Frederic Chopin: Mazurkas For Piano

On this CD:

1. Mazurka for piano in F sharp minor, Op. 6/1, CT 51
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

2. Mazurka for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 6/2, CT 52
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

3. Mazurka for piano in E major, Op. 6/3, CT 53
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

4. Mazurka for piano in E flat minor, Op. 6/4, CT 54
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

5. Mazurka for piano in B flat major, Op. 7/1, CT 56
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

6. Mazurka for piano in A minor, Op. 7/2, CT 57
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

7. Mazurka for piano in F minor, Op. 7/3, CT 58
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

8. Mazurka for piano in A flat major, Op. 7/4, CT 58
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

9. Mazurka for piano in C major, Op. 7/5, CT 59
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

10. Mazurka for piano in B flat major, Op. 17/1, CT 60
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

11. Mazurka for piano in E minor, Op. 17/2, CT 61
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

12. Mazurka for piano in A flat major, Op. 17/3, CT 63
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

13. Mazurka for piano in A minor, Op. 17/4, CT 63
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

14. Mazurka for piano in G minor, Op. 24/1, CT 64
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

15. Mazurka for piano in C major, Op. 24/2, CT 65
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

16. Mazurka for piano in A flat major, Op. 24/3, CT 66
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

17. Mazurka for piano in B flat minor, Op. 24/4, CT 67
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

18. Mazurka for piano in C minor, Op. 30/1, CT 68
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

19. Mazurka for piano in B minor, Op. 30/2, CT 69
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

20. Mazurka for piano in D flat major, Op. 30/3, CT 70
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

21. Mazurka for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 30/4, CT 71
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

22. Mazurka for piano in G sharp minor, Op. 33/1, CT 72
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

23. Mazurka for piano in D major, Op. 33/2, CT 73
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

24. Mazurka for piano in C major, Op. 33/3, CT 74
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

25. Mazurka for piano in B minor, Op. 33/4, CT 75
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

26. Mazurka for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 41/1, CT 76
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

27. Mazurka for piano in E minor, Op. 41/2, CT 74
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

28. Mazurka for piano in B major, Op. 41/3, CT 78
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

29. Mazurka for piano in A flat major, Op. 41/4, CT 79
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

30. Mazurka for piano in G major, Op. 50/1, CT 80
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

31. Mazurka for piano in A flat major, Op. 50/2, CT 81
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

32. Mazurka for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 50/3, CT 82
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

33. Mazurka for piano in B major, Op. 56/1, CT 83
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

34. Mazurka for piano in C major, Op. 56/2, CT 84
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

35. Mazurka for piano in C minor, Op. 56/3, CT 85
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

36. Mazurka for piano in A minor, Op. 59/1, CT 86
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

37. Mazurka for piano in A flat major, Op. 59/2 CT 87
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

38. Mazurka for piano in F sharp minor, Op. 59/3, CT 88
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

39. Mazurka for piano in B major, Op. 63/1, CT 89
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

40. Mazurka for piano in F minor, Op. 63/2, CT 90
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

41. Mazurka for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 63/3, CT 91
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

42. Mazurka for piano in G major, Op. 67/1, CT 92
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

43. Mazurka for piano in G minor, Op. 67/2, CT 93
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

44. Mazurka for piano in C major, Op. 67/3, CT 94
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

45. Mazurka for piano in A minor, Op. 67/4. CT 95
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

46. Mazurka for piano in C major, Op. 68/1, CT 96
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

47. Mazurka for piano in A minor, Op. 68/2, CT 97
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

48. Mazurka for piano in F major, Op. 68/3, CT 98
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

49. Mazurka for piano in F minor, Op. 68/4, CT 99
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

50. Work(s) Mazurka In A Minor
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

51. Work(s) Mazurka In A Minor
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: I. Allegro maetoso
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: II. Scherzo: Molto vivace
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: III. Largo
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: IV. Finale: Presto, non tanto
Mazurka No.36 In A Minor, Op.59 No.1
Mazurka No.37 In A-flat, Op.59 No.2
Mazurka No.38 In F-sharp Minor, Op.59 No.3
Nocturne No.4 In F, Op.15 No.1
Scherzo No.3 In C-sharp Minor, Op.39
Polonaise No.6 In A-flat, Op.53

