Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Fryderyk Chopin
Label: Decca
Magazine Review Date: 12/1990
Media Format: Cassette
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 425 859-4DH
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 |
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Charles Dutoit, Conductor Fryderyk Chopin, Composer Jorge Bolet, Piano Montreal Symphony Orchestra |
| Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 |
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Charles Dutoit, Conductor Fryderyk Chopin, Composer Jorge Bolet, Piano Montreal Symphony Orchestra |
Composer or Director: Fryderyk Chopin
Label: Decca
Magazine Review Date: 12/1990
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 76
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 425 859-2DH
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 |
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Charles Dutoit, Conductor Fryderyk Chopin, Composer Jorge Bolet, Piano Montreal Symphony Orchestra |
| Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 |
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Charles Dutoit, Conductor Fryderyk Chopin, Composer Jorge Bolet, Piano Montreal Symphony Orchestra |
Author: Joan Chissell
As in other undertakings of more recent times, again here the late Jorge Bolet (in his mid-seventies when making this recording in Montreal's St Eustache last year) likes to take his time—as is clear from the disc's total of 76'09'' for the two works as against the 67'16'' of the Gramophone Classical Catalogue's last contender, Murray Perahia on Sony Classical. This leisure results in most beautiful slow movements, particularly the Larghetto of the F minor Concerto, inspired by its 19-year-old composer's first great love. The melody not only sings but speaks (with some telling emphasis of inner subtleties of craftsmanship), and the filigree decoration has an exquisite finger-tip delicacy. In the faster flanking movements of both works, predictably Bolet's deliberation brings losses as well as gains, not least in their dancing finales. Of the two, I thought the F minor Concerto's Allegro vivace elicited the lighter and more graceful lilt, even if it lacks Perahia's effervesence (Bolet's timing here is 9'34'' as against Perahia's 7'59''). But the Krakowiak-type Rondo ending the E minor work lacks not only the sprightliness of heart inherent in its scherzando marking but also the rhythmic elan so enjoyable from Chopin's compatriot, the young Krystian Zimerman on DG.
As for the opening movements, no one brings a stronger sense of direction to either of them than Perahia, or a more burning inner intensity. But here, even the comparatively leisurely Zimerman too (only just under two minutes faster than Bolet as against Perahia's three minutes) somehow manages to preserve an easier lyrical flow. This is particularly welcome in the development section's semiquaver figuration, which played with Bolet's deliberation does (or did to me) begin to sound just a little too patterned—and protracted. In both concertos I also thought Bolet could profitably have emulated Zimerman's much more dramatically arresting entries. And if the characterization of both younger rivals emerges just that much keener, it could well be that both use a wider dynamic range to emphasize contrasts—such as in the build-up in the first movement of No. 1 before the arrival of the assuaging second subject (around 6'50'' on track 1 in Bolet's performance).
The orchestral co-operation under Charles Dutoit is generously warm-hearted, and the recording itself full, forward and reverberant (perhaps even a shade too reverberant for details like the strings' col legno to tell in the finale of the F minor work). In sum, performances of indisputable love and care, but perhaps, like Arrau's recent reissue of the E minor Concerto as part of a three-disc Philips release of Chopin piano works ((CD) 426 147-2PS3, 6/90), it reminds us that these youthful miracles respond best to youthful fingers. And in that context I would advise no prospective purchaser to overlook Vasary's recently reissued bargain-price coupling of the two on DG for its beguiling poetic grace.'
As for the opening movements, no one brings a stronger sense of direction to either of them than Perahia, or a more burning inner intensity. But here, even the comparatively leisurely Zimerman too (only just under two minutes faster than Bolet as against Perahia's three minutes) somehow manages to preserve an easier lyrical flow. This is particularly welcome in the development section's semiquaver figuration, which played with Bolet's deliberation does (or did to me) begin to sound just a little too patterned—and protracted. In both concertos I also thought Bolet could profitably have emulated Zimerman's much more dramatically arresting entries. And if the characterization of both younger rivals emerges just that much keener, it could well be that both use a wider dynamic range to emphasize contrasts—such as in the build-up in the first movement of No. 1 before the arrival of the assuaging second subject (around 6'50'' on track 1 in Bolet's performance).
The orchestral co-operation under Charles Dutoit is generously warm-hearted, and the recording itself full, forward and reverberant (perhaps even a shade too reverberant for details like the strings' col legno to tell in the finale of the F minor work). In sum, performances of indisputable love and care, but perhaps, like Arrau's recent reissue of the E minor Concerto as part of a three-disc Philips release of Chopin piano works ((CD) 426 147-2PS3, 6/90), it reminds us that these youthful miracles respond best to youthful fingers. And in that context I would advise no prospective purchaser to overlook Vasary's recently reissued bargain-price coupling of the two on DG for its beguiling poetic grace.'
Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2
Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2
Discover the world's largest classical music catalogue with Presto Music.
Gramophone Digital Club
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Full website access
From £8.75 / month
Subscribe
Gramophone Full Club
- Print Edition
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Full website access
From £11.00 / month
Subscribe
If you are a library, university or other organisation that would be interested in an institutional subscription to Gramophone please click here for further information.