Customer Reviews

Chopin: Ballades, Mazurkas, Polonaises

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3 star:		(1)
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Let me start by saying that this is a truly outstanding Chopin recital - one of the best that I have heard over the last few years. Lasting for slightly more than 60 minutes, it begins with 6 late Mazurkas Op. 59 & 63, which are often considered to be musical idioms deeply rooted in Polish tradition. Prototypically, mazurkas are rustic dance forms, but in Chopin's oeuvre they are rather personal tone poems characterized by pathos, delicacy, and measured melancholy. Anderszewski is absolutely convincing in communicating idiosyncratic lyricism of these short pieces. He plays them with an overwhelming simplicity and tenderness, which showcases them as the most intimate musical journeys of the human soul.

The Ballades nos. 3 & 4 are among the most compelling and innovative works of Chopin. The A flat major Ballade Op. 47 is the essence of charm and warmth. Anderszewski focuses on conveying its epic narrative features while playing it with astonishing subtlety and poise. His performance is emotional yet full of classical restraint which confirms that with Chopin emotions are better expressed by underplaying rather than overplaying them. This interpretation of this work is as good as any you will find on record. The F minor Ballade Op. 52 is generally agreed to be one of the most sublime works of the romantic piano repertoire. For me it is the most sensual and intense work of Chopin verging on insanity and oblivion evoked by obsessive melody 'which probes the very coverts of the soul' as stated by Huneker. In this case Anderszewski's performance is perhaps not on a par with my favorite interpretations (Zimerman, Rubinstein, Horowitz), but nevertheless it is well worth hearing.

The Op. 44 & 53 Polonaises are works on a more epic scale. Anderszewski's playing here is again among the finest available (Rubinstein). As summarized by Andrew McGregor in the BBC CD Review it is 'some of the quietest, stillest Chopin you'll hear, which means Anderszewski doesn't have to pound the piano like a boxer on steroids to make a massive impact... and some of the most effective and beautiful moments are achieved through rubato, a momentary hesitation or a subtle lingering over a melodic phrase or cadence.' These works require stature, nobility and tension to communicate effectively, and here they are as prominent, noble and tense as can be.

Now in his mid-thirties, the Polish piaanist Piotr Anderszewski has earned accolades from the outset, and in concert he is an enthralling performer. As he is here, in a miscellany of seven mazurkas, the last two Ballades, and two Polonaises. His musical style is quiet, measured, and inwrdly lyrical, as if he is singing to himself and we are eavesdropping. Yet the outbreaks of passion, as in the second section of the Fourth Ballade, are convincingly tumultuous. Some listeners may be put off by Anderszewski's tendency to rethink even the most accepted tempo and phrasing, but most, I think, will recognize that Chopin's music means a great deal to him, and he has the insight to give us personal reactions from an extremely cultivated musical imagination.

It takes courage to play thrice-familiar music your own way. Fortunately, Anderszewski has a unique melodic gift, as free in its way as Cortot's or Rachmaninov's in their Chopin. In all, I'd rate this the best Chopin recital I've heard since Kissin made his Carnegie Hall debut over a decade ago. It's a big plus, by the way, that the recorded sound of the piano is nothing less than phenomenal.

A sleeping giant of the keyboard has firmly assured his credentials with this fine recording of fellow countryman Fryderyk Chopin's finest ballades, Mazurkas, and Polonaises. Hearing this young pianist progress in his command of Beethoven and Bach and Mozart, displaying a flawless technique, poetic vision, and an intuitive sense of each composer's intentions, begs the question 'but is he really consistently fine?'.

Listening to Anderszewski's Chopin erases all doubt that this once controversial personality might be all parade and no circus. Here is Chopin performed with all the fire and poetry, passion and bliss, introspection and attention to inner voices and details while controlling the overall architecture of this touch works. His sound is extraordinary and the recording captures that with faithful reproduction.

Passing through each of the generous pieces for individual review is unnecessary: that is the joy left for the listener. It is enough said that here is a recording by an artist of major importance who simply seems to have it all. And seeing him in concert only adds the beauty of his physical appearance to the joy of this playing! Highly recommended. Grady Harp, December 05

The more I listened to Anderszewski's Chopin, the less I liked it. It's not only that his tempos and dynamic are inconsistent and unconvincing. He doesn't seem to have a deep comprehension of what Chopin's music is all about. How can you play Chopin without emphasizing the median notes? Chopin was a master of counterpoint. He loved Bach. Anderszewski can only emphasize the melodic line, falling into the trap of the cliché yet once more, merely to reinforces lazy ears. What you get is not Chopin, but "Chopin".
There's no understanding either of Chopin's massive sound waves, which when masterfully played (think of Gould, Richter, Horowitz) bring the composer right into the heart of contemporary electronic music.
I also agree with another reviewer who made a remark about the sound quality of this CD. Indeed, it is impossible to listen to it in the car (and my car is not a noisy one). You'll miss the "p" not to say anything of the "pp" in all pieces, which is yet another annoying feature of this disappointing "recital".