Frederic Chopin(1810-1849)
Fantaisie-Impromptu, Op.66
The Impromptu is a solo instrumental piece of an improvisatory nature
as opposed to a work of strict form. Schubert and other composers
initated the Impromptu in the 1820's, and Chopin followed suit in the
1830's.
Chopin's Four Impromptus were not intended as a set, and any thematic
connections are likely coincidental. The 1st Impromptu was composed by
Chopin in 1837, the 2nd in 1839, and the 3rd in 1842. The fourth and
easily the most popular Impromptu is titled "Fantaisie-Impromptu" and
was actually the first one written in 1834 but not published until six
years after Chopin's death.
Initially, my intent was to review recordings having all the Four
Impromptus. However, as I started my reviewing regime, it became clear
that I didn't consider the first three Impromptus worthy of many hours
of listening. Don't get me wrong - they are fine pieces, but not of the
level of inspiration of the Fantaisie-Impromptu. Essentially, I can't
listen to dozens of hours of a piece of music if I don't think it is
great music; for me, Opus 66 is the great impromptus that Chopin wrote.
For Part 1, I have the following 16 versions for review:
Claudio Arrau...........Philips 456336(1980 - 5:37)
Vladimir Ashkenazy......Decca 443738(1985 - 4:54)
Idil Biret..............Naxos 8.554538(1991 - 5:24)
Alexander Brailowsky....Sony 46546(1964 - 4:57)
Samson Francois.........EMI 74457(1957 - 4:18)
Mieczyslaw Horszowski...Vox 5511(1952 - 4:07)
Freddy Kempff...........BIS 1160(2000 - 4:27)
Anna Malikova...........Real Sound 028(2000 - 5:08)
Benno Moiseiwitsch......Philips 456907(1958 - 4:33)
Benno Moiseiwitsch......Pearl 9192(1961 - 4:38)
Jon Nakamatsu...........Harmonia Mundi 907244(1998 - 5:18)
Maria Joao Pires........Deutsche Grammophon 457585(1998 - 5:44)
Arthur Rubinstein.......RCA 63026(1951 - 5:20)
Arthur Rubinstein.......RCA 63027(1957 - 5:28)
Arthur Rubinstein.......RCA 63047(1964 - 5:06)
Alexander Uninsky.......Philips Duo 442574(1959 - 5:08)
Each of the above pianists is well-known or legendary except for Nakamatsu
and Malikova. Jon Nakamatsu was the gold medal winner of the 10th Van
Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1997. He has also been named
"Debut Artist of the Year" by NPR's Performance Today. Needless to say,
these accolades represent a strong springboard for Nakamatsu. Whether
or not he is or will develop into one of the great Chopin pianists is
an entirely different subject, because there is little correlation between
winning piano competitions/accolades and being immersed in the soundworld
of any given composer.
Anna Malikova has a few recordings for Real Sound, and I have been quite
impressed with those I have heard. Although she has a demure and entirely
wholesome appearance, her music-making can be very powerful and dynamic.
Her Chopin Preludes, on the same disc as her Impromptus, is a strong and
bold set of performances. She also has a Shostakovich solo piano disc
which offers 'industrial strength' readings that I love.
Chopin's Fantaisie-Impromptu in C sharp minor has the ABA form we find
in its three sister Impromptus. Where the C sharp minor differs is in
its melodies which make an indelible mark on the listener and its intensity
which rivals any other music Chopin ever wrote.
The 1st section is where all that intensity resides and it never stops
giving; excitement, desperation, wildness, and even a macabre atmosphere
prevail. Most effective are Chopin's fluttering figures which add to
the sense of emotional destabilization and confusion. This is music
which needs the highest application of sustained tension, and it's no
time for a pianist to go soft.
The 2nd section in D flat major offers us Chopin's lyricism and comfort;
it's also noble, uplifting, and rich music to savor. When Chopin takes
us back to the first section, he adds a thoroughly desperate passage
which is a great touch. Another great touch is the re-introduction of
the 2nd section's basic theme at the conclusion; this allows for the
major key to take over and provide some optimism and enhanced contrast.
Although I love Opus 66, I can't report that it quite ranks up there with
the best works of Chopin's maturity. The basic reason for my view is that
transitions are either non-existent or perfunctory. In later years, Chopin
would expand on his transitions and make them memorable parts of the musical
landscape. Other than that, the C sharp minor is one wonderful piece of
music which transcends what I expect from mere mortals.
Problematic Versions - Horszowski sounds as if he's playing from a filled
bathtub. This under-water phenomenon is a losing proposition, and only
the performance of a life-time could rise above it. Horszowski gives
an excellent and quick reading with fire in the 1st section and great
confidence in the 2nd. It's even possible that he's better than excellent
and the poor sound is hiding the truth. Regardless, you can't separate
a performance from its soundstage. Since there are other versions as
good or better than Horszowski's in much improved sound, his recording
really isn't competitive.
The 2nd section can sound repetitive and even boring if played in a
perfunctory manner with little shading and variety of tempo and dynamics.
Jon Nakamatsu eventually bores me in the 2nd section with his narrow
straight-line performance. In the 1st section, his runs also have a
perfunctory flavor. Ultimately, there is much more to Chopin's music
than Nakamatsu offers us.
Worthy Versions - Arthur Rubinstein's 1964 recording is the least
rewarding of the three Rubinstein versions reviewed. There is a subdued
nature to it which crops up in both sections; the earlier two versions
are more vital and determined. The 2nd section is where the subdued
playing is most damaging. As I indicated earlier in the review, this
section can sound repetitive if the pianist doesn't offer sufficient
variety of tempo and dynamics. Although Rubinstein is delicate and
hypnotic at the beginning of the section, his minimal range of dynamics
eventually makes the music rather ho-hum with reduced interest levels.