Amazon.com's Best of 1999

Record-label politics prevented this awesome recording of Argentinean pianist Martha Argerich from being released for 34 years. The spitfire musician delivers a powerful set of Chopin's best-loved works that still sounds riveting today. Intense and gorgeous. --Jason Verlinde

Amazon.com essential recording

How can it be that a recording by one of today's indisputably unequaled pianists performing some of her prime repertory--made fresh within months of her triumph in the 1965 Warsaw International Chopin Competition--could languish for decades in the vaults before its official release? Chalk it up to the exclusivity clauses of rival recording companies and legal constraints from which not even Wotan with the help of Loge could extricate himself. Thankfully this belated EMI release--recorded in a few sessions at the Abbey Road studios--is finally available.

It's a significant complement to Argerich's other accounts of Chopin on disc. From the white-hot intensity of Argerich's way with the composer, you can easily extrapolate a sense of what had recently wowed the jury in Warsaw. The Argentinean pianist undertakes the Third Sonata as a vast, big-voiced, far-reaching statement that encompasses both molten power and moments of almost unbearably intimate lyricism (listen closely to her gestures of illumination in the Largo). With a characteristically unforced spontaneity, Argerich sounds the shattering chords that launch the finale (recorded in one take); her sense of flow in the Nocturne No. 4 is a perfect mesh for the illusion of improvising that is so central to Chopin. She commands the logic--both emotional and musical--of the composer's skittish turns in the Scherzo No. 3 and crafts three of the mazurkas into perfectly chiseled character pieces. The sheer force of Argerich's personality might seem overwhelming to those accustomed to a tamer Chopin--listen to how she dives into the A-flat Polonaise--but it's always at work dusting off tired clichés and uncovering the music's expressive wealth. For those who know about Argerich's artistry, this disc is indispensable; anyone who has yet to make that enviable discovery will find it (together with the Argerich anthology in Philips' Great Pianists series) a great place to begin. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Lost is Found, finally.......2007-07-08

This Argerich Chopin performance, recorded by EMI in 1965 while she was actually under contract to DG is formidable for an artist so early in her career. Both the artistry and sound are superb and it's a shame we fans had to wait so long for this recording to appear. These Chopin performances completely justify the competition judges decision to award her the grand prize at the 1965 Warsaw International Chopin Competition. It's a collection must have!

Martha Argerich CD.......2007-06-12

Excellent service -- speedy, just as described, well-packaged. I'd definitely buy from this seller again.

Fabulous recording.......2007-04-12

A most interesting history in the liner notes and a fabulous recording. One of the best for a piano CD collection.

Excellent.......2007-04-12

Only one word: Excellent.
Though someone might have different feeling, I'm crazy on this 1965 recording.

A restored jewel in the Argerich catalog.......2006-09-03

If I had to pick a single CD to win awed admiration for Martha Argerich, this Chopin recital would be it. Only 24 when she made these long-suppressed recordings, Argerich's musicality and dazzling technqiue defy belief. Every ounce of praise for her Third Sonata is deserved--it's spontaneous, flexible, intense, by turns tender and declamatory. The most blessed quality is that she doesn't bang or harangue us--not always the case in later years. Her sense of urgency doesn't become eckless; the bursts of excitment aren't oerly explosive.

My only caveat would be for audiophiles. Although an Abbey Road studio recording, you get the feeling somewhat that Argerich is performing in a boomy hall. Also, in the loudest fortes there's mircophone shatter. For many listeners these drawbacks won't matter a whit, not in the face of an undisputed keyboard genius.

