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Chopin Complete Edition [17-CD Set]
Release Date: 12/26/2009
Label: Deutsche Grammophon Catalog #: 477 8445 Spars Code: DDD/ADD
Composer: Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Krystian Zimerman, Claudio Arrau, Anatol Ugorski, Maurizio Pollini, ...
Conductor: Krystian Zimerman, Eliahu Inbal
Orchestra/Ensemble: Polish Festival Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Beaux Arts Trio
Number of Discs: 17
Recorded in: Stereo
Length: 18 Hours 40 Mins.
EAN: 0028947784456
Works on This Recording
1. Concerto for Piano no 1 in E minor, B 53/Op. 11 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Krystian Zimerman (Piano)
Conductor: Krystian Zimerman
Orchestra/Ensemble: Polish Festival Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1830; Poland
2. Concerto for Piano no 2 in F minor, B 43/Op. 21 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Krystian Zimerman (Piano)
Conductor: Krystian Zimerman
Orchestra/Ensemble: Polish Festival Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1829-1830; Poland
3. Variations for Piano and Orchestra in B flat major on Mozart's "Là ci darem", Op. 2 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Conductor: Eliahu Inbal
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1827; Poland
4. Fantasia for Piano and Orchestra in A major on Polish Airs, Op. 13 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Conductor: Eliahu Inbal
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1828; Poland
5. Rondo for Piano and Orchestra in F major, Op. 14 "Krakowiak" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Conductor: Eliahu Inbal
Orchestra/Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1828; Poland
6. Ballade for Piano no 1 in G minor, B 66/Op. 23 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Krystian Zimerman (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1831-1835
7. Ballade for Piano no 2 in F major/a minor, B 102/Op. 38 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Krystian Zimerman (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1836-1839; Paris, France
8. Ballade for Piano no 3 in A flat major, B 136/Op. 47 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Krystian Zimerman (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1840-1841; Paris, France
9. Ballade for Piano no 4 in F minor, B 146/Op. 52 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Krystian Zimerman (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1842; Paris, France
10. Fantasie for Piano in F minor/A flat major, B 137/Op. 49 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Krystian Zimerman (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1841; Paris, France
11. Nouvelles Etudes (3) for Piano, B 130 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1839; Paris, France
12. Ecossaises (3) for Piano, B 12/Op. 72 no 3 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1826; Poland
13. Funeral March for Piano in C minor, B 10/Op. 72 no 2 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1827; Poland
14. Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 10 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1829-1833; Poland
15. Etudes (12) for Piano, Op. 25 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1832-1836; Paris, France
16. Barcarolle for Piano in F sharp major, B 158/Op. 60 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1845-1846; Paris, France
17. Berceuse for Piano in D flat major, B 154/Op. 57 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1844; Paris, France
18. Mazurkas (4) for Piano, B 60/Op. 6 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1830; Vienna, Austria
19. Mazurkas (5) for Piano, B 61/Op. 7 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1831; Vienna, Austria
20. Mazurkas (4) for Piano, B 77/Op. 17 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1832-1833; Paris, France
21. Mazurkas (4) for Piano, B 89/Op. 24 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1834-1835; Paris, France
22. Mazurkas (4) for Piano, B 105/Op. 30 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1836-1837; Paris, France
23. Mazurkas (4) for Piano, B 115/Op. 33 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1837-1838; Paris, France
24. Mazurkas (4) for Piano, Op. 41 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1838-1840; Paris, France
25. Mazurkas (3) for Piano, B 145/Op. 50 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1842; Paris, France
26. Mazurkas (3) for Piano, B 153/Op. 56 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1843; Paris, France
27. Mazurkas (3) for Piano, B 157/Op. 59 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1845; Paris, France
28. Mazurkas (3) for Piano, B 162/Op. 63 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1846; Paris, France
29. Mazurkas (4) for Piano, Op. 67: no 4 in A minor, B 163 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1846; Paris, France
30. Mazurkas (4) for Piano, Op. 68 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1827-1849
31. Mazurka for Piano in B flat major, B 73 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1832
32. Mazurka for Piano in A minor, B 134 "Notre temps" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1840; Paris, France
33. Mazurka for Piano in A minor, B 140 "A Emile Gaillard" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1840; Paris, France
34. Mazurkas (2) for Piano, B 16: no 1 in G major by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1826; Poland
35. Mazurka for Piano in A flat major, B 7 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1825; Warsaw, Poland
36. Mazurka for Piano in C major,B 82 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1833; Paris, France
37. Mazurkas (2) for Piano, B 16: no 2 in B flat major by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1826; Poland
