BaL 24.09.16 - Chopin: Piano Concerto no. 1 in E minor

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

9.30
Building a Library: Sara Mohr-Pietsch comes up with a personal recommendation for Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor from among the huge number of available versions. These include some of the greatest pianistic names of the past century including Paderewski, Rubinstein and Gilels to those of today, not forgetting those played on instruments of the kind played by the composer himself.

Available versions:

Geza Anda, SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg,
Geza Anda, Philharmonia Orchestra, Alceo Galliera
Martha Argerich, London Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado (CD & Vinyl)
Martha Argerich, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Charles Dutoit
Martha Argerich, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Jacek Kaspszyk
Martha Argerich, Sinfonia Varsovia, Grzegorz Nowak (download)
Martha Argerich, Warsaw National Philharmonic, Witold Rowicki
Claudio Arrau, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Eliahu Inbal
Claudio Arrau, Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester, Otto Klemperer
Leonora Armellini, Sinfonia Varsovia, Jacek Kaspszyk
Stefan Askenase, The Hague Philharmonic Orchestra, Willem van Otterloo (download)
Emanuel Ax, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Sir Charles Mackerras (download)
Emanuel Ax, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy (download)
Yulianna Avdeeva, Orchestra of the 18th Century, Frans Bruggen
Yulianna Avdeeva, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Gina Bachauer, London Symphony Orchestra, Antal Dorati
Paul Badura-Skoda, Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Artur Rodzinski (download)
Daniel Barenboim, Staatskapelle Berlin, Andris Nelsons
Daniel Barenboim, Staatskapelle Berlin, Andris Nelsons (DVD/Blu-ray))
Boris Berezovsky, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, John Nelson
Idil Biret, Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Kosice, Robert Stankovsky
Rafal Blechacz, Concertgebouw Orchestra, Jerzy Semko
Rafal Blechacz, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Jorge Bolet, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Charles Dutoit
Evgeni Bozhanov, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Alexander Brailowsky, Berliner Philharmoniker, Julius Pruwer (download)
Stanislav Bunin, Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra, Tadeusz Strugala (download)
Sa Chen, Gulbenkian Orchestra, Lisbon, Lawrence Foster
Shura Cherkassky, BBC Scottish SO, Christopher Adey
Seong-Jin Cho, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Jacek Kaspszyk
Dino Ciani
Van Cliburn, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy (download)
Sequeira Costa, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Gilbert Varga
György Cziffra, Orchestre National de France, György Cziffra Jr (download)
Bella Davidovich, London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Neville Marriner (download)
Robert DeGaetano, Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, John Yaffe (download)
Nikolai Demidenko, Philharmonia Orchestra, Heinrich Schiff
Nikolai Demidenko, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit (DVD/Blu-ray)
Marek Drewnowski, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra of Katowice, Antoni Wit (download)
François-René Duchâble, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Michel Plasson
François Dumont, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Akiko Ebi, Orchestra of the 18th Century, Frans Brüggen
Sandor Falvai Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Andras Korodi (download)
Janina Fialkowska, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Bramwell Tovey
Annie Fischer, Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Peter Mura (DVD)
Ingrid Fliter, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Jun Märkl
Samson François, Orchestre National de l’Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Louis Frémaux
Nelson Freire, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Reinhard Peters
Lukas Geniusas, Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, Wojciech Rajski
Lukas Geniušas, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Paolo Giacometti, Rotterdam Young Philharmonic Orchestra, Arie van Beck
Emil Gilels, Orchestra Sinfonica Di Milano della RAI, Franco Caracciolo
Emil Gilels, Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy
Gary Graffman, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch
Adam Harasiewicz, Wiener Symphoniker, Heinrich Hollreiser
Fujiko Hemming, The Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Yuri Simonov (download)
Ian Hobson, Sinfonia Varsovia (download)
Josef Hofmann, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Hamilton Harty
Olga Kern, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit (download)
