Search - Frederic Chopin, Claudio Abbado, Chicago Symphony Orchestra :: Frédéric Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2

One of the best, if not exactly "standard"

Andrew R. Weiss | Raleigh, NC USA | 03/20/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I listened to this recording yesterday for the first time in a year or so and was struck again by how wonderfully Pogorelich captures the spirit of the concerto. He has an unusual command of structure (and some unusual ways of presenting it), and here it lends a coherence to a piece that sometimes sounds fragmented. Pogorelich approaches each movement in paragraphs, not phrases, and I've never heard a more exciting, rapturous sweep to the first movement elsewhere -- and this despite, or perhaps because of, his unusual tempi and phrasing. The second movement is meltingly lyrical, and in the last movement Pogorelich captures a bounce and joy I haven't head elsewhere either. This is a young man's performance of a young man's concerto -- Chopin was only 18 when he wrote it, I believe -- and it's hard to match that youthful ardor.



Abbado and the Chicago move right along with Pogorelich, the orchestra plays beautifully, Abbado brings out details that remain hidden in other performances, and, again makes the piece sound better, more coherent, and better orchestrated than I had ever supposed. DG's sound is spacious, warm and detailed, an almost analog-type of digital sound which fits the performances beautifully.



I have performances of this piece that I love by Tomas Vasary and Claudio Arrau, but none of them inspire me, or bring a huge smile to my face, the way this one does.



If you can forget your preconceptions about how this piece is supposed to sound, I think you'll love this recording, and you may, like me, regard it as the best of the bunch. How sad that it's now only available as an import and at such a high price."

A Gem

Young | CA, USA | 02/08/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Pogorelich is an eccentric pianist who nonetheless possesses fantastic technique. Many times he goes for too much extreme and disserves the music he is playing. But he weaves wonders on this occasion. There are numerous tempo swings in the outer movements which makes this very familiar music tremendously exciting. At the same time in the second movement with deliciously employed rubato making the music most magical, the concentration of his playing is on such a rapturous level that the intensity is almost unbearable. The finale of the concerto is triumphant.



Chicago musicians under Abbado provide scintillating contribution and the sound is cool and warm at the same time with plenty of depth."