Repertoire began with a group of six best friends from a small Milwaukee hi… Read Full Bio ↴Repertoire began with a group of six best friends from a small Milwaukee high school in 2000. They won 6 different college battles of the bands, played at every major venue in the state, released an album that sold 1,000 units without a label, and were nominated for a WAMI for Best Rock Group. Unfortunately, life happened. Friends grew apart, musical differences became increasingly evident, and many members chased other dreams. Merriam-Webster defines Repertoire as “a list or supply of dramas, operas, pieces, or parts that a company or person is prepared to perform.” The band defines it as the collaboration of ideas, beliefs, and influences that unite to create a sound that can only be defined as uniquely familiar. Repertoire sound as though Jack Johnson, John Mayer, Dispatch, and Gavin Degraw’s illegitimate children came together to form a band. In 2007, after a two year hiatus, Repertoire has reunited it’s core and brought in 94.5 WKTI’s Rockstar Jaizon Plaga. With a new album to be released in September 2007 and a hungrier cast, Repertoire is “Moving On” toward rockstardom. Will they make it? Find out for yourself at www.myspace.com/repertoire.

The Best Of Me
Repertoire Lyrics

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Jadakiss/Mya [Jadakiss](Mya) Uh, huh I don't want to get the best of you,…
Jay-Z Feat. Mya I'm focused man Tell Stout to holla at me man Uh, young…
John Smith A funny thing has happened to me lately The things I…
Josh Kelley They can talk behind my back, and lie about me Take…
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Mya f/Jadakiss [Jadakiss](Mya) Uh, huh I don't want to get the best of you,…
mýa feat. jay-z I'm focused man Tell Stout to holla at me man Uh, young…
Mya ft Jadakiss [Jadakiss](Mya) Uh, huh I don't want to get the best of you,…
Mya ft Jay z I'm focused man Tell Stout to holla at me man Uh, young…
Mya ft. Jadakiss [Jadakiss](Mya) Uh, huh I don't want to get the best of you,…
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

D C

3y↑7

Great list Dave! That's because I have a number of the same recordings on mine. :)
Ballades - Zimerman
Etudes - Ashkenazy
Impromptus; Berceuse - Perahia
Mazurkas - Rubinstein
Nocturnes; Fantasy - Arrau
Preludes - Cortot (1933)
Polonaises - Pollini
Scherzi - Richter
Sonata 2 - Pogorelich
Sonata 3 - Argerich (DG or EMI)
Waltzes; Barcarolle - Lipatti

tphi1980

3y↑9

So hard to pick just one, or not to repeat artists!!

Sonatas 1-3: Dang Thai Son
A complete set, with all the desired large-scale drama, nobility, and virtuosity of these works.

Etudes Op. 10 & 25: Janina Fialkowska
A virtuosic, artistically personal interpretation, which is very refreshing for its risk-taking and spontaneity.
(Louis Lortie and Vladimir Ashkenazy are also fabulous.)

Ballades: Krystian Zimerman
A reference recording, including beautiful performances of the Fantasy and Barcarolle.

Nocturnes: Maria Joao Pires
Richly musical, equally satisfying for its dramatic elements, as for its natural lyricism - beautiful piano tone as well.
(Dang Thai Son is majesterial in these, also, on modern Steinway or period Erard.)

Mazurkas: Artur Rubinstein
"All natural. No additives. No preservatives. Wholesome."

danlo5

3y↑5

Loving these videos, David. Thank you so much for spurring these discussions.
Here are the ones I feel strongly about:
Sonata No. 2: Pogorelich
Sonata No. 3: Argerich
Etudes, Op. 10: Cortot
Etudes, Op. 25: Sokolov
Nocturnes: Pollini (the wonderfully icy 2005 recording)
Scherzos: Yundi Li
Ballades: Richter

Pathétique

3y↑18

Chopin! Ah, I'm so happy you're finally tackling Chopin. But coming up with an ideal Chopin cycle is indeed an extremely difficult task, especially if you restrain yourself to ONE pianist per set of pieces, I personally wasn't able to do it, but I did my best and here's my list:

Sonatas:
- No.1: Leif Ove Andsnes, that you mentioned. A rarely recorded piece but Andsnes just gets it right.
- No.2: Pogorelich. I love Ashkenazy too. But you mentioned that opening theme (tata-tatata tata-tatata) and to me nobody does that better than Pogorelich. He plays this with absolutely no pedal and perfect dynamic control. It's just breathtaking.
- No.3 Fialkowska. A pianist that, for some reason, gets completely ignored. But her Chopin is just marvellous. Her recordings are characterized by extremely dry sonics but it highlights so much details, it's a fantastic experience.

Etudes:
- Pollini, it's just a reference.
- Fialkowska again, for the same reasons. Truly marvellous playing, extremely detailed, colorful and perfectly controlled.
- Fredereric Chiu, another underrated pianist, extremely musical, extremely intelligent.
- Sokolov's Op.25 is also out of this world.

Preludes:
- Moravec, of course. You already mentioned him so I don't need to add anything.
- Pogorelich, for his endless imagination. A lot of the things he does are really extreme (especially when it comes to tempo), but no one can deny the supreme quality of his tone, his articulation and his incredible control of dynamics.
- Blechacz, a very tasteful and imaginative pianist who particularly succeeded to unite all the preludes in one single unit.

