - Franz Schubert
4. Clarinet Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 120 No. 1 - II Andante un poco adagio - Johannes Brahms
5. String Quartet No. 17 In B-Flat, K.458 Hunt - III Adagio - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
6. String Quartet No. 17 In B-Flat, K.458 Hunt - III Adagio - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
7. Sonata In E Minor, F.XVI, No. 1 - II Largo - Antonio Vivaldi
8. Mhenerzungen, Op. 132 - III Ruhiges Tempo, Mit Zartem Ausdruck - Robert Schumann
9. Sonata No. 5 For Piano & Violin In F, Op. 24 Spring - Ii Adagio Molto Espressivo - Ludwig Van Beethoven
10. Quintet For Piano & Winds In E-Flat, K.452 - II Larghetto - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
11. Seven Last Words From The Cross - VII Largo - Franz Joseph Haydn

Tracks:

1. String Quartet In C Minor, Op. 51 No. 1 - II Romanze; Poco Adagio - Johannes Brahms
2. FantasiestOp. 73 - I Zart Und Mit Ausdruck - Robert Schumann
3. Serenade In D, Op. 8 - Adagio
4. Clarinet Quintet In A, K.581 - II Larghetto - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
5. String Quartet No. 4 In E Minor, Op. 44 No. 2 - II Andante - Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
6. String Quartet, Op. 10 - III Andantino, Doucement Expressif - Claude Debussy
7. Violin Sonata No. 3 In D Minor, Op. 108 - II Adagio - Johannes Brahms
8. Quintet For Piano & Winds In E-Flat, Op. 16 - II Andante Cantabile - Ludwig Van Beethoven
9. String Quartet No. 1 In D, Op. 11 - II Andante Cantabile - Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
10. Clarinet Trio In B-Flat, Op. 11 - II Adagio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
11. String Quartet In E-Flat, D.87 - III Adagio - Franz Schubert
12. Serenade (Andante Cantabile) - Franz Joseph Haydn
13. Wiegenlied, Op. 49 No. 4 (Lullaby) - Johannes Brahms

Average customer rating: Perfect! brilliant, youthful, poetic Chopin from one of the best

Frederic Chopin: Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3 Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Perahia, Murray | ( P ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | 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: Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos.1 & 2 Chopin: Impromptus/Fantaisie Impromptu/Barcarolle/Berceuse Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 17, 18, 26 The Aldeburgh Recital Chopin: Études, Opp. 10 & 25 ASIN: B00000252E Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. I. Grave
2. II. Scherzo
3. III. Marche Funebre
4. IV. Finale: Presto
5. I. Allegro Maestoso
6. II. Scherzo: Molto Vivace
7. III. Largo
8. IV. Finale: Presto, Ma Non Tanto

Amazon.com

Chopin's Second Piano Sonata is one of the most powerful and terrifying pieces of music written in the 19th century. Its funeral march is already famous (you know the tune, even if you don't know that you know it), but what makes the piece so extraordinary is its finale--a 90-second ride through hell that has been described as "the sound of the wind sweeping over a graveyard." Next to this expressionist masterpiece, the Third Sonata sounds rather more conventional, but in Murray Perahia's capable hands, it's no less compelling. A true keyboard poet, Perahia has turned in performances of both sonatas that have long stood as among the finest available. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Perfect!.......2005-03-18

This is one of those few "absolutely perfect" works of art or nature one comes across in one's liftime. It's like Michelangelo's "David" or the best moonrise you've ever seen over a desert mountain. It's shocking, it's so good. It will leave you overwhelmed. I've never heard any other recording of Chopin come anywhere close to being as magic as this. Anyone who can do this kind of sorcery, if only once, should be showered with garlands and their name should be praised for centuries. I always thrill when I discover a friend has never heard this and I can play it for them. Just thinking about the preformance/the recording, actually hurts in a wonderful way--the piano playing is so sublime. I'm filled with longing. That does it! I'm going to finish typing this sentence, get up, turn on my CD player and play this perfect angel of a recording right now!

brilliant, youthful, poetic Chopin from one of the best.......2001-06-10

Perahia has long been one of my favorite pianists, so there is a certain bias to my review. I was somewhat disappointed in his recent Chopin disc (ballades, etc) but nevertheless, I have 4 different recordings of these sonatas (rubinstein, pollini, Ax, and this one), have listened to them all dozens of times, as well as many others, and this is one of the best. Any pianist will tell you that these are among the most technically and musically demanding pieces in the romantic repertoire, and Perahia gets all the power and poetry these pieces require. At the same time, he loses none of the introspection and thoughtfulness. I don't think any pianist has ever played the slow movement of the 3rd sonata with greater tenderness. And in the phenomenal rondo that closes out this piece he just builds momentum like few pianists can do, most peak way too soon, and then have to crash through to the end. The familiar 2nd sonata is also thoughtfully played but lacks nothing in drama, especially the opening movement and the finale. The second movement is full of rhythmic energy and has plenty of brilliante. This is Perahia 20 years younger, but he was great then, as he is now.

