On Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 3:18:44 AM UTC-10, sfr...@nycap.rr.com wrote:
> I have Moravec and Wasowski and I like them a lot. Just ordered Freire. The article below is from American Record Guide from several years ago. What are your favorites?
>
> MIFrost
>
> Nocturnes
>
> These are naturally the most atmospheric Chopin pieces--and the most intimate and romantic. We only know about 33 recordings, including partial ones.. They are not virtuoso fodder, so many pianists avoid them. Many others do them poorly.
>
> Ivan Moravec's tonal depth, infinite degrees of nuance, rapt concentration, and unerring evocation of mood add up. All our critics endorse Moravec, and the recording is great.
>
> Earl Wild makes them flow beautifully with a natural pace and tone. Nothing sounds artificial or pasted on. This is the most beautiful, most satisfying recording of the Nocturnes.
>
> Nelson Freire is on the same high artistic level (Wild admired him very much), and his readings have tenderness, melancholy, ravishing tone, and great depth.
>
> Andrzey Wasowski takes almost half an hour longer for the set and lets us smell the flowers. His nocturnes are very intense and personal, with lots of poignant expression.
>
> If you want a one-disc selection, all the best nocturnes (14 of them) are (or were) on the Naxos disc, and they are beautifully played.
>
> Wild Ivory 70701
> Freire Decca 14053
> Moravec Nonesuch 79233
> Wasowski Concord 42044
> Falvay Naxos 550257
>
> ALSO LIKED
>
> Arrau's readings are sensitive, elegant, and expressive.
>
> Hewitt: excellent but a little calculated & controlled.
>
> James Mertanen: beautiful playing & sound; incomplete.
>
> We found Ricardo Castro's recording quite hypnotic.
>
> Perlemuter has suave urbanity and melancholy ambiance.
>
> Ciccolini is joyous & extraverted, with plenty of big moments.
>
> Abbey Simon: naturalness, inevitability, grace, beauty
>
> Peter Katin is English, and he can be stiff and starched. He has not the natural flow of Moravec or Wild, but he has a strong feel for the mood of each piece. His Nocturnes are as sensitive as Arrau's but much more delicate.. The stiffness is only noticeable in certain pieces, when comparing.
>
> MIXED VERDICT
>
> Jean Alexis Smith: some miscalculations, some good ideas.
>
> Sergio Fiorentino is delicate and aristocratic but understated.
>
> Some of us like Pires for her tone; others are bored by her playing.
>
> Bialk can be nice but seems too controlled and matter-of-fact.
>
> Lympany (1960) is sensitive & eloquent but paired with boring waltzes.
>
> Rev: perfumed tone, poetic phrasing, but too much like Rubinstein.
>
> Michele Boegner is on a period instrument, which has pros & cons.
>
> David Allen Wehr: the big virtuoso treatment & rather fast.
>
> NOT LIKED
>
> Amoyel: dreamy, but often too quiet, never virtuosic.
>
> Engerer: elegant & polished, but not satisfying emotionally.
>
> Katz: overplayed; often too fast.
>
> Feltsman is too aggressive & his touch too hard.
>
> Pollini is also too forceful and stormy.
>
> "Nocturnes for cello" is not a good idea.
>
> Rubinstein is arid and drab--no magic.
>
> Harasiewicz: not atmospheric; some are too fast.
>
> Garrick Ohlsson seems too slow and contrived (unnatural).
>
> Maria Tipo also breaks the natural flow to "make points".
>
> Leonskaya: some interesting points, but halting and eccentric.
>
> Kupiec: pretty, but uneventful & noncommittal & shallow

(Recent Y. upload):

Music Chat: Chopin's Nocturnes on the Highway to Heaven (Road Music No. 7)

