Search - Frederic Chopin, Maria-João Pires :: Chopin: Nocturnes

A Single CD of the Best of Pires Chopin Nocturnes

Doug - Haydn Fan | California | 08/28/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This DG collection of 12 Chopin Nocturnes is taken from the very popular complete set recorded by Maria Joao Pires in 1996, available in America from Decca.Maria João Pires - Chopin · The Nocturnes For many listeners who balk at purchasing the entire set for 30 dollars this makes an excellent, far less expensive option. With the more famous Nocturnes included the Cd makes a great gift or introduction to the composer. I recently reviewed the complete set: Pires' playing throughout is highly melodious and she brings considerable class to each piece. While many superlative performances exist of each of the more well-known Nocturnes, Pires brings to each of the Nocturnes a very high standard of music-making. This is wonderful music, beautifully recorded and played.



For movie buffs, the last selection, No.20, is the famous posthumous Nocturne played in the film, "The Pianist".



All in all, a great deal, and highly recommended!



The selections included are,



1). No.1 in B flat Minor

2). No.2 in E flat Major

3). No.4 in F Major

4). No.5 in F sharp Major

5). No.7 in C sharp Minor

6). No.8 in D flat Major

7). No.10 in A flat Major

8). No.11 in G Minor

9). No.13 in C Minor

10). No.15 in F Minor

11). No.18 in E Major

12). No.20 in C sharp Minor"

Microphone position?

Peter Jensen | USA | 07/19/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The performance is great, but the recording is not. A critical review states "she does not achieve the pliant relationship between melody and accompaniment." It is my guess that microphone position, not the performance, is at fault. I arrived at this conclusion within about the first 30 seconds of listening. I tried various sound systems and speakers and consistently arrived at the same conclusion. This then begs the question, "where should the microphones be positioned." Well, the performer uses her ears to determine what she likes to hear. She does not have her head in the piano box, or out in the hall someplace. So ideally the microphones should be clipped to her ears. Unfortunately, such clipping would probably detract from her playing, so simply position them slightly behind her and to either side.



My guess is the microphones were in or directly over the piano box. This being the case, sound from certain locations on the strings will be emphasized. The dominant tone on any string is the standing wave formed over its entire length, so at a minimum the microphones must be sufficiently distant to capture the entire length of the piano approximately evenly. This did not happen in this recording."