# Chopin Bacarolle, Op. 60 -Favorite Recording



## tallygreys

Totally obsessed with this one now. Looking for some favorite recordings of this piece. 

First post... be gentle!


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## Animal the Drummer

Welcome to the forum.

If you haven't heard it yet, make your next purchase a copy of Dinu Lipatti's reading. For me he's unmatchable in this wonderful piece (as in practically everything else he ever recorded).


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## Mandryka

tallygreys said:


> Totally obsessed with this one now. Looking for some favorite recordings of this piece.
> 
> First post... be gentle!


I think you should listen to Pletnev, to Moiseiwitsch. to Sviatoslav Richter, John Ogdon and to Sofronitsky.

Sofronitsky recorded it twice, I'm particularly keen on the earlier one but both are exceptional IMO.

Benno Moiseiwitsch also recorded it two times, again I think I prefer the earlier one from 1939. Very polished and smooth pianism though, so you have to be open to that sort of thing. Nothing visceral about BM!

John Ogdon was capable of delivering really inspired music and less inspired music, his Chopin recording, which includes the barcarolle and the third sonata, catches him on a night where he is graced by a sort of passionate and highly creative inspiration, a duende. It's very disturbing, psychologically deep. Not to be missed.

There are multiple recordings by Richter, the one I like, because of a pervasive and gentle melancholy, is on an Orfeo CD of a Salzburg concert with some Debussy. This is the barcarolle recording which I love the most.

Pletnev's Chopin is like a study in piano colour and I find it very rewarding. If you like it see what you think of his 3rd sonata.

Other ones which I have a vague memory of enjoying are Alexei Lubimov's, Nikolai Bozhanov's, Vladimir Horowitz, Ivan Moravec's, and Burkard Schliessmann's, but I'd have to listen again to be sure.

I'm not very keen on it when it's presented as some sort of musical picture postcard of Venice, complete with waves lapping etc etc. I prefer a more abstract interpretation.


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## Pugg

Welcome to TalkClassical
Some of my favourites are : Dinu Lipatti / Arthur Rubinstein / Murray Perahia / Maurizio Pollini and Benjamin Grosvenor.


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## Bettina

The Barcarolle is one of my favorite works (in fact, for many years it was my #1 favorite). I love Argerich's interpretation, because she highlights the contrasts between the dreamy sections and the turbulent patches. When the main theme returns with a thicker texture, near the end, she does a great job bringing out the power and drama of this altered recapitulation.


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## hpowders

Rubinstein for his incomparable rubato.


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## Bettina

hpowders said:


> Rubinstein for his incomparable rubato.


I love Rubinstein's rubato in the Nocturnes, but I don't care for it in the Barcarolle. It makes me seasick! :lol:


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## Bulldog

My favorite recorded Barcarolle is from Laura Favre-Kahn on the Arion label; I love the choppy seas she creates. Other favorites include Moravec, Arrau, Feltsman, Moisewitsch, Cherkassky, Sofronitsky and Harasiewicz.

Although I'm not a big fan of "land-locked" versions that give me the feeling the ocean is hundreds of miles away, the recording from Yves Nat should offer wonderful pleasures to those who don't really care about the water element.


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## Mandryka

Bulldog said:


> My favorite recorded Barcarolle is from Laura Favre-Kahn on the Arion label; I love the choppy seas she creates. Other favorites include Moravec, Arrau, Feltsman, Moisewitsch, Cherkassky, Sofronitsky and Harasiewicz.
> 
> Although I'm not a big fan of "land-locked" versions that give me the feeling the ocean is hundreds of miles away, the recording from Yves Nat should offer wonderful pleasures to those who don't really care about the water element.


Yes the Nat is nice, thanks for pointing it out.

(What do you make of Richard Lester's Goldbergs?)


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## Bulldog

Mandryka said:


> Yes the Nat is nice, thanks for pointing it out.
> 
> (What do you make of Richard Lester's Goldbergs?)


Lester's okay but nothing special, about as much a mainstream performance as you can get. Also, I didn't notice anything different from the repeats except for Var. 30. For me, the magic is missing.


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## Mandryka

Bulldog said:


> Lester's okay but nothing special, about as much a mainstream performance as you can get. Also, I didn't notice anything different from the repeats except for Var. 30. For me, the magic is missing.


Yes, I'm sure it is basically mainstream, but nevertheless I keep going back to hear it, and I can't explain why. I like the emotional restraint of it! And I like the way the tempos give me the opportunity to smell the roses.

(One way it's not mainstream, of course, is in his approach to the repeats. I'd love to know why he plays them near identically. )


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## Fenestella

My favorite studio recordings: 
Isaac Mikhnovsky, 1938
Vladimir de Pachmann, 1907 (abridged);
live recordings:
William Kapell, 1953
Martha Argerich, 1966
Leonid Kuzmin, 1992


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## Mandryka

Isaac Mikhnovsky's very good.


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## keymasher

Pugg said:


> Welcome to TalkClassical
> Some of my favourites are : Dinu Lipatti / Arthur Rubinstein / Murray Perahia / Maurizio Pollini and Benjamin Grosvenor.


Another vote for Dinu Lipatti. I feel that Kissin does a very strong interpretation of this piece, too.


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## lextune

Many great interpretations already mentioned of this indefatigable masterpiece, I will add another name that has not yet been mentioned: Zimerman.


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## Selby

#houghhough


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## Mandryka

Fenestella said:


> My favorite studio recordings:
> Isaac Mikhnovsky, 1938
> Vladimir de Pachmann, 1907 (abridged);
> live recordings:
> William Kapell, 1953
> Martha Argerich, 1966
> Leonid Kuzmin, 1992


I've heard Kuzmin now, and I think it's sensational. He's a new pianist for me, so thanks.

But is it the same one, it doesn't sound live to me? Here's the one I have


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## Fenestella

Mandryka said:


> I've heard Kuzmin now, and I think it's sensational. He's a new pianist for me, so thanks.
> 
> But is it the same one, it doesn't sound live to me?


I could be wrong about the live thing, I remember a note saying it was recorded in a concert hall, which doesn't necessarily mean recorded during a concert. Anyway, I'm glad you like it.

Also glad you like Mikhnovsky's early recording - a glimpse of his mojo in his prime, on par with the greats of the golden era. The mojo is missing in his later recording (1960s) as he was then past his prime.


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## Judith

Selby said:


> #houghhough


My favourite too. Have an autographed copy of this album from when I met him at his recital recently. Really nice and friendly.


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## agoukass

When I was living in Los Angeles, I was a frequent visitor at Amoeba Music on Sunset Boulevard. I remember going there on a Saturday afternoon and digging through the bins of piano music to find the Benno Moiseiwitsch volume of The Great Pianists of the 20th Century. I bought it and played it as soon as I walked out of the store. His interpretation of the Barcarolle took my breath away. I had never heard piano playing that was so soulful, beautiful and cohesive nor had I heard Chopin played like that before. It was a mind blowing experience.


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## David Phillips

*Barcarolle*

I like the Argerich with that great opening bang in the bass that shows she means business. I learnt the piece from Guiomar Novaes' old Brunswick LP, which is a bit more lady-like but still a winner.


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## Larkenfield

I like the later, perfectly well-seasoned performance of a lifetime, by Arthur Rubinstein for RCA. For me it's the pianist and the composer at their absolute best!


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## Larkenfield

I like his later, perfectly well-seasoned performance of a lifetime by Arthur Rubinstein on RCA. For me, it's the pianist and the composer at their absolute best. What a masterpiece of sound, time and space by the great master Chopin.


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