# Your Favorite Chopin Recordings



## Allegro Con Brio

The music of Frederic Chopin invites the variety of various interpretations like few others. I routinely find that the supple poetry, delicately-constructed narratives, rich pathos, and lush sonic environments of his works benefit from various perspectives. I can find something to enjoy in all approaches from the breezy nonchalance of Rubinstein to the unabashed virtuosity of Pollini and everything in between. But as an unashamed Chopinist, I want to hear more! I've come to know this music very intimately since Chopin was my first classical music love; my entry point to this wondrous and fascinating world. That's why I'm interested in going deeper. I would love to hear the preferences of TC's Chopin lovers across his entire body of work. In this thread, I hope that we can introduce each other to great recordings and stimulate lively discussion about this sublime music. Below is my current list of favorites for the majority of his works. I'm looking forward to seeing your responses! (By the way, I've searched the site on this topic and found several threads about recordings for individual sets of works, like the Nocturnes, Etudes, and Preludes; but I'm creating this to provide a general thread for discussion of Chopin recordings. 

Etudes: Backhaus, Pollini
Nocturnes: Moravec, Arrau
Waltzes: Arrau, Lipatti
Mazurkas: Fialkowska, Michelangeli (he only did a handful of them on an album that also includes a wonderful 2nd Scherzo)
Scherzi: Pogorelich
Preludes: Cortot, Blechacz
Ballades: Zimerman
Ballade No. 4: Friedman
Sonata No. 2: Argerich
Sonata No. 3: Kapell, Pletnev
Barcarolle: Lipatti, Pollini
Fantaisie: Kissin
Polonaises: Ohlsson
Polonaise-Fantaisie: Richter
Impromptus: Perahia
Concerti: Biret, Zimerman (only heard the later one where he conducts from the piano)


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## Brahmsianhorn

Concerto No 1 – Hoffman/Barbirolli 
Concerto No 2 – Cortot/Barbirolli 
Sonata No 2 – Rachmaninoff 
Ballades – Cortot ‘29
Etudes – Backhaus, Cortot
Mazurkas, Nocturne Op 55/2 - Friedman
Nocturnes – Rubinstein ’65-‘67
Mazurkas, Polonaises, Scherzi – Rubinstein ’32-‘35
Preludes, Impromptus, Bercuese, Barcarolle – Cortot ‘33
Scherzo No 4 – Godowski
Waltzes, Sonata No 3 – Lipatti


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## rice

I don't listen to Chopin's music a lot, but I'm very impressed with Michelangeli's playing.
He didn't have a large repertoire but what he played was impeccable. 
I like listening to the op.49 fantasie, ballade no.1, scherzo no.2 and many of the waltzes.


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## Allegro Con Brio

rice said:


> I don't listen to Chopin's music a lot, but I'm very impressed with Michelangeli's playing.
> He didn't have a large repertoire but what he played was impeccable.
> I like listening to the op.49 fantasie, ballade no.1, scherzo no.2 and many of the waltzes.


Yes! His playing has a sort of atmospheric aura to it that is quite magnetic. I should have listed his Ballade No. 1 as a favorite in my list. He also has a disc of Brahms's Four Ballades that is downright sumptuous.

Currently Lipatti, Friedman, Ohlsson, Cortot, Zimerman, and Pollini top my list of favorite Chopin pianists. I'm not as big on Rubinstein as many since I find his pianism quite shallow and aloof, tending to skim the surface and sound unnuanced due to the lack of inflection. It's the same kind of thing that Schnabel and Edwin Fischer do that I just can't seem to understand (Cortot is somewhat known for this as well, but his playing sounds more unpretentious to me). But I do like Rubinstein's nocturnes and mazurkas quite a bit. It's just in the more large-scale works like the Ballades where I find he doesn't tickle my fancy.


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## flamencosketches

I love Martha Argerich and Alfred Cortot for the Preludes (different moods). Ivan Moravec and Artur Rubinstein playing the Nocturnes (again different moods), and I like Vladimir Ashkenazy playing the Polonaises.


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## flamencosketches

Allegro Con Brio said:


> Yes! His playing has a sort of atmospheric aura to it that is quite magnetic. I should have listed his Ballade No. 1 as a favorite in my list. He also has a disc of Brahms's Four Ballades that is downright sumptuous.
> 
> Currently Lipatti, Friedman, Ohlsson, Cortot, Zimerman, and Pollini top my list of favorite Chopin pianists. I'm not as big on Rubinstein as many since I find his pianism quite shallow and aloof, tending to skim the surface and sound unnuanced due to the lack of inflection. It's the same kind of thing that Schnabel and Edwin Fischer do that I just can't seem to understand (Cortot is somewhat known for this as well, but his playing sounds more unpretentious to me). But I do like Rubinstein's nocturnes and mazurkas quite a bit. It's just in the more large-scale works like the Ballades where I find he doesn't tickle my fancy.


Thanks to your comment I am going to track down Michelangeli's Chopin disc on DG... that sounds amazing. I love his Schumann Carnaval and Debussy Images.

Any opinions on Vlado Perlemuter's Chopin? I found a Nimbus CD of him playing some of the Nocturnes at the used record shop yesterday, but I passed it up because I've just ordered Claudio Arrau playing the Nocturnes.


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## Mandryka

His mazurkas are well worth hearing! This is what I wrote four years ago



> Perlemuter, more than anyone else I've heard, including Rosen, makes the music sound contrapuntally and harmonically adventurous and experimental. The disonance he produces, in the central sections, presumably by staggering the voices slighly and using the pedal, is totally unexpected.


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## Helgi

Most of what I know of Chopin is based on recordings by Vladimir Ashkenazy that I've had for 20 years, so I have a lot to discover!

I sampled some pieces a few weeks ago, mostly Aldo Ciccolini and Martha Argerich. And also a more recent one by Víkingur Ólafsson.

Any comments on Ashkenazy's Chopin, seeing as no one has mentioned him so far?


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## jegreenwood

Helgi said:


> Most of what I know of Chopin is based on recordings by Vladimir Ashkenazy that I've had for 20 years, so I have a lot to discover!
> 
> I sampled some pieces a few weeks ago, mostly Aldo Ciccolini and Martha Argerich. And also a more recent one by Víkingur Ólafsson.
> 
> Any comments on Ashkenazy's Chopin, seeing as no one has mentioned him so far?


I only have his "Etudes," which I like. It was part of one of those big Decca boxes, although I also owned it on vinyl back in the days.

In the relatively early days of CDs, I purchased mid-price "sampler" discs of Chopin by Arrau and Ashkenazy. I expected to prefer the Ashkenazy, but I much preferred the Arrau. Now, I have an Arrau/Chopin box set.


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## Merl

Im not a huge Chopin fan but have quite a few recordings of the piano concertos and some bits and bobs. These are faves of mine.























As for Ashkenazy, this is very impressive.


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## D Smith

I love Chopin and listen to his piano works several times a week. Favourite artists include Ingrid Fliter, Claudio Arrau, Murray Perahia, Martha Argerich and a bit of Pollini.


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## Mandryka

Helgi said:


> Most of what I know of Chopin is based on recordings by Vladimir Ashkenazy that I've had for 20 years, so I have a lot to discover!
> 
> I sampled some pieces a few weeks ago, mostly Aldo Ciccolini and Martha Argerich. And also a more recent one by Víkingur Ólafsson.
> 
> Any comments on Ashkenazy's Chopin, seeing as no one has mentioned him so far?


