Chopin Etudes: Your favourite recording?

[frederic]

Hi everyone

Whose recording of the chopin etudes do you like the most? and could you justify your answer?
Cheers

[Barbosa-piano]

 This one is very personal.
     For some reason I love Guiomar Novaes' recording of the Etudes- Even with the surprising mistake on the Op. 10 No. 7 (if I recall correctly), in which she repeated the same phrase twice!
     The way she plays those feels very warm and rich.

      Cortot is another great performer of these.
     
             

[kreso]

I like very much Andrei Gavrilov, because he is tecnicaly superb and very powerfull. Pollini is also beuatifull, Berezovsky is unique (he plays very interesting), but probably I like the most Sviatoslav Richter, because he is stunning, has very beautifull sound (try op.10/3 live from Prague) and his devillish playing always strikes me. I'm just sad because he didn't record all of them..

[avetma]

My personal favourite is Kemal Gekic.
Just listen these two etudes (25/6 and 25/11)

https://filebuffer.net/?id=da82998c816597_07_eude_G_sharp_minor.mp3
https://filebuffer.net/?id=9e9b0c50_13_etude_A_minor.mp3

He gives very new dimension to all of them. Especially 25/12...

[kreso]

My personal favourite is Kemal Gekic.
Just listen these two etudes (25/6 and 25/11)

https://filebuffer.net/?id=da82998c816597_07_eude_G_sharp_minor.mp3
https://filebuffer.net/?id=9e9b0c50_13_etude_A_minor.mp3

He gives very new dimension to all of them. Especially 25/12...

I agree. He is very interesting, I just heard op.25/12-great and unique playing. But I wouldn't like to play it on his way..

[mike_lang]

Pollini's is worth a listen not only for its overall polish, but specifically for its 25/12, which has the most fire with which I've ever heard that etude played.  His rendition of the cello etude is also quite beautiful.

[stevie]

gekic is the one who plays the ocean etude really softly , right? really nice effect, but not original, fiorentino did this too.

cziffra is the one set i couldnt live without, although generally gavrilov is the best, cziffra is head and shoulders above the rest in certain etudes.

pollini IS really good, and so is perahia, really good reference recordings, but still cziffra is the no1 for 'oomph'

[avetma]

Here is Gekic's 25/12. Yes, this is far away from rough and asperous interpretation. In my opionion, this is ocean etude. I would like to play it like him.

https://filebuffer.net/?id=bd68f1_12_etude_C_minor.mp3

[sauergrandson]

There are two kinds of Chopin Etudes recordings:

a) Pollini.
b) All others.

[cloches_de_geneve]

There are two kinds of Chopin Etudes recordings:

a) Pollini.
b) All others.

I agree with b) but, with all my respect for Pollini's brilliance and polish, in my view it is:

a) Cortot
b) All others.

[sauergrandson]

Yes, of course. I resign.

a) Cortot (from the dark ages)
b) All others, with Pollini.

[frederic]

Berezovsky anyone?

[frederic]

oh and thanks avetma for introducing me to this pianist. I've never heard of him before and would certainly look out for him. His playing is very interesting indeed, but judging from those samples, would you say his interpretations are slightly contrived and mannered? Though i believe he is very successful in doing so...

[avetma]

oh and thanks avetma for introducing me to this pianist. I've never heard of him before and would certainly look out for him. His playing is very interesting indeed, but judging from those samples, would you say his interpretations are slightly contrived and mannered? Though i believe he is very successful in doing so...

You welcome
I am proud of him because my teacher is his aunt and she talks about him often.
It is true that he gives 'his touch' to every piece he preform.

I have very interesting pieces like 12 Transcedental; more 10/ and 25/ etudes; Chopin's sonata no.2; Polonaises (40, 44 and heroic-53); two impromptus; liszt-busoni-gekic-marriage of figaro and so on... If you want any of these, let me know, I will upload it.

[maul]

avetma, I enjoyed his interpretation. If you could upload the transcendental etudes that'd be great. thanks

[avetma]

I dont have much time today, so could you please tell me three or four etudes you want most?

I will upload all of them later on. And I can't recommend any of them, because every is special

[maul]

Possibly 4, 7, 10, and 12?

[avetma]

Here is Chasse-neige. Nice choice

https://filebuffer.net/?id=ca16ba5_12-Chasse-neige_(Andante_con_moto).mp3

4, 7 and 10 are on their way

[maul]

Nice, I really like this guy's stuff. Except at 3:47 it seems like there was an audio splice. Interesting

[avetma]

Don't know about audio splice

https://rapidshare.de/files/17627000/04-Mazeppa__Allegro_.mp3.html

here is mazeppa. Listen to that

[avetma]

Here are Eroica and Allegro agitato molto:

https://rapidshare.de/files/17627428/07-Eroica__Allegro_.mp3.html
https://rapidshare.de/files/17627349/10-_Allegro_agitato_molto_.mp3.html

Enjoy

[maul]

Much respect

[avetma]

and sorry for offtopic

[jas]

Berezovsky anyone?

