- Audio CD (Aug 1 2008)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Import
- Label: Chesky Records
- ASIN: B000003GD7
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Product Details |
Track Listings
| 1. Ballade No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 23 |
| 2. Ballade No. 2. In F Major, Op. 38 |
| 3. Ballade No. 3 In A Flat Major, Op. 47 |
| 4. Ballade No. 4 In F Minor, Op. 52 |
| 5. Scherzo No. 1 In B Minor, Op. 20 |
| 6. Scherzo No. 2 In B Flat Minor, Op. 31 |
| 7. Scherzo No. 3 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 39 |
| 8. Scherzo No. 4 In E Major, Op. 54 |
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
Most of the great Romantic pianists have said what they had to say about Chopin's "Big Eight" - some several times. The late Jorge Bolet made the Ballades one of his last efforts. Earl Wild, perhaps a year or two younger, and one of the last torch-bearers of the pianist-Titans --- Rachmaninoff, Hofmann, and Busoni --- makes his mark here. It's an elegant inscription, of perfect dimension and clarity. But these are inalienable traits of Wild's. What besides his physical mastery assures that these recordings will live on? Artistry. And in the scherzos particularly, Wild has some remarkable conceptions.
First, some of the questionable moments: Wild has a reputation for gleefully sabotaging Chopin with misplaced rubatos; that is not exactly in evidence here. What is noticeable in the lyrical interludes of Ballades 1 and 4 is a stalling between melodic sentences, as if he were losing interest in the thematic development. This drove a friend of mine to distraction. He played me a hissy, live recording of Sviatoslav Richter playing the Ballade #4. Sure enough, Richter managed to convey tension throughout the trio section. Then again, Richter has a notable ability to evoke apocalypse in any work (whether it's there or not). For my ears, these are minor tics.
When the Scherzo #1 in b was published in England, the programmatic title "Le Banquet Infernale" was affixed to it (to the dismay of Chopin). It is the most careening of the set; Wild tears through it without actually ripping it. The evenness of his mechanism is stunning. The trio section of the hackneyed second Scherzo has freshness and depth. Wild has a magic touch with the pastoral harmonies. I think the keystone to this disc is the third Scherzo. Both Richter and Ashkenazy fall short of Wild's cascading pianissimo arpeggios; the introductory octaves crackle and then melt into the hymnal chords of the melody. After many listenings, I now find the second Ballade, with its frightening range of sonorities, extremely pleasing.
Chesky has improved on the sound of Wild's Medtner recording (which was already outstanding). The bell-like bass is stupendous. If you weren't lucky enough to catch Earl Wild at Carnegie hall in November - he played on his 75th birthday - here is your chance.
By A Customer
Earl Wild's Chopin is wonderful. And I want to point out that this recording is one of the best sounding discs I own. Luscious sound. The playing is what we have come to expect from Earl Wild: superb. I only like his Liszt playing better than his Chopin playing because I prefer Liszt to Chopin at this point in my life. Still, I buy everything with Wild's name on it. You should too.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars
3 reviews
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great disc
April 3 2001
By A Customer
- Published on Amazon.com
Earl Wild's Chopin is wonderful. And I want to point out that this recording is one of the best sounding discs I own. Luscious sound. The playing is what we have come to expect from Earl Wild: superb. I only like his Liszt playing better than his Chopin playing because I prefer Liszt to Chopin at this point in my life. Still, I buy everything with Wild's name on it. You should too.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wild About Chopin
Nov 14 2001
By Robert J. Sullivan Jr.
- Published on Amazon.com
Most of the great Romantic pianists have said what they had to say about Chopin's "Big Eight" - some several times. The late Jorge Bolet made the Ballades one of his last efforts. Earl Wild, perhaps a year or two younger, and one of the last torch-bearers of the pianist-Titans --- Rachmaninoff, Hofmann, and Busoni --- makes his mark here. It's an elegant inscription, of perfect dimension and clarity. But these are inalienable traits of Wild's. What besides his physical mastery assures that these recordings will live on? Artistry. And in the scherzos particularly, Wild has some remarkable conceptions.
First, some of the questionable moments: Wild has a reputation for gleefully sabotaging Chopin with misplaced rubatos; that is not exactly in evidence here. What is noticeable in the lyrical interludes of Ballades 1 and 4 is a stalling between melodic sentences, as if he were losing interest in the thematic development. This drove a friend of mine to distraction. He played me a hissy, live recording of Sviatoslav Richter playing the Ballade #4. Sure enough, Richter managed to convey tension throughout the trio section. Then again, Richter has a notable ability to evoke apocalypse in any work (whether it's there or not). For my ears, these are minor tics.
When the Scherzo #1 in b was published in England, the programmatic title "Le Banquet Infernale" was affixed to it (to the dismay of Chopin). It is the most careening of the set; Wild tears through it without actually ripping it. The evenness of his mechanism is stunning. The trio section of the hackneyed second Scherzo has freshness and depth. Wild has a magic touch with the pastoral harmonies. I think the keystone to this disc is the third Scherzo. Both Richter and Ashkenazy fall short of Wild's cascading pianissimo arpeggios; the introductory octaves crackle and then melt into the hymnal chords of the melody. After many listenings, I now find the second Ballade, with its frightening range of sonorities, extremely pleasing.
Chesky has improved on the sound of Wild's Medtner recording (which was already outstanding). The bell-like bass is stupendous. If you weren't lucky enough to catch Earl Wild at Carnegie hall in November - he played on his 75th birthday - here is your chance.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fire and Poetry!
Oct 30 2012
By NPUL
- Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase
The sound quality of this CD is unbelievably great! I would compare this recording to Rubinstein's 1959 recording of the ballades/scherzi. Earl Wild plays with a bit more fire than Rubinstein, but there is still plenty of poetry there, which is essential with Chopin. I would get this one and Rubinstein's, but this one has DDD sound which makes listening to it on an ipod with headphones a better experience because you won't even hear the slightest "hiss" even in the slow, soft parts of these great pieces. So far, this and Rubinstein's are my favorite recordings of these pieces (along with Zimerman for the Ballades).
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 3 reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Ballads
- Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Scherzo
- Music > Classical > Historical Periods
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
