Customer Reviews

Shacking Up to Chopin

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

... The characterisitic fantasy and dremalike qulaity of Chopin's nocturnes and preludes should nto be misconstrued as porn music. This album shamelessly compromises Chopin's reputation in an effort to gain market share. What's worst of all, the recordings are second rate at best.

Fryderyk Chopin is one of the great composers of all time. His works for the piano, in particular, have a central position in the repertoire. However, by virtue of the intimate nature of many of his compositions as well as certain aspects of his life (he was reputedly a sensitive man whose physical frailty and delicate sensibilities limited his performances to intimate salons instead of large concert halls, and whose life was tragically cut short at an early age of 35 by tubercolosis), his music has aquired the reputation of being `romantic' and suited for intimate candle lit dinners and cosy conversation.

This release by RCA takes all this a step further by suggesting that Chopin's music should be taken beyond desert and into the post-prandial activities. However, I can not agree with this judgement and believe (for a number of reasons) that it would be highly unsuitable for `shacking up'. In fact, I would even say that this music, with it's beautiful melodies and interesting harmonies and subtleties of colour, could actually distract one from the pressing task at hand. (Not very `romantic' I'm sure you'd agree). However, there are other more fundamental reasons for my opinion. `Shacking up' music should be tender yet strong, with a strong rhythmic (even metronomic) drive .. it should be of suitable length (4 minutes for the Fantasie Impromptu?!?!) .. and conclude with a bang! Unfortunately, the music on this disk simply does not fit the bill. Certainly, there are climaxes, and they are beautiful, moving and subtle, but they rarely last beyond a few seconds and usually come .. too soon. The rhythms in these compositions (while they can be strong and evocative) have the tendency at times to be whimsical .. and rubato certainly doesn't help. Finally, duration is a problem. While many of Chopin's works are pure gems, even 3 minutes of a great Mazurka (say) would, as a guess, be unsatisfying for most. In summary, I would not suggest getting this disk. `Shacking up' is more effective with a work like Ravel's Bolero with its simple melody and long steady unrelenting buildup to the fireworks and fanfare of its exhuberant and intense climax.

Are the record executives at RCA truly this shallow? Apparently so. The characterisitic fantasy and dremalike qulaity of Chopin's nocturnes and preludes should nto be misconstrued as porn music. This album shamelessly compromises Chopin's reputation in an effort to gain market share. What's worst of all, the recordings are second rate at best.

I had to check "yes" or "no" to the question "are you over 13". I wonder if the RCA marketing department has anyone over the mental age of 13. Maybe they can do a DVD of "Stripping to Swan Lake". The sad thing is that some would think that's not such a bad idea. This CD has to have the worst classical music cover of all time. The thing that is maybe the most upsetting is the fact that a lot of people will not understand why some of us think this is so base and vile. I was going to insert a product link to Pepto Bismol but I didn't know how.

You guys at RCA are a bunch of morons. What other kinds of utter nincompoops would conjure up the idea to play Chopin to sex? I really don't understand why you have to market classical music in this way. Can't you let the music speak for itself? Isn't it enough that we have people like Mutter, the violinist and Church, the singer who turn on the sex appeal already with their globs of makeup and scanty designer clothing(not to say they aren't good artists). Devote more of your time to exploring the music and marketing it in an appropriate way than acting like a bunch of faced jocks and reasoning that the only way to enjoy classical music is when you are enjoying yourself and someone else.

These are great CDs (I have all three in the series). I don't know a lot about classical music - so when you see all these covers of CDs with old guys on them or just nature pictures, it doesn't really tell someone like me how to know if I'll like the CD.

These CDs seemed like fun (something I normally don't associate with 'classical' music) and they applied this kind of music to a part of life that most can associate to. Just like when you say "I want some good dinner music" but might not know a classical composer name... these CDs took the guesswork out of it for me!