Even though I've praised the recording, take note that they're heavily edited through splicing (as in, one recording of a piece isn't just one take but a collection of takes edited into one). So the "textbook perfection" Zimerman displays isn't quite achievable as we'd like to believe.
Very good. They're my #1 listening source for the Chopin ballades, mainly because they're high up on Google search and I can't stand Rousseau. He plays them the "normal" way, nothing special, but that in itself is a good thing.
Rousseau isn’t that bad imo, he did great with Ballade no 1 and good with Ballade no 4
Yeah, you could say that, but to be honest, for me, Rosseau is like the synthetic type of classical music; he has some emotion, but it still lacks a lot to be able to be justified as a good piano player. Its much better to stick with recordings made by real (Rosseau is real, but I mean actual) professional pianists. For those who want some tips on the Ballade by Krystian Zimerman himself, there is a masterclass of him talking about the Ballade:Anyway, to sum it all up, stay away from Rousseau. Its much better to listen to professional pianists playing the G minor Ballade.