Customer Rating:  
Summary: Well worth having, but some of the poetry is missing
Comment: Apart from the Tudes for Dudes I'm not a big Chopin fan. These wonderful pieces were revolutionary in their day and remain unsurpassed for the boldness and freshness of their invention, and for their poetry and sheer musical beauty. Ranging freely over the widest emotional compass, they are nonetheless governed by an iron logic and for almost two centuries have been a touchstone of pianism, both interpretively and technically. Something like this can be done only once in a civilization and Chopin nailed it.
These performances have much to recommend them but are a bit uneven. The stormy, brooding pieces come off best. I have never heard Op. 10 No. 9 in F minor better played, and Op. 25 No. 12 is superb. But some of the gentler, more poetic studies, such as Op. 25 No. 1, are less successful, though still good. Part of the problem may be the piano tone, which although clear and lucid is also rather lean and pingy; more richness, body, color, shading, nuance are needed to fully bring out the poetry in these pieces. Op. 10 No. 2 is taken a bit slow to my taste. The most physically taxing of all the studies, it mercilessly belabors the weak third, fourth, and fifth fingers of the right hand, and for those who survive to the end there is the additional interpretive challenge of getting precisely the right conciliatory tone in the closing measures. The shallow keyfall of Pollini's instrument and his slowish tempo make it easier to play, but because he never breaks a sweat it's not as thrilling as it could be. The playing here is cool, patrician, polished, and controlled. These are good things, but they sometimes come at the expense of the visceral excitement which these pieces can generate.
In sum -- much above average, and in a few cases unsurpassed; well worth having.
Customer Rating:
Summary: One of the Great Chopin Recordings!
Comment: If someone ever gets around to creating THE definitive list of great Chopin recordings, this disc must be on it! This is clear-eyed, nimble-fingered Chopin performed by one of our greatest living pianists. Pollini had been the Chopin Competition Prize winner in 1960, and this performance shows why. He is tender without over-romanticizing, propulsive without pushing the music frantically. The result is simple, straightforward Chopin recorded in clean, 1972 analog sound. Bravo, Pollini!!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Raw and Primal Power
Comment: I am not an expert but I must share my own personal thoughts about this disc before I fall over dead. Not much more can be said but I have heard the third of Chopin's etudes played by probably fifty some pianists.
Whenever I hear it I always felt it expressed a love for one to another. Like a sonic love poem. Love has different levels. There is eros, filias, and agape to name a few. In the past I have heard pianists play this with too much eros or with too much of a animal type love. After all we are humans. We have a higher side to us.
And that is where Pollini takes his pedestal. Sure his third etude is maybe a bit faster and a bit restrained, but in the end the love he expresses is transcendental. It is a raw, primal, masculine, powerful love bursting forth like I never heard before. Perhaps it is the depth of Chopin's soul properly expressed for the first time. And yes like any fine wine it takes time to acquire a taste for it (multiple listenings).
Thank you Herr Pollini, now I can die.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Only Pollini
Comment: Beautifully clear.....however I feel that Chopin would have played it with more passion....expression. I love it but I meant to order Chopin's Polonaises....oh well, next time....thank you Amazon. You did well as usual.
Customer Rating:
Summary: It's his style and it works.
Comment: Hello, I am a music graduate in classical piano from a university in hamilton ontario...
I read an earlier review that complains about Maurizio's 'lack of expression'
If he knew anything about this artist then he would know that THIS WAS HIS INTENT...(he recorded the etudes a second time later in his career)
This recording of the chopin etudes was intentionally performed with a cool and calculating style....
and yes it does not do justice to chopin's music, I don't think any performer should avoid the composer's original intent....
but he is forgetting that a lot of the hype that goes into classical music, is based on the performer manipulating the composers music to make something new out of music that has been recorded a million times over...
and although I do agree with the reviewer's judgement of the ocean etude...(since I've played it myself and know the score inside out) I still think that maurizio's format works for him, it makes an impact on the listener
Etude no. 3 in E major sounds dreadful and rushed... but again, I've heard lots of pianists ignore the composers written indications on the score to bring something 'new' to the piece of music.
I believe that this is all he is trying to do, classical artists try to create a distinguishable style by recording old music in a new way, yet it is frowned upon... because it's not JAZZ music (where a composition is an outline and not made to the letter) so, the complete score allows people to look at a classical composition critically and make arguments against a performers interpretation.
classical music shows more proof in the score when someone is doing something erroneous....or something merely prodigal..
Listen to Vladimir Ashkenazy's recordings of the Chopin Etudes if you would like a more sensitive interpretation, and (arguably) is closer to the composers intent/personality.
Just remember that if the music is old enough to exist before a composer could make his own recording of it....
then 'authentic interpretation' will always be in a grey area.
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