Em segunda-feira, 13 de dezembro de 2021 às 05:56:50 UTC-3, gggg gggg escreveu:
> On Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 3:18:44 AM UTC-10, sfr...@nycap.rr.com wrote:
> > I have Moravec and Wasowski and I like them a lot. Just ordered Freire. The article below is from American Record Guide from several years ago. What are your favorites?
> >
> > MIFrost
> >
> > Nocturnes
> >
> > These are naturally the most atmospheric Chopin pieces--and the most intimate and romantic. We only know about 33 recordings, including partial ones. They are not virtuoso fodder, so many pianists avoid them. Many others do them poorly.
> >
> > Ivan Moravec's tonal depth, infinite degrees of nuance, rapt concentration, and unerring evocation of mood add up. All our critics endorse Moravec, and the recording is great.
> >
> > Earl Wild makes them flow beautifully with a natural pace and tone. Nothing sounds artificial or pasted on. This is the most beautiful, most satisfying recording of the Nocturnes.
> >
> > Nelson Freire is on the same high artistic level (Wild admired him very much), and his readings have tenderness, melancholy, ravishing tone, and great depth.
> >
> > Andrzey Wasowski takes almost half an hour longer for the set and lets us smell the flowers. His nocturnes are very intense and personal, with lots of poignant expression.
> >
> > If you want a one-disc selection, all the best nocturnes (14 of them) are (or were) on the Naxos disc, and they are beautifully played.
> >
> > Wild Ivory 70701
> > Freire Decca 14053
> > Moravec Nonesuch 79233
> > Wasowski Concord 42044
> > Falvay Naxos 550257
> >
> > ALSO LIKED
> >
> > Arrau's readings are sensitive, elegant, and expressive.
> >
> > Hewitt: excellent but a little calculated & controlled.
> >
> > James Mertanen: beautiful playing & sound; incomplete.
> >
> > We found Ricardo Castro's recording quite hypnotic.
> >
> > Perlemuter has suave urbanity and melancholy ambiance.
> >
> > Ciccolini is joyous & extraverted, with plenty of big moments.
> >
> > Abbey Simon: naturalness, inevitability, grace, beauty
> >
> > Peter Katin is English, and he can be stiff and starched. He has not the natural flow of Moravec or Wild, but he has a strong feel for the mood of each piece. His Nocturnes are as sensitive as Arrau's but much more delicate. The stiffness is only noticeable in certain pieces, when comparing.
> >
> > MIXED VERDICT
> >
> > Jean Alexis Smith: some miscalculations, some good ideas.
> >
> > Sergio Fiorentino is delicate and aristocratic but understated.
> >
> > Some of us like Pires for her tone; others are bored by her playing.
> >
> > Bialk can be nice but seems too controlled and matter-of-fact.
> >
> > Lympany (1960) is sensitive & eloquent but paired with boring waltzes.
> >
> > Rev: perfumed tone, poetic phrasing, but too much like Rubinstein.
> >
> > Michele Boegner is on a period instrument, which has pros & cons.
> >
> > David Allen Wehr: the big virtuoso treatment & rather fast.
> >
> > NOT LIKED
> >
> > Amoyel: dreamy, but often too quiet, never virtuosic.
> >
> > Engerer: elegant & polished, but not satisfying emotionally.
> >
> > Katz: overplayed; often too fast.
> >
> > Feltsman is too aggressive & his touch too hard.
> >
> > Pollini is also too forceful and stormy.
> >
> > "Nocturnes for cello" is not a good idea.
> >
> > Rubinstein is arid and drab--no magic.
> >
> > Harasiewicz: not atmospheric; some are too fast.
> >
> > Garrick Ohlsson seems too slow and contrived (unnatural).
> >
> > Maria Tipo also breaks the natural flow to "make points".
> >
> > Leonskaya: some interesting points, but halting and eccentric.
> >
> > Kupiec: pretty, but uneventful & noncommittal & shallow
>
> (Recent Y. upload):
>
> Music Chat: Chopin's Nocturnes on the Highway to Heaven (Road Music No. 7)[

My former preference for Arrau's landmark recording was recently superseded by Nikita Magaloff's reading (from his 70s trasversal). Gorgeous sonics, tone and phrasing, for my ears :)