Average customer rating: Relaxing CD

James Galway - Serenade Franz Schubert , Claude Debussy , Johann Sebastian Bach , Domenico Cimarosa , Frédéric Chopin , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Franz Liszt , Aram Khachaturian , Jules Massenet , Heitor Villa-Lobos , Tamezo Narita , Sergey Rachmaninov , Gabriel Faure , Riccardo Drigo , James Galway , Myung-Whun Chung , Charles Dutoit , Charles Gerhardt , Hiroyuki Iwaki , David Measham , Marisa Robles , Chamber Orchestra Europe , Phillip Moll , Ayako Shinozaki , and Kazuhito Yamashita Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Cimarosa, Domenico | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Fauré, Gabriel | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Khachaturian | Khachaturian, Aram | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Liszt | Liszt, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Massenet | Massenet, Jules | ( M ) | 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 Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Villa-Lobos, Heitor | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Concertinos | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Character Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Nocturnes | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Villa-Lobos, Heitor | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Flute | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Galway, James | ( G ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | Celtic | International | 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 Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: James Galway ~ Meditations James Galway - Greatest Hits James Galway - Dances for Flute The Wind Beneath My Wings The Legendary James Galway: Man With the Golden Flute ASIN: B000003EUV Release Date: 1989-06-28

Tracks:

1. Serenade / Standchen, D. 957
2. Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 2 in E - Flat
3. Reverie
4. Serenade: Largo
5. Suite No. 3: Air
6. La Fille aux cheveux de lin
7. Concerto for Flute and Harp, K. 299
8. Consolation No. 3
9. Adagio Of Spartacus & Phrygia
10. Meditation
11. Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5: Aria
12. Song Of The Seashore
13. Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14
14. Fantaisie
15. Serenade
16. La plus que lente

Customer Reviews:

Relaxing CD.......2000-06-12

If you enjoy James Galway, you should get this CD. It is wonderful easy listening music for when you are doing something else like reading. It is not as exciting as some of his other CDs but just as good. All the songs are beautiful and will be greatly appreciated.

Average customer rating: Unique and unforgettable Moravec does it again. Recomended to me and now I recommend it to you all !!!

Chopin: Sonata in B-flat minor, Berceuse, etc. Frederic Chopin , and Ivan Moravec Manufacturer: Vox (Classical) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Moravec, Ivan | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Opera & Vocal | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Ivan Moravec Plays Debussy & Chopin Chopin: Nocturnes Chopin: 24 Preludes Ballade in F Minor Ivan Moravec Plays Beethoven Moravec Plays Schumann & Franck ASIN: B00009PY4F Release Date: 2003-05-27

Tracks:

1. CHOPIN Sonata in Bb minor Op. 35 1 Grave-Doppio movimento
2. CHOPIN Sonata in Bb minor Op. 35 2 Scherzo
3. CHOPIN Sonata in Bb minor Op. 35 3 Marche Funebre
4. CHOPIN Sonata in Bb minor Op. 35 4 Presto
5. CHOPIN Berceuse Op. 57
6. CHOPIN Ballade No. 4 in F minor Op. 52
7. CHOPIN Mazurka in E Op. 6 No. 3
8. CHOPIN Mazurka in Bb minor Op. 24 No. 4
9. CHOPIN Mazurka in Db Op. 30 No. 3
10. CHOPIN Fantaisie in F minor Op. 49

Album Description

Ivan Moravec plays CHOPIN Sonata in Bb minor Op. 35 Berceuse Op. 57 Ballade No. 4 in F minor Op. 52 Three Mazurkas; Op. 6 No. 3, Op. 24 No. 4, Op. 30 No. 3 Fantaisie in F minor Op. 49

Customer Reviews:

Unique and unforgettable.......2005-05-08

All of this music has been recorded many times over by musicians ranging from the dire to the sublime. For any Chopin recording to really stand out from the pack nowadays, it has to have some really special qualities. This is one of those recordings, and as someone who has never heard any other Moravec, it has made me eager to explore him further.

