Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
All my fellow Chopin aficionados might want to click on this link ;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swO3uLpM-9o
Ignore the artwork, this is not from her recent DG radio broadcasts release, but from the actual 1965 competition which of course she won.
Apparently Vlado Perlemuter, a judge at the 1965 Warsaw Chopin Competition, said that as soon as he heard that opening chord he knew Argerich would win the competition.
Are there any CMG pianists out there who would agree with Vlado on that or who might care to explain what he meant - what exactly is so special about her rendition of that opening chord? (I like it too, but can't explain why it hits me, as I don't play!)
Martin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swO3uLpM-9o
Ignore the artwork, this is not from her recent DG radio broadcasts release, but from the actual 1965 competition which of course she won.
Apparently Vlado Perlemuter, a judge at the 1965 Warsaw Chopin Competition, said that as soon as he heard that opening chord he knew Argerich would win the competition.
Are there any CMG pianists out there who would agree with Vlado on that or who might care to explain what he meant - what exactly is so special about her rendition of that opening chord? (I like it too, but can't explain why it hits me, as I don't play!)
Martin
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Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
Very hard to say, not because Argerich is not exquisite, but because there´s also Lipatti, Cortot, Rubinstein, Zimerman and some others who in their own way, are incomparable.
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Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
Right. I think there's hardly any instance of a single performance "owning" a piece. Music is bigger than that.
Cheers,
~Karl
Cheers,
~Karl
Karl Henning, PhD
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston, Massachusetts
http://members.tripod.com/~Karl_P_Henning/
http://henningmusick.blogspot.com/
Published by Lux Nova Press
http://www.luxnova.com/
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston, Massachusetts
http://members.tripod.com/~Karl_P_Henning/
http://henningmusick.blogspot.com/
Published by Lux Nova Press
http://www.luxnova.com/
Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
I agree, Karl - I was merely securing attention for my thread by the usual blockbuster method!karlhenning wrote:Right. I think there's hardly any instance of a single performance "owning" a piece. Music is bigger than that.
Cheers,
~Karl
Would you agree that it is a pretty exquisite performance, though?
Martin
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Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
Ah! the Barcarolle-a-Go-Go! : )hangos wrote:I agree, Karl - I was merely securing attention for my thread by the usual blockbuster method! :oops:
Cheers,
~Karl
Karl Henning, PhD
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston, Massachusetts
http://members.tripod.com/~Karl_P_Henning/
http://henningmusick.blogspot.com/
Published by Lux Nova Press
http://www.luxnova.com/
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston, Massachusetts
http://members.tripod.com/~Karl_P_Henning/
http://henningmusick.blogspot.com/
Published by Lux Nova Press
http://www.luxnova.com/
Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
You caught me on the hop there, Karl - but seriously, I would value your opinion of Argerich's performance (which is not the barnstorming approach some might expect from her)karlhenning wrote:Ah! the Barcarolle-a-Go-Go! : )hangos wrote:I agree, Karl - I was merely securing attention for my thread by the usual blockbuster method!
Cheers,
~Karl
Martin
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Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
If we can go so far as to suggest anyone is the supreme Chopinis, I had presumed that Ivan Moravec is.
Cyril Ignatius
Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
I rate his Chopin very highly too ....... what's your verdict on this Barcarolle from 1965 performed by Argerich?Cyril Ignatius wrote:If we can go so far as to suggest anyone is the supreme Chopinis, I had presumed that Ivan Moravec is.
Please click on the link at the top of this thread - I value your opinion!
Martin
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Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
Argerich checks in about a minute faster on this than the Ivan Moravec version I consulted. She certainly does an excellent job. I can't fault it in any way.
Cyril Ignatius
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Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
It's very nice, Martin; quite muscular, ma non troppo. I also just listened to Andrei Nikolsky, just for a quick comparison; his is more fluid. I shouldn't call one manner any better than the other.hangos wrote:You caught me on the hop there, Karl - but seriously, I would value your opinion of Argerich's performance (which is not the barnstorming approach some might expect from her)
Martin
Cheers,
~Karl
Karl Henning, PhD
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston, Massachusetts
http://members.tripod.com/~Karl_P_Henning/
http://henningmusick.blogspot.com/
Published by Lux Nova Press
http://www.luxnova.com/
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston, Massachusetts
http://members.tripod.com/~Karl_P_Henning/
http://henningmusick.blogspot.com/
Published by Lux Nova Press
http://www.luxnova.com/
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Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
The Barcarolle is a gorgeous piece of music, as is Chopin's other rarity, the Bolero. I did some checking and seem to have around 100 Barcarolles performed by just about every major pianist of the past and many from current days. It is impossible to select just one (or even two) as being among the "best ever." However, that said, I am drawn to Dinu Lipatti's performance and those by Artur Rubinstein, Alfred Cortot, Jorge Bolet, Argerich (1965), de Larrocha, Moiseiwitsch, Moravec, Abbey Simon, and several others. They each have something very distinctive to say. That's the beauty of having so many interpreters of one fine piece.
Lance G. Hill
Editor-in-Chief
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When she started to play, Mr. Steinway came down and personally
rubbed his name off the piano. [Speaking about pianist &*$#@+#]
Editor-in-Chief
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When she started to play, Mr. Steinway came down and personally
rubbed his name off the piano. [Speaking about pianist &*$#@+#]
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Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
There is no doubt in my mind...Ivan Moravec...