Waltzes:
- Alice Sara Ott, the only recording that matches Lipatti, in my opinion.
- Jean-Marc Luisada, very tasteful and imaginative as well.

Polonaises:
Pollini, Blechacz. I could add Ashkenazy too.

Mazurkas:
Fialkowska (again), Chiu (again).
There's a truly wonderful recording by the young Pavel Kolesnikov that I would also recommend but it's not a complete set.

Scherzos:
- Pogorelich, because I think this is one of the best recordings of piano music ever produced. This is supreme pianism, it has everything, It's hyper-detailed, it has incredible articulation, stupendous cantabile, and truly abyssal dynamics (from whispering pianissimos to very muscular fortissimos). Ot doesn't get any better than that.
But I must say I also enjoy Benjamin Grosvenor a lot (fantastic imagination too), as well as Yundi Li.

Ballades:
Zimerman is pretty much the default choice, but Perahia definitely has things to say too.

Impromptus:
I must mention the tragically forgotten Stanislav Bunin. You'll never hear Op.66 played the way Bunin does.
Perahia would be my second choice.

Nocturnes:
Moravec, of course it has to be Moravec. This music was written for him, his tone is simply unmatched. I've been listening to his recording fro years and it still gives me goosebumps.
Another pianist who's great in that regard is Barenboim. Fantastic tone too.

Hope I passed the exam!

Hugo Gouveia

3y↑13

Mr. Hurwitz I will never be able to thank you enough for your exquisite and deep knowledge, spellbinding wit, magical humour and extreme generosity in doing these videos, I feel less lonely everytime I can see you on the screen and wait for every new one as a precious gift, like a child on christmas eve.
My suggestions for Chopin's major works would be, and I apologize for including too much of historical recordings, but these are the ones I cherish and would be very pleased indeed if I could add something made by someone who only knows by ear and hope it might somehow be of any interest among so many more informed people:
Sonata No. 2: Michelangeli
Sonata No. 3: Lipatti
Eutdes op.10 & op.25: Gavrilov
Preludes: Gulda (Mono)
Waltzes: Arrau
Polonaises: Stefan Askenase
Mazurkas: Nikita Magaloff (Mono)
Scherzos: Nelson Freire
Ballades: Nelson Goerner
Impromptus: Roberto Szidon
Nocturnes: Bart Van Oort
Fantasia op.49: Youri Egorov
Andante Spianato and Grand Polonaise: Arthur Rubinstein (Mono)
Barcarolle: Kempff
Berceuse: Solomon

Estel

3y↑2

Thank you for all your work. It's really appreciated in these interesting times! ---I really mean it.

Regarding the topic - so far for me:
Preludes: Ashkenazy
Etudes: Zayas due to better sonics as Ashkenazy's
Nocturnes: Moravec (runner-up: Freire)
Ballades: Arrau - nails the forth like noone (my fav. chopin piece)
Mazurkas: Ohlsson
Impromptus: Perahia
Waltzes: Tharaud
Scherzi: Rubinstein - RCA
Polonaises: Pollini
Sonata No. 2: Freire
Sonata No. 3: Argerich (DG!)- she takes the intro repeat like Arrau in his ingenious EMI-Recording. YES!

Jack Atherton

Dave, know you don’t relish moldy oldies but listeners may want to savor some of these:
Ballades - Raoul Koczalski. This Mikuli student plays a pre-Liszt and Anton Rubinstein Chopin, less heroic but perhaps more lyrical. Also Vladimir de Pachmann doing the second half of the third Ballade.
Etudes Op.25 - Grigory Ginzburg. Best known in Russia and for his Liszt but for me these are incomparable, virtuosic snd poetic.
Impromptus - Cortot
Mazurkas - Maryla Jonas or pre-war Rubinstein, freer than the more subtle stereo set. Nocturnes - Ignaz Friedman Op. 55 No. 2 (like Ginzburg he didn’t record them all). Considered by some the most beautiful Chopin ever. Horowitz recorded this on his last album nearly as well.
Sonata 2 - Rachmaninoff
Sonata 3 - Percy Grainger
Waltz C sharp minor - Zofia Rabzowicz on YouTube. Born inn1870. Mannered? By whose standard?
Cheers

Robert Waldren

3y↑1

The best introduction to Chopin's world is a recital disc set (Ashkenazy/Double Decca).
Otherwise my "ideal" Chopin list would be:
Ballades: Zimerman
Barcarolle: Perlemuter
Études: Pollini
Impromptus: Cortot (you must include him on any Chopin list)
Mazurkas: Rubenstein (RCA)
Polonaises: François
Preludes: Argerich (DGG)
Scherzi: Arrau (Philips)
Sonata No.2: Horowitz (RCA)
Sonata No.3: Perahia
Waltzes: Lipatti

N N

3y↑6

My ideal Chopin:
Sonata 2 : Horowitz
Sonata 3 : Trifonov
Etudes : Zayas
Preludes : Cortot
Waltzes : Lipatti
Polonaises : Dang Thai Son
Nocturnes : Rubinstein
Mazurkas : Anderszewski
Scherzi : Pollini
Ballades: Ohlsson
Impromptus : Arrau