Still, that delicate and lovely phrasing in the section can't be had
with his earlier versions.
Alexander Brailowsky's performance is perfectly fine with an
exceptionally sunny, detailed, and captivating conclusion. But I've
been listening to his version along with the Francois and Arrau, and he
doesn't stand up well to them. He does excite in the 1st section and
convey fine poignancy in the 2nd; however, he doesn't come close to the
coil of tension possessed by Francois and Arrau. I love Brailowksy's
conclusion, but that's not nearly enough to place his performance among
the best.
Although I think of Anna Malikova's performance of Chopin's Preludes as
a tower of strength, her 1st section of Opus 66 lessens the tension quite
a bit; her runs are ordinary and poorly convey the 'terracing' effect
toward the end of the 1st section. In the 2nd section, Malikova's
phrasing isn't close to being as supple and fluid as Rubinstein's or
Ashkenazy's. On the plus side, the recorded sound is excellent, and
Malikova maximizes the lyrical aspects of the 1st section.
Time has not been kind to my views of the version from Maria Joao Pires.
After the first few listenings, I was very impressed with her power in
the 1st section and poignancy in the 2nd. However, additional hearings
have made me somewhat impatient with her extremely slow 2nd section which
could well be the slowest on record. Considering the slow pace, I would
have liked more animated playing from Pires.
Exceptional Versions - A few weeks ago I reviewed Freddy Kempf's all
Chopin offering and noted that his fine performance of Opus 66 was not
as rewarding as the Pires interpretation. With additional listenings,
I am now reversing my opinion. Kempf gives a quick and no-nonsense
reading with plenty of tension/power in the 1st section and a beautifully
paced 2nd section which, although on the fast side, does manage to convey
a high level of poignancy. The whole performance flows excellently with
great suspense. The sound is a bit diffuse, but that's a minor consideration
which can be improved upon through judicious use of audio controls.
The 1951 Rubinstein performance has his usual characterics: classical
approach with lean textures and a 2nd section having supple phrasing
which is a delight to listen to. However, Rubinstein's 1957 performance
has sound of better presence and a more tightly coiled tension.
Idil Biret's Chopin series for Naxos has been a distinguished one, as
you can always expect her to fully bring out the extreme elements of
Chopin's psychology and provide frequent changes in tempo and dynamics.
So it is with her Opus 66. Her 1st section is more jittery and anxious
than any of the other reviewed versions, and the variety she offers in
the 2nd section insures a high level of continuous interest. Sound
quality can be a little coarse from the lower voices, but Biret's
performance easily overcomes the situation.
Each time I listen to the version from Alexander Uninsky I think of
a role-model performance, and Uninsky certainly gives us one. He knows
perfectly when to gear up, become tender, inflect, and use staccato and
legato. Also, his pacing is spot-on with intervals of meaning. I
heartily recommend the performance, although it isn't quite up to the
standards of the best versions when it comes to conveying tenderness,
nobility, and desperation.
Outstanding Versions - These are the recordings that begin to astound
me and make Chopin's Fantaisie-Impromptu such an inspirational piece of
music: Rubinstein '57' and Moiseiwitsch/Philips. The Moiseiwitsch version
has a nobility to it that's irresistable and makes its 2nd section a
jewel of the repertoire. The sound quality is significantly cleaner
than in his Pearl performance, but he captures greter tension and power
in the Pearl where he gives a 'private' reading; Moiseiwitsch was well
known for greater intensity in intimate surroundings. Rubinstein's
performance is the pinnacle of his classical approach to Chopin; even
though his textures in the 1st section are lean, there is no reduction
in tension or emotional weight.
Best Versions: Vladimir Ashkenazy offers the most gorgeous and delectably
nuanced interpretation of the 2nd section on record; he flows like silk
with supple phrasing that amazes me and gives the section a new meaning.
Of course, his 1st section is lacking nothing in weight, excitement, or
desperation.
As for Samson Francois, his tension, drive, and urgency know no peers.
After a tremendous 1st section, he keeps the urgency alive in the 2nd
as if he is going to quickly jump off the edge of a cliff - he takes my
breath away at those moments. Also, his usually precise detail and
individuality are on full display in the performance.
Arrau is a tower of strength and nobility. His tremendous accumuation
and release of energy is the most overpowering of any version on record.
Arrau leaves me entirely exhausted, feeling that I've battled my foes
for many days, emerged victorious, and deserve/need a vacation.
Moiseiwitsch's Pearl version is from a private performance. As indicated
above, this was the type of venue where he felt most comfortable and
likely to give a more intense and spontaneous interpretation. Comparison
with the version on Philips reveals the merit to this view - more power,
tension, and improvisation.
Don's Conclusions: Leading the pack are the Ashkenazy for its lyricism,
the Francois for its exhilaration, the Arrau for its majesty, and the
Moiseiwitsch on Pearl for its consistently compelling arguments. Only
the Horszowski and Nakamatsu disappoint, and it's really just Nakamatsu
who gives a less than admirable reading.
I'm quite glad that, as a reviewer, I've finally found an Ashkenazy
performance that stands tall among the best versions. I'll be reviewing
other Chopin recordings of his along with discs of the Russian repertoire;
here's hoping that there's much more gold from this source.
I should have another few versions of the Fantaisie-Impromptu reviewed
for Part 2 which will likely be completed in a couple of weeks. Concerning
other Chopin reviews, I'm currently engaged in Chopin Preludes recordings
from de Larrocha, Katsaris, and Cherkassky where the results are nothing
like I would have expected. Stay tuned.
Don Satz
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