Sent via Twitter by @chalkperson
Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
The interpretation of Alfred Cortot is not far from the ideal. The ideal according to the perspective I have of this work.
Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
Argerich is indeed a superb Chopin performer, as she is in all else. Moravec is extremely nuanced and sensitive, and Lipati holds a special place in my heart, yet the peak performance for me in Murray Perahia, who captures the rolling chords with matchless perfection and warmth of nuance.
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Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
As I read that, though, Lance, you seem to say that the Barcarolle is a rarity?Lance wrote:The Barcarolle is a gorgeous piece of music, as is Chopin's other rarity, the Bolero.
How do we reconcile that with:
100 instances seems inordinate for a rarity . . . .Lance wrote:I did some checking and seem to have around 100 Barcarolles performed by just about every major pianist of the past and many from current days.
Cheers,
~Karl
Karl Henning, PhD
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston, Massachusetts
http://members.tripod.com/~Karl_P_Henning/
http://henningmusick.blogspot.com/
Published by Lux Nova Press
http://www.luxnova.com/
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston, Massachusetts
http://members.tripod.com/~Karl_P_Henning/
http://henningmusick.blogspot.com/
Published by Lux Nova Press
http://www.luxnova.com/
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Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
Well, a rarity in the sense that we don't hear the Barcarolle nor the Bolero nearly as frequently as the Nocturnes, Ballades, or Scherzi. As many piano recitals as I have attended—literally hundreds—over the years, I think I can count on one hand the number of live performances I've heard of, especially, the Barcarolle. As to how to reconcile, well, I guess you either believe it or not! See more below in red.
karlhenning wrote:As I read that, though, Lance, you seem to say that the Barcarolle is a rarity?Lance wrote:The Barcarolle is a gorgeous piece of music, as is Chopin's other rarity, the Bolero.
How do we reconcile that with:
Lance responds:
As for a rarity and having 100 pianists play it on records, I guess you would have to be crazy about music (like me) to go after all these versions, some of which are planned and others that just happen to be there. This is not mere "collecting," per se, but actually being interested in myriad performances by mostly celebrated (and some uncelebrated) pianists.100 instances seems inordinate for a rarity . . . .Lance wrote:I did some checking and seem to have around 100 Barcarolles performed by just about every major pianist of the past and many from current days.
Cheers,
~Karl
Lance G. Hill
Editor-in-Chief
______________________________________________________
When she started to play, Mr. Steinway came down and personally
rubbed his name off the piano. [Speaking about pianist &*$#@+#]
Editor-in-Chief
______________________________________________________
When she started to play, Mr. Steinway came down and personally
rubbed his name off the piano. [Speaking about pianist &*$#@+#]
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Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
Chopin's Barcerolle is a rarity in that it represents a level of greatness that few musical pieces can claim.
Cyril Ignatius
Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
The 1939 Moiseiwitsch recording that is included in the Marston Century of Romantic Chopin box is one of the rare times where I feel "best ever" status does apply. Like Lance, I've heard hundreds of Barcarolle performances, but when I heard this one I finally felt for the first time that I had found it - the ideal Barcarolle recording. The Marston box set is not the first release of this Barcarolle recording. It was first issued on an APR CD called "Piano e Forte", but that CD is no longer available. This performance was not issued during Moiseiwitsch's lifetime. It comes from a test pressing that was in the possession of the family.
Farhan
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Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
Pierre-Laurent Aimard is playing the Barcarolle tonight in his Philadelphia piano recital. I hope to have a favorable report.Lance wrote:Well, a rarity in the sense that we don't hear the Barcarolle nor the Bolero nearly as frequently as the Nocturnes, Ballades, or Scherzi. As many piano recitals as I have attended—literally hundreds—over the years, I think I can count on one hand the number of live performances I've heard of, especially, the Barcarolle.
Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
I wish you luck, my friend ....... I hope he is more sympathetic to Chopin than he was to Ravel in his recording of Gaspard de la nuit! (he's great with Ligeti, though!)Ricordanza wrote:Pierre-Laurent Aimard is playing the Barcarolle tonight in his Philadelphia piano recital. I hope to have a favorable report.Lance wrote:Well, a rarity in the sense that we don't hear the Barcarolle nor the Bolero nearly as frequently as the Nocturnes, Ballades, or Scherzi. As many piano recitals as I have attended—literally hundreds—over the years, I think I can count on one hand the number of live performances I've heard of, especially, the Barcarolle.
Enjoy the recital!
Martin
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Re: Best ever Chopin Barcarolle?
I liked his performance of the Barcarolle and liked even more his performance of Ravel's Miroirs. See my review for more details.hangos wrote:I wish you luck, my friend ....... I hope he is more sympathetic to Chopin than he was to Ravel in his recording of Gaspard de la nuit! (he's great with Ligeti, though!)Ricordanza wrote:Pierre-Laurent Aimard is playing the Barcarolle tonight in his Philadelphia piano recital. I hope to have a favorable report.Lance wrote:Well, a rarity in the sense that we don't hear the Barcarolle nor the Bolero nearly as frequently as the Nocturnes, Ballades, or Scherzi. As many piano recitals as I have attended—literally hundreds—over the years, I think I can count on one hand the number of live performances I've heard of, especially, the Barcarolle.
Enjoy the recital!
Martin
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