Average customer rating:

Frederic Chopin: Scherzos & Mazurkas

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000026NW
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Scherzos: Op. 20: Presto con fuoco (B Minor)
Scherzos: Op. 31: Presto (B-Flat Minor)
Scherzos: Op. 39: Presto con fuoco (C-Sharp Minor)
Scherzos: Op. 54: Presto (E Major)
Mazurkas: Op. 6, No. 2: (C-sharp Minor)
Mazurkas: Op. 24, No. 2: Allegro ma non troppo (C Major)
Mazurkas: Op. 56, No. 3: Moderato (C Minor)
Mazurkas: Op. 59, No. 1: Moderato (A Minor)
Mazurkas: Op. 59, No. 2: Allegretto (A-Flat Major)
Mazurkas: Op. 59, No. 3: Vivace (F-Sharp Minor)

Average customer rating:

At least 16 / 19 well spent hours
Enlightening but slighly blemished
Chopin - Luisada, Jean-Marc
Chopin - Luisada, Jean-Marc
Learn, learn, learn!

Chopin: Complete Edition
Krystian Zimerman , Claudio Arrau , Stefan Askenase , Anatol Ugorski , Maurizio Pollini , Jean-Marc Luisada , and Zilberstein, Lilya
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bourees | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Ecossaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Galops | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Barcarolles | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Liszt: Piano Works
Bach: Complete Works - 155 CD Box Set
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Complete Works (170 CD Box Set)
Beethoven: The Complete Piano Sonatas & Concertos
Haydn: The Masterworks [Box Set]

ASIN: B00001X58Z
Release Date: 1999-10-12

Amazon.com

On the 150th anniversary of his death, Deutsche Grammophon released this impressive box set featuring the complete works of Frédéric Chopin. Spread out over 17 CDs, it contains some truly big-name artists--Argerich, Pollini, Barenboim, and Ashkenazy--and a few you've probably never heard of. The majority of the set's nine volumes contain some music newly produced for this undertaking, and a few items (Chopin's songs, for instance) were recorded specifically for this collection. A well-illustrated book is included--it contains an essay, dateline, and illustrations--and each volume in the set gets its own liner notes. The music? It varies from great to less than great, but most of it is worth hearing. Those accustomed to Rubinstein's readings of the Mazurkas will find those played by Jean-Marc Luisada less fluid and lacking Rubinstein's power. Chopin's songs, seldom heard and filled with elements of Polish folk dances and the less-than-stellar lyrics of the composer's friend Stefan Witwicki, get a college try here by soprano Elzbieta Szmytka. They sound as good as you'll hear anywhere (if you can find them). It probably goes without saying that Martha Argerich's rousing 26 Préludes are some of the set's more exciting moments. But, really, the entire collection is solid. It should be noted that budget label Naxos has released its own Chopin edition at less than half the price of this set. With Idil Biret as the only performer on that set, you miss out on some of the diverse performances and personalities found here. Also, to please those of us who already own favorite performances of these works, each two-CD volume in the Complete Chopin Edition can be purchased individually. Bravo. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