John Burlinson

3y↑1

Sonata 2 : Nelson Freire
Sonata 3 : Marc-Andre Hamelin
Etudes : Maurizio Pollini (his early recording done in his teen years, available now on Testament, not that his second recording on DG is not colossal )
Preludes : Håvard Gimse
Waltzes : Alice Sara Ott
Polonaises : Arthur Rubeinstein
Nocturnes : Brigitte Engerer
Mazurkas : William Kapell
Scherzi : Ivan Moravec
Ballades: Andrei Gavrilov
Impromptus : Angela Hewitt

Baritone Astoria

3y↑1

Sonatas : Andsnes
Etudes : Gekic
Preludes : Sokolov (I also like the Moravec, but prefer the Supraphon to the VAI)
Waltzes : Rubinstein
Polonaises : Cherkassky
Nocturnes : Arrau
Mazurkas : Wasowski
Scherzi : Pogorelich
Ballades: Tipo (live, Ermitage)

Armando Del Romero

3y↑1

The 4th ballade is my favorite piece of classical music.

My ideal list would be:
Waltzes-- Lipatti (EMI)
Mazurkas-- Luisada (DG)
Impromptus-- Bunin (DG)
Ballades-- Zimerman (DG) & Arrau (1953-EMI)
Nocturnes-- Arrau (Phillips)
Etudes-- Pollini (DG)
Polonaises-- Pollini (DG) Sorry, I had to repeat.
Sonata 2-- Pogorelich (DG)
Sonata 3-- Fiorentino (Brilliant Classics)
Preludes-- Cortot
Scherzos-- Pogorelich (DG)
Berceuse -- Benedetti Michelangeli
Fantasie -- Zimerman (DG)
Piano Concerto 1 -- Samson François + Cluytens
Piano Concerto 2 -- Rubinstein

Miguel Heredia

Nocturnes Moravec
Waltzes Anievas
Preludes Brailovsky
Etudes Ashkenazy
Mazurkas Magaloff
Sonatas Cliburn
Concerto 1 Zimerman
Concerto 2 Rubinstein
Barcarolle Moravex
Berceuse Rubinstein
Fantasy Rubinstein
Scherzos Horowitz
Ballades Zimerman

pbarach1

3y↑5

Waltzes--Lipatti
Mazurkas--Wasowski
Impromptus--Tomsic
Ballades--Zimerman
Nocturnes--Moravec
Etudes--Pollini's earlier set (Testament)
Polonaises--Blechacz
Sonata 2--Rachmaninov!!
Sonata 3--Rubinstein
Preludes--Rana
Scherzos--Richter

All comments from YouTube:

D C

3y↑7

tphi1980

3y↑9

Joshua Fruend

2y↑4

As a pianist, Ohlsson was responsible for opening the world of Chopin to me when I was young. His interpretations are always special, even when I disagree with a few things, they end up convincing me. I’m also really excited about the recent laureate of the Chopin Competition, Bruce Liu. Great Chopin video! I recently discovered you and am thoroughly enjoying this channel!

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

2y↑2

Thank you.

danlo5

3y↑5

Anagh Shetty

3y↑1

I strongly agree with the sonata 2 choice, pogorelich's is the best performance

Pathétique

3y↑18

alandom

Alice Sara-Ott and Lipatti in the same sentence? Really? Interesting

Nath

What a magnificent list!

Jed Distler

3y↑1

@The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz Excellent list, indeed.

Pascal Rousseau

Ho! Nice listing! Doesn't leave me indifferent. Same for David's list. For the Nocturnes, i agree,
Moravec is the choice and i will left the preludes to another pianist. Like you said "This music was written for him".
I would even have taken the fairly recent recording of Nelson Freire before Arrau which is also good. For the Etudes, i didn't listened to Wild or Fialkowska... so i should give them both a try.. thanks to both of you

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

3y↑3

Thank you. A fabulous list!

Hugo Gouveia

3y↑13

Apisak Rangsit

3y↑5

Thanks, Dave, for sharing your insights on everyone's favorite composer. I agree and don't agree with you. I adore Arrau's nocturne set. My mom too. She loves Pires too. The Morovec, yes, for the nocturnes too! I will listen to Ohlsson soon. Mazurkas are my favorite cups of tea, especially when i want to be alone. I think you've forgotten to mention a few more great Chopin Masters--Novaes, Cherkassky, Askenase, Sokolov and Pletnev. In fact, Lipatti 's take on the Barcarolle needs to be considered, Argerich's 2nd Sonata, Pollini's preludes (old version. yes, i agree. He's not so interesting to listen to anymore, don't know why), Gavrilov's etudes. Please do more on each genre. Please. You could also compare the Russian school with, say, the French or German school. Thanks a million.

///// Vinyl Archaeologist /////

3y↑15

I applaud your choice of my fellow Romanian, Dinu Lipatti for the Waltzes. Lipatti was one of my “gateway drugs” into classical music. His single recording of the F-sharp major Barcarolle opened my eyes to how interpretation can make or break a piece. But from more modern times, let me mention young pianist Alice Sara Ott who did a great recording of the pieces for DG, almost improvisatory in nature.

wjlis79

3y↑2

His Brahms waltzes are phenomenal as well! Great artist. So sad that we lost him to leukemia. 😢

Logan Fruchtman

2y↑1

I love Chopin’s Scherzi No 2 and 3. It channels his inner Franz Liszt and Beethoven and can show his true virtuosity. Great choices but the Horowitz Scherzi would be my choice.