It was best when he was younger, this, for example, is possibly the best op 10/3 I have ever heard


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## DarkAngel

Brahmsianhorn said:


> Concerto No 1 - Hoffman/Barbirolli
> Concerto No 2 - Cortot/Barbirolli
> Sonata No 2 - Rachmaninoff
> Ballades - Cortot '29
> Etudes - Backhaus, Cortot
> Mazurkas, Nocturne Op 55/2 - Friedman
> Nocturnes - Rubinstein '65-'67
> *Mazurkas, Polonaises, Scherzi - Rubinstein '32-'35*
> Preludes, Impromptus, Bercuese, Barcarolle - Cortot '33
> Scherzo No 4 - Godowski
> *Waltzes, Sonata No 3 - Lipatti*


For waltzes - Lipatti & Cortot

















For mazurkas - young Ruby


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## Mandryka

I jusut took your post and wrote down the first things that came into my head.



Allegro Con Brio said:


> Etudes: Backhaus, Pollini
> 
> *The earlier Pollini is better than the studio DG I think
> 
> *Nocturnes: Moravec, Arrau
> Waltzes: Arrau, Lipatti
> Mazurkas: Fialkowska, Michelangeli (he only did a handful of them on an album that also includes a wonderful 2nd Scherzo)
> 
> Scherzi: Pogorelich
> 
> *If you like Arrau's Waltzes you may well like Demidenko's Scherzi. I do. *
> 
> Preludes: Cortot, Blechacz
> Ballades: Zimerman
> Ballade No. 4: Friedman
> Sonata No. 2: Argerich
> 
> *I played a live recording by Michelangeli quite recently and enjoyed it. I don't know the sonata as well as the 3rd*
> 
> Sonata No. 3: Kapell, Pletnev
> 
> *There was an early performance by Pletnev released on Melodyia last year.*
> 
> Barcarolle: Lipatti, Pollini
> 
> *Have you heard the two Sofronitsky recordings? *
> 
> Fantaisie: Kissin
> Polonaises: Ohlsson
> Polonaise-Fantaisie: Richter
> Impromptus: Perahia
> Concerti: Biret, Zimerman (only heard the later one where he conducts from the piano)


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## Kiki

I've been living with Rubinstein's Chopin on RCA for more than 30 years. Love his Chopin, still do, but the love has been diminishing year after year. These recordings are now sounding more boring than I remembered.

My favourite Chopin disc is Tamás Vásáry's 4 ballades on a BBC Music Magazine CD recorded in 1993. His No. 4 remains my outright favourite recording of this work. Cortot's 1929 No. 4 comes close, with a very different style and his personality being quite a strong presence. 
















Also have a favourite of the Polonaises, Maurizio Pollini's 1975 recording on DG. In his hands, these are grand, serious, patriotic works that make my blood boil.









Dmitri Alexeev's 1985 Waltzes on Seraphim is one of the first records that I was able to sample (on Amazon) before I buy. I was looking at buying a set of the Waltzes, and I finally settled on this set after sampling many. Still love its agility and lightness.









For other Chopin works, I don't really have any favourite recordings. In particular with the sonatas, I have not yet heard a recording that I truly love, although I like these sonatas very much. On the other extreme, with the Nocturnes and the Mazukas, anyone will do for me.


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## Allegro Con Brio

I very much enjoy Ashkenazy's nocturnes- beautifully unfussy and songful. But the Ballades that come with that set, are, IMO, wretched. His Ballade No. 4 is the only recording where I repeatedly exclaimed, "huh?" throughout the course of the performance. I remember it having no flow, no narrative, far too many ill-advised inflections, and the dramatic high points were extremely anticlimactic. Haven't heard anything else by him.

Mandryka, thanks for annotating my post You gave me some great suggestions to check out. I haven't heard Demidenko and Sofronitsky play anything at all, so I shall be checking them out soon. 

Any opinions on complete sets of the mazurkas? They're by far his most prolific body of work, but they don't seem to be discussed as much due to some unfortunate assumptions about their "triviality." I find them delightful little character pieces that showcase a remarkably large spectrum of emotions and ideas. My current favorite set is the one by Janina Fialkowska, who brings some lovely flavors to the music and doesn't go crazy with rubato like some. Any others besides Rubinstein (who I find quite palatable in these pieces)?


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## Mandryka

Allegro Con Brio said:


> . Any others besides Rubinstein (who I find quite palatable in these pieces)?


If you want modern piano, and you want a complete set, try to sample these:

Yakov Flier; Nina Milkina; Andrej Wakowski; Samson François.

I've been listening to the Perlemuter since someone asked about it yesterday, it is better than I had remembered, a really exceptional performance. It's not complete.


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## starthrower

I'd be interested in opinions on my Chopin CDs. I have the nocturnes by Pollini on DG. 12 Etudes Op.10, and sonata No.2 by Nelson Freire, and waltzes by Arrau. I have one concerto disc which is a budget re-issue on DG. It features Tamas Vasary, and Ivo Pogorelich.


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## flamencosketches

starthrower said:


> I'd be interested in opinions on my Chopin CDs. I have the nocturnes by Pollini on DG. 12 Etudes Op.10, and sonata No.2 by Nelson Freire, and waltzes by Arrau. I have one concerto disc which is a budget re-issue on DG. It features Tamas Vasary, and Ivo Pogorelich.


I have the Waltzes by Arrau too and I think it's really good.


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## Merl

starthrower said:


> I'd be interested in opinions on my Chopin CDs. I have the nocturnes by Pollini on DG. 12 Etudes Op.10, and sonata No.2 by Nelson Freire, and waltzes by Arrau. I have one concerto disc which is a budget re-issue on DG. It features Tamas Vasary, and Ivo Pogorelich.


If the DG Vasary is the Semkow Concerto 1, that I own, then I really like that recording, even if it is a little bit on the hissy side, it's still beautifully performed by Vasary. I prefer the Abbado performance with Pogorelich, though.


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## Kiki

starthrower said:


> I'd be interested in opinions on my Chopin CDs. I have the nocturnes by Pollini on DG. 12 Etudes Op.10, and sonata No.2 by Nelson Freire, and waltzes by Arrau. I have one concerto disc which is a budget re-issue on DG. It features Tamas Vasary, and Ivo Pogorelich.


Well, do you like them?

I have the 1979 Arrau Waltzes on Philips. Stylish and elegant. Very nice, just a bit too sweet for me.


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## howlingfantods

starthrower said:


> I'd be interested in opinions on my Chopin CDs. I have the nocturnes by Pollini on DG. 12 Etudes Op.10, and sonata No.2 by Nelson Freire, and waltzes by Arrau. I have one concerto disc which is a budget re-issue on DG. It features Tamas Vasary, and Ivo Pogorelich.


I'm a big fan of Pogorelich's Chopin, and consider that Pogorelich/Abbado second concerto one of the best around. I'm not much of a Pollini fan, particularly in Chopin--I don't see why you would want an objective and dispassionate take on Chopin. The only Chopin recording I sort of like from Pollini is his 1960 recording of the etudes that he suppressed.

I like Arrau's Chopin but only some of it. His waltzes are pretty good, though but I wouldn't call them a favorite--I like Francois's set a lot. But I think though of the folks who have recorded a complete or near complete Chopin set that his is one of the best--his nocturnes are very good, perhaps my favorite full nocturnes set.

I haven't heard the Vasary or Freire.


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## starthrower

I'm not a big Pollini fan either. I think I bought the CD from a record club years ago. I do like the 2nd concerto by Pogorelich. i don't know that I even care for Chopin waltzes that much. A relative gave me the Arrau CD many years ago.