38. Mazurka for Piano in D major, B 4 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: ?1820; Poland
39. Mazurka for Piano in D major, B 71 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1832; Poland
40. Nocturnes (3) for Piano, B 54/Op. 9 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maria-Joao Pires (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1830-1831; Poland
41. Nocturnes (3) for Piano, Op. 15 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maria-Joao Pires (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1830-1833
42. Nocturnes (2) for Piano, Op. 27 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maria-Joao Pires (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1835; Paris, France
43. Nocturnes (2) for Piano, B 106/Op. 32 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maria-Joao Pires (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1836-1837; Paris, France
44. Nocturnes (2) for Piano, Op. 37 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maria-Joao Pires (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1838-1849; Paris, France
45. Nocturnes (2) for Piano, B 142/Op. 48 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maria-Joao Pires (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1841; Paris, France
46. Nocturnes (2) for Piano, B 152/Op. 55 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maria-Joao Pires (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1843; Paris, France
47. Nocturnes (2) for Piano, B 161/Op. 62 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maria-Joao Pires (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1846; Paris, France
48. Nocturne for Piano in E minor, B 19/Op. 72 no 1 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maria-Joao Pires (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1827; Poland
49. Nocturne for Piano in C sharp minor, B 49 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maria-Joao Pires (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1830
50. Nocturne for Piano in C minor, B 108 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maria-Joao Pires (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1837; Paris, France
51. Polonaises (2) for Piano, B 90/Op. 26 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1834-1835; Paris, France
52. Polonaises (2) for Piano, Op. 40 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1838-1839; Paris, France
53. Polonaise for Piano in F sharp minor, B 135/Op. 44 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1840-1841; Paris, France
54. Polonaise for Piano in A flat major, B 147/Op. 53 "Heroic" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1842; Paris, France
55. Polonaise-fantaisie for Piano in A flat major, B 159/Op. 61 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1845-1846; Poland
56. Andante spianato et Grand polonaise brillante in E flat major, Op. 22 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1830-1831; Vienna, Austria
57. Polonaises (3) for Piano, Op. 71 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1825-1828; Poland
58. Polonaise for Piano in B flat major, B 3 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1817; Poland
59. Polonaise for Piano in G flat major, B 36 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1829; Poland
60. Polonaise for Piano in G minor, B 1 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1817; Poland
61. Polonaise for Piano in B flat minor, B 13 "Adieu" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1826; Poland
62. Polonaise for Piano in A flat major, B 5 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1821; Poland
63. Polonaise for Piano in G sharp minor, B 6 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1822; Poland
64. Bourées (2) for Piano, B 160b by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1846; Paris, France
65. Galop Marquis for Piano in A flat major by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
66. Album Leaf for Piano in E major, B 151 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1843; Paris, France
67. Cantabile for Piano in B flat major, B 84 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1834; Paris, France
68. Fugue for Piano in A minor, B 144 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1841-1842; Paris, France
69. Largo for Piano in E flat major, B 109 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Anatol Ugorski (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: ?1837; Paris, France
70. Preludes (24) for Piano, Op. 28 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1836-1839; Paris, France
71. Prelude for Piano in A flat major, B 86 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1834; Paris, France
72. Prelude for Piano in C sharp minor, B 141/Op. 45 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1841; Paris, France
73. Impromptu for Piano no 1 in A flat major, B 110/Op. 29 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1837; Paris, France
74. Impromptu for Piano no 2 in F sharp major, B 129/Op. 36 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1839; Paris, France
75. Impromptu for Piano no 3 in G flat major, b 149/Op. 51 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1842; Paris, France
76. Impromptu for Piano no 4 in C sharp minor, B 87/Op. 66 "Fantaisie-Impromptu" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Yundi Li (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1835; Paris, France
77. Scherzo for Piano no 1 in B minor, B 65/Op. 20 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1831-1832; Poland
78. Scherzo for Piano no 2 in B flat minor/D flat major, B 111/Op. 31 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1837; Paris, France
79. Scherzo for Piano no 3 in C sharp minor, B 125/Op. 39 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1839; Mallorca (Majorca),