At least 16 / 19 well spent hours.......2004-10-11

In my opinion there is no more effective way to ruin a great musical performance than to record it in front of an audience who cannot control their coughs. The first disc starts out with a 1979 live recording of Chopin's first piano/orchestra concerto featuring pianist Krystian Zimerman and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. The performance is good, but doesn't allow the listener full concentration,--and therefore not full enjoyment--as a distracting and annoying audience can be heard coughing, sneezing, and clearing their throats even above the orchestra's playing in mezzo forte - it gets worse, of course, at dynamically quieter musical parts. Other distractions, like chairs creaking, cracking and squeaking, pages being turned probably inches away from a microphone (perhaps to give the page-turner a chance to say "Did you hear that? That was me,") and people stomping/dropping things (?) add to the incapability of the listener's full enjoyment. I've heard much worse, however, but considering that the recording technique is no older than 25 years, this is on the verge of being unacceptable. Sure - there can be a certain charm in hearing such "humanity" on a recording, especially when it's older, but I don't think many would disagree that this is a bit too much. Hearing the opening of piano/orchestra concerto no.2, and knowing that the 18+ hours of music to come aren't going to be interrupted by coughs, is a big relief. My favorite Chopin interpreter is--and might always be--Rubinstein; his playing is straight forward, he cuts to the chase quickly, yet somehow manages to leave room for sensitivity and emotion. His performances, of course--since he never recorded a note for Deutsche Grammophon,--are not included in this "complete edition," so aside from suggestions that certain waltzes are missing, that is something that makes this boxed set incomplete for me. Pollini's general interpretation of Chopin is in my opinion, as in many others', quite weak in comparison to Argerich's, Zimerman's, or the passionate playing of Daniel Barenboim. Here Pollini performs Etudes, Scherzos, Sonatas and Polonaises. At times, during the Etudes of op. 10, I feel like I'm getting more Maurizio than I am getting Fryderyk, even though the performance (especially on no.3) may invite feelings of thriving despite the performer's occasional roaring in the left channel. The Scherzos feature some troublesome factors; first and foremost the sound (of this 1990 recording) isn't at all as good as one would expect. It's far worse than several older recordings of this set - at only six seconds into the first Scherzo (op.20) one can't avoid acknowledging obvious distortion - the recording has clearly been done with too much input level. Clips noises continue throughout the grainy and dull sound picture of these pieces. Second of all, the noises Pollini makes while playing can be quite off putting. At times he sounds like a boy with a voice just breaking experiencing climax of coition, and as we all know, Chopin had a prudish aversion to overt sexuality. One reason why Pollini's performance of the Scherzos being called "troublesome" might be harsh, is that musically he handles them ok, and I'd think that's what's essential, but Deutsche Grammophon has made the odd decision of including Pollini's recording of Sonata no. 2, op.35 (a.k.a. "Funeral March") from 1984 in this set, instead of Argerich's recording from 1975. First of all, Argerich's version has clearer sound (at least on the newly refurbished "The Originals" edition...but then again, that was released in 2002,) but second of all, and more importantly, her playing is far more straight forward during the first part of the Sonata (Grave,) whereas Pollini shows too much mercy both for strong dynamics and tempo throughout. Furthermore he's on the verge of playing parts of the March suggesting "lento," as if it read "rubato" (it's a MARCH!) His performance of Piano Sonata no.3 is also a bit lifeless, but the hour long disc of Polonaises recorded 1975 he handles surprisingly well (the occasional phlegmatic karaoke-roars may need a little time getting used to, though.) Several of these interpreters make some less musical noises while playing - Zimerman, for instance, breathes heavily through the nose after each and every completed phrase throughout all off his performances (although it can't be heard with orchestra.) When listening to his solo performances in head phones, the constant snuffling can distract and annoy quite a bit, but I know that I do the exact same thing when I play, myself, so perhaps I shouldn't complain until I've managed to rid the inconvenient problem myself. Besides Pollini's Polonaise interpretations, there's another (76 minute long) disc of Polonaises featuring mainly Ugorski, but also Argerich. Something that seems odd to me is that the sound quality of Argerich's 1974 recording once again is superior to a newer recording - in this case to the 1999 recording of Ugorski, which doesn't feature much middle in the sound picture, but uneven soughing and clip noises! Both their performances (but especially Argerich's,) are about as enjoyable as Chopin interpretations can be, I'd think, as is the technically and musically perfect, touching and mesmerizing Nocturne interpretations of Daniel Barenboim, recorded in 1981 - his playing here equals close to two hours of pure magic. While being a Rubinstein fan, I'm going to have to say that Barenboim's way of playing the Nocturnes is just how I think they should be played; they call for this somewhat gentle touch mixed in with their brutal sincerity, but I suggest for those who (especially) enjoy the Etudes, Sonatas and Scherzos to listen to Rubinstein's recordings of the works (available on RCA's Rubinstein Collection, vol. 26, vol. 45 and vol. 46.) Pollini is, of course, a fine performer, but I'd suggest listening to his interpretations of Prokofiev's and Stravinsky's work instead.
Rubinstein recorded the preludes (op.28) in their entirety only once, in 1946, which means that they aren't available in RCA's collection with preferable sound quality, but on this set Martha Argerich delivers a great performance of the 26 preludes (no.1-24, op.28, plus 25, op.45, and 26, op. 35,) recorded in 1975. One prelude that in my opinion should always be played as slow and gentle as possible is no.15 (a.k.a. "The Raindrop Prelude.") What I'd like to describe as a prefect version of the piece is performed by--despite my having done a lot of research--a, to me unknown performer, but runs at 6:08 minutes. Argerich rushes the whole piece a bit (the drops fall too closely -) the fact that her version runs at 4:51 should say a lot. Of the approximately 20 different performances I've heard of this particular prelude (obviously one of my favorites,) Argerich's is the shortest, and lays somewhere in the swamp among other "medium integral" versions. She delivers exciting performances of the other preludes, though - the first time I heard them, I hit repeat on my CD player, and listened to nothing else for three days.
The Mazurkas, here performed by Jean-Marc Luisada and Lilya Zilberstein, are performed--while beautifully--quite carefully and loosely. For those who'd like a more restrained performance of the pieces, RCA's Rubinstein Collection, vol. 50, is recommended.
Besides all the music for only piano(s,) Chopin also composed 80 minutes worth of chamber music, which here is performed by Beaux Arts Trio, et al. He also wrote 45+ minutes worth of songs, which here is performed by soprano Elzbieta Szmytka and pianist Malcolm Martineau on a 1999 performance. I don't feel qualified to comment on solo singing in Polish, but while I don't care for the occasional close-to-full effect vibrato, I like Martineau's piano playing and the almost folksy melodies and arrangements. This music distinguishes itself by far from the rest of the music in the set. Translations to several languages of the lyrics to the 19 songs are included.
The stereophony on all recordings is great, the overall sound quality on all discs (when considering the years of the recordings) I'd give a 4/5, but still rate the whole package 9/10 - I'd think that some (both older and newer) recordings could have been transferred better, while some sound superior to what you'd dare dream of. This is definitely the best complete edition of Chopin's music available, and perhaps the best collection of works available on disc by any classical composer. A lot of work has been put into the set's design, the sound, and certainly the amount and accuracy of interesting info given in the enclosed illustrated 140 page hard-cover book (of which a fifth is written in English) and in the 40-60 page booklets (also illustrated) included in each volume; practically everything you'll ever need to know about the composer (and these recordings) is included here along with all the music he wrote. Well worthy of your time and money.