The B-flat minor Sonata of Chopin is a four-movement work cut from granite; the third movement is the Funeral March you hear at every memorial service today. The sonata can be shattering, but Moravec plays it with an inward expression I've never heard before in this piece, together with the most rounded tone to be recorded since Rubinstein. His interpretation is dramatic and majestic, not athletic, and certainly not bombastic.

The Berceuse is next, a short and deservedly popular cradle song which uses a gentle, rocking ostinato figure, practically unchanged through the entire piece, underneath what amounts to a kind of chaconne. I do not expect to ever hear it played with a greater inner peace than on this CD.

Following this little bon-bon is the great F minor Ballade, which is deeply tragic. A heavenly opening with subtle bell effects, which returns later in A major to great effect, is followed by a curiously obsessive theme which sounds like a song sung by a child in the wilderness. This theme keeps returning, in varied forms as the child grows into a full-fledged adult, until it returns one last time for the coda, in the form of an intense and furious two-part counterpoint which is among the most difficult passages in Chopin and leaves a strong psychological imprint.

Included in the CD are three Mazurkas, which are delightful. Strict Polish practice would entail prolonging the first beat for so long that it felt like a 4/4, rather than a 3/4 as notated. The usual approach today is to ignore this stylistic trait and play the Mazurkas like Waltzes, but Moravec's solution is to use a pungent rubato which fits the melody and accents its light, dance-like quality. Even if it is not a perfectly accurate mazurka style, Moravec is thoroughly charming.

The disc ends with the Fantaisie in F minor, a brilliant military-themed work which I both love and hate when I play it myself, because it is comfortable for the hand and very rewarding to listen to, but it is not easy to hold together structurally. This recording has gone a long way towards instructing me in how to do that. Without question, this Fantaisie stands head and shoulders over any other recording of this work I've heard, be it from Rubinstein, Pollini, Arrau, or Katchen, all legendary pianists in their own right.

In all, recommended in the strongest possible terms. Don't think twice.

Moravec does it again........2003-09-15

It doesn't really seem so long ago that I first heard Ivan Moravec and sat stunned at his superb artistry. But it has been 40 years, and this great master whom I heard play in his early thirties is now 73. And what has he recorded in that span? Three sonatas and five concertos of Mozart, a little Bach and Schumann, six Beethoven sonatas (while other pianists his age are on their second or even third complete cycle), the third and fourth Beethoven concertos, the Ravel Sonatine, some Brahms, some nice Czech music, and a good deal of wonderful Debussy and Chopin. In other words, just a few years' worth of recordings for some of the more famous names on the big labels. However, within his modest output, Ivan Moravec has given some of the greatest performances ever preserved.

So we are thankful whenever this musician-virtuoso records anything, and this latest release is nothing less than magnificent. Is it possible for a performance of the warhorse B-flat minor sonata of Chopin to sound strikingly fresh and new? Apparently so. This introspective reading is one for the ages. Other pianists (Pollini comes to mind) have certainly recorded unsurpassable renditions of this piece, but Moravec's is unique and incomparable. Moravec is capable of pyrotechnics, but they simply have no place here. Even so, each note is beautifully in place and given its full due, as if it were a human soul.

It is interesting to compare this performance of the fourth Ballade with the recording Moravec made back in 1966. The 2002 version seems more leisurely, but in fact has a shorter playing time. The earlier version makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. The new version puts you deep into thought. Apply superlatives to the rest of the disc and you have my review.

This disc is hard to find but certainly available, and at mid-price to boot.

Please, Ivan. The B minor sonata. The late Beethoven. Some more Mozart and Debussy. Anything you want to play.

Recomended to me and now I recommend it to you all !!!.......2003-06-18

I will make it very simple to digest:

Sound Quality, Performance, Selection, Price: 10 out of 10.
I was so impressed with this album that I decided to write about it for you to enjoy it as well. Even the content selection is a piece of art in itself. The production of this compact is very well done. It sets the "magic" that goes from the Sonata in B flat minor to Berceuse, and from Berceuse to the Ballade, the lingering mazurkas, and, finally, the crown of this outstanding production and performance: The Fantasie in F minor.
This album is a piece of art in every way...! It's not only Moravec, who is way up there in inspiration and impecable performance. I'm talking about the team that put these pieces together -like jewels- without overwhelming each other, but supporting each other, articulating a mood that is consistent without falling in monotony. And, yes, it will mesmerize your senses as it did with mine. And yes, it will let you craving for more, and you will do what I did: play it again, and again. If you need to grab a defect on this album, THIS IS IT!

