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Chopin: Ballade / Mazurkas / Waltzes / Impromptu / Piano Sonata No. 2 - Opp. 33-36 & 38
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About Chopin: Ballade / Mazurkas / Waltzes / Impromptu
Product Description Maurizio Pollini, one of today's most exceptional pianists, began his musical career by winning the Chopin competition in 1960. Since then, the works of Chopin have held a pre-eminent place in his performances and recordings. Following up on the success of his release of Chopin Nocturnes in 2005, Pollini now records an all-new recital of Chopin masterpieces. He has re-recorded the famous Sonata no. 2 in B flat minor, op. 35 (recorded in 1984 and released in 1986) and the Ballade no. 2 in F, op. 38 (recorded and released in 1999) and added the Mazurkas op. 33, Waltzes op. 34 and Impromptu no. 2 in F sharp major, op. 36. All of these works were composed in a relatively late phase of Chopin's career and display the great variety of his art. With Pollini recording Chopin, one of classical music's most popular composers, this release will appeal to both classical music lovers and a wider audience. Amazon.com Maurizio Pollini is both a virtuoso and a thinking man's Chopin pianist. He never goes for the pretty or easy: he gets into Chopin's notes and tells us what they are. There are no frills – and he doesn't really "interpret." If there is, arguably, a decaying elegance or sadness in some of the waltzes (opus 34), Pollini is not interested. But listen to the well-known A flat and feel the thrill of movement itself, with every note impeccably in place and the line of the music unbroken by plugged-in temperament. The Impromptu, op. 36 is played with a sweetness throughout that few can beat and he takes his time, lingering over the filigree. The Ballade, op. 38, gets a perfect performance, with the opening theme as sweet as can be and the maniacal second subject utterly ferocious; Pollini’s hands can terrify. The sonata, op. 35 is the CD's grandest and longest piece and contains the famous “Funeral March” third movement. Pollini plays the 1st movement quickly for later contrast; he practically sings the second movement, and plays the March-like lead, though, without stretching it to unnecessary length (Michelangeli takes two minutes longer). He rips through the final movement – an equivalent of a waterfall of notes – in a minute and a half – and stuns the listener. This CD is a thrill. -- Robert Levine From the Artist "I play Chopin more freely than I did in my youth, or at the time of the Chopin competition. I like my old recordings, but some of them strike me today as rather straight." --Maurizio Pollini
