BaL 18.03.23 - Chopin: Piano Concerto no. 2 in F minor

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

10.30 a.m.
Kenneth Hamilton reviews recordings of Chopin's Piano Concerto no. 2.

Available versions:-


Mee-Hyun Ahn, Moscow Orchestra, Mikael Avetisyan
Martha Argerich, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Charles Dutoit
Martha Argerich, North German Radio Orchestra, Václav Neumann
Martha Argerich, National Symphony Orchestra Washington, Mstislav Rostropovich
Martha Argerich, Detroit Symphony, Klaus Tennstedt
Claudio Arrau, New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Busch
Claudio Arrau, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Eliahu Inbal
Claudio Arrau, Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Massimo Pradella
Claudio Arrau, New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, George Szell
Vladimir Ashkenazy, Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra, Zdzislaw Gorzynski
Vladimir Ashkenazy, London Symphony Orchestra, David Zinman
Stefan Askenase, Berliner Philharmoniker, Leopold Ludwig *
Yulianna Avdeeva, Orchestra of the 18th Century, Frans Bruggen
Emanuel Ax, Berliner Philharmoniker, Bernard Haitink (DVD)
Emanuel Ax, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Sir Charles Mackerras
Emanuel Ax, Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy *
Emanuel Ax, New York Philharmonic, David Robertson *
Gina Bachauer, London Symphony Orchestra, Antal Dorati
Paul Badura-Skoda, Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Artur Rodzinski *
Ellen Ballon, London Symphony Orchestra, Ernest Ansermet
Adolfo Barabino, London Symphony Orchestra, Lee Reynolds (DVD)
Daniel Barenboim, Staatskapelle Berlin, Andris Nelsons
Adolfo Barabino, London Symphony Orchestra, Lee Reynolds
Elena Bekman-Shcherbina, All Union State Radio Symphony Orchestra, Nikolai Anosov *
Boris Berezovsky, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, John Nelson *
Idil Biret, Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Kos�ice, Robert Stankovsky
Rafal Blechacz, Concertgebouw Orchestra, Jerzy Semko
Felicja Blumental, Innsbruck Symphony Orchestra, Robert Wagner
Jorge Bolet, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Charles Dutoit
Alexander Brailowsky, William Steinberg, Charles Munch *
Khatia Buniatishvili, Orchestre de Paris, Paavo Järvi
Ricardo Castro, Sinfonia Varsovia, Volker Schmidt-Gertenbach *
Sa Chen, Gulbenkian Orchestra, Lisbon, Lawrence Foster *
Shura Cherkassky, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Richard Hickox
Shura Cherkassky, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Rudolf Kempe *
Seong-Jin Cho, London Symphony Orchestra, Gianandrea Noseda
Alfred Cortot, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli
Bella Davidovich, London Symphony Orchestra, Neville Marriner
Nikolai Demidenko, Philharmonia Orchestra, Heinrich Schiff *
Emmanuel Despax (piano), Chineke! Chamber Ensemble
Marek Drewnowski, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra of Katowice, Antoni Wit *
Akiko Ebi, Orchestra of the 18th Century, Frans Brüggen
François-René Duchâble, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Michel Plasson
Sandor Falvai, Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Andras Korodi *
Gábor Farkas, Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Tamás Vásáry*
Laure Favre-Kahn, Orchestre de Bretagne, Grzegorz Nowak *
Janina Fialkowska, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Bramwell Tovey *
Ingrid Fliter, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Jun Märkl (SACD)
Samson François, L’Orchestre National de l’Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Louis Frémaux
Samson François, Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française, Paul Kletzki *
Nelson Freire, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, Lionel Bringuier *
Nelson Freire, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Lionel Bringuier (DVD/Blu-ray)
Ashley Fripp, KUR - Kammerorchester der Universität Regensburg, Graham Buckland *
Alexander Gadjiev, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
Martín García
Paolo Giacometti, Rotterdam Young Philharmonic, Arie van Beek
Reine Gianoli, Orchestre Du Sudwestfunk Baden Baden, Georges Sebastian *
Benjamin Grosvenor, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Elim Chan
Lidia Grychtolowna, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Kazimierz Kord
Youra Guller, Orchestre National de France, Désiré-Emile Inghelbrecht *
Adam Harasiewicz, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Kazimierz Kord
Clara Haskil, Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, Rafael Kubelik *
Clara Haskil, Orchestre Lamoureux, Igor Markevitch *
Ian Hobson, Sinfonia Varsovia *
Josef Hofmann, New York Philharmonic, Sir John Barbirolli
Josef Hofmann, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Hamilton Harty
Eugen Indjic, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Kazimierz Kord *
Eugene Istomin, Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy *
Julian von Károlyi, RIAS-Symphonie-Orchester, Leo Blech *
Cyprien Katsaris, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Edvard Tchivzhel *
Evgeny Kissin, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit (DVD/Blu-ray)
Raoul von Koczalski, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Sergiu Celibidache
Mari Kodama, Russian National Orchestra, Kent Nagano *
Pawel Kowalski, Chopin Academia Orchestra, Tadeusz Wojciechowski *
Michie Koyama, Sinfonia Varsovia, Jacek Kaspszyk
Krzysztof Ksiazek
Ewa Kupiec, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Sebastian Lang-Lessing *
Ewa Kupiec, Saarbrucken Radio Symphony Orchestra, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski
