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Chopin: The Complete Preludes

Rafal Blechacz (Artist), Chopin (Composer) Format: Audio CD
4.3 out of 5 stars 15 customer reviews
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$14.59 & FREE Shipping on orders over $49. Details Only 4 left in stock (more on the way). Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Frequently Bought Together

  • Chopin: The Complete Preludes
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  • Sample this album Artist (Sample)
1
30
Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 1. In C Major
0:38
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2
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 2. In A Minor
2:13
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3
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 3. In G Major
0:58
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4
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 4. In E Minor
2:08
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5
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 5. In D Major
0:35
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6
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 6. In B Minor
2:08
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7
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 7. In A Major
0:56
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8
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 8. In F Sharp Minor
2:03
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9
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 9. In E Major
1:37
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10
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 10. in C sharp minor
0:32
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11
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 11. in B major
0:42
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12
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 12. in G sharp minor
1:17
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13
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 13. in F sharp major
3:13
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14
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 14. in E flat minor
0:39
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15
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 15. In D Flat Major ("Raindrop")
4:55
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16
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 16. in B flat minor
1:09
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17
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 17. in A flat major
3:15
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18
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 18. in F minor
0:57
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19
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 19. in E flat major
1:23
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20
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 20. in C minor
1:56
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21
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 21. in B flat major
1:51
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22
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 22. in G minor
0:42
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23
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 23. in F major
0:57
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24
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Chopin: 24 Préludes, Op.28 - 24. in D minor
2:24
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25
30
Chopin: Prelude In A Flat Opus Posth.
0:49
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26
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Chopin: Prélude op. 45
4:36
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27
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Chopin: Deux Nocturnes, Op.62 - 1. Nocturne in B (Andante)
7:34
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28
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Chopin: Deux Nocturnes, Op.62 - 2. Nocturne in E (Lento)
5:39
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Product Details

  • Composer: Chopin
  • Audio CD (April 22, 2008)
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Label: Deutsche Grammophon
  • ASIN: B0016AK0N0
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,992 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars"Hats off, Gentlemen, a genius!"
By Richard Steiger on May 22, 2008
Format: Audio CD
Anyone who doubts we are living in the Golden Age of Piano Playing need only listen to this recording by Rafal Blechacz, who from the photographs in the booklet appears to be about fifteen. Whatever his age, he has produced one of the most sublimely beautiful Chopin recordings I've ever heard. Blechacz is about as far from the "chrome-plated, soulless virtuoso" as can be imagined. Not that he lacks anything in virtuosity: his playing of #16 is as powerful as anyone's. But virtuosity is not what his playing is about. He finds a deep vein of melancholy poetry in #8 that is far removed from the facile excitement we usually hear. #2, 4, and 6 are inward and gloomy. Even preludes I've always thought of as minor (#9 and 14, for example) emerge as masterpieces (the latter a sort of second cousin to the finale of the Funeral March Sonata). Of the two isolated preludes, the A Flat is a minor, but charming, work, while the Op. 45 if one of Chopin's greatest works. Blechacz concludes his recital with Chopin's two last, arguably greatest, nocturnes, played as beautifully as I've ever heard. (a propos of nothing, does anyone else think the opening theme of the last nocturne sounds like "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy"?) I could go on and on, but why bother? I'll just add that the sound is fabulous.
By the way, after I wrote my review I came across the two-star review above. Since I'd singled out #8 I decided to check out the comment by listening to the prelude in question on my headphones. There is no gimmickry or inaccuracy. Rather than simply crushing all those thrity-second notes together in a jumble, Blechacz employs a great deal of tempo plasticity, which some may find mannered (I don't), but which is certainly not the result of sloppiness. On the contrary, it is an attempt to find the inner core of poetry in a work usually played as an empty virtuoso piece.
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5.0 out of 5 starsFantastic
By cerenziam on December 15, 2010
Format: Audio CD
In an attempt to find my preferred recordings of every genre of Chopin pieces, I've been actively listening to the most reputed of each. For the preludes, I had concluded that Pollini's version was the one to beat...until I heard Rafal's. I have personally engaged with much of Chopin's repertoire, so although I believe I can justify my conclusion, I wish to leave most details to other reviewers. But I will remark on two aspects of these recordings that are not, as the other reviews will confirm, idiosyncratic.
First, Rafal achieves a remarkable cohesive structure that almost demands the pieces be listened to in order; otherwise, his interpretations may not make sense (a good example of this is the initial dynamic of No. 8, which starts loud and with a less exaggerated volume flux than most other recordings). Rafal also gives some of the seemingly less important pieces a greater significance (a good examples, I think, are 11 and 23, which others tend to rush).
Second, the bonus pieces are wonderful, especially the nocturnes as another reviewer noted (and I agree: a complete set of them by Rafal could be the new standard). In my experience, the two nocturnes on the album are often only appreciated by listeners familiar with Chopin's later works and sometimes receive the criticism of having been written during a dry spell - Rafal's recordings should easily convince you otherwise.
To conclude, I have found in my search for my favorite Chopin recordings that, besides an obvious technical prowess, the best interpretations of course must have structure and musicality. The recordings that fall short for me are the ones that fail to achieve both or only one of the two. But undoubtedly Rafal's musical intelligence and devotion to the music consistently lead to performances of the absolute highest caliber, easily on par with those by others with more experience. I intend to follow his recordings and suggest you do the same.
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5.0 out of 5 starsSUPERB New Talent
By Flavio Cipparrone on March 3, 2009
Format: Audio CD
Looking for an interpretation of Polonaise op.53 I found several well known artists. It is easy to say: I like Rubinstein's or Pollini's interpretation.
Discovering new talents is much more difficult.