This is the kind of album that will set the mood for intimacy...
Very moving, very touching. Ideal companion to a good wine or a moment of inner expansion.

Average customer rating: "Der Busoni"

Busoni: Piano Music, Vol. 2 Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Busoni | Busoni, Ferruccio | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | 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 Similar Items: Busoni: Piano Music, Vol. 1 Busoni: Music for Two Pianos Busoni: Piano Music 3 Busoni: Piano Concerto Taneyev: Chamber Music ASIN: B00005RT4T Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

1. Bach: Chaconne for solo violin, B24
2. Etude en forme de variations, Op. 17, K206
3. Variations on "Kommt ein Vogel geflogen," K222
4. Theme and Variations in C major, K6
5. Inno Variations, K16
6. Variations and Fugue on Chopin's Prelude in C minor, Op. 22: Theme and
7. Variations and Fugue on Chopin's Prelude in C minor, Op. 22: Fugue

Amazon.com

Wolf Harden, a founder of the Trio Fontenay, is recording the solo piano works of the visionary composer and keyboard virtuoso Ferruccio Busoni. In Volume 2, Harden turns to the composer's earlier works, including the famous arrangement of Bach's Chaconne from the Violin Partita No. 2 for solo violin. It's long been a concert staple favored by Romantic pianists, but Harden acquits himself well, sculpting the statement of the theme with power and precisely articulating the work's many strands while bringing out the rich textures that saturate the piece. The other big work on the program is the Variations and Fugue on Chopin's Prelude in C minor. Here, the 19-year-old composer put the striking, but brief, Prelude through 18 permutations of dazzling virtuosity, encompassing moods ranging from leisurely lyricism to pianistic pyrotechnics, ending in a massive Fugue. Harden's excellent rendition makes you wonder why it's not programmed more often. The fillers are minor juvenilia, but Harden's commanding interpretations of the big works make this disc so appealing. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

"Der Busoni".......2007-07-19

Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924) was universally appreciated as a genius with the piano. His style of playing and the ideas he developed in his compositions enable him to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Godowsky as a transcendental pianist-composer. Yet today the name "Busoni" is too often linked, literally by a hyphen, with "Bach," owing to the many transcriptions Busoni created. There are countless recordings of these Bach transcriptions, but few actual volumes exist that explore Busoni's original music. Naxos has fixed this, and with the talents of Wolf Harden, Busoni's early piano works are unveiled and championed.

I'm sure there might be some recordings of these Busoni juvenilia pieces, but I couldn't pinpoint them; they are rare. Obviously the Bach-Busoni Chaconne has been done enough, but Harden doesn't shine in his execution. Compared to the artistry and passion of Kissin, Say, or Michelangeli, Harden's playing seems bogged down, rigid, and even emotionally detached. My five star rating is not affected by this, though, because Harden recovers with his wondrous interpretations of the other pieces. The "Etude en forme de variations" was written in 1884 and reveals Busoni's early contrapuntal mastery and Romantic idiom. Richard Whitehouse, the liner-notes writer, summarizes the work sufficiently as possessing a "studious, slightly melancholic theme... succeeded by eight variations, ranging from the grotesque to the elegiac..." Busoni's Variations on "Kommt ein Vogel geflogen" are based on a song that supposedly parodies various composers of the centuries. Busoni's variations are quite chameleonlike, imitating with much success the aesthetics of Scarlatti, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Chopin and Wagner.

The Variations in C major Op. 6 dates from 1873 and was written when Busoni was merely seven years old. It is admittedly light, yet somehow charming, and Whitehouse observes that the "vibrant finale recalls Beethoven's early sets of variations." Following this in 1874 is the Op. 12 "Inno variations," another ordinary work in which Whitehouse chooses to compliment the "limpid Schubertian quality of the initial theme." The principal work and true masterpiece here is Busoni's "Variations and Fugue on Chopin's Prelude in C minor Op. 22." Busoni later rewrote this work and edited its eighteen variations down to only nine. Fortunately, Naxos and Harden present the original eighteen variations and fugue (reaching 30 minutes) in all its glory. Comparable to Rachmaninov's Variations of the same Prelude, Busoni explores a vast range of pianistic devices, technical possibilities, compositional ideas, and emotional states. Unlike Rachmaninov, Busoni strives toward an intellectual quasi-meditative outcome, culminating in the mind-blowing fugue. David Dubal calls this epic work "masterly in style, a superb mixture of melodic, harmonic, and polyphonic variation technique. This rigorous work is piano writing of genius and should be better known."

