Chopin by russian pianists
Tue, Sep 6 2011, 4:44AM
Hi!
Time ago I was interested in a Chopin's recordings by russian pianists. A much time passed. Nowadays I'd like you to tell the best russian pianist who plays Chopin's masterpieces.
Aspecially I'm dying to know your point of view for playing by Chopin's Prize Winners (International Chopin Piano Competition) as Lev Oborin, Yakov Zak, Bella Davidovich, Stanislav Bunin, Yulianna Avdeeva.
Not been Chopin's Prize Winner as Valentina Igoshina but very talented and impressed Chopin's interpretator. What tell about her playing too?
Thanks in an advance for CDs you can recommend to listen.
Tue, Sep 13 2011, 11:43PM
#2
RE: Chopin by russian pianists
Russian pianists are generally as good as other nations' pianists on Chopin. However, I don't recall Richter or Gillels or Pletnev (some of the very great ones) to be particularly "good" in Chopin. Kissin maybe, if he is your "taste". Davidovich somehow worked better.
However, I always appreciated the Polish pianists, even the unknown ones, for that matter. There is a brilliant polish label, called BeArTon, which has issued almost everything of Chopin with some local "unsung heroes". Try them (you may find them in Amazon or the website of the label itself).
Parla
Wed, Sep 14 2011, 5:14PM
#3
RE: Chopin by russian pianists
Although certainly not to everyone's taste, I think that some of the most extraordinary Chopin playing you will ever hear came from Horowitz' magic hands. Try his Scherzo n° 3, Ballade n° 4, Sonata n° 2 (1962 recording), Polonaise-Fantaisie (1966 live) and mazurkas.
Benno Moiseiwitsch was another pianist from the Russian school whose Chopin merits listening: classic, pliable and always delivered with a gorgeous tone.
Alexander Brailowsky (though sometimes advertised as Polish, he was actually Ukrainian, like Horowitz, Richter, Gilels and Moiseiwitsch) also played a sparkling Chopin, and he recorded most of that composer's output.
Bunin made some great Chopin recordings for DGG. His Mazurkas are as good as they get.