Est 1923

CHOPIN Mazurkas

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Fryderyk Chopin, Nils Henrik Asheim

Genre:

Instrumental

Label: Lawo

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 64

Mastering:

DDD

Catalogue Number: LWC1049

LWC1049. CHOPIN Mazurkas. Nils Asheim

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
(4) Mazurkas Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 1 in F sharp minor, Op. 6/1 (1830) Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 2 in C sharp minor, Op. 6/2 (1830) Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 3 in E, Op. 6/3 (1830) Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
(5) Mazurkas, Movement: No 1: Mazurka in B-flat major Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
(5) Mazurkas, Movement: No 3: Mazurka in F minor Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 11 in E minor, Op. 17/2 (1832-33) Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 13 in A minor, Op. 17/4 (1832-33) Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
(4) Mazurkas, Movement: No. 1: Mazurka in G minor Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
(4) Mazurkas, Movement: No. 2: Mazurka in C major Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
(4) Mazurkas, Movement: No. 4: Mazurka in B-flat minor Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
Mazurka Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 34 in C, Op. 56/2 (1843) Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 37 in A flat, Op. 59/2 (1845) Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 40 in F minor, Op. 63/2 (1846) Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 41 in C sharp minor, Op. 63/3 (1846) Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 45 in A minor, Op. 67/4 (1846) Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 47 in A minor, Op. 68/2 (1827) Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 48 in F, Op. 68/3 (1829) Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 49 in F minor, Op. 68/4 (1849) Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Nils Henrik Asheim, Composer
There are some noteworthy and lovely things about this recording. First, there is the mellow tone of the restored 1830s Collard & Collard square piano, the kind of instrument on which Chopin’s mazurkas would have been played in drawing rooms all over Europe. Second, there is a seductive intimacy to Asheim’s playing that resonates with the domestic nature of these miniature gems. Third, it is fascinating to hear how the tone quality and short decay of the instrument influence the performance of the music. Asheim uses asynchronised hands and introduces arpeggiated chords at will – much like Chopin is said to have done in his free treatment of his own work (Berlioz, Lenz, Hallé and many others attest to this).

There are also less appealing aspects. One good reason why people don’t make square wooden-framed pianos any more is that they do not have the versatility, colour range or depth of tone of a modern piano. Once one’s ear has adjusted to the timbre of the Collard, there is, after a handful of Mazurkas, too little dynamic variation from one to another beyond the aforementioned mellow piano and an almost strident forte which seems to emanate from a different tonal palette. Then there is the question of hearing 23 short pieces in the same metre one after the other, many of them using similar figurations and themes. In this instance, best to hear a few at a time.

The booklet, incidentally, with a densely argued essay on the Mazurkas and their performance practice, has a (blurred) 1847 daguerreotype of Chopin (not the famous one of 1849 said to be the only ‘photograph’ of the composer). What, I wonder, is its provenance?

LWC1049. CHOPIN Mazurkas. Nils Asheim

CHOPIN Mazurkas

(4) Mazurkas

Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 1 in F sharp minor, Op. 6/1 (1830)

Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 2 in C sharp minor, Op. 6/2 (1830)

Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 3 in E, Op. 6/3 (1830)

(5) Mazurkas, Movement: No 1: Mazurka in B-flat major

(5) Mazurkas, Movement: No 3: Mazurka in F minor

Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 11 in E minor, Op. 17/2 (1832-33)

Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 13 in A minor, Op. 17/4 (1832-33)

(4) Mazurkas, Movement: No. 1: Mazurka in G minor

(4) Mazurkas, Movement: No. 2: Mazurka in C major

(4) Mazurkas, Movement: No. 4: Mazurka in B-flat minor

Mazurka

Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 34 in C, Op. 56/2 (1843)

Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 37 in A flat, Op. 59/2 (1845)

Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 40 in F minor, Op. 63/2 (1846)

Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 41 in C sharp minor, Op. 63/3 (1846)

Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 45 in A minor, Op. 67/4 (1846)

Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 47 in A minor, Op. 68/2 (1827)

Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 48 in F, Op. 68/3 (1829)

Mazurkas (Complete), Movement: No. 49 in F minor, Op. 68/4 (1849)

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