Chopin Recordings

[AnotherSpin]

In fact, what Yunchan said in that booklet prompted me to listen to Egerov's etudes - I think what he does is a bit special actually - powerful. I only heard op 10, but I noticed a concert with op 25 has been released so I'll check it soon.

In his book about Richter, etc. Andrei Gavrilov gives Egorov the highest praise, which sounds unusual because Gavrilov normally has a low opinion of other musicians. Perhaps because Egorov had already died by the time the book was published.

[Mandryka]

One of the best performances of Piano Sonata 3 I've heard:



I liked his op. 28 but this has surpassed even that. Impressive.

I've been meaning to say this for a whole year,  but yes, this is a fabulous performance of op 58. He really can control tone colour and it's well caught on the recording. And he has a wonderful sense of cantabile, legato. Very long timescales in the first movement and the largo - that's quite bold. It doesn't feel unnatural or forced or even slow, but I am conscious that it's a long haul.

Intimations of Tipo? I think so. I haven't heard the op 28 in fact, I'll try to find it.

[Mandryka]

I've been meaning to say this for a whole year,  but yes, this is a fabulous performance of op 58. He really can control tone colour and it's well caught on the recording. And he has a wonderful sense of cantabile, legato. Very long timescales in the first movement and the largo - that's quite bold. It doesn't feel unnatural or forced or even slow, but I am conscious that it's a long haul.

Intimations of Michelangeli? I think so. I haven't heard the op 28 in fact, I'll try to find it.

listening to the sonata again this morning - I want to say he is the ultimate smoothy. What we used to call a "silk underpants pianist" - everything is just so refined, so polished, so smooth, so nuanced, so gorgeous. I can take it better in Chopin than in Beethoven for some reason - maybe I should go back to the Beethoven.

[Atriod]

I've been meaning to say this for a whole year,  but yes, this is a fabulous performance of op 58. He really can control tone colour and it's well caught on the recording. And he has a wonderful sense of cantabile, legato. Very long timescales in the first movement and the largo - that's quite bold. It doesn't feel unnatural or forced or even slow, but I am conscious that it's a long haul.

Intimations of Tipo? I think so. I haven't heard the op 28 in fact, I'll try to find it.

The Chopin I have heard from Tipo (Nocturnes, Ballades) are rather different from the pieces that Lucchesini recorded so it is difficult for me to say if there are intimations of Tipo. The Lucchesini Piano Sonata 3 does have some ruminations of his Preludes in how dark it can be in places. In a similar vein of that darkness it's why my other two favorite interpretations are from Ugorskaja and Sokolov. Though I do find lighter ones from Arrau (Philips, APR) also quite enjoyable.

It is extremely rare for me to change my opinion on a piece of music just based off performances, Lucchesini's Piano Sonata 3 went from a piece I find good but something I seldom listen to one that now I listen to often (the entire CD is just as good, maybe the Scherzo not quite at the levels of Richter or Pogorelic). I find there are a lot of generic or good interpretations of Piano Sonata 3, in the past I typically only listened to Horowitz's late in life live recordings, mistakes and all, as he had some of that depth of Lucchesini in getting beneath its surface.

Is there more Chopin from Tipo than just those recordings I named?

[Mandryka]

The Chopin I have heard from Tipo (Nocturnes, Ballades) are rather different from the pieces that Lucchesini recorded so it is difficult for me to say if there are intimations of Tipo. The Lucchesini Piano Sonata 3 does have some ruminations of his Preludes in how dark it can be in places. In a similar vein of that darkness it's why my other two favorite interpretations are from Ugorskaja and Sokolov. Though I do find lighter ones from Arrau (Philips, APR) also quite enjoyable.

It is extremely rare for me to change my opinion on a piece of music just based off performances, Lucchesini's Piano Sonata 3 went from a piece I find good but something I seldom listen to one that now I listen to often (the entire CD is just as good, maybe the Scherzo not quite at the levels of Richter or Pogorelic). I find there are a lot of generic or good interpretations of Piano Sonata 3, in the past I typically only listened to Horowitz's late in life live recordings, mistakes and all, as he had some of that depth of Lucchesini in getting beneath its surface.

Is there more Chopin from Tipo than just those recordings I named?

Yes there's actually an op 58 on record from Tipo - a radio concert (RAI) - it's nothing like Lucchesini though! I'll send it to you to tomorrow. 

I just noticed that Pletnev on DG (which is very special for me) takes about as long in the first movement as Lucchesini.

[Mandryka]

I was so impressed by Andsnes's Janacek that I thought I'd hear some other early recordings. The only solo one I can find is the one above, his first recording I think, made when he was 16, for the wonderfully named "Troll Series."

And whaddayaknow. It's a real fiery life-affirming Chopin op 58 sonata - well worth hearing.

[Mandryka]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XxFrIOGxfI

Bit of old style charm here -- Jakob Gimpel plays op 62/2

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Enjoying mazurkas etc. by Meiko Miyazawa.

[Florestan]

Cross-post from the WAYLTN thread.



First listen to this set. EXCEPTIONAL! THE most melancholy and bittersweet Mazurkas I've ever heard. The only one I can imagine playing them better is Chopin himself. From now on, my reference set of Mazurkas.