Enlightening but slighly blemished.......2004-07-05

I commend DG on producing this comprehensive and thoughtfully packaged/annotated collection of Chopin's output. In it one can appreciate the wondrous manner in which Chopin at once appeased the conservative appetites of the Paris salon set while revolutionizing the genre of piano music in both traditional and more intimate forms.

The greatest virtue of this collection is the opportunity to hear more obscure elements of Chopin's collected ouevre. He wrote some lovely chamber music and wrote highly effective variations with and without orchestra. Among his 17 songs are a few gems.

As for the strength of the performances, some of them are rightly considered definitive. I love Zimerman in the piano concerti, Argerich owns the Op. 28 preludes, and I find in Pollini's scherzos the unbridled energy and interpretive depth required by these challenging pieces. Even if Daniel Barenboim's nocturnes do not set any records, they are well-done and completely satisfying.

I was less enthusiastic about Pollini's readings of the latter 2 piano sonatas, which I find prosaic on the whole. I was equally underwhelmed by Bunin's impromptus, which again betray interpretive rather than technical deficiencies. My greatest disappointment is Jean-Marc Luisada's controversial readings of the mazurkas. An unwieldy rubato rules the day here, and distorts the harmonic language to the point that it sounds like Debussy or Ravel's frequent (and unshakeably French-sounding) evocations of Spain. I much prefer any of the Rubinstein mazurka sets, which are colorful but rhythmically mindful of their namesakes.

Properly supplemented in the more familiar repertory (mazurkas, impromptus, sonatas, in particular), I believe this set is indispensable to anyone who appreciates or seeks a broader understanding of Chopin the composer. I recommend it highly.

Chopin - Luisada, Jean-Marc.......2002-04-14

I am a professional Pianist and Piano-pedagoge trained at the University of Graz and Vienna (Austria).
It seems as often reviewers/critics/listeners have the same opinions: I wonder if it isn't in some cases the old story of the Emperors new clothes - nobody dares to have a different opinion, as they do not want to appear stupid.
Some of the reviewers here, didn't like Luisadas performances of the Mazurkas. I hold the heretical opinion that Jean-Marc Luisadas performances are much better than Rubinsteins (I possess the three different complete Mazurka recordings of Rubinstein). There are few pianists that like Luisada know how to treat the piano as a truly polyphonic instrument, with absolute control of every line, and at the same time being able to emphasise every harmonic detail - giving every chord its differing and appropriate degree of tension. Furthermore he understands how to display the different moods and characters of the music. All these factors make Luisadas performances extremely colourful. Every Mazurka with Luisada is a unique experience.