Bottom line: Although the early Variations featured here lack the qualities of Busoni's deeper Elegies and Sonatinas, the "Etude en forme de variations" and massive "Variations and Fugue on Chopin" are impressive conceptions and titanic forces of pianism. The scholar and pianist Gunnar Johansen once said of Busoni: "He outshone all others. In Germany, we didn't speak of Mr. Busoni, we spoke of Der Busoni, as if he were a monument." Beyond the man himself, there is a monumental nature and magnitude in Busoni's "Variations and Fugue on Chopin" that will later recur in the majestic Fantasia Contrappuntistica and Piano Concerto.

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 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 Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Etudes | 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 Character Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Impromptus | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Nocturnes | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | 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 Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Liszt: Piano Works Bach: Complete Works - 155 CD Box Set Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Complete Works (170 CD Box Set) Chopin: The Piano Works Haydn: The Masterworks [Box Set] 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

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.

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!

Buy it without hesitation.

Average customer rating: hmmmmm Be prepared for lesser quality recording You haven't really heard Chopin if you haven't heard Cortot! A must for both Chopin lovers and piano enthusiasts Must have!

Frédéric Chopin: Piano Works Manufacturer: Angel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Impromptus | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Nocturnes | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cortot, Alfred | ( C ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | 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 Similar Items: Alfred Cortot: The Master Classes The Complete Chopin Recordings Arthur Rubinstein plays Chopin [Box Set] The Art of Piano Pedaling: Two Classic Guides The Art of the Piano: Its Performers, Literature, and Recordings Revised and Expanded Edition ASIN: B000002SBV Release Date: 2002-08-05

Tracks:

1. Berceuse En Rl Majeur In D Flat Major, Op.57
2. Chant Plonais N 12 'Moja Piesczotka'
3. Etude En Sol Bl Majeur In G Flat, Op.10 N 5
4. Etude En Sol Bl Majeur In G Flat, Op.25 N 9
5. Etude En La Mineur In A Minor, Op.25 N 11
6. Impromtu N 1 En La Bl Majeur In A Flat Major, Op.29
7. Impromtu N 2 En Fa Di Majeur In F Sharp, Op.36
8. Etude En La Bl Majeur In A Flat Major, Op.25 N 1
9. Valse N 7 En Ut Diineur In C Sharp Minor, Op.64 N 2
10. Berceuse En Rl Majeur In D Flat, Op. 57
11. Ballade N 1 En Sol Mineur In G Minor, Op.23
12. Prdes Op.28 N 1 En Ut Majeur In C
13. Prdes Op.28 N 4 En Mi Mineur In Minor
14. Prdes Op.28 N 8 En Fa Di Mineur In F Sharp
15. Prdes Op.28 N 12 En Sol Di Mineur In G Sharp Minor
16. Prdes Op.28 N 17 En La Bl Majeur In A Flat Major
17. Prdes Op.28 N 19 En La Bl Majeur In E Flat Major
18. Prdes Op.28 N 24 En Rineur In D Minor
19. Sonate N 3 En Si Mineur In B Minor, Op.58 I Allegro Maestoso
20. Sonate N 3 En Si Mineur In B Minor, Op.58 II Scherzo (Allegro vvace)
21. Sonate N 3 En Si Mineur In B Minor, Op.58 III Largo
22. Sonate N 3 En Si Mineur In B Minor, Op.58IV Finale (Presto Non Tanto)

Tracks:

