Preludes/Barcarolle/Andante

 

 

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If you haven't yet heard of sensational Pianist Juana Zayas, finish reading this review, then go immediately to her internet web site: juanazayas.com. Meanwhile, even without background information, you can fast click on whatever shopping site(s) you favor to get her Chopin CD recordings. The Opus 28 (plus) preludes is the topic here. The etudes and sonatas 2-3 are also available. Have you relished the old-school, golden-age-of-pianism recordings by such luminaries as Josef Lhevinne, Ignaz Friedman, Alfred Cortot? Have you found it hard to listen to their recordings transferred from the last century's 78 rpm disc masters, without heartily lamenting the primitive aspects of sound technology at that time? Now, suddenly, ...well not so suddenly it turns out: Ms. Zayas has been living in the west for 30 years, raising her 3 sons, practising like a demon, and expanding her repertoire so that when she could eventually return to the concert stage (i.e., NOW, HERE); she would have depth and breadth of repetoire... now suddenly you can hear Chopin played by someone with heart, mind, fingers, and ... most amazing of all, an elusive quality of open, soulful simplicity. Hers is a most enduring yet special kind of Chopin: she manages to achieve the balance, the poise we associate with Artur Rubinstein's later stereo Chopin recordings, melded intimately with the her own fire and Cuban intellect. Beyond surface glitter, beyond customary wowie-zowie forms of piano mastery, we burn with her in this music, if we let ourselves. I think if you go to one of her concerts, you will notice lots of other very good pianists sitting in the audience, ears wide open, maybe even taking notes. Yes, I know you are thinking: There is no dearth of available Chopin recordings. Yes, I know you are thinking, I don't want to listen to ALL of the etudes, or ALL of the preludes. O posh, O piddle, O fiddlestix. If you have wondered what the etudes/preludes might sound like, played all together as music first and etudes or preludes second; these performances will inspire your confidence. Indeed, I wager that performances by Juana Zayas will quickly become necessary to you. So, stop reading right now, get one of these recordings and return to the sort of Chopin that really does nourish a listener's intangible, peripatetic humanity. Join the club of people who will admit to being astounded that such a lady should be alive in our times to share her unique, even atavistic genius with us. I think the shades of old Cortot, old Friedman, old Lhevinne .... many other old masters... are smiling, perhaps. Chopin himself may even be smiling. I know I am smiling because I am listening to Ms. Zayas play Chopin preludes, right now, as I write this review.

This is a wonderful album. I have been a fan of Juana Zayas' playing ever since I heard a radio broadcast in the early 1980s of a scintillating, live, all-Chopin concert. My impression was confirmed by her extraordinary recording of the complete Etudes, Op.10 & 25, made in 1983, originally on LP and now available on CD. This has always been my favorite version of the Etudes. Now Juana Zayes has recorded the Preludes, and this Music & Arts CD shows that she has lost none of the incandescent virtuosity or poetic insight of her earlier playing. Such transcendent technique as exhibited here is rare, and technique put to such compelling musical ends is rarer still. I highly recommend this recording.

Juana Zayas plays these gems like no one else. Not even Martha Argerich plays Chopin as well as Zayas. Both play with heart and clearly have phenomenal technique. But Zayas doesn't sound as impetuous, out of control. Argerich occasionally sounds as if she is coming apart at the seams. As regards the review of "DB" of both this disc and Zayas's Etudes, I find that sort of criticism rather cowardly, to say the least. It sounds to me like someone who harbors a grudge against the pianist and wants others to think that she doesn't play well. Of course, his criticisms are utterly baseless, as anyone who listens to Zayas could testify. What is worse, however, is that his remarks sound more like those of an immature juvenile with an axe to grind than a serious music lover. That's ok, though: all are entitled to express their opinion, no matter how foolish they sound.

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2.0 out of 5 stars Her etudes are better than her preludes.
Critics are by no means unanimous about Zayas' Chopin. Classic CD's reviewer wasn't impressed and neither am I.

Published on Nov 20 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Zayas a real Chopin pianist!!!
This recording of the Preludes, Barcarolle, and AS&GPB exhibits high craft. Next to it, Argerich's account, while very good and interesting, must yield. Read more

Published on Aug 24 1999

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