Customer Reviews

Chopin: The Complete Preludes

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By no stretch of the imagination could Cyprien Katsaris ever be considered a conventional interpreter of Chopin. Quite the opposite. His "vision" is, well, different: off-center, controversial to be sure, but "skewed" in the most innovative, unique, emotionally penetrating, humbling, and technically astonishing ways conceivable. However, because Katsaris maintains such a distinctive "profile," a recording such as the Op. 28 Preludes, here, may be just a tad too "over-the-edge" for those listeners used to more middle-of-the-road pianists whose renditions get lost in the wallpaper or, at best, seek not to offend, not take chances, not garner--- heaven forbid!--- any type of criticism.

Personally, I would prefer the eccentric to the standard or, worse, the dull.

For me, the Katsaris performance of the Preludes was a revelation from the outset. No. Perhaps revelation is too weak a word. Listening to Katsaris play Chopin's twenty-four Preludes, Op. 28 was an epiphany. I was struck dumb. Never had I heard such daring manipulation of inner voicing, such agogic accents, such idiosyncratic virtuosity as was manifest here; never notes doubled like this, or slightly delayed, or suspended; never such incredible rubati, harmonies drawn out, uncluttered, melodic lines raised, like Lazarus--- all of which could be considered either heresy or lunacy, or both, if I was unwilling to accept and embrace Katsaris's "vision."

Unwilling? Hardly! I became an immediate convert, casting off the yoke of endless "proper" renditions of the Preludes that I had allowed myself to be lulled into accepting as valid. Until Katsaris, I had never really heard the Preludes. Now, I champion his playing; I'm relentless. All other "performances" seem vapid, routine. Indeed, these Preludes, quite literally, altered my concept of these works... and of Chopin.

But more surprises await on this well-packed CD, some never recorded before (e.g. Allegretto and Mazur, the Fontana/Ekier manuscript version of the 3 Ecossaises, and the Allegretto in F#), some vaguely familiar (e.g. Contredanse in G-flat, Cantabile in B-flat, and the Feuille d'Album in E), some completely unfamiliar (e.g. the 2 Bourees, the Galop Marquis in A-flat, the Largo in E-flat and Fugue in Am). And then, of course, the Bolero in C, Op. 19 made popular by Rubinstein, which, in the hands of Katsaris, sounds like an entirely different piece (another "resurrection"!). Included as well, of course, are the Prelude, Op. 45 and the A-flat, Op. Posth.

Without a doubt, this CD is a treasure trove, the playing spectacular, outrageous, touching, gorgeous, wistful, unnerving--- and entirely unforgettable. The Preludes, alone, would motivate one to purchase this disc; but with the addition of new and esoteric Chopin, the motivation runs to something more like an imperative.

The sound is entirely real, with an especially fabulous spread between the bass and treble that enables the middle register to jump out untarnished. It is an incredible treat.

[Running time: 68:41]

Among the reduced list of talented pianists around the world, the figure of Cyprien Katsaris always generates extreme interest. These set of Preludes Op. 28 finds him in plian domain of musical powers, sheer comittment and absolute lyricism.

His astonishing technique is just a part of his monumental vision. You may include this set among the most interesting ever made.

And believe me; I am talking about of pianists of the artistic height of Cortot, Francois, Rubinstein or Perahia; so don' t miss this CD, under any circumstance.

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"Prelude to what?" pondered André Gide.

Prelude to an affect.
(That is, to the consciousness of an aesthetic idea and/or the feeling [or emotion] attendant to [or induced by] such an idea.)

Largely composed at Majorca in the company of Aurore Dupin ["George Sand"]--(an unique historical ménage perhaps rivalled only by those of Cæsar and Cleopatra, or Wilde and Douglas)--"the twenty-four Preludes Op. 28 count among Chopin's most radical conceptions."

Chopin single-handedly redefined the genre term "Prelude."

