Chopin

Chopin

Chopin
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CD Details

Composer: Frederic Chopin
Conductor: Eliahu Inbal
Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Performer: Claudio Arrau
Edition: Music CD
Format: Box set
CD Release Date: 2001-10-09
Music Label: Philips
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
  1. Prlds, Op.28: No.1 in C
  2. Prlds, Op.28: No.2 in a
  3. Prlds, Op.28: No.3 in G
  4. Prlds, Op.28: No.4 in e
  5. Prlds, Op.28: No.5 in D
  6. Prlds, Op.28: No.6 in b
  7. Prlds, Op.28: No.7 in A
  8. Prlds, Op.28: No.8 in f#
  9. Prlds, Op.28: No.9 in E
  10. Prlds, Op.28: No.10 in c#
  11. Prlds, Op.28: No.11 in B
  12. Prlds, Op.28: No.12 in g#
  13. Prlds, Op.28: No.13 in F#
  14. Prlds, Op.28: No.14 in e flat
  15. Prlds, Op.28: No.15 in D flat
  16. Prlds, Op.28: No.16 in b flat
  17. Prlds, Op.28: No.17 in A flat
  18. Prlds, Op.28: No.18 in f
  19. Prlds, Op.28: No.19 in E flat
  20. Prlds, Op.28: No.20 in c
  21. Prlds, Op.28: No.21 in B flat
  22. Prlds, Op.28: No.22 in g
  23. Prlds, Op.28: No.23 in F
  24. Prlds, Op.28: No.24 in d
  25. Prld No.25 in c#, Op.45
  26. Prld No.26 in A flat, Op. Posth.
  27. Impromptus: No.1 in A flat, Op.29
  28. Impromptus: No.2 in F#, Op.36
  29. Impromptus: No.3 in G flat, Op.51
  30. Impromptus: No.4 in c#, Op.66 'Fant-Impromptu'
Music CD 2
  1. Waltzes: No.1 in E flat, op.18 'Grande Valse Brillante'
  2. Waltzes: No.2 in A flat, Op.34 No.1 'Valse Brillante'
  3. Waltzes: No.3 in a, Op.34 No.2
  4. Waltzes: No.4 in F, Op.34 No.3 'Valse Brillante'
  5. Waltzes: No.5 in A flat, Op.42 'Grande Valse'
  6. Waltzes: No.6 in D flat, Op.64 No.1 'Minute'
  7. Waltzes: No.7 in c#, Op.64 No.2
  8. Waltzes: No.8 in A flat, Op.64 No.3
  9. Waltzes: No.9 in A flat, Op.69 No.1 'Valse De L'adieu'
  10. Waltzes: No.10 in b, Op.69 No.2
  11. Waltzes: No.11 in G flat, Op.70 No.1
  12. Waltzes: No.12 in f/A flat, Op.70 No.2
  13. Waltzes: No.13 in D flat, Op.70 No.3
  14. Waltzes: No.14 in e, Op. Posth.
  15. Waltzes: No.16 in A flat, Op. Posth.
  16. Waltzes: No.15 in E, Op. Posth.
  17. Waltzes: No.19 in a, Op. Posth
  18. Waltzes: No.18 in E flat, op. Posth.
  19. Waltzes: No.17 in E flat, op. Posth
Music CD 3
  1. Ballades: No.1 in g, Op.23
  2. Ballades: No.2 in F, Op.38
  3. Ballades: No.3 in A flat, Op.47
  4. Ballades: No.4 in f, Op.52
  5. Barcarolle in F#, Op.60
  6. Fant in f, Op.49
Music CD 4
  1. Scherzos: No.1 in b, Op.20
  2. Scherzos: No.2 in b flat, Op.31
  3. Scherzos: No.3 in c#, Op.39
  4. Scherzos: No.4 in E, Op.54
  5. Polonaise No.7 in A flat, Op.61 'Polonaise-Fant'
Music CD 5
  1. Nocturnes: No.1 in b flat, Op.9 No.1
  2. Nocturnes: No.2 in E flat, Op.9 No.2
  3. Nocturnes: No.3 in B, Op.9 No.3
  4. Nocturnes: No.4 in F, Op.15 No.1
  5. Nocturnes: No.5 in F#, Op.15 No.2
  6. Nocturnes: No.6 in g, Op.15 No.3
  7. Nocturnes: No.7 in c#, Op.27 No.1
  8. Nocturnes: No.8 in D flat, Op.27 No.2
  9. Nocturnes: No.9 in B, Op.32 No.1
  10. Nocturnes: No.10 in A flat, Op.32 No.2
  11. Nocturnes: No.11 in g, Op.37 No.1
Music CD 6
  1. Nocturnes: No.12 in G, op.37 No.2
  2. Nocturnes: No.13 in c, Op.48 No.1
  3. Nocturnes: No.14 in f#, Op.48 No.2
  4. Nocturnes: No.15 in f, Op.55 No.1
  5. Nocturnes: No.16 in E flat, Op.55 No.2
  6. Nocturnes: No.17 in B, Op.62 No.1
  7. Nocturnes: No.18 in E, Op.62 No.2
  8. Nocturnes: No.19 in e, Op.72 No.1
  9. Nocturnes: No.20 in c#, Op. Posth.
  10. Nocturnes: No.21 in c, Op. Posth.
Music CD 7
  1. Pno Con No.1 in e, Op.11: I. Allegro Maestoso
  2. Pno Con No.1 in e, Op.11: II. Romance: Larghetto
  3. Pno Con No.1 in e, Op.11: III. Rondo: Vivace
  4. Pno Con No.2 in f, Op.21: I. Maestoso
  5. Pno Con No.2 in f, Op.21: II. Larghetto
  6. Pno Con No.2 in f, Op.21: III. Allegro Vivace

