# Which Nocturnes by Chopin



## Daimonion (Apr 22, 2012)

I'd like to buy the collection of Chopin's nocturnes as a gift but I don't have any idea about which performer to choose. Could you please give me any suggestion? (If it's any indication of my taste I do like Gould's Goldberg Variations from 1981)


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

My favorite is this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Chopin-Nocturnes-Barcarolle-CLAUDIO-ARRAU/dp/B00005IB57


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## Balthazar (Aug 30, 2014)

The recording I listen to most these days is by Nelson Freire.










I also like Moravec, Ohlsson, and Rubinstein, but Freire has the combination of modern sound and restrained artistry that hits the sweet spot. Many like Arrau but I find his interpretations overly emotive.


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## Holden4th (Jul 14, 2017)

Only two cut the mustard IMO

Arthur Rubinstein's set from the 1960s

Ivan Moravec

Didn't like Arrau - to fussy and mannered.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I second Ivan Moravec. Sublime!


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## Daimonion (Apr 22, 2012)

Thank you very much for all the suggestions. What about Maria Joan Pires? I've heard it is a kind of a default choice.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

My favourite:

​
Daniel Barenboim (piano)


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Pugg said:


> My favourite:
> 
> ​
> Daniel Barenboim (piano)


I will second this recommendation


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## Selby (Nov 17, 2012)

Freire
Pires
Moravec

In that order.

Credentials: I own 15 versions of _complete_ recordings of the nocturnes. Countless recordings of selected pieces.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

If you try Pires, you will not be disappointed. Her best nocturnes from Chopin are 2, 8, 13, 18, and 20.

I still have to try a lot of the pianists mentioned in this thread.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Daimonion said:


> (If it's any indication of my taste I do like Gould's Goldberg Variations from 1981)


In that case you should get two sets of nocturnes, the one from Roger Woodward, and the one from Sergio Fiorentino.


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## Mifek (Jul 28, 2018)

Pugg said:


> My favourite:
> 
> Daniel Barenboim (piano)


Barenboim's was the first set of nocturnes I owned. Since then I have listened to many other complete nocturnes recordings looking for something that was somehow missing in Barenboim's playing. Initially, I thought Rubinstein's interpretation was pretty close to what I was looking for, but then I was totally swept away by Arrau's playing, and now I cannot stand listening to any other complete set of nocturnes (even though I don't like the way Arrau is playing many other works by Chopin, like preludes or waltzes).

When listening to Barenboim, I find some of those nocturnes sounding extremely beautiful (like Op. 9 no. 2) or very intriguing (like Op. 32 no. 1), but most of the remaining ones seem dull and boring, so it looks like finding occasional gems in the mud. By contrast, when listening to Arrau, I am nearly equally strongly captivated by each piece, and each one of them sounds beautiful and exceptional, which is something I don't experience when listening to other performances (even when listening to Rubinstein).

BTW, I also love the way Arrau plays Chopin's etudes, although in this case I find some pieces being played not as well as the remaining ones.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Claudio Arrau or Pollini.


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## isorhythm (Jan 2, 2015)

Ivan Moravec
Tamas Vasary


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

The great thing about the Chopin Nocturnes is that they are complete on two CDs, so it can prove relatively inexpensive (if one shops around) to purchase a set for a gift. (Of course, what is a "great thing" in terms of size and cost is not so great for those of us who cherish the Nocturnes. I would wish Chopin had written several hundred of them. Alas!)

What you might want to consider is presenting a collection of three sets or so as a gift. You can thus choose three or so critically acclaimed sets and allow your gift recipient to explore the differences in such interpretations/recordings. This shows you are serious about the music, the gift, and the recipient; and he/she should take you more seriously as well.

In any case, I would not want to be in a position of choosing only one set of the Nocturnes. There are so many and good ones at that. And I, like many here at the Forum, advocate for multiple versions of those works we especially cherish.

Has anyone yet suggested:






,






, or








You see, this is not easy.

But whatever set (or sets) you choose, you will have made a fine choice of the music!


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## Geoff48 (Aug 15, 2020)

If you don’t mind mono and want to introduce your friend to a wide range of Chopin why not consider Stefan Askenase. Unfortunately his recordings are contained in a Deutsche grammophon 7 disc set but it includes the concertos, waltzes, preludes, nocturnes sonatas and Polonaises virtually complete as well as some impromptus, scherzo, ballades mazurkas and some lovely Smetana. It’s currently available on prime at just over £20.
Askenase is old school who puts emotion above flashy virtuosity. He may not make the immediate impact of Ashkenazy, with whom he is often confused, but his interpretations wear better.
If you’re prepared to take a risk on lesser known pianists there is an interesting 13 cd set of young pianists from a Dutch background on Brilliant Classics. I bought it second hand and for a few pounds from Amazon but have been surprised how good it is. Half the nocturnes are played by Van Oort on a period piano and with his own ornamentation. Only pianist I had heard of before was Cor de Groot who plays most of the Mazurkas, again on a Period piano. Well worth a punt


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## mparta (Sep 29, 2020)

I think that most pianists would acknowledge the beyond the pale quality of Moravec. he was an extraordinary pianist in an extraordinary way and the Nocturnes demonstrate that best.
There are other ways to think about them but as an example of the greatest touch, care and color, even compared to historical greats, Moravec is it.

In the decade or so before his death he played at Carnegie fairly regularly and it was a connoisseur's audience for pianism that no one else could offer.


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

mparta said:


> I think that most pianists would acknowledge the beyond the pale quality of Moravec. he was an extraordinary pianist in an extraordinary way and the Nocturnes demonstrate that best.
> There are other ways to think about them but as an example of the greatest touch, care and color, even compared to historical greats, Moravec is it.
> 
> In the decade or so before his death he played at Carnegie fairly regularly and it was a connoisseur's audience for pianism that no one else could offer.


Indeed. The sheer control and finesse of his legato is incomparable and serves as a model of aspiration for much lesser pianists such as I. But the beauty of sound doesn't come at the cost of profound interpretation, which I appreciate.

The other set I really like is Pires. She plays them in a restless, searching, spontaneous fashion rather than as ambient music like Rubinstein. Much more Romantic.

And of course, how could I forget my avatar? Arrau's Nocturnes have the soul-searching, surface-penetrating quality he brought to all his late playing, and the utmost attention is poured into each phrase. I may even prefer it above Moravec, and I can't believe I had to edit my post to mention him


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

I am very fond of the sets by *Arthur Rubinstein* (stereo 1960s) and *Maria Joao Pires*.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Daimonion said:


> I'd like to buy the collection of Chopin's nocturnes as a gift but I don't have any idea about which performer to choose. Could you please give me any suggestion? (If it's any indication of my taste I do like Gould's Goldberg Variations from 1981)


If you like Gould's 1981 Goldbergs then there is an obvious choice of Chopin pianist for you. Unfortunately he has not recorded all the nocturnes and the ones he has recorded are scattered over two or three different CDs. That pianist is Evgeni Koroliov.

However it's for your friend, and in that case, really, anything will do, all recordings of the nocturnes are are nice. If it's a gift you may want to choose the one with the beautiful packaging.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

This thread prompted me to locate my Ididl Biret performances on Naxos, which have been with me for around 30 years. Much as I love them, I fancied that I could do better. Taking into account the comments in this thread and listening to selections on Qobuz, I ordered the complete set by Claudio Arrau on Philips, which has just arrived in this morning's post.

But I was wondering ..............

*Could anyone suggest *a selection of the best, of around *30 minutes*, culled from the complete set? Although I will work may way through them all, it would be nice to have a 30 minute programme when I'm in a lazy mood!!


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