Lucchesini (EMI) - Definitely a surprise for me, as this one never seems to get mentioned anywhere. Tempos are more common than many of Sokolov's choices.ģ. The piano tone is clearer and the playing is alternately more beautiful and more exciting. Moravec (Supraphon)- I had previously thought the much rarer, OOP VAI preludes were better than these, but after comparing them side by side, these are the clear winner. Richter never recorded the complete preludes, but I imagine this is how it would sound if he had. Sokolov (Naive)- An epic performance, with the best finale I have heard. This revealed some holes in Lucchesini's performance and helped me choose 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. I compared their performances of preludes 6, 7, 13 and 15. This eliminated Argerich, Pires, Gulda, Katsaris and Sofronitsky. Barto and Cortot weren't up to the task.įor round three, I compared preludes 17, 19 and 24. That helped me narrow the list down to just 11 pianists - Pires, Lucchesini, Barto, Moravec (Supraphon), Fiorentino, Sokolov, Katsaris, Sofronitsky, Gulda (11-17-59), Cortot (1933) and Argerich.įor round two, I compared preludes 5, 8, 10 and 12. These include: Moravec (VAI and Supraphon), Sokolov (naive), Lucchesini, Pletnev (live), Gilels (live), Arrau (live, Prague), Bolet (live, Carnegie Hall), Anda, Fiorentino, Ashkenazy, Freire, Pires, Barto, Ohlssohn (Arabesque), Katsaris, Sofronitsky (Brilliant, 11/21/51), Gulda (11-17-59 and Feb 1953), Serkin, Zhukov (live), Argerich, Rubinstein, Arrau (studio), Moiseiwitsch and Cortot (19.) My goal was to find the performers who were as adept at playing the faster, more exciting preludes as they were at playing the slower ones.įor round one, I compared the first four preludes. I decided today to finally compare the various sets of Chopin Preludes that I have acquired over the years. I did this survey about a year ago so I'll thought I'd share it here: All these mentioned are only a tiny fragment of the myriad versions recorded over the years. So, I enjoy most all of them and learn from each about varying approaches to this 24. There are just so many recordings of the 24 Preludes, it's really difficult to place one's finger on the so-called "best" ever. I was not impressed with Ivo Pogorelich's (DGG), nor Martha Argerich's (DGG) though I am one of her biggest fans in most repertoire. Rafal Blechacz's DGG account is one of the finest contemporary recordings I've heard of the 24. Also Alicia de Larrocha's account brings a lush sound with technique abounding (Decca). We don't think of Rudolf Serkin as a Chopinist, but I find his is a more "studied" view as issued on Sony Classical, recorded in 1976. (This may be on Ivory Classics currently.) Cyprien Katsaris's account on Sony Classical (maybe now on Piano 21 - ?) gives a generally fiery account in his inimitable manner. Earl Wild's complete recording is another one most worthy of consideration. Russian pianist Vladimir Sofronitsky recorded all 24 Preludes in concert on the Russian SMC label, but in inferior sound his performance left me cold. Moravec was a Chopinist par excellence (I think of his recording of the Chopin Nocturnes, for example). Ivan Moravec's (VAI) account stands right up there with the best of them for me as well. I much preferred Claudio Arrau's account, recorded live at the Prague Spring Festival in 1960 (private recording) to his later Philips issue where everything seems so much more calculated the "abandon" isn't there. Pianist Leonard Pennario recorded a fine version for Capitol Records, which was committed to CD by Rediscovery. RCA's piano sound at the time these were recorded does not do justice to the pianist's tone. It's a pity he didn't re-record these gems when at the peak of his career in the late 1950s and 1960s. Artur Rubinstein, of course, would also be very much at the top of the list. Vlado Perlemuter also offers a supremely valid account of the 24. Then there is Benno Moiseiwitsch and Egon Petri, both two more favourites in this music. For me, however, I would add another great almost totally forgotten pianist by the name of Robert Lortat, a fine French pianist whose lighter sound seems to be, perhaps, more representative of what I believe Chopin may have heard in his mind, this particular "lightness" of touch. His is the kind of pianism that has long vanished in the architecture of presenting these 24 pieces, but more, the kind of sound he created, a certain luster and naturalness. For me, Alfred Cortot is among the top of the list. January 11 - 14, 1978 in Washington D.C., John F.I couldn't quibble with most pianists mentioned herein. October 22 - 25, 1975 in Munich, Munich Residenz - Herkulessaal Mstislav Rostropovich conducting Washington National Symphony 2 Deutsche Grammophon Centenary Collection : Argerich - Chopin Preludes, Concerto No. CD : Deutsche Grammophon Centenary Collection : Argerich - Chopin Preludes, Concerto No.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |