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Frédéric François Chopin: Piano Music

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s

Artist: Frédéric François Chopin
Title: Piano Music
Released: 2001.10.01
Label: RCA Records
Time: 73:34
Producer(s): See Artists ...
Appears with:
Category: Classic
Rating: *********. (9/10)
Media type: CD
Purchase date:  2001.11.10
Price in €: 5,99
Web address:

 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Polonaise-fantaisie As-Dur op. 61 - 13:02
[2] Ballade Nr. 1 g-moll op. 23 - 9:32
[3] Nocturne Es-Dur op. 9 Nr. 2 - 4:25
[4] Nocturne cis-moll op. 27 Nr. 1 - 5:17
[5] Barcarolle op. 60 - 8:25
[6] Étude cis-moll op. 25 Nr. 7 - 5:22
[7] Étude Ges-Dur op. 10 Nr. 5 "Schwarze Tasten" - 1:45
[8] Nocturne H-Dur op. 9 Nr. 3 - 6:12
[9] Nocturne F-Dur op. 15 Nr. 1 - 4:14
[10] Ballade Nr. 4 f-moll op. 52 - 10:25
[11] Walzer As-Dur op. 69 Nr. 1 - 3:34

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


VLADIMIR HOROWITZ - Piano

NIELS HOIRUP - Series Producer, Reissue Concept
HOLGER MATTHIAS - Cover Photo

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


RCA's Horowitz/Chopin Grab-Bag

This CD reissue contains all of Horowitz' stereo RCA Chopin recordings, along with a few mono items.

Chopin's Polonaise-Fantasy was a Horowitz specialty for many years. He was playing this piece as far back as the 1920s, when few pianists dared to touch such a structurally complex work. His best recording of this piece remains the 1966 version taped lived in Carnegie Hall. This can be found on Volume 3 of Sony's complete Horowitz issue. The 1982 version is among the most mannered playing Horowitz ever approved for commercial release. The phrasing and metric pulse sag, and the piece fails to cohere.

Chopin's Ballade in g minor was another piece Horowitz played constantly. Again, his best version of this work can be found elsewhere, including Volumes 3 (1965) and 4 (1968) of the Sony set. The aforementioned problems are also in evidence here. In addition, some of Horowitz' playing is technically sub-par, with an awkward coda that sounds banged.

Horowitz' treatment of the nocturnes was his least successful Chopin playing. Instead of letting the works unfold simply and naturally, as Arthur Rubinstein did, Horowitz felt the need to soup-them-up with distorted phrasing and exotic voicings. This group of four nocturnes, recorded in 1957, are further sabotaged by "under the lid" microphone placement.

Horowitz recorded the Barcarolle several times. His 1980 live recording contains the typical Horowitz mannerisms of that period, with an erotically charged coda. The old charmer is present for the "Black Key" Etude, while the c-sharp minor Etude is given rather perfunctory treatment.

Horowitz seemed more at home in Chopin's Ballade #4 than he did in the first Ballade. The phrasing, dynamics, and dramatic build up are just so "right" here, that one can scarcely imagine a better performance--even with the occasional minor slip of finger.

The Chopin Waltz combines both--very different--editions of Chopin's text, with perhaps a dash of Horowitz' melancholy.

The sound quality varies, which is understandable considering the range of recordings times and venues. These performances have already received multiple releases on CD. One wishes RCA would do Horowitz' memory a real service--instead of merely exploiting it--and undertake a full Horowitz reissue as they've done for Rubinstein and William Kapell.

Hank Drake from Cleveland, OH United States , November 6, 2001
 

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