1. Prde En Sol Di Mineur In G Sharp Minor, Op.28 N 12
2. Nocturne En Mi Bl Majeur In E Flat, Op.9 N 2
3. Sonate N 2 En Si Bl Majeur In B Flat Major, Op.35: I Grave-Allegro
4. Sonate N 2 En Si Bl Majeur In B Flat Major, Op.35: II Scherzo
5. Sonate N 2 En Si Bl Majeur In B Flat Major, Op.35: III Marche Fune
6. Sonate N 2 En Si Bl Majeur In B Flat Major, Op.35: IV Finale (Presto)
7. Polonaise N 6 En La Bl Majeur In A Flat Major, Op.53
8. 4 Ballades N 1 En Sol Mineur In G Minor, Op.23
9. 4 Ballades N 2 En Fa Majeur In F MajorOp, 38
10. 4 Ballades N 3 En La Bl Majeur In A Flat Major Op,47
11. 4 Ballades N 4 En Fa Mineur In F Minor, Op.52
12. Fantaisie En Fa Mineur In F Minor, Op.49
13. Tarentelle En La Bl Majeur In A Flat, Op.43

Tracks:

1. Barcarolle En Fa Di Majeur In F Sharp, Op.60
2. 12 Etudes Op.10 N 1 In C
3. 12 Etudes Op.10 N 2 In A
4. 12 Etudes Op.10 N 3 In E
5. 12 Etudes Op.10 N 4 In c Sharp
6. 12 Etudes Op.10 N 5 In G Flat
7. 12 Etudes Op.10 N 6 In G Flat
8. 12 Etudes Op.10 N 7 In E Flat
9. 12 Etudes Op.10 N 8 In F
10. 12 Etudes Op.10 N 9 In f
11. 12 Etudes Op.10 N 10 In A Flat
12. 12 Etudes Op.10 N 11 E Flat
13. 12 Etudes Op.10 N 12 In C
14. 12 Etudes Op.25 N 1 In A Flat
15. 12 Etudes Op.25 N 2 In f
16. 12 Etudes Op.25 N 3 In F
17. 12 Etudes Op.25 N 4 In a
18. 12 Etudes Op.25 N 5 In e
19. 12 Etudes Op.25 N 6 In g Sharp
20. 12 Etudes Op.25 N 7 In c Sharp
21. 12 Etudes Op.25 N 8 In D Flat
22. 12 Etudes Op.25 N 9 In G Flat
23. 12 Etudes Op.25 N 10 In B Flat
24. 12 Etudes Op.25 N 11 In a
25. 12 Etudes Op.25 N 12 In c
26. Valses N 1 In E Flat, Op.18
27. Valses N 5 In A Flat, Op.42
28. Valses N 10 In b, Op.69 N 2
29. Valses N 14 In e, Op. Posth.

Tracks:

1. Piano Con No. 2 En f Op.21 I Allegro
2. Piano Con No. 2 En f Op.21 II Larghetto
3. Piano Con No. 2 En f Op.21 III Allegro Vivace
4. Impromptu No.3 In G Flat, Op.51
5. 14 Valses No.1 In E Flat, Op.18
6. 14 Valses No.2 In A Flat, Op.34 No.1
7. 14 Valses No.3 In a, Op.34 No.2
8. 14 Valses No.4 In F, Op.34 No.3
9. 14 Valses No.5 In A Flat, Op.42
10. 14 Valses No.6 In D Flat, Op.64 No.1
11. 14 Valses No.7 In c Sharp, Op.64 No.2
12. 14 Valses No.8 In A Flat, Op.64 No.3
13. 14 Valses No.9 In A Flat, Op.69 No.1
14. 14 Valses No.10 In b, Op.69 No.2
15. 14 Valses No.11 In G Flat, Op.70 No.1
16. 14 Valses No.12 In f, Op.70 No.2
17. 14 Valses No.13 In D Flat, Op.70 No.3
18. 14 Valses No.14 In e, Op. Posth.

Tracks:

1. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.1 In C
2. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.2 In a
3. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.3 In G
4. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.4 In e
5. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.5 In D
6. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.6 In b
7. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.7 In A
8. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.8 In f Sharp
9. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.9 In E
10. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.10 In c Sharp
11. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.11 In B
12. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.12 In g Sharp
13. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.13 In F Sharp
14. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.14 In e Flat
15. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.15 In D Sharp
16. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.16 In B Flat
17. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.17 In A Flat
18. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.18 In f
19. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.19 In E Flat
20. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.20 In c
21. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.21 In B Flat
22. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.22 In g
23. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.23 In F
24. 24 Prdes Op.28 No.24 In d
25. 12 Etudes Op.10 No.1 In C
26. 12 Etudes Op.10 No.2 In a
27. 12 Etudes Op.10 No.3 In E
28. 12 Etudes Op.10 No.4 In c Sharp
29. 12 Etudes Op.10 No.5 In G Flat
30. 12 Etudes Op.10 No.6 In e Flat
31. 12 Etudes Op.10 No.7 In C
32. 12 Etudes Op.10 No.8 In F
33. 12 Etudes Op.10 No.9 In f
34. 12 Etudes Op.10 No.10 In A Flat
35. 12 Etudes Op.10 No.11 In E Flat
36. 12 Etudes Op.10 No.12 In c

