Ashkenazy plays Chopin

October 28, 2011 12:18 PM

Préludes Op. 28 by Chopin, played live by Vladimir Ashkenazy. This must have been recorded around 1980, when he was touring with these pieces. No. 1-6

7-12
13-15
16-17
18-22
23-24

posted by Namlit (9 comments total)

My first exposure to Chopin was Ashkenazy's recording of the Ballades and Scherzos, so I have a soft spot for him. But in this repetoire, it pretty much begins and ends with Rubinstein.

Of the Preludes themselves, Douglas R. Hofstadter wrote, "I don't know who I would be if I had never heard them."
posted by Trurl at 12:38 PM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

My favorite Chopin interpreter is Krystian Zimerman, but I'm looking forward to listening to these!
posted by mothershock at 12:45 PM on October 28, 2011

Beautiful. Also Rubinstein. But I'll just drop this out here for consideration.
posted by cromagnon at 12:59 PM on October 28, 2011

cromagnon: And who did Horowitz himself feel could blow him and everyone else away? Why it's none other than the miraculous Art Tatum, playing the same piece. Now go read filthy light thief's incredible Art Tatum post from a couple days ago. You'll thank me.
posted by The Bellman at 1:06 PM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

There are many things we could discuss, but I'd like to focus on prelude #1 in C Major

What I want to say is that Rubinstein does it best
posted by gonna get a dog at 1:37 PM on October 28, 2011

The great thing with Chopin is that there's so many ways to play it beautifully. Or at least interestingly.
posted by Namlit at 2:23 PM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

I'd like to also point out that Sviatoslav Richter absolutely owns the op. 28 prelude in A-flat major.

Richter is one of my favourite pianists, but he's inconsistent -- sometimes he just sounds bored. But in this recording, he touches the piano and the goddamned truth falls out.
posted by liminalrampaste at 4:03 PM on October 28, 2011 [3 favorites]

Thanks for posting! I'd only listened to these on CD and never saw him actually play, he is amazing. I always think I'm so skilled when I play Nos. 7 and 15...I need to remind myself they are by far the easiest!
posted by janerica at 4:35 PM on October 28, 2011

These are great! Quality/continuity, etc. But I'm still trying to get rid of my spiraling pinwheel eyes after my (virtual) introduction to Martha Argerich earlier this year. Fell hard for this 1965 recording, but yeah of course the preludes are something unto themselves.
posted by obscurator at 12:31 AM on October 29, 2011