Jeffrey Hall wrote:

>Chopin's Andante spianato and grand polonaise is one of my favorite piano
>compositions. I listen to the '65 Rubinstein recording.  What are the
>versions of which you are particularly fond? Thanks for any info about
>great recordings of this magnificent piece.

I highly recommend the brilliant live recording by Krystian Zimerman
(DG 419 054-2).  I have heard this glorious piece performed live and in
recording many times and my favorite is Zimerman's with honourable mention
to Josef Hofmann's and Yundi Li's.

Zimerman made this recording very early on in his career so there is much
youthful vigor in his playing.  His close attention to details, such as
voicing, tempi and pedalling are very evident and results in a wonderful
sound full of colour and depth.  The virtuosic passages in the Grande
Polonaise is child's play to Zimerman and he plays them with the ease and
fluidity present in his Liszt Totentantz, concertos and sonata recordings;
however, his major contribution is in the lyricism of the performance.  I
have never heard the piano sing, and sing so beautifully, like I have heard
through Zimerman's fingers.  I am not a music critic, or a musicologist so
I lack the jargon to give his performance an adequate review; however, upon
reflection, I think a poet would be better qualified to capture the beauty
of Zimerman's performance in words.

"Marcus Y. Kim" <[log in to unmask]>