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Pollini plays Chopin Op 33 - 36 & 38

Carlton | CT, USA | 10/25/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Pollini plays Chopin Opp 33- 36 & 38



Maurizio Pollini is not only a great virtuoso, but also a brilliant musical mind. His recordings of Chopin's etudes and preludes from the 1970's remain the ne plus ultra in the recorded literature. Prior to this recording, Pollini released the Chopin Nocturnes. His vision of these night pieces was surprisingly more clinical than any others I have heard. Many nocturnes such as the Op 9 n 3, Op 15 n 2, Op 32 n 2, Op 48 n 1 & 2 , Op 55 n 1 survived this approach. Others such as the Op 9 n 1 & 2, Op 27 n 2, Op 37 n 1, Op 55 n 2 and Op 62 n 1 & 2 seemed to devolve into etudes.



It's not for me to criticize Pollini. I'm humbly offering my opinion for other listeners who hold Chopin's creations in higher esteem than any one performance or performer. With that said, let's proceed to his most recent CD.

As far as the mazurkas of Op 33 are concerned, I liked Pollini's direct approach. Missing in these performances were the rubato and subtle second beat accents of Rubinstein, Ekier, Chiu or Wasowski. However, these extremely introspective, idiosyncratic works managed to shine even in Pollini's austere environment.

The waltzes of Op 34 also proved interesting. From a purely technical point of view, the A-flat and the F major were exhilarating. Yet, interpretively they seemed somewhat flat. They didn't exude the elegance or the pathos that is found in Rubinstein's recordings of 1953 and 1964. In the A minor waltz Pollini didn't seem to project the depth of despair inherent in this piece. The coda, a vision of peace and hope, is not conveyed in that manner. Both of Rubinstein's performances and Alexander Brailowsky's 1959 Philips recording are certainly more retrospective and compelling.

Chopin's Impromptu Op 36 is a masterpiece. Pollini's clinical approach works due to the efficacy of the piece itself. However, Davidovich, Arrau and Rubinstein lend much more grace and warmth to this wonderful work.

Regarding the Ballade Op 38, Pollini's 1995 recording is absolutely unassailable as the greatest I've heard. He eclipsed both Zimerman and Moravec, whose recordings are nothing short of definitive.

Pollini's reprise of the malevolent second subject and the coda of panic and hysteria will remain as one of the touchstones in all recorded music.

This torrent of elemental, destructive force, which paved the way for Brahms, Scriabin and Prokofiev, displays a Chopin far removed from the salons of Paris.

That being said, although I enjoyed this 2008 recording of the Ballade, it does not match the 1995 recording.

Now we come to the main work, the Sonata Op 35. Pollini recorded this work in the mid 1980's. After studying various editions, he concluded that Chopin's intention was to repeat the 4 bar introduction of the opening movement. Mitsuko Uchida and Juana Zayas have recorded the sonata in this manner also. It makes sense - especially since the exposition ends on an A-flat 7th chord. The natural progression would be to the opening D-flat of the introduction.

Pollini plays the introduction too quickly for my taste. The balance of the movement is magnificent. Yet, Uchida, Argerich and Grimaud seem a bit more mercurial, visceral and torrid in their renderings of this fantastic opening movement.

Pollini is stellar in the challenging second movement scherzo. The beautiful cantible section of this movement is well delivered also.

The so-called centerpiece of the sonata, the funeral march is forceful and relentless. Pollini is extremely powerful in the march. However, his quick tempo deprives the middle section of any sense of sentiment. It's much too clinical.

In the finale, Pollini reaches Parnassus. His performance of this inscrutable movement is nothing short of extraordinary. In fact, it might be worth the price of the CD.

Overall, this is Pollini playing Chopin. His virtuosity is always satisfying. His interpretations are those of a genius and must be respected as such. Therefore, I recommend this recording despite some reservations.



Since I have studied the Sonata Op 35 for over thirty years, I placed below a rudimentary analysis of this work that may help some listeners gain an appreciation for it. I realize that I am not a professional musician and may be missing some or many of the esoteric points of this landmark work. However, maybe this analysis will spur some discussion or open up some new perspectives.



SONATA OPUS 35 in B-Flat Minor "Funeral March"





Within the guise of a traditional classical format, Chopin's Sonata Op 35 is one of the most daring and revolutionary pieces in conception, structure, and harmonic scheme ever composed. It is inconceivable to think that this work was begun in 1837 with the funeral march, and completed in 1839.