Ps. Other recordings do occasionally wet the critical appetite: For instance the everywhere highly acclaimed Chopin recordings with Pollini are often musically awful, the Etudes opus 10 nr. 1 and opus 25 nr. 1 are examples. For the complete Etudes, buy Boris Berezovsky's recording for Teldec, it surpasses Pollini by far. Ds.

Chopin - Luisada, Jean-Marc.......2002-04-14

Learn, learn, learn!.......2000-10-16

This box set is a must for any lover of piano music.

DG deserves praise for coming with an excellent set of records as well as presentation of the booklets. It is breathtaking to have the opportunity to really know Chopin so well.

Performers are first rate and speak for themselves, and for the price of 8 CD's you get the whole collection. Yes, you can get in some cases better performances, but overall you can find a better compilation. Naxos has its own, and I am going to exchange it with a friend, problem will be to get mine back!

Tracks:

Chopin And The Soul Of The Piano - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Berceuse, Op.57 - Idil Biret
Chopin The Pole - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Polonaise in g - Idil Biret
Early Education - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Vars On A German Air - Idil Biret
Encounters With The Polish Peasantry - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Mazurka in G - Idil Biret
Chopin As Industrious Pupil - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Son in c (Opening) - Idil Biret
He Finds His True Voice As A Composer - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Rondo A La Mazur, Op.5 - Idil Biret
The Fun-Loving Teenager - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Ecossaise, Op.72 No.3 - Idil Biret
Onset Of Illness And The Death Of A Sister - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Nocturne in e - Idil Biret
Hats Off, Gentlemen! A Genius! - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Vars On 'La Ci Darem La Mano', Op.2 - Idil Biret
The Influence Of Paganini - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Souvenir De Paganini - Idil Biret
The First Etudes - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Etude in c#, Op.10, No.4 - Idil Biret
Success In Vienna - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Nocturne in c# - Idil Biret
Chopin In Love - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Polonaise - Idil Biret
Stagnation, Celebrity And The First Con - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Con in f, Op.21 - Idil Biret
Return Of Vitality And Inspiration - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Con in e, Op.11 - Idil Biret
Farewells And The Final Departure From Poland - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser

Tracks:

Europe And Chopin In Crisis - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Scherzo No.1 in b - Idil Biret
Arrival In Paris - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Waltz in E flat, Op.18 - Idil Biret
Paris, Politics, Poles And Performance - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Impromptu in A flat, Op.29 - Idil Biret
Chopin And The Opr - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Andante Spianato, Op.22 - Idil Biret
Chopin And Kalkbrenner - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Etude in G flat, Op.10, No.5 - Idil Biret
The Cholera Epidemi; The Fashionable Teacher - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Etude in C minor, Op.10, No.12, The 'Revolutionary' - Idil Biret
Teaching In Earnest - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Etude in a, Op.25, No.4 - Idil Biret
Souplesse Avant Tout! - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Nocturne in b flat, Op.9, No.1 - Idil Biret

Tracks:

The Woodzinska Affair - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Nocturne in B, Op.32, No.1 - Idil Biret
An Elegant, Pale, Sad Young Man - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Nocturne in D flat, Op.27, No.2 - Idil Biret
George Sand And A Majorcan Winter - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Prlds, Op.28 - Idil Biret
Misanthropy, Hypocrisy And Prejudice - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Mazurkas - Idil Biret
At Nohant: An Idyllic And Creative Summer - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Impromptu in F# - Idil Biret
The Idyll Continues - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Sonata in b flat: Funeral March And Finale - Idil Biret

Tracks:

The Return To Paris - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Ballade No.4 in f - Idil Biret
Chopin Grows Moody, Petulant And Volatile - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Son No.3 in b, Op.58: Finale - Idil Biret
Failing Health And Mounting Tensions - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Barcarolle, Op.60 - Idil Biret
The Break With Sand; Illness; London - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Prld in F#, Op.28, No.8 - Idil Biret
Scotland, London, Paris; Decline And Death - Jeremy Siepmann/Anton Lesser
Polonaise in A flat, Op.53 - Idil Biret

Customer Reviews:

An excellent introduction to both the life and the work.......2001-08-10

Not having known very much at all about Chopin, I cannot vouch for the accuracy in the Naxos entry in their CD and cassette Biography series; but I can vouch for the enjoyment (NA 421912) afforded me.