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## Allegro Con Brio

howlingfantods said:


> I'm a big fan of Pogorelich's Chopin, and consider that Pogorelich/Abbado second concerto one of the best around. I'm not much of a Pollini fan, particularly in Chopin--I don't see why you would want an objective and dispassionate take on Chopin. The only Chopin recording I sort of like from Pollini is his 1960 recording of the etudes that he suppressed.
> 
> I like Arrau's Chopin but only some of it. His waltzes are pretty good, though but I wouldn't call them a favorite--I like Francois's set a lot. But I think though of the folks who have recorded a complete or near complete Chopin set that his is one of the best--his nocturnes are very good, perhaps my favorite full nocturnes set.
> 
> I haven't heard the Vasary or Freire.


Pogorelich's wild idiosyncrasies have their detractors, but generally I love his approach. He's certainly one-of a-kind in taking such an extremely personal view of the music, but that's why I appreciate him so much- most others nowadays just regurgitate the score. I like personality and color, especially in Chopin. His scherzi are downright amazing- he's equally capable of caressing, punching, tapping, and hammering the keys, and he makes other pianists sound monochromatic. I just have to check out that 2nd Concerto recording. I also consider his discs of Bach English Suites and Ravel's Gaspard de la Nuit to be definitive.

Concerning Pollini, who is really quite the polar opposite to Pogo, the only reason I like him is because his unsentimentality can sometimes have the effective of heightening the pathos for me through the elimination of shallow rhetoric. There is a fine line in Chopin between going totally overboard on inflections and making it sound like overmilked kitsch (like what I mentioned about Ashkenazy's Ballades in my previous post) and projecting it robotically (which is what I feel Rubinstein often does). I just appreciate Pollini's tempi and linearity which allows the music to breathe naturally, though I don't listen to him that often. I have similar reasons for appreciating Zimerman, though I think his playing has more finesse than Pollini's. I think Pollini's approach works well in the Barcarolle, but I'm pretty indifferent to him elsewhere. Still, his etudes (haven't heard the earlier set), regardless of interpretive considerations, are jaw-droppingly well-played. Sheer virtuosity.

Totally agree on Arrau's nocturnes- what sumptuous playing. I like his waltzes because he brings some creative imagination to the table and makes them sound less like cheesy parlor pieces and more like substantial, musically rich miniatures (I don't think they are cheesy parlor pieces, but with some pianists they can come off sounding that way).


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## millionrainbows

My favorite Chopin? Scriabin!


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## howlingfantods

millionrainbows said:


> My favorite Chopin? Scriabin!


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## Mandryka

Kiki said:


> I have the 1979 Arrau Waltzes on Philips.





flamencosketches said:


> I have the Waltzes by Arrau too .


Funeral Waltzes






Now contrast the other extreme






And another fast one, rather good IMO, from Cziffra. Much better than either Arrau or Kocsis for me. His Waltzes are special


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## Allegro Con Brio

Mandryka said:


> Funeral Waltzes
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now contrast the other extreme
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And another fast one, rather good IMO, from Cziffra. Much better than either Arrau or Kocsis for me. His Waltzes are special


The Kocsis shows up as not available for me, but what an excellent example of how two completely different approaches can produce equally meaningful and fascinating results. Arrau seems to plumb this piece for every last drop of meaning, masterfully controlling the reins, pushing ahead, pulling back as necessary. Cziffra treats the waltz more like a mazurka- his playing sounds proud and daring rather than meticulous and reserved. I prefer Cziffra by a hair- I like his stronger accents and richer textures.

I just found Kocsis's complete waltzes elsewhere. Really quite over the top, but infectiously fun. Not sure whether he's being recklessly brash or just trying to blow some sort of perceived dust off the pieces, but I'm liking what I'm hearing if just for for the fun factor.


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## Mandryka

Deszo Ranki, Kocsis's friend, did a similar thing with the preludes, I'm sure it's not a coincidence


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## Malx

This set of the Nocturnes is one I play more than any other, it is currently available used at very reasonable prices on Amazon uk if anyone fancies a bargain:









(tip - when searching for it include the word Ultima or it may not appear)


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## Rogerx

View attachment 129348

View attachment 129349

View attachment 129350

I grew up with LP's from Abbey Simon, still worth hearing.


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## Allegro Con Brio

Malx said:


> This set of the Nocturnes is one I play more than any other, it is currently available used at very reasonable prices on Amazon uk if anyone fancies a bargain:
> 
> View attachment 129347
> 
> 
> (tip - when searching for it include the word Ultima or it may not appear)


At first I didn't care for the Moravec nocturnes because I thought they were too sentimental, better used as background music. But I've really warmed up to them lately- the silky legato playing is really quite special, and he gives each piece a different sort of nocturnal mood. Very pearly, delicate, gossamer playing with incredible control. Only thing I don't like is how he sometimes conceals the left hand and only favors the main melody.


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## flamencosketches

Malx said:


> This set of the Nocturnes is one I play more than any other, it is currently available used at very reasonable prices on Amazon uk if anyone fancies a bargain:
> 
> View attachment 129347
> 
> 
> (tip - when searching for it include the word Ultima or it may not appear)


Is this the same that was released on Supraphon?


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## Dirge

Mazurka in F major, Op. 68/3 (1829)
:: Maryla Jonas [Columbia '47] Sony




This brief early work is often dispatched with a bit of the nationalistic/patriotic spirit associated with Chopin's polonaises, but in Jonas's hands it sounds like a pensive yet faintly volatile funeral mazurka for a dead flower-no cannons buried here.

24 Preludes, Op. 28 (1836-39)
:: Claudio Arrau [Prague Spring, live '60] apr




This diverse opus has never sounded so organic or generated so much cumulative impact as it does here in Arrau's uncompromisingly holistic performance, which has a dark and variously uneasy/agitated/disturbed/turbulent undercurrent throughout. There's an insidiously seductive siren-like quality about the playing that gradually strengthens its hold on the listener, eventually luring him to his D-minor doom in the stormy final prelude, which fully embodies Cortot's description "Du sang, de la volupté, de la mort" ("Of blood, of earthly pleasure, of death").

Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35 (1837-39)
:: Sergei Rachmaninoff [Victor '30] RCA




Playing so profoundly authoritative and expressive that you can't not listen to it.

Ballade No. 2 in F major, Op. 38 (1836-39)
:: Alfred Cortot [HMV '29] Biddulph




"To the manner born" is the inescapable thought when you hear Cortot play this ballade, so utterly natural and "just right" is his phrasing, characterization, and sense of flow.

Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52 (1842/43)
:: Josef Hofmann [Curtis Institute, live '38] Marston




The _Mr. Toad's Wild Ride_ of ballade performances, given just hours after Hofmann was fired as Director of the Curtis Institute.

Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 55/2 (1842-44)
:: Ignaz Friedman [Columbia '36]




Brilliantly conceived and executed, with tremendous polyphonic clarity/control/coordination.


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## Mandryka

flamencosketches said:


> Is this the same that was released on Supraphon?


It is, that "Ultima" transfer has a reputation for having excellent sound.


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## Malx

Mandryka said:


> It is, that "Ultima" transfer has a reputation for having excellent sound.


Correct - it is one of the best sounding solo piano discs I have.


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## Malx

Allegro Con Brio said:


> At first I didn't care for the Moravec nocturnes because I thought they were too sentimental, better used as background music. But I've really warmed up to them lately- the silky legato playing is really quite special, and he gives each piece a different sort of nocturnal mood. Very pearly, delicate, gossamer playing with incredible control. Only thing I don't like is how he sometimes conceals the left hand and only favors the main melody.