Evgeny Kissin, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Dmitri Kitayenko
Evgeny Kissin, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta (DVD/Blu-ray)
Jacek Kortus, Warsaw Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Pawel Kowalski, Chopin Academia Orchestra, Tadeusz Wojciechowski (download)
Michie Koyama, Sinfonia Varsovia, Jacek Kaspszyk
Ewa Kupiec, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Christopher Seaman
Ewa Kupiec, Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski
Lang Lang, Wiener Philharmoniker, Zubin Mehta
Elisabeth Leonskaja, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy
Yundi Li, Philharmonia Orchestra, Andrew Davis
Dong Min Lim, Warsaw Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Dinu Lipatti, Tonhalle Orchester Zürich, Otto Ackermann
Ekaterina Litvintseva, Klassische Philharmonie Bonn, Heribert Beissel
Andrea Lucchesini, Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Rico Saccani (download)
Nikolai Lugansky, Sinfonia Varsovia, Alexander Vedernikov
Anna Malikova, Torino Philharmony, Julian Kovatchev
Oleg Marshev, South Denmark Philharmonic, David Porcelijn
Stéphane De May, Slovak Sinfonietta, Jean-Bernard Pommier
Janne Mertanen, Joensuu City Orchestra, Hannu Koivula (download)
Olli Mustonen, San Francisco Symphony, Herbert Blomstedt
Eldar Nebolsin, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit (CD & Blu-ray audio)
Heinrich Neuhaus, Moscow Radio Orchestra, Alexander Gauk
Guiomar Novaes, Pro Musica Orchester Wien, Hans Swarowsky
Garrick Ohlsson, Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra, Jerzy Maksymiuk (download)
Garrick Ohlsson, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Kazimierz Kord
Garrick Ohlsson, Warsaw Philharmonic, Antoni Wit (DVD/Blu-ray)
Janusz Olejniczak, Sinfonia Varsovia, Grzegorz Nowak
Paderewski ?
Kun-Woo Paik, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Soo Park, Mathieu Dupouy
Murray Perahia, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta
Murray Perahia, New York Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta (download)
Maria João Pires, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Emmanuel Krivine
Maria João Pires, Orchestre National de l'Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Armin Jordans
Maria João Pires, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Andre Previn
Maurizio Pollini, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Jerzy Katlewicz
Maurizio Pollini, Philharmonia Orchestra, Paul Kletzki
Maurizio Pollini, Orchestre National de Paris, Paul Kletzki
Menahem Pressler, Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Vassily Primakov, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Paul Mann
Moriz Rosenthal, Berlin State Opera Orchestra, Frieder Weissmann (download)
Arthur Rubinstein, London Symphony Orchestra, John Barbirolli (download)
Arthur Rubinstein, New Symphony Orchestra of London, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski
Arthur Rubinstein, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Alfred Wallenstein
Arthur Rubinstein, Symphony of the Air, Alfred Wallenstein
Annerose Schmidt, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Kurt Masur (download)
Tatiana Shebanova, The Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra, Tadeusz Wojciechowsk
Abbey Simon, Hamburger Symphoniker, Heribert Beissel
Jan Simon, Prague Philharmonia, Jirí Belohlávek
Grigory Sokolov, Münchner Philharmoniker, Witold Rowicki
Jeffrey Swann
Istvan Szekely, Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Gyula Nemeth
Martino Tirimo,
Philharmonia Orchestra, Fedor Glushenko
Daniil Trifonov,
Fou Ts'ong, Sinfonia Varsovia, Muhai Tang
Nobuyuki Tsujii, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, James Conlon (download)
Dinorah Varsi
Tamás Vásáry, Berliner Philharmoniker, Jerzy Semkow
Franz Vorraber, Castle Chamber Orchestra (download)
Alexis Weissenberg, Orchestre de la Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski
Roger Woodward, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Werner Andreas Albert
Ingolf Wunder, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy
Ingolf Wunder, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Takashi Yamamoto, Warsaw Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit
William Youn, Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, Friedemann Riehle
Christian Zacharias, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne
Krystian Zimerman, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Carlo Maria Giulini
Krystian Zimerman, Polish Festival Orchestra


Orchestrated by Balakirev:

Friedrich Gulda, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult
Victor Sangiorgio, Royal Northern Sinfonia


Transcribed for Piano and String Quartet

Tamami Honma, Vilnius String Quartet
Jean-Marc Luisada & Talich Quartet
Piotr Paleczny

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Spot the artist whose name appears more times than any other.