80. Scherzo for Piano no 4 in E major, B 148/Op. 54 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1842; Paris, France
81. Rondo for Piano in C minor, Op. 1 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Lilya Zilberstein (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1825; Poland
82. Rondo for Piano in F major, B 15/Op. 5 "à la Mazur" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Lilya Zilberstein (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1826; Poland
83. Introduction in C minor and Rondo in E flat major for Piano, B 76/Op. 16 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Mikhail Pletnev (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1832
84. Rondo for 2 Pianos in C major, B 27/Op. 73 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Kurt Bauer (Piano), Heidi Bung (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1828; Poland
85. Sonata for Piano no 1 in C minor, B 23/Op. 4 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Lilya Zilberstein (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1828; Poland
86. Sonata for Piano no 2 in B flat minor, B 128/Op. 35 "Funeral March" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1837-1839; Paris, France
87. Sonata for Piano no 3 in B minor, B 155/Op. 58 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1844; Paris, France
88. Variations for Piano in E major on "Steh' auf, steh' auf o du Schweitzer Bub" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1824; Poland
89. Variations for Piano in A major, B 37 "Souvenir de Paganini" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1829; Poland
90. Variations for Piano in B flat major on a theme from Hérold's "Ludovic", B 80/Op. 12 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1833; Paris, France
91. Variations for 2 Pianos in D major by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano), Vovka Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
92. Variation for Piano in E major (from Hexmeron) by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
93. Allegro de concert in A major, B 72/Op. 46 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1832-1841; Paris, France
94. Bolero for Piano in C major/A major, B 81/Op. 19 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1833; Paris, France
95. Tarantella for Piano in A flat major, B 139/Op. 43 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1841; Paris, France
96. Waltz for Piano in E flat major, B 62/Op. 18 "Grande valse brillante" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1831; Poland
97. Waltzes (3) for Piano, Op. 34 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1831-1838
98. Waltz for Piano in A flat major, B 131/Op. 42 "Grande Valse" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: France; Paris, France
99. Waltzes (3) for Piano, B 164/Op. 64 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1846-1847; Paris, France
100. Waltzes (2) for Piano, Op. 69 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1829-1835
101. Waltzes (3) for Piano, Op. 70 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1829-1841
102. Waltz for Piano in E minor, B 56 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1830; Poland
103. Waltz for Piano in A minor, B 150 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: ?1843; Paris, France
104. Waltz for Piano in E major, B 44 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1829; Poland
105. Waltz for Piano in E minor, B 56 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1830; Poland
106. Waltz for Piano in A flat major, B 21 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1827; Poland
107. Waltz for Piano in E flat major, B 133 "Sostenuto" by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1840; Paris, France
108. Waltz for Piano in E flat major, B 46 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1829-1830; Poland
109. Trio for Piano and Strings in G minor, B 25/Op. 8 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Bernard Greenhouse (Cello), Menahem Pressler (Piano), Isidore Cohen (Violin)
Orchestra/Ensemble: Beaux Arts Trio
Period: Romantic
Written: 1828-1829; Poland
110. Sonata for Cello and Piano in G minor, B 160/Op. 65 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Martha Argerich (Piano), Mstislav Rostropovich (Cello)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1845-1846; Paris, France
111. Polish Songs (17), Op. 74 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer: Elzbieta Szmytka (Soprano), Martin Martineau (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1829-1847
Notes and Editorial Reviews
In celebration of Chopin's 200th anniversary in 2010, here is the ultimate, complete, specially priced 17-CD edition of the composer's works, combining the very best recordings from the Deutsche Grammophon and Decca catalogs. Featured are some of the great Chopin interpreters of our time—Argerich, Pires, Pollini, Zimerman—with significant contributions from exceptional pianists of the younger generation such as Rafael Blechacz and Yundi li.
The capbox includes a booklet with complete track information, an essay on Chopin's career and works and a chronology of his life from 1810–1849.
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Deutsche Grammophon's Chopin Complete Edition consists of 17 CDs, while EMI has squeezed everything onto 16 (see review, p85) – but it is not only the quantity that is more substantial here. The quality, both of DG's chosen recordings and the set's general presentation, is just about as good as it gets.
First, and most importantly, Chopinophiles will find themselves rejoicing in the number of classic performances herein. To have in one box such wonders as Zimerman's Ballades, Pollini's Etudes, Pires's Nocturnes, Ashkenazy's Mazurkas and Waltzes, and the Cello Sonata incandescently performed by Rostropovich and Argerich is a treat indeed and could scarcely be bettered.
