Chopin Waltzes

Tharaud on Harmonia Mundi is very nice....though the Lipatti is very special

Abbey Simon hits the spot for me, and Ashkenazy ain't too shabby either. Lipatti has faded over time for me.

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I'll second the Rubinstein, Simon, Ashkenazy, Lipatti and Tharaud.

My last purchase was Eugene Mursky on Profil. I've been listening this one quite a bit lately and I like it very much.

Otherwise, I generally listen to Cyprien Katsaris, Tamas Vasary, and Claudio Arrau.

If you want a recording where only a couple of waltzes are recorded then I'd really recommend Mikhail Pletnev, Murray Perahia, or Evgeny Kissin.

If you really like the "Minute Waltz" and want something really different then get the recording from Boris Berezovsky (Chopin / Godowsky). It's basically an encore but I really like the Godowsky transcription of this Waltz.

For Chopin, my vote goes to Rubinstein!

Thanks for the recommendations. Listening to the C#m etc, seems that some recordings have the spirit and some don't. So far the Rubinstein has it but will check everything you suggested, looks like it will be a fun ride.
Abbey Simon on backorder, also ordered entire Rubinstein Chopin on CD, enough faffing with the LPs and RCA dynagroove etc. Would be interesed in a good modern recording though.

Krystian Zimmerman maybe?

I came by Claudio Arrau on a Philips LP which I enjoy.

Charity shops are great in the UK which doesn't help you much Jeremy I am afraid.

regards
Geoff

quote:

Originally posted by Starre:
Krystian Zimmerman maybe?

Hopefully DG will reissue the recording on CD, but so far I haven't found it, or a used LP, either.



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Haven't heard the Zimmerman but I'll bet it's worth the price of admission, if it's anywhere near as good as the Brahms Concertos with Bernstein.

I recently picked up a vinyl copy of Guoimar Novaes playing the Etudes, her Chopin is generally very recommendable. She recorded the Waltzes for Vox sometime in the mid 1950's. Haven't had time to listen to the Noveas disc yet..

One of the best modern interpreters of Chopin is Charles Rosen, he studied with the great romantic virtuoso (who in turn studied with Liszt) Leopold Godowsky, who many consider the greatest pianist who ever lived. Rosen is/was known more as a Bach and modern music specialist. Unaware of Rosen's virtuoso pedigree, many were shocked when he started playing Chopin..I managed to see an all Chopin concert he gave many years ago, one of my more memorable concert experiences. To bad he hardly recorded any of C's music.

Here is a YouTube of Rosen playing one of the Nocturnes. Note the trills beginning about 2/3 of the way through.


Noyes

I've heard Krystian Zimerman (only one 'm') live twice.

He is remarkable; a true artiste!

In fact, he makes most concert pianists sound like enthusiastic amateurs!

For Chopin, there is no other (well, maybe a few). Charles Rosen is a musicologist - and plays like one! Yes, he understands the context of Chopin, the socio-historic background etc. but his playing is rather dull! Not even close to the league of artists like Zimerman.

A piano tutor of mine was a student of Vlado Perlemuter, who was in fact a very decent Chopin player.

For Chopin, it is worth looking at the Chopin Competition winners (do a Google search) - these people have been highly vetted by the world's best known Chopin expert - Jan Ekier (again, a different tutors professor).

Finally, another name which is definitely worth mentioning in Witold Malcuzynski - a little unrefined in places, but the emotional content he communicates is truly exceptional!

I think Rosen gets the bad rap because he has written a number of highly regarded books, one of which won a Pulitzer Prize. He doesn't feel the need to soak the music with emotionalism. It is certainly a very different approach than Zimermans', who is more of the Romantic school. I find both approaches refreshing.

Would definitely agree about Perlemuter being a superb artist. I remember his Ravel cycle on Nimbus, a recording swamped in hall reverberation, but the playing shines through..


Noyes

I frequently use Rosen's books for essay references etc. and I agree, they are superb!

However, IMO, his writing is much better than his playing...

Each to their own!

Well if you want a modern recording...

Not waltzes but rather the Nocturnes and beautifully done IMO



It is a pair of SACD's but on the CDS3 the CD layer sounds excellent to me. Worth consideration. Sound samples available on some sites.( eg JPC & maybe Amazon)

regards
Geoff

quote:

I came by Claudio Arrau on a Philips LP which I enjoy.

I have this on Phillips CD somewhere, but have not seen it in at least a decade. May be on permanent "loan" to someone... Was one of the first CDs I purchased back in 1984 when I got my first CDP. (A Phillips/Magnavox, very musical for the day.)
If memory serves, this recording has some great interpretation and gets my recommendation.
Now, to find it and give it a spin...
David