Search - Chopin, Maria-João Pires :: Chopin: Waltzes

Jeanne B. from RALEIGH, NC
Reviewed on 12/19/2009...

ARTIST: Maria Joao Pires
It's not mentioned in the CD info, but I think it's important. She's on the list "Great Pianists of the 20th Century."

Some insight into well-trodden roads

scarecrow | Chicago, Illinois United States | 02/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Waltzes might seem somewhat more festive, not the genre for serious contemplations of the lifeworlds, but no they are like the other piano genres as the miniature tales exposed in the "preludes", or the more expansive one-dimensional at times "etudes". Pires has much tom say in these Waltzes, saving the best for last many times, She takes great rhythmic liberties,mostly at transtion points to help let us know there is a bridge here to cross. She makes sense of her own sequence of the Waltzes as well, not following the usually tyranical numeric sequence which now I see makes little emotive sense.

We begin with #4 one for the ballerina, with its tighly impacted melody,incessant flying rhythm that doesn't allow the foot to stay at reston the floor, no this is a Waltz that works on the body not the mind,well it elevates the mind upwards, as Jasmine dances. #5 as well the "Grand Valse" more expansive and has more interesting tunrs of events, with its secondary itme scaling upward over a simply dominant to tonic, adding stability yet excitiment churning the resonance. She lets the resonance sometimes take its own course not afraid of becoming too loud.Again a livable liberty that makes sense withihn Pires contexts she builds here. #6 the infamous "minute" waltz, is well trodden ground here but she brings a wonderful sense of spirit I've not heard before,perhaps Rubenstein.And then we plunge into lonliness with # 9 the most threadbare melody of the lot here,deeply memorable for it is a place we have been before,afraid to look outward, desolate yet not unpopulated.After #9 we have#7 again the darkest key of C# minor for the piano, is is marked "tempo giusto" so this penumbral tune gets moving along some path. She explodes into the B Section the Db Major like light allowed into to this private discussion of infidelity of loss of home, exile, again iconic places for the composer., then #11, relatively shorter of the lot a mere 2 minutes, but the highlight here the summary point Pires makes #10 the familiar b-minor a cherished key for Chopin as in the "preludes", and "Sonata", here the balance is incredible the drone-like accompaniment region is wondwerfully suggestive, it transcends Adorno's categories of beauty I think.#14 again is a turn around for it is in E minor but more extroverted almost business like waltz, getting to places for the mere sake of just getting there, and with the interruptive measures this is not a likable Waltz, it doens;t draw one in more keeps you at length. Pires is telling us that this sequences of tales is about to end, pushing herself away now. then with anothe minor one #3 A minor and again one students play for recitals,but she pulls you through this plain(plain for eternity) yet memorable melody with insight into clarity and simplicity, like there is no other choice for a path to this Waltz.#8 then is more the "real Wa;tz a memorable one but not overly deeply so.,more as a step toward another, nothing important here,or worth pondering past its performance,until we get to #12 a posthumous waltz,perhaps the most severest introspection here,in F minor a key for Chopin that was irresolvable, like a dead-end for ones' creativity.Pires is never over-taxing yet she brings a deep sense of thought here not as extroverted as Agerich might have been or third person as Pollini,she is closer to Rubenstein in the richness of resonance tone and timbre she gets from her instrument. It is finely balanced I think."

Wonderful Waltzes

F. Gregory Noveske | 02/17/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Pires' makes the Chopin waltzes her own. Quite different from the Rubinstein version considered by many to be the benchmark, they offer a freshness in appeal and are well worth the purchase."