Like any avant-garde work, it encountered quite a bit of criticism. Even Schumann, who had expressed so much enthusiasm for Chopin's works, was baffled. He stated that to call this work a sonata was "caprice." He went on to say: "Chopin has simply bound together four of his most unruly children." The finale horrified Mendelssohn, another great admirer of Chopin.



Despite their unenthusiastic reception, this sonata has been performed at concerts and recitals more than any other. Pianists and audiences were mesmerized by it. By the twentieth century, most critics and musicians finally realized what scores of pianists had known all along: it is one of the supreme works of genius in the literature. In addition, it put to rest the notion that Chopin could not compose large scale works.



The unity between the four movements of Chopin's Sonata Op 35 had always been in question. Schumann's "four unruly children" quote exemplifies the consternation many critics expressed. However, Professor Alan Walker in his anthology, The Chopin Companion, provided a compelling analysis, which illustrated the thematic, harmonic and structural unity within and among the four movements. One striking example is the relationship between the Main Themes of the opening movement and the funeral march (the third movement). The first movement's Main Theme is an inversion of the funeral march's Main Theme. However, since it is duple phrased verses single phrased and mandated at a much faster speed than the march, the relationship is camouflaged.





First Movement: Grave; Doppio movimento



In his final piano sonata, the OP.111, Beethoven fashioned an 18 bar, tension-filled introduction, which provided a launching pad for one of his most exciting and well-crafted opening movements. Chopin's Sonata Op 35 also begins with an introduction. But, his is only four bars in length. In compressing such an ominous statement, which in Professor Walker's opinion, determines the thematic destiny of the entire work, Chopin sets the stage for perhaps the most exciting and daring opening movement ever written. The rapid Main Theme, replete with statements and replies as well as some unfathomable dissonances for its time, has an urgent drive.

The Subordinate Theme, sedate and romantic, is well contrasted to the speed and exigency of the Main Theme. Chopin's development of the second subject from placid and innocent to complex and sophisticated, demonstrates remarkable piano writing. The closing passages of the Subordinate Theme could pass for Rachmaninoff, whose most significant works were composed after 1900. The Closing Theme is comprised of a statement of chords, which are echoed, then destabilized by Chopin to precipitate a tumultuous close featuring rumbling octaves in the left hand. The exposition ends in an unresolved cadence. The process repeats: Main Theme, Subordinate Theme, Closing Theme.

Following tradition, the Development follows the restatement of the Exposition. After portentous interplay between the Main Theme and the Introduction's Theme, it climaxes with an amazing transformation of the Main Theme set over the Introduction's Motif in the bass. The statements and replies, intensified by dark modulations, fifty years ahead of their time, amplify the dramatic transfiguration. A descending chromatic scale provides the unlikely end of the Development and the start of the Recapitulation.

After the storm clouds of the Development, Chopin begins the Recapitulation with the Subordinate Theme in the tonic major. It provides a magnificent relief, beginning so delicately and maturing so significantly. Chopin's omission of the Main Theme in the Recapitulation was once considered a major compositional flaw. However, one could argue that Chopin's transformation of the Main Theme during the Development is the actual beginning of the Recapitulation, which would render another restatement superfluous. The Closing Theme is reprised and followed by a Coda featuring the Main Theme. It surges to a tremendous climax, which closes the opening movement.



Here is the format of the 1st Movement:



Exposition: Introduction, MT, ST, CT, Close; MT, ST, CT, Close.

Development: Transformation of MT combined with Introduction Motif

Recapitulation: ST, CT, Close, Coda.





Second Movement: Scherzo



The technical demands of the second movement eclipse those of the opening movement. Like the first movement, Chopin does not give the performer a specific tempo indication. The form of the second movement is A B A.

Traditionally, the scherzo, which replaced the minuet in the sonata, was the third movement. Chopin placed it after the opening movement to serve a dual role. His second movement not only provides the exhilarating energy of the scherzo in the outer sections, but the middle section offers the relief of a traditional andante or romance movement.

The opening section (A) is an extremely demanding scherzo. In his analysis that appears in The Cambridge Companion to Chopin, edited by Jim Samson, Anatole Leiken points out that the scherzo appears to be an outgrowth or continuation of the First Movement's Closing Theme. The agitation present in both is very similar. The forceful Main Theme is stated in octaves and thick chords. The Secondary Theme, which also requires strength, speed and precision, features chromatic progressions and wide leaps.