Music reviews of Chopin

Music Review: Consummate Artistry
Rating: 5 Stars

This box, featuring the consummate artistry of Claudio Arrau in Chopin, is an extraordinary bargain. Though it is missing too many essential Chopin works to stand as a "basic library edition"--there are no Mazurkas, no Polonaises (except for the op. 61 Fantaisie) and no Sonatas, for instance--this collection is mandatory listening for admirers of the pianist and would make an excellent introduction to the composer for any aspiring pianist. For Arrau was indeed a master of his craft. His exquisite control of tone and timbre, his sense of dramatic timing, his effortless fluency, his dedicated and intelligent musicianship, all conspire to make one fall in love anew with this thrice-familiar music.

The Scherzi, Impromptus and Ballades have rearely sounded less effortful and more alluring. Arrau conveys the heroic and sometimes harrowing narrative structures of these pieces better than Horowitz, Richter, Michelangeli and a host of other prominent pianists.

Arrrau's Preludes, Waltzes and Nocturnes may be more controversial. As many critics have opined, this pianist's rubato as well as his agogic stresses and hesitations can sound either revelatory or arbitrary depending on one's tastes and mood. For me, Arrau conveys the pathos of the music so splendidly that I am willing to forgive the touch of heaviness (or heaviness of touch) in some Waltzes and Preludes, as well as a tendency to linger overmuch in some Nocturnes.

The two Concertos are probably the least satisfying performances in the collection. Arrau seems too cautious in these youthful works; one wants more sparkle, more abandon. And Inbal's dogged and didactic accompaniments won't convince you that Chopin was a budding symphonic composer *malgré lui*. On the other hand the "Polonaise-Fantaisie" opus 61 receives one of the greatest performances of the work ever recorded. The same can be said for the stunning account of the Fantasia op. 49, which conveys a uniquely compelling sense of narrative. These are the selections I would play for anyone who entertains doubts about Arrau's credentials as a Chopin interpreter. Arrau penetrates more deeply beyond the surface beauties of these works than most rivals, including Rubinstein.

In the end, then, one shouldn't make too much of Arrau's idosyncrasies. Every pianophile should hear these performances, which convey such effortless virtuosity and such authentic involvment with the music that Arrau's distinctive interpretive gestures scarcely obrtude, and one can even forgive Inbal for making the long ritornelli in the two concertos seem interminable. Not only is the price right, but the remastering is splendid, correcting some of the tubbiness that afflicted the original LPs (and earlier CD incarnations) and bringing this great artist right into one's listening space.

Don't miss this opportunity to renew your acquaintence with, or get to know for the first time, one of the musical giants of the previous century.
More Chopin free music reviews:
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