Tracks:

1. 12 Etudes Op.25 No.1 In A Flat
2. 12 Etudes Op.25 No.2 In f
3. 12 Etudes Op.25 No.3 In F
4. 12 Etudes Op.25 No.4 In a
5. 12 Etudes Op.25 No.5 In e
6. 12 Etudes Op.25 No.6 In g Sharp
7. 12 Etudes Op.25 No.7 c Sharp
8. 12 Etudes Op.25 No.8 In D Flat
9. 12 Etudes Op.25 No.9 In G Flat
10. 12 Etudes Op.25 No.10 In b
11. 12 Etudes Op.25 No.11 In a
12. 12 Etudes Op.25 No.12 in c
13. 2 ChantsPolonais Op.75 (Transcription F.Liszt):Printemps ('Wiosna')
14. 2 ChantsPolonais Op.75 (Transcription F.Liszt):L'Anneau ('Pierscien')
15. Nocturnes No.4 In F, Op.15 No.1
16. Nocturnes No.5 In F Sharp, Op.15 No.2
17. Nocturnes No.7 In c Sharp, Op.27 No.1
18. Nocturnes No.15 In f, Op.55 No.1
19. Nocturnes No.16 In E Flat, Op.55 No.2
20. 3 Nouvelles Etudes Pour La Mode De Moscheles & Fs No.1 In f
21. 3 Nouvelles Etudes Pour La Mode De Moscheles & Fs No.2 In D Flat
22. 3 Nouvelles Etudes Pour La Mode De Moscheles & Fs No.3 In A Flat
23. Prde In c SHarp, Op.45

Customer Reviews:

hmmmmm.......2005-11-28

I have not purchased the CD but listened to the one minute sample of the first etude opus ten. I am not a fanatic diehard stickler for technique but there were at least 30 or so mistakes/slips. This makes me reluctant to purchase the disc.

Be prepared for lesser quality recording.......2005-11-15

I purchased this CD set on the advice of other reviewers because I wanted a collection of Chopin works and it seemed that Cortot was one of the best pianists who performed Chopin's works.

I cannot write about his musicianship compared with other artists--please read the other reviews. But I will say that if you're planning to purchase this set, be prepared that the quality of the recording is really not that good. I did not heed the warnings of the other reviewers. It sounds like Cortot is performing in the middle of a waterfall.

Perhaps this recording will grow on me, but I'm going to look elsewhere for a set of Chopin works that I would listen to on a regular basis.

Thanks for reading.

You haven't really heard Chopin if you haven't heard Cortot!.......2005-09-21

Well, that may well be the case.

Cortot had won open admiration of Schiff, Cziffra, Michelangeli, Arrau, Solti... just to name a few. His pianism and his Chopin included is so incisive, with myriad of hues from coming from his subtle touch. And the poignancy is such that it is pure poetic ecstasy all through.

Talking about this album, despite the fact that Cortot had a long performing and recording career, the real obstacle is the archive sound. In this album we can have almost the best recording possible, with better transfer than most other trade names by far, be it Naxos or Aura, or whatever for the price of something like Naxos!

Note however that there is some grumble that EMI should instead chose his Preludes recorded in the 30s rather than those of the 40s, and EMI shouldn't have chosen his B Minor Sonata of recorded in the 50s when Cortot was declining... But in the latters we have better recordings and they are more bewitching even if slightless less staggering. Likewise, Barbirolli's accompaniment here may not be the most ideal, yet it is so fresh and so alive to say the least. On the whole, the recording and transfer is much better than what we have in Rachmaninov's box set by RCA.

Enormously enjoybale with so much to learn. And for those find the archive sound hard to bear with, do bear in mind that the pianist whom Schiff listen to most is Cortot, and before Cortot, it was Schnabel!

