BaL 29.06.24 - Chopin: Ballades

[gradus]

Shame Vasary got a pasting, I got to know the pieces thanks to him and can't say that his wayward way with the second ever disturbed my enjoyment.
I've heard Zimerman live and he is tremendous and his recording sounds a worthy winner but as KH almost said, its personal taste that counts.

[Ein Heldenleben]

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.

It sounds like an intensely pleasant sensual experience to be honest .

[Retune]

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

Highway 61 Revisited is worth checking out!

The other guy a very good (and not surprising) choice for the Ballades. Time to give his versions a spin. I have them in a couple of boxes, including the excellent DG Complete Chopin edition, which has a bunch of other top tier recordings (Pires Nocturnes, Pollini Etudes and Polonaises, Ashkenazy Waltzes and Mazurkas, and Zimerman's Piano Concertos, etc.). This set must still be in print because it doesn't go for silly money yet.

[silvestrione]

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.

There are two DG recordings of Richter in Ballades, one of the 3rd, and one of the 4th. I think they are also live, but in better sound with better piano. I am assuming what we heard were the live ones on Praga.

[mikealdren]

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.

Interesting, the sound on 'Sounds' was really good, it instantly caught my attention and I'll be buying it. Like others, I find Perahia bland in these works.

[silvestrione]

Interesting, the sound on 'Sounds' was really good, it instantly caught my attention and I'll be buying it. Like others, I find Perahia bland in these works.

Yes, for me, the R3 on FM was marvellous sound, subtle and detailed, through my good old Creek tuner, LFD amplifier, and Ruark speakers!

[Ein Heldenleben]

Yes, for me, the R3 on FM was marvellous sound, subtle and detailed, through my good old Creek tuner, LFD amplifier, and Ruark speakers!

So many interfaces between the listener and the studio it’s perfectly possible that my FM sound off the local relay was not up to scratch or poss an atmospheric problem or even just rooks temporally perching on my FM roof antenna.
The CD sound on that Zimerman track (off Qubuz) was outstanding.

[Pulcinella]

Kenneth's choice (sic) added to original post.