The B section marked piu lento features a beautiful cantabile (song-like) melody. It is a remarkable contrast to the scherzo. The Secondary Theme in this section is stated in the bass.

The A section returns with the restatement of the scherzo. Chopin adds a coda, in which the Main Theme from the B section closes the movement quietly.



Here is the format of the second Movement:

A: MT, ST, MT1,

B: MT, MT, ST, MT1, ST, MT1

A: MT, ST, MT1, Coda







Third Movement: Funeral March--Lento



Long considered the centerpiece of this sonata, the funeral march has taken on a life of its own. It is usually performed at funeral services for famous personalities and dignitaries around the globe. The funerals of John F. Kennedy and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat are two that immediately come to mind.

The universally known Main Theme, set over two triads, is so arresting due to its processional relentlessness. The tragic, sorrow filled pace of the cortege seems to elicit the somber inevitability that defines mortality. The Secondary Theme continues in the same manner. Bells and drum rolls re-introduce the Main Theme.

The "B" Section features a very simple, and to some, an angelic Main Theme. In fact, it was once described as two angels speaking to one another while viewing the service. The Secondary Theme of the "B" Section is just an harmonic, remorseful variant of its Main Theme. Perhaps this Middle Section represents the priest's homily, in which he tries to comfort the mourners with a description of the eternal paradise that awaits the departed.

However, one cannot dismiss the idea that Chopin could be factitious here. No doubt this section provides a remarkable contrast to the march. But, does its glaring naiveté appear to mock rather than console? Is it possible that Chopin chose to make a statement that the belief in an afterlife is illusory at best; folly at worst?

It is well known that Chopin was not a religious person. In fact, even on his deathbed, it took a good deal of persuasion from his friend, Father Jelowicki, to convince him to accept the sacraments.



I believe a case for this view can be supported. Chopin is one the greatest masters of melody. Prior to the Sonata Op 35, he had published 25 Mazurkas, 24 etudes, 24 preludes, 10 nocturnes, 4 waltzes, 3 polonaises, 2 scherzi, 2 concerti and the Ballade Op 23. Think of some of the glorious melodies contained in that output! Even in the works he withheld from publication and destined for destruction, we find examples of more convincing and complex material than this "B" section theme. An alternative list of candidates might include thematic motifs similar to the middle sections of the Polonaise Op 26 n 1, the Polonaise Op 71 n 3, or the Nocturne Op 15 n 3. Wouldn't verses like these provide a more realistic and sanguine relief, if the composer had wished to do so?

The March returns and is repeated exactly as before. It concludes quietly, but emphatically.



Here is the format of the 3rd Movement:



A: MT, MT, ST, MT1, ST, MT1.

B: MT, MT, ST, MT1, ST, MT1.

A: MT, MT, ST, MT1, ST, MT1.







Fourth Movement: Finale - Presto, sotto voce



The eighty-second finale of the Sonata Op.35 is one of the most enigmatic pieces ever written. Two hands playing triplets in unison manifest a ghostly swirling sound. The work approaches atonality (music without a tonic or home key), a concept that would not eventuate for some 75 years.

Since its appearance critics, musicians, and devotees of the composer have conjectured about the meaning of this mysterious movement. For Russian composer Anton Rubinstein it was "night winds sweeping over the grave." Others opined that Chopin was an atheist - telling us that after death, there is nothing. However, we may have crossed that bridge in the previous movement. Chopin, who was asked the meaning of the finale incessantly, would reply that it was "the left and right hands gossiping in unison after the march."

It is difficult to reach any definite conclusion.

I might offer this theory. Chopin had a classical education and would have read Dante's Divine Comedy. In Canto III, Dante and Virgil enter the vestibule of Hell and encounter a "whirling storm that turns itself forever through that air of endless black, like grains of sand swirling when a whirlwind blows." Here they see those souls that are "nowhere"--rejected by both Heaven and Hell. These are souls who lived a life "without blame or praise". These shades, as Dante called them, never took a stand for or against anything. For their punishment they are condemned to chase a banner, which will never be staked, at a furious pace while wasps and hornets sting them unmercifully.

It's possible that Chopin may have been confronting his own demons in the finale. He had always regretted leaving Poland and not participating in the 1831 uprising against the Russians.

Considering the tempo and dynamic indications, presto--sotto voce, rendering the macabre swirling, which begins deep in the bass, Chopin's finale might be the musical portrayal of Dante's horrible apparition.