It is similar to a joke with wines. Put a bad wine on a bottle of a really good one and ask your friends opinion. Many will praise the bad wine. Repeat the experience with pianists.

I did not like many "new talent" interpretations however their impressive finger agility. Many "bad taste" guys trying to impress us.

---------------------------------------

In music the artist need to pay attention to:
1) tone
2) rhythm - tempo
3) interpretation/arrangement
4) finger agility

Good music and fast music are not synonimous.
Interpretation is in some fine points a question of taste, ok.

Old great pianists (Gilels, Rubinstein, Rachmaninoff, Richter, Michelangeli, Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, etc...) had all four qualities well developed. If you want see a clear superior finger agility watch Richter (for example Chopin op 10 no 4 on Youtube) or Argerich.

--------------------------------

Analysis of some popular and classical artists:

Claydermann - good on 1 and 2.
3 - a bit repetitive arrangements.
4 is not a concern for his style.
His success is based on an excellent sonority and rhythm.

Lang Lang - good on 1 and 4.
3 - I think he wants to be "creative" but, in this direction, place accents on wrong notes. Showy renditions.

Kissin - Good pianist but he often uses excessive rubato. (Chopin himself hated excessive rubato and was always correcting his students.). Excellent on 1,4.

Pollini - good on 1,2,3,4.Read more ›
5 Comments 16 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Very good

Published 13 months ago by Jose
5.0 out of 5 starsI think five stars isn't unfair.

Abel "AMY" (HK), in her four-star review, said about everything that I could have covered. Others have reviewed the twenty four plus two plus two in far more detail than I could... Read more

Published on April 18, 2013 by Yu-Ten Lee
5.0 out of 5 starsA Poet

Blechacz plays these pieces brilliantly. His approach is classical, rather than romantic, and this really lts the music speak for itself. Read more

Published on January 13, 2013 by Michael Escamilla
2.0 out of 5 starsjust ok

To make it short: there is a lack of contrasts and fire in this recording and in his playing... above all individuality and memorableness is in great absence as well! Read more

Published on April 30, 2011 by Hans Heller
2.0 out of 5 starsGood pianist but....

I like this recording, however, in my opinion there some essential components missing in his playing. Read more

Published on April 26, 2011 by Tanya Colodina
3.0 out of 5 starswill watch him maturing

Will watch him playing live any time and maturing over the years. Do I think he has a some way to go? Yes. For example, I am comparing his playing prelude no. Read more

Published on July 20, 2010 by tristesse
4.0 out of 5 starsPrecocious talent for a debut album!

One reviewer hailed Rafal Blechacz as the saviour of the Chopin International Piano Competition when the youngster took a clean sweep of virtually all the prizes in the Competiton. Read more

Published on May 21, 2009 by Abert
5.0 out of 5 starsPretty Good Stuff

I've played most of these pieces and heard a goodly amount of recordings. This is probably the best recording of the Preludes I've heard. Read more

Published on April 5, 2009 by Mateo
3.0 out of 5 stars(+) At Least a Vast Improvement over His Predecessor

When Yundi Li was put forward as the solution to 21st century Chopin playing as the first winner of the Warsaw competition since 1985, I became truly worried--both as to the... Read more

Published on February 16, 2009 by C. Pontus T.
5.0 out of 5 starsA young career launched at the highest level

The Gramophone reviewer got right to the point in his headdline for this CD: "The piano world welcomes a young master and awaits musical revelation. Read more

Published on November 7, 2008 by Santa Fe Listener

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