John Pendley

3y↑2

I've loved Ivan Moravec's playing since the Connoisseur Society recordings in the '60s. (Wow, did E. Alan Silver and James Goodfriend know how to record a piano!) I had the great good fortune to hear Moravec three times; on one of those occasions, he played the 4th Ballade. He had a monster technique. He practiced everything much faster than he played it in concert or recital. That made the technical aspect of playing much easier--sort of like a baseball player swinging a weighted bat in the on-deck circle. But one rarely noticed Moravec's technique. His playing was all about poetry, an absolutely gorgeous tone--many have called it "hammerless"--and a seamless legato. (He heard Caruso recordings as a boy and always wanted to make the piano sound like a singer.) I know Dave's rules, but I'm unable to play by them. For me, Moravec's Ballades, Preludes, and Nocturnes are in a league of their own, a higher league at that. His Barcarolle and the Mazurkas he chose to record are also unforgettable. The Mozart Concertos and Sonatas, Beethoven Sonatas, and Debussy are equally brilliant. All of it will make you think, "Yes, that's how that's supposed to sound."

Wendy Chen

3y↑1

Thank you, David, for the recommendations. I have been listening to classical music for more than 65 years, starting with the piano music (because my elder sister played it while I was too young to play, like the toddler Chopin crouching under the piano to listen to his elder sister playing the piano). Over the years, I also developed my own list of Chopin favorites and "Chopin pianists". Maybe I'm old school, but Artur Rubinstein is on top of the list, and I have agreed with David's choices and most commentators' choices as well. For the Nocturnes, side by side with Arrau and Rubinstein is, for me, Maria Joao Pires (listen to her complete set on DG, including the rare posthumous ones). I also would like to mention that her playing and interpretation of the Polonaise-Fantaisie (op. 61) is, for me, the most "Chopin-esque" of all I have heard. I believe if Chopin were alive today, he would have been pleased with Pires' "getting it". Just to share my 2 cents with all Chopin lovers.

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

Thank you for your insights. They all sound terrific to me!

manricofill

3y↑1

From my narrow horizon I want to mention Cortot -wonderful in etudes, preludes and F minor concerto and a special mention of his Barcarolle -simply glorious. In the Mazurkas and Nocturnes I have found tremendous pleasure in the recordings of Samson François. The greatness of Arthur Rubinstein has yet to be unlocked for me. Where others hear magic simplicity I can only hear plain generalisation. I guess I have to give him another serious try sometime.
Richter is very good in the Scherzi, particularly number 4. And fantastic in the 4th Ballade! Then we have Sokolov in the preludes and Opus 25 Etudes -fabulous. Before the pandemic he regularly showed up in Stockholm on the last Sunday of October for many years to play his recital. He has the habit to play six encores, more often than not including some Chopin, typically a Mazurka. How wonderful! Finally I have to mention Horowitz. He hardly recorded any complete sets of Chopin, did he? But listen to some of the Mazurkas, Waltzes, Etudes and Ballades he did, wow! The Mazurka number 13 in A minor from “The last romantic” on DG, recorded in his early eighties, is out of this world.

Don

3y↑4

I had assembled a Chopin collection of individual recordings from a handful of pianists with only a small bit of overlap that included 2 of your selections - Pollini in the scherzos and Perahia's recording of the Impromptus and other works. I also have Rubinstein and Argerich, but not in the same things on your list. Later I wanted to hear another version of everything and bought the Ashkenazy 13 disc box. I think his interpretations stand up well versus all of the individual discs I had collected and in some cases surpass them, and they're beautifully recorded. Ashkenazy's box would be a great starting point for somebody new to Chopin or for someone wanting a second or third version of his major works. For anybody considering Perahia in the Impromptus or the Etudes or anything else, all of his Chopin recordings (including the concertos) are available in a cheap Sony box.

Scott Graham

The Zimmerman Ballades have always been a favorite of mine that I still come back to over and over. I have not heard any of the Ohlsson Chopin performances but just to throw out an obscure performance worth everyone's time - Gabor Csalog on Hungaroton for the complete Mazurkas. This one is a very good set. Very characterful without being fussy.

James Theodore Herman

3y↑1

This must be the single most helpful of your videos. It's just not possible for me to work through so many records, and I'm a pretty committed and experienced listener. Thanks as always.

Estel

3y↑2

gmroberto1967

3y↑1

Dear Maestro Hurwitz, once again many thanks for your informative and entertaining videos. I would like to add to yours and other commentators' suggestions the names of Adam Harasiewicz (another tragically underrated Chopin interpreter, IMHO) for the Ballades and of Andrzej Wąsowski for the Mazurkas. Wąsowski's Mazurkas are the most idiomatic, poetic, revelatory renditions of these pieces whose enormous interpretative difficulties you so aptly sketched.

Kelly Richardson

When I first heard Claudio Arrau play the Chopin Nocturnes, I was blown away! Being a "Beethoven" pianist, I assumed my opinion must have been wrong. HOW refreshing to hear that my (now) favorite music critic considers them to be legit!