Martin Labazevitch, Beethoven Academy Orchestra, Ewa Strusinska
Lang Lang, Wiener Philharmoniker, Zubin Mehta
Alicia de Larrocha, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Sergiu Comissiona *
Cecile Licad, London Philharmonic Orchestra, André Previn *
Arthur Moreira Lima, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Witold Rowicki
Ekaterina Litvintseva, Klassische Philharmonie Bonn, Heribert Beissel
Marguerite Long, Paris Conservatoire Orchestra, André Cluytens
Alexander Lonquich, Orchestre des Champs-Élysees, Philippe Herreweghe
Louis Lortie, Philharmonic Orchestra, Neeme Järvi
Andrea Lucchesini, Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Rico Saccani *
Nikolai Lugansky, Krasnoyarsk Academic Symphony Orchestra, Ivan Shpiller *
Nikolai Lugansky, Sinfonia Varsovia, Alexander Vedernikov *
Aleksander Madzar, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Dmitri Kitaenko *
Nikita Magaloff, SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg, Hans Rosbaud
Oleg Marshev, South Denmark Philharmonic, David Porcelijn
Gabriela Martinez, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Dirk Brosse *
Stéphane De May, Slovak Sinfonietta, Jean-Bernard Pommier
Janne Mertanen, Joensuu City Orchestra, Hannu Koivula
Eldar Nebolsin, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Eldar Nebolsin, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit (DVD/Blu-ray)
Szymon Nehring, Sinfonietta Cracovia, Jurek Dybal *
Guiomar Novaes, Wiener Symphoniker,Otto Klemperer (SACD)
Guiomar Novaes, New York Philharmonic, George Szell
Lev Oborin, All-Union Radio Symphony Orchestra, Nikolai Anosov *
Garrick Ohlsson, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Kazimierz Kord
Janusz Olejniczak, Sinfonia Varsovia, Grzegorz Nowak
Cécile Ousset, National Orchestra of Belgium, Franz André *
Louis Page *
Kun-Woo Paik, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit *
Soo Park, Mathieu Dupouy *
Murray Perahia, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta
Maria João Pires, Orchestre National de l’Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Armin Jordan
Maria João Pires, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, André Previn
Maria João Pires, Sinfonia Varsovia, Christopher Warren-Green
Marián Pivka, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Oliver von Dohnányi *
Marian Pivka, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pe�ek *
Ivo Pogorelich, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
Menahem Pressler, Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Hans Swarowsky
Vassily Primakov, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Paul Mann
Charles Richard-Hamelin, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Kent Nagano
Sviatoslav Richter, USSR State Academic Symphony Orchestra, Evgeny Svetlanov *
Bruno Rigutto, Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Erich Bergel *
Bruno Rigutto, Grand Orchestre de Radio-Télé Luxembourg, Louis de Froment *
Charles Rosen, New Philharmonia Orchestra, John Pritchard *
Arthur Rubinstein, London Symphony Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli *
Arthur Rubinstein, Philharmonia Orchestra, Carlo Maria Giulini *
Arthur Rubinstein, Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy *
Arthur Rubinstein, London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn (DVD)
Arthur Rubinstein, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Witold Rowicki *
Arthur Rubinstein, New Symphony Orchestra of London, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski
Arthur Rubinstein, Symphony of the Air, Alfred Wallenstein
Lise de la Salle, Dresden Staatskapelle, Fabio Luisi *
Gabriele dal Santo, Ensemble Musagète
Tatiana Shebanova, Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra, Marcin Nalecz-Niesiolowski *
Olga Scheps, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Matthias Foremny *
András Schiff, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Antal Doráti
Annerose Schmidt, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Kurt Masur *
Reine Gianoli, Orchestre Du Sudwestfunk Baden Baden, Georges Sebastian *
Abbey Simon, Hamburger Symphoniker, Heribert Beissel
Jan Simon, Prague Philharmonia, Jirí Belohlávek
Bianca Sitzius, Poland Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra,
Elizabeth Sombart, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Pierre Vallet *
SoRyang, Deutsche Streicherphilharmonie, Wolfgang Hentrich
Istvan Szekely, Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Gyula Nemeth
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Valery Gergiev *
Martino Tirimo, Philharmonia Orchestra, Fedor Glushenko
Nikolai Tokarev, Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, Olari Elts *
Daniil Trifonov, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Mikhail Pletnev *
Fou Ts’ong, London Symphony Orchestra, Peter Maag
Fou Ts’ong, Sinfonia Varsovia, Muhai Tang
Tamás Vásáry, Berliner Philharmoniker, Janos Kulka *
Pawel Wakarecy, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Antoni Wit
André Watts, New York Philharmonic, Thomas Schippers *
Alexis Weissenberg, Paris Conservatoire Orchestra,Stanislaw Skrowaczewski *
Ingolf Wunder, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra,Jacek Kaspszyk *
William Youn, Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, Friedemann Riehle *
Yundi, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
Christian Zacharias, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne
Krystian Zimerman, Polish Festival Orchestra
Krystian Zimerman, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Carlo Maria Giulini

[Alison]

Ben Grosvenor to win.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Ben Grosvenor to win.