Written and produced by Jeremy Siepmann, this audio-bio not only tells the strange story of Chopin's life but also includes generous examples of his music, drawn from the bottomless pit of Naxos musical CDs. An excellent idea was to use actors for the voices of Chopin (Anton Lesser), George Sand and other females in his life (Elaine Claxton and Karen Archer), and other male acquaintances (Neville Jason). It is the kind of reading that would fascinate even if the work were fictional.

His letters are particularly fascinating, especially as they are read dramatically by the small cast; and one would rather hear about all his faults--physical and psychological--from people who knew him well. Perhaps his strange epistolary relationship with his Titus is dwelt upon a bit too much, but such are the times (then and now).

Tracks:

Barcarolle In F-Sharp Major, Op.60
Three Mazurkas, Op.63: No.1 In B
Three Mazurkas, Op.63: No.2 In F
Three Mazurkas, Op.63: No.3 In C# Minor
Polonaise-Fant In A Flat, Op.61
Berceuse In D Flat, Op.57
Three Mazurkas, Op.59: No.1 In A
Three Mazurkas, Op.59: No.2 In A Flat
Three Mazurkas, Op.59: No.3 In F-Sharp Minor
Two Nocturnes, Op.62: No.1 In B
Two Nocturnes, Op.62: No.2 In E
Polonaise In A Flat, Op.53

Chopin: Complete Mazurkas / Frederic Chiu

Average customer rating:

Chiu is the one to get
smoky jazzy mazurkas
A worthy contender to the classic Rubinstein set

Chopin: Complete Mazurkas / Frederic Chiu
Frederic Chiu
Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00004SZ3C
Release Date: 2000-05-09

Tracks:

Four Mazurkas, Op.6: I. f#
Four Mazurkas, Op.6: II. c#
Four Mazurkas, Op.6: III. E
Four Mazurkas, Op.6: IV. e flat
Five Mazurkas, Op.7: I. B flat
Five Mazurkas, Op.7: II. a
Five Mazurkas, Op.7: III. f
Five Mazurkas, Op.7: IV. A flat
Five Mazurkas, Op.7: V. C
Four Mazurkas, Op.17: I. B flat
Four Mazurkas, Op.17: II. e
Four Mazurkas, Op.17: III. A flat
Four Mazurkas, Op.17: IV. a
Four Mazurkas, Op.24: I. g
Four Mazurkas, Op.24: II. C
Four Mazurkas, Op.24: III. A flat
Four Mazurkas, Op.24: IV. b flat
Four Mazurkas, Op.30: I. c
Four Mazurkas, Op.30: II. b
Four Mazurkas, Op.30: III. D flat
Four Mazurkas, Op.30: IV. c#
Four Mazurkas, Op.33: I. g#
Four Mazurkas, Op.33: II. D
Four Mazurkas, Op.33: III. C
Four Mazurkas, Op.33: IV. b
Mazurka in a 'A Emile Galliard'
Mazurka in a 'Notre Temps'

Tracks:

Four Mazurkas, Op.41: I. c#
Four Mazurkas, Op.41: II. e
Four Mazurkas, Op.41: III. B
Four Mazurkas, Op.41: IV. A flat
Three Mazurkas, Op.50: I. G
Three Mazurkas, Op.50: II. A flat
Three Mazurkas, Op.50: III. c#
Three Mazurkas, Op.56: I. B
Three Mazurkas, Op.56: II. C
Three Mazurkas, Op.56: III. c
Three Mazurkas, Op.59: I. a
Three Mazurkas, Op.59: II. A flat
Three Mazurkas, Op.59: III. f#
Three Mazurkas, Op.63: I. B
Three Mazurkas, Op.63: II. f
Three Mazurkas, Op.63: III. c#
Mazurka in B flat
Op.68, No.2, a
Mazurka in G
Mazurka in D
Op.68, No.1, C
Op.68, No.3, F
Mazurka in D
Mazurka in B flat
Mazurka in C
Mazurka in A flat
Op.67, No.1, G
Op.67, No.3, C
Op.67, No.4, a
Op.67, No.2, g
Op.68, No.4, f

