Customer Reviews

Chopin: Piano Sonatas; Nocturnes

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I am a HUGE fan of Chopin's piano works, and this is a great recording. The Sonatas are wonderfully performed and the Nocturnes and Ballades are gorgeous. They are filled with emotion. Pollack does a wonderful job of performing. I love his interpretation of the pieces, especially of the nocturnes and the Funeral March.

I only wish there were more of Chopin's nocturnes on this disc, but that is the only drawback. It is a great recording of wonderful music, and it's cheap! How great is that!

I was looking for an inexpensive CD which features a high quality performance of these Chopin piano pieces and I found it in this CD. This is a wonderful CD which features excellent playing and interpretation of Chopin, coupled with very good sound quality.

Daniel Pollack is a very sensitive and graceful interpreter of these famous pieces; his playing of Chopin demonstrates outstanding musicianship.

His tempo, touch, and tone are impeccable in his reendition of the two Chopin piano sonatas (the No. 2 in B-flat minor Op. 35 and the No. 3 in B minor Op. 58). The Finale in the No. Sonata 3 is fast and graceful; his interpretation is more playful than intense (than other versions). I preferred his playing of the No. 3 sonata over that of Daniel Barenboim and Idil Biret (who also play the No. 2 and No. 3 sonatas on the EMI and Naxos label respectively). Barenboim's playing is rather boring and uninspired, and Idil Biret is a bit uneven & eccentric in her tempo. The sound quality of this CD is much better than that of Naxos. The Idil Biret (Naxos CD) sounded as though it was recorded in a cave and some of the finer elements of the piano pieces sound muffled. Not so in this CD; you can hear all the intricate details.

Besides the 2 piano sonatas, this CD also includes the Nocturne in D Flat Major (Op. 27), the Ballade No. 4 in F Minor (Op. 52). Pollack plays with a very sensitive and graceful touch; he plays with somewhat of a slower tempo, but he is able to draw out all the little details of the work very nicely, and he builds to a very satisfying climax in the Ballade No. 4.

If you're looking for a high quality performance of these famous pieces but don't want to spend that much money, this CD is the ideal CD for you! I'm not sure about other artists who play on the Infinity Digital label, but I'm sold on Daniel Pollack. He is an outstanding pianist. I highly recommend this CD!!