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They may be third-world, but a lot of them have more money than I do!

Posted by Chris from Lafayette (A) on November 8, 2016 at 00:39:43

In Reply to: Pinging Chris, connoisseur of 3rd world babe pianists posted by jdaniel@jps.net on November 7, 2016 at 21:42:27:

I do not own Sa Chen's Chopin Concertos album. I used to have the Harmonia Mundi release of her Cliburn performances, but I did not keep it.

As is so often the case, we have quite an opposite estimation of some of the other performances you mention: I found Bella Davidovitch's disc somewhat cautious - but it's been ages since I heard it and I might appreciate it more if I heard it now. (I saw her live in recital, where I got a similar feeling that she was "playing safe" - but that was ages ago too.) My main memory of that recording is that there was just a bit too much circumspection in it for me.

I found the Zimerman/Giulini recording good in terms of the performances (really, I think his technical command verges on the perfect!), but poorly recorded (DG Tonmeisters at their multi-microphoning worst, although I haven't heard the "Originals" remastering). The later Zimerman recording (where he plays and conducts) I found absolutely amazing, even mesmerizing, not least for the ability of the orchestra to feel every phrase precisely with Zimerman - it's a one-of-a-kind performance which risks a lot in its interpretive gestures (i.e., rubato, dynamics - both extreme and subtle, agogic accents, etc.), and I can understand its not being appreciated by everyone. But, geez, the performances of both concertos are like no others and I have tremendous respect and love for them. (DG's recording efforts are a bit better this time around too!)

I also think that the Argerich performance(s) deserve their critical accolades - both the DG with Abbado and Rostropovich, and the EMI with Dutoit. I guess feverish to you is brilliant to me in this instance, and I also find Martha quite imaginative and sensitive in the slower sections.

I haven't heard the Sokolov performance yet - it should be available at hdtracks (link below)? Others I've liked are Bachauer/Dorati, Gilels/Ormandy, Rubinstein/Skrowaczewski, and (surprisingly good) Weissenberg/Skrowaczewski. Another surprisingly good set of performances (in hi-rez too - I have them on blu-ray audio, but the multi-channel tracks don't play correctly, so I've heard it only in 2-channel) is the Eldar Nebolsin / Antoni Wit albums on Naxos.

At some point, I'd also like to hear the Lugansky/Vedernikov album too!

• http://www.hdtracks.com/chopin-piano-concerto-no-1-grigory-s   (Open in New Window)

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