I will bow down to your knowledgeable technical appraisal - all I know is his playing sounds impressive and always keeps my attention when I'm listening.


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## Josquin13

To answer Flamencosketches' question further--regarding the three releases of Ivan Moravec's Chopin Nocturnes: the original Nonesuch set was recorded AAD, while the Ultima reissue was remastered ADD, but only available as an import. The later Supraphon set is ADD, as well, so presumably Supraphon used the same remasters as the Ultima set; which yes, offers improved sound over the original AAD Nonesuch set.

I'll return later in the thread to list my favorite Chopin pianists & recordings.


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## Allegro Con Brio

Malx said:


> I will bow down to your knowledgeable technical appraisal - all I know is his playing sounds impressive and always keeps my attention when I'm listening.


:lol:No need to bow down! As a mediocre pianist, I aim for a slightly different conception of these works when I play them than Moravec does- mainly because I don't have the requisite skills to play as delicately and colorfully as he does. But I do enjoy his playing immensely and agree that it never fails to hold my attention!


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## Allegro Con Brio

Today, I heard Rachmaninoff's performance of the 2nd Sonata. "Wow" is a massive understatement. How anyone could play like that WITHOUT using the sustain pedal AT ALL defies my comprehension. Absolutely supernatural fingerwork. But the interpretation matches the technical exterior- restless, probing, and deeply imaginative. This is now my top version of this sonata next to Argerich (whose preludes and Barcarolle I also heard some of and enjoyed immensely). I also heard some of Sofronitsky's waltzes- a brilliantly individual brand of pianism that really bears the mark of creativity. What else should I check out from Sofronitsky considering this was my first encounter with him? I gather he's considered canonical in Scriabin, but is a composer that I stay away from.


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## flamencosketches

Allegro Con Brio said:


> Today, I heard Rachmaninoff's performance of the 2nd Sonata. "Wow" is a massive understatement. How anyone could play like that *WITHOUT using the sustain pedal *AT ALL defies my comprehension. Absolutely supernatural fingerwork. But the interpretation matches the technical exterior- restless, probing, and deeply imaginative. This is now my top version of this sonata next to Argerich (whose preludes and Barcarolle I also heard some of and enjoyed immensely). I also heard some of Sofronitsky's waltzes- a brilliantly individual brand of pianism that really bears the mark of creativity. What else should I check out from Sofronitsky considering this was my first encounter with him? I gather he's considered canonical in Scriabin, but is a composer that I stay away from.


His secret was big hands. No need for a sustain pedal when your fingers can span a 12th.

As for Sofronitsky, it took me hearing his recordings to understand Scriabin, and now he's one of my favorite composers. Don't shy away.


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## Mandryka

Allegro Con Brio said:


> What else should I check out from Sofronitsky considering this was my first encounter with him? I gather he's considered canonical in Scriabin, but is a composer that I stay away from.


*Beethoven*

Andante favori WoO 57. Recording made on 28/11/1952
sonata opus 27 n°2. Recording made on 3/2/1952 Leningrad
sonata opus 28. Recording made on 26/2/1953
sonata opus 57. Recording made on 10/10/1952 Moscow,
sonata opus 111. Recording made on 3/2/1952

*Schubert*

Impromptu D899 n°1. Recording made on 1953
Impromptu D899 n°3. Recording made on 13/5/1960
Impromptu D899 n°4. Recording made on 13/5/1960
Impromptu D935 n°2. Recording made on 19/8/1960
Moments musicaux D780. Recording made on 27/2/1959
sonata D784. Recording made on 25/12/1953
sonata D960. Recording made on 25/1/1956,
sonata D960. Recording made on 14/10/1960
All the Schubert/Liszt he ever recorded

*Schumann*

sonata opus 11. Recording made on 13/5/1960
Études symphoniques opus 13. Recording made on 18/11/1959
Fantaisie opus 17. Recording made on 18/11/1959
Kreisleriana opus 16. Recording made on 7/7/1952
Papillons opus 2. Recording made on 22/7/1952

*Chopin*

Barcarolle opus 60. Recording made on 20/10/1949
All the mazurkas he ever recorded
Nocturn opus 9 n°2. Recording made on 1/7/1950
Nocturn opus 27 n°2. Recording made on 20/10/1949
Nocturn opus 37 n°2. Recording made on 21/11/1949
Nocturn opus 48 n°1. Recording made on 21/11/1949
Preludes opus 28. Recording made on 21/11/1949
Scherzo opus 20. Recording made on 13/5/1960
All the waltzes he ever recorded


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## howlingfantods

Mandryka said:


> *Beethoven*
> 
> Andante favori WoO 57. Recording made on 28/11/1952
> sonata opus 27 n°2. Recording made on 3/2/1952 Leningrad
> sonata opus 28. Recording made on 26/2/1953
> sonata opus 57. Recording made on 10/10/1952 Moscow,
> sonata opus 111. Recording made on 3/2/1952
> 
> *Schubert*
> 
> Impromptu D899 n°1. Recording made on 1953
> Impromptu D899 n°3. Recording made on 13/5/1960
> Impromptu D899 n°4. Recording made on 13/5/1960
> Impromptu D935 n°2. Recording made on 19/8/1960
> Moments musicaux D780. Recording made on 27/2/1959
> sonata D784. Recording made on 25/12/1953
> sonata D960. Recording made on 25/1/1956,
> sonata D960. Recording made on 14/10/1960
> All the Schubert/Liszt he ever recorded
> 
> *Schumann*
> 
> sonata opus 11. Recording made on 13/5/1960
> Études symphoniques opus 13. Recording made on 18/11/1959
> Fantaisie opus 17. Recording made on 18/11/1959
> Kreisleriana opus 16. Recording made on 7/7/1952
> Papillons opus 2. Recording made on 22/7/1952
> 
> *Chopin*
> 
> Barcarolle opus 60. Recording made on 20/10/1949
> All the mazurkas he ever recorded
> Nocturn opus 9 n°2. Recording made on 1/7/1950
> Nocturn opus 27 n°2. Recording made on 20/10/1949
> Nocturn opus 37 n°2. Recording made on 21/11/1949
> Nocturn opus 48 n°1. Recording made on 21/11/1949
> Preludes opus 28. Recording made on 21/11/1949
> Scherzo opus 20. Recording made on 13/5/1960
> All the waltzes he ever recorded


His Liszt b minor sonata from 1960 is excellent too.


----------



## Tim K

Has anyone ever heard Chopin recordings as performed by *Naira Netadze*???

I own a compilation of classical songs (aptly) named 101 Classical Greats. There are 5 Chopin recordings, 3 of which were performed by Naira Netadze:

Prelude in D-flat major, op. 28 no. 15 
Waltz no. 7 in C-sharp minor, op. 64 no. 2	
Waltz no. 6 in D-flat major, op. 64 no. 1

In my very humble opinion, these are three of the most moving recordings of all time. Other Chopin performers come close, but there is something indefinable in Naira's particular inflections that I cannot describe.

So, being the musical enthusiast (and compulsive obsession-ist) I am, I began searching for other Naira recordings. Unfortunately, the internet has zero information on her and zero information about any additional recordings, only the 3 that I have already heard. I was even going to reach out to the company that published the compilation, alas, they have been out of business for over 10 years.

Surely, she must have recorded more than 3 pieces!!!

Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated!