His etudes are my favourite. They just have a "Chopinesque" feel to them.
I also love Pollini's, but I usually find that his playing is more effective in more virtuosic pieces with a slightly more percussive touch, so Berezovsky just pips him.
I haven't heard Cortot's, but I'd like to because I really like his Preludes.

One interpretation I have never been able to get into is Cziffra's. I haven't heard them all but those I have I found to be uncomfortable to listen to. To me, it isn't Chopin. (The Gyorgy Cziffra Fan Club are going to be down on me like a ton a bricks for that...)

Jas

[stevie]

One interpretation I have never been able to get into is Cziffra's. I haven't heard them all but those I have I found to be uncomfortable to listen to. To me, it isn't Chopin. (The Gyorgy Cziffra Fan Club are going to be down on me like a ton a bricks for that...)

Jas

id like to defend cziffra, because i really think he was one of the great chopinists, i can see why he cant be everyones cup of tea, but he certainly is individual.

im also not too fussy about 'authentic chopin', because if authentic chopin precludes that you cant go 'this fast' or 'this loud' , then i just dont like authentic chopin 

[frederic]

His etudes are my favourite. They just have a "Chopinesque" feel to them.
I also love Pollini's, but I usually find that his playing is more effective in more virtuosic pieces with a slightly more percussive touch, so Berezovsky just pips him.
I haven't heard Cortot's, but I'd like to because I really like his Preludes.

One interpretation I have never been able to get into is Cziffra's. I haven't heard them all but those I have I found to be uncomfortable to listen to. To me, it isn't Chopin. (The Gyorgy Cziffra Fan Club are going to be down on me like a ton a bricks for that...)

Jas

I agree. It's also fascinating that a young Russian pianist, at the height of his virtuosic powers, can and is willing to achieve such "Chopinesque" qualities, when the stereotypical russian pianist is often of.......HEY there GAVRILOV!


I'm not so keen on Cziffra's etudes either. But i do not agree with some (most) who say the only factor in his playing is sheer velocity. Listen to his Scherzo no2. It is the most beautifully played i've ever heard. And when most other pianists are hammering away at the coda, he takes it at such a modest tempo, with such charm....... *sigh*   

[jas]

im also not too fussy about 'authentic chopin', because if authentic chopin precludes that you cant go 'this fast' or 'this loud' , then i just dont like authentic chopin 

It's not how fast or loud he plays them -- I don't object to that in Chopin at all, and I don't think there's a set of rules or parameters that have to be followed -- it's just that they're nothing like how I imagine Chopin's music should be. I find them too stilted and even a bit dry. As I said, though, I haven't heard them all, and I don't think I've heard any other Chopin by him, so maybe I just haven't heard the best ones. I like his Liszt, though. Maybe I think his Chopin's too Liszty. Or something.

Oh, and to add to my original answer, I like Sokolov's, too. Does anyone know if he recorded op.10?

Jas

[steve jones]

I like very much Andrei Gavrilov, because he is tecnicaly superb and very powerfull. Pollini is also beuatifull, Berezovsky is unique (he plays very interesting), but probably I like the most Sviatoslav Richter, because he is stunning, has very beautifull sound (try op.10/3 live from Prague) and his devillish playing always strikes me. I'm just sad because he didn't record all of them..

I also liked Gavrilov's Etudes. He plays them so well and it sounds effortless... amazing!

Yundi Li's are pretty nice too. He seems to favor more conservative tempos, but never misses the mark. I much prefer this to those who rush them.

SJ

[andrewg]

Ashkenazy 1st traversal
Pollini
Lortie

[elevateme]

pollini all the waaaay my all time favourite pianist


i mean, come on- chopin competition at 18

[steve jones]

You're right, Pollini's Chopin is very good. He has to be among the best at playing this composer's work.

Never been a big fan of Ashkenazy's Chopin.

SJ

[raskolnikov]

I like Cortot and Arrau's recordings...
Cortot's lyricism is unmatched.

Has anyone heard Samson Francois's take on the etudes?

[nicco]

Currently Downloading:

https://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=9921

This will be good!!

[cloches_de_geneve]

pollini all the waaaay my all time favourite pianist


i mean, come on- chopin competition at 18

Mmmh, does anyone here know whether there is a recording of Pollini's etudes at the famous chopin competition that he won when he was 18? Some say he was better there than in his later "official" DG recording (which is momentous, of course, but lacks a bit of spontaneity). He apprently already had given a concert in Milan at age 16 with all the etudes. What a monster!!

[da jake]

Gavrilov is my favorite complete set all-around. Cziffra's is also fascinating, so it's one of my favorites.

I think a complete set by Friedman would have been the best of all, if the incredible (but small) selection he left us with is anything to go by.

[orlandopiano]

There are two kinds of Chopin Etudes recordings:

a) Pollini.
b) All others.

Speak for yourself. 

[stevea]

My favorite is John Browning.  A very colorful player, but I always feel like I'm listening to Chopin (as opposed to the interpreter).  My definite favorite.