Maurizio Pollini, one of today's most exceptional pianists, began his musical career by winning the Chopin competition in 1960. Since then, the works of Chopin have held a pre-eminent place in his performances and recordings. Following up on the success of his release of Chopin Nocturnes in 2005, Pollini now records an all-new recital of Chopin masterpieces. He has re-recorded the famous Sonata no. 2 in B flat minor, op. 35 (recorded in 1984 and released in 1986) and the Ballade no. 2 in F, op. 38 (recorded and released in 1999) and added the Mazurkas op. 33, Waltzes op. 34 and Impromptu no. 2 in F sharp major, op. 36. All of these works were composed in a relatively late phase of Chopin's career and display the great variety of his art. With Pollini recording Chopin, one of classical music's most popular composers, this release will appeal to both classical music lovers and a wider audience.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
Careful and intelligent, but.....:
What can one say about Pollini at this point? Once again he delivers careful, intelligent performances that somehow come across as impersonal and unpoetic. The "meaning" of a piece of music may be a subjective matter, but the issue does not seem to have crossed his mind. One suspects that he (and fellow modernists like Boulez) might be derisive of the whole idea. But the real problem with this recording is the sound engineering - distant and shallow, seriously lacking in bass response. As a master of... more info
Pollini's playing and temperament are magisterial, so why isn't his Chopin fresh anymore?:
Since I'm heartily sick of arguing over whether Pollini is clinical, cold, and aloof, I'll address this review to converts. The works at hand are relatively late in Chopin's career, all composed between 1834 and 1839. The two major works are return engagements for Pollini, since he recorded the "Funeral March" Sonata in 1984 and Ballade #2 in 1999. When an eminent musician comes back to familiar works he has played almost continuously for forty years, something intriguing is in the offing. Or so I... more info
Pollini plays Chopin Op 33 - 36 & 38:
Pollini plays Chopin Opp 33- 36 & 38 Maurizio Pollini is not only a great virtuoso, but also a brilliant musical mind. His recordings of Chopin's etudes and preludes from the 1970's remain the ne plus ultra in the recorded literature. Prior to this recording, Pollini released the Chopin Nocturnes. His vision of these night pieces was surprisingly more clinical than any others I have heard. Many nocturnes such as the Op 9 n 3, Op 15 n 2, Op 32 n 2, Op 48 n 1 & 2 , Op 55 n 1 survived this... more info
Tracks:
Ballade no. 2 in F, op. 38
Mazurka in G sharp minor, op. 33 no. 1
Mazurka in D major, op. 33 no. 2
Mazurka in C major, op 33 no. 3
Mazurka in B minor, op. 33 no. 4
Waltz in A flat major, op. 34 no. 1
Waltz in A minor, op. 34 no. 2
Waltz in F major, op. 34 no. 3
Impromptu no. 2 in F sharp, op. 36Piano Sonata no. 2 in B flat minor, op. 35