DG has a back catalogue like Aladdin's Cave, and they have made the most of it. Pollini is represented strongly with magisterial accounts of the Sonatas and Polonaises, his Scherzos as diamond-tipped as his Etudes. Argerich, though, is not as prevalent a presence as her prominent picture would suggest – apart from the duo with Rostropovich, she's heard only in the Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise solo version.
There are some fresh and exciting choices to revisit. Claudio Arrau is a wise and gutsy soloist in the rare pieces for piano and orchestra – the Fantasia on Polish Airs, La Ci Darem Variations, etc, recorded in the early 1970s.
The Concertos are Zimerman's second recording, in which he directs his own Polish Festival Orchestra from the piano; recorded for the last Chopin anniversary in 1999, it is gorgeously romantic, with every string slide cherished and each note turned like wrought gold. It proved controversial at that time, for its very lavishness and attention to detail; but full marks to DG for choosing an interpretation that nails its colours to such a strong mast, rather than one-size-fits-all blandness.
Other surprise reissues are notable in the rarer pieces. Lilya Zilberstein does her very musical best with the early Sonata No. 1, among other works, and there's some fleet-fingered beauty from Anatol Ugorski (remember him?) in the Trois Nouvelle Etudes and Ecossaises. The songs are sung with freshness and ardour by the lively-voiced soprano Elzbieta Szmytka, and the Beaux Arts Trio approach the somewhat ungrateful Piano Trio with devotion.
Of younger contributors, Rafa? Blechacz plays the Preludes mellifluously, with classic poise, a lovely tone quality and some personal, imaginative touches; Yundi Li is delicate and pleasant in the Impromptus.
The sole awkward juxtaposition is that Anner Bylsma and Lambert Orkis perform the Grand Duo Concertant for cello and piano on what sound like original instruments, sandwiched between two recordings of Rostropovich and Argerich.
The contrast of sounds is almost as unkind as expecting a sheep to hold its own next to an elephant.
The pieces are sensibly arranged through the CDs, the repertoire and performers made clear at most turns, and the booklet is equipped with a substantial and superb contribution by Chopin expert Jeremy Siepmann. This is a set to treasure: when you can have all of these delights in one go, why would you want anything else?
-- Jessica Duchen, BBC Music Magazine
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Review by Blair Sanderson
To mark the 200th anniversary of Frédéric Chopin's birth, a 17-disc set of his complete works was released in 2010 on Deutsche Grammophon, showcasing some of the finest pianists of the 20th century. Featured in this package of reissues are Krystian Zimerman's performances with the Polish Festival Orchestra of the two piano concertos, Maurizio Pollini's recordings of the etudes, polonaises, and scherzos, Vladimir Ashkenazy's renditions of the mazurkas and waltzes, Maria-João Pires' set of the nocturnes, along with numerous other works played by Lilya Zilberstein, Claudio Arrau, Martha Argerich, Rafa Blechacz, Yundi Li, Kurt Bauer, Heidi Bung, and Anatol Ugorski. Necessarily included is the chamber music, played by the Beaux Arts Trio, Martha Argerich with Mstislav Rostropovich, and Lambert Orkis with Anner Bijlsma, as well as the songs, sung by soprano Elzbieta Szmytka and accompanied by Martin Martineau. As might be expected, the sound quality is slightly variable, and the styles of playing will suit some listeners better than others, but collectors who seek a complete Chopin set could do a lot worse than to have these significant recordings in their libraries.
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Produktinfo
Der komplette Chopin – gespielt von Ausnahmepianisten
Ein Fest für Klavier-Fans: Zum 200. Geburstag im Februar 2010 präsentiert die Deutsche Grammophon das Gesamtwerk von Frédéric Chopin, gespielt von einigen der größten Pianisten der Welt. Die Chopin-Edition vereint Klassiker aus den Katalogen von Deutsche Grammophon, DECCA und Philips Classics mit neuen Aufnahmen von einhellig anerkannter Güte. So fügt sich auf 17 CDs eine Edition zusammen, die zum ersten Mal eine komplette Chopin-Werkschau von allerhöchster Qualität präsentiert.
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Pressestimmen
Die Rheinpfalz: "Der ganze Chopin in einer schmalen Box mit insgesamt 17 CDs. Da schlägt nicht nur das Sammlerherz höher, der Chopinfreund gerät auch ins Schwärmen angesichts der Pianisten-Namen, die hier versammelt sind. Die Deutsche Grammophon hat quasi alles aufgeboten, was ihr Archiv so hergibt. Enstanden ist eine Gesamtedition mit Referenzcharakter, eine würdige Chopin-Feierstunde."
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