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## Marc

Vladimir Tropp: two (now OOP) discs for Denon (1996 and 1999), with a.o. the 2nd and 3rd Sonata.
Very intense playing & a crystal clear piano recording.

Here's a sample: 2nd movement of no. 2.


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## Russell Chee

This is an old thread but I'd just like to chip in for fun - Horowitz's Scherzo No. 4 from the 1930s is an excellent recording, somehow nothing like the very stop-start approach he later took with Chopin. Also, 1930s Rubinstein in the Scherzi - there is an astonishing abandon in his playing that I feel no other pianist has really matched across the entire set (sample the opening bars of No. 1) though Argerich in 2 and 3 and Horowitz in 4 each make the music fiery in their own ways as well. I'm surprised no one mentioned Rubinstein's 30s Nocturnes - they're very elegant but also with a commanding technique far superior to his 60s remakes. His approach is essentially the total opposite of Arrau - though I love each recording in its own way. I don't think anyone has actually matched Lipatti in the waltzes - his blend of rubato and astonishing technique is irresistible. I find that Arrau and Cortot, in this music, lose the rhythmic vigour so essential in the Waltzes. Also, Perahia in the Ballades seems to represent to me a happy ideal of Rubinstein's puanism but with a much more effortless technique than Rubinstein possessed in the 60s. Also a recommendation for the recently released DG album of Argerich Chopin radio recordings - the Sonata and Ballade No. 1 are quite something!


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## Allegro Con Brio

^I haven’t spent enough time with those old Rubinstein recordings, so thanks for reminding me that I need to check them out. The relaxed, straightforward, polished, uninflected style of his stereo recordings is just frankly...boring...to me. Sorry! I feel like he gives the impression of Chopin as an elegant salon composer rather than searching for any sort of fire and poetry. But like all musicians, he mellowed in older age and it would only be fair to see what he was doing decades earlier.

Totally agree about Lipatti in the waltzes. I don’t care much for excessive rubato in these pieces, and the mazurkas too. Certainly they need some flexibility and some creative touches to bring off well, but the essential rhythmic pulse can’t die. Lipatti’s rhythms are rock-solid but he brings such a fresh, eloquent touch to the pieces and just enough inflection to sound personal. I do have to admit that I enjoy listening to the super old-style Chopin performances - Cortot, Friedman - with the crazy rubato distorted all over the place just to get a glimpse of how the music was performed in the day, but it does kind of drive me crazy.


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## VitellioScarpia

I have not seen a mention of the Etudes (both Op.10 and Op.25) by Juana Zayas. Ms. Zayas is not among the big names but it was recommended to me by a pianist friend who referred to her as "a pianist's pianist." I find her interpretation of the Etudes to be one of the most satisfying with a combination of passion, fire while at the same time most lyrical. I have not heard a better performance of the Op.25 No.1 in which the aching beauty is unparalleled. The whole traversal is probably the most engaging I have listened. It is also wonderfully recorded to boot.


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## Simplicissimus

I’ll jump in here as the original thread was started before I joined TC.

Chopin is special to me. 47 years ago, my girlfriend in high school and her best friend were ardent piano students whose favorite composer for the instrument was Chopin. I was a wind player, but followed my dad’s advice (not that I really needed it) to study up seriously on Chopin under these circumstances. He even bought me several LPs of Rubinstein playing Chopin in the interest of seeing his son have a successful high school romance. Thanks, Dad.

With this background, I’ve naturally kept up with Chopin pretty closely. In college I had the great luck to make the personal acquaintance of virtuoso pianist John Browning. He lectured and gave seminars for us music students at my college. Mr. Browning was, of course, a major interpreter of Chopin in his generation. Typically for the very intellectual and objective Mr. Browning, as concerned Chopin he advised us not just to pay attention to his own interpretations, but to tune into Arrau and Cliburn.

Whence it comes about that my favorite interpreter of the Nocturnes is Rubinstein, of the Op. 10 and Op. 25 Études Browning and Arrau (both recorded them complete, and are in my collection), and for miscellaneous Chopin (ballades, fantasies, scherzos, waltzes, etc.) Cliburn. As for the concerti, I have the Rubinstein (with Skrowaczewski and Wallenstein) recordings, but am very open to other, perhaps newer, recordings.


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## Itullian




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## Dimace

Itullian said:


>


Francois and Garrick make the job. Arthur, Cyprien and Ingrid also. Its like a dart game, in which every number (recording) wins.


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## Russell Chee

Simplicissimus said:


> As for the concerti, I have the Rubinstein (with Skrowaczewski and Wallenstein) recordings, but am very open to other, perhaps newer, recordings.


In the Concerti I think Zimerman and Argerich are hard to beat - it depends which style of pianism you like more. Refined, crystalline and deeply felt? Then zimerman - I do have a soft spot for his 1999 recordings, though they won't be to all taste (a 23-minute first movement in the first concerto!). If you like something more unpredictable, fiery and capricious then Argerich, probably the later set with Dutoit. I've also heard very good stuff said about Pollini's 1960 recording of the first concerto.


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## Russell Chee

Allegro Con Brio said:


> ^I haven't spent enough time with those old Rubinstein recordings, so thanks for reminding me that I need to check them out. The relaxed, straightforward, polished, uninflected style of his stereo recordings is just frankly...boring...to me. Sorry! I feel like he gives the impression of Chopin as an elegant salon composer rather than searching for any sort of fire and poetry. But like all musicians, he mellowed in older age and it would only be fair to see what he was doing decades earlier.
> 
> Totally agree about Lipatti in the waltzes. I don't care much for excessive rubato in these pieces, and the mazurkas too. Certainly they need some flexibility and some creative touches to bring off well, but the essential rhythmic pulse can't die. Lipatti's rhythms are rock-solid but he brings such a fresh, eloquent touch to the pieces and just enough inflection to sound personal. I do have to admit that I enjoy listening to the super old-style Chopin performances - Cortot, Friedman - with the crazy rubato distorted all over the place just to get a glimpse of how the music was performed in the day, but it does kind of drive me crazy.


Couldn't agree more with just about everything you've said! I don't understand the love for Rubinstein's stereo recordings at all - he clearly lost the technique by then. His 1930s recordings give you an impression of a pianist with unbeatable technique and willing to take any risks, hence the occasional missed note - by the 1960s, the missed notes were more a reflection of his inability to hit the right ones! In particular the acclaim for his 60s Nocturnes strikes me as odd becuase the earlier set is so much better. In the Ballades, Sonatas and Waltzes the earliest sets are unfortunately from the 60s, late 40s and 50s respectively - because HMV had the astonishing lack of foresight to record him in all of Chopin. A real shame, because his playing simply isn't fiery enough for the Ballades. Plus, RCA don't do his sound justice! Have you heard the incredible 1960s Moscow recital? One of the finest Chopin discs of all, in my opinion: its as if Rubinstein rewound the clock 20 years.

Yes, Lipatti in the Waltzes is truly stunning. It's one of the few pieces in the standard repertoire that the top recommendation would always be a mono recording, I think, because I just don't see how anyone will ever improve on that recording. W.r.t. rubato - modern players do indulge in a lot of rubato too, the extreme example being Zimerman, I think it's also due to the fact that generally modern pianists try to be note-perfect that gives it a lot more refined feel.


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## flamencosketches

I can't be the only one who loves the stereo Rubinstein recordings. What he may have lost in technique, he more than made up for in perspective, decades of living with and inside this music. Not the only Chopin I like, but I do have love for Rubinstein.