R B

3y↑1

Thank you so much for this splendid talk, and how great to see that Pollini is indeed on your list, and Perahia. So now I'm even more looking forward to a video on Schubert's late pianosonatas, or Schumann's symphonic etudes, no pressure.

Sinan

The Perahia Impromtus CD you mention is beautiful! IMO Perahia (with Mehta) is also the champ with the Piano Concerto No.1 (1979 CBS/Sony).

Matt Casaletto

Thanks for the recommendations! And I agree 1000% with Perahia's Impromptus. My jaw was on the floor the first time I heard how he played those furious scalar runs with such delicate control.

jsh31425

Thanks, David, for a fantastic video. I've been thinking about and playing Chopin for decades, and many of my feelings match your own. A couple random thoughts:

-- One of the really profound solo works not mentioned explicitly here is the Polonaise-Fantaisie, which is possibly the Chopin piece that "plays itself" the least!

-- Award for "hardest piece that doesn't sound that hard", perhaps among all the standard piano repertoire, is the Etude op.10/2. Sigh...

-- There's a video on YouTube of Lucas Geniusas performing all 24 Chopin etudes live in Moscow from 2010. I'm not sure if this was ever released on disc, but it's one of the most poetic and touching renditions of these pieces, and I always come back to it. Highly recommended to all!

jeremy berman

3y↑2

I can't narrow it down to a different pianist for each, so pardon the duplications. Ballades: Cortot, Waltzes: Lipatti, Polonaises: Malcuzynski, Mazurkas: Rubinstein from the 30's. I think they're a little freer than the later set. Impromptus: Perahia, Scherzos: Moravec, Sonatas: Rubinstein, Preludes: Argerich, Nocturnes: Moravec

Tom Ross

I agree: Ohlsson's complete Chopin is excellent! The thicker passages in Chopin's scores (the ones that usually sound overloaded to me, such as the louder Preludes) ring clear when Ohlsson plays them. He can make a bold overall sound without obscuring any details within it.

canoodlian

3y↑9

A really valuable survey. I was nursed on Rubinstein's Chopin, and for me they will always be intimately related. I can't imagine anyone's "Nocturnes" displacing Rubinstein's in my affections, and a similar sentiment applies to many of the other works as well. Nonetheless, I'm curious to listen to a number of your recommendations; thank you.

oakdaddy

3y↑1

Word.

Baritone Astoria

3y↑1

@oakdaddy Rubinstein's 2 set of mono Polonaises are as good as anyone's.

oakdaddy

Yes, Rubenstein for everything, except when you need somebody who throws lightening bolts. So Horowitz for the Polonaises.

Pascal Rousseau

3y↑3

Ho, I loooove this one!.... David you're such a scholar! And i love when you dwell on the specifics of performance . So, selfishly, I make you a new suggestion. I will like you to make a series of videos, on a multiple wonderfull recordings (regardless of the composer or importance in the repertoire - a video for each one of these recordings). So a series on what make, according to you, each one of these recordings one of the greatest of all time for the performance or its historical significance. So it will be kind of "recordings you should own or listen (no 1,2,3, etc) series split in multiple videos.... series that you can perform sporadically over the weeks (like your series on the de bach cantatas). Regards.. I would like to listen for the first time or re-listen all of your choices. Having English as a fourth language, I'm hoping my thoughts were clearly translated.

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

Thank you. Your English is fine!

montxo l.o.

Concerning the 2nd sonata’s first movement, I wonder why the score edition and the choice of repeating the exposition in Ashkenazy’s recording don’t seem to be an issue. This first movement has always been problematic due to the erroneous editions for decades. The “great old ones” just avoided the oddity of the repetition (which is harmonically awkward ~~a dominant resolving on a 6th degree~~ and an isolate in Chopin’s music), allowing a fluidity in soite of the more unbalanced proportion. The modern ones, well, they’re modern and don’t think or listen, only read. Then there was Uchida who finally gave us a version which is both intelligent and respectful in regard to Chopin’s manuscript, a balanced and understandable first movement. Pollini, for the last twenty years, has been playing the 2nd sonata this way, after having read Charles Rosen’s enlightening text on this matter (but not in his DG recording, much older).

Oene Roorda

Great overview! I could not even start by challenging your list. Wholeheartedly agree with Zimmerman for the ballades. He is a wonderful pianist, but, as you say, very picky and self critical. Why on earth did he withdraw his Brahms sonatas on DG shortly after release in 1980? Arrau for the nocturnes, also great suggestion. Your characterization of Rubinstein is spot on. I have a wonderful Decca box from Bolet. Indeed there are so many recordings. The only pianist I missed was Louis Lortie. Years ago I attended his sort of accidental Carnegie Hall premiere (replacement for Pollini). Lortie played Chopin’s ballades superbly, it was a fabulous concert.

ocean au

Thank you David, I’ve been following you sharing and this is a great one again.

You’ve got many topics about orchestral and chamber music. I wish you could share some keyboard music of Bach ...the suites and partitas.

