Search - Chopin, Arrau :: Claudio Arrau Plays Chopin

Distinguished playing by the legendary Chilean pianist

Dean, London | 11/09/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is not the greatest Chopin recording by Claudio Arrau by any means, and in places it is let down slightly by the mono recorded sound, which dates from the early 1950s. However, it offers further evidence that Arrau had few peers as a Chopin interpreter. His coverage of the composer's work may have been less comprehensive than, say, Rubinstein's - although unlike the latter he did give us a complete set of Etudes - but he yields to no-one in the sheer vigour of his playing and the sharpness of his insights. Most of the performances here are of reference standard, his recording of the Ballade No. 1 in G minor in particular being one of the greatest ever committed to record. He also brings an entirely fresh perspective to the Impromptus. The Scherzos Nos. 1 and 2 are highly accomplished, but perhaps not quite as great as Richter's legendary set (which benefits from superior sound quality and, in places, sharper articulation).



Ignore the critics who question Arrau's use of rubato. Yes, his style of playing is highly individual and the sense of gravitas he was able to evoke is not to everyone's taste. But his commanding technique is always completely at the service of the music, rather than his own ego."