CHOPIN Waltzes, Nocturnes

This is the fourth volume of Louis Lortie’s highly successful series devoted to Chopin. The recording perfectly illustrates how Chopin elevated the waltz to a genre of musical art, from danses de salon – evocative of a genial milieu – to ‘works’ with proper opus numbers. Growing up in the 1820s, the composer at first viewed the waltz purely pragmatically, as a means to a social end in the dance salon. But after spending time in Vienna and Paris in the 1830s he decided that a waltz might be worthy of the deeper appreciation accorded a ‘work’.

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From moods of liveliness, in introductory calls to the dance, to more poetical or sentimental sections, the affective achievement in these works is great, whether the mood captured is plaintive (the B minor, A flat major, or F minor ones), evocative of the dance salon (the E major), lilting (the D flat major), reminiscent of a Ländler (the A flat major, the only waltz Chopin composed in 3 / 8 meter), dramatic (the E minor), or brilliant (the G flat major).

The nocturnes also trace their origins to the salon. The genre derives from a type of vocal music, akin to the solo romance, but highly popular among amateurs as an opportunity for singing duets.

With this series, Louis Lortie has made his reputation as a ‘model Chopinist’ (BBC Music).

Plays CHOPIN

Following his successful 2012 release of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 with Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra, Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov tries on the more intimate role of recitalist for this live Decca album of solo piano pieces by Frédéric Chopin. Trifonov is a powerhouse in the Lisztian mold, and his incredible technique seems better suited to fast, flashy fingerwork than to more subdued music.

Certain pieces, such as the Rondo in F major, Op. 5, "À la Mazur," the Étude in F major, Op. 10/8, and the Grande Valse Brillante, Op. 18, allow feats of prestidigitation, and there's no denying that he can perform with dazzling virtuosity.

However, Chopin should not be played to set land speed records, and Trifonov is required to show greater variety of tempos, dynamics, and expressions in the Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante, the set of three Mazurkas, Op. 56, and above all in the Sonata No. 3 in B minor, where more is at stake emotionally and artistically. (It is perhaps of interest to note that the first four tracks were recorded in Venice, while the rest of the album was recorded in Sacile, Italy, so changes in playing style may reflect the different venues.) 

Trifonov is obviously more comfortable in glittering showpieces, and this CD confirms that can always entertain with his brilliance. But it is inconclusive about his capacity for emotional growth and ability to play slower and more private music with grace and depth.

CHOPIN Competition Winner 2015

South Korea's Seong-Jin Cho, aged 21, was announced winner of the prestigious 17th international Frederic Chopin piano competition in the Polish capital, Warsaw on the evening of 20th October 2015.

The competition, held every five years, is one of the few in which pianists play pieces by a single composer. 84 pianists aged 16 to 30, from 45 countries, qualified for the 2015 four-stage series of final recitals held over a three-week period in October.
Release date: 6th Nov 2015

The competition opened on 1 October with a gala concert featuring Martha Argerich and finished with the Grand Finale recitals by the top 10 pianists on 18-20 October. The Chopin Competition is renowned for discovering the world’s most talented pianists. Past winners include Maurizio Pollini, Martha Argerich, Krystian Zimmerman, Yundi Li and Rafał Blechacz.

This all-Chopin disc was made from live performances from the competition's finals.

LOVE'S Dreams

The most important composers of keyboard music are represented, including Felix Mendelssohn,  Franz Schubert,  Robert Schumann, Edvard Grieg, Claude Debussy, Johannes Brahms, Franz Liszt, Modest Mussorgsky and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. An even greater number of performers are presented, such as Martha Argerich, Daniel Barenboim, Evgeny Kissin,  Emil Gilels, Mikhail Pletnev, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli and other important pianists.