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## Russell Chee

flamencosketches said:


> I can't be the only one who loves the stereo Rubinstein recordings. What he may have lost in technique, he more than made up for in perspective, decades of living with and inside this music. Not the only Chopin I like, but I do have love for Rubinstein.


Interestingly I thought he still sounded great in the concerti, maybe the Mazurkas. But in the Nocturnes he really does seem to take 'playing it straight' too far (compare to the perceptible but unintrusive rubato of the 1930s ones) while in the larger pieces I sense less cohesion than in his earlier recordings. Do you enjoy the whole thing, or just some of it?

Also his stereo Moscow recital certainly shows him at his best.


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## Simplicissimus

flamencosketches said:


> I can't be the only one who loves the stereo Rubinstein recordings. What he may have lost in technique, he more than made up for in perspective, decades of living with and inside this music. Not the only Chopin I like, but I do have love for Rubinstein.


I hear you. Rubinstein doesn't get a lot of love around here. He's one of my favorites in general, especially for Chopin and Beethoven's piano concerti. I like his Liszt, Saint-Saëns, Schumann, and Villa-Lobos, too. I only don't like Rubinstein when it comes to Brahms. His Grieg and Falla I find good but not the best.


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## Russell Chee

Simplicissimus said:


> I hear you. Rubinstein doesn't get a lot of love around here. He's one of my favorites in general, especially for Chopin and Beethoven's piano concerti. I like his Liszt, Saint-Saëns, Schumann, and Villa-Lobos, too. I only don't like Rubinstein when it comes to Brahms. His Grieg and Falla I find good but not the best.


Don't be offended or anything - I love Rubinstein, just mostly early Rubinstein. If you don't like his Brahms, may I suggest trying out the early 1929 (?) Brahms 2nd Concerto with Coates? It's absolutely littered with missed notes (the octave jumps a minute in - I don't think he hits a single high F) but the interpretation is astounding. No one plays it like that anymore - his first movement clocks in at 14, his third at 9. It's probably a different facet of Rubinstein than the one you like, but still worth trying  Unless, of course, you've already listened to it and don't like it


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## flamencosketches

Simplicissimus said:


> I hear you. Rubinstein doesn't get a lot of love around here. He's one of my favorites in general, especially for Chopin and Beethoven's piano concerti. I like his Liszt, Saint-Saëns, Schumann, and Villa-Lobos, too. I only don't like Rubinstein when it comes to Brahms. His Grieg and Falla I find good but not the best.


Hm, I love his Brahms too-his favorite composer by his own testimony. Great concerto recordings w/ Reiner and Krips, great chamber music recordings with the young Guarneri Quartet. But good to see some love for Rubinstein in any case.

@Russell, I like some of it more than others. The Mazurkas are amazing, ditto the Polonaises, the concertos are good; I have other favorites for the Nocturnes, but I find Rubinstein good here, too.


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## Russell Chee

flamencosketches said:


> Hm, I love his Brahms too-his favorite composer by his own testimony. Great concerto recordings w/ Reiner and Krips, great chamber music recordings with the young Guarneri Quartet. But good to see some love for Rubinstein in any case.


Indeed, I've also read Brahms was apparently his favourite. He did some pieces from Op. 118 very well, I think - made me wish he had recorded the entire corpus of late pieces. The concerto recording with Reiner is excellent; the one with Krips is good but pales in comparison to his earlier efforts, with Coates and Munch - and there's an excellent live recording with Rowicki from around the same period as the Krips recording that really catches him on the wing. Thing is, the conception didn't change much - the execution just became a little less slipshod but also a little less exciting, imo.



flamencosketches said:


> @Russell, I like some of it more than others. The Mazurkas are amazing, ditto the Polonaises, the concertos are good; I have other favorites for the Nocturnes, but I find Rubinstein good here, too.


Yeah ~ those are the parts I like too, though Polonaise No. 5 and 6 come out so great on the Moscow recording, and in good stereo too!


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## starthrower

I like Rubinstein in the ballades, and nocturnes. I'm still exploring his stereo box. I'd say its a pretty solid set for getting familiar with all of these works. Even the Preludes recorded in the mid 40s are plenty listenable.

I just got the Martha Argerich DG solo piano box yesterday so I'll be listening to her Chopin. I'm still not totally in love with his music but I'll keep listening to see if this changes.


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## Geoff48

One pianist I haven’t seen mentioned is Stefan Askenase. He didn’t record everything Chopin wrote, certainly he seemed to steer clear of the etudes, and most of his recordings are in mono. He was not finger perfect, try listening to his mono waltzes for the odd imperfections, but one thing which cannot be denied is that he played Chopin with love. My favourite of his recordings are the complete Nocturnes, slower than most but so beautiful. And despite the imperfections I like his mono waltzes,l even more than the stereo remakes.
And yet if I had to nominate just one recorded piece by Chopin I think it would be the 17th Prelude played by Michel Block. I often wondered what happened to him, the prelude formed part of a Heliodor recital shared with Pollini, but it is an incredibly romantic interpretation. Also on that disk was the opus 48/1 Nocturne. Really dreamy but In that nocturne only equalled by Argerich whose return of the first section in her Concertgebouw Recital is so propelled it has to be heard to be believed. Try it on Spotify
Incidentally free steaming services such as Spotify or Deezer are a great way of revisiting well remembered well loved recordings of the past. And listened through Bluetooth the sound is probably far better than when we first got to know them.


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## bluto32

My favourite nocturnes CD set is this one by Nelson Freire:










Unlike many other pianists, he doesn't pound the cr*p out of the piano during the louder passages - they are _nocturnes_ after all!


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## RedRaider

Perhaps someone not on everyone's list... but the first compilation recording of Chopin that I heard at a friend's house that really made a lasting impression and made me ask about it.... was a CD from Vienna Masters Series which opened with Piano Concerto No. 1 and had a handful of other pieces following thereafter. All were played by a pianist by the name of Sylvia Capova. Not often I see her mentioned. But that particular CD made a lasting impression and made me an instant fan. I bought a copy of it shortly thereafter which I still have to this day. Probably one if my favorite CD's. 

Also I have a couple of double reels (2 albums each) featuring Tamas Vasary, which get played fairly regularly at my place. One features Piano Concerto No. 1 with Four Mazuraks on side 1, with 4 Scherzi on side 2. The other reel starts with Piano Concerto No. 2 followed by Adante Spianato and Grande Polonaise in E flat major, Op. 22, followed by Nocturne in C sharp minor, and on side 2 are Piano Sonatas No 2 & 3. Quite enjoyable.


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## Mark Dee

I am about a million miles away from being an expert, but I know what I like ... and I like Fou Ts'Ong. So sadly lost to us from the deadly Covid 19 on December 28 ...


