Concerto in E minor(Romance-Larghetto) - Chopin wrote to a friend
concerning the Larghetto, "It was not strength that I sought here.  Rather,
it is a serene and melancholy romance.  It has to give the impression of
a gentle look towards a place that evokes a thousand delightful memories.
It is like a daydream in fine spring weather, but by moonlight".  Chopin's
description would seem easy enough to follow in performance.  The music is
serene and luxurious with a little mystery to it; strength in execution
needs to be held subservient to the gentle nature of the piece.

Surprisingly, a few of the versions do not follow Chopin's stated
requirements.  I think they are too strong/demonstrative and sound as if
the pianists want to "break out" into a highly charged dramatic/romantic
declaration.  Pires, Ax, Zimerman II, Ohlsson, Argerich, and Arrau are in
this category.  Each of these versions displays the beauty of the music,
but they add elements which distract from Chopin's conception of the music:
serenity and gentleness are sacrificed.  Zimerman's orchestra creates
washes of sound which remind me of an impending battle; it's a combative
performance far removed from the serenity of a beautiful moonlit evening.
Pires and Krivine are too muscular as are Ax and Mackerras.  Ohlsson, in my
opinion, goes to emotional extremes which is a shame because there's much
beauty in his reading; the same goes for Arrau and Argerich.  Although each
of these six versions has much to offer, I feel that they ultimately go
"overboard" with some degree of consistency.

Pollini, Perahia, and Bachauer give beautiful performances with plenty of
drama.  Zimerman I, Rubinstein, and Francois are the versions I like best.
Zimerman I is classically expansive with excellent conducting from Giulini
and highly poetic yet restrained playing by Zimerman.  Rubinstein also has
great orchestral support, and he gives a beautifully sculptured reading.
Francois has an elegance and controlled urgency which is irresistable.

Concerto in E minor(Rondo-Vivace) - In the liner notes to one of the
versions, the opinion is offered that this movement represents "untroubled
exuberance".  That's just how I perceive the music at its most effective.
Also, the presentation needs to be relatively light, playful, and even
mecurial, with strong forward momentum.

Argerich is about perfect in the third movement.  She has been mecurial
in other movmements, and I didn't think all that well of the interpretive
decision.  Here, it's just what the doctor ordered.  Hers is a sensational
performance - so light, playful, and care-free.  Dutoit supports Argerich
excellently.  The other versions, except for Ax, Bachauer, Pires, and
Francois are fully idiomatic and very enjoyable.  Ax has a tendency to
clip some notes and retard momentum.  Bachauer is much too understated in
her playing.  Pires and Francois are relatively slow paced and drain the
music of needed exuberance.

Summaries:

Ax provides an outstanding F minor first movement, but nothing in the
rest of this concerto or the E minor is close to that level.  Since the
concertos are on different cd's, my recomendation is to acquire Ax's F
minor disc and bypass the other.

Francois is supreme in the F minor but not very good in the outer movements
of the E minor.  Overall, I still consider his disc a must-buy.  Francois
is never routine, and many of his interpretive decisions are relevatory.

I've already noted my reservations about the Argerich recording,
particularly her F minor performance.  Personally, I can't recommend her
disc for one great performance (3rd movement of the E minor).  But as I
mentioned earlier, my opinion is a minority one - all the reviews I have
read are highly complimentary or better with the exception of the American
Record Guide review.

Ohlsson represents for me the "white bread" recording of both concertos.
He plays well, has good orechestral support, and provides the type of
performances one would expect from good artists.  It's just that there's
little distinctive music making going on.  I can't imagine anyone disliking
these performances or thinking they are superb.

Zimerman I is another must-buy recording.  Both he and Giulini are
excellent in all six movements, although reaching the "heights" is not
part of their regimen.

Zimerman II is also a must-buy.  In this recording, Zimerman is far less
mainstream than the earlier one.  Some of the interpretive decisions may be
problematic, but most are very rewarding.  The first movement of the F
minor is particularly outstanding.

Rubinstein is a model of consistency.  He does very well in the outer
movmements and is excellent in the middle movements.  This is an issue
which should give much pleasure to most listeners.

Arrau is close to Rubinstein's level.  He can get a little heavy-handed at
times, but his masterful playing is never in doubt.

Bachauer's recording gets many negative comments, but I like the
performances for the most part.  She has the advantage of Dorati as
conductor, and her 2nd and 3rd movmements of the F minor are very
impressive.

Pires is a must-buy.  Her F minor is one of the best, and her E minor
first movement is a stunning achievement.

Pollini's E minor is the best recording in the survey - an absolutely
fantastic first movement and fine 2nd and 3rd movements.  This is a
definite must-buy performance.

Perahia does well.  There's little to gripe about and much to enjoy.  His
piano tends to be integrated into the orchestral fabric, a situation which
doesn't bother me but might irk others.

In conclusion, Pires, Francois, Pollini, Rubinstein, and both Zimermans are
the recordings to seek out.  The other recordings are very good except for
Ohlsson who is merely enjoyable.  I suppose that Argerich is in a special
category; I'm not very fond of it, but most others think it exceptional.

Next on my agenda is a Hanssler recording of five Bach keyboard works
performed by pianist Evgeni Koroliov who has already given us a fine Art of
Fugue and Goldberg Variations.  I'll have plenty of comparison recordings
for each work, a combination of piano and harpsichord versions.  After
that, it's on to the Ravel and Faure string quartets.

Don Satz
[log in to unmask]