Amazon.com

On this two-disc set, Frederic Chiu, a splendid pianist with a singularly beautiful tone and an extraordinary palette of colors and nuances, plays all 58 Chopin Mazurkas, including the early, posthumously published ones, often dismissed as "juvenilia," yet revealing the seeds of the future. Written throughout Chopin's life, the Mazurkas prove that though he spent his last 18 years in France, his heart and spirit remained rooted in his native Poland; no wonder so many of them are hauntingly pensive and nostalgic. Inspired by the rhythmic, harmonic, and modal patterns of the dances of Mazovia, they range from ingenuous simplicity to utmost sophistication, from the exuberance of headlong whirling dances to melancholy introspection, and represent a unique fusion of folk music and high artistry. This results in an incredible diversity of form, texture, and expression, as well as in a wide variety of possible interpretations. In his scholarly program notes, Chiu deplores the contention that only Polish pianists can identify with the Mazurkas' rhythms and idiomatic flexibility; his excellent performance indicates that the key element is not nationality but the confidence to let the music and one's own response to it speak naturally for themselves. Favoring slow tempos, he sometimes exaggerates rubatos and contrasts, but brings out the changing character and moods, and is at his best in the most complex pieces. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Chiu is the one to get.......2000-08-29

Chiu is the one to get. After all, there is more than one way to play a classical piece, right? Well, Frederic Chiu offers us an interesting alternative. You should give it a try, even if you have never heard of him.

smoky jazzy mazurkas.......2000-08-13

Wow! I've heard many of the mazurkas performed countless times over the years, but they've never spoken to me like this. Chiu's renditions are played cleanly but with an almost magical flair for nuance that makes them sound downright jazzy at times. Chiu is a marvelous gift to the music of Chopin. Do yourself a favor and get this CD. Mine is only a week old and rarely finds itself not in use.

A worthy contender to the classic Rubinstein set.......2000-06-01

Most CD guides I have read recommend the Rubenstein traversal of the Mazurkas over most modern recordings. This recording should serve well to match or even supercede that "classic" set. The playing is undeniably lovely and poetic throughout, yet with a bit more fire in places than the Rubenstein performances. Some of Mr. Chiu's tempi seem a bit slow, but I have often wondered if most performers play some of the Mazurkas faster than Chopin intended. Many of them are marked "Lento" but are often played anything but. Not here. Yet Mr. Chiu never loses the spirit of the dance, and plays with passion and power in some of the louder passages. If you like your Chopin subdued and effeminate this may not be for you. The recorded sound is excellent.

Great Composers Instrumental Collection: Frederic Chopin

Average customer rating:

Great Composers Instrumental Collection: Frederic Chopin

Manufacturer: Columba
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Barcarolles | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00015HV60
Release Date: 2004-01-13

Tracks:

Prelude No. 17 in A-Flat Major Op. 28: "Allegretto"
Variations Brillantes
Nocturne No. 2 in E Major Op. 62
Barcarolle in F-Sharp Major Op. 60
Mazurka No. 3 in C-Sharp Minor Op. 50
Berceuse in D-Flat Major Op. 57
Polonaise in A-Flat Major Op. 53
Piano Sonata in B-Flat Minor Op. 35: "Grave - Doppio Movimiento"
Prelude No. 20 in C Minor Op. 28: "Largo"

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli Chopin Mazurkas & Valses ; Ravel Gaspard de la Nuit (Aura)

Average customer rating:

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli Chopin Mazurkas & Valses ; Ravel Gaspard de la Nuit (Aura)

Manufacturer: Aura Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000UX5AM
Release Date: 2003-11-25

Music Review: