Chopin: The Piano Works | Frederic Chopin, Vladimir Ashkenazy, ...

Chopin: The Piano Works | Frederic Chopin, Vladimir Ashkenazy, ... | Perfect music

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Chopin: The Piano ...

	Chopin: The Piano Works Frederic Chopin, Vladimir Ashkenazy, ... Decca, 1997 average customer review:based on 19 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

The genius of Chopin via the mastery of Ashkenazy

I have listened to the works of a number of composers, but Chopin always stands out with his remarkable ability to translate raw human emotion into musical tones from the piano. In my opinion, what other composers might have sought to accomplish with the variety of voices in the orchestra, Chopin was able to do with one instrument. To replicate this is no easy task, and Ashkenazy does a fantastic job in this set of CDs.
The music of Chopin contains so much pure poetic beauty, but I think his true genius comes through in pieces written in the minor keys. Chopin was a truly great blues composer of his time. I suppose that the most common vehicle for expressing "blues" or "tragedy" in that era was the opera. But Chopin could accomplish it without the need for words. He knew how to express human pain and angst. Take the Nocturne in E minor, for example (Opus 72 #1). If you can appreciate the blues, then I'm sure you'd have no trouble hearing the pathos in that piece played by Ashkenazy. To understand, appreciate, and especially to play the blues, one must be able to feel the blues. And again, to express this musically is no easy task. For the piano, it requires subtle technique with dynamics and license in meter (which Chopin was occasionally criticized for) to truly translate the emotion. Ashkenazy does this quite well.

I'm no expert in judging the electronic quality of a recorded CD, but I detected no flaws in that respect. I am an appreciator of the music. And in that light, I definitely recommend this CD set.

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Perfect music

I can't say exactly how much I enjoy this box set. All Chopin's piano music played by one of the best, if not the overall best Chopin expert. This music is so beautiful, so perfect, so complete, so full, so emotional that each time I put one of the cd's of this box in my player I immediatly feel happy, calm, relaxed, amazed. Just sit down in front of your stereo system, closed your eyes and that's it. When I do it my bad days change completly. I'm so happy I did buy this box. I know it is an investment for life. I will listen to this music for ever and never will be tired of. 13 cd's of pure delight without a single weak moment. Pure art.

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Le Creme de la Creme! The Finest Chopin interpration

Vladimir Ashkenazy's technique and performance on the piano is absolutely the finest and most unriveled. He has done Frederic Chopin justice. All of his works, including the more famouse ones, are collected in a stylish, glorious cd. If you are a true and hardcore fan of Chopin's piano music, then this is the cd for you. Here are his masterpieces for the piano, interpreted to perfection by the pianist Ashkenazy. There are many who argue that there are other pianists who can do a good Chopin piece. This is true. But Ashkenazy gives a terrific performance. The great works are here- the waltzes, the etudes, the nocturnes, mazurkas, ballades, polonnaises and sonatas. The "Minute Waltz" you will find no greater rendition, "the Military Polonnaise" the beautifully romantic Nocturne No. 2 in E flat opus 9, a beautiful musical depiction of the Seine river in Paris and of course the Sonata no. 2 in B flat minor, the famous "Funeral March" whose third movement is the highlight- that ominous, dark passage in minor key followed by a breathtaking and beautiful pianissimo change from fortissimo. It is to me, a piece describing a death, followed by the hope of heaven, or peace, then a return to the inevitable death theme. Chopin's piano music revolutionized romantic works for piano, and together with Franz Lizst created a movement that would be followed by other geniuses of the instrument. A must have for fans of piano and Romanticism

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technical excellence and heartfelt emotion from Ashkenazy

What a great set - 13 discs of Chopin delivered with technical elan and profound feeling. This is a treasure trove of great music which will provide years of listening enjoyment.

Technique vs Performance

In a few words, the early 80s starts the new era for Ashkenazy and most of piano recordings past that days are odd and tasteless. Well, it's business. But this recording is great, brilliant technique and good interpretation. Who prefer brilliant interpretation and good technique, look for Magaloff's box set(also 13CD, the same repertoire - Phillips).

reviews: 1, 2, page 3, 4

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