Frederic Chopin(1810-1849)
      Barcarolle, Opus 60

Wendy Chen, Piano
Rubedo Canis Musica(RCM) 19702
Recorded 1998
Prime Couplings: Bolero, 4 Ballades, Andante Spianato/Grande Polonaise
TT 69:23

Comparison Version: Favre-Kahn/Arion

Wendy Chen is a young pianist who studied at the R. D. Colburn School
of Performing Arts in Los Angeles and is the former student of Leon
Fleisher.  As the liner notes are fond of telling us, Chen has won
numerous piano competitions and has appeared with the Los Angeles
Philharmonic in addition to giving recitals at Lincoln Center, Kennedy
Center, and New York City's 92nd Street Y.  Favorable reviews in newspapers
have found her Chopin "note-perfect, effervescent, sharp, clear, fiery,
and striking a fine balance between muscularity and lyricism".  Judging
from these comments, Ms.  Chen must be quite a Chopin performing artist.

The disc's cover has the title "Bolero" which I find rather odd, given
that this Chopin piece is hardly one of his more popular compositions.
I suppose that there is an attempt to 'catch' both Chopin and Ravel fans,
but it is much too obvious.  Also, the cover has a photograph of Chen
criss-crossing her arms upward as if to hide her breasts, but she is in
full dress.  There's nothing sleazy about it, but I do find the picture
rather illogical.  Finally, the putrid green on the cover doesn't blend
well with Chen's coloring - it's a cheap looking cover.

Well, that's enough for the extraneous and obsessed trivia.  How well
does Ms.  Chen perform the Barcarolle?  Very well indeed.  She has the
Gondolier's softly-swaying rhythm well in hand, and her first section
is lovingly poignant and rapturous.  Thereafter, the climaxes she offers
have plenty of power, although I would have liked greater tension in the
build-ups toward the climaxes.

I used Laure Favre-Kahn's fantastic performance on Arion for comparison
mainly because both she and Chen are given state-of-the-art sound which
only gets more appealing as volume is increased.  In the performances,
I do prefer Favre-Kahn for her rugged demeanor and greater tension
throughout the work.  However, Chen doesn't come off badly in the
comparison and can be recommended as a fine version to add to the
music library.

In the near future, I'll be reviewing different recordings of Chopin's
Four Ballades and the Andante Spianato & Grande Polonaise Brillant.
Therefore, I am not in a position to offer a definitive conclusion about
the entire disc.  From Chen's Barcarolle, it is likely that the recorded
sound is the most appealing aspect of the disc.

Don's Conclusions: Good performance of the Barcarolle in an absolutely
stunning soundstage.  Well worth your consideration, especially if sound
quality is a major factor.

Don Satz
[log in to unmask]