EdHanslick

Hello Dave - I just can agree to most things you said here, but I especially appreciated your
excellent comment on the 4th Ballade regarding playing rubato and playing "as it is written".
I think it is something that every pianist / musician should keep in mind! It makes me really to
respect your musicianship even more!
(I don´t agree with Moravec Preludes. To me he sounds too heavy and static. I prefer Martha
Argerich. Her playing is - for me - more poetic, dreamy - simply the Preludes should sound like preludes.

nir goldenberg

3y↑2

Thanks for another wonderful discussion. I wanted to make a suggestion - when talking about piano works, why not give two recommendations, one for older generation pianists and one with young pianists who are still in their twenties or maybe thirties, like yuja wang or khatia buntashvilli or others? You make it seem like there aren't fine young pianists.

Also, can you do a discussion of recommended recordings of lizst sonata?

Ceda T

3y↑2

Many, many thanks as always Mr Hurwitz. You already mentioned that is planned, so just to add that Moravec Supraphon box "Portrait" is already available and I enjoy it very much.

Christopher Brent

Great video! Superb list! Another great great recording of the Chopin Nocturnes: Tamas Vasary! One of my favorites!

Apisak Rangsit

3y↑4

Ive learned a lot from everyone's list. BIG THANKS for sharing your intimate thoughts.

Judson Musick

Another great video, Dave. Like you, I myself have all of the Chopin piano works done by different artists - Rubinstein for the Nocturnes, Pollini for the Etudes, Argerich and Pollini for the Preludes, Perahia for the Fantasie, Argerich and Ashkenazy for the concerti, etc. However, I would think that someone who is just beginning to listen to Chopin would not have the patience to slowly build a Chopin collection. Such a novice might want to initially buy a boxed set of all the Chopin piano works done by one artist, and later on "cherry pick" recordings of individual works by different artists. The trick is to find one very good pianist who 1) can perform all of the Chopin piano works well, and 2) has recorded all of the works in decent sound. The only artists that I can think of who meet both of these requirements are Vladimir Ashkenazy and Garrick Ohlsson. (Surprisingly, Rubinstein never recorded the Etudes, and he recorded the Preludes only in 1946.) Besides Ashkenazy and Ohlsson, can you think of any other "boxed set" pianists?

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

Idil Beret, for one, on Naxos, but there are a few other, lesser names on small labels.

Mancal

3y↑1

"Life isn't complete unless you have some Chopin" Love it!

John Uscian

Notably, besides winning the 1970 Chopin competition, Garrick Ohlsson also took first prize in performing the mazurkas at that competition. So the 1970 Chopin jury would endorse your choice here, David. I'd have chosen Pollini for the Etudes but can well understand choosing Earl Wild for these pieces.

Mark Melson

Thanks for your Chopin overview. I was especially pleased that you picked Lipatti's Waltzes and Rubinstein's Scherzi, both of which are indeed special. Regarding the Third Sonata, I urge people to consider Cliburn's recording. I know that there are many Cliburn recordings which are competent but not particularly memorable. But there are three Cliburn recording which belong in any serious collection: the Tchaikovsky First Concerto with Kondrashin, the live Carnegie Hall Rachmaninoff Third Concerto with Kondrashin, and the Chopin Third Sonata, which has a majesty and nobility that distinguish it. If only the coupled Second Sonata were as good. One other thing: I know the Arrau Nocturnes are highly regarded, but I find them too heavy. My preferred alternative is Tamas Vasary's, silver-toned (as opposed to Arrau's bronze) and intensely poetic.

hwelf11

I would add one other recording to your Cliburn list: the Barber Sonata.

Apisak Rangsit

Thanks forsharing this.

Jack Atherton

andreas helling

For the preludes I love Sokolov! Gavrilov is very good in the etudes

Robert Waldren

3y↑1

Ulf Werner Nielsen

With exception of the Valses the Chopin recordings by Arrau are my favorite . When it comes to sonata 2 with Ashkenazy I prefer the live performances from 1972 “ Ashkenazy in concert “ .

Brian

I tend to like Rubinstein in everything but probably because Its what I listened to mostly in the beginning. Morevec is incredible in what I've heard. I enjoy the temperment and sound of Pires doing the Nocturnes. I agree on Perhia in the Impromptus. Pollini's Etudes are evidence for God, unreal. One worth Checking out is Ruth Slenczynska on Decca. For piecemeal collection I enjoy Michelangeli DG recording of 10 Mazurkas, Prelude op45, Ballade op23 and Scherzo op31.

N N

3y↑6

Daniel Melvin

3y↑1

Trifonov is an amazing player and I couldn't agree more with your list.

John Burlinson

3y↑1

Rudi Lindner

3y↑3

Thank you! Lipatti is so moving. Will you comment on the later Schubert piano sonatas one day?? Oh I also love Solomon playing the Berceuse and the early Pollini. Thank you again!

Edwin B

Yes! Solomon in the Berceuse is astounding!

wjlis79

3y↑3

Yes, yes, yes! Please do a video on the late Schubert sonatas.

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

3y↑4

Absolutely!

Baritone Astoria

3y↑1

T R

3y↑2

Ooooh I've been waiting for this one. Haven't watched it yet but thank you very much, dear David Hurwitz. I keep on listening and your videos keep making my life richer.

Armando Del Romero

3y↑1

Estel

The 4th Ballade is my favourite Chopin piece! Which versions do you have?