Whatever the motivation, the finale provides a stunning conclusion to one of the most thought provoking sonatas ever written.



Here is the format of the Final Movement:



A, A1, Coda.





Note regarding the first movement:

Despite the notoriety of the Funeral March and the singularity of the Finale, the opening movement is the most intense and impellent of the sonata. Too many artists have chosen to omit the repetition of the exposition, which is a catastrophic mistake. It destroys the symmetry and potency of the movement. Some of the notables guilty of this omission are Arthur Rubinstein, Vladimir Horowitz, Evgeny Kissin, and Ivo Pogorelich.



One can only imagine Chopin's rendering of this work. Considering his extraordinary tonal command, it must have been an exhilarating tour de force. How would it sound on his Playel? As with many aspects of Chopin the man, musician and composer, these are musings that, unfortunately, will remain matters of conjecture.



"

Exceptional Recital of Chopin Masterworks Courtesy of Mauriz

John Kwok | New York, NY USA | 04/24/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Virtually all of the pieces performed by acclaimed pianist Maurizio Pollini in his latest Deutsche Grammophon Chopin disk, "Pollini Chopin Opp. 33 - 36, 38", were composed in the years of 1837 to 1839, often regarded as the "middle period" of "Chopin's maturity". Without question, this fine CD is a worthy successor to Pollini's critically acclaimed recording of Chopin's Nocturnes. If nothing else, these pieces, ranging from mazurkas and waltzes to Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35 (most memorable to many for its popular third "Funeral March" movement), demonstrate both the great range of Chopin's artistic genius and its sympathetic playing by our foremost living Chopin interpreter. I am familiar with other, equally valid, interpretations of this piano sonata, including, for example, Martha Argerich's classic Deutsche Grammophon recording, but Pollini's seems rather special in its own right, combining both his scholarly musicological interest in taking a fresh look at the score - as noted in this disk's liner notes - with his subtle, refined, and quite often, lyrical interpretation. Indeed, it is reasonable to say that his playing, while often intense, seems novel for each piece, revisiting each as though these were newly composed works performed for the first time. Sudden changes in tempi and sound (e. g. a rapid fortissimo) burst forth naturally, almost effortlessly, in Pollini's hands, without sounding excessively dramatic. While this new recording may be most noteworthy for the wonderful interpretation of Chopin's B flat minor piano sonata, other highlights include Pollini's insightful playing of the Ballade No. 2 in F major, Op. 37 and four mazurkas Op. 33. Without a doubt, this is one of the best recent Chopin recordings I have come across, and one that reaffirms Pollini's life-long commitment to Chopin's music, which started, in breathtaking fashion, back in 1960, as the winner of the Warsaw Competition.

"

Up and Down with Pollini

Richard Steiger | Murray, KY USA | 04/03/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As time passes I become more and more fond of Pollini's direct, unfussy performances. But not everything suits his particular approach. The idea of recording a recital based on opus numbers is a good one, producing a varied recital of masterpieces. But some of this music just doesn't suit Pollini. He plays the mazurkas as pretty little piano pieces, which they are. But they're also dances, and there's very little of the dance (let alone the mazurka) in Pollini's performances. The op 34 waltzes are even further out of his range, the first being rushed and joyless and the second perfunctory. The impromptu is quite well done, though. The larger works on the program are superb, Pollini at his considerable best. Pollini downplays the schizoid nature of the Second Ballade. The opening is hardly the lullaby one hears in other performances. I believe his approach creates a more integrated, cohesive ballade than usual. The sonata is the highlight of the disc. The first movement builds steadily to a crushing conclusion. Incidentally, Pollini does something odd in this movement. He plays the repeat in the first movement (as every pianist seems to do these days), but begins it at the very beginning of the movement, at the "Grave" marking (much as Serkin and a few others begin the first movement repeat of Beethoven's "Pathetique" Sonata at the same place). I found it very effective. The Funeral March is appropriately grim (Pollini is one of the few pianists in my experience who can avoid making the bass sound like "Bydlo" in Pictures at an Exhibition), the trio delivered without a trace of the sickly sentimentality we often hear. The finale, the "gossip after the funeral," is remarkably well-defined. So, a few dances aside, this is a distinguished recital. The sound itself is very good, though I have to report some odd sniffling throughout the sonata. Did the ghost of Claudio Arrau sneak into the studio?"