Search - Mursky :: Chopin: Etudes

Uneven and Ultimately Disappointing

J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 03/07/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"There are any number of fine recordings of Chopin's complete Etudes but this entry by Eugéne Mursky isn't one of them. He certainly has the digital technique to play these demanding works, but he has several things working against him. First, unlike in his recording of the Waltzes Chopin: Waltzes which were in outstanding sound, this CD contains too many instances of clangorous sound, the kind that can put your teeth on edge. Second, he tends to overuse the pedal at times, although in the slower, more melodious etudes this is not the case; rather it is in the hell-bent-for-leather etudes where this occurs. Finally, there is, again primarily in the fast etudes (and, understandably, many of the etudes are fast) the tendency for him to use a one-size-fits-all expression. Just to make sure I wasn't being unduly harsh in my assessment I pulled out some of my favorite etude recordings -- those by Murray Perahia Chopin: Études, Opp. 10 & 25 and the live (!) recording by the too-little-known Georgian Elisso Wirssaladze Chopin: Etudes -- and was immediately struck by the contrast between their subtle expressive qualities as against his rather crass phrasing.



Although this issue has some things to recommend it, there are just too many other fine available recordings of the Etudes. I would recommend you pass this one by.



Scott Morrison



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