There is no doubt that each piece of these epigrammatic miniatures can be seen as an individual: "each Prelude is itself a whole, with its own Affekt, its own profile." (Chopin's proclivity for interpenetration of genres is seen in the character of various preludes which betimes evoke the nocturne, étude, mazurka, funeral march, barcarolle, or berceuse.)

"At the same time, the individual Preludes contribute to a single overriding whole, a `cycle' enriched by the complementary characters of its components and integrated by the special logic of their ordering."
So it is critically justifiable to view "the work in its entirety as an extended, organically conceived cycle."

Chopin was influenced by Sebastian Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier in forming the preludes into a complete tonal cycle incorporating the twenty-four major and minor keys, following the "circle of fifths," paired with their tonal relatives. (Skryabin followed Chopin's design in his Op. 11 Preludes.)

Dr. Samson says, "The effect is like a kaleidoscope of shifting patterns held in a single frame by an underlying harmonic succession which remains fundamentally clear and simple, in spite of a flurry of surface activity. This potent pairing of intricate, variegated figurations and a strong underlying harmonic structure is absolutely characteristic of Chopin. It amounts to a basic ingredient of his musical style."

Compare Katsaris' reading here with Pires' (both of 1992).

Pires is very graceful, technically assured, cogent, and philosophical. She reads the Preludes as individuals.

Katsaris is very smooth with incisive assurance, great technical aplomb, esprit, and a fine sense of contour. He clearly reads the Preludes as an organically-sewn set, deftly realising the attacca leading of one prelude into the next.

The pianists' views of the Preludes impel their timings, with Pires lingering slightly more than Katsaris in most of these pieces--with notable exceptions wherein Katsaris' love of unending melody obtains just a few seconds more ecstasis:

No. 13 (F#-major), a lovely berceuse-like prelude with a dreamy nocturne-episode,
K [03'38"], P [03'19"];

No. 15 (Db-major), an introspective abbreviated nocturne with a darkly heroic episode,
K [06'01"], P [05'56"];

No. 21 (Bb-major), a soothing cantilena,
K [02'03"], P [01'58"].

Otherwise, the durations of the improvisatory toccata No. 18 (f-minor) reflect the overall parity of timings:
K [00'51"] P [01'03"].
(This perhaps is the prelude which to another listener suggested Prokoffiev, whereas rather Skryabin is a more apt analogy.)
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See:
Maria Joao Pires ~ Chopin - Concerto for Piano & Orchestra No. 2 (Op. 21), 24 Preludes (Op. 28)

Chopin: Ballades Nos. 1-4; Scherzos Nos. 1-4
Chopin: The Three Piano Sonatas
Chopin: The Complete Polonaises
Chopin:19 Waltzes
Chopin: Valses

Chopin: Mazurkas (Complete); Polonaises
Chopin: Etudes/Preludes/Polonaises
Chopin: 4 Ballades/Barcarolle, Op.60/Fantasie in F

Alexander Scriabin: Piano Music (Skryabin's Op. 11 Preludes)
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These are intelligent and imaginative interpretations. I agree whole-heartedly with the two long positive reviews already here. I would only add two things. First, the performances highlight Katsaris' gift for bringing out the inner voices of a composition; the textures he produces are almost symphonic in their complexity and voicings (This is, of course, what has distinguished his recordings of piano versions of symphonic music). Also, the very fine quality of the recording is worth noting. His recording on Telarc of the Ballades and Scherzi is also worth hearing. In both recordings he makes Chopin sound startlingly modern. His Chopin may not be to all tastes or even to mine on some occasions, but these performances communicate.

Katsaris made brilliant recordings of Complete Chopin sonatas and Polonaises also by Sony (sadly out of print), but this recording of Chopin Preludes is one of the worst of his entire discography. His playing has verve and virtuosity, but has no depth or subtlety required for playing these highly poetic pieces. It sounds more like Prokofiev than Chopin at time! Only 3 stars for his quick fingers.