Incidentally, I haven't been able to trace a Paderewski recording, despite the not-always-reliable BBC website. . .

[vinteuil]

Dang Thai Son with the Orchestra of the 18th century, Bruggen.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0027OSS60

Much prefer Chopin solo piano to his concertos, but this is a good version. An 1848 Pleyel, I think. Much preferable to the heavy-handed Ax [1851 Erard]/OAE/Mackerras, which is the only other HIPP performance I know.




.

[MickyD]

Yes, I agree, Vints...though I do have one HIP performance which pre-dates both of those - that of the late Christopher Kite and the Hanover Band on Nimbus. He plays an 1848 Broadwood grand upon which Chopin himself played in that year.

[vinteuil]

Yes, I agree, Vints...though I do have one HIP performance which pre-dates both of those - that of the late Christopher Kite and the Hanover Band on Nimbus. He plays an 1848 Broadwood grand upon which Chopin himself played in that year.

... ordered! At 39p + p&p surely it'll be worth it?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00000E0A4

[Tony Halstead]

Spot the artist whose name appears more times than any other.

Incidentally, I haven't been able to trace a Paderewski recording, despite the not-always-reliable BBC website. . .

Martha Argerich

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Martha Argerich

No. That would have been too easy.

[mikealdren]

What about the Halina Czerny-Stefańska that was long attributed to Dinu Lipatti, is it still available?

[mikealdren]

Just noticed that the list is actually longer that the 4 seasons!!!!

[Colonel Danby]

Micky, I too have the recording with Christopher Kite and the Hanover Band under Roy Goodman, and it's sterling work, as I'm a period instrument groupie which will take no prisoners (Nimbus NI 5291).

I still seek the Chopin Second Concerto on original forces, with Manny Ax doing the honours on Sony Classical. Any cheap offers?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Just noticed that the list is actually longer that the 4 seasons!!!!

It isn't. That one was so long that it spilt over on to post 2. Maybe you forgot to count that one?

[MickyD]

... ordered! At 39p + p&p surely it'll be worth it?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00000E0A4

Yes indeed it is, Vints...a lovely recording and the Broadwood sounds exquisite. You also get the Weber Konzertstuck on an earlier Haschka instrument.

[MickyD]

Micky, I too have the recording with Christopher Kite and the Hanover Band under Roy Goodman, and it's sterling work, as I'm a period instrument groupie which will take no prisoners (Nimbus NI 5291).

I still seek the Chopin Second Concerto on original forces, with Manny Ax doing the honours on Sony Classical. Any cheap offers?

If you get the excellent one from Frans Bruggen, mentioned above by Vinteuil:

Dang Thai Son with the Orchestra of the 18th century, Bruggen.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0027OSS60 - then you will get both concertos on one disc. Glad you are also a fan of the Kite/Hanover Band disc...I think it is beautifully done.

[Tony Halstead]

Spot the artist whose name appears more times than any other.

Incidentally, I haven't been able to trace a Paderewski recording, despite the not-always-reliable BBC website. . .

ANTONI WIT, conductor!

[Padraig]

I bought Concertos 1 and 2 in 1999, an anniversary CD by Krystian Zimerman and his Polish Festival Orchestra. I liked his attitude in a radio interview at the time which influenced my purchase. Unfortunately this is one of those discs that never got out of the cellophane wrapping. I hope it has aged well.