Op maandag 13 december 2021 om 15:06:32 UTC+1 schreef Théo Amon:
> Em segunda-feira, 13 de dezembro de 2021 às 05:56:50 UTC-3, gggg gggg escreveu:
> > On Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 3:18:44 AM UTC-10, sfr...@nycap.rr.com wrote:
> > > I have Moravec and Wasowski and I like them a lot. Just ordered Freire. The article below is from American Record Guide from several years ago. What are your favorites?
> > >
> > > MIFrost
> > >
> > > Nocturnes
> > >
> > > These are naturally the most atmospheric Chopin pieces--and the most intimate and romantic. We only know about 33 recordings, including partial ones. They are not virtuoso fodder, so many pianists avoid them. Many others do them poorly.
> > >
> > > Ivan Moravec's tonal depth, infinite degrees of nuance, rapt concentration, and unerring evocation of mood add up. All our critics endorse Moravec, and the recording is great.
> > >
> > > Earl Wild makes them flow beautifully with a natural pace and tone. Nothing sounds artificial or pasted on. This is the most beautiful, most satisfying recording of the Nocturnes.
> > >
> > > Nelson Freire is on the same high artistic level (Wild admired him very much), and his readings have tenderness, melancholy, ravishing tone, and great depth.
> > >
> > > Andrzey Wasowski takes almost half an hour longer for the set and lets us smell the flowers. His nocturnes are very intense and personal, with lots of poignant expression.
> > >
> > > If you want a one-disc selection, all the best nocturnes (14 of them) are (or were) on the Naxos disc, and they are beautifully played.
> > >
> > > Wild Ivory 70701
> > > Freire Decca 14053
> > > Moravec Nonesuch 79233
> > > Wasowski Concord 42044
> > > Falvay Naxos 550257
> > >
> > > ALSO LIKED
> > >
> > > Arrau's readings are sensitive, elegant, and expressive.
> > >
> > > Hewitt: excellent but a little calculated & controlled.
> > >
> > > James Mertanen: beautiful playing & sound; incomplete.
> > >
> > > We found Ricardo Castro's recording quite hypnotic.
> > >
> > > Perlemuter has suave urbanity and melancholy ambiance.
> > >
> > > Ciccolini is joyous & extraverted, with plenty of big moments.
> > >
> > > Abbey Simon: naturalness, inevitability, grace, beauty
> > >
> > > Peter Katin is English, and he can be stiff and starched. He has not the natural flow of Moravec or Wild, but he has a strong feel for the mood of each piece. His Nocturnes are as sensitive as Arrau's but much more delicate. The stiffness is only noticeable in certain pieces, when comparing.
> > >
> > > MIXED VERDICT
> > >
> > > Jean Alexis Smith: some miscalculations, some good ideas.
> > >
> > > Sergio Fiorentino is delicate and aristocratic but understated.
> > >
> > > Some of us like Pires for her tone; others are bored by her playing.
> > >
> > > Bialk can be nice but seems too controlled and matter-of-fact.
> > >
> > > Lympany (1960) is sensitive & eloquent but paired with boring waltzes..
> > >
> > > Rev: perfumed tone, poetic phrasing, but too much like Rubinstein.
> > >
> > > Michele Boegner is on a period instrument, which has pros & cons.
> > >
> > > David Allen Wehr: the big virtuoso treatment & rather fast.
> > >
> > > NOT LIKED
> > >
> > > Amoyel: dreamy, but often too quiet, never virtuosic.
> > >
> > > Engerer: elegant & polished, but not satisfying emotionally.
> > >
> > > Katz: overplayed; often too fast.
> > >
> > > Feltsman is too aggressive & his touch too hard.
> > >
> > > Pollini is also too forceful and stormy.
> > >
> > > "Nocturnes for cello" is not a good idea.
> > >
> > > Rubinstein is arid and drab--no magic.
> > >
> > > Harasiewicz: not atmospheric; some are too fast.
> > >
> > > Garrick Ohlsson seems too slow and contrived (unnatural).
> > >
> > > Maria Tipo also breaks the natural flow to "make points".
> > >
> > > Leonskaya: some interesting points, but halting and eccentric.
> > >
> > > Kupiec: pretty, but uneventful & noncommittal & shallow
> >
> > (Recent Y. upload):
> >
> > Music Chat: Chopin's Nocturnes on the Highway to Heaven (Road Music No. 7)[
>
> My former preference for Arrau's landmark recording was recently superseded by Nikita Magaloff's reading (from his 70s trasversal). Gorgeous sonics, tone and phrasing, for my ears :)

Seconded! Magaloff is one of my favorite lesser known pianists.

Henk

On Monday, December 13, 2021 at 9:06:32 AM UTC-5, Théo Amon wrote:
>
> My former preference for Arrau's landmark

Landmark as in "place worth seeing"?

> recording was recently superseded by Nikita
> Magaloff's reading (from his 70s trasversal).

Outsleeping each other ?!?

> Gorgeous sonics, tone and phrasing, for my ears :)

You definitely need a new pair.

dk

On Monday, December 13, 2021 at 10:24:36 AM UTC-5, hvt...@xs4all.nl wrote:
>
> Seconded! Magaloff is one of my favorite lesser known pianists.
>

Magaloff is one of my lesser
favorite known pianists. Not
sure what he was known for
other than teaching Martha
Argerich and a few others,
as well as for sloppiness
and lack of energy on stage.

Compare this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZfEeJkqaFE

to this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxEr-don6E0

and this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdIikTjGE0Q

Enjoy!

dk