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## Rubens

Ballades 2 and 3: Pollini
Nocturnes: Rubinstein
Scherzos: Richter
Waltzes: Lipatti
Etudes: Zayas
Concerto no.1: Lipatti
Concerto no.2: Zimerman
Everything else: Ohlsson
Favorite box set: Ohlsson


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## Oldhoosierdude

I have always liked this one


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## doors1991

Barcarolle,Berceuse,Fantaisie - Perahia (1985)

Cello Sonata - Alban Gerhardt,Steven Osborne (2007)

Cello Sonata - Alisa Weilerstein,Inon Barnatan (2015)

Cello Sonata - Rostropovich,Argerich (1981)

Complete Works - Garrick Ohlsson (1989-2000)

Études,Impromptus - Perahia (1983-2001)

Études,Préludes,Polonaises - Pollini (1972-1976)

Four Ballades - Perahia (1994)

Four Ballades,Barcarolle,Fantasy - Zimerman (1987)

Four Ballades,Berceuse,Barcarolle - Evgeny Kissin (1998)

Les Sylphides - Zinman (1982)

Nocturnes - Angela Hewitt (2004)

Nocturnes - Claudio Arrau (1978)

Nocturnes - Ivan Moravec (1966)

Nocturnes - Livia Rev (1989)

Nocturnes - Maria Joao Pires (1996)

Nocturnes - Nelson Freire (2009)

Piano concertos 1 & 2 - Argerich,Dutoit (1998)

Piano concertos 1 & 2 - Zimerman,Giulini (1980)

Piano Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3 - Pollini (1984)

Piano Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3,Berceuse,Barcarolle - Andre Hamelin (2009)

Piano Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3 - Martha Argerich (1967,1974)

Preludes - Alexandre Tharaud (2008)

Preludes - Claudio Arrau (1974)

Preludes - Grigory Sokolov (1990)

Preludes - Grigory Sokolov (2008)

Preludes - Martha Argerich (1977)

Scherzos - Ivo Pogorelich (1998)

Waltzes - Alexandre Tharaud (2006)

Waltzes - Ingrid Fliter (2009)

The Rubinstein Collection

Volume 44 - Piano Concertos (1958-1962)
Volume 45 - Ballades & Scherzo (1959-1965)
Volume 46 - Piano Sonatas,etc. (1961-1962)
Volume 47 - Waltzes & Impromptus (1962-1964)
Volume 48 - Polonaises (1964)
Volume 49 - Nocturnes (1965)
Volume 50 - Mazurkas (1965-1966)


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## Mark Dee

Not sure this is an absolute favourite, but very enjoyable...


----------



## Malx

*Moravec's Nocturnes* are a delight to listen to, these are the* Chopin* discs I revisit most - are they the 'best', I couldn't say but they certainly give me plenty of pleasure.


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## WNvXXT




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## Animal the Drummer

Mark Dee said:


> Not sure this is an absolute favourite, but very enjoyable...
> 
> View attachment 153723


One of the first few LPs I ever bought, well over half a century ago. Ah, the memories.


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## Josquin13

With this entry, I'm initiating a series of three or four posts on this thread where I'll try to list & rank what have been my favorite Chopin pianists & recordings over the decades in various Chopin piano works. I intend to place the performances into two categories for each work: (1) historical or mono performances, and (2) analogue stereo & digital era performances. As always, don't take my rankings too seriously, as tastes & expectations will vary; although I hope to introduce people to some very remarkable Chopin pianists, if they don't already know them. For my first post, I'll start with Chopin's Berceuse, 24 Préludes, Etudes, and the Four Impromptus. I'll then cover other major Chopin piano works in subsequent posts--that is, if there seems to be an interest in what I'm doing:

1. Berceuse (or "Lullaby" in English--though it wasn't Chopin's title):

--Top 5 historical picks (mono):

1. Maryla Jonas: 



2. Raoul Koczalski: 



3. Harold Bauer (1939): 



4. Mieczyslaw Horszowski (1940): 



5. Tie--Ignacy Jan Paderewski: 



5. Tie--Moriz Rosenthal (1930): 




Honorable mention (historical): 
--Solomon (Cutner)(1945): 



.
--Benno Moiseiwitsch (1916): 



--Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli: 




--Top 5 analogue stereo & digital era picks:

1. Jeanne-Marie Darré (1965, Vanguard): 



2. Vladimir Ashkenazy 2 (Decca, digital, hybrid SACD): 



3. Ivan Moravec (Vox, digital): 



4. Vladimir Ashkenazy 1 (Decca): 



5. Nikita Magaloff (Philips): 




Honorable mention:
--Murray Perahia (digital): 



--Nelson Freire (digital): 




2. 24 Préludes:

--Top 5 historical picks (mono):

1. Guiomar Novaes (1950): 



2. Halina-Czerny Stefanska (1958): 



3. Moriz Rosenthal (1920s & 30s): Unfortunately, Rosenthal was no longer in his prime when he came to make records, & he didn't record all 24 Préludes, but what he did record is magical, anyway. Rosenthal was a student of Chopin's teaching assistant, Karol Mikuli (1821-1897), and Franz Liszt (1811-1886), so he had the right pedigree for this music: 



. 
4. Raoul Koczalski (1939)--Koczalski was another Mikuli pupil:
1-14: 



15-22: 



23-24: 



5. Alfred Cortot: I prefer Cortot's earlier 1928 recording, which is superior to his later recordings, IMO, but still technically slightly weak in places: 




--Top 1-5 analogue stereo & digital era picks:

1. Ivan Moravec 1 (1965, Connoisseur Society): 



2. Tie--Vladimir Ashkenazy 1 (1978, Decca): 



2. Tie--Ivan Moravec 2 (1974, Supraphon): 



4. Jeanne-Marie Darré (1965, Vanguard): 




















https://www.allmusic.com/album/chopin-préludes-op-28-fantasy-op-49-berceuse-op-57-mw0001386520#no-js 
5. Vladimir Ashkenazy (a live 1972 recording made at Essex University in England, Decca): 




--Top 6-10 analogue stereo & digital era picks (in 6-10, I found it impossible to decide on my choices for the 9th & 10th spots, so I opted instead for a whole bunch of "ties", & especially in #9, as they're all remarkable performances):

6. Nikita Magaloff (Philips):




















7. Vladimir Ashkenazy 2 (1992, Decca, digital):




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY_...st=PLq7MWRGJO0Xw9p3mE7_cfc2kgm8fCm5qk&index=1
8. Samson François (1963, EMI):




















9. Tie--Geza Anda (1960s--from the DG box set, "Geza Anda: Troubadour at the piano"): 












9. Tie--Maurizio Pollini--(live 1974, EMI Testament): 



9. Tie--Ivo Janssen (live, Globe/VOID, digital):




















9. Tie--Nelson Freire (Sony/Columbia):




















10. Tie--Ivo Pogorelich (DG, digital): Pogorelich's interpretation of the Preludes may not be to all tastes, as he occasionally lingers a bit and draws them out in places, but he has over the years, with repeated listening, gradually converted me to his point of view in this music: 



. 
10. Tie--Martha Argerich (DG): 




Honorable mention: There are many other fine performances of Chopin's 24 Préludes, some of which came close to being on my list above--notably Pollini (DG), Pires, & Blechacz, who could have each placed in my #10 spot, where the choice was more difficult to make:

--Maurizio Pollini--(1975, DG): https://www.youtube.com/watch?
--Maria Joao Pires (DG, digital): 



--Rafal Blechacz (DG, digital): 



--Ingrid Fliter (EMI, digital): 




3. Études (Op. 10, Op. 25, & Trois nouvelles études):

--Top 4 historical Picks (mono):

1. Wilhelm Backhaus (1927): 



2. Jeanne-Marie Darré (1953, EMI Pathé): 



3. Claudio Arrau (1956, EMI): 



4. Samson François (1958, EMI):













--Top 7 historical pianists playing individual etudes:

1. Francis Planté (1839-1934): two etudes, Op. 25, No. 1 and Op. 10 No. 5: 



. Planté studied with Antonine Marmontel in Paris, where he also befriended and studied with Franz Liszt. Most interestingly, he is known to have actually heard Chopin play, and not surprisingly, he plays Chopin in a different style from pianists today. His only Chopin recordings were of selected Etudes, which he recorded in 1928, at the age of 89!! Which is something to bear in mind when listening to Planté play Chopin's difficult Etude Op. 25, no. 11: 



. His playing must have been incredible in his younger days.