A must for both Chopin lovers and piano enthusiasts.......2004-10-17

This box set, something very difficult to find in the real world, is a must(!) for anyone interested, historically speaking, in how these works should sound along with their evolution from the early 1900's to the present. Why is Cortot qualified for this role? His teacher was Louis Dermier, one of Chopin's last pupils and supposed one of his favourites. This means Cortot is in fact the grandson of the Chopin technique, learning from one who was directly intructed how to play these works. Beyond that, he is one of the most remarkable pianists of his or any time, often criticized from an overextensive rubato, but this is the essence of Cortot. He may be the most informed pianist of all time, not only dissecting the notes on the page, but the mind of the composer and the life at the time that each composition was invented.
Any enthusiast of Chopin must listen to these recordings with an open mind. At first you will shun them, unaccustomed to the way the pieces differ from today, but soon they will grow on you and you hear each piece as if for the first time, and yo realize how far off our modern pianists are from the truth of the music. Most are more tachnically perfect than Cortot, he was often missing or hitting wrong notes, but the emotion behind those notes is what is the real importance of the music, something lost in todays pianists. Someone once said I would rather hear a good pianists wrong notes than a bad pianists right ones. And I cannot think of a more perfect personification of that comment than Cortot. In my mind he ranks as one of the top five pianists of the recording era, along with Hofmann, Richter, Horowitz, Gilels, and Moiseiwitsch. But honestly, I find more enjoyment listening to Cortot than any other single pianist on record, and this cortot box set covers almost three fourths of his Chopin output, so if you enjoy this find his Emi References of the Impromptus, the two great pianists disc are wonderful transfers, the chamber music trio with Thibaudet and Casals, and for the real enthusiast with money, the prades festival contains his last recording which a perfectly flawed rendition of the Third Cello Sonata by Beethoven and a version of Bei Mannern(different than the naxos.)

Must have!.......2003-07-24

This collection includes about 75% of Cortot's Chopin Recordings, which makes it the best value for anyone who doesn't already have these recordings. Several redundant recordings of works provide a glimpse into Cortot's mental makeup, and shows us just how much of his musical ideas change over time. Add to that the fact that most of the recordings are wonderful to listen to, and you have a must have recordings!

Average customer rating:

Tear Jerkers: Classical Music to move the Mind, Body and Soul Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Grieg, Edvard | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Liszt | Liszt, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Massenet | Massenet, Jules | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Prokofiev | Prokofiev, Sergei | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | 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 Impromptus | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Nocturnes | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Amoyal, Pierre | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music National Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B000005E3Q Release Date: 1996-02-13

Tracks:

1. The Last Sleep Of The Virgin
2. Thais: Meditation
3. Ave Maria
4. Prelude Sinfonico
5. Una Furtiva Lagrima
6. Sonata Op. 65. Largo
7. Concerto For Violin And Orchestra Op. 35 In D Major: Andante
8. Adagio
9. Serenade
10. Romeo And Juliet
11. Impromptu Op. 90 No. 3 In G Flat Major
12. Vocalise Op. 34
13. Liebestraum

Amazon.com

I don't understand why Jules Massenet's "Meditation" from Thais is on Teldec's Tearjerker album and not on it's Meditation disc. Or why Maria-Joao Pires's performance of Schubert's Impromptu, Op. 90, No. 3 in G-flat major, is a tearjerker and not a Stressbuster (as another disc in this series is dubbed). Of course, such reasoning is too sophisticated for this context. The decent performances here feature music by Chopin, Puccini, Donizetti, Tchaikovsky, and others. What jerks my tears is the fact that a package like this is apparently needed to draw listeners to classical music. --Gwendolyn Freed

Track Listings:

1. Giacomo Meyerbeer: Mélodies
2. Giuliani: Guitar Concertios Nos. 1 & 3
3. Giya Kancheli: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 7
4. Great Concertos Of The Masters: Ludwig van Beethoven
5. Great Mozart Symphonies: Nos. 40 & 41 "Jupiter"
6. Grieg, Schumann: The Great Piano Concertos
7. Händel: Water Music
8. Harmoniemusik
9. Haydn: Symhony No.51/Piano Concerto No.5/Symphony No.100
10. Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 21 & 96/Cello Concerto In C

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Elvis Presley [Original recording remastered] [Import]

J. S. Bach: Works for Organ / Works for Harpsichord [Box set]

Jigsaw

Frozen Thought

Live [Live]

Hall of Fame

Joy to the World: An Anointed Christmas

L'Elisir D'Amore

Jack Palance

Live! [Live]

Live! [Live] [SACD]

Morning Sun [Import]

Light Signs [Import]

Bach: English Suites Nos. 2, 4 & 5 / Perahia

Blowout Comb