Please could you lend me your Tardis sometime...

[Bryn]

https://sklep.nifc.pl/?produkt=2_132&jezyk=eng

and

[ahinton]

Not a whole lot of choice, is there?(!)...

[smittims]

I think the Cortot/Barbirolli should be London Symphony Orchestra, not 'Philharmonic'. At the time it was on the labels as 'The Symphony Orchestra' the usual name for the LSO when it was moonlighting on another label at a time when it was under contract elsewhere (in this case Decca). The LPO was an EMI orchestra at that time so no pseudonym was necessary.

This is pure trivia, of course. I'd be lost trying to choose one version. It's not as if it's a tricky work which suits only a few pianists, and there's really no 'classic' recording to hark back to.

[vinteuil]

.

... I enjoy the chamber versions :

Fumiko Shiraga with the Yggdrasil Quartet

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chopin-Piano-Concertos-Chamber-Version/dp/B0000264QJ

and particularly David Lively [1836 Érard] with the quatuor Cambini-Paris

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chopin-Concertos-Piano-String-Quintet/dp/B07NRFVBNY

.

[Padraig]

.

... I enjoy the chamber versions :

I have the version with Krystian Zimerman and The Polish Festival Orchestra, which I bought about 20 years ago after hearing him interviewed on the radio. The CD is still in its sellophane wrapping. Now would be a good time to listen.

[MickyD]

https://sklep.nifc.pl/?produkt=2_132&jezyk=eng

and

By my reckoning, that makes three different recordings of the concerto with the Orchestra of the 18th century on this label! Can't remember which one is included in The Real Chopin box set.
Another nice HIPP one is Emanuel Ax and the OAE.

[Wolfram]

I have the version with Krystian Zimerman and The Polish Festival Orchestra, which I bought about 20 years ago after hearing him interviewed on the radio. The CD is still in its sellophane wrapping. Now would be a good time to listen.

I would definately unwrap it and give it a spin. I bought when it was first released for the Chopin anniversary; I remember it being well received at first only to subsequentally come in for criticism for being too slow. It is quite leisurely, but I played it again quite recently and warmed to it a lot. I prefer it to the two other versions I have, Pires, who I now find a bit plain, and Rubenstein, who plays beautifully, but goes the other way and gives it the full 'Hollywood' treatment. The opening is quite stormy and Zimerman, who conducts as well, gives the music its full value here bringing Brahms to mind. Interesting to hear what others think.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

.

... I enjoy the chamber versions :

Fumiko Shiraga with the Yggdrasil Quartet

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chopin-Piano-Concertos-Chamber-Version/dp/B0000264QJ

and particularly David Lively [1836 Érard] with the quatuor Cambini-Paris

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chopin-Concertos-Piano-String-Quintet/dp/B07NRFVBNY

.

I did actually include some chamber versions in the list, but that meant there were more than the maximum 10,000 characters in the post. Something had to go.

[CallMePaul]

Intersting to note the use of an Érard on several period versions, when Chopin's preference was for his rival Pleyel. He gave several recitals at the Salle Pleyel in Paris and had one sent to Mallorca for his use there. I have the Avdeeva version but as it is not with me I cannot check what instrument she plays (I will check next week and post if no-one beats me to it!).

[richardfinegold]

I listen to a lot of Chopin, but the PCs with their Orchestra obligatto parts don’t do much for me. I have Rubinstein/Wallenstein and that’s enough for me.

[MickyD]

Intersting to note the use of an Érard on several period versions, when Chopin's preference was for his rival Pleyel. He gave several recitals at the Salle Pleyel in Paris and had one sent to Mallorca for his use there. I have the Avdeeva version but as it is not with me I cannot check what instrument she plays (I will check next week and post if no-one beats me to it!).

Well, if you have the Real Chopin box set, the concerto is played by Dang Thai Son on an 1849 Pleyel.
When I went to Mallorca, the Pleyel instrument on display was an 1838 pianino, a sort of upright. I bought a CD of it there recorded by Aya Okuyama, which has since vanished from the catalogue. A shame as it is beautifully played and recorded, giving us a good idea of the domestic sound of the salons of the time.

[Bryn]

Well, if you have the Real Chopin box set, the concerto is played by Dang Thai Son on an 1849 Pleyel.
When I went to Mallorca, the Pleyel instrument on display was an 1838 pianino, a sort of upright. I bought a CD of it there recorded by Aya Okuyama, which has since vanished from the catalogue. A shame as it is beautifully played and recorded, giving us a good idea of the domestic sound of the salons of the time.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8506603--un-hiver-a-majorque

Also available from QOBUZ in 48/24.