Here's a link to all of Planté's Chopin Etudes recordings from 1928: https://www.forte-piano-pianissimo.com/francisplante.html

2. Leopold Godowsky: Etudes Op. 25, No. 1 and No. 3: 



.
3. Emil von Sauer: Etude Op. 25, No. 12 "Ocean": 



4. Vladimir de Pachmann: who studied with Vera Kologrivoff, Chopin's last teaching assistant, and also studied privately with Franz Liszt, who according to Pachmann's son, taught the pianist everything he could remember about how Chopin played his music.

Etudes Op. 25, Nos. 2 & 3 (1911-15): 



Etude Op. 10, No. 5 (1927): 



Etude Op. 10, No. 1 (1911): 



Etude Op. 10, No. 12 (1909): 



Etude Op. 10, No. 12 (1912): 




5. Moriz Rosenthal: 3 Nouvelles études, Op. Posth., B. 130: No. 2 in A-Flat Major: 



.
6. Maryla Jonas: Etude Op. 10, No. 6, and Etude Op. 25, No. 2 "Les Abeilles": 



7. Ignaz Friedman: Etudes Op. 10, No. 5 "Black keys, No. 7, No. 12, and Etudes Op. 25, No. 6 & No. 9: 




--Top 10 analogue stereo & digital era picks:

1. Augustin Anievas (EMI Double fforte): 



2. Vladimir Ashkenazy (Decca): 



3. Tamás Vásáry, (DG): 



4. Zlata Chochieva (Piano Classics, digital): The playing of this young woman is impressive!: 



(Here too is Chochieva playing the Op. 25 Etudes live in concert: 



.)
5. Murray Perahia (CBS, digital): 



6. Louis Lortie (1986, Chandos, digital): 



7. Maurizio Pollini (DG): for me, Pollini can sometimes have too heavy a piano touch in Chopin, but there's no denying that his etudes are among his best Chopin recordings: 



8. Juana Zayas: (1983, Music & Arts, digital): 



9. Nelson Freire (Decca, digital, released on both CD & hybrid SACD):
















. 
10. Tie--Andrei Gavrilov (EMI, digital): 



10. Tie--György Cziffra (EMI): 




The reason the latter "big virtuoso" performances don't figure higher on my list is because I'm not always a fan of pianists that turn these etudes into loud, showy, fast 'virtuoso' pieces. For me, such an approach has more in common with a style of pianism that derives from the mid-20th century (and later), rather than a style of playing that goes back to the 19th century. For a more 19th century approach to these etudes, I'd recommend the Etudes of Wilhelm Backhaus, who is my top historical pick, as well as Jeanne-Marie Darré, and of course the individual Etudes by Francis Planté, Vladimir de Pachmann, Moriz Rosenthal--who each had links back to Chopin & his world, along with Emil von Sauer, Leopold Godowsky, & Maryla Jonas. While my top stereo era pick, Agustin Anievas, likewise turns these pieces more into music--as opposed to virtuosic display pieces, than many other pianists. Others will no doubt be dazzled by the "big virtuoso" performances & disagree. & I wouldn't deny that they are 'great' performances of a certain kind.

4. Four Impromptus:

--Top 3 historical picks (mono):

1. Emil von Sauer:
No. 1 (1925): For me, this is the greatest performance of Chopin's Impromptu No. 1 ever recorded. It is truly something special from a lost age. No pianist today can touch this performance, IMO: 



No. 2: 



No. 3: 



No. 4: 



2. Samson François (EMI, 1957): 



3. Mieczyslaw Horszowski (1952): Unfortunately, these performances come in poor sound, otherwise, they might be a higher pick. Horszowski also had a direct link back to Chopin, through his mother, who had studied with Mikuli, and was Horszowski's first piano teacher when he was a boy: 



.

--Top 7 historical picks for individual Impromptus, including the Fantasie-Impromptu in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 66:

1. Vladimir de Pachmann: Impromptu No. 1 in A flat, Op. 29: 



2. Josef Hoffmann: Impromptu No. 1: 



3. Leopold Godowsky (1921-25): two impromptus: the Impromptu in A flat & Fantasie Impromptu in C-Sharp Minor: 



.
4. Maryla Jonas: the Impromptu No. 1:




5. Halina Czerny-Stefanska: Fantaisie-Impromptu (1949): I'm not certain that Czerny-Stefanska recorded all four Impromptus in her career, but she did play the Fantasie-impromptu exceptionally well: 



.
6. Witold Malcuzynski: Impromptu No. 1 (1959): 



7. Raoul Pugno, Impromptu No. 1 (1903): 




--Top 10 analogue stereo & digital era picks:

1. Tamás Vásáry (DG)--Vásáry's remarkable performances of the Four Impromptus are among the best recordings that he has made in his career, IMO: 



2. Agustin Anievas (EMI): 



3. Vladimir Ashkenazy (Decca): 
No. 1: 



No. 2: 



No. 3: 



No. 4: "Fantaisie-Impromptu": 



4. Bella Davidovich (Philips, digital): 



5. Nikita Magaloff (1975, Philips): 



6. Arthur Rubinstein (RCA): Generally speaking, Rubinstein takes too many liberties with Chopin's scores, for my tastes, as I can find his unwillingness to pay closer attention to the score disconcerting at times (in contrast to a pianist like Ashkenazy, for instance, who pays extra close attention to the score), but his freer approach does work better in the 4 Impromptus, IMO. & no doubt some listeners will like that Rubinstein takes 'creative' liberties with what Chopin asks for from the pianist: 
No. 1: 



No. 2: 



No. 3: 



No. 4: 



7. Dubravka Tomsic (Pilz, digital): 



8. Stanislav Bunin (DG, digital): For those looking to be challenged by an occasionally different interpretative view of these works, Bunin's Four Impromptus are very recommendable (& beautiful in their own way): 



9. Murray Perahia (CBS, digital)--Perahia's Chopin shouldn't be ignored, either, since he too has links back to Mikuli through his teacher Horszowski (though at some point these connections start to get watered down, as is the case with most teaching lineages, sadly):
No. 1: 



No. 2: 



No. 3: 



No. 4: 



.
10. Stefan Askenase (1975, DG): 




To be continued in a later post with the 21 Nocturnes & 51 Mazurkas, etc...


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## ThankYouKiwi

Frederic Chiu's recordings of the etudes aren't my favorite, but they're a really interesting listen. He makes them sound very fresh and fluid. You've never heard them like this before.


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## Bwv 1080

Moravec, Zimerman and Rubenstein

Moravec's recording of the Polonaise Fantasy is probably my favorite Chopin recording (and this is a great bargain 2-disc set that everyone should own - the Debussy playing is equally good)


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## Josquin13

ThankYouKiwi said:


> Frederic Chiu's recordings of the etudes aren't my favorite, but they're a really interesting listen. He makes them sound very fresh and fluid. You've never heard them like this before.


Thanks for the introduction to Frederic Chiu's Chopin Etudes. I agree they are fascinating, and "very fresh and fluid", as you say. Had I known about them before I wrote my above post, his Etudes would have ranked high on my list of analogue stereo & digital era recordings of the Etudes. On first impression, they are among the best digital era accounts I've heard & possibly even the finest. I hope they're still in print...

If Chiu's Etudes aren't your favorite, what is?


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## RedRaider

Chopin is probably my favorite. Any my favorite pianist to play Chopin would have to be Tamas Vasary. I've got pretty much all of his recordings on piano. He does not disappoint.


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