Chopin Sonatas -recommended recordings?

[donjuan]

Hello, I just bought a book of Chopin sonatas op 4, 35, and 58.  Can you recommend any good recordings?
thanks

donjuan

[pianiststrongbad]

I like William Kapell for the third sonata a lot.  I dunno if he ever performed any of the others.  Rubinstein recordings are always good when it comes to Chopin though.

[thracozaag]

  For the 2nd: Kapell (the tragic and ironic fact is that this is the last piece he ever played), Horowitz, Rachmaninoff, Gavrilov, Sokolov, Michelangeli, and Pogorelich.

  For the 3rd: Kapell is by far my favourite.  Other excellent performances are Gilels, Rubinstein and Lipatti.

koji (STSD)

[presto agitato]

Two Words: Maurizio Pollini

[m]

Two Words: Maurizio Pollini

One word: what?

[m]

  For the 2nd: Kapell (the tragic and ironic fact is that this is the last piece he ever played), Horowitz, Rachmaninoff, Gavrilov, Sokolov, Michelangeli, and Pogorelich.

  For the 3rd: Kapell is by far my favourite.  Other excellent performances are Gilels, Rubinstein and Lipatti.

koji (STSD)

For the 2nd besides RACHMANINOV and Kapell I'd add Pletnev, even if the idea itself sounds weird. I was lucky enough to hear private recording of younger Jacob Flier playing this Sonata--terrible recording quality, but by far hands down.

For the 3rd, I'd pretty much agree, except here Lipatti is my favorite.

[donjuan]

Great, thanks everyone!! I have just requested Kapell playing the 2nd and 3rd from my local library.  I will also check out Pletnev and Rubinstein.  What about Sonata No.1?

[m]

 What about Sonata No.1?

 
First, sight read it, and then  deside if you really want to hear it. I think there is a reason why NONE of great artists have recorded it.

[steinwaymodeld]

 
First, sight read it, and then  deside if you really want to hear it. I think there is a reason why NONE of great artists have recorded it.

I actually like this sonata, even everyone say it's immature and musically not developed. And even Chopin didn't like it.

BUt i think it has kind of a daring, energetic vibe in it which i didn't find in any other recording.

I have only listened to Ashkenazy's recording.

[jon]

Yeah I have Ashkenazy's recording too of the sonatas.I really don't like the first 3 movements of the first sonata but I do like the finale   

[m]

I actually like this sonata, even everyone say it's immature and musically not developed. And even Chopin didn't like it.

BUt i think it has kind of a daring, energetic vibe in it which i didn't find in any other recording.

I have only listened to Ashkenazy's recording.

I strongly believe, if Chopin did not write other Sonatas (or whatever else) it might be a kinda interesting piece. But tell me, can you compare it to Chopin's real masterpieces? At least, I would love to say yes, but I cannot. There is no doubt though, if somebody is interested in piano, Chopin, or just music, should at least to listen to this piece and judge for yourself.

[chromatickler]

Pogorelich for the 2nd. I just love his interpretation, especially mvmts 2&3. He squeezes soooo much juice out of that funeral march. and his rhythm in the outter sections of the scherzo is ingenious. The huge handspan definitely helped there, as he didnt have to get bogged down rolling the lh chords.

Oh yeah, the big controversy in mvmt4: Did Da Lazzar Beam REALLY play this in 50 seconds??? The fastest i've heard is Gav in 1'01, which sounded like random comedic genius (ie. GREAT).

[chopiabin]

I actually think that Perahia's recording of the second sonata is by far the best. He brings out the top melody with more grace than I have heard in any other recording, and it is far greater than Ashkenazy or Pletnev. His third is also really great, though I think it is not as good as his recording of the second.

[maxy]

#1: hard to say, I believe I only heard it by Pollini

#2: Koji said it, Kapell's final performance is really special. You could almost swear he knew he was going to die.  It's a bit troubling.  Rachmaninov also plays it extremely well.

#3 I also highly recommend Kapell.  It's all about the drama.

[tph]

I'm a bit in the minority, and I know few people in this forum know of him, but I simply love Dang Thai Son's recording of all three sonatas.  I honestly believe he's one of the greatest living Chopin pianists today, and that his recording of 2nd and 3rd compare very favourably (and sometimes better) to any artist mentioned hitherto.

tph

[magnus-y]

Here's Perahia playing Op. 35 and Op. 58

[f0bul0us]

Ashkenazy reminded me of why I don't like Chopin's Sonatas, and it's for the same reason that I don't like Campbell's soup. When it's watered down, who really wants to drink it?

[punter]

For the last movement of the 2nd sonata, Ignaz Friedman.  Don't know what happened to the first 2 movements, but I have the 3rd and 4th on the Great Pianists series.  Every time I listen tto the last movement it send a chill down my spine