Apisak Rangsit

Big thanks forsharing this.

Marc Murat

Love this post, thank you
I have found waltzes played by Zoltan kocsis and I think they are very good!

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

3y↑1

They certainly are!

Lawrence Rinkel

3y↑1

For the Etudes, Augustin Anievas is superb IMO.

Apisak Rangsit

I love Anievas 's Valses too. Thanks for sharing.

Mark Decker

Etudes I need to give the nod to Sokolov; Agree with the EMI Argerich - fantastic early album; Preludes I like Tharaud; Waltzes go to Harasiewicz; Scherzi to Rubinstein (we match); Ballades to Zimerman (we match again!!!!!); I viscerally hate the Pollini polonaises - the piano is so harsh sounding. In all fairness, my default Chopin is 1960s Rubinstein, so that is my litmus test. Zimerman is fussy with his piano, but it records so well. Back in my music store days, I recall fond memories of Horszowski mazurkas.

Justo

Other great recordings IMHO, I think not yet mentioned: Jean-Marie Darré (Waltzes), Brigitte Engerer (Nocturnes), and Friedrich Gulda (Preludes, live, 1955). And mentioned, but never enough of them for Chopin: Moravec and Juana Zayas. And Guiomar Novaes....

Apisak Rangsit

Yes, yes, yes, i almost forgot Darre and Engerer!

Nicholas Jagger

3y↑1

I don't think you stopped smiling all the way through, quite clearly music close to your heart. Any chance of a Rachmaninov 3rd when you have time?

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

3y↑1

There's a chance of everything if I live to do it!

Ewaryst S

Thank you for your valuable comments . How about Rondos and other pieces ?

Greg Decker

fantastic and thanks so much !

C.J.W. Zwart

Great review. I'd like to think you had been tempted to squeeze in Tamás Vásáry for the waltzes or perhaps the mazurkas, but I guess you can't have them all.

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

Next time!

ROBINICUS

3y↑2

Oh boy, this is gonna be a good 'un. Keeping my fingers crossed, hoping to here some of my favorite names mentioned - Garrick Ohlsson, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, etc.

Caleb Law

Speaking of Chopin, the pianist that come to my mind is Nikita Magaloff. Would you consider making a video of him? In terms of my personal favorite, it has to go to Ivan Moravec. I love all his recordings. I am a little disappoint that his latest "portrait" box is not a complete box. I was hoping to get rid of all my individual CDs of him to save some shelf space

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

That would have been nice, wouldn't it?

VALLA THE COMPOSER

wonderful video - i learn so much from your great musical mind - and i love all your choices, except for Earl Wild who just rubs me the wrong way

Miguel Heredia

Martin Albers

3y↑1

I beforehand guessed you would choose Garrick Ohlsson for the Mazurkas.

Martin Albers

3y↑3

"paaaiinfully beautiful"... That oxymoron I will memorize!

Martin Albers

3y↑1

Had to check Rubinstein with the Scherzi here. 3rd Scherzo really gorgious!!!

Josh Grumiaux

3y↑8

the ideal Liszt of Chopin....
next we need the ideal Shoppin' for Liszt

benoit dumesnil

i have three choices for the box of music of chopin....alfred cortot (emi) ,claudio arrau,and nikita magaloff , and my 4 best choice...''berceuse'',alfred cortot (emi),...''preludes'',claudio arrau...(wow...!) .and nocturnes , samson francois....and finally waltz...jean-marc luisiada

Charles Laine

3y↑1

At 34:00, you mention that the Claudio Arrau Chopin pieces are "now on Decca". Please offer some tips and advice on how an ignorant consumer such as myself goes about finding the "Decca version" of the same Phillips recordings that you held in your hands and showed for this segment.

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

3y↑1

In today's marketplace, we are all on our own, sadly. Philips no longer exists; it is now Decca.. All I can suggest, if you are not interested in digital download or streaming services, is that you find a reputable retailer and see what they have to offer. I can only talk about performances; availability is a constantly changing situation.

Reinhart Frais

Thank you Sir

Bert Hill

3y↑2

Thankyou for this summary of the great Chopin cycles. The comments from your other listeners are enlightening, and I will revisit some of these. Some interpreters I like who you have not mentioned are Stefen Askenase, whose playing was just so elegant, Witold Malcuzynski who was especially good with the ballades, Tamas Vasary with the valses and the etudes (which
compare favourably with Pollini, though a little slower, and some old recordings of the mazurkas by Alexander Brailowsky. For sheer Chopin magic we cannot go past Rubinstein in the first movement of the second sonata, Rubinstein again in op 36 - nobody has matched the right hand runs and pulse of the left. Old recordings by Cortot, Rachmaninoff, Backhaus and others help us understand Chopin. Many of the modern interpretations are also just stunning. In music we cant have too much Chopin.

Colin Taylor

Dave -- there is only one thing wrong with all of these selections -- they are all played on filthy modern pianos -- usually the gross Steinway -- so the sound is nothing like that for which Chopin wrote. His Erard and Pleyel instruments had a wonderfully different touch and delicate tone with much variation across the registers. If you want different pianists for each of the groups of works, surely try 'The Real Chopin' box from the Chopin institute? The Warsaw Chopin competition now uses these Instruments too. Your thoughts please.

