Chopin Etudes

Both sets of Chopin's etudes can be as fiendishly difficult for the performer as they are mesmerizing for the listener, yet Maurizio Pollini makes them sound as if they pose no problems whatsoever for him in this 1972 recording. Every one of the etudes is played with easy precision, energy, and an entirely enjoyable musicality that demonstrates why Chopin's etudes are no mere exercises and are as suited to the recital hall as to the practice room. The Op. 25 No. 5 Etude in E minor has some tricky finger acrobatics in it, but Pollini brings out a singing melody all the same in the middle section, while adding a bit of dancing animation to the outer sections…

Berezovsky is a sadly under-rated player, even though he won the Tchakovsky Competition in 1990. His natural talent is given full vent in these Etudes. One must remember that these were studies written by Chopin, each one exploring a singular technical idea - the 'Revolutionary' a test of left-hand power and flexibility, Op.10 No.1 a study in right-hand stretches, etc. Thus in each piece, Berezovsky utilises a different aspect of his phenomenal technique and gives a demonstration of how they should be played. In the CD booklet, one critic accurately observes that Berezovsky 'knows there is plenty of time ahead of him'; and rightly so! In a musical world today where everyone thinks they need to flex their muscle in order to gain attention, Berezovsky carries on at his own pace, regardless. There is no need to play everything at breakneck speed as does Argerich where the tendency is to sink into a show of bad taste and pointless pyrotechnics.

Chopin - Etudes - Lubov Timofeyeva (1990)
EAC Rip | FLAC (img + cue), LOG | TT 59:34 | Covers (jpg 300 dpi) | RAR 176 MB + 3% Recovery
Melodiya | USSR | SUCD 10-00071 | 1990

L. Timofeyeva is a laureate of International competitions in Montreal and M. Long in Paris. Only a very mature musician can play F. Chopin’s Etudes, especially in a circle. Here L. Timofeyeva has brought out Chopin’s harmonious outlook and the wealth of light colors. Even rueful, tragic works have found their place in the gamut of feelings. Gentle lyricism – this is the main feature of L. Timofeyeva readings. Soft, winsome sound, heartfelt emotion, love of romantic, expressive melody – these features of the pianist’s gift have determined the interpretations of these works.

The incredible Jan Lisiecki performs both cycles of Chopin’s virtuosic Études. This is the second Deutsche Grammophon release from the young Canadian pianist, and his first-ever studio recital album. Chopin’s Études are among the most challenging and evocative pieces of all the works in the piano repertoire. Jan Lisiecki has just finished recording the Études in the famous Koerner Hall of the Music Conservatory in Toronto. The Royal Conservatory has been involved in the training of many notable artists such as the pianists Glenn Gould and Oscar Peterson.

Frederic Chopin - Hardy Rittner - Complete Etudes
Hardy Rittner plays a Conrad Graf Piano (c. 1835)
SACD ISO (2.0/MCH): 3,23 GB | 24B/88,2kHz Stereo FLAC: 938 MB | Full Artwork | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: MDG "Scene" # 904 1747-6 | Country/Year: Germany 2012
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic, Piano, Period Instrument

"…Outstanding. I cannot recommend this disc highly enough." "…This is a remarkable recording which reveals Chopin in a new light." ~SA-CD.net

This 9-disc set pulls together Chopin recordings made between 1972 and 2008 by Maurizio Pollini. Works included are the etudes, the two familiar sonatas, the ballades, the scherzi, the preludes, the polonaises, and the nocturnes. Please note that this is far from a complete set of Chopin's piano works - missing are the concertos, most of the waltzes, most of the mazurkas, and most of the impromptus.