BaL 29.06.24 - Chopin: Ballades

[MickyD]

I will try to hear some of these - Lubimov and Goerner seem particularly inviting. Chopin generally preferred Pleyel instruments and gave many concerts in the Salle Pleyel in Paris.

Yes, the Chopin box with Goerner on the 1848 Pleyel does it for me. The whole box is a delight, beautifully recorded and the instruments so well restored and maintained that I think even the most sceptical about early pianos should give it a listen.

[Ein Heldenleben]

They really skating though the first Ballade - just four examples or so which didn’t really illustrate much other than Bella Davidovitch can really play a d Richter’s piano technician and recording engineer just can’t do a decent job. No Perahia or many of the greats mentioned above - a pretty superficial job really. The Pleyel example demonstrated very little to my ears.
I wouldn’t spend much time on the second as I think it’s the weakest. The first and fourth are absolute masterpieces with the latter one of Chopin’s greatest works.

[Goon525]

Well Perahia given a good run in the second.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Well Perahia given a good run in the second.

Yes and now finally some Cortot and Pollini - it’s all gone up a notch. Cortot —the master of masters.
Pollini is playing a beautifully prepped Steinway . Poor old Richter..
But the top notes of Stephen Hough’s Steinway sound awful which is a huge shame as he plays beautifully.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I have heard Rubinstein now, curtesy of streaming on the Naim Qb. Can I sue for readmittance? Perhaps it would have been more appropriate to describe Perahia’s approach as Classical or restrained rather than literal, as apposed to the unbridled Romanticism of Zimerman or Ax. You can’t fault Perahia’s playing, but I miss the romance that others find. Perahia’s speeds are quite fast in comparison to Zimerman, Ax and Rubinstein. These are among some of my favourite Chopin, and I have been so contented with Zimerman and Ax that I haven’t bothered to look elsewhere or even to keep up to date with their evolving discography. I am looking forward to this BaL and I hope it throws up some new and interesting alternatives.

I have ordered a cd copy of the Rubinstein set from eBay. He isn’t bad?

He’s just done on BAL a beautiful conclusion to the Aflat so money well spent. Nice sounding piano as well. He very carefully prepares the four final chords and who can blame him?

[Ein Heldenleben]

My word that Arrau started well in the F minor but the F key really stands / pings out as if the piano hasn’t been toned properly or maybe he’s hitting it too hard? It ends up sounded repetitive as the critic pointed out.
Bella D ..the leader of the pack so far . Tremendous in the F minor but then so are the relatively unexcerpted Perahia and Zimmerman. This F minor really is the ultimate test.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Ah so Zimmerman WINS the palm but we haven’t heard much from him - with Cortot the historic choice. Can’t argue with that .

[Goon525]

We had three Zimmerman excerpts, quite lengthy ones and as many as anyone. Seemed a fair result to me, given the usual problem these days of many distinguished versions not even getting a mention.

[silvestrione]

Ah so Zimmerman WINS the palm but we haven’t heard much from him - with Cortot the historic choice. Can’t argue with that .

That opening extract from Zimmerman made me decide he was going to 'win', from the start! But Bella Davinovich played especially beautifully, though we didn't hear her in any stormy passages. Rubinstein was...'magisterial', I'd say, as well as aristocratic.

(I was really enjoying the poise and nobility of the Arrau, and was disappointed it was then immediately 'dissed'! By both of them)

[vinteuil]

... it's a single M in Zimerman -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krystian_Zimerman

.

[Goon525]

Of course it is. Apologies.

[Sir Velo]

Who is this Zimmerman fellow? I think we should be told.

Nelson Goerner on a Pleyel does everything in these pieces that I want to hear. Taking a modern Steinway to Chopin is like driving a Ferrari through the streets of Siena.

[Goon525]

On Palio day?

[edashtav]

We had three Zimmerman excerpts, quite lengthy ones and as many as anyone. Seemed a fair result to me, given the usual problem these days of many distinguished versions not even getting a mention.

Although Zimerman looks ready for a Zimmer frame , he has yet to reach three score and ten. His interpretation has reigned virtually unchallenged on BaL. My word was Vasary wayward, Cortot was a necessary restorative tonic!
I loved the Richter: warts and all.
I've heard the 4 Ballades live on several occasions but I've never owned a copy. I'm not rushing to buy one but await the second coming of Richter along with his celestial piano and a saintly band of engineers.

[Ein Heldenleben]

We had three Zimmerman excerpts, quite lengthy ones and as many as anyone. Seemed a fair result to me, given the usual problem these days of many distinguished versions not even getting a mention.

I must have missed one . To be honest I thought the end of his F minor was a bit lumpy esp the notorious 4 against 3 section of minor chromatic thirds . It sounded a bit of a mess - you have discern some pulse there .

Postscript .
Just listened to the whole Zimerman F minor again as I remember it being fabulous. The piano sound on Radio 3 FM was pretty inadequate to be honest. It’s glorious playing and those “messy” thirds sound fine in CD quality. His pedalling is little short of miraculous. So good I had to listen to the Bacarolle that follows.