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

I think it's a pointless waste of time, and the "do it on Chopin's instruments" fad is irredeemably harmful in that it suggests to performers and listeners alike that the instrument is more important than the artist, which is total nonsense. The piano does not play the music, and your foolish comments regarding the tone of the modern Steinway bear eloquent witness to the unmusical, inartistic, illogical stupidity that passes for modern taste these days.

Jerry D. White

Any Chopin that Abbey Simon did is cream of the crop for me.

Alon Wasserman

I think the concept of an IDEAL Chopin list does not make sense. While in most other repertoire, a beginner would easily settle for a single version of each work (only later to start exploring and look for other versions), in Chopin's solo piano music the difference between different interpretations is so huge (and there are so many different valid ways to play it), even the beginner would want multiple versions right away

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

3y↑2

Sorry, that sounds pretty illogical to me. A beginner begins at the beginning, and there is no single "right way" to start. I was a beginner once and if you had told me I can't begin to listen to Chopin unless I get multiple versions of everything I would have told you to go fly a kite (or something similar). Before being able to make useful comparisons between versions, you have to know the work, and that will most likely be from a single reference--the one that got you into the music in the first place. Everything else follows from that. I have never heard of anyone getting to know a work they have never heard before, which they have no idea if they will like or not, by purchasing multiple recordings of it at the outset. What a waste of time and money that would be, and I could never in good conscience recommend that approach.

wjlis79

3y↑1

This is going to sound blasphemous, being of Polish descent and having Chopin drilled into me since I was young, but I am not particularly fond of Chopin. I do enjoy his Polonaises by Pollini and the Scherzi by Rubinstein. Other than that, I find most of his music drawing room fluff. Again my opinion as of now. Who knows, maybe the music will reach out to me later in life as I smack my younger self for writing this blasphemy. Unfortunately, Chopin is viewed as the only main romantic Polish composer, but I find another Polish composer Xavier Scharwenka's music to be first rate. Give a listen to his sonatas, Polish dances, and piano concerti.

wjlis79

@Don I'm going to relisten to them today to ensure my memory isn't playing tricks on me either. I got a pair of new Sennheiser HD 800s this week, so it will be a good test.

Don

@wjlis79 Ashkenazy was a Steinway artist from 1957 on throughout his career. I don't see anything in the notes of his Chopin box on what piano he's playing, but based on the sound and an endorsement contract and the fact that he had a Steinway in his home for his practice, I would bet it is on a Steinway. I have 2 very good stereo systems and listened to his Op 10 Etudes last night to make sure my memory wasn't playing tricks on me. I have no idea what there is to criticize about the sound of the piano or the recording.

Marc Murat

When I listen Chopin I m often surprised how modern his music is.

wjlis79

@Don no sorry. Didn't mean it that way. The sound quality is good. His piano I think is a bosendorfer and I'm not a big fan of that type of sound. I listened to Garrick Ohlssohn's on David's recommendation and I like that piano sound much better.

Don

@wjlis79 Ashkenazy's thin sounding piano? Are you trolling? His Chopin set on Decca has terrific sound.

2 More Replies...

Michelangelo Mulieri

Dear Dave why haven't you taken into consideration one Chopin's recording by Magaloff?

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

@Michelangelo Mulieri Well, I wouldn't have. There are more than enough great Chopin pianists, There is no significance to the fact that someone is not included.

Michelangelo Mulieri

@The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz Because when he recorded his Chopin's cycle, in mid 70s, maybe he was, along with earl wild, one of the last figures of the golden age of piano sound. Therefore, being a hero of a lost era, I 'd have included him into the list.

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

@Michelangelo Mulieri There is nothing to explain. I made a list. He wasn't on it. I ask you again: Why should he have been?

Michelangelo Mulieri

@The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz I was just asking your opinion. If you don't mind would please be so kind to explain the musical reasons of his exclusion?

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

Because I'm a bad person, obviously. But seriously, why should I?

M.L. Pianist

Mr. Hurwitz, what do you think of Ignaz Friedman's Chopin recordings?

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

3y↑1

A topic for another time.

pbarach1

3y↑5

Apisak Rangsit

3y↑1

Big thanks for sharing this and mentioning some younger artists and Tomsic.

Chien Hao Chen

Why don’t you review Dang Thai Son, winner of 10th Chopin Competition, on your website or here?

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

2y↑1

Because we don't care who wins a competition.

Galantski

Chopin a "family guy"??? He was a lifelong bachelor.

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

He was. He was extremely close to his family in Poland. I don't understand what about that statement is even mildly controversial.

William Whittle

Moravec’s Nocturnes were issued on VAI, which I have. Is this use one you are referring to?

The Ultimate Classical Music Guide by Dave Hurwitz

Thanks for the help!

Justo

I meant, "there´s no VAI CD edition...."

Justo

Let me act as David´s assistant on this: That´s the recording, issued by Connoisseur Society (VAI issued the wonderful Connoisseur Society recordings, but I believe there´s no VAI edition of the complete Nocturnes). On CD, first edition was Elektra-Nonesuch, then Warner (I believe a twofer called "Ultima"), and finally Supraphon (2002). Best, J.

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